Extracts from the Minute of the conversation between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden (FO 371/21738)
Transcript
I was then going on to some further questions on the subject when he said: “But all this seems to be academic; I want to get down to realities. Three hundred Sudetens have been killed and things of that kind cannot go on; the thing has got to be settled at once: I am determined to settle it: I do not care whether there is a world war or not: I am determined to settle it and to settle it soon and I am prepared to risk a world war rather than allow this to drag on.”
To that I replied: “If the Fuehrer is determined to settle this matter by force without waiting even for a discussion between ourselves to take place what did he let me come here for? I have wasted my time.
2. These three sources are extracts from the minutes of the conversation between Chamberlain and Hitler at Berchtesgaden.
Look at Source 2a. Write a summary of this part of the meeting by adding one sentence to each of these three starters:
- Hitler said: “…”
- Chamberlain queried: “…”
- Hitler replied: “…”
Look at Source 2b
- What threat does Hitler make here?
- How does Chamberlain respond?
Look at Source 2c
- What does Chamberlain suggest to Hitler?
- Sudetenland was part of Czechoslovakia. No Czech representative was present at this meeting. Did Chamberlain have the right to make this offer?
Hitler was capable of being charming, of lying and of bullying. Find examples of all three of these aspects of his personality in all three sources.