History 27/02/20 As the Slovaks wanted to be part of the Soviet Union
In the Czechoslovak Republic formed in 1918 on the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, carried out a systematic policy of assimilation of the Slovaks. The official ideology insisted that the Czechs and Slovaks are one people. National differences between them were ignored, the only official language everywhere was a Czech. All this caused discontent of the Slovaks.
Desirable, but fictitious independence
the division of Czechoslovakia by Hitler in 1938-1939, was met with enthusiasm among a significant part of the Slovaks. 15 March 1939 in Bratislava was proclaimed the independence of Slovakia.
However, this “independence” of Slovakia had to pay a ceding of part of its territory of Hungary and entry into vassalage to Nazi Germany. Hitler demanded payment of tribute blood, and Slovakia had to put army contingent to participate in the war against the Soviet Union. Dissatisfaction with these “allied relations” grew, and when the red army approached to the borders of Slovakia 29 August 1944, largely spontaneously started the Slovak national uprising.
the Massive force of the uprising have become part of the regular Slovak army and its political leadership from the very beginning were the representatives of various parties and not just some Communists. More remarkable that in Slovakia was a strong sentiment directed towards the establishment of the state Union with the Soviet Union, not with the Czech Republic.
the Official position of Stalin, confirmed by treaties with the allies and the Czechoslovak emigre government E. Benes, was clear: the restoration of a unified Czechoslovak Republic (Czechoslovak Republic). The Slovak national Council for the leadership of the uprising, came out of hiding on 1 September, also declared the restoration of the Czechoslovak Republic.
the Minister of war offered his services to Stalin
However, the uprising was preceded by lubpetnie political maneuvers. The war Minister of Slovakia Ferdinand Catlos in early August, transported through the Slovak Communists offer Moscow. Chatlos were taken to organize the forces of the army of the anti-Nazi coup. In return, the Soviet Union had to recognize the independence of Slovakia, and not to insist on joining her after the war in the Czechoslovak Republic. Carlos claimed that Slovakia would always be in close political and military Alliance with the Soviet Union. Chatlos informed about their contacts the head of the Pro-Nazi government of Slovakia Jozef Tiso and tried to interest him in his plan. But Tiso rejected him, though not sent a Minister to resign. In Moscow the Memorandum Callosa was rejected.
However Chatlos, instead of, as it put him in position to cooperate with the Germans and engaged in the suppression of the uprising, September 2, surrendered to the rebels. September 13, at his request, he was taken to Moscow. In Moscow, however, said that “don’t need the services of quislings”, and put the Minister in the Butyrka prison. After the war Callosa was tried in Czechoslovakia and sentenced to five years in prison (however, in 1948, he was released early). Chatlos, compared with Tiso, got off easy. The head of Pro-Nazi Slovakia, the Americans after the war gave Benes. Tiso was executed in 1947.
Curious, as would happen, if Stalin had accepted the offer Callosa? After the Red army failed to assist a Slovak uprising, in which participated not all forces of the Slovak army (most of it just went home), meeting fierce resistance of the Germans in the Carpathian passes, and by the end of 1944, the uprising was largely suppressed. And if the head of the rebellion from the outset was the war Minister? It could be similar to how the allies of Germany in August 1944 thanks to the coup disappeared Romania, and the entry of Soviet troops into this country was a triumphal procession. But to repeat this in Slovakia failed.
Slovak SSR?
Many representatives of the left forces, including non-Communists, feared that after the restoration of a United Czechoslovakia will resume their former oppression of the Slovak language. The Slovaks will not be able to advance to the state elite, Slovakia will not provide the offline status, it will be targeted to maintain backward agrarian outskirts of the country. In the Slovak national Council was very disappointed that the proposals Callosa met in Moscow a positive response.
the information that the leadership of the Communist party of Slovakia, headed by Gustav Husak in September 1944, sent to Moscow, said that the mass sentiments of the Slovaks are not conducive to the slogan of the restoration of Czechoslovakia. Was put forward two options for the post-war solution of the issue about the political system. The first unified Czechoslovakia joins the Soviet Union (in the Memorandum spoke of “the unification of Czechoslovakia with Russia”). If this is not possible, the Soviet leadership proposed to consider separately the adoption of Slovakia into the Soviet Union as a Union Republic.
the popularity of the idea of accession of Slovakia to the Soviet Union tells the following fact. In October 1944, liberated by the rebels opened a conference of trade unions. Husak, is obliged to carry out Stalin’s line, gave a speech about the restoration of the unity of the Czechoslovak Republic. She was greeted with cries of objecting that, in contrast to the speech of the leader of the Communists was met with applause.
it is Noteworthy that following Stalin’s line on the preservation of a unified Czechoslovakia did not save the goose after the war the repression by the Czech Communists. In 1950, husák was accused of “Slovak nationalism”, and in 1954 sentenced to life imprisonment. Only in 1960, he was released and rehabilitated, and in 1969, after part of Czechoslovakia was finally formed, the Slovak Republic, became the head of Czechoslovakia.
the Positive reaction to the aspirations of the Slovaks could aggravate relations between Stalin and the Western allies, as well as to generate a strong anti-Soviet sentiments among Czechs. Therefore, there is a version that Stalin was in no hurry to attack their troops to give the Germans an opportunity to defeat of the Slovak uprising and not to have then problems with the inclusion of Slovakia in the common Czechoslovakia.
Yaroslav Butakov
Source:
© Russian Seven
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