Prague Spring Facts & Worksheets

• 8 April 1968

The Action Programme was published by the KSČ. This document outlines Dubček's ambitious plans for political and economic reforms, including decentralising the economy, introducing multi-party elements within the framework of socialism, and granting greater freedoms to the press, speech, and movement.

• 20 May 1968

The Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries expressed concern over the reforms in Czechoslovakia. A meeting in Dresden saw Eastern Bloc leaders pressuring Dubček to rein in the liberalisation, but he remained committed to the reform agenda.

• 27 June 1968

The "Two Thousand Words" manifesto, penned by writer Ludvík Vaculík, was published. It calls for further reforms and encourages citizens to take a more active role in the political process. The manifesto garnered widespread support but also alarmed the Soviet leadership.

• 29 July – 1 August 1968

The Cierna nad Tisou conference took place on the Czech-Soviet border. Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev and other Warsaw Pact leaders confronted Dubček and the Czechoslovak delegation. Despite intense pressure, Dubček defended the reforms but agreed to curtail some aspects to ease tensions.

• 3 August 1968

The Bratislava Declaration was signed by leaders of the Warsaw Pact countries, including Dubček. It reaffirmed their commitment to socialism and collective security within the bloc but also allowed for different paths to socialism, providing a reprieve for Dubček’s reforms.

• 18 August 1968

In a secret meeting in Moscow, the leaders of the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria decided to take military action against Czechoslovakia to prevent the spread of liberalisation. This decision marked the final step towards intervention.

• 20-21 August 1968

Warsaw Pact troops, led by the Soviet Union, invaded Czechoslovakia. The invasion involved around 250,000 troops and 2,000 tanks. The surprise attack caught the Czechoslovak government off guard. Despite efforts to maintain non-violent resistance, the invasion effectively ended the Prague Spring.

• 22 August 1968

Dubček and other reform leaders were arrested and taken to Moscow. Despite public protests and a general strike by the Czechoslovak people, the Soviet Union imposed a more hardline regime. Dubček and his colleagues were forced to sign the Moscow Protocol, which demanded the rollback of reforms.

• October 1968

The Soviet-imposed "normalisation" policy began, aiming at restoring the old order. Dubček remained in office but was increasingly sidelined and stripped of his influence. Gustav Husák, who would later replace Dubček, emerged as a key figure in the reversal of the reforms.

• April 1969

Alexander Dubček was replaced by Gustav Husák as First Secretary of the KSČ. Husák oversaw a period of strict "normalisation," reversing the liberalising reforms of the Prague Spring and re-establishing tight control over the political and social life of Czechoslovakia.

INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS

• The international reactions to the Prague Spring were varied and reflected the broader Cold War context. The events in Czechoslovakia drew significant attention from both Eastern and Western blocs, with profound diplomatic and ideological implications.
• In the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries, the Prague Spring was viewed with alarm. 
• Leaders in Moscow, East Berlin, Warsaw, and other capitals feared that the liberalisation in Czechoslovakia could inspire similar movements in their own countries, undermining their control. 
• This fear prompted the decision to invade and suppress the reforms, an action justified by the Brezhnev Doctrine, which asserted the right of the Soviet Union to intervene in any socialist country threatened by internal or external forces.
• Western countries, particularly those in Western Europe and the United States, expressed solidarity with the Czechoslovak people. The invasion was widely condemned, and there were calls for economic sanctions against the Soviet Union. However, the geopolitical realities of the Cold War limited the West's ability to intervene directly. The United Nations Security Council debated the issue, but Soviet veto power prevented any decisive action.
• In Western Europe, the Prague Spring had a significant impact on leftist movements. Many Western European communists were disillusioned by the Soviet intervention, leading to a rift within communist parties and the emergence of Eurocommunism, which sought a more independent and democratic path to socialism.
• The non-aligned countries, including India and Yugoslavia, also voiced their disapproval of the invasion. Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito, in particular, was critical of the Soviet actions, seeing them as a threat to his own country's independent socialist path. This criticism underscored the tension within the socialist bloc between the Soviet Union and more independent-minded countries.
• Public opinion worldwide was largely sympathetic to the Czechoslovak reformers. Protests and demonstrations in support of the Prague Spring took place in various countries, highlighting the widespread desire for greater freedom and democracy. The events in Czechoslovakia resonated particularly with young people and intellectuals, who saw the Prague Spring as a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism.

AFTERMATH AND LEGACY

• The aftermath of the Prague Spring was marked by a harsh crackdown and a period of "normalisation." After the invasion, Czechoslovakia was forced to abandon its reform agenda and revert to a more orthodox form of socialism under Soviet supervision.