The Munich Agreement and Its Consequences

The Munich Agreement

• Context and Objectives of Adolf Hitler

  • Hitler aimed to create a vast German empire in Europe as indicated in his book Mein Kampf.

  • In 1935, he declared Germany would no longer adhere to the Versailles Treaty, reinstating military conscription.

  • Germany remilitarized the Rhineland (1936) and annexed Austria into the Third Reich (1938).

  • Despite these actions violating the Versailles Treaty, Britain and France did not resist.

• Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland

  • In 1938, Hitler threatened war if Czechoslovakia did not surrender the Sudetenland, home to a large German population (2.8 million Germans out of 3.5 million in Sudetenland).

  • In September 1938, at the Munich Conference, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier conceded to Hitler's demands.

  • Both leaders, despite Czechoslovakia's determination to resist, received domestic praise for achieving "peace in our time".

Neville Chamberlain and the Policy of Appeasement

• Defending Appeasement

  • Chamberlain argued Britain and France's appeasement policy aimed to avoid another war, reflecting the public desire to mend the wounds from World War I and address the perceived injustices of the Versailles Treaty.

  • There was hope that a satisfied Hitler would not push further, alongside concerns about Britain's military unpreparedness.

• Chamberlain's Address

  • He expressed the overwhelming responsibility he felt from letters of gratitude regarding his peace efforts.

  • He articulated the incomprehensibility of Britain possibly going to war over a conflict in a distant land.

  • He appealed to avoid direct involvement unless broader issues were at stake, asserting that war should be a last resort.

  • Chamberlain emphasized the need to work for peace until the last moment, highlighting ongoing negotiations.

• Defense of the Munich Agreement

  • In an October 6, 1938 speech, Chamberlain stated the British public did not feel compelled to fight for the Sudetenland's integrity, as they lacked treaty obligations toward Czechoslovakia.

  • He claimed that urging Czechoslovakia to cede territory was an attempt to save them from destruction, potentially securing a future of neutrality.

  • Chamberlain sought approval for the government’s actions which he believed had averted disaster for Czechoslovakia and Europe at large.

Winston Churchill's Response

• Critique of the Munich Agreement

  • Churchill condemned the Munich Agreement as a total defeat for Britain and an even worse situation for France.

  • He argued that the Czechs could have negotiated better terms had they been assured support from Western powers.

  • Churchill stressed the necessity of preparing deterrents against aggression rather than yielding to it.

• Call for Stronger Policies

  • He criticized the British government for failing to provide guarantees of support to Czechoslovakia against aggression.

  • Churchill suggested that a united front with France and Russia could have deterred aggression and preserved peace.

  • Advocated that giving such guarantees could have led to a more favorable outcome during the crisis.

• Consequences of the Agreement

  • He expressed despair for Czechoslovakia's future, predicting its absorption into Nazi Germany due to the Munich deal's ramifications.

  • Churchill characterized the agreement as a precedent of neglect in defense and international alliances, resulting in a weakened status for Britain and France.

• Vision of Friendship

  • Emphasized that true friendship between democratic nations and Nazi Germany was impossible due to the latter's aggressive policies and totalitarian nature.

  • Asserted that Britain must acknowledge the dire consequences of their policies and reclaim their commitment to democracy and freedom.

Review Questions

1. How did the British people regard a war with Germany over the Sudetenland according to Neville Chamberlain?

2. What was Chamberlain's response to accusations of betrayal towards Czechoslovakia?

3. What did Chamberlain consider as the "one good thing" resulting from the Sudetenland crisis?

4. Why did Winston Churchill believe that true friendship between the British democracy and Nazi Germany was unattainable?

5. How did Churchill label the Munich Agreement in terms of its impact on Britain and France?

6. What policy towards Nazi Germany did Churchill advocate?

1. The British people regarded a war with Germany over the Sudetenland as unnecessary and convoluted, with Neville Chamberlain expressing that the public did not feel compelled to fight for Czechoslovakia's integrity as they lacked treaty obligations toward the nation.

2. Chamberlain's response to accusations of betrayal towards Czechoslovakia was that urging Czechoslovakia to cede territory was an attempt to save them from destruction, which he viewed as potentially securing a future of neutrality.

3. Chamberlain considered the "one good thing" resulting from the Sudetenland crisis to be the avoidance of another war, reflecting a desire to maintain peace in Europe, which was dominant in public sentiment at the time.

4. Winston Churchill believed that true friendship between the British democracy and Nazi Germany was unattainable due to Nazi Germany's aggressive policies and totalitarian nature, which fundamentally opposed democratic values.

5. Churchill labeled the Munich Agreement as a total defeat for Britain, indicating it was an even worse situation for France, as it set a precedent of neglecting defense and international alliances.

6. Churchill advocated for a policy of preparing deterrents against aggression rather than yielding to it; he believed that a united front with France and Russia could have deterred Nazi Germany and preserved peace.