What is the significance of the Sudetenland and where was it?

Answer 1

When the new Republic of Czechoslovakia was declared in 1918, it included an area shaped like a horseshoe around Bohemia and Moravia, with a large number of German speaking inhabitants. This area was known as Sudertenland. This German speaking Sudetenland minoirty was used as an excuse by Adolf Hitler to furt Reich-EinFauhrer ("One nation - one country - one leader.) With the co-operation of the Sudertendeautsche Partel (the Sudeten German Party) Hitler saught Sudentendeutsche Freikorps (The Sudetan German Freecorps). Disturbances initiated by the Czechoslovakian Gov't to moblilize his forces on May 20, 1938. On September 12th a huge Nazi rally was held at Nuremburg. Hitler made his famous speech that Sudetenland should be part of Germany or they would invade Czechoslovakia. On Sept. 22, 1938 the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew to meet Hitler. At this meeting Hitler handed Chamberlain and ultimatum, which set out Germany's terms and Sudetenland question. Chamberlain was not successful in convincing Czechoslovakia to accept. Germany next sent an ultimatum to Czechoslovakia that the problem had to be resolved. At the same time many infantry and armoured units moved close to the Czechoslovakian border. This caused a flurry of diplomatic communication between France, England Czechoslovakia to Hitler to start negotiations. Hitler agreed to delay his invasion 48 hours and invited the British Primer Minster, the then, Dictator Benito Mussolini to Munich for further talks. The Czechoslovakian negotiators were not invited! Sept. 29, 1938 talks ended with those gathered conceding to all of Hitler's demands and was obtained to Hitler's Godesberg ultimatum was that the occupation was to be spread because the "Munich Agreement" had been signed. Returning back to England, Chamberlain muttered the now familiar phrase "Peace in our time." The curtain was now raised for the beginning of the end of the history of Sudentenland.