Eye-witness Account Of Russian Invasion

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 12

Eye-witness Account Of Russian Invasion

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 28.

The troops invading Czechoslovakia “didn’t know which country they were in, let alone which town” when they arrived, according to Dr D. Kear, head of the Geological Survey, who was in Prague two days before the Russian invasion started on August 21.

Dr Kear arrived back in Wellington this evening after attending an international geological congress in Prague.

| The first hint of unusual activity was from about 4 a.m. on August 21 when heavy traffic rumbled down the main street outside his Prague hotel, and planes flew overhead almost continuously, Dr Kear said. “It wasn’t until breakfast that we realised the noise wasn’t coming from the Czechoslovak Army,” he said. “The whole of the day, more and more tanks poured into the city,” he said. Dr Kear said that the soldiers looked “dog-tired,” and i seemed to be surprised at the poor reception they got from the Czechoslovak people. • “No-one had any idea where I the troops came from, and (the people were horrified at the thought of losing the liblerties they treasure,” he said. “The waitresses at the : hotel were close to tears at first, -but after the first day

everyone became determined to show passive resistance.”

Dr Kear said that of the many Czechoslovaks he spoke to, all were 100 per cent behind Mr Dubcek, but he doubted whether their support would continue if any of their liberties were infringed. No attempt was made to restrict, the freedom of the geological congress delegates—and they were able to photograph tanks which stood within 50 yards of the conference building. Dr Kear described the behaviour of the invading troops as “restrained” and said he did not hear any firsthand reports of a foreign soldier firing at anyone. Hostile placards with slogans such as “Ivan go home”

dotted the streets and everyone—including the visitors—wore Czechoslovak colours or carried flags. After the congress disbanded, Dr Kear drove with four New Zealand companions to Linz, on the Austrian border.

“At every village, people waved and gave us directions, so that we would not be confused by changed signposts,” he said. “At one stage, a motorcyclist rode alongside the motor-caravan we were travelling in, and handed us rolls of film.” Dr Kear said that Czechoslovak guards hurried them over the border quickly, and made no attempt to hunt for hidden film, or escaping compatriots.