SovietInvasionofCzechoslovakia

DiscussthereasonswhysomehistoriansarguethattheSovietinvasionofCzechoslovakiain
1968wasaresultofthevulnerabilityratherthanthepoweroftheUSSR.

The Prague Spring during the ColdWar led to muchunrestintheSovietUnion, which

culminated in August 20, 1968, with the invasion of Czechoslovakia, carried out by the five
main Warsaw Pact members. Although this reaction to the Czechoslovak reforms could be
considered a result of Soviet power, many historians argue that, in fact, Soviet vulnerability
wasthemaincause.
The main threat that Czechoslovakia presentedthe Soviet Union withwas taking the
reforms too far,causingsurroundingcountriestoseeksomesortofliberalisationaswell.This
could result in members of the Warsaw Pact leaving as their people turned their backs on
Communism. Knowing this could happen, the USSR acted before that occurred in
Czechoslovakia, instead ofwaiting until the same happenedelsewhereandthe problem was
too great to control.Brezhnev had ordered theinvasion out of a sense of vulnerabilitythe
fear that the Prague Spring reforms could spread (
Gaddis, 2005)
. and Brezhnevs fear was
echoed by other Communist leaders suchas Ulbricht, If Czechoslovakia continuestofollow
[this] line, all of us here will run a serious risk which may well lead to our downfall.
(Ouimet,
2003)
ByinvadingCzechoslovakia,theUSSRensureditsalliesremainedbyitsside.
With the risk of other uprisings occurringin socialist countries, thefate of socialism
seemed to be threatened. If Czechoslovakia was not forcedbackinto Orthodox Communism,
theentire world would seehow socialism had failed, even if invading the countryshattered
whatever illusions remained that anyone might voluntarily embrace that ideology.
(Gaddis,
2005) Also, if the Soviet Union did nothing to defend socialism in Czechoslovakia, it waslikely
thattheCPSU wouldlosecredibility, sinceotherWarsawPactmembersbelievedactinginthis
crisis was a question of safeguarding the security of [their] countries, of defending the
positionsofworldsocialism.
(CentralCommitteesoftheCommunistParties,1968)
The Eraof Stagnationfurtherincreasedthe USSRs vulnerabilityin1968.Withitslow
standards oflivingandscarcityofresources,itcouldnotaffordtoloseanymoreofits satellite
states, which the Soviet economy relied heavily upon. If the Czechoslovakcrisisled to more
economic, political and social instability in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union could lose
important trade partners and tryingtosuffocatefutureuprisingswouldrepresentgreatcosts.
At that point, the USSR was in no position to risk so much damage to its economy, so its
solutionwastostopCzechoslovakiawhenitwascapable.NeithercouldtheUSSRafford losing
the support of the Czechoslovak army, seeing as The source of power of the international
socialist systemrests... onthe real political, economic,geographic, and military unity... of the
Sovietcontrolled bloc of socialist states. (
Dawisha, 1984) The way the Soviet leadership saw it,
losing Czechoslovakia,andpossiblyothersocialiststatesaswell,wouldbelosingcontrolover
theSovietUnionitself.
Although vulnerability was the main reason behind the Soviet invasion, the USSRs
power also influenced the decision greatly. As stated by historian Mark Kramer, it was
procedurerather than theresult that provoked theSovietleadersanger.
(Fink, GassertandJunker,
1998)
since Czechoslovakias reformsdeviating fromSovietCommunismanditsdefianceof

the Warsaw Pacts warnings gave the Soviet Union an excuse to reaffirm its authority by
invading. Both the military maneuvers around Czechoslovakia and the invasion itself were
used to exert pressure on the disobedient ally (
Stolarik, 2010)
, ensuring itstayedwithinSoviet
control.
Soviet expansionism could have alsobeen a reason forthe invasion,although itdoes
not hold as much weight as the others, considering that Czechoslovakia just had to beput
back in line rather than overpowered. Proofof this comes from the then Hungariandefense
minister, who had taken part in the war games [and reported] that those games should be
regarded as a dress rehearsal for occupation. (
Stolarik, 2010)
showing that even before the
invasiontherewassuspicionofithappening,andofSoviettroopsremainingthere.
Lastly, the need to win the war against capitalism was yet another reason for the
Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.Communist leaders in the Warsaw Pact truly believed the
events taking place in Czechoslovakia were a result of western intervention, therefore its
ideological influence had to be combated, as stated by the Soviets in an CPSU meeting.
(Ouimet, 2003) The idea of maintaining a united, socialist front against capitalism and
imperialism was strong amongst Warsaw Pact members, and Czechoslovakia threatenedthe
socialist world withits new,liberal reforms. Brezhnev said,Imperialism islooking forweak
links in the socialist camp., and in this case, Czechoslovakia was the weaklink which hadto
bedefended.
(Stolarik,2010)
The Soviet invasion of 1968 was caused both by the Soviet Unions power and
vulnerability, yet there is more evidence pointing towards thelatter. Soviet fearof losingits
satellite states and influence in Eastern Europe served as a bigger motive to end the Prague
Spring, as the consequences of not doing so could have been devastating for its economy,
political and military control, and for the fate of socialism inEurope, and even worldwide.
Nonetheless, theauthoritarian and expansionistnature ofthe USSR wasanothercauseofthe
invasion, as well as its competition with capitalism in theCold War. Thistype of thinking is
supported by Soviet revisionists, like Mikhael V. Latysh, who says that had the Soviet
leadership not been so afraid that Czechoslovakia might drift away from it and had its
generals not been so keen onstationing their troops on Czechoslovak territory,an invasion
might have not even be necessary as Czechoslovakia reached stability with socialism on its
own.
(Stolarik,2010)

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References
Bischof, G., Karner, S. and Ruggenthaler, P. (2010). The Prague Spring and the WarsawPact
invasionofCzechoslovakiain1968.Lanham,Md.:LexingtonBooks.

Central Committeesof theCommunist Parties,(1968). Letter from theCentralCommitteesof

the Communist Parties of East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Soviet Union
explaining the need for intervention in Czechoslovakia.. [Letter] Cold War International
HistoryProject(CWIHP),SovietInvasionofCzechoslovakia.Washington.

Dawisha, K. (1984). The Kremlin and the Prague spring. Berkeley: University of California
Press.

Fink, C., Gassert, P. and Junker, D. (1998). 1968, the world transformed. Cambridge, UK:
CambridgeUniversityPress.

Gaddis,J.(2005).TheColdWar:ANewHistory.NewYork:PenguinBooks,pp.144,185.
Ouimet, M. (2003).TheRiseandFall oftheBrezhnevDoctrineinSovietForeignPolicy.Chapel
Hill:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,pp.1920.

Stolarik, M.(2010).ThePragueSpringandtheWarsawPactinvasionofCzechoslovakia,1968.
Mundelein,Ill.:BolchazyCarducciPublishers.