The Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968

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This edited collection offers a coherent examination of the Russian perception of the Prague Spring and the Warsaw Pact's occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. It features interviews, memoirs, and academic studies centered on Russian soldiers, dissidents, and journalists impacted by the Soviet invasion. The book opens with insights into Soviet soldiers stationed in Czechoslovakia, revealing their inner experiences and the powerful Soviet propaganda they encountered. An archival supplement by historians Nikita Petrov and Olga Pavlenko provides a new perspective on the KGB and Soviet embassy's roles during the events of August 1968. The second section highlights Soviet journalists in Prague who supported the Prague Spring, ultimately facing deportation and job loss for their beliefs. The final part delves into the solidarity felt by the Soviet liberal intelligentsia and dissidents, who viewed the Prague events as a glimmer of hope for change amid Brezhnev's repressive regime. It includes a study by Czech researcher Tomas Glanc on the varied reactions within the Soviet intelligentsia, followed by interviews with notable dissidents Lyudmila Alexeeva and Natalia Gorbanevskaya. Additionally, the diary of Elvira Filipovich, a Russian biologist married to a Czech, provides a personal account of the August 1968 events in Moscow.