The Warsaw Pact

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In 1968, the constituents of the Warsaw pact invaded Czechoslovakia. Although the primary invader was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, other invaders included the Polish, East Germans, Hungarians, and Bulgarians. Czechoslovakia’s newly found democratic governing body caused the Soviet Union to be in a state of alarm with the belief that they were losing influence. While the Soviet Union was not completely wrong, misperceptions from both their side as well as the Czechoslovakian side led up to the invasion. Czechoslovakia assumed that they would be safe to create a new restructured government under the protection of the Warsaw pact. Warsaw pact countries assumed that Czechoslovakia’s newfound freedom and interest in democracy would cause …show more content…
Czechoslovakia’s interest in the UN’s definition of human rights was just one of the many things to cause alarm amongst the Warsaw Pact countries. The Warsaw Pact, which offered protection for Communist countries, was brought to life by the desire of the Soviet Union to control Central and Eastern Europe. During the time of the Warsaw Pact, the Central Committee was in control of Czechoslovakia. Under their control, Czechoslovakia was becoming more liberalized, allowing free thinkers, such as ‘revisionist philosophers’ to thrive with little constraint. “We must reform the whole political system so that it will permit the dynamic development of social relations appropriate for socialism, combine broad democracy with scientific, highly qualified management, strengthen the social order, stabilize socialist relations, and maintain social discipline.”(prague spring 93) In 1968, the democratic air of Czechoslovakia reached its height, earning the name of the Prague Spring. The Czechoslovakian government encouraged their citizens to be highly active, and groups like the Club of Committed Non-Party Members arose. KAN’s published Manifesto was alarmingly similar to works like the Declaration of Independence. “We …show more content…
Troops crossed through several places. Although Bulgaria and East Germany did not have a strong presence, 165,000 troops from the Soviet Union, Poland, and Hungary invaded Czechoslovakia within the initial phase. Hungary’s participation was almost ironic after the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, when Hungary unsuccessfully attempted to succeed from the Warsaw pact, which left the country with thousands of causalities. “The ‘Moscow Protocol’ was signed on 26th August and rather than any kind of compromise, established the reformers’ capitulation,” (558 czech) making Czechoslovakia revert to the way they were before reformations. Although this was first met with resistance from the citizens, an address from Dubcek over the radio eventually disbanded any remaining resistance. Any chance to build the democracy back up was thwarted by the Soviet Union. The Soviets “made it clear during the September talks that they intended to keep some of their units in Czechoslovakia permanently…The troops then remained ‘temporarily’ in the country until 1991.(559 Czech) In 1969 Dubcek was forced to resign as Fist Secretary. Groups that still clung to resistance were shut down. Several arrests took place, including but not limited to members of the Revolutionary Youth Movement. Many citizens lost their jobs or were ruined professionally. However, there was still those who believed that democracy would rise again, and that things would get better. “Quite
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