The Prague Spring

The Prague Spring 1968

Mara, Marie 10c

Structure

Background

Timeline

First impressions/ overview

Sources

Quiz

Tasks

"I felt like I was in the first day of a war."

Milan Linhart

Info

Info

First impressions / overview

What happened in the Prague Spring?

The Prague Spring was a brief period of liberalization in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic around 1968. It had its peak in spring 1968 - Alexander Dubček had become Party leader of the KSČ, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. His liberal reforms provided more press and personal freedom and "socialism with a human face". He called for a democratization in Czechoslovakia. Although the nation had pinned their hopes on Dubček, the dreams of freedom were soon crushed by Soviet-lead army forces invading the country, fearful of the impacts of the liberalization on the Soviet Union. August 21, 1968 became "the day that freedom died". With the invasion and its consequences, roughly 100 people died in the Prague Spring.

First impressions / Overview

Alexander Dubček

Nov. 1921 - Nov. 1992

Alexander Dubček was born in 1921 in Kyrgystan, in Soviet Central Asia. His father was a member of the Czechoslovak Communist Party. (In 1938, the family returned to the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.) Dubček took part in the underground resistance to the Nazi occupation during World War Ⅱ. In 1962, he became a full member of the Central Committee´s Presidium of the KSČ.

At a Central Committee meeting in October 1967, Dubček managed to gain the support of the party against the leadership of Antonín Novotný - on January 5, 1968, he replaced him as party leader. He granted a greater freedom of press, economic reforms and the reform program "Czechoslovakia´s Road to Socialism". In 1992, he died as the leader of Slovakia´s Social Democrats.

Background

What even lead to the Prague Spring?

Background -

Political circumstances that lead to the start of Prague Spring

After World War Ⅱ, the Czechoslovakians responded favorably to the KSČ and the Soviet alliance. Czech lands were mostly occupied by Soviet troops. Additionally, the disappointment in the West because of the "betrayal" in 1938 was still present: After the leadership in Great Britain and France had conceded the German right to take over the Sudetenland, the German army continued with the invasion and till 1944 extended it to all parts of former Czechoslovakia. All that benefited the KSČ. The Communist Party secured a strong representation in the government and society - although the democratic elements (led by President Beneš) hoped for the freedom of the Czechoslovakians to choose their own form of government, the Czechoslovak coup d'état completed the communist takeover. Since 1948, Antonín Novotný as the head of the KSČ had a big role in ruling the Czechoslovakian Socialist Republic.

Stalin´s death in 1953 lead to the process of "De-Stalinization" in the Soviet Union. The personal freedom, freedom of the press and regulations in arts and media had dramatically improved - except in Czechoslovakia. Novotný faced increasing criticism because of the stagnant economy and his quasi-authoritarian practices and his anti-Slovak prejudice.The call for the political reform was answered with a new economic model, introducing free market elements.

Political circumstances that lead to the start of Prague Spring

Background -

The growing public dissatisfaction led to calls for a new form of socialism, a socialism that would include proper elections, personal freedom and responsibility of leaders to society. The Czechs also thought the USA would assist them if they stood up to the Soviet Union. In 1967, students first began to protest peacefully against the leadership of Antonín Novotný. Alexander Dubček is seen as the perfect alternative candidate. Both the orthodox party members and the reformers accepted his views and ideas.

Timeline

All the facts and dates you need to know...

Timeline

The most important events of the Prague Spring

Alexander Dubček replaces Antonín Novotný as first secretary of the KSČ

Jan. 5, 1968

Public protests show the growing criticism of Novotný´s presidency

March

March 22

Novotný resigns as president

Ludvik Svoboda is elected as the new president of Czechoslovakia

March 30

April 18

New government is formed under Dubček

Timeline

The most important events of the Prague Spring

May Day celebrations reflect huge support for the new government

May 1

June 26

Censorship is officially abolished

Representatives of Communist parties meet in Warsaw (Soviet Union, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria); they send a warning to the CZ leaders

July 15

July 29 - Aug. 1

Negotiations are held - Dubček argues that the reforms do not endanger the Soviet Union Threats of invasion by Soviet communist parties

Timeline

The most important events of the Prague Spring

Kremlin decides on the invasion of Czechoslovakia "The invasion will take place even if it leads to a third world war." - Andrei Grechko

August 18

An estimated 500,000 troops (Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, East Germany) invade Czechoslovakia in the night of August 20 - 21

August 20

Info

August 21, 1968

"The day that freedom died"

1:00 am

Invasion is announced over State Radio

The four leading reformers in CZ leadership are arrested by Soviet troops (including Dubček )

3:00 am

6:00 am

Svoboda calls for calm over the radio

Crowd and Soviet troops meet - tanks appear and start firing at buildings

8:00 am

After the invasion...

Svoboda flies to Moscow to discuss a solution

August 23

CZ leaders sign Moscow protocol - reform program is partly renounced and agrees to presence of Soviet troops in CZ

August 25

August 31

Censorship is reintroduced in CZ

Oct. 28

CZ becomes a federal republic

Jan. 16, 1969

Jan Palach sets himself on fire

Tasks

Now that you´ve had an insight on the events and background of the Prague Spring, we want you to dig a little bit deeper.

Tasks

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Imagine that you´re the 15 year old boy. Write a diary entry about your experiences of the Prague Spring in 1968. (200 words)

Read the linked article:

Compare the protests of the Prague Spring with the ones in Belarus in 2020. What are the similarities? What are the differences?

Link

Task 4

In your opinion, is this source respectable and trust-worthy? Give reasons for your answer.

Quiz

You know (almost) everything now!!

start

Question 1/5

Prague Spring quiz

How many people died roughly during the brutal invasion of Czechoslovakia?

about 100

about 50

about 150

Question 2/5

Prague Spring quiz

Right!

In which year did the Prague Spring take place?

1967

1969

1968

Question 3/5

Prague Spring quiz

Right!

How was the mood in the early months of 1968?

free

nostalgic

bored

Question 4/5

Prague Spring quiz

Right!

How did most people behave after the invasion?

trying to survive

being excited

protesting

Question 5/5

Prague Spring quiz

Right!

What's the name of the KSČ party leader during the Prague Spring?

Alex Dubček

Alexander Dubčkek

Alexander Dubček

YESS <3

4. Q

2. q

3. Q

5. Q

end

NO <3

1. Q again

2. Q again

3. Q again

5. Q again

4. Q again

Finally <3

Bibliography

01

https://blisty.cz/art/91264-a-personal-testimony-what-was-going-on-during-the-1968-prague-spring.html, Jan Čulík, 20.8.2018

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/19/prague-1968-snapshots-day-freedom-died, Robert Tait, 19.08.2018

02

03

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Czechoslovak-history/The-Prague-Spring-of-1968, the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/world/europe/prague-spring-communism.html, Z.A.B Zeman, Milan Hauner

04

https://thevieweast.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/dubceks-failings-the-1968-warsaw-pact-invasion-of-czechoslovakia/, Rebekah Young

05

06

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/filling-the-blank-spots-the-prague-spring, F. Joseph Dresen

Bibliography

07

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/prague-spring-begins-in-czechoslovakia, History.Com Editors

08

https://www.britannica.com/event/Prague-Spring, the editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

09

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Novotny, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica 20.07.1998, last updated= 06.12.2020

https://www.rferl.org/a/1089303.html, Matthew Frost, 09.08.1998

10

https://www.rferl.org/a/crushing-of-prague-spring-1968/29420107.html, Amos Chapple, 10.08.2018

11

12

https://blogs.shu.edu/history/2018/10/12/the-prague-spring-as-seen-from-the-united-states/, Nathaniel Knight, 12.10.2018

Bibliography

13

https://www.onthisday.com/people/leonid-brezhnev, not specified

14

BBC bitesize, The Cold War 1961-1972 in: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zsfwhv4/revision/5