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communist party is established
Czechoslovak Communist Party (CPCz) leader Klement Gottwald becomes prime minister -
communist take over
Communists organize wave of mass protests and strikes. Government crisis leaves Communists with majority in government. Benes resigns as president since he had been serving as president in exile in London. Klement Gottwald succeeds him, imposes Stalinist-style rule from 1946-48 -
Zapotocky to prime minister
Antonín Zápotocký becomes the prime minster of Czehoslovakia -
purging of officals
Leading Communist figures, including former party Secretary-General Rudolf Slansky, executed having been convicted of treason and espionage at show trials. This is much like Stalin style of government -
Gottwald dies
Klement Gottwald dies of pneumonia just days after attending Stalin's funeral. Antonin Novotny succeeds him as CPCz leader, Atonin Zapotocky as president. -
Zapotocky dies
Novotny becomes president after Zapotocky's death -
Social republic
Czechoslovakia communist oarty becomes Czechoslovak Socialist Republic under new constitution -
Dubeck liberal reforms
Alexander Dubcek succeeds Novotny as CPCz leader, embarks on programme of liberalizing reforms known as Prague Spring -
Dubcek abducted
Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops invade. Dubcek taken to Moscow and forced to make concessions before returning to Prague to make an emotional plea for cooperation in ending the reforms -
Dubcek replaced
Gustav Husak replaces Dubcek as CPCz leader after his abduction -
call for rights
A group of dissidents published Charter 77 calling for restoration of civil and political rights. -
Husak replaced
Milos Jakes replaces Husak as party leader. -
Peaceful protest
Peaceful mass protests and strikes gain momentum. The Civic Forum, a broad antigovernment coalition, formed. CPCz leadership resigns. Federal Assembly abolishes Communists' constitutional hold on power. -
Havel is president
Marian Calfa becomes prime minister in a government in which the majority of members are non-Communists. Husak resigns as president. Dubcek elected chairman of Federal Assembly. Vaclav Havel elected president -
Free elections
Country renamed Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. First free elections since 1946 lead to establishment of coalition government involving all major parties with the exception of the CPCz. Havel re-elected president. -
Privitizing of bissness
Civic Forum disbanded. Members form two new parties, the conservative Civic Democratic Party (CDP) and the liberal Civic Movement. Legislation allowing privatization of state-owned enterprises approved. -
Soviets out
soviets withdraw from Czech. -
Velvet divorce
The split of Czechoslovakia into the Czech republic and Slovakia
