Jozef Tiso - Czechoslovakia Dismantled

Czechoslovakia Dismantled

In October 1938, Nazi Germany annexed and occupied the Sudetenland, the German-speaking parts of Czechoslovakia. Afterwards, the Slovaks declared their autonomy within Czechoslovakia and Tiso, as leader of the Slovak People's Party, became premier of the autonomous Slovak region. In November 1938, Hungary, having never really accepted the separation of Slovakia from its control in 1918, took advantage of the situation and persuaded Germany and Italy to cede one third of Slovak territory to Hungary in the Vienna Award. In the same month, all Czech or Slovak political parties in Slovakia (except for the Communists) voluntarily joined forces and set up the "Party of Slovak National Unity", which created the basis for the future authoritarian regime in Slovakia. In January 1939, the Slovak government prohibited all parties apart from the Party of Slovak National Unity and two parties of minority populations, the "German Party" and the "Unified Hungarian Party".

As part of their aim to dismantle the remaining Czechoslovakian state, German representatives in February 1939 tried to persuade Tiso to declare Slovakia independent, but Tiso refused. Such attempts continued after Czech troops had occupied Slovakia and forced Tiso out of office on 9 March 1939. Finally, Tiso was invited to Berlin on 13 March 1939, where Hitler threatened him to immediately declare independence "under German protection" or Germany would allow Hungary (and partly Poland) to annex the remaining territory of Slovakia. Under these circumstances, Tiso spoke by phone to Emil Hácha, President of Czechoslovakia, and Karol Sidor, Prime Minister of Slovakia. Both agreed to convene the Slovak parliament the next day. On March 14, the Slovak parliament unanimously declared the independence of Slovakia. On March 15, after coercing Hacha to ask for German protection, Germany occupied Czechia as well. After independence, Slovakia remained largely a German puppet state.