Crimea’s controversial referendum on joining Russia has reminded some observers of previous acts of aggression in Europe.
Some commentators are drawing parallels with other countries where an ethnic minority’s interests were once backed by a powerful neighbor, with far-reaching consequences. Adolf Hitler’s plebiscite in the Sudetenland is often mentioned in this connection.
The Sudetenland was the name for northern, southwest, and western areas of pre-war Czechoslovakia, which were inhabited mostly by German speakers.
Photo: EPA
照片:歐新社
The Sudeten crisis began in February 1938 when Hitler demanded self-determination for all Germans in Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Then came the Munich conference, at which Britain and France, in an attempt to appease Nazi Germany, gave the Sudetenland to Germany.
Hitler sent his troops into the Sudetenland in October 1938, and before long Europe was plunged into World War Two.
Writing in the Washington Post, former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, who remains bitter about the war with Russia in 2008, said ”Many in the West are talking about the need to reach some kind of compromise with Russia, an option that smacks of Munich 80 years ago.”
(Liberty Times)
克里米亞爭議性的加入俄羅斯公投,讓一些觀察家想起過去歐洲發生的侵略行動。
一些評論家對照其他國家曾有少數族裔利益受強大鄰國支持,卻帶來深遠影響的例子。在這一點上,希特勒的蘇台德地區公投自決就常被提到。
蘇台德地區原是戰前捷克斯洛伐克北部、西南和西部區域之名,當時大多數是德語人口。
蘇台德危機始於一九三八年二月,希特勒要求讓奧地利和捷克斯洛伐克的日耳曼人自決。
但後來召開慕尼黑會議,會中英國和法國割讓蘇台德給德國,以安撫納粹德國。
一九三八年十月希特勒派兵進入蘇台德,不久後歐洲就被捲入第二次世界大戰。
仍為二零零八年與俄羅斯戰爭心痛的前喬治亞總統薩亞卡希維利,在《華盛頓郵報》撰文寫道:「西方許多人談論與俄羅斯妥協的必要性,這個選項有八十年前慕尼黑會議的味道。」
(自由時報/翻譯:管淑平)
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