In the early hours of March 15, 1939, German forces crossed the border into Czechoslovakia. This act of aggression came just six months after the infamous Munich Agreement, signed by Adolf Hitler and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, which had allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia.
But did Germany actually invade Prague? Let’s take a closer look at what happened.
The Background
After World War I, Czechoslovakia emerged as an independent state from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, its borders were not quite settled.
The Sudetenland region in particular was home to many ethnic Germans who had become increasingly dissatisfied with their status within Czechoslovakia. Hitler saw this as an opportunity to expand his empire and began demanding that the Sudetenland be ceded to Germany.
The Munich Agreement
In September 1938, Hitler met with Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier in Munich to discuss the fate of the Sudetenland. The result was the Munich Agreement, which allowed Germany to annex the region in exchange for a promise not to make any further territorial demands in Europe.
Many saw this as a shameful act of appeasement on the part of Britain and France. Winston Churchill famously called it “a total and unmitigated defeat.” Nevertheless, it seemed to have averted war for the time being.
The Annexation
However, Hitler had no intention of stopping with the Sudetenland. On March 14, 1939, he demanded that Slovakia declare independence from Czechoslovakia. The next day, German forces crossed into Bohemia and Moravia (the remaining parts of Czechoslovakia) without encountering any resistance.
The Question of Invasion
So did Germany invade Prague? Technically, no.
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, which did not exist at the time. However, German forces did occupy parts of Bohemia and Moravia, including several key cities such as Brno and Ostrava.
The Aftermath
The occupation of Czechoslovakia was a significant step towards Hitler’s ultimate goal of European domination. It also brought an end to Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement. In a speech to the House of Commons on March 31, 1939, he declared that Britain was now at war with Germany.
In conclusion, while Germany did not technically invade Prague, its occupation of parts of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 was a clear violation of international law and a precursor to World War II. The events leading up to this momentous occasion are a reminder that appeasement can often have disastrous consequences.