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The Deaths ofAustria and Czechoslovakia - Part 3

© William Waller

They had to stand by for just a few more months while the last futilities of the frightened Allies played themselves out. Even with hindsight, it is difficult to understand just exactly what were the fears of France and Britain in particular. Wars had been manufactured in the past by both countries on much less provocation than they were receiving now, and yet they kept up this seemingly endless succession of betraying countries and populations into Hitler's hands. Mobilisation is never an easy decision but, up until 1934, both France and Italy had more than enough men to put Hitler down like a mad dog. Mussolini was already firmly in control and so there would have been no problem with public opinion there, and active newspaper campaigns in France and Britain would probably soon have given the mandate to both governments for the short sharp police action that was needed to get rid of Hitler and restore the Treaty of Versailles.

As it was, however, the Czech people must have been aware that they were virtually alone after the Anschluss, from as early as 24th March. On that day Chamberlain spoke in the House of Commons, after a suggestion made by Russia on 17th that a conference be called to discuss ways of stopping German aggression. Chamberlain said that not only would Britain not come to Czech aid if she were attacked, but it would also not support France if France were to help. This was the beginning of the whole shameful process that has come to be called the Munich Crisis. From this time on, Britain and France kept urging the Czechs to hand over the Sudetenland, and Hitler would be satisfied. However, the strongest opposition to Hitler's plans, came from within Germany, from the Army generals headed by General Ludwig Beck, Chief of the Army General Staff. After trying without success for several months to concert a demand of Hitler to listen to his Army Chiefs, Beck resigned. It was the only gesture he could make but it simply removed a problem from out of Hitler's way.

The death of Czechoslovakia was not only the shame of Britain and France. Germany's Ambassador in Russia had been able to confirm to Hitler at the end of June that it would be unlikely for Russia to aid a bourgeois state and, like vultures circling, both Hungary and Poland were known to be eyeing other parts of Czechoslovakia containing large minorities of Hungarian and Polish speakers. Italy was to show that its alignment with Hitler, in the so-called Axis declared to exist by Mussolini in November1936 after the signing of a secret protocol between the two countries regarding foreign affairs, was truly an alliance, and they would not interfere in Czechoslovakia. In this state of friendlessness, and in response to further urging from the Allies, President Benes told the Sudeten leaders on 5th September to write their own demands carte blanche. This was a really clever political move but Hitler was not to be drawn, he wanted the appearance of intransigence at least, and he instructed Henlein, the Sudeten Nazi leader, to break off negotiations completely on some cheap excuse.