Posted on 04/18/2023 9:03:53 AM PDT by CheshireTheCat
Hitler basically put a gun to Tiso’s head and forced Slovakia to declare independence, as part of Hitler’s plan to crush the rest of the Czechoslovakia.
Hitler called Czechoslovak PM Hacha to Berlin, and told him, he had four hours to tell the Prague government not to oppose the invading German troops, or else they would bomb Prague. Hacha suffered a heart attack as a result, but he recovered enough to eventually sign over the rest of the Czech part to Hitler, which then became the “Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia”.
Doing identity before identity was cool.
Wonder if anyone ever Czeched his claim out.
Then Hungary went and took some of those Slovak lands for themselves.
The breakup of Austria-Hungary was messy business. Led to a lot of skirmishes in the inter-war years.
For which we can thank Woodrow Wilson, who thought he was doing a good thing to let the multiple Austro-Hungarian ethnicities self-determine.
> an increasingly prominent exponent of the right-wing Slovak People’s Party <
Once again we see the term “right wing” misapplied. Conservatives believe in small government and personal freedoms. I doubt very much if the Slovak People’s Party was into that.
More likely they were simply fascists - just like the Nazis, the Soviets, and many of our “progressives” today.
Most of Europe was Fascist in the 1930s.
Even Austria, before the Anschluss was Fascist.
Heck, most of the FDR government was some level communist or fascist, or believed that was inevitable. Political theory then was viewed in a very Darwinian evolutionary light.
A lot of people thought Centralized Big Government was the way to go in those days.
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany - not most of Europe but certainly the “big players”. There certainly was large Fasicst political movements in almost every European country even the UK. Most people have forgotten about Oswald Mosley and his BUF. Churchill once described Mosely as the most formidable rising political star in the UK.
I find Mosley and his movement interesting. He still has followers! If one goes to their web site and reads about their principles, you’ll find some surprising parallels with a US party.
The Democrat party and of course there are some professional Republican politicians “Me-Too’ers” who would also agree!
> Most of Europe was Fascist in the 1930s. <
In one way or the other, yes it was. But as I’m sure you’ll agree, fascism is a left-wing ideology. Fascists believe in putting the needs of the state before the rights of the individual. All power flows from the center, outward. Obey or be crushed.
It drives my crazy when people (not you) label such thinking as right-wing. It’s not. It’s classic left-wing.
But fascists often wear fancy military uniforms. So they must be right-wing.
Sigh…
Mosley was one of the most dynamic speakers I’ve ever heard.
In his post-war speeches, he made a lot sense actually. He was right on about Globalism, but he could never shake off the taint of associating with Hitler. Even though I never believed Mosley himself was as big of a fan of Hitler, most of his fanatical followers were.
Well, he was a United Europe advocate - so a “localized Globalist”. I think that was because he was very anti-American. He deplored the US influence in the UK, Europe and the UK’s loss of influence and prestige.
IIRC, he was also pro-Indian Independence before the war.
Basically they equate “Right Wing” with anything racist, because of what Hitler did.
I assert that Mussolini’s Fascism wasn’t racist, until Hitler basically forced him to pass racial laws.
Yep...and I know first-hand that they have long memories!
His sister-inn-law Unity Mitford one of the 6 glamorous “Mitford girls” was so madly in love with Hitler that she attempted suicide when the UK declared war on Germany.
One of the girls - Jessica became a dedicated communist. I guess just to be “different”.
Flighty, trivial girls. I think daddy Mitford was always raging about people who ought to be shot and the girls took him too seriously.
Hitler had a lot more fans in Britain in the 30s, then they would like to admit. They were much more afraid of the Bolsheviks, and saw Hitler as a bulwark against them.
That’s why Churchill was ‘in the wilderness’ when he spoke out against Hitler, right after Hitler took power.
Von Ribbentrop was ambassador to Britain in the 1930s, and he probably did more to make Nazi Germany unpopular with the Brits than anyone. A more competent ambassador might have made a big difference. Von Ribbentrop became the Number One Hater of Britain, because he felt they rejected him personally.
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