The Czech Lands during World War II (1938 – 1945)

What about the Czech lands during World War II? During World War II, the Czech lands, which included the territories of Bohemia, Moravia, and parts of Silesia, were occupied by Nazi Germany from 1939 to 1945. This period of Czech history is often referred to as the “Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia“ and was characterized by brutal repression, persecution of Jews and other minorities, and resistance against the occupiers. In March 1939, Nazi Germany violated the Munich Agreement by invading and occupying the Czech lands, which had been promised autonomy in exchange for surrendering the Sudetenland to Germany. The Czech government was dissolved, and the country was placed under the control of a Nazi administration, headed by Reichsprotektor Konstantin von Neurath. The occupation was characterized by brutal repression and persecution of Czechs, Jews, and other minorities. The Nazi regime implemented policies of forced labor, imprisonment, and extermination of those deemed undesirable, including Jews, Romani people, homosexuals, and political dissidents. Despite the dangers, many Czechs engaged in resistance against the occupiers. Resistance efforts included sabotage, propaganda, and assassination attempts against high-ranking Nazi officials. One notable example was the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich by Czech resistance fighters in 1942. The end of the war brought liberation for the Czech lands, but also considerable damage and loss of life. The country was liberated by Soviet troops in May 1945, and the Soviet Union installed a pro-communist government. The post-war period was marked by political turmoil and the establishment of a communist regime, which lasted until the Velvet Revolution of 1989. SUPPORT ME ON PATREON ► SUPPORT ME ON PAYPAL ► SUBSCRIBE ► INSTAGRAM ► FACEBOOK ► TWITTER ► SOURCES – The Vanquished. Why the First World War Failed to End, 1917-1923 (Robert Gerwarth). – Foreign Legions of the Third Reich Volume 3 (David Littlejohn). – The History of the Czech Republic and Slovakia (William Mahoney). – A History of the Czech Lands (Jaroslav Pánek & Oldřich Tůma). IMAGES Images from . VIDEO Video material from: Reinhard Heydrich zastupujícím říšským protektorem Květnová revoluce v Praze 1945 PRAGUE UPRISING 1945 “Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use“ for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.“ MUSIC “The Descent“ Kevin MacLeod () Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License “Constancy Part One“ Kevin MacLeod () Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License “Crossing the Chasm“ Kevin MacLeod () Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License SOUNDS . E-MAIL historyhustle[at]