Czechoslovak coup d’état of 1948

E44315

The Czechoslovak coup d’état of 1948 was a Communist Party–led takeover that ended multiparty democracy in Czechoslovakia and established a pro-Soviet communist regime at the start of the Cold War.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Cold War event
coup d’état
political event
alsoKnownAs February coup
Victorious February
Únor 1948
cause Communist control of key ministries including the Interior Ministry
power struggle between communists and non-communists in the National Front government
pressure from the Soviet Union to secure a friendly regime
commemoratedAs Day of the Victorious February in communist-era Czechoslovakia
consequence establishment of a one-party state
integration of Czechoslovakia into the Eastern Bloc
suppression of political opposition
country Czechoslovakia
endDate 1948-02-25
followedBy adoption of the Ninth-of-May Constitution
establishment of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
ideology Marxism–Leninism
pro-Soviet communism
impact contributed to the formation of NATO
strengthened Western support for the Marshall Plan
keyFigure Edvard Beneš
Jan Masaryk
Klement Gottwald
Ludvík Svoboda
Václav Nosek
ledBy Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
legalForm government reshuffle approved by the president
location Prague
method mass demonstrations organized by communists
political pressure on President Edvard Beneš
use of security forces controlled by the Communist Interior Ministry
opposedBy non-communist parties of the National Front
partOf Sovietization of Eastern Europe
early Cold War crises
politicalContext start of the Cold War
precededBy Czechoslovak parliamentary election of 1946
relatedEvent suspicious death of Jan Masaryk in March 1948
result Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized full political power
beginning of four decades of communist rule in Czechoslovakia
end of multiparty democracy in Czechoslovakia
establishment of a pro-Soviet communist regime
formation of a new communist-dominated government
resignation of non-communist ministers
significantDate 1948-02-25
startDate 1948-02-17
supportedBy Soviet Union

Referenced by (5)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Czechoslovak coup d’état of 1948 ("Únor 1948")
alsoKnownAs
Czechoslovak Communist Party ("1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état")
cameToPowerBy
Czechoslovak coup d’état of 1948 ("Day of the Victorious February in communist-era Czechoslovakia")
commemoratedAs
Czechoslovak Army ("Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948")
notableEvent
Czechoslovakia
significantEvent

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