Located at the heart of Europe between east and west, Czechoslovakia
was the pivot of twentieth-century European history. Created out of the
ruins of an empire, it remained a beacon of democracy in a continent
darkened by fascism and communism. But unable to resist the
machinations of greater powers, it succumbed to Nazi invasion and
partition on the eve of World War II. After that conflict it underwent
a communist dictatorship, which was lightened only briefly by the
Prague Spring of 1968. Finally, the Czechoslovaks reclaimed liberty and
democracy in the Velvet Revolution of 1989. Maria Dowling's history of
Czechoslovakia engages with themes of perennial interest - nationalism,
democracy, and authoritarian rule and as well as guiding the reader
through the particularly rich and varied experiences of Czechoslovakia,
illuminates the nature of government, power, and culture in
twentieth-century Europe.