Carlsbad Programme
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The Carlsbad Programme (German: Karrlsbader Programm, Czech: Karlovarský program) was an eight-point series of demands, addressed to the government of Czechoslovakia, issued by Konrad Henlein, the leader of the Sudeten German Party (SdP), at a party gathering in Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) on 24 April 1938. The programme demanded complete equality between the Sudeten Germans and the Czech people, self-government and the legal recognition of the Sudeten Germans.
Under strong diplomatic pressure from Britain and France, the Czechoslovak government accepted the bulk of the demands in the so-called “4th plan” of proposed legislative reforms on ###.
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On 13 September, after internal violence and disruption in Czechoslovakia ensued, Chamberlain asked Hitler for a personal meeting to find a solution to avert a war.[1] The two met at Hitler's residence in Berchtesgaden on 15 September and agreed to the cession of the Sudetenland; three days later, French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier did the same. No Czechoslovak representative was invited to these discussions.[2] On the same day, Hitler met with Chamberlain and demanded the swift takeover of the Sudetenland by the Third Reich under threat of war. The Czechs, Hitler claimed, were slaughtering the Sudeten Germans. Chamberlain referred the demand to the British and French governments; both accepted. The Czechoslovak government resisted, arguing that Hitler's proposal would ruin the nation's economy and ultimately lead to German control of all of Czechoslovakia. The United Kingdom and France issued an ultimatum and on 21 September, Czechoslovakia capitulated.[3]
With no end in sight to the dispute, Chamberlain appealed to Hitler for a conference. On 28 September, Hitler met with the chiefs of governments of France, Italy and Britain in Munich. The Czechoslovak government was neither invited nor consulted. On 29 September, the Munich Agreement was signed by Germany, Italy, France, and Britain. The Czechoslovak government capitulated on 30 September and agreed to abide by the agreement. The Munich Agreement stipulated that Czechoslovakia must cede Sudeten territory to Germany. German occupation of the Sudetenland would be completed by 10 October.[4]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:5was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Santi Corvaja, Robert L. Miller. Hitler & Mussolini: The Secret Meetings. New York, New York, USA: Enigma Books, 2008. ISBN 9781929631421.
- ^ Third Axis Fourth Ally by Mark Axworthy
- ^ Gilbert, Martin; Gott, Richard (1967). The Appeasers. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.