Occupation of Liberec

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Occupation of Liberec
Part of Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
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Date21 August 1968
Location
Liberec, Czechoslovakia
Result

Soviet victory

  • Occupation of Liberec by Soviet army
Belligerents
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Strength
Hundreds of unarmed people
Casualties and losses
9 killed
45 injured

Occupation of Liberec occurred on 21 August 1968 during the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. [1] In the early hours of the Soviet invasion, 4 people were shot dead by Soviet troops in the main square and 24 were injured, 2 of whom died later; a few hours after this, a Soviet tank rammed the arcade at the square [2] causing the immediate death of 2 people and injured 9 (1 died later); [3] Occupation of Liberec was second bloodiest event of the invasion after Battle for Czechoslovak Radio. [4]

Contents

Background

On January 5, 1968, Alexander Dubček became the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU. It marked the beginning of the so-called Prague Spring. This process began to worry other Eastern Bloc countries, including the USSR. The leadership of the Soviet Union initially attempted to stop or limit the changes in the Czechoslovakia through a series of warnings. After a series of unsuccessful negotiations on the night of August 20 to August 21, 1968, the troops of the five Warsaw Pact states launched an invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Events

Soviet troops reached Liberec at 2 am. [4] At 3 am. first incident happened when groop of Soldiers started shooting at youths who believed it is a military training. Miroslav Vlček was shot in head but survived. [5]

When the sun came out crowds of people went to streets. They expressed their opposition toSoviet occupation by making gestures, threatening with their fists, crying and shouting at soldiers. Some started throwing stones and pieces of construction material at Soviet soldiers. At 6 am a Soviet tanks runs over Jan Šoltys on Beneš' square after Šoltys throws a piece of wood at the tank. Šoltys is badly injured but survives. [6] [7] At 7 am a brick is thrown at Soviet soldiers passing through Beneš's square in a GAZ vehicle and injures the driver. Soviet soldiers started shooting at people on the square. Shooting resulted in immediate death of 4 people and injury of tens. 2 other people die of their injuries a few day later. [8] Around 11 am a Soviet tanker crashes near town's square and kills three other people. [6]

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References

  1. ↑ "Obrazem: Osudný 21. srpen 1968 v Liberci. I zde umírali lidé, zranění mají traumata". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 21 August 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Liberec, Czech Republic – August 21, 2018: People Are Looking At The Famous Vaclav Touzimsky Photography Where Soviet Occupation T Editorial Photography – Image of europe, occupation: 124890507". Dreamstime.com. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  3. ↑ Mikulička, Jan (21 August 2015). "Sovětští vojáci zabili v roce 1968 devět Liberečanů, nejvíc po Praze". iDnes.cz. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 "21. srpen 1968 byl v Liberci po Praze nejkrvavější". pametnaroda.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Bratrská pomoc ze SSSR v Liberci: devět mrtvých, desítky zraněných". iDNES.cz (in Czech). 21 August 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 "rok 1968 - 21. srpen v ulicích Liberce: TOTALITA". totalita.cz. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "SRPEN 1968: Invazi ohlásila letadla nad Ještědem a tanky v ulicích". Liberecká Drbna (in Czech). Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "Schytal sedm střel, přežil jako zázrakem. Bylo to peklo, vzpomíná Petr Šída na srpen 1968 v Liberci". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). 15 August 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
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