In 1938 Hitler threatened war unless he got a piece of the neighbouring country of Czechoslovakia containing German-speaking ("Sudeten") Czechs. After a tense and complicated series of negotiations in the city of Munich, Hitler secured the acquiescence of Britain and France who told the Czechs that unless they agreed, the western democracies would leave them to their fate. The Sudeten Germans were confided to Hitler's care, and the rest of Czechoslovakia became, for the moment, a quasi-independent German satellite. The Anglo-French policy of "appeasement" had the fervent support of Mackenzie King and of the Canadian high commissioner in London, Vincent Massey, who is shown in this photograph fifth from the right In the front row, close to the British prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, who is about to leave for Germany by plane. Chamberlain's visit to Munich was a great public success. When Chamberlain returned to England, bringing, as he said, "peace in our time," he was greeted by a great burst of congratulation and relief not only in Britain but in Canada as well.
