Chzech Republic

The Velvet Revolt

In 1948 the Communist party took hold in Czechoslovakia and the country fell into the control of the Soviet Union as one of its sister states. However country retained some civil rights until the 1950's when Antonнn Zбpotockэ took over as president. At which point the country began to totally obey the Soviet Union and its principles. From that point on the nation began to rise against the communist regime. Starting off slowly and exploding to end communist rule in the later 1980's.

After Zбpotockэ became president the communist began to rid the country of any resistance and to discourage others from challenging them by sentencing several former party members who disagreed with the new direction to death. The government also went after internationals or people who connections to the western free word. These people were put on trial publicly to scare anyone who would want to disagree with this new government. In 1960 the country declared a socialist victory with a new constitution that would remain in effect until 1992.

Although the constitution stood until 1992 the overall changes made during the fifties and early 60's began to go away. The economy started to slow severely by the mid 1960's and the communist leaders inside Czechoslovakia were calling for change. Due to the lack of momentum economically the government adopted some free market economics into their strategy to attempt to boost the economy. Alexander Dubиek was put in charge as the party's secretary in 1968 and General Ludvнk Svoboda became president. This was significant because Dubиek was a reformer who wanted more individual freedoms especially in the business world. He also gave the media freedom to report anything it wanted in any way much like countries of Western Europe and America. The basis for democracy began to from in the late 60's with many activists wanting the country to practice democratic socialism. By 1968 they appeared ready to become a socialist democracy.

Unfortunately it was not to be, these actions angered the Soviets which led to an invasion and occupation by Soviet and other communist troops on the night of august 20th. Dubиek was arrested during the invasion and taken to Moscow where he was forced to sign the Brezhenev Doctorine which made the media state control and suppressed the Democratic Party in Czechoslovakia. Then in 1969 came the first public protest of the invasion and new direction of the government by Jan Palach a student who set himself on fire in protest. Due to international pressure the Soviets forced Czech leaders to sign a document allowing their troops to be stationed in Czechoslovakia. However this was forced and really meant very little considering most citizens were completely opposed to the action.

With this invasion and soviet pressure came thorough repression. The goal was made to remove all opposition to communism. For almost the next twenty years there was very little resistance to this harsh