Czechoslovakia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Czechoslovakia Československo Česko‑Slovensko
1918–1939 1945–1992 1939–1945: Government-in-exile
Flag (1920–1992) Lesser coat of arms (1920–1960)
Motto: ‘Pravda vítězí / Pravda víťazí’ (Czech / Slovak, 1918–1990) ’Veritas vincit’ (Latin, 1990–1992) ’Truth prevails’
Anthem: ’Kde domov můj’ (Czech) ’Where is my home’ ’Nad Tatrou sa blýska’ (Slovak) ’Lightning Over the Tatras’
Czechoslovakia during interwar period and Cold War
Capital	Prague (Praha) 50°05′N 14°25′E / 50.083°N 14.417°E / 50.083; 14.417
Common languages	Czech · Slovak · German · Hungarian · Yiddish · Rusyn
Demonym(s)	Czechoslovak
Government	First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–1939) Third Czechoslovak Republic (1945–1948) Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1948–1990) Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (1990–1992)
President
• 1918–1935	Tomáš G. Masaryk
• 1935–1938 · 1945–1948	Edvard Beneš
• 1938–1939	Emil Hácha
Prime Minister
• 1918–1919 (first)	Karel Kramář
• 1992 (last)	Jan Stráský
Historical era	20th century
• Independence	28 October 1918
• German occupation	1939
• Liberation	9 May 1945
• Coup d'état	25 February 1948
• Velvet Revolution	November–December 1989
• Dissolution	31 December 1992
Population
• 1921	13,607,385
• 1992	15,600,000
Currency	Czechoslovak koruna
Preceded by Succeeded by Austria-Hungary Kingdom of Bohemia Margraviate of Moravia Czech Republic Slovakia
Today part of	Czech Republic  Slovakia  Ukraine  ∟  Zakarpattia Oblast

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a country in Europe. It was formed in 1918 after the end of World War I. Before that, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The country existed for many years, but it eventually split into two new countries in 1993.

Czechoslovakia was located in Central Europe. Its capital city was Prague, which is now the capital of the Czech Republic. The country was home to different groups of people, mainly Czechs and Slovaks, who spoke their own languages.

A Brief History of Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia had a very interesting and sometimes difficult history. It went through many changes in its government and borders.

How Czechoslovakia Began

Czechoslovakia became an independent country on October 28, 1918. This happened after Austria-Hungary lost World War I. People in the region wanted their own country where Czechs and Slovaks could live together.

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia.

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was a very important leader. He became the first president of the new country. He helped set up a democratic government.

World War II and Its Impact

In the late 1930s, Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, became very powerful. In 1938, Nazi Germany took over parts of Czechoslovakia. By 1939, they had full control and split off Slovakia as a separate state.

During World War II, Czechoslovakia was under German rule. Many people resisted the occupation. After the war ended in 1945, Czechoslovakia became independent again.

The Communist Era

After World War II, the Soviet Union (USSR) became a very strong country. The USSR was a communist country, meaning the government controlled almost everything. It wanted to have influence over countries in Eastern Europe.

In 1948, the Communist Party took control of Czechoslovakia's government. This was a big change. The country became known as the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. During this time, the government was a dictatorship, meaning people had fewer freedoms.

In 1968, there was a period called the Prague Spring. The government, led by Alexander Dubček, tried to make the country more free. However, the Soviet Union and its allies did not like these changes. They sent their armies to invade Czechoslovakia. This stopped the reforms and brought back strict communist rule.

The Velvet Revolution

In 1989, many countries in Eastern Europe started to move away from communism. In Czechoslovakia, people peacefully protested against the communist government. This event is known as the Velvet Revolution. It was called "Velvet" because it happened without violence.

The Velvet Revolution successfully ended the communist dictatorship. The country began to become a democracy again. Václav Havel became the last president of Czechoslovakia.

The Peaceful Split

After the Velvet Revolution, leaders in Czechoslovakia decided that the Czech and Slovak parts of the country should become separate nations. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two independent countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

This separation was done without any fighting. Both countries are now members of the European Union.

Official Names of Czechoslovakia

Over its history, Czechoslovakia had several official names. These names often reflected the political changes happening in the country.

• 1918–1920: Republic of Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovak State
• 1920–1938: Czechoslovak Republic (ČSR)
• 1938–1939: Czecho-Slovak Republic
• 1945–1960: Czechoslovak Republic (ČSR)
• 1960–1990: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (ČSSR)
• 1990–1992: Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (ČSFR)

Images for kids

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  Czechoslovak troops in Vladivostok (1918)

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  A rally in Prague on Wenceslas Square, October 28, 1918, celebrating the Czechoslovak declaration of independence

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  A monument to Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Milan Rastislav Štefánik

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  A large public gymnastics event called Spartakiad in 1960

See also

In Spanish: Checoslovaquia para niños