Invasion Prague

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In August 1968 the Magnum photographer Josef Koudelka documented the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia's capital. Forty years on, his photographs have been brought together and published by Thames & Hudson in "Invasion Prague, 1968."




Dozens of people were killed in a massive military clampdown in Czechoslovakia by five Warsaw Pact countries. Koudelka's black and white pictures of the demonstrations and confrontations were widely published at the time.




Several members of the liberal Czechoslovak leadership had been arrested, including Prime Minister Alexander Dubcek.




Crowds of people gathered in the streets of the capital chanting support for Mr Dubcek and implored the foreign troops to go home.




A programme of wide-ranging democratic reforms had been gathering pace in the face of Soviet disapproval and the rebirth of social and political freedom became known as the "Prague Spring".




Much of the resistance was centred around the Prague radio station. As the day progressed, Czechoslovak youths threw home-made missiles and even tried to take on Russian tanks.




Reports at the time stated that some tanks and ammunition trucks were destroyed, but Soviet troops responded with machinegun and artillery fire and at least four people were shot dead.




In the Wenceslas and Old Town Squares, hundreds of youths made barricades out of overturned lorries to try and halt the advance.




All rail, road and airline routes out of Czechoslovakia were closed as troops - estimated to number nearly 175,000 men - continued to enter the country.




All images © Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos "Invasion Prague 1968" is published by Thames & Hudson
 
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