CZECHOSLOVAKIA

THE IMPACT

• Czechoslovakia's economy and living standards declined
• Any opposition to Communism was crushed
• Communist rule became very unpopular

ALEXANDER DUBČEK

• He became the Czech leader in Jan 1968
• Good friend of Soviet Leonids Brezhnev
• Communist & supporter of Warsaw Pact
• His reforms resulted in the Praque Spring
• This was a period of increased political freedom

BREZHNEV

• The general secretary of the Commy party
• Succeeded Krushchev as First secretary
• Brezhnev took care to consult his colleagues before acting
• He stopped the Prague Spring
• Brezhnev was the most popular Russian leader of the 20th century.

CONSEQUENCES

• The Brezhnev Doctrine
• The USA condemned the invasion
• West European commy parties declared they were independent
• Yugoslavia & Romania backed off from the USSR