Jan Syrový
| Jan Syrový | |
|---|---|
Jan Syrový in 1938
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| Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia | |
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In office 22 September 1938 – 1 December 1938 |
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| Preceded by | Milan Hodža |
| Succeeded by | Rudolf Beran |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
24 January 1888 Třebíč, Moravia, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 17 October 1970 (aged 82) Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch |
Austro-Hungarian Army Czechoslovak Legions Czechoslovak Army |
| Rank | General |
Jan Syrový (24 January 1888 – 17 October 1970) was a Czechoslovak Army four star general and the prime minister during the Munich Crisis.
Jan Syrový studied building at a technical school. Following his graduation in 1906, he became a one-year volunteer in the Austro-Hungarian army. After that, he studied at a technical college in Russia. During World War I, he fought in the Czechoslovak Legions of the Russian army and lost his right eye in the Battle of Zborov. By the end of the war he commanded the Legions and anti-Bolshevik forces on the Trans-Siberian railway. A well-known veteran commander, he served as Chief of Staff of the Czechoslovak Army from 1926 to 1933 and as is general inspector from 1933 to 1938. During this time, helped to prepare the Czechoslovak Air Force with the collaboration of Jan Antonín Baťa and moved military personnel and materials away from Nazi Germany.
When Milan Hodža's government resigned on 23 September 1938, Syrový was appointed Prime Minister of a national unity government, despite his objections. Syrový had insisted he was just a soldier, not a politician, and that he lacked the qualifications and relevant experience to qualify him for such an important post. President Edvard Beneš told him that the nation needed him and that, as a soldier, he should regard it as an order. With some reluctance, Syrový then accepted, and also took the defence portfolio as well.
As Prime Minister, he was forced to accept the terms of the Munich Agreement on 30 September. In a speech to the nation, he stated Czechoslovakia had no choice but to accept the terms because without British or French support, the country was outnumbered and any conflict would result in severe casualties. "We were abandoned," he said. "We stand alone." Following the resignation of President Edvard Beneš on 5 October, Syrový temporarily took over some presidential duties (in accord with the Czechoslovak Constitution) until Emil Hácha was duly elected President on 30 November 1938.
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Wikipedia