German Annexation of the Sudetenland |
World History > World War II in World History > World War II in World History Maps and Pictures |
The tragedy of this Sudeten (Czech) woman, who is unable to conceal her great misery as she dutifully salutes the triumphant Adolf Hitler, is the tragedy of the silent millions who were "won over" to Nazism by the "everlasting use" by Germany of ruthless force. Germany annexed the Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia) under the pretext that the German-speaking population of this region was by nature destined to be part of the German empire. This photograph was taken in the year 1938. Click here to enlarge. |
The German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 was a significant prelude to World War II. The Sudetenland, a region in Czechoslovakia with a substantial ethnic German population, became the focus of Adolf Hitler's expansionist ambitions. Through intense propaganda and diplomatic pressure, Hitler claimed the region to protect its German-speaking inhabitants. The Munich Agreement, signed by Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, allowed the annexation without Czechoslovakia's consent, in a bid to avoid war. This appeasement emboldened Hitler, leading to further aggression and the eventual invasion of Poland, triggering the global conflict. |
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World History > World War II in World History > World War II in World History Maps and Pictures |