Slovakia
14 March 1939
Establishment of the Slovak State
Members of the Slovak parliament approved the secession of Slovakia from Czechoslovakia on 14 March 1939 in an explosive atmosphere amid news of the independence of Slovakia. They debated under the influence of violent post-autonomy events, concerns about the responses of neighbouring countries affected by Hitler’s increasing power and the impact of Hitler’s reaction against Slovakia. The MPs saw the establishment of a Slovak state as the only viable solution in the given situation. The position of Slovakia on the international scene became uncertain from that time.