Final Acts of Appeasement
Anschluss, 1938
- Versailles forbade a unification of Germany and Austria
- 1934 - Dolfuss Affair (Nazis assassinate Austrian Chancellor)
- 1938 - Hitler called on new Chancellor Schuschnigg to resign
- Leader of Austrian Nazi party Seyss-Inquart becomes new Chancellor
- March 1938 - German troops roll into Austria
- "Plebiscite" is held - 99.75 % vote in favor of unification
The Appeasers' Reaction
- British do nothing and warn Schuschnigg not to cause trouble
- The French won't do anything without the British
- Italy was the only objection, but Mussolini gave his approval
- Hitler to Mussolini: "Never, never, forget this, no matter what happened."
The Sudentenland
- Ethnic German area of Czechoslovakiia where 3.5 million Germans lived
- Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain wants Czech leader, Benes to give up land
- Hope to prevent war
Neville Chamberlain and the Munich Agreement
- Mussolini steps in with a four-power pact to conference in Munich
- Benes Resigns in favour of Emil Hacha who agrees to annexation
- Neville Chamberlain proclaims "Peace in our Time" (six months before WWII)
- Hitler still recognized Slovak state - moved in German troops to "protect it"
- Hacha visits Hitler in March 1939 - Gives up Czech independence
Summary
Final acts of appeasement (such as Anschluss, the Munich Agreement and the Sudentenland) allow Germany to attack countries and take over their land without using force.