The Struggle for the Soul of the Nation: Czech Culture and the Rise of Communism (The Harvard Cold War Studies Book Series)

This original study revisits the critical historical and cultural debates in Czech society immediately following World War II. Bradley F. Abrams discovers that communist public figures were largely successful in controlling the discourse over the nation's recent past\_the interwar First Republic and the experiences of Munich and World War II\_and over its location on the East-West continuum. This success was later mirrored in the struggles over socialism, the burning political issue of the time. The communists engaged their political foes in the democratic socialist and Roman Catholic camps, and, surprisingly, found significant support from a major Protestant church. The author's careful reading of major publications of the day vividly recreates a postwar mood sympathetic to radical social change, thus casting doubt on the standard view of the communists' rise to power. A rich contribution to our understanding of Czech history, this book also raises provocative questions about the relationship between war and radical social change, the communist takeover of the region, and the role of intellectuals in public life. The Struggle For The Soul Of The Nation Examines The Most Important And Politically Resonant Fields Of Historical And Culture Debate In Czech Society Immediately After World War Ii. The Author Finds That Communist Public Figures Were Largely Successful In Controlling Debate Over The Nation's Recent Past - The Interwar First Republic And The Experiences Of Munich And World War Ii - And Over Its Location On The East-west Continuum. This Success Preceded And Was Mirrored In The Struggles Over The Political Issues Of The Times : Socialism. The Communists Engaged Their Political Foes In The Democratic Socialist And Roman Catholic Camps And, Surprisingly, Found Significant Support From A Major Protestant Church.--book Jacket. World War Two And The East European Revolution -- Intellectuals In The Czech Environment -- Four Groups Of Postwar Czech Intellectuals -- The Communist Aim : The Creation Of A New Czechoslovakia -- The Battle Over The Recent Past I : The Experiences Of Munich And The World War Ii -- The Battle Over The Recent Past Ii : The First Republic And Tomáš G. Masaryk -- The Shift In Sensibilities And Generations -- The Reorientation Of National Identity : Czechs Between East And West -- Socialism And Communist Intellectuals : The Czechoslovak Road To Socialism -- Socialism And Democratic Socialist Intellectuals : The New Socialist Ethos -- Socialism And Roman Catholic Intellectuals : The Fateful Struggle Between Spirit And Matter-- Socialism And Protestant Intellectuals : The Kingdom Of God On Earth? -- The End Of Czechoslovak Democracy And The Rise Of Communism In Eastern Europe. Bradley F. Abrams. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 347-356) And Index. The material effects of World War II, in combination with Eastern Europe's disappointingly undemocratic interwar history, placed radical social change on the postwar agenda across the region and shaped the debates that took place in immediate postwar Czech society. These debates adopted both a cultural form, in struggles over the meaning of the recent past and the nation's position on the East-West continuum, and a directly political form, in battles over the meaning of socialism. The Struggle for the Soul of the Nation examines the most important and politically resonant fields of historical and cultural debate in Czech society immediately after World War II. Bradley Abrams finds that communist public figures were largely successful in controlling debate over the nation's recent past_the interwar First Republic and the experiences of Munich and World War II_and over its location on the EastDWest continuum. This success preceded and was mirrored in the struggles over the political issue of the times: socialism. The communists engaged their political foes in the democratic socialist and Roman Catholic camps, and, surprisingly, found significant support from a major Protestant church. Abrams's careful reading of major publications re-creates a postwar mood sympathetic to radical social change, questioning the standard view of the communists' rise to power. This book not only contributes to the specific literature on Czech history, but also raises questions about the relationship between war and radical social change, about the communist takeover of the region, and about the role of intellectuals in public life. Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Introduction: The Cold War and Contemporary Understandings of the Communist Takeover of Czechoslovakia......Page 11 1 World War II and the East European Revolution......Page 19 3 Intellectuals in the Czech Environment......Page 49 3 Four Groups of Postwar Czech Intellectuals......Page 63 4 The Communist Aim: The Creation of a New Czechoslovakia......Page 99 5 The Battle over the Recent Past I: The Experiences of Munich and World War II......Page 114 6 The Battle over the Recent Past II: The First Republic and Tomas G. Masaryk......Page 128 7 The Shift in Sensibilities and Generations: May 5, 1945, versus October 28, 1918......Page 149 8 The Reorientation of National Identity: Czechs between East and West......Page 166 9 Socialism and Communist Intellectuals: The “Czechoslovak Road to Socialism”......Page 188 10 Socialism and Democratic Socialist Intellectuals: The “New Socialist Ethos”......Page 209 11 Socialism and Roman Catholic Intellectuals: The “Fateful Struggle between Spirit and Matter”......Page 244 12 Socialism and Protestant Intellectuals: The “Kingdom of God on Earth”?......Page 263 Conclusion: The End of Czechoslovak Democracy and the Rise of Communism in Eastern Europe......Page 285 Appendix......Page 299 Notes......Page 306 Bibliography......Page 357 Index......Page 367 About the Author......Page 373 Through a reading of major publications, this book recreates a postwar mood sympathetic to radical social change, thus casting doubt on the standard view of the communists' rise to power. It also raises questions about the relationship between war and radical social change, the communist takeover of the region, and the role of intellectuals