Hungary, Berlin and Czechoslovakia: a basic common factor

There is a very basic common factor with the troubles that the Soviet Union had with regards to Hungary, Berlin and Czechoslovakia: they all wanted out!

Hungary wanted out of the Eastern Bloc, including NATO.

The people of Berlin (and beyond) wanted out of “doing without”, of lives without prospects.

Whilst Czechoslovakia, learning from the mistakes made by Hungary, wanted out of the straitjacket, wanted out of the Soviet way of doing things.

So, there you are: they all wanted out. Particularly as they had no say in being a part of the bloc in the first place.