Chas, Christian, Rudy, and James come together to delve into a comprehensive conversation about the Prague Spring, a significant Czechoslovak reform movement. Their discussion begins by tracing the roots of Czechoslovak communism, recounting the post-World War II Communist ascension to power, and elaborating on the gradual and intricate reform drive that eventually culminated in Dubček’s rise to leadership during the Prague Spring of 1968. Subsequently, they explore the ideologies championed by key reformists, analyze the factors that prompted the Soviet Union’s intervention, and dissect the shortcomings of the USSR’s intervention strategy. Lastly, the conversation concludes by dissecting the reformers’ envisioned goals and actual accomplishments.
Bibliography:
G. Golan – Reform Rule in Czechoslovakia: The Dubcek Era 1968–1969
J. Krejčí – Social Change and Stratification in Postwar Czechoslovakia
V. Kusin – The Intellectual Origins of the Prague Spring: The Development of Reformist Ideas in Czechoslovakia, 1956-1967
V. Kusin – From Dubcek to Charter 77: A Study of ‘Normalization’ in Czechoslovakia, 1968-1978
Z. Mlynář – Nightfrost in Prague: The end of humane socialism
O. Šik – Czechoslovakia: The Bureaucratic Economy.
I. Svitak – The Czechoslovak Experiment: 1968 – 1969
K. Williams – The Prague Spring and its Aftermath: Czechoslovak Politics, 1968-1970