Communism and Reformism in Czechoslovakia, 1946-68

Russia – The Prague Spring, 1968

In this course, Mary Heimann (Cardiff University) discusses the Prague Spring that took place in communist Czechoslovakia in 1968. In the first lecture we explore communism and reformism in Czechoslovakia from the end of the Second World War until Spring 1968. In the second lecture we examine Dubček’s reforms of April 1968. In the third lecture we highlight the circumstances of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, and how the events of invasion played out. Fourth, we understand the aftermath of the invasion. Finally, in the fifth lecture, we conclude with an overview of the immediate and lasting legacies of the Prague Spring.

Communism and Reformism in Czechoslovakia, 1946-68

In this lecture we think about communism and reformism in Czechoslovakia in the lead up to 1968, focussing on: (i) the reform movement, known as the Prague Spring, initiated by Czechoslovak Communist Party leader Aleksandr Dubcek in 1968, aiming to democratise the party by decentralising power, removing censorship, and easing travel restrictions; (ii) the reforms coming in response to growing discontent with Stalinist rule, economic stagnation, and social issues, as well as the desire to emulate Soviet leader Khrushchev's earlier desalinisation efforts; (iii) despite the initial popular support, the Prague Spring faced opposition from hardline communists and the Soviet Union, leading to a Soviet-led invasion in August 1968 to suppress the movement.