Transcript bYTEBoss Czech Crisis

Appeasement and the Road to
War
The Czech Crisis 1938
Aims:
• To identify why Czechoslovakia was vulnerable
after the Anschluss.
• Examine the reasons why Hitler was interested
in Czechoslovakia.
Key Characters
Neville Chamberlain
British Prime Minister
Eduard Benes
Czech President
Konrad Henlein
Leader of German
Sudeten Party
Czechoslovakia
• Created by peace treaties at end of the Great
War – Treaty of Saint Germain.
• Population = 14.7 million
• Over 3 million Germans in Sudetenland
• A successful democracy
• Alliances with France (1924) and Soviet Union
(1935).
Czechoslovakia 1938
Why Does Hitler Want
Control of Czechoslovakia?
• Remove the threat of a well-armed country which has
alliances with France and Russia.
• Czechs/Slovaks are ‘Untermenschen’ – inferior races.
• Czechoslovakia is the ‘doorway to Russia’ – further
expansion eastwards
• The country is an obstacle to his plans to expand
eastwards – Lebensraum
• Wanted Czechoslovakia’s economic wealth e.g.
iron/coal industries, armaments factories.
• Make the Sudeten Germans part of a greater
Germany – this was his excuse to the outside world.
The Czech Crisis - 1938
Aims:
• Examine the growing tension over
Czechoslovakia in 1938.
• Identify Britain’s attitude towards
Czechoslovakia.
The Beginnings of the Czech
Crisis
• From 1935 the Nazi Government helped fund the
Sudeten German Party.
• The party was led by Konrad Henlein.
• Hitler encouraged Henlein to stir up
trouble in the Sudetenland and challenge the Czech
government.
• Hitler argued that Sudeten Germans were being
unfairly treated by the Czech Government.
• By 1938 there were regular outbreaks of violence in
the Sudentenland and Hitler was ready to take action.
The Crisis Grows
‘The Sudeten Germans are being bullied by the Czech
government. They must be allowed to live in peace.
The German nation will not stand by and watch other
German suffering. The Sudeten Germans are not
alone. They are not defenceless!’
Hitler speaking at the Nuremberg Rally, 12th
September 1938.
Britain’s Attitude to
Czechoslovakia
• It was not an area of vital British interest.
• Blamed the Czech Government for not doing
more to resolve the situation with the Sudeten
Germans.
• France was Czechoslovakia’s ally - if France
went to war Britain would have to support
France.
• Above all else avoiding war was more
important.
Chamberlain’s Meetings
15th September 1938 - Berchtesgaden
Agreement in principle – Sudetenland to
be given to Germany.
22nd September 1938 - Bad Godesberg
Hitler demands immediate withdrawal
by 1st October
29-30th September 1938 - Munich
Sudetenland to be given to Germany
28th September – Black
Wednesday
‘How horrible and unbelievable it is that we
should be getting ready for war, trying on gas
masks and digging air raid shelters in Britain
because of a far away quarrel between people
that we know nothing about.’
The Munich Agreement 1938
Aims:
• Examine the consequences of the Munich
Agreement
• Identify public and political reaction to the
Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement 1938
Munich Agreement
Signed by Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain and Daladier.
It allowed transfer of Sudetenland to Germany.
Joint Anglo German Agreement
Signed by Chamberlain and Hitler after the Munich
Agreement. It said it was the desire of the two countries
never to go to war again.
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Public and Political Opinion
• Many applauded Chamberlain’s role at Munich and
the fact that war had been avoided.
• Chamberlain believed he had achieved his aim of
‘peace in our time’.
• Politically there was concern about how an agreement
had been reached.
• Hitler wanted a German speaking area returned to
Germany – another of the wrongs of Versailles that
should be put right.
• After Munich there was a general hardening of
attitudes towards Hitler. Many felt he could no longer
be trusted.
Positive Viewpoints About
the Munich Agreement
• Britain’s armed forces were not ready for war.
• The Anschluss had already weakened Czech defences – the
Sudetenland was surrounded by a Greater Germany
• In reality, Britain and France could not have prevented an
attack on Czechoslovakia due to its location and public opinion.
• Britain secured extra time to rearm and build up her military
strength – the aircraft built during the next year helped the
country to survive the Battle of Britain in 1940.
• Britain had no other allies to depend on – the League was
ineffective, US isolationism, lack of support from the Empire
and there was much suspicion towards the Soviet Union.
Negative Viewpoints About
the Munich Agreement
• Britain and France had effectively surrendered to Germany’s
threats.
• A fair and democratic country – Czechoslovakia – had been
betrayed.
• Britain and France lost a potentially useful ally in a future war
against Hitler.
• Czechoslovakia was now open to further Germany aggression –
less than 6 months later, Hitler took over the rest of the country
and then had valuable military resources under his control.
• After March 1939, Hitler was free to take action against Poland
and Russia.
• The Soviet Union had been alienated by the Munich
Agreement – potential opposition to Hitler in the future had
been divided.
The End of Czechoslovakia
and of Appeasement
Aims:
• Examine the fate of Czechoslovakia in March
1939.
• Identify how attitudes towards appeasement
began to change.
Source D is a cartoon by David Low
published on 30th October 1938
The End of Czechoslovakia
• Hitler’s promise that he had ‘no more territorial demands in
Europe’ only lasted 6 months.
• In March 1939 he marched his troops into the western part of
Czechoslovakia.
• There were no Germans living there.
• Chamberlain realised appeasement had failed and Hitler could
not be trusted.
David Low Cartoon
The End of Czechoslovakia
and of Appeasement
‘Have we to accept that Hitler will not stop and that he cannot be
trusted to keep his promises? Must we now face the real
possibility that only war will stop the spread of Nazi power? If
that is true then at least we can say that we have not caused the
war. We have done all we could to prevent war. We have also
gained some time to prepare ourselves. We are stronger now
then we were last year. I now accept that our previous policy
towards Hitler has not given us the peace we had hoped for.
Europe now trembles in fear of what Hitler will do next. We can
see from the map that his next target may be Poland. Let me say
now that Britain will help Poland if they are attacked by Germany’
Chamberlain, end of March 1939