Munich avoided war in September 1938, but left Czechoslovakia weaker. Hitler's next takeover showed that giving him German-speaking areas had not ended his demands.
The Sudetenland was the border region of Czechoslovakia with a large German-speaking population. It also contained important border defences. In 1938, Hitler demanded the territory and threatened an attack. Neville Chamberlain, Britain's prime minister, tried to settle the crisis through negotiation. This was appeasement: making concessions, or giving way on some demands, in the hope of avoiding war.
At Munich on 29-30 September 1938, Germany, Italy, Britain and France agreed to transfer the Sudetenland to Germany. Czechoslovakia did not sign this main agreement. It had to withdraw from the territory by 10 October and leave existing facilities intact. Although it later had a representative on the commission arranging the details, it had not controlled the main decision to give up the land. The settlement avoided immediate war, but losing border defences and resources made the remaining country harder to protect.
On 15 March 1939, German forces occupied the Czech lands, including Prague. Slovakia had declared independence under German pressure and became dependent on Germany. The former country's parts were therefore not taken over in identical ways. The seizure of predominantly non-German Czech territory showed aims beyond uniting German speakers. Britain became less willing to accept further demands and promised to support Poland's independence at the end of March. Munich had brought temporary relief, not a lasting settlement.
Worked example: What does an instruction in a treaty tell us?
The Munich terms required Czechoslovakia to withdraw by 10 October and preserve existing installations, meaning fixed facilities such as defences.
- Start with a visible instruction: the deadline tells the Czechoslovak government when it must leave the territory.
- Explain what that means: the government was being required to carry out a transfer, not freely choose whether and when to give up the land.
- Keep the conclusion within the evidence. Czechoslovakia had little control over the main settlement, although it could later take part in arranging its details.
Watch out for this
Avoiding war in September 1938 proves that Munich secured lasting peace.
An immediate outcome is not the same as a lasting result. Follow the consequences through March and September 1939.
Check your understanding
Why did the occupation of the Czech lands in March 1939 undermine hopes that Hitler's demands could be satisfied?
- It took predominantly non-German territory, showing aims beyond uniting German-speaking areas.
- It completed the transfer of the Sudetenland that the Munich Agreement had already approved.
- It showed that Czechoslovakia's place on the later commission had given it control over the Munich decision.