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.
More from Foreign Policy


Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.


The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.


Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.


How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.