The impact of the Prague Spring in 1968 was profound for Eastern Europe, as it represented a short-lived period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia under Alexander Dubček's leadership. The movement sought to implement reforms such as increased freedom of speech, press, and travel, emphasizing a "socialism with a human face." However, it was met with a military invasion by the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries in August 1968, which crushed the reformist movement. The Prague Spring marked a critical moment in the Cold War, highlighting the tensions between reformist movements within the Soviet bloc and the authoritarian control of the Soviet regime.