Slovakia and Czech lands?

Question:I'm so confused about the history of Slovakia and the Czech lands. In 1968 were they united as Czechoslovakia? Or were they still separate lands? I know they were separated in the beginning of the 20th century, but I'm confused as to when they were one country and when they were separate and how they influenced each other.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I'm so confused about the history of Slovakia and the Czech lands. In 1968 were they united as Czechoslovakia? Or were they still separate lands? I know they were separated in the beginning of the 20th century, but I'm confused as to when they were one country and when they were separate and how they influenced each other.

They were one country up until the fall of the Soviet Union. At that time the eastern countries, such as Poland, Hungary, the Baltic three, East Germany became independent. They had been puppet states under the SU. The Berlin wall fell in 1989. Somewhere in this time frame--when those other countries broke free-- Czechoslovakia itself not only became independent of the SU, but separated into two states as well.