Austria tries to resist

This question isn't discussed a lot outside of Austria, but I think it is far more important than it looks at first side.

Guess Schuschnigg, chancelor of Austria, would have ordered to fight against the German invaders. The Wehrmacht was ill-prepared to march in; certainly resistance would have been possible at least for several days. But what else would have happened?

a) Would there have been any help for Austria? Any earlier declaration of war against Germany?

b) If Germany takes Austria with brute force, would Great Britain and France have changed their policy?

c) Would there have been war at latest when Germans invade Czechia? Thus, an intact Polish army to fight when Wehrmacht is busy elsewhere; no Czech TNHP tanks fighting for Germany yet?


I say 'YES' on b) and c). Thus, I think military resistance of Austria would have held the Germans before they invade Europe and saved many, many lives. Your opinions?

 

I agree with you KnightMove. I too go for b and c

 

I think we may be very clear about the first. No help would have been given. Italy helped them in 1934 by saying to Hitler that they would intervene when they would attack Austria.

For the second one. I don't think that France and Great Brittain would have attacked Germany or declared war against Germany.

If after Austria Chez would have been attacked with a hard hand, then France and Great Brittain would declare on Germany.

 

I believe Austria had a decent sized army, would have been interesting.

 

Would the Austrians have fought against the German troops? I wonder how many wanted to be a part of Germany.

I would hope at least C would be true. If Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, than war would have happened, or at least Poland would have begun to prepare itself.

 

In fact, I believe the Austrians were asked just before the invasion, if they wanted to belong to Germany. I think almost 100% said yes to that question.

 

Uh-oh Erwin!!!!!! Germans and Austrians were asked AFTER the invasion, after which all was over. The entity 'Austria' had already been eliminated. This was NOT a secret plebiscite, Jews were excluded from the vote. No other option than agreeing on the annexion would have been accepted. Propaganda did not leave any doubt about it.

For certain, many Austrians supported German occupation, many didn't. God knows how a true democratic plebiszite would have turned out.

dasreich: Austrian army and several paramilitaric groups were ready to fire, in case the command would have been issued. As the Wehrmacht was not prepared to invade, Austria would have resisted at least several days.

Further, don't forget there had already been many victims of Nazi terror in Austria.

 

I have no doubt that the voting was arranged...

But anyway I think the western allied had no idea on stopping Hitler, as they were feeling guilty about the Versailles deal, and wanted to help Germany and all German speaking people together, like they thought would be natural (???). I think this was proven later on with the Czech situation, and Chamberlain´s etc politics. Even Poland was up to grab some Czech land at that time.

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http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWanschluss.htm

In February, 1938, Hitler invited Kurt von Schuschnigg, the Austrian Chancellor, to meet him at Berchtesgarden. Hitler demanded concessions for the Austrian Nazi Party. Schuschnigg refused and after resigning was replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the leader of the Austrian Nazi Party. On 13th March, Seyss-Inquart invited the German Army to occupy Austria and proclaimed union with Germany.Austria was now renamed Ostmark.

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Kurt von Schuschnigg, radio broadcast (11th March, 1938)

The German Government today handed to President Miklas an ultimatum, with a time limit, ordering him to nominate as chancellor a person designated by the German Government and to appoint members of a cabinet on the orders of the German Government; otherwise German troops would invade Austria.

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The Manchester Guardian (14th March, 1938)

Herr Hitler has incorporated the Austrian Army in the German Army and placed it under his command.

Last night it was announced that President Miklas had resigned at the request of Dr. Seyss-Inquart, the Nazi Chancellor, who took over the President's powers.

In all countries-except Italy and Japan, partners with Germany in the anti-Comintern Pact, the annexing of Austria is condemned.

On Sunday, April 10, a free and secret plebiscite of the German men and women of Austria over twenty years of age will take place regarding the reunion with the German Reich.

So Austria was included in Reich long before the voting.

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In a speech to the Reichstag on May 21, 1935, Hitler declares

"Germany neither intends nor wishes to interfere in the internal affairs of Austria, to annex Austria or to conclude an Anschluss."


These words, despite the year before an Austrian pro-Nazi gang murdered then Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss (right). The attempt was a German-controlled coup attempt that failed despite Dollfuss' murder. The planned pretext for Germany's takeover was that Germany was moving to prevent an attempted Hapsburg restoration. At the time, Italy was Austria's protector and Dollfuss, a proto-fascist was friendly with Mussolini. Despite the Austrian Chancellor's leanings, he vowed to keep Austria independent of Germany. When he was killed, Italy sent troops to the border as a warning to Hitler to stay out of Austria. For Hitler this effectively killed any attempt for a coup.

Kurt von Schuschnigg (left) became the Austrian Chancellor. His Fatherland Front, a Christian Facist party continued their control following the death of Dollfuss. But unfortunately, von Schuschnigg would prove weak against German threats. Despite a failed coup, National Socialist sympathizers were seizing the day in Austria growing ever more powerful. And the Socialists, whom Dollfuss had savagely suppressed were reviving their own party. Even Italy, which had strengthened ties with Germany no longer supported Austria the way it had under Dollfuss. Hitler and his ilk were smelling blood.

http://www.otr.com/austria.html

In January, 1938 with von Schuschnigg's blessing, Austrian police raided Nazi headquarters and banned the Austrian Nazi party. Schuschnigg was banking that the Austrian Nazi's would be condemned by Italy, England and France.

Finally, in February, 1938 Hitler was ready to act against Austria. He presented Schuschnigg with demands that the National Socialists in Austria be left unrestricted and that they be included in Austria's government. If Schuschnigg failed to act at once, Germany would invade Austria. But on February 16th, Hitler, still wanting satisfactory relations with England, contacted the Italian Ambassador in London, Count Dino Grandi, telling him that this would be the last chance for a reconciliation with England. He wrote "should the Anschluß be an accomplished fact,... it would become increasingly difficult for us to reach an agreement or even talk with the English." Neville Chamberlain saw this as an opening to an appeasement with Hitler. But his desire was at adversity with Anthony Eden his foreign secretary. Eden felt that Chamberlain should have taken up Roosevelt's suggestion for an international conference on the European situation. Eden felt the conference would draw the U.S. into the situation, but Chamberlain believed that like the Brussels Conference on the Far East, the U.S. would "propound moral principles" and England and France would be the enforcers.

Chamberlain publicly offered no view on the Austrian situation. Instead, he hoped his new relationship with Italy would force Mussolini to rise up and help prevent any German intervention into the Austrian country.

Generally abandoned by Italy and without hope of support from England or France, Schuschnigg decided to give in to Hitler's demands. He agreed to lift the ban against the Austrian Nazi Party, to amnesty all Nazis in prison including Dollfuss' murderers and to appoint Austrian Nazis to key cabinet posts giving them charge of the police, the army and the economy. Schuschnigg was in effect signing Austria over to Germany.

Austrian Nazis, with the blessing of the interior minister, Seyss-Inquart, who was in charge of the police and himself a Nazi, stormed the streets of some of the towns including Vienna. Desperate, Schuschnigg turned to the Social Democrats, whom he had previously banned and offered to allow their party and free their comrades from prison in exchange for their help. While the Socialists agreed to help, it was too little too late.

But Schuschnigg was determined to keep Austria separate. On March 7th, he contacts Mussolini seeking opinion on a plebiscite. Mussolini warns that it would be a mistake to do so. But Schuschnigg ignored the warning and on March 9th in a speech at Innsbruck, announced for March 13th, a plebiscite on whether Austria should remain separate from German control.

The next day, March 10th, Hitler ordered German troops to mobilize on the Austrian frontier and members of the Austrian National Socialist Party began riots in Vienna, Linz, Graz, and Klagenfurt. It is believed that Hitler instigated the rioting. But they were quickly quelled by Austrian police and the mood remained somber. Schuschnigg's hand was strengthened by the Austrian Socialst party and it appeared once more that Schuschnigg had won the day. Many believed that with the backing of the Socialists, Hitler would back away from his threats.

March 11th would turn out to be a critical day for Austria. Schuschnigg called up the Austrian reservists to bolster his strength. And in an apparent point for Schuschnigg, Germany demanded at 10 a. m. through Dr. Edmund von Glaise-Horstenau, Minister without portfolio, that the plebiscite be secret. President Wilhelm Miklas agreed to grant this. But in an about face, Germany at 4 p. m. demanded through Dr. Wilhelm Keppler that the plebiscite be postponed six weeks and that von Schuschnigg be replaced by Seyss-Inquart. Austria agreed to postpone the plebiscite, if the Nazis would stop disturbing public order, but Miklas did not agree to replace Schuschnigg because he would not break oath by violating the duties of office but yield only to force.

But Germany would not back down. At 6:30 p. m., through Lieutenant-General Muff, the German military attaché at Vienna, Hitler said 200,000 German troops would cross Austrian frontier unless:

Firstly: von Schuschnigg resigned;
Secondly: Seyss-Inquart assumed Chancellorship;
Thirdly: Nazis were appointed to at least two-thirds of the new Cabinet;
Fourthly: full and unrestricted liberty be granted Austrian Nazi party;
Fifthly: the Austrian Legion of Nazi exiles be readmitted to Austria.
It appeared that Austria had lost. At 7:30 PM, Schuschnigg resigned his office saying

"This day has placed us in a tragic and decisive situation...So I take leave of the Austrian people with a German word of farewell uttered from the depth of my heart: God Protect Austria!"
Almost immediately after, Dr. Arthur Seyss-Inquart requests Germany send troops into Austria since the arming of the Socialists had reached an alarming degree. He appealed for peace and order and nonresistance to the German Army saying:

". . . any opposition to the German Army should it enter Austria is completely out of the question–out of the question too for the executive, whose most important duty is the maintenance of peace and order in this country."


While Austrian and Czech radio reported the events of an ultimatum, Germany denied that such an ultimatum was issued. Later that evening German troops marched into Austria. France and Britain protest, but weakly. Chamberlain said "use of coercion, backed by force, against an independent State in order to create a situation incompatible with its independence." His claims that Germany was required to consult with England, France and Italy before acting are ignored by Hitler. The German Chancellor assures Mussolini that the Brenner would be a friendly border between Germany and Italy.

As German troops entered Austria, Hitler flaunting his new victory arrived in Linz, the town of his youth; later he arrived in Vienna where he spoke to the cheering crowds. The well-orchestrated appearance at the Heldenplatz in Vienna is phenomenal to hear as it is reported live over shortwave! World reaction to this Anschluß was predictably neutral.



The propaganda pictures around the world on Anschluss.

 

My grandfather was born and raised in Austria. He remembered when Hitler came into Austria and made it a part of Germany. He says everyone he knew was enthusiastic about it, family, friends, the works. I am unsure as to whether the Anschluss vote was rigged or not, but I dont think it would have needed to be anyway. Even if the Austrian army would have resisted, the people probably wouldnt have.

 

DR :

I remember when my relatives still living the Pfalz told me of the little dork's rise to power and the uneasiness they felt even in the 1930's as he gained the momentum. They even placed bets as to which country outside of Germany would be taken over first. Three of my cousins, two dead from the Ost front and one still living all thought the little Austrian was a fool.....

E

 

For the vast majority of Austrians, Herr Hitler, born in Austria, was "their" Hitler, doing "magic" as a politician in Germany.

The vast majority of Austrians was very eager to become part of the new third reich.

Cheers,

 

Looking for more info on Anschluss. Some of the things are totally new to me and actually quite "surprising" so feel free to comment or confirm the things I´ve put here from sites I found.



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http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/battles/hitler/hitler_13.shtml

Anschluss

The tone of Hitler's response shows how anxious he was during the crisis, and perhaps also explains why he remained loyal to Mussolini until the end of the war. The historian Joachim Fest describes 'the mood of hysteria and indecision' that characterized the atmosphere around Hitler during this crisis: 'All reports from members of Hitler's entourage speak of the extraordinary chaos surrounding the decision, the panicky confusion that overtook Hitler on the verge of this first expansionist action of his career. A multitude of over-hasty mistaken decisions, choleric outbursts, senseless telephone calls, orders and cancellation of orders, followed in quick succession during the few hours between Schuschnigg's call for a plebiscite and March 12…Keitel [Chief of Staff of the High Command] later spoke of the period as a "martyrdom".'

This is not a familiar portrait of Hitler. In popular myth (and, indeed, in Nazi myth) one of Hitler's defining characteristics is decisiveness. Yet it was Göring , not Hitler, who coolly called for the most radical action - invasion - and who actually issued the order for the troops to invade. Göring was behaving as Hitler believed a general should, as a 'bull terrier'. (Göring's decisiveness may also have been self-serving; it was in his own interests to keep the German Army distracted by an invasion of Austria from pursuing any investigation into the Fritsch affair and his own role in it.)

On 12 March 1938 Hitler drove in triumph into Austria, the land of his birth. Film footage captured the wild emotional response of the Austrians. They weep, they scream, they chant: 'One Reich, One People, One Führer!'
'It was the nicest day of my life when we entered Austria,' says Reinhard Spitzy. 'I entered with Hitler in the sixth car. I had tears in my eyes.'

Hitler, too, was profoundly moved by what he saw - so moved that he altered his plans regarding Austria's political fate. Before entering Austria his only firm plan had been to put a puppet government in place. Now, as he experienced an enthusiastic reception in his former home town of Linz, he simply changed his mind. He decided that Austria deserved not to be a puppet state but a full member of the Reich; Germany and Austria should unite.

In fact, the cause of their joy was clear - the Germans were righting a wrong done to them by the post-World War I settlement. Only twenty years earlier Austria had been a world power wallowing in the grandeur of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Now the Austrians felt they could recover their own greatness in a Germanic Reich. (?)
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http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/history/Higher,%20int,%20csys%20pages/Appeasement%20notes/austria.htm

November 1937

Clear that Mussolini would not oppose German aims in Austria. Mussolini told Ribbentrop that he was "tired of mounting guard over Austrian
independence."

Hossbach Memorandum

Hitler set out his Foreign Policy plans and it was sent to key Nazi officials.
Included a timetable.
Germany needed living space
It was not self-sufficient economically - it would have to expand territorially
Two stages to expansion
The occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia.
a major conflict with the major powers no later than 1943 -
Could gain the first objective without general war because Britain, Hitler believed, had already written off Austria and Czechoslovakia and without Britain, France was unlikely to fight.
He needed an opportunity to strike.

2. The Opportunity (early 1938)

France was in the middle of a crisis as the Government had collapsed on 10 March. - two days before Hitler marched into Austria
Anthony Eden, the British Foreign Secretary, had just resigned
Public opinion in Britain and France was that Hitler could not be prevented from swallowing up Austria in the near future.
Italy was engaged in the Spanish civil war, had indicated that it would not intervene or object to the Anschluss -
Mussolini was closely watching France
Austrian Nazis, financed by Hitler, had been agitating and had created a political crisis

11 March

German troops occupied Austria
Hitler sure he could annex Czechoslovakia without war as Britain and France had shown weakness over the remilitarization of the Rhineland and the Anschluss

Reaction in Britain

Austrian coup was expected by the Government but British intelligence failed to give advance warning when it happened
Chamberlain in Cabinet: 'Nothing short of an overwhelming show of force would have stopped it' - Britain did not have such force even if they had wanted to defend Austria (which they did not)
Chamberlain reproached Hitler for the Anschluss; this had shocked British public opinion; but there was no use 'crying over spilt milk'
Britain would find ways of restoring peaceful and friendly relations with Germany
Chamberlain's private thoughts (letter to sister) - said Britain should show Hitler that it could not be bullied - he would order an increase in rearmament - but he also wanted to start peace talks with the Germans again
Chiefs of Staff warned the Government that fighting Hitler now would not only involve a 'limited European war' but 'world war' as Japan and Italy would take advantage of British distraction in Europe
Lord Lothian - at last the Anschluss 'ends a disastrous period when the League attempted to deny to the Germans...their national unity'
Lord Tweedsmuir - 'I do not see what the fuss is about'
Churchill called the Anschluss 'a programme of aggression, nicely calculated and timed' and that Britain should take ' effective measures while time remains' - Churchill was in a minority
Opinion that Austria could not be defended by Britain given its geographical position
Did not have the capability to do defend Austria;
Public still on the whole pacifist
Opinion that it was only giving Germany what was denied under the discredited Versailles Treaty
Appeasing Hitler was seen as the best way of securing peace and security. This was in Britain's national interest, given its worldwide /imperial commitments

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http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-02/nca-02-16-responsibility-01-02-03.html

on 11 March 1938, Goering was in complete command. Throughout the afternoon and evening of that day he directed by telephone the activities of Seyss- Inquart, also of Keppler, Ullrich, and the other Nazi operatives in Vienna.

Goering gave the following order to Seyss-Inquart:


"Now, remember the following: You go immediately together with Lt. General Muff and tell the Federal President that if the conditions which are known to you are not accepted immediately, the troops who are already stationed in and advancing to the frontier will march in tonight along the whole line, and Austria will cease to exist."

Early the same evening he dictated to Seyss-Inquart the telegram which the latter was to send to Berlin requesting the Nazi Government to send German troops to "prevent bloodshed" Two days later he was able to call Ribbentrop in London and say:


"Yes, the last march into the Rhineland is completely over-shadowed. The Fuehrer was deeply moved, when he talked to me last night. You must remember it was the first time that he saw his homeland again. Now, I merely want to talk about political things. Well, this story we have given an ultimatum, that is just foolish gossip."

Goering played a similarly important role in the attack on .Czechoslovakia. In March of 1938, at the time of the Anschluss with Austria, he had given a solemn assurance to the Czechoslovakian Minister in Berlin that the developments in Austria would in no way have a detrimental influence on the relations between Germany and Czechoslovakia, and had emphasized the continued earnest endeavor on the part of Germany to improve these mutual relations. In this connection, Goering used the expression: "Ich gebe Ihnen mein Ehrenwort. (I give you my word of honor) "

On 14 October 1938, shortly after the Munich agreement, Goering gave his views on the Czechoslovakian question at a conference in the Air Ministry:


"The Sudetenland has to be exploited with all the means. General Field Marshal Goering counts upon a complete industrial assimilation of the Slovakia. Czech and Slovakia would become German dominions. Everything possible must be taken out. The Oder-Danube Canal has to be speeded up. Searches for oil and ore have to be conducted in Slovakia, notably by State Secretary Keppler."
Meanwhile, he was deceiving the representatives of the puppet Slovakian government to the same end:


"The Field Marshal considers that the Slovak negotiations toward independence are to be supported in a suitable manner. Czechoslovakia without Slovakia is still more at our mercy."

In the following year, with the rape of Czechoslovakia complete Goering frankly stated what Germany's purpose had been throughout the whole affair:


"In a rather long statement the field marshal explained that the incorporation of Bohemia and Moravia into the German economy had taken place, among other reasons to increase the German War potential by exploitation of the industry there."

 

The Sudetenland

April 1938:

Henlein, leader of the Sudeten German Party - financed and given orders by Hitler - organised disturbance in Sudetenland and demanded autonomy for the Sudeten Germans

May 1938:

Chamberlain told journalists off the record that Czechoslovakia must give up territory and that the new boundaries would be guaranteed by Britain, France, Italy, and Germany - report got back to Hitler who thought Britain was giving him the green light.
Reports that German troops were massing on the Czech border - This was a bluff by Hitler who created the crisis to frighten Benes, the Czech leader - Hitler had no intention of invading in May
May crisis sparked a strong reaction from France and Russia who reaffirmed their guarantee to Czechoslovakia - Britain joined France in warning Hitler that they might be forced by circumstances to become involved
Hitler angry and humiliated - impression given that he had backed down after firm resolve of Britain and France - Hitler now determined to seek revenge on Czechoslovakia

June 1938:

Hitler told his generals: 'It is my unalterable decision to smash Czechoslovakia by military action in the near future.' He qualified this by saying that he would only invade Czechoslovakia if he was sure that Britain and France would not intervene

July 1938:

Hitler sent a message to Chamberlain that if Britain could persuade Benes to give in to the demands of the Sudeten Germans, Germany would not attack Czechoslovakia.
Chamberlain worried that the French might become involved in a war with Germany because of their guarantee to Czechoslovakia and the Franco-Soviet Pact - he therefore decided to send a British mediator (Runciman) to Prague to ensure that Benes met German demands

Sept. 5, 1938:

Benes offers to sacrifice much Czech territory
Sudeten Germans would have been satisfied but Hitler told Henlein to reject the offer - from then on, no further negotiations with the Sudeten Germans were possible
The running was now made by Hitler who demanded dismemberment under the threat of war
Sudeten Germans under Henlein started riots and the area was put under martial law
Chamberlain now decided to intervene and negotiate with Hitler personally (Plan Z)

15 Sept. 1938

Chamberlain meets Hitler at Berchtesgaden - proposed that Runciman should mediate between Benes and Henlein
Hitler rejected this out of hand and demanded an immediate solution to the Sudeten problem - he claimed that 300 Sudeten Germans had just been killed (this was a lie). Hitler wanted 3.5 million Sudeten Germans to be returned to the Reich at once, otherwise there would be war
He bluffed that the great German military machine once set in motion could not be stopped
Chamberlain believed him - after discussions with the French, Chamberlain decided that the Czechs would give up the Sudetenland but that they would guarantee the rest of Czechoslovakia
The Czechs had no option but to accept

22 Sept. 1938

Second meeting with Hitler at Godesberg
Chamberlain set out the Anglo-French plan - territory where 80% were German would be ceded immediately and land where only 65% German would be decided by an International Commission
Hitler replied: 'I am sorry but all that is no longer any use' and that 'the problem must be definitely and completely settled by 1 October'
War seemed inevitable as the Czechs mobilised their army
Chamberlain determined to avoid war at all costs - backed by his military chiefs who said it would be 'madness to expose ourselves to annihilation for the sakes of the Czechs' - also fear that the Germans could effect a 'knockout blow' by causing catastrophic damage to London from bombing - little did they know that the German air force at this stage had no bombers capable of reaching London with a full bomb load!

29/30 Sept.1938

Britain, France, Italy and Germany meet (Munich Conference)
N.B. Czechoslovakia and Russia not invited
A peaceful settlement was "negotiated" - actually, Hitler got what he wanted without a fight, namely the Sudetenland, the Czech fortifications, other parts of Czech given to Hungary and Poland
Hitler got his propaganda coup by being allowed to march his troops immediately into the Sudetenland
When the Czechs were told of the outcome of Munich, one British diplomat said: 'If you do not accept, you will have to settle your affairs with Germany direct'.

1 Oct. 1938

German troops enter the Sudetenland

http://www.ellonacademy.org.uk/history/Higher,%20int,%20csys%20pages/Appeasement%20notes/sudeten.htm

 

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/czechoslovakia_1938.htm

The attitude of the British tended to reflect the view of the majority in Britain at this time. If there was the chance of negotiating a peace, then that chance should be taken. The policy of appeasement has been criticised over the years since 1938, but the fear of war in 1938 was very real. The images shown in the cinemas of the horrors seen in Guernica during the Spanish Civil War terrified many - and Germany had openly displayed the might of the Luftwaffe with its many bombers from 1936 on. It was also German bombers that had caused such devastation in Guernica.

Britain, under Neville Chamberlain, chose to negotiate with Hitler over the Sudenten crisis. Chamberlain knew very well that Czechoslovakia was a land-locked nation and that Britain’s military strength - its navy - could play no part in a conflict here. Britain’s army - though professional - was small. Britain’s air force was far from strong and undergoing change from a bi-planed force to using the new monoplanes which were still not ready for combat.

His military chiefs had advised Chamberlain that over one million people would be killed by bombing raids in just 60 days and that mass graves would be needed as there simply would not be enough wood for timber coffins. Any form of conflict with Germany was fraught with dangers – hence Chamberlain’s desire for a negotiated peace. Many British people supported Chamberlain at the time and before the meetings took place no-one would have known what it would be like negotiating with Hitler. It seemed right that a negotiated settlement should be tried and the attempts to succeed started in September 1938.

The first of three meetings took place at Bertesgaden, near Munich in southern Germany. At this meeting Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland should be handed over to Germany. Without consulting the Czechs, Chamberlain agreed that those areas containing more than 50% Germans within them should be handed back to Germany. Chamberlain managed to get the Czechs and the French to agree to this solution.

On September 22nd, Chamberlain flew to Bad Godesberg to meet Hitler so that the final details of the plan could be worked out. At this meeting Hitler made new demands that took Chamberlain by surprise. Hitler wanted German troops to occupy the Sudetenland. He also demanded that land containing a majority of Poles and Magyars should also be returned to Poland and Hungary. Britain and France rejected these demands and both the French and British governments prepared for war.

At the suggestion of Mussolini, a four-power conference was held to resolve the problems. This was the third meeting which was held at Munich. Germany, Britain, France and Italy were represented - Czechoslovakia was not. Neither was the Soviet Union, which greatly angered its leader, Joseph Stalin.

Without consulting the Czechs, the four powers agreed that the Sudetenland should be given to Germany immediately. The governments of Britain and France made it clear to Czechoslovakia that if the Czechs rejected this solution, they would have to fight Germany by themselves.

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Pics

http://www.thirdreichruins.com/czech.htm

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Although the agreement was to give into Hitler's hands only the Sudentenland, that part of Czechoslovakia where 3 million ethnic Germans lived, it also handed over to the Nazi war machine 66 percent of Czechoslovakia's coal, 70 percent of its iron and steel, and 70 percent of its electrical power.

http://www.thehaus.net/history.php?event=3470

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http://homepage.tinet.ie/~finnegam/war/peace.htm

 

The destruction of Czechoslovakia:



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on March 15, 1939, the beleaguered Czechoslovak President Emil Hacha, who had just returned from a humiliating encounter with Adolf Hitler in Berlin, addressed stunned citizens on the radio to break the tragic news: the Czech Lands, already separated from Slovakia and robbed of sizeable chunks if its borderland as the result of the Munich Agreements, were being occupied by Germany...
"In the eleventh hour, with the consent of my government, I decided to seek an audience with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. After a lengthy conversation and a thorough assessment of the situation, I decided to entrust the future of the Czech nation and state with full confidence into the hands of the German Fuehrer. The confidence I have for him makes it imperative for me to use all means, and even take most draconian measures if necessary, to ensure protection of the interests of this nation. I will not tolerate any separatist tendencies or indeed any factions and splinter groups which, being oblivious of the supreme interests of their nation, would perhaps try selfishly to pursue partisan or personal goals. I call on you to stay calm, and work together in your honest, creative effort..."

---------

The Munich Agreement deprived Czechoslovakia of its strong mountain fortifications in the Sudeten districts which were incorporated into Germany. The loss of its mountain fortifications left the unfortunate country unable to defend itself against Nazi military aggression. Hitler then secretly threatened the government of the semi-autonomous state of Slovakia with a brutal military invasion if it did not declare its independence from Czechoslovakia immediately and seek the protection of Germany. The intimidated Slovaks agreed. Hitler then made a similar threat to the government of what remained of Czechoslovakia. Faced with this threat, the Czech government submitted. In documents drafted by the Nazis, the Czech and Slovak governments both announced their desire to become part of Germany. On 15 March 1939, the German army occupied the remainder of Czechoslovakia which was then incorporated into Germany.

Even after the Germans had occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, Neville Chamberlain's initial response was to blame the Czechs for their misfortune. In the House of Commons, on 15 March 1939, he cynically excused Britain's neglect to honour its undertaking at Munich to protect what remained of Czechoslovakia on the ground that the declaration of independence by Slovakia nullified the Munich Agreement. To Chamberlain's surprise, the British public and media reacted with outrage to his repudiation of Britain's obligation to Czechoslovakia. Even more ominously, members of his own cabinet and party were turning against him on his policy of appeasing Hitler. Chamberlain realised that his position as Prime Minister was in jeopardy, and on 17 March 1939, he denounced publicly the complete occupation of Czechoslovakia by Germany. He warned Hitler that Britain would not necessarily stand idly by if Germany undertook further aggression. It was only after this speech, that formal protests were lodged by the British and French governments with Germany. The Germans dismissed the protests contemptuously.

----------

When President Hacha left the conference room in the Reichs Chancellery, he was in such a state of exhaustion that he needed medical attention from a physician who was on hand for that purpose. It appears that he was given an injection to sustain him during the ordeal. When the two Czechs returned to the room the Nazi conspirators again told them of the power and invincibility of the Wehrmacht. They reminded him that in three hours, at 6 in the morning, the German Army would cross the border. Goering boasted of what the German Wehrmacht would do if Czech forces resisted the invading Germans. If German lives were lost, Goering said, his Luftwaffe would blast half Prague into ruins in two hours. And that, Goering said, would be only the beginning. Under this threat of imminent and merciless attack by land and air, the President of Czechoslovakia at 4:30 in the morning signed the document with which the Nazi conspirators confronted him. This Declaration of 15 March 1939 reads:

"the President of the Czechoslovak State *** entrusts with entire confidence the destiny of the Czech people and the Czech country to the hands of the Fuehrer of the German Reich."

A Treaty of Protection between Slovakia and
the Reich was signed in Vienna on 18 March and by Ribbentrop in Berlin on 23 March.A secret protocol to this treaty was also signed in Berlin on 23 March by Ribbentrop for Germany, and by Tuka and Durcansky for Slovakia .The first four articles of this treaty provide:

"The German Government and the Slovak Government have agreed, after the Slovak State has placed itself under the protection of the German Reich, to regulate by treaty the consequences resulting from this fact. For this purpose the undersigned representatives of the two governments have agreed on the following provisions.

"ARTICLE 1. The German Reich undertakes to protect the political independence of the State of Slovakia and the integrity of its territory.

"ARTICLE 2. For the purpose of making effective the protection undertaken by the German Reich, the German armed forces shall have the right, at all time, to construct military installations and to keep them garrisoned in the strength they deem necessary, in an area delimited on its western side by the frontiers of the State of Slovakia and on its eastern side by a line formed by the eastern rims of the Lower Carpathians, the White Carpathians and the Javornik Mountains.

"The Government of Slovakia will take the necessary steps to assure that the land required for these installations shall be conveyed to the German armed forces. Furthermore the Government of Slovakia will agree to grant exemption from custom duties for imports from the Reich for the maintenance of the German troops and the supply of military installations.

"Military sovereignty will be assumed by the German armed forces in the zone described in the first paragraph of this article.

"German citizens who, on the basis of private employment contracts, are engaged in the construction of military installations in the designated zone shall be subject to German jurisdiction.

"ARTICLE 3. The Government of Slovakia will organize its military forces in close agreement with German armed forces.

"ARTICLE 4. In accordance with the relationship of protection agreed upon, the Government of Slovakia will at all times conduct its foreign affairs in close agreement with the German Government."

http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-09-aggression-04-26.html

 

The Austrian operation, which received priority for political and strategic reasons, was carried out in February and March 1938. Thenceforth the Wehrmacht planning was devoted to "Fall Grun" (Case Green), the designation given to the proposed operation against Czechoslovakia.

The military plans for Case Green had been drafted in outline from as early as June 1937. The OKW top-secret directive for the unified preparation of the Armed Forces for war-signed by Von Blomberg on June 24, 1937, and promulgated to the Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe for the year beginning July 1, 1937-included, as a probable war-like eventuality for which a concentrated plan was to be drafted, Case Green, "War on two fronts, with the main struggle in the southeast."

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The Czech fortification system:

A Summary of Jonathan Zorach's Article in Militärgeschichtliche Mitteilungen 2/76.

There were three types of Czech fortifications. The smallest mounted only machine-guns and wasn't designed to stand up to field guns. The second was built to withstand medium artillery fire and was armed with 47mm anti-tank guns and medium artillery up to 100 mm. The 20 man garrison had about enough supplies, ammunition and food, for two or three weeks. The largest was designed to withstand heavy artillery and bombs and were comparable with the petit ouvrages of the Maginot Line. All but the last type weren't capable of a sustained defense without supporting troops. These were classified by the Germans as Speerausbau, stellungmässigner Ausbau and festungsmässigner Ausbau respectively.
By the fall of 1938 North Moravia had approximately 250 heavy fortresses and 1195 smaller works. South Moravia had only 6 heavy fortresses and about 1000 smaller positions. West and South Bohemia had some 3993 pill-boxes and small-medium fortifications. North Bohemia had 1852 of the smaller works. Slovakia had 11 heavy and 1942 smaller fortifications.

Despite these numbers the much greater length of the Czech frontier mean that their defenses were much more thinly disposed than the French. In some sectors the depth of the French defenses was 11 km (6.8 miles), but the densest portion of the Czech fortifications was only some 5 km (3.1 miles) thick. In some area, especially in the South, the belt was only 100-150 meters (110-165 yards) thick!

The Germans conducted extensive tests after the occupation of the Sudetenland on the Czech forts, partly in hopes of gaining information that would be useable against the Maginot Line. The medium works proved somewhat vulnerable to artillery fire. The 88mm anti-aircraft gun could do major damage at 1000 meters while the 37mm anti-tank gun proved could destroy the machine-gun loophole at 450 meters distance.

One major drawback was that most of the works were constructed close to the German and Austrian borders, often within sight of border. This meant that the Germans could directly observe most of these and, more importantly, so could the Sudeten Germans who lived in the border areas. On one occasion some British officers were assessing the state of the defenses, but couldn't locate some until they inquired of a small Sudeten boy who proved to know exactly where everything was! This advance intelligence would have been very handy if the Nazis had actually attacked as Hitler wanted on October 1st.

A contemporary assessment by an Austrian general noted that the Czechs ignored a number of lessons learned by the K.u.K. (Austro-Hungarian) Army in the First World War. Among these were (1) The problem of defense of terrain between the bunkers at night. (2) The lack of interconnected bunkers such as proved effective in the Tyrol in 1915 and 1916. In many portions of the system bunkers were only connected by cables which could have been cut by the attacker. It was important for the defenders to be able to keep in touch with one another directly. (3) The absence of comfortable living quarters and adequate exits. By cutting off the electricity and sealing off the exits, the attacker could have made the defender's life intolerable within an matter of days. (4) The extensive use of reinforced rather than solid concrete. That contradicted experiences in Belgium and the Tyrol which showed that iron transmits shock more readily than solid concrete, which is also easier to repair.

Some of these points are arguable, but they do raise the question whether the Czechs erred by ignoring the engineering expertise of its officers who served in the K.u.K. Army when planning these fortifications by relying upon the French and their own home-grown men.

In the final analysis the conclusion must be that the defenses were incomplete and would not have prevented the Germans from conquering Czechoslovakia if she wasn't aided by her allies. Unquestionably the cost to the Germans would have been raised by the fortifications that were indeed complete, but most likely not enough to bleed them dry.

http://members.tripod.com/~Sturmvogel/CzechForts.html

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/8414/Links.html

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/8414/Forts.html

 

Next: Poland in sight

GERMAN-POLISH DISCUSSIONS (APRIL--MAY 1939).


In a speech to the Reichstag on the 28th April, Herr Hitler announced that he had made proposals to the Polish Government that Danzig should return as a Free City into the framework of the Reich, and that Germany should receive a route and railway with extra-territorial status through the Corridor in exchange for a 25-years' pact of non-aggression and a recognition of the existing German-Polish boundaries as "ultimate." On the same day a memorandum to this effect was given to the Polish Government. The German proposals, which had been presented for the first time on the 21st March, 1939, i.e., less than a week after the German occupation of Prague, were now described as "the very minimum which must be demanded from the point of view of German interests." Herr Hitler also claimed that the German-Polish Agreement of January 1934 was incompatible with the Anglo-Polish promises of mutual assistance and therefore was no longer binding.

On the 5th May the Polish Government replied to the German Government with an explanation of their point of view. The Polish note repeated the counter-proposals which the Polish Government had put forward as a basis for negotiation in reply to the German proposals, and refuted the German argument that the Anglo-Polish guarantee was in any way incompatible with the German-Polish Agreement.

The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs elaborated his country's case in a speech made in the Polish Parliament on the 5th May. The Minister said that the Polish Government regarded the German proposals as a demand for "unilateral concessions." He added that Poland was ready to approach "objectively" and with "their utmost goodwill" any points raised for discussion by the German Government, but that two conditions were necessary if the discussions were to be of real value: (1) peaceful intentions, (2) peaceful methods of procedure.

The Polish memorandum reminded the German Government that no formal reply to the Polish counter-proposals had been received for a month, and that only on the 28th April the Polish Government learned that "the mere fact of the formulation of counter-proposals instead of the acceptance of the verbal German suggestions without alteration or reservation had been regarded by the Reich as a refusal of discussions" .

DEVELOPMENTS IN ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS AND IN THE GENERAL BRITISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION (APRIL--JUNE 1939).


Anglo-German as well as German-Polish relations deteriorated after the German occupation of Czecho-Slovakia. On the 1st April Herr Hitler made a speech at Wilhelmshaven in which he attacked Great Britain and British policy towards Germany, and attempted a justification of German policy.

Herr Hitler spoke in the Reichstag on the 28th April announcing the denunciation by Germany of the Anglo-German Naval Agreements.On the 27th April a memorandum to this effect was sent to the British Government (No 22, pp. 68-70). On the 16th June Viscount Halifax again denied to the German Ambassador in London that Great Britain or any other Power was "encircling" Germany . A week later (23rd June) His Majesty's Government sent a reasoned protest to the German Government denying the validity of the German unilateral denunciation of the Anglo-German Naval Agreements, and also refuting the arguments of fact (i.e., persistent British hostility to Germany) by which Herr Hitler attempted to justify his denunciation of the Naval Agreements

 

1938- some interesting dates

1938 January 4 Goering issues a decree classifying even firms with 25% Jewish ownership as subject to "Aryanization".

1938 January 14 Romanian police order all Jewish libraries and Jewish owned bookstores closed in Bessarabia. The same day, the Romanian press publishes instructions for dismissing all Jewish doctors from social insurance institutions.

1938 January Archbishop Groeber, a "promoting member" of the SS, known as the "brown bishop," is excluded from the SS, but refuses to voluntarily give up his promoting membership.

1938 February 4 Hitler announces he is personally taking over command of the German armed forces. Fritsch is forced to resign and Konstantin von Neurath is replaced by Joachim von Ribbentrop as Foreign Minister. Hitler assumes complete control of the Wehrmacht and announces a complete reorganization of the armed forces supreme command (OKW). Sixteen high-ranking generals are dismissed and 44 others are transferred to other posts. Hitler successfully eliminates the most important dissidents in the Wehrmacht and replaces them with men he feels he can either trust or manipulate. General Walter von Brauchitsch is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the army (OKH). General Wilhelm Keitel is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the OKW.

1938 February 6 Romanian Prime Minister Goga warns that he will not tolerate foreign interference in his domestic antisemitic policy.

1938 February 10 The Goga government in Romania is dissolved. The new government, headed by Dr. Miron Christea, nullifies some of Goga's anti-Jewish legislation.

1938 February 20 Franz Josef Rarkowski is consecrated as bishop of the German army in a lavish ceremony conducted by Nuncio Orsenigo, assisted by Bishops Preysing and Galen. Rarkowski will hold this post until the end of World War II.
1938 March 1 Thousands of Jews are deprived of their livelihood when the Polish government revokes Jewish tobacco dealers' licenses.

1938 March 12 Operation Otto -- German troops enter Austria unopposed. Hitler tells a large crowd in Linz, his old home town, that Providence had called him out of Linz and charged him with a mission to restore his homeland to the German Reich. (Operation Otto referred to the first name of the pretender to the Austrian throne: Archduke Otto von Habsburg.)

1938 March 20 The Polish Association of High School Teachers in Cracow (P) proposes a ban on all Jewish teachers.

1938 March 31 The Polish Senate passes the Expatriots Law, canceling citizenship for Polish Jews living outside the country, unless their passports are checked and stamped by Polish consular officials by the end of October.

1938 April 16 Britain signs a pact of friendship with Italy without giving adequate notice to the United States.

1938 May 3 The DFG places 15,000 RM at the disposal of Dr. Ritter, "for the continuation of your research work on asocial individuals and on the biology of bastards (Gypsies, Jews)."

1938 May 29 The Hungarian government passes its first law specifically restricting the number of Jews in the liberal professions, administration, commerce and industry to 20 percent.

1938 July 31 In a period of 19 months prior to this date, William Dudley Pelley mails 3.5 tons of antisemitic propaganda from his headquarters in America.

1938 August 5 New laws regulating the meat and cattle industry in Poland virtually eliminate Jews from participation.

1938 September 1 The Italian government orders all Jewish residents who settled in the country after 1919 to leave the country within six months or be deported.

1938 September 7 All Jews naturalized in Italy after January 1, 1919, lose their citizenship.

1938 October 2 Polish troops occupy Teschen in Czechoslovakia.

1938 October 24 German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop and Polish Ambassador Lipski meet at Berchtesgaden. Ribbentrop invites Polish Foreign Minister Beck to visit Berlin and puts forward the following suggestions: (1) Danzig to be a German city. (2) Free port for Poland in Danzig with communications assured by extraterritorial railroad and highway through Danzig. (3) An Extraterritorial zone one kilometer wide for a railroad and highway across the Polish Corridor uniting the two portions of Germany carved out at Versailles. (4) Both nations to recognize and guarantee their frontiers. (5) An extension of the German-Polish treaty of Friendship. These proposals are standing and open until August 10, 1939, when Poland will reject them and declare "any intervention by the Reich Government (will be regarded as) an act of aggression."

1938 November 2 Hungary occupies and annexes southern Slovakia.

1938 November 7 Ernst vom Rath, Third Secretary of the German Embassy in Paris, is shot by Herschel Grynszpan, a seventeen-year-old Jewish youth whose family had been expelled from Germany to Poland on October 28.

(Note: This was not the first assassination of a Nazi official by a Jew. Wilhelm Gustloff had previously been killed by a Jewish assassin in Switzerland and the SD was convinced both murders were part of a much broader Jewish conspiracy.)

1938 November 9 Hitler authorizes Goering to deal with all Jewish political affairs. Hitler tells Goering that he is interested in sending German Jews to Madagascar and that he will make an initiative to the Western powers.

1938 November 13 Nazi officials seriously consider the Madagascar Plan for the first time.

1938 November 18 The Legislative Assembly of the American Virgin Islands adopts a resolution offering the islands as a haven for Jewish refugees.

1938 November 30 Father Charles Coughlin makes an antisemitic broadcast to an estimated 3.5 million American listeners on a nationwide radio network. Coughlin, with one of the largest antsemitic libraries in America, had been using antisemitic overtones in his propaganda before 1936, but it was only after the defeat of his third party in that year that he began to use antisemitism as a political weapon.

1938 December 6 A new declaration of nonaggression and friendship is signed between Germany and France, providing a mutual guarantee of their common borders. Hitler disavows any interest in Alsace-Lorraine, and during the coming months, will cite this as proof of his peaceful intentions.

1938 December 31 An internal SS report states that 22.7 % of the SS membership still belongs to the Catholic faith (despite all pressures to leave the Church).

1938 Outraged at Hitler's treatment of the Jews and fearing that Hitler will outlaw Christianity, Protestant pastor, Martin Niemoller, organizes the Pastor's Emergency League to oppose Hitler's policies.

1938 Pastor Martin Niemoller is arrested by the Gestapo and thrown into a concentration camp until liberated in 1945.

1938 The SS Training Office orders a specially revised and expanded, one-volume edition of Michael Prawdin's two books on Genghis Khan. This book was frequently given as a Christmas present by Himmler and every SS leader received a copy. Hitler is said to have derived his ideas concerning Blutkitt (blood cement) from this source.

http://www.humanitas-international.org/showcase/chronography/timebase/1938tbse.htm

 

Well, I do think the Austrians did not have a chance even against a weak and disorganised Wehrmacht, because their Army had showed very incompetent during the Great War. Besides, the Austrian people was willing to form part of the 'German miracle' performed by their countryman. Even if the referendum made after the 'Anschlüß" was doubtfully entirely democratic, I am sure the Austrians agreed with the annexation. Herr Hitler was indeed very well welcomed in his country by nearly ALL the people.

 

The Ostreich folk felt a close tie in most respects to their German countrymen, and I don't think were all too surpised by the absorbtion into the greater Reich. All this since Napolean getting his butt kicked out in the 1800's