Let's say after the Munich Pact, Hitler had not angered Britain and France by taking over the remainder of Western Czechoslovakia in May 1939, forcing them to seek a treaty with Poland in an effort to draw a 'line in the sand' against further German military expansion.
Would the British and French have gone to war over Poland without any treaty with Poland ?
Or was the taking of Western Czechoslovakia Hitlers greatest pre-war mistake

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

Hitler himself said that after Sudeten land there was nothing else he wanted/needed. So he proved himself that he was making promises he could not keep.

I don´t think the western allied had any choice even if they had not made any pacts with Poland.

And besides Hitler´s politics were based on preparing for war and it seems he was merely irritated by the peace negotiations ( behind the scenes ) than happy with the land gained without war. That´s why he kept on looking for excuses to drive the other countries into the war. Even if he had gained Danzig he would have been after some more soon to make the war start...



It was not a mistake but a deliberate move by Hitler in order to start the WAR! He was ready for war before the München talks for Sudeten land and just looking for a reason to start it.

[ 18. July 2003, 03:57 AM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

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Britain has always sought to maintain the European balance of power. France has a historical fear of German expansionism. Given this background, it wouldn't surprise me if the the UK and France would take action against Germany at some point down the line after the Polish invasion.

The british foreign office concentrates on Europe more than any other part of the world. Example, after the Iraq war 1990-1991 John Major sent bills of 600 million pounds all together to the the emperors of the Gulfstates because the war was so expensive for Britain. But everyone who had any tiny knowledge of the middle-east would know that Britain would get many times more than that in defence- and tradecontracts. Massive blunder.

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Yours faithfully, Munken

"Veni, Vidi, Vici"= I came I saw, I conquered. - Julius Caesar.
"We shall never surrender"- Winston Churchill.
"United we are strong, united we will win"

I´m not totally sure but on what I´ve read I think especially the US and UK after WW1 were frustrated of the lost men in war and didn´t want to enter WW2 very fast for that. On France I cannot say for sure but they seemed to be stuck with their Maginot line thinking.

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Well, when WW2 came, the horrors of the Great War was still in their thoughts, so they werent really wanting to fight another war

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"We're not tool's of the government or anyone else. Fighting was the only thing...the only thing I was good at. But atleast...I always fought for what I believed in."
"It is dangerous to underestimate an adversary and foolish to overestimate one."