Download Introduction Definition of Key Words

ARMUN 2014
Historical Reformed Security Council
Forum: Historical Reformed Security Council
Issue: The Munich Conference
Student Officers: Danique de Vegt (President) and Aseem Mundkur (Deputy President)
Position: President of the Historical Reformed Security Council
Introduction
In 1938, things were taking the turn for the worse in Europe. Adolf Hitler had by now, completely
taken over Germany in promise to bring the country back up on its feet after the first blow of the
First World War, the second blow of the economic crisis after the Treaty of Versailles, and the third
with the worldwide Great Depression. Hitler was taking reign over neighboring countries, such as
Poland and Czechoslovakia.
The Nazi Germany has been annexing portion of Czechoslovakia along the borders of countries
mainly inhabited by German speakers, due to the break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, leaving
many Germans in the Czech regions. The Germans living here did not feel they met the standards to
what the Czech's had promised at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.
Many countries thought a new territorial designation should be coined, thus being Sudetenland.
Definition of Key Words
Sudetenland:
Parts of Czechoslovakia on the border of Germany set up by UN because of massive population of
Germany speaking citizens, which was taken over by Nazi-Germany.
Czechoslovakia:
Former sovereign state in Central Europe, created after World War I when it declared independence
from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Underwent forced Nazi Germany cooperation before and
during World War II.
Adolf Hitler:
Nazi leader (Fuhrer) in charge of Germany from 1935-1945, represented Germany at the Munich
Conference.
Neville Chamberlain:
Prime-Minister of the United Kingdom, representing the United Kingdom at the Munich
Conference.
Edouard Daladier:
French Prime-Minister, representing France at the Munich Conference
Benito Mussolini:
leader of National Fascist Party in Italy, served as the Prime-Minister from 1922-1943, represented
Italy at the Munich Conference.
Annexation:
Forcible acquisition of a state's territory by another state.
ARMUN 2014
Historical Reformed Security Council
Background Information
From 1918 to 1938, after the breakup of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, more than 3 million
ethnic Germans were living in the Czech part of
the newly created state of Czechoslovakia.
The UN had set up the new division of Europe,
which gave the German-inhabited regions of
Czechoslovakia the name Sudetenland, founded by
pro-Nazi leader Konrad Henlein, which was still
under control of the Czechoslovakian government.
Adolf Hitler was on a streak of taking over Europe,
step by step. He had taken over Austria without
any difficulty, as well as parts of Poland. Germany
had grown a third of the size that it had been
limited to after World War I, and Hitler was not
planning on stopping there.
Timeline of Events
• In March 1938, Hitler ordered Henlein to create a crisis in the country. The Sudeten
Germans made increasingly bold demands from the government. When the demands could
not be met they insisted that they were being persecuted.
• In April 1938, Henlein announced his Karlsbad Programme for Sudeten self-government,
and organised civil unrest.
• In May 1938, Hitler moved his armies to the Czech border to intimidate the
Czechoslovakian President, Benes. In response, Benes mobilised the Czech army into
positions along the border.
• In July 1938, Hitler promised Britain's Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, that he would
not invade Czechoslovakia if he were given control of the Sudetenland.
• In September 1938, Hitler made an inflammatory speech against the Czechoslovakian
President, Benes, at a Nazi rally at Nuremberg.
• On the 12 September, the Sudeten Germans rioted and martial law was declared in
Czechoslovakia.
• 15 September 1938, Neville Chamberlain met Hitler at his summer retreat on the Austrian
border, Berchtesgaden. With German invasion of Czechoslovakia looking imminent and a
future European war a very real possibility, Chamberlain agreed in principle that Hitler
could claim the Sudetenland without reprisal from Britain. On his return to Britain,
Chamberlain managed to persuade his Cabinet and the French (who were allies of the
Czechoslovakians) to accept the deal.
• 22 September 1938, Chamberlain met Hitler again at Godesberg. With the reluctant
agreement of the Czechoslovakian government, Chamberlain offered Hitler control of the
Sudetenland. Hitler demanded that the Czechoslovakian army leave the Sudetenland by 1
October. This was a demand designed to provoke the Czechs and provide an excuse for
invasion of the whole country.
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•
Historical Reformed Security Council
29 and 30 of September 1938, representatives of France, Britain, Italy and Germany met at
Munich to discuss the Sudetenland problem. Neither the Czechs, nor their allies Russia,
were consulted. Hitler traded the promise of peace in Europe for the Sudetenland. The
Czechs had to either accept or face the might of the German army alone. They accepted.
Before Munich Conference
The issue of the 3 million German's living in Czechoslovakia. Both Hitler and fellow Nazi leader
Konrad Henlein both agreed that this area of Czechoslovakia should be taken under German rule
and known as Sudetenland. Heinlein demanded full equality of Germans with Czechs, with the right
for the Germans living in this area.
After the League of Nations crumbled, politicians wanted a new way to keep peace. The leaders of
France and Britian were not happy with this, however they agreed to the policy of appeasement
with Hitler. This policy meant giving Hitler what he wanted to stop him from starting war. It was
based on the based on the idea of what Hitler wanted was reasonable, and once he demands were
supplied, he'd stop.
Hitler convinces Henlein to go rebel with the Czech government, demanding union with Germany.
When the Czech government refuses, Hitler threatens war.
Shortly after, Chamberlain promises to give Hitler all regions of Czechoslovakia with a 50% or
higher amount of Germany civilians, without consulting with the Czechs. Hitler does not settle, and
rather wants all of Sudetenland. Chamberlain refuses, and Hitler threatens with war.
At Munich Conference
France and Britain agree to give Hitler all of Sudetenland, allowing German annexation.
Chamberlain makes Hitler agree, with proof on paper, that he will not start war. Hitler agrees, and
sends troops to Sudetenland. This was all discussed and decided on without Czechoslovakia, who
had no input or say in the decisions being made. With the four powers meeting in Munich,
Mussolini introduced a written plan, which became to be known as the Munich Agreement. In it
read that the German army was to complete the occupation of the Sudetenland, and international
commision would decide the future of other dispute areas. Czechoslovakia was informed by Britain
and France that it could either resist Germany alone, as they did not want to be involved in war, or
allow the annexation. The Czechoslovak government chose to allow the German annexation.
After Munich Conference
The results of the appeasement and annexation were that Czechoslovakia was severely weakened,
and the left over land was taken by Poland and Hungary. Britain, avoiding war, had time to build up
its armed forces. Hitler felt a new kind of power, feeling that Britain and France were afraid of him,
and knew that they would not stop him, no matter what he did. Russia decided that Britain and
France would never stand up to Hitler, making war inevitable. The British also quickly found out
that war against Hitler would be inevitable with the appeasement. This was confirmed when Hitler
invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939, confirming that he had lied when he promised
Chamberlain he would not start war. Hitler was determined to create a Greater Germany.
Chamberlain stated that Hitler was not to be trusted on not invading other countries, and Britain
would defend Poland if Germany invaded.1
Events linked to Munich Agreement
1
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/chamberlainandappeasementrev7.shtml>.
ARMUN 2014
Historical Reformed Security Council
Things happening in Europe
Things happening in Britain
November 1938: Kristallnacht- attacks on Churchill's speeches: attacked appeasement as "a
the Jews in Germany.
defeat without a war".
October 1938: Oxford by-election - Chamberlain's
March 1939: Czechoslovakia- Hitler
Conservatives won, but the anti-appeasement candidate
invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia.
got lots of votes.
May 1939: Pact of Steel: an alliance was
Lack of trust: Britain was building up its armed forces
formed between Germany and Italy to help
throughout 1938 and 1939.
each other in times of war.
2
Helpful Sources
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2
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/chamberlainandappeasementrev7.shtml>.
"Munich Agreement." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Aug. 2014. Web. 10 June 2014.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Agreement>.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Munich Agreement (Europe [1938])." Encyclopedia Britannica
Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/397522/Munich-Agreement>.
"Hitler Appeased at Munich." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-appeased-at-munich>.
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014. <