Transcript czech crisis and munich conference

What you need to know:
• The background to the Czech Crisis.
• The events of the May crisis.
• The events of the three meetings between Hitler
and Chamberlain.
• The terms of the Munich settlement
• The arguments for and against Munich
• The consequences of the Munich Settlement.
“Czechoslovakia has
nothing to fear from
the German Reich”
Hitler after the Anschluss (March 1938)
1st October 1938: German troops
entered the Sudetenland.
Background
• Czechoslovakia had been created after WW1
from what had been part of the AustroHungarian Empire.
• The new state of Czechoslovakia had strengths:
- Industrially advanced
- Economically stable
- Strong armaments industry
- Airforce of 2,000 planes
- Army of 1.5 million
- France and Russia as allies
• It also had weaknesses:
- Minorities – many non Czechs
- 50% Czech
- Poles, Slovaks, Hungarians and
Germans – 3
million.
• Konrad Henlein led Sudeten German Party. He
caused problems for the Czech government by
demanding self-rule or union with Germany.
• Sudeten German Party was financed by, and
took orders from, the German Nazi Party.
• Hitler was particularly interested in the
Sudetenland because:
- He wanted to unite all German speaking
people.
- It was the first step in taking all of
Czechoslovakia.
- It was strategically important for expansion
in the east.
• Were his interests justified?
- it was not a Treaty of Versailles issue.
- the Sudetenland was never part of
Germany.
- but 1919 said people should not be ruled
by foreign governments. “Self-determination”
May Crisis
• Benes – leader of the Czech government. He
was under pressure from the Sudeten German
Party to grant more rights.
• The Czech government mobilised their army
after reports of unrest in Sudetenland and
rumours that German troops had gathered on
the border.
• Hitler was so angry he made plans to move
against Czechoslovakia.
“it is my unalterable decision to smash
Czechoslovakia by military action in the near
future”
Tension Increases
• Events in Czechoslovakia were worrying Chamberlain
as unrest and violence were increasing. He worried
Germany would intervene and trigger a major war.
• Chamberlain wanted the Czech government to grant
concessions to Sudeten Germans in order to prevent
conflict.
• Walter Runciman, the Liberal leader of the House of
Lords was sent to Czechoslovakia to mediate.
• After several weeks of negotiations the Runciman
mission achieved nothing as neither side would give way
or concede anything.
• By September of 1938 war seemed very
close, and intelligence reports suggested a
war was planned for autumn. At the
Nuremburg Rally on the 12th September
Hitler demanded that Sudeten Germans
should be allowed to choose if they
wanted to join with Germany. Riots and
demonstrations continued inside the
Sudetenland .
• The Czech government used the army and
many Sudeten's began to flee across the
German border.
Berchtesgaden September 15th
1938 – The First Meeting.
• Hitler and Chamberlain agreed in principle that
that war could be avoided if Czechoslovakia
handed over all areas with more than 50 %
German population.
• Chamberlain left Germany to negotiate with his
cabinet and the French Government.
• France agreed to this as a way of avoiding war.
• Czechoslovakia was shocked but agreed as they
had no support from Britain and France.
Bad Godesberg Sept 22nd 1938 –
The Second Meeting
• Met to say that Czechs had agreed to Hitler's
demands.
• But he had new demands
- right to occupy the Sudetenland by
force by October 1st.
- the Czechs also had to hand over territories
which Poland and Hungary had claims over.
• Britain rejected the demands and started
preparing for war. The French government
rejected the demands and the Czech
government got ready for war.
Munich 29th September 1938 –
The Third Meeting.
• Countries involved were Germany, Italy, Britain and
France.
• Czechs and Russians were not invited.
• After 12 hours of talks Hitler was given nearly everything
he had asked for at Bad Godesberg. The Czechs had
no support from Britain and France and were forced to
agree to the terms of the Munich Agreement.
• As a separate agreement Hitler assured Chamberlain
that he had no further territorial claims in Europe.
• He also signed an agreement with Chamberlain that
Britain and Germany would settle problems through
consultation.
• Chamberlain was hailed a hero on his return to Britain
and claimed there was “peace in our time”
• German troops entered the Sudetenland
on the 1st October.
• Hungary and Poland were quick to claim
other areas of Czechoslovakia.
• Benes was force to admit defeat and
resign.
• By March 15 1939 German troops had
occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia