R1420thand21st

The Prague Spring of 1968 shows the theme of the extension and limitations of rights and liberties and majority and minority political persecutions as the Russians invade Czechoslovakia only out of the fear that another revolution would happen as it did in Hungary. After Nikita Khrushchev’s attempts to de Stalinize Russian communism, Alexander Dubcek took leadership in Russia after the old Stalinist leader was voted out by the citizens. Installing massive reforms upon Czechoslovakia in the wake of Khrushchev’s reforms, Dubcek was a dedicated communist who believed in personal freedom and democracy within socialism, allowing trade unions, managers, and consumers to replace bureaucratic planning, and relaxing censorship. Although Dubcek stated that the revolution of Hungary and stated Czechoslovakia’s loyalty to the Warsaw pact, Czechoslovakian reformers began to push the belief of “socialism with a human face”, striking fear in the hearts of Stalinist Communists and that of Russia itself. In fear of Czechoslovakia turning neutral and allying with the Allies, Leonid Brezhnev ordered Soviet troops and tanks to stop Czechoslovakia and issued the Brezhnev doctrine of intervention in any country, which allowed Soviet interference in any country that was even under the suspicion of revolution. Knowing resistance would be suicidal, Czechoslovakia gave in to Soviet demands and the reformers were surrendered to Soviet officials. The intervention upon Czechoslovakia showed how the ruling elite maintained the stability of Russia and how the Czech citizens were repressed unfairly by their Russian overlords. (1004 – 1005)

McKay, John P. __A History of Western Society__. 7th ed. New York City: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.