Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia Ephemera Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSE/REE 0040

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of political ephemera documenting the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. Materials include broadsides and posters.

Dates

Creation: 1968

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical / Historical

Prior to the Second World War, Czechoslovakia was a strong democracy in Central Europe, but the nation faced challenges during and after the war. In 1948, the Soviet Union took over the nation and installed a communist government in Prague. However, beginning in the 1960s, changes in leadership occurred, including the rise of Alexander Dubcek to the Head of the Communist Party. Dubcek emphasized “Socialism with a human face,” and launched a program of liberalizations, including freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of movement. This led to the first political commentary allowed in mainstream media and published criticism of the Soviet Union and its interference in Czechoslovakia. In an effort to suppress further reforms and liberalizations across the Eastern Bloc, the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Poland, East Germany, and Hungary invaded Czechoslovakia on the night of August 20-21, 1968. Though the invasion was quick and successful, Soviet forces struggled to maintain a stable government against small-scale resistance until 1969, when Dubcek was forced from power and replaced with a conservative administrator.