- Hans Weber
- August 16, 2024
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
“The Czechoslovak state has joined the ranks of independent, free, cultural states of the World.” – National Committee’s Proclamation
A shared desire for statehood, skillful diplomacy, and the support of compatriots brought about the victory and the establishment of Czechoslovakia. The recognition of foreign allies was vital for the establishment of an independent state. Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was able to make perfect use of his US contacts from his days as an academic in the country. Even Milan Rastislav Štefánik and Edvard Beneš did not remain idle in arranging foreign support for the country of their hearts.
The Allies were impressed by the brave campaign of the Czechoslovak Legionnaires through Bolshevik Russia. The nascent Czechoslovak diplomacy was able to take advantage of this. In April 1918, diplomatic efforts culminated, mainly thanks to Štefánik, in the recognition of the existence of the independent Czechoslovak army by Italy. Italy did not stand alone for long: in June, French Foreign Minister Stephen Pichon sent a Note to Edvard Beneš recognizing Czechoslovakia’s right to independence. Other states gradually followed. In August, London joined in with its recognition, and in September, the United States and Japan joined as well.
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