Prague Spring

The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the spring of 1968, where reforms aimed at democratization were implemented under leader Alexander Dubček. This movement sought to create "socialism with a human face," allowing more freedom of speech, press, and travel. However, the Soviet Union, fearing a collapse of communist control, invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968, ending the reforms. The Prague Spring is significant in Cold War history as it highlighted the tensions between Soviet authority and nationalist movements within Eastern Europe, symbolizing the struggle for greater freedom against oppressive regimes.