Eighty-five years ago Saturday — Sept. 30, 1938 — British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returned from meetings in which he agreed to Adolf Hitler's demands for German occupation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia in return for a promise this would be Hitler's final bid for more territory.
Chamberlain called it “Peace with honour.” Everyone else called it appeasement.
Feelings grew in Britain and France that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles — which had ended the World War in June 1919 — had been too harsh on Germany, requiring Germany to give up territory and to make reparations to allied nations.
When Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, his demands for a rearmed Germany and restoration of “German” territories sounded reasonable to some.
Although the city-state of Danzig is a “free city” administered by the United Nations, parliamentary elections there leave Nazis the majority party.
While the League of Nations discusses arms reduction, Hitler demands “military parity” and the right to rearm Germany. He withdraws Germany from the League.
Seventeen days after the death of German President Paul von Hindenburg, Germans vote overwhelmingly to combine the posts of chancellor and president. This gives Hitler supreme power of Germany.
Austrian Nazis assassinate that country's Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, but government troops manage to maintain control.
Saarland — which had been separated from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles — overwhelmingly votes to return to Germany.
Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles by reinstating military conscription and announcing an increase in the size of the German army and navy and the creation of a German air force. England and France issue muted protests.
Two hours after proposing a 25-year peace pact with Britain, France, Belgium and Italy, Hitler announces to the Reichstag — the German parliament — his intention to reoccupy more
territory that had been stripped from the country after the war, along the Rhine River and known as the Rhineland. German troops enter the area and are met by rejoicing crowds.
An agreement between Germany and Austria recognizes “full sovereignty” for Austria but calls for the release of Nazi political prisoners and allows political opposition a say in Austrian government.
Germany and Italy sign a secret treaty recognizing each other's territories. On Nov. 1, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini uses the word “Axis” to describe the two countries.
Hitler reveals to his top military leaders a secret plan for the acquisition of “Lebensraum,” or “living space” for the German people at the expense of Poland, Russia and Ukraine. He orders production of munitions ramped up.
After a plot by Nazi operatives to assassinate Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg is uncovered, Schuschnigg meets with Hitler. Hitler demands the release of political prisoners in return for a reaffirmation of Austria's sovereignty.
Schuschnigg reluctantly agrees. He schedules a referendum to be held March 13 asking Austrians whether or not they want to become part of Germany.
On the eve of the referendum, German troops — aided by Austrian Nazis — march into Vienna unopposed. Schuschnigg is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Again, Britain and France offer only token protests.
The Saarland overwhelmingly votes in a referendum to return to Germany.
German reoccupies the Rhineland.
Germany annexes Austria.
After signing the Munich Agreement, Germany annexes the Sudetenland.
Germany annexes Sthe rest of Czechoslovakia.
Germany invades Poland.
Fearing Hitler will use growing unrest along the border of Germany and Czechoslovakia as an excuse to invade, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flies to Germany for the first of a series of meetings with Hitler.
The Soviet Union warns the League of Nations it will join with France to offer aid to Czechoslovakia.
Hitler issues a statement demanding Czechoslovakia surrender the Sudetenland. If Czechoslovakia does not agree, he says, he'll take the Sudetenland by force. Hitler promises, in a speech two days later, that this is “the last territorial claim I have to make in Europe.”
Chamberlain holds a third meeting with Hitler in Munich, with French Prime Minister Édouard Daladierand Italy's Mussolini also present. Representatives from neither the Soviet Union nor Czechoslovakia are present. Discussions go on well past midnight.
At 2 a.m., a memo is drawn up in which Britain and France accept Hitler's demands. The Sudetenland is to be evacuated starting Oct. 1 and to be completed in 10 days. Hitler guarantees the integrity of Czechoslovakia. The document is delivered to Czechoslovakian leaders, but they are given no choice in the matter.
German troops march into the Sudetenland.
Crowds meet Chamberlain as he returns to London, cheering the man who says he has averted war in Europe. Chamberlain says the agreement has brought “peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time,” he says.
Hitler calls on Poland to turn over the port of Danzig and to allow road and rail links between Germany and East Prussia. The Poles refuse.
With Hitler's cooperation, Slovakia declares its independence from Czechoslovakia. The next day, German troops march into the country while Hungarian troops takes possessions of east Czechoslovakia.
Hitler travels to Prague and announces Bohemia and Moravia are now protectorates of Germany.
Chamberlain guarantees protection for Poland. So does France, although neither nation is in a military position to do so.
Germany and the Soviet Union sign a nonaggression pact. A secret clause allows them to divide up Poland.
Germany launches an attack on Poland with 53 divisions and 1,600 aircraft. That evening, Chamberlain issues a demand that German forces leave Poland.
At 9 a.m. London time, Chamberlain issues a second ultimatum. At 11:15 a.m., Chamberlain makes a five-minute radio broadcast announcing, “This country is at war with Germany.”
Eight minutes after the broadcast, air raid sirens sound throughout London, but it's a false alarm.
This edition of Further Review was adapted for the web by Zak Curley.
