In Poland a man named Ryszard Siwiec, simingly an unremarkable accountant but also a Home Army veteran, protesed against the invasion of Czechoslovakia and participation of Polish troops in it, by publicly committing suicide by self-immolation during the state harvest festival celebration. This extreme form of protest was likely inspired by the Buddhist monks in Vietnam and, in turn, probably inspired the Czech student Jan Palach.
One of the saddest events in Czech and our Slovak history. We are commemorating this every year, especially today in this age, where democracies in Eastern Europe are challenged once again, as shadow of USSR is still haunting in the east. Horrible even showing true colors to all people, who kept saying communism and USSR are not evil. Some people are still in support of the invasion to this day...traitors... Thank you David for these two episodes, we are really grateful you are providing education about this to more western people.
Just a few more interesting facts that perhaps should be mentioned. One member of Czechoslovakian "delegation" actually did not sign Moscow protocol - his name was František Kriegel. He spoiled the show for Soviets, who could not claim, that all members of Czechoslovakian leadership accepted the new state of affairs. Considering Alexander Dubček - after he lost position of 1st Secretary of Communist Party he became ambassador to Turkey for cca. half year and then he was suspended from Communist party and worked in manual job as a maintenance guy in regional forestry administration. He was under constant surveillance until fall of communist regime in 1989. Then he briefly returned to politics (but he did not regain mass popular support again) and died in 1992 in car crash...
I remember watching film clips of the Prague Spring on the alphabet-soup TV network evening news as an 8-year-old. The resulting Soviet/Warsaw Pact invasion seemed pretty scary as I watched those clips and heard news commentary about it, but the adults around me downplayed this.
The Cold War, can you please make a video on Argentina during the era of Juan Peron. It would mean a lot to me if you made a video on this topic, not only because Juan Peron ruled Argentina during the early years of the Cold War, but also because your audience will understand how Argentina's economy, politics and society all ended up the way they are today.
Thank you for this series. I had heard of Prague Spring and knew rough events, but never this much story. By the way the Prague Spring inspired the 1972 event after one protestor burned himself called the “Kaunas Spring” (Kauno Pavasaris”).
Note: The Czechoslovak Presidium announced the night of the invasion that Warsaw Pact troops had crossed the border without the ČSSR government knowing about it. However, the Soviet Press published an unsigned request for "immediate assistance, including assistance with armed forces" that was purportedly made by Czechoslovak party and state leaders. A previously unheard-of wave of emigration followed the invasion and was soon curtailed.
The ones signed under the letter to Breznev, namely Alois Indra, Drahomír Kolder, Oldřich Švestka, Antonín Kapek, were not leaders. For examle Kapek was a collaborator of KGB and he shot himself during Velvet revolution. But he didn't die so he hang himself in his cottage. Maybe he had some conscience after all.
Thanks for the video, great topic selection! Though I must say I'm also slightly disappointed by the lack of detail regarding the protest/resistance actions themselves, i.e how the actual uprising played out, and the example of Jan Palach for instance. Still, love your content and am following it loyally. Cheers!
Mm Im told that Dubcek was moved to a job in forestry. But in 1989, post wall fall, was then restored for a while as speaker of the federal parliament. He was of course a Slovak.
Enjoyed The Cold War channel but wish that series were continuous (or within a few episodes of other topics) so that I don’t forget what I saw in earlier episodes.
I like the series Burning Bush on Kanopy that details what happened during this time. It gets at Jan Palach and what he did protesting the Soviet occupation.
can u please make a video on ding lirens economic reforms and how he transformed china into an economic superpower? also about how brezhnev came into power? i would highly request u to pls make a video on that pls I really enjoy watching ur videos and i hope this msg will reach u.
Excellent job David. Two points to remember the USSR provided a huge loan to supplements the normalization. Also, you touched upon it but the Prague Spring attained near mythic status with the advent intra-bloc tourism. Hundreds, if not thousands of Soviet people mainly proletarians to Czechoslovakia. This gave more charge to the "Decemberist" troops who heard in their own native tongue and marvel how advanced Czechoslavia was compared their socialist homelands. Lastly do remember that under the blanket of normalization there was an active movement of subversion which was the adoption of Western norms as a way to gain economic advantage.
It broke apart (peacefully) in the early 90's, after the Cold War. The country could never fully unify both people, so nationalism arose as soon as the central state weakened.
Before 1969 Czechoslovakia was unitary state, in 1969 it became federation (but not in the real sense, in reality all important affairs were still managed centrally by communist party). In the end Czechoslovakia was peacefully divided in 1993 and current Czechia and Slovakia came into existence as a succesor states...
Czechoslovak opponents said the US promised pruge Spring rebellion was military interventionist through its directed ( CIA) radio 📻 (free Europe) caused rebellions and encouraged revolutionary, and leftovers them under Soviets angry pretty ...whey don't talk about US plots and CIA activities beyond Czechoslovak borders at that time. Half of Czechoslovak military officers prepared themselves to reception US military troops by bunches of flowers 💐 . I hate ( spring uprisings) because it reminded me of what occurred of atrocities and destructions during the Arabic spring in the Middle East, which was a US plot against Whole Middle East & North Africa ..
In Poland a man named Ryszard Siwiec, simingly an unremarkable accountant but also a Home Army veteran, protesed against the invasion of Czechoslovakia and participation of Polish troops in it, by publicly committing suicide by self-immolation during the state harvest festival celebration. This extreme form of protest was likely inspired by the Buddhist monks in Vietnam and, in turn, probably inspired the Czech student Jan Palach.
Čest jeho památce!
One of the saddest events in Czech and our Slovak history. We are commemorating this every year, especially today in this age, where democracies in Eastern Europe are challenged once again, as shadow of USSR is still haunting in the east. Horrible even showing true colors to all people, who kept saying communism and USSR are not evil. Some people are still in support of the invasion to this day...traitors... Thank you David for these two episodes, we are really grateful you are providing education about this to more western people.
All I remember is a small car me hiding on the small seats and we made through to Austria1. 1968 years and so many bitter memories!
My favorite documetnary series!
I agree with you
Documetning is a hell of a job.
We make a new documetnary every week. Please ejnoy.
Just a few more interesting facts that perhaps should be mentioned.
One member of Czechoslovakian "delegation" actually did not sign Moscow protocol - his name was František Kriegel. He spoiled the show for Soviets, who could not claim, that all members of Czechoslovakian leadership accepted the new state of affairs.
Considering Alexander Dubček - after he lost position of 1st Secretary of Communist Party he became ambassador to Turkey for cca. half year and then he was suspended from Communist party and worked in manual job as a maintenance guy in regional forestry administration. He was under constant surveillance until fall of communist regime in 1989. Then he briefly returned to politics (but he did not regain mass popular support again) and died in 1992 in car crash...
I remember watching film clips of the Prague Spring on the alphabet-soup TV network evening news as an 8-year-old. The resulting Soviet/Warsaw Pact invasion seemed pretty scary as I watched those clips and heard news commentary about it, but the adults around me downplayed this.
Comment for the algorithm great video
A long-awaited episode. Thank you!
The Cold War, can you please make a video on Argentina during the era of Juan Peron. It would mean a lot to me if you made a video on this topic, not only because Juan Peron ruled Argentina during the early years of the Cold War, but also because your audience will understand how Argentina's economy, politics and society all ended up the way they are today.
The invasion of Czechoslovakia is where the term “tankie” originates. Tankies were people who supported the invasion.
Actually, this was just the soviets defending against US imperialist aggression. What else could they do?
- Tankies, probably
Thank you for this series. I had heard of Prague Spring and knew rough events, but never this much story. By the way the Prague Spring inspired the 1972 event after one protestor burned himself called the “Kaunas Spring” (Kauno Pavasaris”).
Note: The Czechoslovak Presidium announced the night of the invasion that Warsaw Pact troops had crossed the border without the ČSSR government knowing about it. However, the Soviet Press published an unsigned request for "immediate assistance, including assistance with armed forces" that was purportedly made by Czechoslovak party and state leaders.
A previously unheard-of wave of emigration followed the invasion and was soon curtailed.
The ones signed under the letter to Breznev, namely Alois Indra, Drahomír Kolder, Oldřich Švestka, Antonín Kapek, were not leaders. For examle Kapek was a collaborator of KGB and he shot himself during Velvet revolution. But he didn't die so he hang himself in his cottage. Maybe he had some conscience after all.
Thanks for the video, great topic selection! Though I must say I'm also slightly disappointed by the lack of detail regarding the protest/resistance actions themselves, i.e how the actual uprising played out, and the example of Jan Palach for instance. Still, love your content and am following it loyally. Cheers!
Really good video. Thank you very much
Mm Im told that Dubcek was moved to a job in forestry. But in 1989, post wall fall, was then restored for a while as speaker of the federal parliament. He was of course a Slovak.
This is a little non-sequitur, but I would kill for you describing the events of Red Alert or World in Conflict in this style with a straight face
Maybe an idea for april fools' day
Enjoyed The Cold War channel but wish that series were continuous (or within a few episodes of other topics) so that I don’t forget what I saw in earlier episodes.
Fantastic work as always! 👍🏻👌🏼👏🏻🍻
I like the series Burning Bush on Kanopy that details what happened during this time. It gets at Jan Palach and what he did protesting the Soviet occupation.
What is the little radio-looking thing with the 10, 20, 30 gauge on your desk?
In Soviet Russia, the "last resort" is just the resort they do last.
can u please make a video on ding lirens economic reforms and how he transformed china into an economic superpower?
also about how brezhnev came into power? i would highly request u to pls make a video on that pls
I really enjoy watching ur videos and i hope this msg will reach u.
I love me a good documetnary!
We release new documetnaries every week. Please ejnoy.
Hey! Does someone know source of the thumbnail picture?
✌️
Excellent, well done!
documetnary
We hope you ejnoy the documetnary
@@TheColdWarTV😂
My greatest disappointment with all tanks I never to have hugged my grandma !
4:42 given Putin's actions that statement aged like fine wine
🇺🇸
Excellent job David. Two points to remember the USSR provided a huge loan to supplements the normalization. Also, you touched upon it but the Prague Spring attained near mythic status with the advent intra-bloc tourism. Hundreds, if not thousands of Soviet people mainly proletarians to Czechoslovakia. This gave more charge to the "Decemberist" troops who heard in their own native tongue and marvel how advanced Czechoslavia was compared their socialist homelands.
Lastly do remember that under the blanket of normalization there was an active movement of subversion which was the adoption of Western norms as a way to gain economic advantage.
And Albania left the pact in protest of this invasion!
The invasion was also probably used as a /flex towards the Western powers. 250,000 soldiers and 2,000 tanks were nothing to scoff at
✨🔛🔝
4:04 …Of why they would believe a Russian Leaders Maskirovka at face value.
Was Czechoslovakia divided into the Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic after the events of the Prague Spring?
no. Czechoslovakia was divided into two separate states after the fall of the Bolsheviks
It broke apart (peacefully) in the early 90's, after the Cold War. The country could never fully unify both people, so nationalism arose as soon as the central state weakened.
Before 1969 Czechoslovakia was unitary state, in 1969 it became federation (but not in the real sense, in reality all important affairs were still managed centrally by communist party). In the end Czechoslovakia was peacefully divided in 1993 and current Czechia and Slovakia came into existence as a succesor states...
I’m afraid the liberalizing reforms of our bell button have gone too far.
"However, Dubček was wrong to take a Russian at face value"
Husak knew very well what Soviets are capable of. The German brought him to the Katyn Forrest as one of the witnesses of Soviet genocide.
Algorithm
Can I please do the voice over. The piss poor AI ruins your great script.
Damn AI generated thumbnails. What's wrong with drawing? Or photos?
Bro this is a real photo... Just remake with color😂😂😂
Czechoslovak opponents said the US promised pruge Spring rebellion was military interventionist through its directed ( CIA) radio 📻 (free Europe) caused rebellions and encouraged revolutionary, and leftovers them under Soviets angry pretty ...whey don't talk about US plots and CIA activities beyond Czechoslovak borders at that time. Half of Czechoslovak military officers prepared themselves to reception US military troops by bunches of flowers 💐 . I hate ( spring uprisings) because it reminded me of what occurred of atrocities and destructions during the Arabic spring in the Middle East, which was a US plot against Whole Middle East & North Africa ..