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2009-06-22 Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Lessons from the Sudetenland by Benjamin Netanyahu

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Posted by Besoeker 2009-06-22 08:19|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 If the only history you have is from the day you become sentient or largely mythology then there is nothing to learn from.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-06-22 09:11|| 2009-06-22 09:11|| Front Page Top

#2 It's interesting to note that already in 1938 Hitler was in disagreement with his generals. Netanyahu is quoting from the Churchill Memoirs when it comes to the fortresses of the Sudetenland.

The German Wehrmacht was certainly happy with Munich, but Hitler was not. He wanted war in 1938.

Had he started a war against Czechoslovakia in 1938 that would have incurred heavy losses on the German side, this could have meant a putsch because there were many important people in the German Wehrmacht who despised him and thought his war plans crazy.

But Munich pretty much capped their knees.

Posted by European Conservative 2009-06-22 11:49|| 2009-06-22 11:49|| Front Page Top

#3 Another thing:

Hitler later said that he lost respect of his enemies after he had seen them in Munich.

That was not the case before Munich

Posted by European Conservative 2009-06-22 11:52|| 2009-06-22 11:52|| Front Page Top

#4 Interesting. I didn't know the background behind the Sudetenland and how critical it was.

Amazing what you learn at Rantburg U.

Posted by CrazyFool 2009-06-22 13:51|| 2009-06-22 13:51|| Front Page Top

#5 EC didn't point out that the Czech 38t tank production was taken over by the Germans, superior to the majority of the existing German Pz I's and II's of the time. That tank would aid immeasurably in the German blitz across the French frontier in 1940.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-06-22 15:28|| 2009-06-22 15:28|| Front Page Top

#6 Actually it would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the Czechs ignored Munich (where they weren't invited, which was shameful in itself).

Of course, Britain and France failed to react to the Rhineland remilitarization in 1936. That was the time to finish off the Nazis

Posted by European Conservative 2009-06-22 15:35|| 2009-06-22 15:35|| Front Page Top

#7 The western part of Czechoslovakia was Sudeten and large-majority German. The Czech government couldn't ignore that. Carving off the Sudetenland left the rest of the republic unable to defend itself.

Posted by Steve White 2009-06-22 15:43|| 2009-06-22 15:43|| Front Page Top

#8 I myself have a Czech VZ-24 rifle. This Mauser clone was built by the Czechs to defend their country, and they did not spare any expense with regards to materials or workmanship. A rifle like this would go for a couple thousand today, but I picked mine up for less than a hundred. Never issued due to the betrayal, it sat in an armory for 60 years before being dumped on the American market. A living reminder.

Posted by gromky 2009-06-22 15:49|| 2009-06-22 15:49|| Front Page Top

#9 @Steve White

I meant resisting the occupation of the Sudetenland which they had every right to do since France and Britain had no right to give it away.

Actually France and Britain very much acted like the West today, feeling somewhat "guilty" that the St Germain Treaty had denied the German people in the Sudetenland (formerly Austrian-Hungarian Empire their right of self determination, which had split up Europe in 1919.

But the German Sudeten had the same rights as the Czechs, they were not suppressed at all.

Posted by European Conservative 2009-06-22 15:58|| 2009-06-22 15:58|| Front Page Top

#10 #8 I myself have a Czech VZ-24 rifle.

There will soon be coming a....Verordnung über Waffenbesitz im besetzen Gebiet. For those who have not previously made full disclosures, types, calibers, manufacturers and serial numbers!!! Czech VZ-24 collectors to the front of the line please! We have read your postings already.

Posted by OPSEC 2009-06-22 17:51|| 2009-06-22 17:51|| Front Page Top

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