Editing Neville Chamberlain (section)

=== September 1938: Munich ===

==== Preliminary meetings ====
Lord Runciman continued his attempts to pressure the Czechoslovak government into concessions. On 7 September there was an altercation involving Sudeten members of the Czechoslovak parliament in the North Moravian city of [[Ostrava]] (''Mährisch-Ostrau'' in German). The Germans made considerable propaganda out of the incident, though the Prague government tried to conciliate them by dismissing Czech police who had been involved. As the tempest grew, Runciman concluded that there was no point in attempting further negotiations until after Hitler's speech. The mission never resumed.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=244–46}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H12486, Vorbereitung Münchener Abkommen, Chamberlain auf dem Flugplatz Oberwiesenfeld.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=British prime minister Neville Chamberlain and German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, 1938|Chamberlain (centre, hat and umbrella in hands) walks with German foreign minister [[Joachim von Ribbentrop]] (right) as the Prime Minister leaves for home after the Berchtesgaden meeting, 16 September 1938. On the left is [[Alexander von Dörnberg]].]]

There was tremendous tension in the final days before Hitler's speech on the last day of the Rally, as Britain, France, and Czechoslovakia all partially mobilised their troops. Thousands gathered outside 10 Downing Street on the night of the speech. At last Hitler addressed his wildly enthusiastic followers:

{{blockquote| The condition of the Sudeten Germans is indescribable. It is sought to annihilate them. As human beings they are oppressed and scandalously treated in an intolerable fashion&nbsp;... The depriving of these people of their rights must come to an end.&nbsp;... I have stated that the "Reich" would not tolerate any further oppression of these three and a half million Germans, and I would ask the statesmen of foreign countries to be convinced that this is no mere form of words.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=263–66}}}}

The following morning, 13 September, Chamberlain and the Cabinet were informed by Secret Service sources that all German embassies had been told that Germany would invade Czechoslovakia on 25 September.{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=277}} Convinced that the French would not fight (Daladier was privately proposing a three-Power summit to settle the Sudeten question), Chamberlain decided to implement "Plan Z" and sent a message to Hitler that he was willing to come to Germany to negotiate. Hitler accepted and Chamberlain flew to Germany on the morning of 15 September; this was the first time, excepting a short jaunt at an industrial fair, that Chamberlain had ever flown. Chamberlain flew to Munich and then travelled by rail to Hitler's retreat at [[Berchtesgaden]], (see [[Berchtesgaden meeting]]).{{sfn|Self|2006|pp=310–12}}

The face-to-face meeting lasted about three hours. Hitler demanded the annexation of the Sudetenland, and through questioning him, Chamberlain was able to obtain assurances that Hitler had no designs on the remainder of Czechoslovakia or on the areas in Eastern Europe which had German minorities. After the meeting Chamberlain returned to London, believing that he had obtained a breathing space during which agreement could be reached and the peace preserved.{{sfn|Self|2006|pp=312–14}} Under the proposals made at Berchtesgaden the Sudetenland would be annexed by Germany if a plebiscite in the Sudetenland favoured it. Czechoslovakia would receive international guarantees of its independence which would replace existing treaty obligations—principally the French pledge to the Czechoslovaks.{{sfn|Smart|2010|p=242}} The French agreed to the requirements. Under considerable pressure the Czechoslovaks also agreed, causing the Czechoslovak government to fall.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=319–24}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H12751, Godesberg, Vorbereitung Münchener Abkommen.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|alt=Chamberlain and Hitler leave the Bad Godesberg meeting, 1938|Chamberlain (left) and Hitler leave the Bad Godesberg meeting, 23 September 1938]]

Chamberlain flew back to Germany, meeting Hitler in [[Bad Godesberg]] on 22 September.{{sfn|Self|2006|p=316}} Hitler brushed aside the proposals of the previous meeting, saying "that won't do any more".{{sfn|Self|2006|p=316}} Hitler demanded immediate occupation of the Sudetenland and that Polish and Hungarian territorial claims on Czechoslovakia be addressed. Chamberlain objected strenuously, telling Hitler that he had worked to bring the French and Czechoslovaks into line with Germany's demands, so much so that he had been accused of giving in to dictators and had been booed on his departure that morning. Hitler was unmoved.{{sfn|Self|2006|p=316}}

That evening, Chamberlain told Lord Halifax that the "meeting with Herr Hitler had been most unsatisfactory".{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=334}} The following day, Hitler kept Chamberlain waiting until mid-afternoon, when he sent a five-page letter, in German, outlining the demands he had made orally the previous day. Chamberlain replied by offering to act as an intermediary with the Czechoslovaks, and suggested that Hitler put his demands in a memorandum which could be circulated to the French and Czechoslovaks.{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=337}}

The leaders met again late on the evening of 23 September—a meeting that stretched into the early morning hours. Hitler demanded that fleeing Czechs in the zones to be occupied take nothing with them. He extended his deadline for occupation of the Sudetenland to 1 October—the date he had long before secretly set for the invasion of Czechoslovakia. The meeting ended amicably, with Chamberlain confiding to Hitler his hopes they would be able to work out other problems in Europe in the same spirit. Hitler hinted that the Sudetenland fulfilled his territorial ambitions in Europe. Chamberlain flew back to London, saying "It is up to the Czechs now."{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=340–42}}

==== Munich conference ====
Hitler's proposals met with resistance not only from the French and Czechoslovaks, but also from some members of Chamberlain's cabinet. With no agreement in sight, war seemed inevitable.{{sfn|Self|2006|pp=318–20}} Chamberlain issued a press statement calling on Germany to abandon the threat of force in exchange for British help in obtaining the concessions it sought.{{sfn|Self|2006|p=321}} On the evening of 27 September, Chamberlain addressed the nation by radio, and after thanking those who wrote to him, stated:

{{blockquote
| How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing. It seems still more impossible that a quarrel that has already been settled in principle should be the subject of war.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=375–76}}
}}

On 28 September, Chamberlain called on Hitler to invite him to Germany again to seek a solution through a summit involving the British, French, Germans, and Italians.{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=382}} Hitler replied favourably, and word of this response came to Chamberlain as he was winding up a speech in the House of Commons which sat in gloomy anticipation of war. Chamberlain informed the House of this in his speech.{{sfn|Self|2006|p=323}} The response was a passionate demonstration, with members cheering Chamberlain wildly. Even diplomats in the galleries applauded. Lord Dunglass later commented, "There were a lot of appeasers in Parliament that day."{{sfn|Self|2006|p=323}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R69173, Münchener Abkommen, Staatschefs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left|alt=Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini, and Italian foreign minister Count Ciano as they prepared to sign the Munich Agreement|From left to right, Chamberlain, Daladier, Hitler, Mussolini and Italian foreign minister Count [[Galeazzo Ciano]] as they prepare to sign the [[Munich Agreement]]]]

On the morning of 29 September Chamberlain left [[Heston Aerodrome]] (to the east of today's [[Heathrow Airport]]) for his third and final visit to Germany.{{sfn|Self|2006|p=324}} On arrival in Munich the British delegation was taken directly to the ''[[Führerbau]]'', where Daladier, Mussolini, and Hitler soon arrived. The four leaders and their translators held an informal meeting; Hitler said that he intended to invade Czechoslovakia on 1 October. Mussolini distributed a proposal similar to Hitler's Bad Godesberg terms. In reality, the proposal had been drafted by German officials and transmitted to Rome the previous day. The four leaders debated the draft and Chamberlain raised the question of compensation for the Czechoslovak government and citizens, but Hitler refused to consider this.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=403–07}}

The leaders were joined by advisors after lunch, and hours were spent on long discussions of each clause of the "Italian" draft agreement. Late that evening the British and French left for their hotels, saying that they had to seek advice from their respective capitals. Meanwhile, the Germans and Italians enjoyed the feast which Hitler had intended for all the participants. During this break, Chamberlain advisor Horace Wilson met with the Czechoslovaks; he informed them of the draft agreement and asked which districts were particularly important to them.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=407–10}} The conference resumed at about 10&nbsp;pm and was mostly in the hands of a small drafting committee. At 1:30&nbsp;am the [[Munich Agreement]] was ready for signing, though the signing ceremony was delayed when Hitler discovered that the ornate inkwell on his desk was empty.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=410–11}}

Chamberlain and Daladier returned to their hotel and informed the Czechoslovaks of the agreement. The two prime ministers urged quick acceptance by the Czechoslovaks of the agreement, since the evacuation by the Czechs was to begin the following day. At 12:30&nbsp;pm the Czechoslovak government in Prague objected to the decision but agreed to its terms.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=413–14}}

==== Aftermath and reception ====
[[File:MunichAgreement.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=A large crowd on an airfield; British prime minister Neville Chamberlain presents an assurance from German chancellor Adolf Hitler.|Chamberlain holding up the paper signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from [[Munich]] to [[Heston Aerodrome]].]]
{{listen
| filename = Another talk with the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler.ogg
| title = Chamberlain's return to Britain after Munich
| description = Neville Chamberlain speaks to the crowd upon arrival at Heston Aerodrome, 30 September 1938.
}}

Before leaving the ''Führerbau'', Chamberlain requested a private conference with Hitler. Hitler agreed, and the two met at Hitler's apartment in the city later that morning. Chamberlain urged restraint in the implementation of the agreement and requested that the Germans not bomb Prague if the Czechs resisted, to which Hitler seemed agreeable. Chamberlain took from his pocket a paper headed "Anglo–German Agreement", which contained three paragraphs, including a statement that the two nations considered the Munich Agreement "symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war again." According to Chamberlain, Hitler interjected "''Ja! Ja!''" ("Yes! Yes!").{{sfn|Self|2006|pp=324–25}} The two men signed the paper then and there. When, later that day, German foreign minister [[Joachim von Ribbentrop]] remonstrated with Hitler for signing it, the Führer replied, "Oh, don't take it so seriously. That piece of paper is of no further significance whatever."{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=417}} Chamberlain, on the other hand, patted his breast pocket when he returned to his hotel for lunch and said, "I've got it!"{{sfn|Self|2006|p=325}} Word leaked of the outcome of the meetings before Chamberlain's return, causing delight among many in London but gloom for Churchill and his supporters.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=417–18}}

Chamberlain returned to London in triumph. Large crowds mobbed Heston, where he was met by the [[Lord Chamberlain]], [[George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon|the Earl of Clarendon]], who gave him a letter from [[King George VI]] assuring him of the Empire's lasting gratitude and urging him to come straight to [[Buckingham Palace]] to report.{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=5}} The streets were so packed with cheering people that it took Chamberlain an hour and a half to journey the {{convert|9|mi|km|spell=in}} from Heston to the Palace. After reporting to the King, Chamberlain and his wife appeared on the Palace balcony with the King and [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen]]. He then went to Downing Street; both the street and the front hall of Number 10 were packed.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=5–7}} As he headed upstairs to address the crowd from a first-floor window, someone called to him, "Neville, go up to the window and say 'peace for our time'."{{efn|name=Peace in our time}} Chamberlain turned around and responded, "No, I don't do that sort of thing."{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=5–7}} Nevertheless, in his statement to the crowd, Chamberlain recalled the words of his predecessor, [[Benjamin Disraeli]], upon the latter's return from the [[Congress of Berlin]]:{{efn|name=Disraeli peace}}

{{blockquote| My good friends, this is the second time there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is [[peace for our time]]. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now I recommend you go home, and sleep quietly in your beds.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=5–7}}}}

King George issued a statement to his people, "After the magnificent efforts of the Prime Minister in the cause of peace it is my fervent hope that a new era of friendship and prosperity may be dawning among the peoples of the world."{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=420}} When the King met Duff Cooper, who resigned as First Lord of the Admiralty over the Munich Agreement, he told Cooper that he respected people who had the courage of their convictions, but could not agree with him.{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=420}} He wrote to his mother, [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]], that "the Prime Minister was delighted with the results of his mission, as are we all."{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=6}} She responded to her son with anger against those who spoke against Chamberlain: "He brought home peace, why can't they be grateful?"{{sfn|Faber|2008|p=420}} Most newspapers supported Chamberlain uncritically, and he received thousands of gifts, from a silver dinner service to many of his trademark umbrellas.{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=420–21}}

The Commons discussed the Munich Agreement on 3 October. Though Cooper opened by setting forth the reasons for his resignation{{sfn|Self|2006|p=330}} and Churchill spoke harshly against the pact, no Conservative voted against the government. Only between 20 and 30 abstained, including Churchill, Eden, Cooper, and [[Harold Macmillan]].{{sfn|Faber|2008|pp=424–25}}