Figure 1.--This is Berlin's Unter den Linden, not very many linden trees and lots of swastikas. It is Berlin in all its NAZI regalia at the time Hitler seized what was left of Czechoslovakia (March 1939). The statue is of Frederick the Great--a NAZI favorite. We think the imposing building is Humboldt University. You can see the Brandenburg Gate in the background. The German people at the time were in awe of their Führer who brought victory after victory without war. Unbeknownst to them at the time was that their Führer had also brought about a sea change in British public opinion and government policy. There would be no more Munich Diktats. The British public and Government finally came to terms with who and what they were dealing with. None of this had percolated through to Berlin--yet. Even or perhaps especially Hitler did not understand what he had accomplished. Nor did he fully understand the realities of industrial power. Germany had a massive industrial base, but a small motor vehicle industry. Note how few cars there are here, and this is the major street in Germany's largest city. Hitler was posed to launch a war that would require motor vehicles by the hundreds of thousands. The German answer to this would be horses

People all over Europe, including the German people, were relieved that war had been averted, but the Munich Diktat (September 1938) and especially the seizure of what was left of Czechoslovakia (March 1939) changed everything. Hitler had threatened war. And he broke his word to Chamberlain that he wanted 'no Czechs'. Even Chamberlain who wanted peace passionately saw that Hitler both could not be reasoned with and could not be trusted--although incredibly he had not given up. Perhaps even more importantly, popular opinion in Britain was changing dramatically. More and more, the British people were beginning to realize that they had no choice but to stand up to Hitler. Chamberlain may have failed, but there was one unintended consequence of his failure -- a sea change in public opinion. The British people who had wanted to avoid war at any cost, were now increasingly understanding the need to confront Hitler and by military action if necessary. Unfortunately they had not come to support rearmament early enough. The German people were unaware of this changing dynamic, nor apparently was Hitler. He still dreamed of an alliance with the British. The German people were again impressed with their Führer who brought victory after victory while avoiding war. The seizure of Czechoslovakia, however, made it clear that the British-French attempt to appease Hitler had failed. The British and French Governments saw that Hitler was intent on ruling Europe, if not the world. It was now clear that Hitler could only be stopped by military means. The Allies took no substantial act when Hitler seized the remainder of Czechoslovakia (March 1939). But the British public who were dismissive toward Winston Churchill now began to turn toward him because he had long insisted that Hitler had to be confronted. British newspapers also shifted and began criticizing Chamberlain's policy of appeasement. These were the same newspapers that months earlier had lauded him for averting war at Munich. And the opposition Labour Party which had come close to advocating unilateral disarmament now turned against appeasement. In fairness to Chamberlain, the British public was not prepared to go to war in 1938. After Munich and the NAZI seizure of the rest of Czechoslovakia, British public onion had shifted. Kristallnacht in November 1939 had only brought home to the English public the evil nature of the NAZI regime and the need to confront it. Britain and Europe would pay a terrible price for how long it took to learn that lesson. Churchill upon becoming prime-minister would muse, "I hope it is not too late." It nearly was.

Created: 7:05 PM 2/5/2023
Last updated: 7:06 PM 2/5/2023