Czechoslovakia September 1938

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Czechoslovakia September 1938
Peace in Our Time
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What you need to know

• German claims to the Sudetenland
• Hitlers reasons for attacking Czechoslovakia
• British and French policy towards Czechoslovakia
• Chamberlains 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

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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
• However, this stable and prosperous country
  contained several ethnic minorities which caused
  Czechoslovakia problems with nationalities
  wanting their independence.

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Czechoslovakia 1918

• The Czechs were the majority, the Slovaks,
  Hungarians, Poles, Ukranians were minorities.
• The most numerous minority were the 3.5 million
  Germans, who lived mainly near the border with
  Germany, known as the Sudetenland.

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Overview of the Czech Crisis

• The Anschluss greatly weakened Czechoslovakias
  position.

Germany
Sudetenland
Czechoslovakia
Austria
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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
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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 self-government
  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.

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Hitlers 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, Czechoslovakias 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

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Hitlers 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.

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Hitlers reasons for attacking Czechoslovakia

• Hitler also hated the Czechs allies France and
  Russia (Germanys 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.

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How Hitler created the crisis -Sudetenland Germans

• The greatest threat to the Czech state came from
  the Sudeten Germans and from Hitlers 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 Henleins 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

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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

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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.

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Hitlers 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.
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Hitlers 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.

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Hitlers 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
  Heinlens party, Hitler portrayed the Sudeten
  Germans as the victim of oppression.

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British and French Reaction to the May Crisis

• To Hitlers 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

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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.

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Hitlers actions after the May crisis

• In the summer of 1938 things moved Hitlers 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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The aftermath of 22 September 1938

• On his return to Britain, Chamberlain presented
  the dictators demands to his cabinet.
• The cabinet proved unwilling either to accept
  them or to attempt to force them on the Czechs.
• Britains 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
  Chamberlains time to continue with his peace
  efforts.

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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

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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 Anglo-German naval
  agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two
  peoples never to go to war with one another
  again.

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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 Chamberlains comment by
  saying, he had to choose between war and
  dishonour. He chose dishonour, he will get war.

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Peace for our Time
I believe it is peace for our time
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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

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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.
• Germanys military strength had been made a lot
  stronger

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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

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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

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Consequences of the Czech crisis for Germany

• Hitlers confidence was boosted as he had read
  the situation correctly.
• The Czech affair served to increase Hitlers
  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

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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 hadnt even been invited to Munich
• They now would not be keen to ally with France
  and Britain against Germany

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Consequences of the Czech crisis for the policy
of Appeasement

• The policy of appeasement was now over!
• Appeasement had failed

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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 self-contained
  areas of settlement.

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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.