Czechoslovakia: The 1989 Velvet Revolution

Since 1938 the Czechoslovakians had been devastated by the control of the Nazi’s, and only ten short years later, in 1948 the Communist party had overtaken the Czech government. Seemingly powerless, tested, frustrated, and yearning for freedom for thirty plus years the Czech people finally found their prowess and opportunity in the year of 1989. This motivation for action inflamed after the fall of the Berlin Wall, beginning an effect of demonstrations, strikes and passionate separation from the Communist party. Which will lead to a peaceful, compromised, and monumental change within Czechoslovakia, their government, and way of life, the Velvet Revolution.1 In August of 1968 , A Prague Radio broadcaster screamed th1ese words, “We are being jammed . . . We are being jammed . . . When you hear the Czech national anthem you will know it's all over.” 2 Words like these evoke such strong emotions now, that it’s hard to believe how the Czechs felt when your country, your home is being desolated, violated and claimed by someone else. This is how it can be imagined that the Czech’s felt throughout these years under the Communist Party, and t2he Soviet Union. These phrases, words, soul provoking emotions had led to the Velvet Revolution, and how violations like this still can still be rebutted with people fighting back together, not with violence, but with words and passion.
These “ people who have been going into the streets in mass demonstrations believed that capitalism countries provided more freedom. The people are wiser than the party ” was a quote stated my an unnamed communist leader 3, sheds light on the power that the people had and can have over their government. Beginning with the modern ideals and reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev the last leader of the Soviet Union the people were applying his reforms at home, and the communist party could no longer ignore the manifesting and rapid ideas that were forming within.4 On March 11, 1985, Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Strongly believing that the Soviet Union needed massive liberalization in order to revitalize both the Soviet economy and society, Gorbachev immediately began implementing his reforms.5 With reforms comes ideas, and from ideas comes change that inspires action. This progression of action began on November 16, 1989, with a small peaceful display by students. Then followed , on November 17, by a larger demonstration in Prague that led to a police involved riot that inspired a more than double increase in the protesters located in Prague in less than three days. From this exponential growth of protesters and strikes, by November 25, the leaders of the Communist party in Czechoslovakia had resigned.6 Those protester’s, the strikers, the hopeful people, and the students who were unabashed, unashamed, and frivolous in their belief for freedom, they accomplished what other had countries had never done. They evolved and evolved without violence, without sacrificing the importance of humanity and dignity. Proving they deserved this revolution by using the same morals and obligations they were fighting for. With this change seemed ranges of emotion on November 27, 1989, the day after the resignation of Communist government. Feelings of shock of their success, realization of the freedoms to come, the better way of life that lay ahead, exuberant happiness, or stoic thoughtfulness full of hope.7 In the next month rapid movement, and political changes would put the truth into perspective as the Communist party relinquished all power over Czechoslovakia, 8 and loved dissident, playwright, Statesman, Vaclav Havel, became the first President of the Democracy that was now Czechoslovakia. Continuing the urgency and rapidity of this revolution Havel and the new-found government raced to ensure capitol, and western freedoms; such as land returning and a