Changes

The roots of Czech nationalism go back to the 19th century, when philologists and educators, influenced by [[Romanticism]], promoted the Czech language and pride in the Czech nation.  Nationalism became a mass movement in the last half of the 19th century.  Taking advantage of the opportunities for limited participation in political life available under Austrian rule, Czech leaders such as historian František Palacký  (1798-1878), founded numerous patriotic, self-help organizations that provided a chance for many of their compatriots to participate in communal life even prior to independence.  At first Palacky supported Austro-Slavism and worked for a reorganized, federalized, and Slavic-dominated Austrian Empire to protect Slavs against Russian and German threats. The failure of the Revolution of 1848, however, crushed his hopes for Austro-Slavism. Palacky then turned gradually toward Russia and Russian-led Pan-Slavism. An advocate of democratic reform and Czech autonomy within Austria-Hungary, Masaryk was twice elected (1891, 1907) to the Austrian parliament.  In 1900 he founded the Progressive (or Realist) party.  With the outbreak of World War I, however, Masaryk began working for Czech independence in union with Slovakia.  With colleagues Eduard Benes and Milan Stefanik, he visited several Western nations and won support from influential publicists.<ref>Z. A. B. Zeman,  ''The Masaryks:  The Making of Czechoslovakia'' (1976)</ref>   

The roots of Czech nationalism go back to the 19th century, when philologists and educators, influenced by [[Romanticism]], promoted the Czech language and pride in the Czech nation.  Nationalism became a mass movement in the last half of the 19th century.  Taking advantage of the opportunities for limited participation in political life available under Austrian rule, Czech leaders such as historian František Palacký  (1798-1878), founded numerous patriotic, self-help organizations that provided a chance for many of their compatriots to participate in communal life even prior to independence.  At first Palacky supported Austro-Slavism and worked for a reorganized, federalized, and Slavic-dominated Austrian Empire to protect Slavs against Russian and German threats. The failure of the Revolution of 1848, however, crushed his hopes for Austro-Slavism. Palacky then turned gradually toward Russia and Russian-led Pan-Slavism. An advocate of democratic reform and Czech autonomy within Austria-Hungary, Masaryk was twice elected (1891, 1907) to the Austrian parliament.  In 1900 he founded the Progressive (or Realist) party.  With the outbreak of World War I, however, Masaryk began working for Czech independence in union with Slovakia.  With colleagues Eduard Benes and Milan Stefanik, he visited several Western nations and won support from influential publicists.<ref>Z. A. B. Zeman,  ''The Masaryks:  The Making of Czechoslovakia'' (1976)</ref>   

Bohemia and Moravia, under Austrian rule, were Czech-speaking major industrial centers, while Slovakia, which was part of Hungary, was an undeveloped agrarian region.  Conditions were much better for the development of a mass national movement in the Czech lands than in Slovakia. Nevertheless the two movements realized they were too small to go it alone, so they joined to create the new country.   

Bohemia and Moravia, under Austrian rule, were Czech-speaking major industrial centers, while Slovakia, which was part of Hungary, was an undeveloped agrarian region.  Conditions were much better for the development of a mass national movement in the Czech lands than in Slovakia. Nevertheless, the two movements realized they were too small to go it alone, so they joined to create the new country.   

While the Czechs were second only to the Germans of the Habsburg Empire in social, economic, and cultural development, they were second class subjects and had little voice. Bohemian Germans (later called Sudeten Germans) opposed Czech and Slovak nationalism and looked to Imperial Germany for leadership. Pan-Slavism emerged, as some Czechs and Slovaks turned to Russia, but most preferred the easy-going Catholic Habsburgs in Vienna to the autocratic Orthodox Romanovs in St. Petersburg. No revolution was in the making when World War I broke out in 1914. Nationalism came under the leadership of Thomas G. Masaryk and his supporters in France and the United States. The Allies only reluctantly promised an independent new nation in 1917 after failing to sever the Habsburg Empire from its powerful ally, Germany.

While the Czechs were second only to the Germans of the Habsburg Empire in social, economic, and cultural development, they were second class subjects and had little voice. Bohemian Germans (later called Sudeten Germans) opposed Czech and Slovak nationalism and looked to Imperial Germany for leadership. Pan-Slavism emerged, as some Czechs and Slovaks turned to Russia, but most preferred the easy-going Catholic Habsburgs in Vienna to the autocratic Orthodox Romanovs in St. Petersburg. No revolution was in the making when World War I broke out in 1914. Nationalism came under the leadership of Thomas G. Masaryk and his supporters in France and the United States. The Allies only reluctantly promised an independent new nation in 1917 after failing to sever the Habsburg Empire from its powerful ally, Germany.

Foreign minister Benes became the prime architect of the Czechoslovak-Romanian-Yugoslav alliance (the "Little Entente", 1921–38) directed against Hungarian attempts to reclaim lost areas with Hungarian majorities. Benes worked closely with France.  By a major blunder in 1918 the nation included "Sudetenland" an outer fringe region that comprised 3 million Germans, who wanted no part in the new country and who were treated as second class citizens by the new government in Prague. The original idea was that the Sudetenland had hilly areas that made feasible a military defense; far more dangerous was the German element, which after 1933 became allied with the Nazis in Germany.  Czechoslovakia's great fortune was in having talented political leaders willing to compromise within the delicate balance of coalition government. Even a stabilized economy by 1937 could not help Czechoslovakia withstand Hitler.  

Foreign minister Benes became the prime architect of the Czechoslovak-Romanian-Yugoslav alliance (the "Little Entente", 1921–38) directed against Hungarian attempts to reclaim lost areas with Hungarian majorities. Benes worked closely with France.  By a major blunder in 1918 the nation included "Sudetenland" an outer fringe region that comprised 3 million Germans, who wanted no part in the new country and who were treated as second class citizens by the new government in Prague. The original idea was that the Sudetenland had hilly areas that made feasible a military defense; far more dangerous was the German element, which after 1933 became allied with the Nazis in Germany.  Czechoslovakia's great fortune was in having talented political leaders willing to compromise within the delicate balance of coalition government. Even a stabilized economy by 1937 could not help Czechoslovakia withstand Hitler.  

===Munich and World War II===

===Munich and World War II===

In 1938 Hitler demanded control of the Sudetenland, and the major powers at the Munich Conference gave it to them to avoid a world war, ignoring the military alliance Czechoslovakia had with France.  In 1939 the Nazis took over the rest of the the country, split it apart, and ruled cruelly during World War II.  Growing Slovak inferiority complex hostile to the more numerous Czech population weakened Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s.  Many Slovaks supported an extreme nationalist movement and welcomed the puppet Slovak state set up under Hitler's control in 1939.

In 1938 Hitler demanded control of the Sudetenland, and the major powers at the Munich Conference gave it to them to avoid a world war, ignoring the military alliance Czechoslovakia had with France.  In 1939 the Nazis took over the rest of the country, split it apart, and ruled cruelly during World War II.  Growing Slovak inferiority complex hostile to the more numerous Czech population weakened Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s.  Many Slovaks supported an extreme nationalist movement and welcomed the puppet Slovak state set up under Hitler's control in 1939.

With no army, the area became an industrial and agricultural resource for the Nazis; relatively few civilians were killed in the war, but the sense of bitterness  over the betrayal at Munich persisted.  

With no army, the area became an industrial and agricultural resource for the Nazis; relatively few civilians were killed in the war, but the sense of bitterness  over the betrayal at Munich persisted.  

===Korbel===

===Korbel===

Josef Korbel (1909–77) was a diplomat<ref>He was of Jewish descent but kept that secret from his daughter, who was raised Catholic.</ref> who served successively as Jan Masaryk's personal secretary, head of the broadcasting department of the Czech government-in-exile in London, youngest Czech ambassador at age 36 to postwar Yugoslavia, and chairman of the UN Commission on India and Pakistan which settled the Kashmir crisis. Exiled after the 1948 Communist coup d'etat, Korbel began a second distinguished career in academia, teaching at the University of Denver and publishing numerous works on political and diplomatic history and explaining the failures of Communism.  His shaped two secretaries of state—his PhD student [[Condoleezza Rice]] (b. 1954) and his daughter [[Madelaine Albright|Madelaine Korbel Albright]] (b. 1937)

Josef Korbel (1909–77) was a diplomat<ref>He was of Jewish descent but kept that secret from his daughter, who was raised Catholic.</ref> who served successively as Jan Masaryk's personal secretary, head of the broadcasting department of the Czech government-in-exile in London, youngest Czech ambassador at age 36 to postwar Yugoslavia, and chairman of the UN Commission on India and Pakistan which settled the Kashmir crisis. Exiled after the 1948 Communist coup d'état, Korbel began a second distinguished career in academia, teaching at the University of Denver and publishing numerous works on political and diplomatic history and explaining the failures of Communism.  His shaped two secretaries of state—his PhD student [[Condoleezza Rice]] (b. 1954) and his daughter [[Madelaine Albright|Madelaine Korbel Albright]] (b. 1937)

==Religion==

==Religion==

The land of Czechoslovakia contained many different religions affiliations.  The main ones were: [[Roman Catholic Church]], [[Czechoslovak National Church]], [[Slovak Evangelical Church]], [[Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren]], and [[Uniate Church]]. The majority of inhabitants were Roman Catholic.  There were also a small number of Jews.  After the communist takeover religion was suppressed, even though the constitution allowed freedom of religion.  Between 1948 and 1968, the number of catholic [[priests]] declined by half, and half the remaining clergy were over sixty years of age.<ref>http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+cs0080)</ref>  The communist governments promoted [[atheism]] through the use of harassment and [[propaganda]], and they also promoted it in schools by ordering teachers to attack religion.

The land of Czechoslovakia contained many different religions affiliations.  The main ones were: [[Roman Catholic Church]], [[Czechoslovak National Church]], [[Slovak Evangelical Church]], [[Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren]], and [[Uniate Church]]. The majority of inhabitants were Roman Catholic.  There were also a small number of Jews.  After the communist takeover religion was suppressed, even though the constitution allowed freedom of religion.  Between 1948 and 1968, the number of catholic [[priests]] declined by half, and half the remaining clergy were over sixty years of age.<ref>http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+cs0080)</ref>  The communist governments promoted [[atheism]] through the use of harassment and [[propaganda]], and they also promoted it in schools by ordering teachers to attack religion.