European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Poge 8 the stars and stripes Friday August 23 1968 soviet move May Rock world communist role by William l. Kyana i special correspondent a mighty communist p o w e a by invading a weak communist stall has administered to the followers of Lenin a Shock from which they May never fully re is no real precedent for the soviet invasion of a Echo so Varia. Not even the hungarian invasion of 19" 6 was quite the same for at that time the rus sians could claim that an anti communist regime had taken Over and thai Hungary was being wrenched from the so Viet dominated Alliance in East Ern time a communist party and communist government still were in control in Czecho Slovakia. They were still telling the world of their loyalty in Gen eral to the Warsaw pact and to the Basic principles of social ism espoused by the Kremlin. All the czechoslovak communists wanted to do was to re form their regime within the framework of communist party Shock of the invasion has been underscored by the reaction of communists abroad. It is incomprehensible that one socialist state can encroach upon the Freedom and sovereignty of another socialist state " declared an outraged and possibly frightened Nico lae Ceausescu whose Romania has retained tight party Rule but tended to go its own Way in for eign was no less appalled. The yugoslav president told the world that the entry Intoc Echo Slovakia of foreign Mili tary units without invitation or approval of the legitimate government would have far reaching and very negative consequences for the whole world revolutionary move those from two communist leaders were condemnations of a party and government sup posed to be the Fountainhead of All communist Wisdom. There will be much More. For the French communists Czechoslovakia will seem like disaster. The French party Long the most influential in Europe came through a trying time in the recent crisis in France. It has been trying to make itself appear in the role of Champion of freedoms and popular re forms. The italian party leadership will be outraged. It had strongly supported Alexander Dubcek. The party chief in Prague. Tothe italian communists the in Vasion will be justification of their stand that pol centrism is inevitable that there can no longer be just one single infallible source of authority in the communist world. The chinese be delighted. Common instr will what happened signals the end of a czechoslovak regime considered Bourgeois by the maoists and it also embarrasses the russians whom peking Pillors an hav ing brought about communist disunity through the Kremlin sown the russians themselves have come up with a question Able justification of their inva Sion. The soviet news Agency Tass broadcast what it called an a peal by a group of members of the czechoslovak party s Cen trial committee. According to this Appeal the current leaders of the czechoslovak party had to be overthrown not because they were reformers but be cause they threatened the re form movement begun last Jan uary. Evidently the idea is that world powerless to Aid czechs by Phil Newsoms foreign news analyst the sad thing about the in Vasion of Czechoslovakia by the soviets and their four hard lining Warsaw pact allies is that there is not much anyone can do about Reform leadership under first party Secretary Alexan Der Dubcek knew it All along but was caught Between pres sures from the czech press an people toward headlong democratization and the soviet be Lief that the czech course could Lead Only toward counter Rev for the United states Posi Tion Cuba is the opposite num Ber of Czechoslovakia As an outer perimeter of defense. Under other circumstances . Might slow the soviet show of strength against the czechs with a similar threat against Castro Cuba. Vietnam makes that threat impractical. It is the third time the raw Power of soviet nationalism has shown itself heedless of the Opin Ion of International communism. Soviet tanks crushed anti communist strikes and riots in East Germany in 1953. Hungar Ian Freedom fighters went Down under the crunch of other soviet tanks in 1956. And now the czechs. Fear of world reaction he doff russian reaction against the hungarians five Czechoslovakia it took five implications Are Clear. The russians could anticipate in Advance the reactions of to mania and Yugoslavia within the East bloc and those of the communist parties in France and Italy the two largest eur Opean parties outside the bloc. But those reactions became unimportant compared to thereal or imagined threat to Mother Russia. The russians fear a revived Germany Anda democratized Czechoslovakia which might open a corridor through carefully devised rus Sian defences was too much forthe russians to take. They could permit an inde pendent minded Romania or yug o s 1 a v i a because neither formed a part of outer soviet Long delay Between so Viet action and the threat of military action As contained in the Warsaw letter from the hard lining five also suggested a very real split within the so Viet , the slovak who led Czechoslovakia s Brave attempt toward democratization definitely is through unless a Miracle occurs. The unidentified czech Lead ers the russians say asked for help have promised they will continue modified reforms and say there will be no reprisals. On this score the soviet rec Ord Speaks for itself. In 1945, the soviets invited polish leaders in exile to return to Warsaw to negotiate a Broad ening of the soviet backed Warsaw government. Most never were seen again. In 1956, Premier Imp left the safety of the yugoslav embassy in Budapest under a russian Promise of Safe con duct. The russians promptly seized him and in 1958 disclosed he had been , another Man who dared to face the russians must surely know the Story of a , a Imre Nagy. . Blames Ulbricht for invasion by Stewart Lien Sley Washington up Amer ican officials were inclined to believe wednesday that East German president Walter Ulbricht triggered the soviet decision to invade Czechoslovakia. By reporting that the czechs fever for Freedom threatened to Cross the Border into his nation Ulbricht forced the soviets hand . Officials believe. President Johnson and his top advisers now Hope that world opinion will act to restrain Russia from a Savage repression in Czechoslovakia which would Poison International relations for years and plunge the world Back into the darkness of another cold War Era. They hoped that the almost unanimous world condemnation of the soviet bloc move would cause the Kremlin to Deal humanely with Alexander dub Cek and his colleagues. Dubcek became the new czech communist party Boss last january and started the democratization process that frightened Ulbricht the hardest of hard line stalinist. Ulbricht was thought Here to have told Moscow after his visit to Prague 10 Days ago that from his viewpoint the Dubcek program had gotten out of hand. He was believed to have warned the Kremlin that the czech yearning for Freedom was threatening to infect the residents of his tightly held Satel Lite state. With the suppression a accomplished fact american officials acknowledged Dubcek program of liberalization was finished with. Any Liberal regeneration in the future will have to Spring from new sources . Officials said. Tiie state department sources acknowledged that Russia sudden action against Czecho Slovakia would have an extremely damaging effect on soviet american relations and make it difficult if notto continue Neotia issues such As Theof offensive and nuclear missile sys stars and Stripe comment impossible ions on limitation defensive Ems. Soviet action on the possibility of peace in Southeast Asia. They tried to minimize the degree of Hope they had held for Moscow s ultimate intervention with Hanoi to persuade the North vietnamese to Compro Mise on a peace settlement. They admitted however that the new crisis in Europe and strained soviet american relations could have an Adverse effect on negotiations. Secretary of state Dean Rusk in an on the record statement rejected the charge in a new York times editorial that ."Over-involvement" in Vietnam limited american ability to help Czechoslovakia. He said such charges assumed that the .would contemplate military intervention and this was no the Case. While tending to credit Ulbricht s report to Moscow with leading to the decision to invade state department officials made it Clear that by the exercise of Hindsight they had concluded Russia would take such a step sooner or later. The Dubcek followers did Ihus v permitting czechoslovak to critics a the russians. Rut the record shows that All Alonfo the Kremlin was claimed by Thi re form movement itself. Many communists around the world Are not g y. To by thai excuse. They is ills ill see the invasion As the violation of on communist state by the enor Mous armed Ini he of other communist states led by the so Viet Union. The result is going to be More splits and even loss Unity than before in a move ment already ripped by Dissen Sions. This was easily predictable inthe event of an invasion. Why then did the russians Oahe i with it Moscow evidently considered the blow to the communist world front a lesser evil com pared with what the example of Czechoslovakia illicit showed that a party in control could voluntarily surrender sonic of its Power and this was considered a threat to All other in lieu parties including the soviet party itself already wrest Lim sith Niit Nuil ferment. Czechoslovak intellectuals apparently had become intoxicated with the idea that they could after 20 years of silence express opinions free of censorship the opinions included Many denouncing the role of the rus sians in Czechoslovakia in those two decades. To Moscow this meant that Czechoslovakia might eventually he persuaded to turn to the West. Czechoslovakia i Strati Nii ally important As an Factor pins the military in Vasion tend to bolster the idea that military men in Moscow now Wield enormous Power. Thus what happened in Czechoslovakia apart fro creating a now crisis for the world of communism eventually May cause an explosion in the soviet Union in a showdown Between the doves who had argued caution plus and the Hawks who a la with the Hawks in Coni Iol positions some top mom of the soviet Ber themselves Nav p 1" Walter Albi Cut american officials , that they would continue to try to reach agreement with Russia on issues currently under consideration. They obviously were concerned As to whether the . Senate now would ratify the treaty signed with Russia designed to prevent the further spread of nuclear weapons. There already have Bee charges that the treaty was More advantageous to Russia since the Only countries without such weapons but capable of creating them were Western Powers Friendly to the United states. . Officials were Uncertain although obviously worried Over the possible effect of the european edition col. James w. Campbell Usa. It. Col. F. 8. Michael jr., Usan. Mert Proctor. A Mer d. Frank. Henry 5, Epstein. Of thai newspaper u an authorized publication of the . Armed Forret . The Start and Stripe u Wiander in chief u 8. Of european command in Iii to information program of the department of defence Bari pc do not Nirei Manly reflect Tho official View the department of defense. The appearance of dim 1-1 1 Corning publication does not Conill Joe an apartment of Defoie or any of Iti components. M l to str Pei Apo 0, h. International Mill the 8t.ir an i b1-p.imut.iilt, Germany. Tel Fri Mihelin c pie i 01 air trip pie i i a Biml. Telex .,.m ent c by i. Stan a Finnk a w ten b i d Civ 7 lout on my Ooi v ll.10 " i South run1 1 01 err a off the. Fri s a Madru Hui he
