Czechoslovak goverment in exile

Czechoslovak Government in Exile Author's Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Assignment Due Date Introduction As World War I ended, the state of Czechoslovakia emerged due to the demise of the Austria-Hungary Empire. It mainly consisted of Czech and Slovak people, who had shared common ground because of language, ethnicity, and cultural values. They also included members of the Czechoslovak Legions from Italy and France. This region was of the utmost importance because it held a key position as the continent's center, connecting many countries and their trade routes. Many cultures and traditions crossed each other in this region, and economically, the land also held a vital value because it connected all of Europe. Their army was strong and modern, equipped with the latest arms and machinery. Before the advent of World War II, they fought in trivial wars to stabilize their position in the continent, which included fighting with Hungary for border control and with Poland to secure the Trans-Olza region (Crampton et al., 2002). However, when World War II started, and the Germans rose to power under the lead of Adolf Hitler, they began to seize Czechoslovakia together with other countries such as Poland, Yugoslavia, Norway, and many others. The Czechoslovakian army faced a harrowing defeat from the Germans and ultimately had to hand over the state of Czechoslovakia to the German military. While the Czechoslovakians were busy resisting the Germans, the British and French devised the Munich Agreement. This agreement enabled the Germans to seize Czechoslovakia in exchange for concluding the war. While the Germans did sign the deal, they did not follow it and eventually invaded Czechoslovakia completely (McLoughlin et al., 2008). Czechoslovakian army was entirely demobilized, and they ceased to have the right to defend themselves. Subsequently, they had to be exiled to London, England, as a last resort to gain ground and stop their army from disbanding completely. This essay focuses on the efforts made by the Czechoslovakian government in exile and the ways in which they struggled to attain liberation in the face of desperation and adversity through their allegiance with the United Kingdom, the establishment of their government as an exiled state in London, and ultimately gained independence through their ties with the Soviet Union. Discussion Members of the Government in Exile Four key members of the Czechoslovakian government in exile played crucial roles in the liberation of Czechoslovakia. Perhaps the most important was Edvard Benes, the former foreign minister of Czechoslovakia and the current president of the government in exile, who had a significant responsibility on his shoulders as the leader of the fallen state of Czechoslovakia. According to the article, although Benes was an excellent administrator with a knowledgeable mind and exceptional leadership skills, he was controversial because of his straightforward attitude, impatience, and ability to rebuke anyone with a different opinion (Mastny et al., 1979). However, he fought for his nation with all his might and did what he thought was right, not considering the future's consequences. In addition to Edvard Benes, Jan Masaryk was an important figure during the London exile. He was the son of the beloved former president of Czechoslovakia, Tomas Masaryk, and he served as the foreign minister of his country during the exile and after the end of World War II. He was a leading spokesman for the government and often addressed the masses during the war. His words greatly reassured the masses and eventually combined into a book called Speaking to My Country, which remains popular. Although Jan Masaryk was Bene's friend and supporter, he often questioned Benes's views on diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union. Masaryk was skeptical about the Czechoslovakian and Soviet friendship and was apprehensive that the Soviets would take over his homeland after the war (Wallace et al., 1990). However, he still paid close attention to the Czechoslovak-Soviet relations and played a vital role as a Foreign Minister in the postwar Czechoslovakia. Jan Sramek, the government's prime minister, was in exile alongside Edvard Benes, who was also an important figure during the London exile. He was also the founder and the first chairman of the Czechoslovak People's Party, the first political party of Czechoslovakia, which would ultimately join hands with a Soviet invasion after World War II ended and let the Soviets seize control of the newly independent Czechoslovakia (Hughes et al., 2013). Another critical member of the exiled government was Frantisk Moravec, the head chief of military intelligence. After the siege of Czechoslovakia, he played a vital role in transporting essential documents of the state from the fallen state to London in complete cognition (Hughes et al., 2013). He also constantly maintained secret contacts with his homeland and helped the anti-Nazi and resistance groups during the war to gain their favor. Formation of Government in London After the Munich agreement was implemented, President Edvard Benes was forced to resign and flee the country. His successor was Emil Hacha, who took office in November 1938 but could not control the deteriorating state of the state and ultimately had to surrender to the Germans. Slovakia withdrew to be reduced to a German territory in March 1939, and just the next day, Germany attacked Bohemia and Moravia and made a territory there. Although Hacha remained in office, he was merely a German puppet government (Crampton et al., 1997). As a result, when Hacha protested about the violation of Czechoslovakian rights, his request was denied because of his affiliation with the Germans. It took nearly two years for the Czechoslovak government-in-exile to get recognition. The Czechoslovakian president, Edvard Benes, fled to France, where he, together with other fallen nations such as Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, and Greece, wanted to join forces with the French government to work together. However, their plan did not succeed because France was to be overtaken by Germany as well (Jakubec et al., 2019). With the advent of World War II, Bene formed a group called the Czechoslovak National Liberation Committee and started its mission of seeking recognition as an exiled government (Crampton et al., 1997). Benes officially became the president of the exiled government, with Jan Sramek as the Prime Minister. According to the Munich Agreement, Czechoslovakia now had no right to defend itself. The army would be disbanded, and no one from there could enter the occupied territories. It was said that Hitler completely reproached Bene's advances for negotiations...