alist camp. In addition, the policies of the Dubcek government; ans were well informed on the but there is no evidence that they ure of events in Czechoslovakia. were moving towards mma published the reports of And even though there were antiEastern Western news- socialist and anti-Soviet tendencies, ncies before and after the inva- these will only have been strengththe Czech government ened by the re-imposition of Soviet ciation of the invasion was also lished and the Czech technicians What is even more fundamental Havana were allowed to hold a is whether the Russian action had lic demonstration to condemn it.
anything to do with socialism at all. here is no point in saying that The Russians have not got a conCubans were forced to support sistently socialist foreign policy. Russians because economic pres- They are fixated by the -largely • was brought to bear on them. nonexistent danger of West Gershas not prevented them from many. As Fidel points out the numouncing the Soviets in the past; ber one enemy is US imperialism, I it did not prevent them from and vet the countries of Eastern ng so now either. Fidel quite cor- Europe are trying to conciliate it. ly drew a series of important Nor are the Russians interested in clusions from the Soviet inter- developing socialism at home. Their tion in Czechoslovakia necessary. position, domestically and intercek was correcting real mistakes nationallv, is defensive. crimes committed by The lesson is clear: the rulers of linist predecessors. Fidel deinced in particular the loss the Soviet Union are always willing to act when their own interests are tact between the masses and the threatened, but not in order to addership and the disapearance of The amount they ialist ideals after twenty vears of annie am are prepared to give the Cubans and eaucratic rule.
Vietnamese is nothing compared to or the Cubans it is the deformed what they are prepared to spend in ernal policies of the socialist sending 650,000 troops into Crechontries which they feel most slovakia, nsely: the countries of Eastern ope, including the Soviet Union, We could support Fidel we too conciliatory to imperialism accented the political argument that too selfish to the under. socialism was threatened in Czechoeloped socialist states. They slovakia, and that the Russian internly attacked the Russians for this vention protected We could 1965 and Fidel reiterates thie support the Russians if this were so at. He shows that if the Russians and if they drew the socialist con senuencer of it it they TO get thee behind me. stalin Brian Laver When the Russians began firing from heavy calibre machine guns and light automatic weapons at the National Museum about 11 a.m. Wednesday the 21st August, the first day of occupation, there were only ten of us in the rooms of the Union of the Czechoslovak Students. I had met some of them a cations of this occupation for month before and had helped them socialism and especially how explain the development of socialist could be solved with the regaining humanism in their country, to the of independence. Most were very chlidents and young workers from pessimistic ollicome They the other established European knew that no demonstrations in the socialist countries in Sofia, Bulgaria. West could help. They were pleased At the Youth Festival the Russians, however when reports came that the Fast Germans and the such manifestations were taking garia had been especially Incon. place. They were ev.n more pleased municative, Only isolated to see that they were being led by tionary Marxist students had been socialist revolutionaries under the receptive to the Czech experiment slogan "Socialism ves — Stalinism socialist democratisation. We по". At Sofia they had expressed went to the conference together. I to me that the Western revolution. helped them formulate and paint in ary socialist forces well understood huge bulk letters on the side of their what they were doing. Some outside festive train MARX IS ALIVE IN the Communist Party, or "unaligned" PRAHA. When we left Sofia for as they say, saw their possibility of Prague. they were concerned with a new socialist-freedom orientated the lack understanding from party destroved. Most agreed that their socialist brothers but all of to protect their socialist experiment them were certain that Russia would they had to extend their political not interfere with their independent ideas into the other member states experiment. of the Warsaw Bloc. Only a political A sense of disbelief penetrated revolutionizing process these the room that morning, more this, totalitarian systems could lead to a than anger, even when the bullets permanent position of safety. They had begun this before the occupa tore into their national monument at the top of Wenceslas Square, tion - in fact they do I that this is the main reason for believe, and so They had been in action already that morning distributing leaflets in Soviet occupation. What was certain was that before the occupa Russian to the troops asking them sadly "why they had come". Many tion this radicalization of their knew the answer, but they were sure society, by a dispersal of power, did the Russian soldiers did not. The not mean a split in the Warsaw military alliance. Now many thought Russian replies revealed their that only a split led by a withdrawal stupidity and rationalization. They were there to defend the Czecho- of Polish forces, and the attempt West German finally to isolate Russia, would lead slovak country from imperialism and counter-revolution. to their continued independence.
The students had hoped that this aries. The students argued that the Crech army was capable of that. The liberation of man within a socialist students explained that concept of society could have been achieved without fahtine
OUTE BUR. oo conciliatory to imperialism accepted the political argument that loo selfish the under- socialism was threatened in Czechooped socialist states. They slovakia, and that the Russian intery attacked the Russians for this vention protected it. We could 65, and Fidel reiterates this support the Russians if this were so He shows that if the Russians and if they drew the socialist conrepared to suppress counter- sequences of it: if they gave thassive, ation in Czechoslovakia they free, aid to Cuba, Vietnam and d stop trading with the puppet China; if they adopted a more es of Latin America and sup- militant stand US imThe recent intervention of Soviet get thee behind me,stalin Roger Smith and Peaceful coThey were there to defend the Crecho- of Poliah forces, and the alterips slovak country from West German finally to isolate Russia, would lead imperialism and counter-revolution- their continued independence. aries. The students argued that the The students had hoped that this Crech army was capable of that. The liberation of man within a socialist students explained that almost no- achieved Without Nighting They coo concept of society could have been body wanted a return to capitalism that what had happened since stantly called for talks. But now the January was a return to fundamental easy willingness of the Russians to commit such an overt act of op-
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PRAGUE 21 AUGUST 1968