The Sudeten Crisis

Information about the Sudetenland

The Sudetenland was part of Czechoslovakia, on the German border. Czechoslovakia was created at the end of WW1, Hitler felt that the invasion of Czechoslovakia would be another step towards destroying the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler planned to take Lebensraum. Czechoslovakia’s main defences were in the Sudetenland so taking it would allow Hitler to invade the whole country. Hitler could utilise the natural resources and factories in the area for war. About 20% of the Sudeten population was German. May 1938, Hitler claimed they were being persecuted and used this as an excuse to attack

15 September 1938

Chamberlain went to meet Hitler. Chamberlain wanted to appease Hitler to prevent war, he allowed Hitler to take the Sudetenland as long as his actions were peaceful. Chamberlain met with the Czechs and forced them to agree to Hitler’s terms. 22nd September : Chamberlain met Hitler again, where Hitler changed his demands. He wanted the Sudetenland to be given to him by 1st October and Hungary and Poland must be given Czechoslovakia land

The Munich Conference - 29th September 1938

Chamberlain, Hitler, Mussolini and Daladier (the French president) met in Munich. They accepted Hitler’s demands. Chamberlain and Daladier said they had prevented war, as Hitler promised not to take any more land. Chamberlain said he had guaranteed peace. The Czechs weren’t consulted and neither was the USSR. This made Stalin think he couldn’t trust Britain and France

10 October 1938

Hitler invades the Sudetenland. Troops marched in and the Czechs saw this as a real military invasion. This was the first time Hitler invaded a country that had never previously united with Germany. Hitler completed his invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939. He broken the promises he had made at the Munich conference and Chamberlain had to accept his policy of appeasement had failed