When Did it First Become Apparent That Hitler Was Intent on Invading Czechoslovakia?

The Short Answer: As soon as the Anschluss with Austria was accomplished in March 1938.

In geographical/political terms, Czechoslovakia was the next most likely target for the expansion of Nazi Germany. However, this move against Czechoslovakia had been proclaimed even before that. On February 20, 1938, Hitler had broadcasted that: "Over ten million Germans live in two of the states adjoining our frontiers: Austria and Czechoslovakia. It is intolerable that a self-respecting world power should know that across the frontier there are kinsmen who have to suffer severe persecution simply because of their sympathy, their feeling for union with Germany…" (source: Nazi Germany Propaganda).

The Longer Answer:

The Sudetenland, which had a German-speaking community along the border with Germany, offered Hitler a perfect "political" reason for demanding its "reunification" with the Third Reich. This aligns with one of Hitler's ideological principles: the principle of self-determination of all peoples based on any national, ethnic, linguistic, or cultural heritage. This concept borrows somewhat from the idea proposed by Woodrow Wilson during the First World War.

After the Anschluss, the threat to Czechoslovakia was recognized immediately in France. The French President Daladier insisted that the peace of Europe could only be maintained if Britain and France supported the independence of all existing states, including Czechoslovakia. This position aligned closely with the principles of the League of Nations' mandate system which aimed to ensure the independence and integrity of small states.

However, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, like his French counterpart, mishandled the situation. Chamberlain believed that whatever possible German threat to Czechoslovakia might be, it could be solved by pressuring the Czechs into granting the German demands. This approach, while initially well-intentioned, ultimately proved to be ineffective and misguided.

Conclusion:

After the Anschluss, Western "powers" recognized that Czechoslovakia was the next target for Nazi Germany. France had an existing treaty with Czechoslovakia, while Britain lacked such a treaty. However, France would not fight without British support, and that support was sadly not forthcoming.

Czechoslovakia, a democracy created after the Great War by the "Great" Democracies—Britain, France, and the US—was abandoned when it was threatened. Humane principles were proven to bow before inhumane power in the face of Adolf Hitler's expansionism. This stark reality raises significant questions about the effectiveness and resolve of Western democracies in upholding their values and principles.

For Further Information:

For a deeper understanding of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia and its willingness to fight Nazi Germany, please refer to an earlier post: What was the last point where Hitler could realistically have been pressured into backing down?

Recommended Reading:

Caquet, P. E. The Bell of Treason: the 1938 Munich Agreement in Czechoslovakia. Other Press, 2018.