Czechoslovakia uprising (1968)
After the WWII, Czechoslovakia began to stress heavy industry over agriculture By the 1950’s, however, the concept of central planning had crippled the nation’s fledgling heavy industries with waste and corruption resulting in high labor turnover, low productivity, and poor product quality. In 1968, with their political, economic and social problems reaching critical conditions, the communist party of Czechoslovakia replaced Novotny as Party Leader with Alexander Dubcek. Dubcek pushed practical reforms across the board. He established “a humanistic socialist democracy which would guarantee, among other things, freedom of religion, press, assembly, speech, and travel”
Dubcek grew very popular with the people of Czechoslovakia ,yet not so much with the nations of the Warsaw Pact. On August 20, 1968, troops from Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Poland occupied Czechoslovakia. On April 17th 1969, Dubcek was replaced as First Secretary by Gustav Husak and later was, along with many of his followers, stripped of party affiliation in a purge that slashed party membership by over a third. After this Czechoslovakia would not see economic growth again until 1983
Dubcek grew very popular with the people of Czechoslovakia ,yet not so much with the nations of the Warsaw Pact. On August 20, 1968, troops from Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Poland occupied Czechoslovakia. On April 17th 1969, Dubcek was replaced as First Secretary by Gustav Husak and later was, along with many of his followers, stripped of party affiliation in a purge that slashed party membership by over a third. After this Czechoslovakia would not see economic growth again until 1983