In January of 1968, First Secretary of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubcek, takes power and introduces sweeping reforms in the nation. Freedom of speech, rehabilitation of political prisoners, and economic liberalization were the most ambitious of Dubcek's programs.
Fearful of the reforms and the implications that liberalism had to the Eastern Bloc, the Soviet Union and three other Warsaw Pact nations militarily invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. Non-violent resistance involving radio broadcasts and mass protests continued, but the Prague Spring was eventually crushed beneath the force of the Soviet Union.
Kenneth N. Skoug served as an Economic Officer under Ambassador Jacob D. Beam in Prague from 1966-1969 and recounted his experiences in an interview with Charles Stuart Kennedy in August 2000.
ADST is an independent, non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia. Its goal is to collect and share the personal histories of the thousands of American diplomats who have dedicated their lives to the conduct of American foreign policy.
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