In the early-hours conference, at which Hitler demanded abso-
lute Czech submission to his will, it was Göring who threatened
the frail president, declaring that his bombers would appear
over the streets of Prague at dawn otherwise. “The bombs,” he
added menacingly, “will serve as a salutary warning to Britain
and France too.” Hácha signed on the dotted line at : ..
This was fortunate for Göring as the th Airborne Division se-
lected for the actual invasion was grounded by snow at Schön-
walde Air Base. With Göring looming over him like a bronzed
Zeppelin in air-force uniform, Hácha crumpled and shouted
the requisite orders over the phone to Prague, instructing his
troops not to open fire on the Germans.
The invasion operation began at : .. While Hitler
drove in person into Prague, Field Marshal Göring stayed in
Berlin, once again acting as head of state. He phoned the Hun-
garian ambassador about rumors that the Hungarians were
about to march into Slovakia; he promised that if the Poles put
as much as one foot over the Czech frontier, Germany would
evict them; he listened sympathetically when the Polish ambas-
sador complained about Ribbentrop’s inaccessibility at this vital
hour; he fielded the British ambassador’s belated outrage over
Hitler’s action and professed well-feigned surprise that Britain
should get worked up over “such a trifle.” When Hitler re-
turned, Göring took the entire Reich Cabinet to the station to
welcome him.
He did not alter his private opinion that the invasion had
been unnecessary and a mistake. On November , he had di-
rected General Udet to buy up all the machine tools that he
could from Prague, and added the recommendation that the
Reich buy shares in Czech factories so he had evidently had
no inkling then of Hitler’s move. Now he told Udet to go into
Czechoslovakia, inspect their industry, and take what he needed.