NO RESISTANCE BY CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22661, 16 March 1939, Page 11

NO RESISTANCE BY CZECHOSLOVAKIA

“Taken Under Protection

Of Reich”

HITLER SATISFIED ON ALL POINTS France Holds Herself Not Bound to Intervene i (tTKITKD PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received March 16, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 15. The German forces entered Prague at 9.20 a.m. G.M.T. The Prague radio station announced at 5 a.m., G.M.T., that German troops had begun to occupy Czech territory. The British United Press correspondent in Vienna said that German troops occupied Pilsen. The Prague wireless stated that the Czech army would be disarmed as the Germans met them. Appeals were broadcast every 15 minutes that the Czech army should not resist the German occupation, and adding:; “Arms must be surrendered without hesitation.” An official Czech statement in Prague announced that the German advance must nowhere be resisted. Otherwise it would cause most unforeseen consequences , leading to the intervention becoming utterly brutal, “All commanders must obey the orders of the occupying army. The Czech army will be disarmed. Military and civil aeroplanes must remain at aerodromes , and none must attempt to take the air. Prague will be occupied at 6.30 a.m” The conversations in Berlin between Herr Hitler and Dr. Hacha (president of Czechoslovakia) ended at 3.5 a.m. Dr. Hacha was very grave as he drove away to his hotel. He declined to make a statement. It was believed that Germany received full satisfaction on all points. The German newspapers, which normally appear at 1.30 a.m., were not published until 6 a.m. An official communique issued later says; “Herr Hitler has taken the Czech people under the protection of the German Reich. The autonomous development of Czech national life will be guaranteed by the German Reich. An agreement along these lines has been signed by Herr Hitler , Dr. Hacha , Herr von Ribbentrop , and the Czech Foreign Minister , M. Chvalkov ■ sky. In order to reach final appeasement Dr. Hacha placed the fate of the Czech people and land trustingly in the hands of the Ruhrer, and the Ruhrer accepted this.” A message from Paris says that a Foreign Office spokesman emphasised that France’s vital interests were not involved. She did not consider that the Munich guarantees bound her to prevent the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, because the dispute was internal.