Czech weaponry production

Ezboard · #1

Ovidius
Veteran Member
Posts: 236
(8/28/01 1:35:01 pm)
Reply
Czech weaponry production
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone,

This may be out of most posters area of interest - it's not about Holocaust, nor about Nuremberg mock-Trials - but anyway:

I would like to know more about the industrial production in Czechoslovakia during WW2. It has been oftly said that Hitler wanted the Czech territory for the factories on it, manned by skilled workers who were extremely necessary for a war industry. The talent of Czech and German Czech designers and workers was obvious for someone who would have seen their pre-WW2 products, like the PzKpfw 38(t) tank - maybe the best light tank of the war - or the brilliant series of aerodynamic cars from Tatra. How good were actually the Czech industrial units? How was the production organized? Were Heydrich's harsh measures necessary or productive? Could the Czechs be made to do more? Were they saboteurs or actually they worked pretty well?

Thanks everyone,

Ovidius

Edited by: Ovidius at: 8/29/01 9:14:58 am

Chris
Visitor
(8/29/01 2:18:53 am)
Reply Skoda
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The most famous of factories was Skoda.
The Czechs built terrific arms,machine guns and so on.The tanks earlier on were considered good,but later on not because of the rivets in them.The more powerfull Soviet guns,produced later on would simply pop them out.After this,because of the state of Germanys war effort,there was not much time to develop new ones.
When the commandoes Jan Kubis and Josef Gabchik and others parachuted into Czech Republic (Bohemia and Moravia)one of their first missions was to aid bombers in targeting a factory.
Heydrich's tough crackdowns...
this prompted a lot of sabotage.Workers in factories would do simple little things to ruin their goods.But there was also a lot of fear.
Good workers or sabouters...
hard to say.They produced excellent stuff.But because they were occupied and so obviously their heart was not in it.Germany could have got a lot more out of the Czechs.
Dont forget,before the war,Czechoslovakia was one of the most prosperous nations in Europe.Some of best industries and one of best militaries,Hitler would have had a hard time invading the place.This is because of the defensive line in west Bohemia,its man made and natural.He could not get tanks through from Poland because of mountains,Austria because of mountains,same if even Slovakia collaborated because their is a huge mountain range dividing the two as well.

Scott Smith 01
Veteran Member
Posts: 318
(8/29/01 10:46:16 am)
Reply
Re: Skoda
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wish I knew more about this subject as well. Hitler was very pleased with the Czech contribution to his war economy and the fine quality of Czech ordnance, though their original stuff was outdated during most of the war. I like their guns myself.

However, I disagree about conquering Czechoslovakia. It might have been difficult for ground troops but don't forget about the Luftwaffe.

The Luftwaffe after Guernica (thanks Senor Picasso!) had an awesome reputation. The choice would have been: do we fight the Germans and run the risk of a guerilla war with the Sudeten Germans and get our cities flattened by the Luftwaffe? Whereupon, the Germans will probaly ultimately win, unless it turns into WWII and the Russians and Poles are "invited" in to fight the Germans. Britain and France cannot be counted upon when/if their own interests are at stake.

The message to Prague would have been clear: accept Herr Hitler's generous terms or it's bombs-away for you. Hitler preferred bloodless coups whenever possible.

Edited by: Scott Smith 01 at: 8/29/01 8:13:23 pm

Lars
Visitor
(8/29/01 10:53:40 am)
Reply Hitler preferred bloodless coups
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course he did. Like any other congueror. It's the defender who makes war. The aggressor don't want war, only the spoils of conquest.

Lars

"Covering my head and ducks quickly out of the way, avoiding flying Spielberg video's..."

Chris
Visitor
(8/29/01 11:44:43 am)
Reply Ah haaaaa...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but here you see...the conquest of Czechoslovakia would have taken a long time...quite a long time.
Ok,the Luftwaffe may have flattened Prague,but will the LW kill all resistance,nah...
I think this would have caused some headaches to Hitler.Just imagine if that old,weak,unhealthy Benes had not been in power...this has always interested me.
A mountain war,with the Czechs holding strong ,natural defense positions,with no German panzer formations....
And dont forget that at that time,and still is case now,most men in Central/East Europe know how to handle a firearm.

Ovidius
Veteran Member
Posts: 240
(8/29/01 2:14:19 pm)
Reply
Re: Ah haaaaa...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most men in all countries were the military conscription is still used know how to handle a firearm, so this isn't relevant.

And Benes usually responded to German requests with provocations. As Paul Schmidt, Hitler's interpreter, had outlined, the Brits were seeking in 1938 a peaceful way to deter Germans from invasion, but Hitler kept on telling Chamberlain about the Czech preparations for war, mobilisation etc. When, at Munich, Chamberlain was a step far from ending negotiations in a hostile manner, sure that Hitler would not have had the courage to proceed, came the news that Benes had ordered total mobilisation of the Army. Quite unusually, Hitler did not rant; he knew that he had a reason to make war without being backstabbed by the British, because the Czechs had done the first punch. So, Chamberlain, who wanted peace above all, was forced to accept all Hitler's terms.

schwalbe
Member
Posts: 80
(8/29/01 10:29:28 pm)
Reply woundering.......
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did they make any thing for the luftwaffe? i mean i know they made parts for planes, but did they make complet planes?