Quote of the day: Goering’s ‘word of honor’ to the Czech foreign minister
I’ve been reading a lot lately about the late 1930s, as part of my research for my next book. There are many head-slappers, but this quote jumped out at me, from a statement Herman Goering made to the Czech foreign minister early in 1938: “I give you my word of honor that Czechoslovakia has nothing ...
I've been reading a lot lately about the late 1930s, as part of my research for my next book. There are many head-slappers, but this quote jumped out at me, from a statement Herman Goering made to the Czech foreign minister early in 1938: "I give you my word of honor that Czechoslovakia has nothing to fear from the Reich." A year later, of course, the Nazis "smashed" Czechoslovakia, to use Hitler's word.
I’ve been reading a lot lately about the late 1930s, as part of my research for my next book. There are many head-slappers, but this quote jumped out at me, from a statement Herman Goering made to the Czech foreign minister early in 1938: “I give you my word of honor that Czechoslovakia has nothing to fear from the Reich.” A year later, of course, the Nazis “smashed” Czechoslovakia, to use Hitler’s word.
Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1
More from Foreign Policy

America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.

The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.

Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.

Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.