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Czechoslovakia September
1938
“Peace in Our Time”
What you need to know
• German claims to the Sudetenland
• Hitler’s reasons for attacking Czechoslovakia
• British and French policy towards
Czechoslovakia
• Chamberlain’s role in the Czech Crisis
• The Munich Conference (terms of the
agreement; results)
• The fall of Czechoslovakia and its effect on
the policy of appeasement
Czechoslovakia 1918
• Czechoslovakia had been established at the end of
WW1.
• The Czechs and Slovaks had previously been subjects
of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
• The Czechoslovaks had military alliances with France
and the Soviet Union and were strong supporters of
the League of Nations and Collective Security.
• They had a well equipped army, a modern armaments
industry and strong border defences
• Strong Indutrial sector – world’s 6th largest industrial
employer & 7th largest arms manufacturer
• However, this stable and prosperous country contained
several ethnic minorities which caused Czechoslovakia
problems with nationalities wanting their
independence.
Czechoslovakia 1918
• The Czechs were the
majority, the Slovaks,
Hungarians, Poles,
Ukranians were
minorities.
• Since 1935 leader was
President Edward Benes
• The most numerous
minority were the 3.5
million Germans, who
lived mainly near the
border with Germany,
known as the
Sudetenland.
Overview of the Czech Crisis
• The Anschluss greatly weakened
Czechoslovakia’s position.
Germany
Sudetenland
Czechoslovakia
Austria
Overview of the Czech Crisis
• The western part of the country was
now surrounded by German territory.
• Hitler exploited the many racial
tensions that existed within
Czechoslovakia. He deliberately
provoked a crisis involving the Sudeten
Germans.
Sudetenland
Overview of the Czech Crisis
• Nazi influence was great among the Sudeten Germans
• Hitler and the Nazis played on German grievances
which were mainly caused by the high unemployment
• The Sudeten German Party demanded selfgovernment and were encouraged and indeed
subsidised, by Nazi Germany.
• Neville Chamberlain was anxious that the crisis should
not develop into a war.
• In the course of September 1938 he made three
visits to Germany.
• He hoped that some kind of settlement between
Czechoslovakia and Germany could be reached and a
major conflict avoided.
Hitler’s reasons for attacking
Czechoslovakia
• After the Anschluss in March 1938, it was obvious
that the Sudeten German problem was next on the
agenda.
• Since the reoccupation of the Rhineland in March
1936, Czechoslovakia’s security was threatened
because France was no longer such a credible
deterrent to Germany.
• Hitler had many reasons to dislike Czechoslovakia
• It was peopled by Slavonic ‘Untermenschen’ (inferior
people) whom Hitler hated
• It housed 3.5 million Germans (in the Sudetenland)
who he wanted back united for his ‘Greater Germany’.
These people were forced to live there - they had no
self-determination which angered Hitler
Hitler’s reasons for attacking
Czechoslovakia
• Czechoslovakia was created by the much
hated Treaty of Versailles
• Czechoslovakia was the most successful of
the ‘new’ states born in 1919 from both an
economic and democratic point of view.
• He hated the fact that the Czechs were
supporters of the League.
Hitler’s reasons for attacking
Czechoslovakia
• Hitler also hated the Czechs allies France and
Russia (Germany’s sworn enemies)
• Hitler needed to take over Czechoslovakia
before conquering Poland or Russia.
• The airfields of the Sudetenland could be
used as bases for French or Russian aircraft
to launch bomber raids on any of the
important German cities or their troops could
come down from the mountains and invade the
fatherland.
How Hitler created the crisis Sudetenland Germans
•
The greatest threat to the Czech state came from the Sudeten
Germans and from Hitler’s Germany
•
German grievances in the Sudetenland were sharpened by the slump of
the 1930s which caused considerable unemployment
•
The Sudetenland Germans were very annoyed that they were forced to
live in Czechoslovakia
•
Even before Hitler took power in Germany Nazi ideas and organisation
took root among the Sudetens
•
During 1935 the German Foreign Office secretly began to subsidise the
Sudeten Germany Party
•
Konrad Henlein’s Sudeten German Party attracted support from most
of the German voters in the Sudetenland. They won 62% of the vote in
the elections in 1935
Sudetenland Germans
• Hitler provided the party with political and financial support.
• The Sudeten German Party, Hitler and the German Nazis tried
to cause trouble in Czechoslovakia so that they would come close
to a civil war.
• Hitler intended to cause so much trouble in the Sudetenland
that he could intervene on the pretext of protecting the
Germans and preventing a civil war.
• They wanted the war to encourage the Czechoslovaks to give the
Sudetenland back to Germany or that Hitler would come in to
‘protect them’.
• He used the plight of the Sudeten Germans as an excuse to
attack Czechoslovakia. He entered the arena as the champion of
an oppressed minority
• He presented the issue as one of a fair deal for the Sudetens
and not as a demand for the transfer of territory to Germany
British and French reaction to the trouble
brewing in the Sudetenland
• Britain and France were anxious to avoid
trouble
• They urged the Czechs to pacify*
Henlein and reach an agreement with
the Sudetens.
• Lord Halifax, the British Foreign
Secretary, informed the delighted
Germans of British and French policy.
Hitler’s Actions – May Crisis 1938
• In May 1938, Hitler started “Operation
Green”
“It is my unalterable
decision to smash
Czechoslovakia by
military action in the
near future”.
Hitler’s Actions – May Crisis 1938
• He had hoped to launch a decisive
attack before any possible intervention
by the Western powers.
• The plan was to cause trouble between
the Sudetens and the Czechs
• Konrad Henlein (leader of the Sudeten
German Party) was advised by Hitler to
‘always demand so much that we can
never be satisfied”.
Hitler’s Actions – May Crisis 1938
• Although the Czechs had an good army
and strong defences, Hitler was
confident that the Western Powers
would not risk starting a war over the
issue of the Sudetenland.
• When the Czechs took firm action
against Heinlen’s party, Hitler portrayed
the Sudeten Germans as the victim of
oppression.
British and French Reaction to
the May Crisis
• To Hitler’s surprise and fury he
received a warning from Britain and
France over the dangers of war if
Czechoslovakia were to be attacked.
• Both France and Russia repeated their
pledge to help Czechoslovakia.
• Hitler had expected no such unity
among the European powers
The end of the May Crisis
• The outcome of what came to be known
as ‘the May Crisis’ was that he was
forced to eat humble pie, protesting
that he had no aggressive intent
towards the Czechs.
• After this humiliation he was even more
determined than ever to mutilate
Czechoslovakia and laid his plans while
quietly fuming at Berghof.
Hitler’s actions after the May
crisis
• In the summer of 1938 things moved Hitler’s way
again.
• General Keitel was told that ‘Operation Green’ would
be implemented by October 1st at the latest.
• Hitler knew that Britain and France were putting
pressure on the Czechs to make concessions to the
Sudetens and that Benes must have felt very isolated
as a result.
• Hitler worked on that isolation
• Heinlein continued to agitate the Sudeten Germans
and avoid an agreement with the Czech president
What did Britain and France do as a result of
this agitation in the Sudetenland?
• Chamberlain, a believer in face to face negotiations,
sent a message to Hitler offering to fly to Germany
to meet him.
• Hitler was delighted.
• The British Prime Minister, a man of 69 who had
never flown before, would cross Europe to beg for
peace!
The three meetings
• You must remember the dates and
details of the 3 meetings between
Hitler and Chamberlain.
• Bad Godesberg and Munich are the two
most popular to be examined.
15th September
1938/Berchtesgaden
• On 15th September, he flew to Germany and met
Hitler at Berchtesgaden.
• Hitler stressed to Chamberlain what a reasonable man
he had been – Anglo-German Naval Agreement and
making a non-aggression pact with Poland.
• However, Hitler said he could not be as generous
about the Sudetenland as it involved persecuted
Germans.
15th September 1938
• Hitler made it clear that he would go to any length,
even war, to have the Sudeten Germans in the Reich.
• After accusing Hitler of wasting his time as he was
not willing to negotiate Chamberlain conceded.
• Here the PM was prepared, in principal, to concede
the surrender of the Sudetenland to Germany.
• He asked Hitler not to be rash with his actions until
he consulted his Cabinet and the French.
• On his return he persuaded the Cabinet and the
French, who were allies of the Czechs to agree.
22nd September 1938/Bad
Godesberg
• On the 22nd September, Chamberlain flew to see Hitler for a
second meeting – this time to Godesberg on the Rhine.
• Chamberlain felt confident of success because his proposals
appeared to meet all the German demands. What he failed to
see that this scheme would deny Hitler smashing Czechoslovakia
and this is what he wanted above all else (to enable him to move
East)
• At this meeting Hitler demanded the immediate Czech
surrender of the Sudetenland without any delay.
• Chamberlain criticised Hitler for his failure to acknowledge the
British efforts to secure peace.
• It seemed that Hitler was determined to invade Czechoslovakia.
• Hitler relented only to the extent of agreeing to postpone his
deadline for invasion to 1st October. This was clearly a man
looking for a fight.
The aftermath of 22 September
1938
• On his return to Britain, Chamberlain presented the
dictator’s demands to his cabinet.
• The cabinet proved unwilling either to accept them or
to attempt to force them on the Czechs.
• Britain’s Navy mobilised (28th September 1938),
trenches were dug in London and the entrances to
important buildings sandbagged.
• War seemed unavoidable, just then Hitler backed off
very slightly.
• He half suggested that it might be worth
Chamberlain’s time to continue with his peace efforts.
Munich Conference 29th to 3oth
September 1938
• Chamberlain was deeply depressed at the thought of war and
was concerned that the British could be attacked by air.
• This explains his acceptance of an invitation to a four-power
Conference at Munich at which Britain, France, Italy and
Germany agreed to the German occupation of the Sudetenland
between 1st to 10th October.
• Neither the Czechs nor the Soviet Union were consulted.
• The Czechs were faced with acceptance or single combat with
Germany
• Hitler emphasised that this was his last territorial claim in
Europe and that he did not want to spoil the Reich by the
inclusion of non-Germans
• Britain and France guaranteed the rest of Czechoslovakia
against aggression
Munich Conference 29th to 3oth
September 1938
• Chamberlain persuaded Hitler to sign a
joint-declaration after the signature of
the Munich Agreement.
• “We (i.e. Hitler and Chamberlain) regard
the (Munich) agreement and the AngloGerman naval agreement as symbolic of
the desire of our two peoples never to
go to war with one another again”.
British and French reaction to
the Munich Agreement
• The initial reaction of British and French
public opinion was favourable: it seemed as if
war had been avoided.
• Chamberlain hoped that Munich would lead to
a general settlement of European disputes.
• On his return home, he claimed he brought
back ‘peace for our time’ and ‘peace with
honour’.
• Churchill replied to Chamberlain’s comment by
saying, “he had to choose between war and
dishonour. He chose dishonour, he will get
war”.
“Peace for our Time”
“I believe it is peace for our
time”
Munich Conference 29th to 3oth
September 1938
• Hitler regarded this agreement as of no
importance. Nor was he content with
the Munich Agreement, since he had
wanted the destruction of the Czech
state
• As he said, “That fellow Chamberlain
has spoiled my entry into Prague”
The invasion of the rest of
Czechoslovakia
• On 1st October 1938 German troops entered
the Sudetenland.
• In March 1939, Hitler broke another of his
promises and took the rest of the Czech
lands.
• They gratefully received, the great Skoda
arms factory and the Brno small arms work,
not to mention 2,200 artillery pieces, 600
tanks and 750 aircraft.
• Germany’s military strength had been made a
lot stronger
Consequences of the Czech Crisis
for Britain
• Lost an ally in Czechoslovakia
• British public were split over
Chamberlain. Some believed he was a
hero others a coward.
• Britain started to rearm in case of war
Consequences of the Czech Crisis
for the Czechs
• Lost Sudetenland
• More insecure as Germany now
surrounded Czechoslovakia.
• Lost British and French support
• Disillusioned and demoralised
Consequences of the Czech crisis
for Germany
• Hitler’s confidence was boosted as he had read the
situation correctly.
• The Czech affair served to increase Hitler’s status in
Germany
• By acquiring the Sudetenland Germany gained land,
people and weapons.
• By getting into Czechoslovakia it made it easier for
Hitler to move into Poland and Russia
• Now Britain and France had lost the possible services
of a strong ally in Czechoslovakia
• Hitler was even more assured that France and Britain
were pushovers
Consequences of the Czech Crisis
for Russia
• Russia had been totally ignored by
Britain and France and were deeply
offended. Their suspicions of Britain
and France were reinforced.
• They had been willing to act to help
control Hitler and hadn’t even been
invited to Munich
• They now would not be keen to ally with
France and Britain against Germany
Consequences of the Czech crisis
for the policy of Appeasement
• The policy of appeasement was now
over!
• Appeasement had failed
Hitler justified his actions
• Hitler, of course, was not short of an
explanation for his actions:
• “Germany a few months ago was
compelled, in the face of the intolerable
terrorist regime of Czechoslovakia, to
take under its protection German
fellow-countrymen living in selfcontained areas of settlement”.
Task
•
Go back to your map of Europe which shows Hitlers expansion plans.
Shade or highlight the Sudetenland and write the date that Hitler got
control of it.
•
Make a spider diagram about why Hitler wanted to attack
Czechoslovakia – include all the reasons why Hitler thought Czech was
attractive
•
Make a spider diagram about the 3 important meetings Chamberlain had
with Hitler during September 1938. Include the date and location in
BOLD and note the important events that happened during that
meeting.
•
Collect a copy of the ‘Opinions about Munich’ Grid at the front of the
class as well as the yellow Road to War booklet.
•
Turn to page 40. Complete the grid using the information in the
sources on pg 40.