History of Czechoslovakia: The Munich Crisis, its impact and the role of the UK in the crisis. - Czechoslovakia from mid 1938 until end of March 1939 Timeline of the Crisis §19th May 1938-Benes ordered partial mobilization after Britain and France advised submitting to German demands §20th May 1938-Hitler presented Operation Green, draft plan of attack on Czechoslovakia §August 1938-750,000 German soldiers on Czechoslovakian borders §15th September 1938-Chamberlain-Hitler meeting at Berchtesgaden §17th September 1938- Sudetendeutsches Freikorps begin military actions against Czechoslovakia §20th September 1938- Hitler and Chamberlain met in Bad Godesberg, Chamberlain agreed to Germany annexing the Sudetenland §23rd September 1938- Czechoslovakia underwent General Mobilization §25th September 1938- Czechoslovakia agrees to the German conditions §26th September 1938- Germany adds new demands, inclusion of ethnic Germans in Poland and Hungary § § § The Agreement 30th September 1938 §Signed by Hitler, Chamberlain, Daladier and Mussolini §Sudetenland to be occupied by the German Army by the 10th October 1938 §Czechoslovakia informed it can accept the agreement or fight alone §Czechoslovakia not party to the negotiations and agreement The role of the UK §Chamberlain was initially convinced by Hitler that he did not intend to destroy Czechoslovakia §Pressured Czechoslovakia in to accepting German demands surrounding the Sudetenland §Informed Czechoslovakia after the Munich agreement was signed that Czechoslovakia could accept the agreement or fight alone §Refused to issue warnings to Germany over any potential invasion which led to the 1938 anti-Hitler plot failing § Countries with Alliances or Agreements with Czechoslovakia §The Soviet Union- promised to militarily support Czechoslovakia if able to move across Poland and Romania, both countries refused §The Little Entente- Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Romania supported by France §France- a military alliance which France broke, abject betrayal § Demands made by other countries §On the 2nd October 1938 Poland annexed 801.5 square kilometres of land §Hungary made territorial demands on 22nd September 1938, awarded Southern Slovakia in Vienna arbitration on 2nd November 1938 What happened after Munich? §14th March 1939- Slovakia seceded from Czechoslovakia §15th March 1939- Carpatho-Ukraine seceded §18th March 1939- Carpatho-Ukraine occupied and annexed by Hungary §16th March 1939- Germany occupied Bohemia and Moravia and transformed it in to a Reich Protectorate § Aftermath and Impact §Sudetenland occupied and annexed by Germany §Collapse of the First Czechoslovak Republic §Authoritarianism flourished within the Second Czechoslovak Republic §Establishment of the Nazi client state of Slovakia §Complete disintegration of Czechoslovakia §Pushed the Soviet Union towards closer ties with Germany §Provided Germany with the resources and industry to invade Poland and France Conclusion §Munich emboldened Hitler to invade and annex the rest of Czechoslovakia §Setting the precedent of larger nations being able to determine the fates of smaller nations without consulting them emboldened Poland and Hungary to make their own demands §There was an abject betrayal of Czechoslovakia by the French §Whilst not having any formal alliances or agreements with Czechoslovakia, Britain used its power and reputation to pressure Czechoslovakia in to accepting the agreement, in this way Britain was just as culpable as France §A democratic, modern nation supported in its establishment by Britain and France was essentially dismembered by Britain and France § Discussion Questions §Is it reasonable to place the blame on the UK when France actually had a military alliance with Czechoslovakia? §Was Chamberlain a naïve man doing what he thought was right or was he just a coward? §Are there any clear connections between the sentiments expressed in the White Disease and what happened as a result of Munich other than rising militarism? §