Marienburg,

Yes of course hindsight is always easy and often you do have not only more info on the situation on BOTH sides but also you know what happened and where that led.

Somehow though the Czech situation should have been dealt better, just like the Danzig situation. If your guarantees ( the Allied for Czechs ) for political safety turn jokes all the while no wonder Hitler was trying to play the game even further every time. Unfortunately we know Hitler only wanted to start war and looked for a reason wherever he could.

But if you look at the Czech "game" from what was happening:

1. Hitler is threatening with war with the Czechs if the Sudetenland is not given to him
2. Germany moves troops close to border
3. The Czechs mobilize 1 million men in arms
4. The French mobilize
5. The British mobilize, the RN is alarmed and moves ahead.
6. According to Hitler there is some 5 days until war
7. Chamberlain visits Hitler and after getting the requests he returns to Britain
8. Chamberlain revisits Hitler and has the answers, but Hitler has decided he has more requests to be fulfilled and war is imminent
9. Just a day or so until war and Mussolini informs that he suggests a meeting at Munich
10. The meeting in Munich where the Allied makes a pact and "sells" the Sudetenlands for peace.
11. The USSR was not invited (!!)

How much would you trust this Hitler guy in 1938 who sends his troops around , it´s just hours to possible war if he doesn´t get the Sudetenland, the demands are changed ( like he truly wants war ) when you have the answers. Chamberlain was also fully informed by the Oster men what was happening and that they were ready for the coup. Chamberlain for one reason or another would not listen.

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