Syllabus
* Programme:
1. The legacy of the past, 1918-38
2. The 'Czechoslovak question' between Munich and the outbreak of war
3. The creation of the Provisional State Apparatus abroad and recognition of its international status, 1939-42 - comparison with Poland and other governments in exile
4. British, American and Soviet plans for post-war settlement in the Central and Eastern Europe
5. The plan for the Polish-Czechoslovak Confederation and its collapse
6. The key foreign policy decisions made in 1943
7. The Sudeten German and other minority issues in exile
8. 'Spheres of influence' and liberation: the case of Czechoslovakia
9. A 'bridge' between East and West? The role of Czechoslovakia in the post-war world in comparison with its neighbours
10. The Marshall Plan, the Cominform and the final division of Europe
11. The Communist takeover in February 1948 and its international repercussions
12. Rethinking Czechoslovakia's drift to the Soviet bloc - questions, alternatives, reconsiderations * Exam:
1) written essay on a selected topic (10-12 pages)
2) oral examination based on student's reading
Annotation
The main goal of this course is to present the specific problem of Czechoslovakia during World War II and the early post-war period in a broader international context of a) Central Europe, and b) Great Powers' interests, policy and diplomacy. It will follow the thorny road to reconstruction of the international status of Czechoslovakia in the initial stage of World War II in comparison with the situation of the other exiled governments.
Then the major foreign policy decisions made by the Czechoslovak Government will be examined, again in the context of British, American and Soviet policies, and possible alternatives sought. Controversial issues such as the Sudeten German issue, the alleged Great Powers' agreement on the 'spheres of influence' and opportunities to escape from the Soviet camp in the short post-war period will also be tackled.