Cold War: Warsaw Pact troops invade Czechoslovakia, crushing the Prague Spring. East German participation is limited to a few specialists due to memories of the recent war. Only Albania and Romania refuse to participate.

On 20–21 August 1968, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four fellow Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Hungarian People's Republic. The invasion stopped Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring liberalisation reforms and strengthened the authoritarian wing of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ).

Invasion of Czechoslovakia collage
Invasion of Czechoslovakia collage (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-F0417-0001-011, Berlin, VII. SED-Parteitag, Eröffnung
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-F0417-0001-011, Berlin, VII. SED-Parteitag, Eröffnung (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H0603-0036-001, Moskau, Ulbricht und Breshnew
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H0603-0036-001, Moskau, Ulbricht und Breshnew (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
IICCR G539 Ceausescu Dubcek Svoboda
IICCR G539 Ceausescu Dubcek Svoboda (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Watch: The Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia

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Sources and further reading: Wikipedia — Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, Cold War, Prague Spring (CC BY-SA). Images: Wikimedia Commons.