Word: would
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Before Jakes could fashion a response, events exploded. On Friday, Nov. 17, Prague riot police cracked down on student demonstrators. With his authority rapidly crumbling, Jakes launched a last-minute bid to crush the uprising. Advised by Czechoslovakia's military that it would take no part in a violent action against the populace, Jakes turned in desperation to the People's Militia, units composed mostly of factory workers that function in effect as the Communist Party's private army. Beginning Nov. 19, militia units were deployed at factory gates and inside industrial compounds around the country. Care was taken...
...Politburo. Finally the Politburo overruled Jakes and called a meeting. On Friday, Nov. 24, the session opened in an austere hall in the Stalinist-era Party Political University on the outskirts of Prague. There, Jakes tried one last tactic to save his job: he proposed a new law that would permit freedom of assembly, thus legalizing the demonstrations that had brought Prague and other cities to a standstill...
...former Prime Minister Lubomir Strougal, 65, who was replaced last year by Ladislav Adamec, 63. Over the past six months, Strougal, who is still a member of the Central Committee, and Adamec had conspired to take advantage of just such a moment. They agreed that Adamec would publicly call for reform while Strougal used his influence within the Central Committee to oust Jakes and other hard-liners in the Politburo. ) Strougal rallied a core group of 20 moderates within the Central Committee to their cause. "In the main hall, everything looked calm," says a participant. "Behind doors all around...
...Slovak republic, which was trying to boost its own influence. In exchange, the reformist camp had to make three concessions. They allowed two hard-liners, Prague party leader Miroslav Stepan and trade-union boss Miroslav Zavadil, to keep their Politburo seats. The five Slovak members of the Politburo also would retain their posts, including Jozef Lenart, despised for his collaboration with the Soviets in the post-invasion era. And no Strougal partisans would replace the ousted Politburo members. Hence the appointment of Karel Urbanek, a relative unknown, to the prime ministry. Presented with a fait accompli, Jakes reluctantly resigned, along...
...unifying force. Whether you wanted an American Century or a minimal state, you could not be comfortable with Soviet aggrandizement. Lenin was anathema whether your philosophical polestar was Thomas Aquinas or Ayn Rand. Like an offensive guest at a lousy party, Communism drew together a lot of people who would otherwise have been standoffish...