Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110010-2.pdf/26

 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110010-2

'''FIGURE 9. Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, August 1968 (C)'''

dismemberment of the republic and the establishment of an occupation government. The Soviets in the ensuing months, not totally insensitive to world criticism and reluctant to engage in full-scale repression, were vulnerable to political blackmail on the part of the Czechoslovak population itself. Anti-Soviet demonstrations in October and November threatened to burst into full-scale rioting, and in late December over 1 million workers threatened nationwide demonstrations and strikes if any of the top reformist leaders were ousted from their posts.

With such critical political issues at stake, however, the Czechoslovak leadership inevitably divided again over what courses of action to take. Dubcek came under fire from nay of his liberal supporters who claimed he was going too far in satisfying Soviet demands, which were spelled out in the "Moscow protocol" of October 1968. Moderates joined the

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110010-2