The+Munich+Crisis

= Munich Crisis =

The Munich crisis dealt with the annexation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia by Germany. The discussion around this agreement happened in Munich at the Munich conference. This four power conference included Mussolini, Hitler, Chamberlain, and Daladier.

= Lead Up =

In March, 1928, Hitler gave Chancellor Schuschnigg of Austria one last chance to resign and allow a new Chancellor of Germany's choosing to take over or Hitler would invade. With no other options, Schuschnigg resigned and Dr. Arthur Seyss-Inquart, a Nazi puppet, took control. Immediately, he ordered the Austrian army to offer no resistance, and then invited German troops to enter Austria. Hitler had achieved Anschluss. When Austria became a part of Nazi Germany, Czechoslovakia quickly realized it was surrounded on three sides. Britain and France had barely reacted to the previous Anschluss, but Hitler knew invading Czechoslovakia without a reason was not an option. By May, there were rumors that German troops were forming near the Czech border. Czechoslovakia too began arming up for battle. Adolph Hitler traveled to Italy to make sure Mussolini had his back, should he invade Czechoslovakia. But finally, Britain, France and Russia began to put some pressure on Hitler. Meanwhile, Czechoslovakia primarily through the quiet example of its president, Edvard Benes, continued to stress moderation and calm. Though he was furious, Hitler backed away, claiming he had no aggressive intentions toward Czechoslovak. However, in Berlin on May 28, he told his generals, "It is my unshakable will that Czechoslovakia shall be wiped off the map." He instructed them to develop a plan for completing this by October 1st.

= **Pushing to the Brink** =

The plan that would bring Europe once again to the brink of war was through the Sudentenland. This small section of the Czech Republic lay on the border of Germany. Most of the inhabitants were of German background as the land was at one time part of Germany’s empire. With training from Himmler's SS troops, many pro-Nazi inhabitants of the Sudentenland began in late summer to stir up things for the government. Constant terrorist attacks as well as marches and rallies in the Sudentenland kept the Czech militia active. The government called for calm, but the territory was anything but that. Using these attacks as a front, the German propaganda machine began to cry for justice for these so-called persecuted Germans in Czechoslovakia. In June, Chamberlain spoke about how Britain favored turning over the Sudetenland to Germany "in the interest of peace." The League of Nations, it seemed, was dead as they failed to intervene.

Meanwhile, a scheduled meeting between Chamberlain and Hitler got underway. No sooner had it begun than Hitler announced to the Prime Minister that the previous terms were no longer acceptable. Though the British, French and Czechs had all agreed to the secession of land, Hitler now demanded a German military occupation of the Sudetenland by October 1st. Russia said that it would defend Czechoslovakia against both Polish and German aggression. France also said that if early movement into the Sudetenland by Germany took place, it would move to protect the Czech Republic. War was on the horizon.

= **Final Days** = Over the next few days, events grew critical. Not only had France mobilized and the Soviet Union threatened to help Czechoslovakia, but now Great Britain said it too would step in to stop Germany if France is forced to act. On Thursday, September 29, the four powers, Germany, England, France and Italy met in Munich to decide the fate of Czechoslovakia. An agreement was signed, and the joint paper in effect still stated that Germany would take over the Sudetenland, but more slowly. Hitler would soon after demean the agreement as a "scrap of paper." On October 1, German troops would come in to occupy the most German areas. Additional settlements were mad e over claims from Hungary and Poland. Czechoslovakia in effect had been carved up and was much smaller than previously, a much weaker state. Hitler had won. March 15th, 1939, through manipulations of the weakened Czech government, Hitler would peacefully occupy all of the country. Later that year, Hitler would invade Poland. Britain and France would declare war on Germany.

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