As tensions between the Germans and the Czechoslovak government were high, Beneš secretly offered on September 15, 1938 to give 6,000 square kilometers (2,300 square miles) of Czechoslovakia to Germany in exchange for a German agreement to admit 1.5 to 2.0 million Sudeten Germans, whom Czechoslovakia would expel. Hitler did not respond. [13] The Heads of State and Government were accompanied by advisers after lunch and hours were spent discussing for a long time each clause of the draft “Italian” agreement. Late in the evening, the British and French left for their hotels and said they needed advice from their respective capitals. Meanwhile, germans and Italians enjoyed the party Hitler had planned for all participants. During this break, Chamberlain`s adviser, Sir Horace Wilson, met with the Czechoslovaks; he informed them of the draft contract and asked them which districts were particularly important to them. [127] The conference resumed around 10 p.m. .m. and was largely in the hands of a small editorial board.
By 1:30 a.m.m, the Munich Accords were ready to be signed, although the signing ceremony was delayed when Hitler discovered that the ornate inkwell on his desk was empty. [128] The Manchester Guardian covered every aspect of the story – from the details of the deal, the appearance of the chamberlain on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, to unease among other nations. One editorial considered the piece of paper he had brandished on his return to Britain to be almost worthless. Citing Munich in foreign policy debates is also common in the 21st century. [107] During Secretary of State John Kerry`s negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal, a Texas Republican lawmaker called the negotiations “worse than Munich.” Kerry himself had invoked Munich in a speech in France, in which he advocated military action in Syria saying, “This is our Munich moment.” [108]. The solution to the Czechoslovak problem that has just been found is, in my opinion, only the prelude to a greater solution in which all of Europe can find peace. This morning I had another conversation with the German Chancellor, Mr Hitler, and here is the newspaper that says both his name and my name. Some of you may have heard what`s in it, but I just want to read it to you: “. We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German naval agreement as a symbol of the will of our two peoples never to go to war with each other again. [96] An agreement signed at the Munich Conference of September 1938 ceded the German-speaking Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Germany.
The agreement was concluded between Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France. Czechoslovakia was not allowed to participate in the conference. In March 1939, six months after the munich accords were signed, Hitler violated the agreement and destroyed the Czech state. Later in the session, a pre-arranged deception was made to influence and pressure Chamberlain: One of Hitler`s advisers entered the room to inform Hitler that other Germans had been killed in Czechoslovakia, to which Hitler shouted in response: “I will avenge each of them. The Czechs must be annihilated. [32] The meeting ended with Hitler`s refusal to make concessions to the Allies` demands. [32] Later that evening, Hitler worried that he had gone too far to put pressure on Chamberlain and called the suite of Chamberlain`s hotel and said he would agree to annex only the Sudetenland, with no plans in other areas, provided that Czechoslovakia began the evacuation of ethnic Czechs from German-majority territories by September 26 at 8:00 a.m. .m. After pressure from Chamberlain, Hitler agreed to set the ultimatum for October 1 (the same date on which Operation Green was to begin). [37] Hitler then told Chamberlain that this was a concession he was willing to make to the prime minister as a “gift,” out of respect for the fact that Chamberlain had been willing to deviate somewhat from his previous position. [37] Hitler went on to say that after the annexation of the Sudetenland, Germany would no longer have territorial claims over Czechoslovakia and would conclude a collective agreement to guarantee the borders of Germany and Czechoslovakia.
[37] September 29-30, 1938: Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France sign the Munich Accords, according to which Czechoslovakia must cede its border regions and defenses (the so-called Sudetenland region) to Nazi Germany. German troops occupied these areas between 1 and 10 October 1938. An agreement was reached on September 29 and around 1:30 a.m. .m .m. On September 30, 1938,[43] Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini and Édouard Daladier signed the Munich Accords. The agreement was officially introduced by Mussolini, although the Italian plan was in fact almost identical to Godesberg`s proposal: the German army was to complete the occupation of the Sudetenland by October 10 and an international commission would decide on the future of the other disputed territories. Meanwhile, the British government has demanded that Beneš ask for a mediator. As Beneš did not want to break his government`s relations with Western Europe, he reluctantly agreed. .