Year 10 - H&G - 4.11.13

History Notes [ year 10A,B]

Munich and the Destruction of Czechoslovakia.

1.      Who was Konrad Henlein ? What part did he play in the Czechoslovak crisis ?

Konrad Henlein was the local Nazi leader in Czechoslovakia after the first world war. There were only 3 million german speakers in  Czechoslovakia. They were known as Sudeten Germans. The majority were Czechs and Slovaks.

Konrad Henlein led a political party called the Sudeten German Party Which received money from Hitler. Henlein claimed that the Sudeten Germans were treated fairly.  After getting instructions from Hitler he kept on making demands to Czechoslovakian government which they could not accept.

2.      What happened when chamberlain met Hitler on 15^th and 22september 1938?

Chamberlain , the British prime minister , met Hitler in Germany on 15^th September 1938.  He agreed with him that the Sudetenland  can be annexed by Germany. In return he asked Hitler not to use force to take control.  Chamberlain returned to London and got a cabinet support for a peaceful German takeover.  

But Hitler did not want a peaceful settlement.  He wanted to destroy Czechoslovakia by force.  He was annoyed when Chamberlain came to see him for a second time 0n 22^nd September with the news that Britain France and Czechoslovakia had agreed to his proposals. To chamberlains horor , Hitler refuced to accept the deal and he demanded the immediate takeover of Sudetenland.  Chamberlain had to return London disappointed.

3.      What was agreed at the Munich conference ?

The Munich conference began on 29 September 1938.  A day later British and French ministers agreed with Hitler on the terms of the annexation of Sudetenland.  Czechoslovakia was not represented at the conference.  The conference did not involve any real negotiation..  Britain and France simply agreed to give Hitler what he wanted.  On 1^st Oct German troops marched unopposed in to the Sudetenland.  The Czech president , Bennes , was forced to go into exile.

4.       What can we learn from the Munich crisis about the personality of Hitler ?

Hitler was ready to go to war against Czechoslovakia in the summer of 1938.  Many of his leading generals disagreed.  They were afraid that Britain and France would fight against them.  But Hitler refuced to listen to the generals. 

When Horrace Wilson , the representative of Britain , suggested that an attack on Czechoslovakia could lead to war with France and Britain ,Hitler replied that ‘If they  want to strike , let them do so. It is a matter of complete  indifference to me .I am prepared for every eventuality.  It is Tuesday today , and by next Monday we shall be at war’.

From these two incidents we can  understand  about  the true personality of Hitler, that when he takes a decision  he will not deter from it –at any circumstance .

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