Czechoslovak citizens had not known freedom for decades. For much of World War II, the country was occupied by the Nazis and then by the Red Army, which pushed the Nazis back to Berlin. When the Red Army entered a region, communist regimes were set up to govern the region and establish satellite nations. Numerous uprisings took place throughout the decade, violently suppressed by communist governments with the help of the USSR. After Alexander Dubcek attempted to grant reforms to the Czechoslovak people in 1968, the USSR and most members of the Warsaw Pact sent their military forces to intervene and quell any unrest or reforms. Things became somewhat violent and brutal, as all the protesters were either beaten, killed or arrested. Dubcek himself was removed from power. While many Czech citizens were fed up with their lack of freedom and the failing economy, they had little chance of achieving change. In the mid-1980s, things began to become clearer when Mikhail Gorbachev became Prime Minister of the USSR and announced his reform programs of Glasnost and Perestroika. Gorbachev also encouraged the leaders of satellite states to follow suit and grant more political and civil liberties to their citizens. Under Gorbachev, the USSR also withdrew most of its armed forces from Central and Eastern European countries. Many citizens and political reformers took advantage of the opportunity and began pushing for an end to the one-party political system that had been imposed on them for years. 1989 was the year of many revolutions and protests in Central and Eastern Europe. In October 1989, Prague police had to disperse some large demonstrations that broke out on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Czech Republic... middle of newspaper... the movement gained such popular support that It was possible for the demonstrators to have great influence during negotiations with the Communist Party. Works Cited Ladislav Adamec, "Speech of Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec at an extraordinary session of the CC of the CPC, declaring his preference for a political solution to the crisis", Making the History of 1989, Item #512, http://chnm .gmu.edu/1989/items/show/512 (accessed April 17, 2012, 7:06 p.m.). The Civic Forum, “The Civic Forum's Exhibition of Its Position in Public Life with a Call for Non-Violence, Tolerance and Dialogue,” Making the History of 1989, Item #503, http://chnm .gmu.edu/1989/items/show/503 (accessed April 17, 2012, 7:15 p.m.). The Civic Forum, "List of Civic Forum Objectives", Making the History of 1989, Item #513, http:/ /chnm.gmu.edu/1989/items/show/513 (accessed April 17, 2012, 6 p.m.56).