The Sudeten Crisis and Munich - Conflict and Tension

Question 1

what Treaty created Czechoslovakia at the end of WW1?

Answer 1

the Treaty of St Germain

Question 2

why did Hitler want to expand into the area of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland?

Answer 2

• many people did not recognise it as a legitimate nation
• 3 million German speaking people inhabited the Sudetenland which was about 20% of the population
• the Sudetenland had strong well fortified defences
• it had many factories and natural resources that could benefit the German military

Question 3

how did Hitler manage to invade the Sudetenland?

Answer 3

• Hitler claimed to the German minority in the Sudetenland were being persecuted and threated to invade Czechoslovakia in order to protect them
• on September 15th the British PM flew to Hitler’s mountain headquarters and made a deal based on appeasement
• Hitler would be allowed to take the Sudetenland so long as it was done peacefully
• Chamberlain then met with the Czech government and made them accept the terms
• on September 22nd Chamberlain met with Hitler again and found out Hitler changed his mind and demanded that extra parts of Czechoslovakia must be given to Hungary and Poland

Question 4

when was the Munich agreement signed?

Answer 4

on the 29th-30th September 1938

Question 5

who met at the Munich agreement?

Answer 5

Hitler met Chamberlain, Mussolini and the French Prime Minister, Edouard Daladier at Munich

Question 6

what happened at the Munich agreement?

Answer 6

• Czechoslovakia and USSR were not invited to the meeting but were forced to hand over the Sudetenland to Germany
• in this meeting Hitler promised that he did not want the rest of Czechoslovakia and this was in return for all his demands
• Hitler and Chamberlain agreed to a declaration that Britain and Germany would never go to war again
• Chamberlain returned home a hero saying he had guaranteed peace in our time

Question 7

significance of the Sudeten Crisis and Munich agreement?

Answer 7

• Stalin was not consulted - this may have made him feel that he could not trust Britain and France
• Czechoslovakia lost its best defences against Germany
• Germany grew stronger and larger
• Hitler was able to use this diplomatic victory to boost his support within Germany
• another part of the 1918-19 peace settlement had been undone
• Hitler felt he could continue to push the allies and get away with things
• it gave him the confidence to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939