From Munich to Prague

G2 Full History - syllabus K227, 2027

The Munich Agreement of 1938 gave Hitler the Sudetenland and avoided war for a time, but in March 1939 he seized the rest of the Czech lands.

The Sudetenland was the border region of Czechoslovakia with a large German-speaking population. It also held the country's main border defences. In 1938, Hitler demanded the region and threatened to attack. Britain's prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, tried to settle the crisis by negotiation. This was appeasement: giving way on some demands in the hope of avoiding war.

At Munich on 29 to 30 September 1938, Germany, Italy, Britain and France agreed to hand the Sudetenland to Germany. Czechoslovakia did not sign this agreement. It had to leave the region by 10 October and leave its facilities, including defences, intact. It later had a representative on the commission that arranged the details, but it had no control over the main decision.

The deal avoided war for the moment. But losing its border defences and resources made the rest of Czechoslovakia much harder to protect.

On 15 March 1939, German forces occupied the Czech lands, including Prague. Slovakia declared independence under German pressure and became dependent on Germany. The Czech lands were mostly not German-speaking, so this showed Hitler's aims went beyond uniting German speakers. Britain became unwilling to accept more demands and, at the end of March, promised to support Poland's independence. Munich had brought only temporary relief, not lasting peace.

30 September 1938
Munich Agreement gives the Sudetenland to Germany.
Appeasement
Giving way on some demands to avoid war.
15 March 1939
Germany occupies Prague and the Czech lands.

Worked example: What a treaty order tells us

The Munich terms ordered Czechoslovakia to leave by 10 October and leave its defences intact.

  1. The deadline tells Czechoslovakia when it must leave.
  2. So it was forced to hand over land, not free to choose.
  3. It later helped with details, but did not control the main decision.

Watch out for this

Avoiding war in 1938 proves Munich brought lasting peace.

Munich only delayed war. Hitler took Prague six months later.

Check your understanding

Why did the seizure of Prague in March 1939 change British policy?

  1. It showed Hitler wanted more than German-speaking areas.
  2. Prague was mostly German-speaking.
  3. Czechoslovakia had attacked Germany.
Sources and context

Background reading for this chapter.

  • A public commitment to consultation

    Anglo-German declaration signed by Hitler and Chamberlain, 30 September 1938, as read in Chamberlain's House of Commons statement on 3 October. Paraphrase of the declaration, not the whole speech.

  • Chamberlain defends Munich

    Neville Chamberlain, British prime minister, addressing the House of Commons, 3 October 1938, after returning from Munich. Paraphrase of passages on the agreement, Czechoslovakia, future peace and rearmament.

  • Churchill challenges the settlement

    Winston Churchill, Conservative MP and critic of the government's appeasement policy, speaking in the House of Commons, 5 October 1938. Paraphrase of passages on deterrence and Czechoslovakia.

  • A record of Hitler's private discussion

    Colonel Friedrich Hossbach's memorandum, dated 10 November 1937, recording Hitler's meeting with senior military and foreign-policy officials on 5 November. Paraphrase of the recorded discussion; the memorandum is not a word-for-word transcript.

  • Munich Pact, 29 September 1938, clauses 1-4

    Munich Pact, dated 29 September 1938 and signed by Germany, Britain, France and Italy in the early hours of 30 September. Paraphrase of clauses 1-4; Czechoslovakia was later represented on the implementation commission.

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