Failed History Lessons Equals More Future Failures
In 1938, every thinking European and American statesman and most politicians saw and understood that Nazi Germany had been tearing up treaties, breaking promises, and continuing to “reincorporate” territories weaker than it was. It was aggression in its most basic form: submit or be militarily crushed by invasion. Hitler had no qualms about saying anything, promising (lying) anything, signing anything to get the western governments to give in . . . repeatedly. British Prime Minister Chamberlain represented the Allied powers [under treaty obligation to assist Czechoslovakia if attacked] in a supposedly summit meeting with Hitler to settle Germany’s claim to part of Czechoslovakian territory. The Nazi leader had already threatened to invade if his demands for a piece of Czech land were not met. Hitler and Chamberlain met oneon- one in Munich, Germany to negotiate. The leader of Czechoslovakia was not permitted to be present at the meeting. The two attending leaders agreed that a parcel of Czech territory was to be ceded to Germany and that Germany had no further territorial ambitions in Europe. The resulting Munich Agreement was another Nazi lie; less than 90 days after the signing, the remainder of Czech territory was occupied by German armed forces.
