What Was The Velvet Revolution?

"Velvet Revolution" is a name given by the media to describe the overthrow of communism in the former country of Czechoslovakia in late 1989.   In Slovak is it known as the Gentle Revolution.

It wasn't all plain and easy.  In November 1989 A peaceful student demonstration in Prague was responded to with violence by riot police. This was followed by a series of demostrations for the next 5 weeks, including massive public gatherings, and a widely-supported general strike.

Communist governments were toppling down at the same time in Soviet satellite countries all around Czechoslovakia.  Within a few days of the protests starting, The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia announced it would cede its monopoly on power.   Meanwhile, barbed wire on western borders like was removed.  Over the next few weeks communist leaders in Czechoslovakia rapidly stepped down in a domino effect while other non-communist leders came forward.  The internally acclaimed writer Václav Havel became President of Czechoslovakia on 29 December 1989. Free elections were held the following June.

Some aspects of the Velvet Revolution were so smooth that conspiracy theories claim it was all orchestrated by state security services.