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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.