| − | The '''Munich Conference''' took place between the 28th and 30th of September, 1938 when the [[U.S.S.R.|Soviet Union]], [[Germany]], [[Britain]], [[France]], and [[Italy]] met to decide how to cope with [[Germany]]’s aggression in [[Czechoslovakia]] during the [[Sudeten crisis]]. The partecipating states decided to enforce a treaty where they would allow Germany to eliminate the boundaries of the [[Versailles Treaty]] and annex the [[Sudetenland]]. It was also agreed that the [[government]] of [[Poland]] would be protected and a boundary was set over which Germany would not be allowed to cross without risking full scale [[war]]. The Munich Treaty reflected the policy of [[Appeasement]] which the western powers were pursuing towards Nazi Germany. | + | The '''Munich Conference''' took place between the 28th and 30 September 1938 when the [[U.S.S.R.|Soviet Union]], [[Germany]], [[Britain]], [[France]], and [[Italy]] met to decide how to cope with [[Germany]]’s aggression in [[Czechoslovakia]] during the [[Sudeten crisis]]. The partecipating states decided to enforce a treaty where they would allow Germany to eliminate the boundaries of the [[Versailles Treaty]] and annex the [[Sudetenland]]. It was also agreed that the [[government]] of [[Poland]] would be protected and a boundary was set over which Germany would not be allowed to cross without risking full scale [[war]]. The Munich Treaty reflected the policy of [[Appeasement]] which the western powers were pursuing towards Nazi Germany. |
| − | As Nazi Germany increased its aggression towards Czechoslovakia through infiltration and [[subversion (political)|subversion]] (including support of the pro-Nazi Sudeten German Party of [[Konrad Henlein]] and its terrorist offshoots) <ref>International Military Tribunal Nuremberg, [http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/tgmwc/tgmwc-06/tgmwc-06-54-22.html Fifty-Fourth Day: Friday, 8th February, 1946], Page 207.</ref>, Under Secretary of State [[Sumner Welles]] claimed over the radio that President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] had sent a personal message to [[Mussolini]]<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr13.htm President Roosevelt to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) with a Message to Mussolini], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427).</ref> and one to [[Hitler]] begging him to intervene and that, on this request, Mussolini had done so. As a result, Hitler had halted his soldiers and sent an invitation to Chamberlain to come to Munich. Five days later, Secretary of War [[Harry Woodring]] made the same claim. And the White House secretariat put out a record of all the messages from the President synchronized with the events in Munich to prove that Roosevelt had turned the scales for peace. Later, in the 1940 campaign, [[Republican]] presidential challenger [[Wendell Willkie]] charged that Roosevelt had boasted of his part in the appeasement of Hitler. Secretary Hull denied this at the time, however Hull later admitted that Roosevelt did indeed send a "message to Mussolini" and one to Hitler<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr14.htm President Roosevelt to the Chancellor of Germany (Hitler)], Telegram, September 27 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427-428).</ref> encouraging negotiations. Hull wrote "whether the actions taken by the President brought about these results it is impossible to say. But undoubtedly they exercised considerable influence." Hull produced a letter from King George VI to the President saying "I have little doubt that your efforts contributed largely to the result." <ref>Cordell Hull, ''Memoirs,'' New York Times, January 26 to March 6, 1948.</ref> | + | As Nazi Germany increased its aggression towards Czechoslovakia through infiltration and [[subversion (political)|subversion]] (including support of the pro-Nazi Sudeten German Party of [[Konrad Henlein]] and its terrorist offshoots),<ref>International Military Tribunal Nuremberg, [http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/tgmwc/tgmwc-06/tgmwc-06-54-22.html Fifty-Fourth Day: Friday, 8th February, 1946], Page 207.</ref> Under Secretary of State [[Sumner Welles]] claimed over the radio that President [[Franklin Roosevelt]] had sent a personal message to [[Mussolini]]<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr13.htm President Roosevelt to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) with a Message to Mussolini], Telegram, September 27, 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427).</ref> and one to [[Hitler]] begging him to intervene and that, on this request, Mussolini had done so. As a result, Hitler had halted his soldiers and sent an invitation to Chamberlain to come to Munich. Five days later, Secretary of War [[Harry Woodring]] made the same claim. And the White House secretariat put out a record of all the messages from the President synchronized with the events in Munich to prove that Roosevelt had turned the scales for peace. Later, in the 1940 campaign, [[Republican]] presidential challenger [[Wendell Willkie]] charged that Roosevelt had boasted of his part in the appeasement of Hitler. Secretary Hull denied this at the time, however Hull later admitted that Roosevelt did indeed send a "message to Mussolini" and one to Hitler<ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/interwar/fdr14.htm President Roosevelt to the Chancellor of Germany (Hitler)], Telegram, September 27, 1938, U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, ''Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941'' (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943, pp. 427-428).</ref> encouraging negotiations. Hull wrote "whether the actions taken by the President brought about these results it is impossible to say. But undoubtedly they exercised considerable influence." Hull produced a letter from King George VI to the President saying "I have little doubt that your efforts contributed largely to the result." <ref>Cordell Hull, ''Memoirs,'' New York Times, January 26 to March 6, 1948.</ref> |