Definitely, Munich Agreement can be called one of the most serious foreign policy mistakes of the 1930s.It is a diplomatic agreement, which arose as a compromise proposed by the European countries of Nazi Germany, to try to keep her militancy, but led to the outbreak of the Second World War.
After the disintegration and division of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from 1918 to 1938 more than three million ethnic Germans were on the territory of the new state of Czechoslovakia, bordering the limits of the historic area of the Kingdom of Bohemia.They are concentrated in the Sudetenland.According to Natalia Lebedeva, the historian of the Russian Academy of Sciences, twenty percent of Czechoslovakia is German.
Sudeten German leader Konrad Henlein founded the Sudeten German party, which served as a branch of the Nazi Party and to act solely in the interests of Germany.By 1935, it is the second largest political party in Czechoslovakia.Shortly after the Anschluss (union with Germany), Austria, March 28, 1938 Henlein met with Hitler in Berlin, where he was instructed to raise demands to the Czechoslovak government program known as Carlsbad.Among the requirements - equal rights with autonomy for the Czechs and Germans living in Czechoslovakia.If the Czechoslovak Government was ready to make serious concessions in relation to the German minority, the question of autonomy was unacceptable.
plans to Hitler after the annexation of Austria the next step was the conquest of Czechoslovakia and the creation of a Greater Germany.In May 1938 it became known that the occupation of Czechoslovakia in fact, is the issue for Germany.May 20 Hitler his generals was submitted a draft temporary attack on Czechoslovakia, codenamed Operation "Grün".In a secret directive signed by Hitler, a few days later, it was said that, to start a war against Czechoslovakia not later than 1 October.
Czechoslovak government hoped that France, with whom he had an alliance will come to the rescue in the event of a German invasion.The Soviet Union also had an agreement with Czechoslovakia, indicating a willingness to cooperate with France and Great Britain.However, the service potential of the Soviet Union have been ignored throughout the crisis.Adolf Hitler knew that Britain and France did not want war, but they are unlikely to seek to unite with the Soviet Union, a totalitarian system which these countries hated even more than Hitler's fascist dictatorship.
Perhaps at that stage itself, Czechoslovakia, which had a strong army would be able to restrain the attack of Hitler's army.The Soviet Union, in accordance with the agreement of 1935, signed between the two countries, could help Czechoslovakia only if such a step agreed to France.
September 18 Italian Duce Benito Mussolini gave a speech in Trieste, where he said that Italy supports the current crisis in Germany.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who was a supporter of the policy of appeasement, was determined to respect in order to prevent war.He made two trips to Germany, without consulting with the Czechoslovak leaders, Hitler offered favorable conditions, but the Fuhrer kept adding demands, insisting that claims of ethnic Germans in Poland and Hungary will also be satisfied.
September 24 speech at the Sports Palace in Berlin, Hitler in his speech gave Czechoslovakia period until September 28, to cede the Sudetenland, otherwise Germany went to war.
Czechoslovakia began to mobilize their forces.The Soviet Union declared its readiness to come to the aid of Czechoslovakia.However, President Benes of Czechoslovakia Edvar refused to go to war without the support of the Western powers.
Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier went to Munich to respond to Hitler's demands.
Benito Mussolini suggested that Hitler is one way to solve the problem: to hold a conference with the leaders of the four countries (UK, France, Italy, Germany), excluding Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, to increase the possibility to reach an agreement and to undermine solidarity, which might have been not in favor of Germany.
Playoffs, known as the Munich Conference , took place on 29-30 September in the building of "Führerbau" (House of the Fuhrer).The proposals were officially introduced by Mussolini, though, as it was discovered a few years later, the Italian plan was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany.The German army was to occupy the Sudetenland by October 10, the International Commission - to decide the future of other controversial areas.In desperation to prevent the outbreak of war and seeking to avoid an alliance with the Soviet Union, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier agreed that the Sudetenland should go in Germany.In return, Hitler promised that no longer require any areas in Europe.
Ultimately, the decision was formalized in Germany, Britain, France and Italy signed the Munich Agreement under which it was prevented by the outbreak of war, but transferred the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia Germany.The Czechoslovak government was forced to accept it.Neville Chamberlain said Eduard Benes, that Britain would not join the war on the problem of the Sudetenland.
Daladier and Chamberlain returned home, where they were met by a crowd of cheering people relieved that the threat of war has passed.Chamberlain appealed to the British public, saying that he "has brought peace in our time."But his words were immediately challenged by a prominent politician Winston Churchill, who said that Neville made a choice between war and dishonor, "You chose dishonor, and the war will come."The British government lost the support of the Czech government and the Czech Army, one of the best in Europe, pointed out that Winston Churchill and other well-known politician, Anthony Eden.Many historians agree that the Munich agreement, perceived as the main argument is to avoid military conflict, in fact, condemned Europe to a devastating war.
Daladier shy treacherous agreement, but Chamberlain was delighted.Before leaving Munich, he even signed a document with Hitler, assuring that the United Kingdom and Germany will seek to resolve differences to ensure peace in the future.
The day after the signing of the pact soothing Germany annexed the Sudetenland.Politics as Chamberlain has been discredited in the next year.
Later in the partition of Czechoslovakia was also attended by Poland and Hungary, which had its territorial claims.Terminating the Munich agreement, in March 1939, Germany occupied remain part of Czechoslovakia.The country ceased to exist.September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland.World War II began.Only then Neville Chamberlain realized that Hitler could not be trusted.
Munich Agreement has become synonymous with the futility of appeasement of the expansionist policy of totalitarian states, although it is to some extent and helped to buy time for allies to increase their combat readiness.
