Adolf Hitler, defeated Nazi dictator and leader of the Third Reich, regretted his September 1938 deal with Neville Chamberlain (British Prime Minister).
France and Italy also signed the Munich Agreement. They ceded the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia, then Czechoslovakia, to Hitler. This was in hopes of avoiding a European-wide conflict.
But the deal also destroyed Hitler’s plans, because he had been preparing to use the issue of the Sudetenland – which had been taken from Germany in the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War – as a justification for war.
He was forced to hold his ground by the pact and became so angry that he claimed that he told Chamberlain, shortly after Chamberlain returned to Britain, that ‘if that stupid old man ever comes in interfering with this place again with his umbrella I’ll kick it downstairs and jump onto his stomach before the photographers.
Chamberlain later told the British people that he thought it was peace in our time, but Hitler trampled on the agreement the next year. He annexed all of Czechoslovakia to his empire in March and invaded Poland in September.
The last act of aggression was what finally broke the resolve even for peace-loving Chamberlain who, on September 3, declared war against Germany.
Chamberlain, who tried to appease Hitler by negotiating a deal with him that failed spectacularly, was mocked domestically and his name remains synonymous with toxic appeasement policies.
Now, upcoming Netflix drama Munich – The Edge of War, which is an adaptation of a novel by English historical fiction writer Robert Harris, paints Chamberlain in a more sympathetic light.
On Thursday, Harris spoke exclusively to MailOnline ahead of the release date for the film in January. He stated that, although it was convenient to make a scapegoat out of Chamberlain but the delay caused by his Munich Agreement allowed Britain to regroup and prepare for the eventual conflict.
Chamberlain, according to him, left Britain “quite strongly protected” with hundreds of Spitfires and backup from the Radar air defense system. He resigned in May 1939 as Prime Minister.
The deal that Adolf Hitler made with Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister in September 1938 was regrettable. Hitler shot himself April 30, 1945. France and Italy signed the Munich Agreement. It gave Hitler the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, then Czechoslovakia, as a concession to stop Europe from becoming a world-wide conflict. Chamberlain holding an umbrella, as he talks to Hitler at Munich.
Hitler became so angry that he claimed that Chamberlain told him, shortly after Chamberlain returned to Britain, that if Chamberlain came back with an umbrella again, he would kick Chamberlain downstairs and get on the photographer’s stomach. Above: Chamberlain posing for a picture in September 1938
Now, upcoming Netflix drama Munich – The Edge of War, which is an adaptation of a novel by English historical fiction writer Robert Harris, paints Chamberlain in a more sympathetic light. Above: Jeremy Irons plays Chamberlain alongside Hitler, Benito Mussolini (Italian dictator) and the French PM Daladier
The drama was set in the days leading up to the Munich Agreement signing. It stars Jeremy Irons playing Chamberlain, and George Mackay portraying Hugh Legat, his fictional civil servant aide.
Legat, his friend Paul von Hartman (Jannis niehwohner), is a German diplomat who travels to Munich for the conference. They end up getting ensnared in a web political subterfuge.
Hitler, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the then French prime minister Édouard Daladier are all depicted in both the novel – which is just called Munich – and the new Netflix drama.
This month’s trailer shows von Hartman’s terrifying encounter with Hitler. He demands, “Where are you going?” He tries to walk out of the dining hall at formal dinner.
Film also recreates meetings among world leaders, such as the moment Hitler, Chamberlain and Mussolini pose for a photograph together.
Harris stated that his opinion on the agreement was that Hitler was lying and that he got all he wanted without firing a gun from this weak-appeasing Prime Minister.
“In fact, history strongly suggests that Hitler wanted Czechoslovakia to be invaded. He didn’t want just the Sudetenland; he wanted Czechoslovakia to end.
Chamberlain had told the British public that after the Munich Agreement was signed, he thought it was peace for our times. Hitler, on the other hand, was not pleased with the agreement and annexed Czechoslovakia to his territory in March. Then he invaded Poland on September 1.
Exclusively speaking to MailOnline Thursday, ahead of the film’s January release, Harris stated that while it’s a convenient way to make fun of Chamberlain’s actions, Britain was able to raise its defenses for the conflict by using the time he brought to war through his clever Munich Agreement. Right: Cover of Harris’ 2017 novel Munich
“He was making demands that Chamberlain could not meet.”
He claimed that Hitler had been left “very angry” by the agreement and continued to insist until his death, weeks later, that Germany should have entered war in September 1938.
The novel by Mr Harris features Hitler’s desperate declaration in February 1945 when he stated that if we had not gone to war in 38, then September 1938 would have been most favorable.
The Sudetenland was a large population of Germans. Many Brits did not have any issues with Germany taking over the territory.
This meant that if Britain had opted to go to war instead of striking the Munich deal that gave Germany the Sudetenland it would have been much more difficult for Chamberlain to convince the British that this was right.
Against this backdrop, the overwhelming support for Britain’s declaration of war on September 1939 following Germany’s invasion in Poland was overwhelming.
The new Netflix drama is set in the days leading up to the Munich Agreement signing. It stars George Mackay as Hugh Legat, a fictional civil servant. Legat, along with Paul von Hartman (Jannis niehwohner), his German diplomat friend, arrive in Munich to attend the conference. However they end up caught up in an intricate web of political subterfuge.
Mr Harris said: ‘Chamberlain’s policy was a failure, he said everything he believed in was in ruins. It was noble in many ways, and quite a smart one.” Above: Jeremy Irons (chamberlain), giving a speech to the House of Commons
“So it’s not just that” [the Munich Agreement]It gave us enough time to equip our air force with the spitfires, and the radar defense that saved us.
“And, also, we had in 1939 the support of the empire and Canada, and Australia, and that we wouldn’t have had had we tried to fight September 1938. Britain would be on its own.
He said, “I understand why everybody has placed so much blame upon Chamberlain. It is very convenient,” he continued.
The policy of Chamberlain was an utter failure. He said that everything he believed was gone. The effort was noble in many aspects and very shrewd.
“What is the use of repeating the same story?” Churchill was aware that Chamberlain needed to look terrible in order for him to appear good.
The country was strongly protected by ‘Chamberlain. After guaranteeing Poland, he did declare war upon Hitler.
“It is important that a country doesn’t just repeat the comforting stories, but also looks at the reality.
Winston Churchill, Chamberlain’s PM replacement, was one the most vocal critics of Chamberlain’s appeasement strategy.
Neville Chamberlain is greeted by Adolf Hitler at Munich, September 1938. Chamberlain believed that a peace agreement with Hitler would prevent war.
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hilter meet at Berchtesgaden in Germany.
Churchill advised him after he hailed 1938’s success of the Munich Agreement, that he could choose between war and dishonour and because he chose the former, he would have to go to war.
Chamberlain’s fall as PM was caused by the defeat of the Allied campaign against Hitler’s rampaging troops.
Chamberlain, who was still the leader of the Conservative Party when Churchill took control in Downing Street in May 10th, resigned as Lord President of Council and assumed the role of his rival in the War Cabinet’s War Cabinet.
His continued presence in Government led to attacks by both Labour and Liberal Party who wanted him out of frontline politics.
Fierce criticism came from the press, with a polemic titled Guilty Men –written by a trio of journalists which included future Labour leader Michael Foot – selling more than 200,000 copies.
Chamberlain’s government was accused of not being prepared for war with Germany.
Chamberlain, as well as other ministers, were to be fired from their positions.
However, in July 1940 the critics had their say. When surgeons realized that Chamberlain had terminal intestinal cancer, they were able to answer all of their questions.
Chamberlain had to leave the Government after he suffered from severe back pain.
While his resignation as Lord-President of the Council was effective October 3, it had been announced by Churchill in September, that he would be stepping down.
On November 9, Chamberlain died and Churchill paid tribute in the House of Commons.