Lessons from the Sudetenland - by Benjamin Netanyahu

Khouse.org ^

[Scythian]

Their Strategic Barrier

Czechoslovakia was strategically placed in the heart of Europe, and its conquest was central to Hitler's plans for overrunning Europe. Though small, Czechoslovakia could field over 800,000 men (one of the strongest armies in Europe), and it had a highly efficient arms industry.

To complicate matters from Hitler's point of view, it possessed a formidable physical barrier to his designs in the shape of the Sudeten mountains, which bordered Germany and guarded the access to the Czech heartland and the capital city of Prague only miles away.

A system of fortifications and fortresses had been built in the mountains over many years, making passage by force a very costly proposition, perhaps even impossible. We now know from the Nuremberg trials and other sources that Hitler's generals were utterly opposed to an assault on the Czech fortifications.

Worse from Hitler's point of view, the Western powers had promised at Versailles to guarantee the Czech border against any aggressive attack. France, which in 1938 could field one hundred divisions (an army 50% larger than Germany's), had agreed in writing to come to the Czech's defense, and Britain and Russia were committed to joining in if France did so.

See how it ends HERE

[Think free or die]

"Some historians are mystified by Hitler's treatment of the Czechs because compared to other countries Germany overran he treated the Czechs rather well. "

I have two reactions to that statement:

1) While it's true that Czechs didn't suffer the hunger of the Netherlands or the physical destruction of Poland, there were certainly hardships. Jews were largely exterminated from the Czech lands, and if you read up on the liquidation of Lidice, you'll find plenty of brutality. My parents agree that they were seldom hungry during the war, but variety and healthful meals were another matter altogether. Children who got sick took much longer to get well because of the lack of vitamins and fat in their diets. My parents both lost a lot of teeth very young due to poor nutrition and limited dental care. Growing up, I always thought it normal for mothers to have partial plates rather than a full set of teeth. You can only do so much with potatoes. On the whole though, they were grateful it wasn't worse.

2)The Czech people have had a long cultural history of being over-run and dominated by other, more aggressive cultures. They are situated at the heart of Europe, and are more inclined toward literature, music, theater, and fine manufacturing than they are toward war. The way the Czechs have traditionally survived these difficulties is by knowing when resistance is futile. They are very good at enjoying their beer, enjoying family, and skewering the "overlords" with sly humor while they wait out the storm. Sometimes it frustrates me because to my American sensibilities it seems very passive, however, the country has survived a great deal, has its monuments largely intact, and the culture seems to pick up and rebound quickly after adversity.

[gogogodzilla]

PING!

[Larry381]

Actually my post should have said treated the Czechs relatively well, by Nazi standards.
One of the reasons given for the British inspired assassination of Heydrich was that it was needed as a sort of wake-up call to those Czechs who had decided to sit-out the war in virtual peace. The British felt that the death of Heydrich would bring such an extreme counter-reaction by the Germans, (which it did) that the Czechs would be forced to resist the Nazis
As the governor of Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heydrich applied “carrot-and-stick” methods. The black market was suppressed, food rations and pensions were increased, and unemployment insurance was established for the first time. Those associated with the resistance movement or the black market were tortured or executed. Under Heydrich, conditions in Prague and the rest of the Czech lands were relatively peaceful and industrial output went up. Nobody has more respect for the Czechs than I do and, had they not been sold out at Munich in 1938, I'm sure the Germans, had they invaded in 1938 would have faced a fierce resistance from the Czech people. In any case the Czechs can in no way be compared to the French, most of whom not only sat out the war, but actively collaborated with the Germans.

[Think free or die]

I don't think I've ever heard my parents refer to Heydrich without including "zvire", i.e. "animal" somewhere in the sentence. Since Mother never curses, and Dad seldom, that's a pretty strong statement.

I've been happy to see the Czech and Moravian lands flourish under freedom these past 20 years. They came out of socialism with a high literacy rate, and living memory of how to live in a democracy. They've turned things around remarkably quickly and well. Good people - but I'm a bit biased!

[Larry381]

I don't think I've ever heard my parents refer to Heydrich without including "zvire", i.e. "animal" somewhere in the sentence. Since Mother never curses, and Dad seldom, that's a pretty strong statement. I've been happy to see the Czech and Moravian lands flourish under freedom these past 20 years. They came out of socialism with a high literacy rate, and living memory of how to live in a democracy. They've turned things around remarkably quickly and well. Good people - but I'm a bit biased!

You should be biased-IMHO of all the continental European races, the ones I admire the most and have the most respect for are The Czechs and the Poles. Not many people realize that between the wars the Czech Skoda Works was the greatest arms manufacturing complex in the world. The quality weapons they manufactured were used by several European countries to outfit their armed forces. People talk about Krupp, Fabrique National (FN), Schneider and Steyr but weapons manufactured by Skoda beat them all-a fact not lost on the Germans who had some of their finest weapons built at the Skoda works under license. It's a little known fact that after the Soviets took over Czechoslovakia they "borrowed" many of the technical advances of weapons manufacture from Skoda to produce many of their post-WW2 weaponry especially in artillery.

[dervish]

The nascent State of Israel won its first war, the War Of Independence fought against seven Arab armies, with Czech weapons and planes.

[Think free or die]

That's a new bit of information for me. Not surprising.

One of my mother's classmates was the inventor of Semtex. He was apparently directed to do the research. She says that he has been terribly haunted by the harm caused by his discovery.

[dervish]

I think you misunderstood me. The Czechs supplied Israel. Thanks to Jan Masaryk then Foreign Minister and a Zionist who was later assassinated by the Soviets in the Communist classic defenestration.