January 5, 1968 – August 21, 1968
A period of political liberalisation in Czechoslovakia under Alexander Dubček ends when Warsaw Pact armies invade the country.
Student protests and a nationwide general strike shake France, leaving a lasting mark on its culture and society.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill dies in London and is given a state funeral.
Valentina Tereshkova flies into orbit aboard Vostok 6, becoming the first woman in space.
The United States, North and South Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government sign an agreement ending direct US involvement in the war.
Pope John XXIII opens the Second Vatican Council, which brings sweeping reforms to the Catholic Church.
A 13-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba brings the world closest to nuclear war.