In the spring of 1938, fascist Germany carried out the forcible annexation of Austria. These actions of the Nazis did not meet any opposition from the leading Western powers. Encouraged by the success, Germany stepped up political pressure on Czechoslovakia, planning its subsequent seizure. At the same time, the main attention of the German leadership was directed to the Sudetenland. The fate of this region was decided in Munich in September 1938.
Instructions
Step 1
The Sudetenland was the most developed industrial region of Czechoslovakia. More than 3 million ethnic Germans lived here. Since coming to power, Adolf Hitler has repeatedly stated that the Sudeten Germans should be reunited in Germany. However, the real reason for calls for such a reunification was the economic interests of Germany in the region.
Step 2
In mid-September 1938, the German leadership organized a mutiny among the Germans living in the Sudetenland, united in a fascist party. This incident became a pretext for Hitler to turn to open threats against sovereign Czechoslovakia. One of the demands of the Fuehrer was the transfer of part of the Czechoslovak territory to Germany.
Step 3
The political circles of the Western powers were not going to interfere with Hitler's plans and even came up with a term for the future annexation, calling the planned seizure of lands "the principle of self-determination" of the Sudetenland. England and France hoped that loyalty to German policy in Czechoslovakia would create a springboard for the subsequent invasion of the Nazis into the Soviet Union.
Step 4
On September 29-30, 1938, a meeting of heads of government of a number of countries was held in Munich, Bavaria. Germany was represented by Hitler, Italy by Mussolini, France by Daladier, and Great Britain by Chamberlain. Representatives of Czechoslovakia were not present at the Munich meeting, although the issues discussed at the meeting directly concerned the fate of this state.
Step 5
As a result of the political meeting on September 30, the so-called Munich Agreement was signed, which secured the annexation of part of the border lands of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany. The country was given ten days to clear the Sudetenland and transfer to the jurisdiction of the German authorities buildings, fortifications, transport system, factories and factories, as well as stocks of weapons.
Step 6
The Czechoslovak government was forced to comply with the agreement. As a result of the treacherous conspiracy of the four powers, Czechoslovakia lost a fifth of its territory, where about 5 million people lived, including more than a million Slovaks and Czechs. Germany also got about a third of the entire industrial potential of Czechoslovakia.
Step 7
The Munich Agreement marked the beginning of the elimination of the sovereignty of Czechoslovakia, which was finally lost in 1939 after the complete capture of this country by Germany. The integrity of the state of the Czechs and Slovaks was restored only as a result of the complete defeat of Nazi Germany, in which the Soviet Union played the leading role.
