The western countries offered only vocal criticism following the invasion — the reality of nuclear standoff in the Cold War meant the western countries were in no position to challenge Soviet military force in Central Europe. A more pronounced effect took place in Communist Romania, where the leader , already a staunch opponent of Soviet influences and one to have declared himself on Dubček's side, held a public speech in Bucharest on the day of the invasion, depicting Soviet policies in harsh terms. While Romania engaged briefly on the same side of the barricade as Josip Broz Tito's Yugoslavia, the alliance was purely conjectural (as romanian leader was already proved to be opposed to the principle of a Socialism with a human face). It did however consolidate Romania's independent voice in the next decades, especially after romanian leader encouraged the population TO TAKE UP THE ARMS in order to meet any similar maneuver in that country: he received an enthusiastic initial response, with many people who were by no means communist willing to enroll in the newly-formed paramilitary Patriotic Guards.
Remember the Prague Spring, 1968
The western countries offered only vocal criticism following the invasion — the reality of nuclear standoff in the Cold War meant the western countries were in no position to challenge Soviet military force in Central Europe. A more pronounced effect took place in Communist Romania, where the leader , already a staunch opponent of Soviet influences and one to have declared himself on Dubček's side, held a public speech in Bucharest on the day of the invasion, depicting Soviet policies in harsh terms. While Romania engaged briefly on the same side of the barricade as Josip Broz Tito's Yugoslavia, the alliance was purely conjectural (as romanian leader was already proved to be opposed to the principle of a Socialism with a human face). It did however consolidate Romania's independent voice in the next decades, especially after romanian leader encouraged the population TO TAKE UP THE ARMS in order to meet any similar maneuver in that country: he received an enthusiastic initial response, with many people who were by no means communist willing to enroll in the newly-formed paramilitary Patriotic Guards.