The foreign policy principle articulated in 1968, asserted the Soviet Union’s right to intervene in any socialist state where communist rule was threatened. This policy aimed to preserve the communist bloc and prevent deviation from Soviet-aligned ideologies. A key example of its application occurred in Czechoslovakia, where the Warsaw Pact forces suppressed the Prague Spring reform movement in 1968.
This principle significantly shaped the Cold War era, particularly within Eastern Europe. It reinforced Soviet dominance and limited the autonomy of satellite states. Its implementation fostered resentment and contributed to the eventual weakening of the Soviet empire by suppressing national aspirations and reform movements within its sphere of influence. Its legacy highlights the tensions between national sovereignty and the pursuit of ideological conformity during a critical period in global history.
