Czechoslovakia, 1968

Czechoslovakia had been a Soviet satellite state since 1948. By the 1960s, its economy was struggling, and many people resented strict Soviet control.

In January 1968, Alexander Dubček became leader of the Czechoslovak Communist Party. He introduced reforms, which became known as the Prague Spring:

• less censorship, and more freedom of speech and the press
• more freedom to travel abroad
• some economic reforms, including a little private business
• more say for Czechoslovakia in its own affairs.

Dubček called it 'socialism with a human face'. He insisted Czechoslovakia would stay communist, and in the Warsaw Pact.

Cause: the Soviet leader, Brezhnev, feared that the reforms would spread to other satellite states, and that Czechoslovakia might eventually leave Soviet control.

On the night of 20–21 August 1968, hundreds of thousands of Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia. There was little armed resistance, but many people protested in the streets.

Dubček was taken to Moscow, and his reforms were reversed. In 1969 he was replaced by a leader loyal to Moscow.

After the invasion, Brezhnev announced what became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine: the Soviet Union had the right to intervene in any communist country where communism was under threat.

Significance: the doctrine re-established Soviet control in Eastern Europe. It made clear that no satellite state would be allowed to reform too far, or leave the Soviet bloc.

• The West condemned the invasion, but did not intervene. The USA was fighting a war in Vietnam, wanted better relations with the USSR, and accepted that Czechoslovakia was in the Soviet sphere.
• Some communist countries, such as Yugoslavia and Romania, condemned the invasion.
• Communist parties in Western Europe, such as in Italy and France, criticised the USSR.

Significance: as in Hungary in 1956, the West's words were not backed by action. But the invasion damaged the Soviet Union's reputation around the world.