Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War 2, the country of Czechoslovakia was created. However, some Slovaks were not in favour of this change which is why despite having little sovereignty, Slovakia became a satellite of Germany during the run up to World War 2 but Czechoslovakia was brought back after the war due to the Soviet Union occupation of Eastern Europe.
Following protests in 1988-89, communism was replaced by democracy and following later reforms, the union began to slip away. Czechoslovakia was eventually torn apart by Slovakian nationalism. When talks to secure the union and on 1 January 1993, the Velvet Divorce saw the birth of two new nations, Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (Slovakia). The dissolution of Czechoslovakia is of few national dissolutions that came about on a tide of apathy.