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One of the great historical ironies of the twentieth century is that, at the moment when German scientists were demonstrating limits on human knowledge, the German political leadership was claiming a “monstrous certainty.”

As German research was demonstrating the feasibility of atomic bombs, expatriate scientists in the United States were sounding the alarm.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

eDream

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Just weeks after the Munich Agreement apparently averted war, Germany erupted in a wave of violence against Jewish people.

The world recoiled in shock. Germany had left the community of civilized nations.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

Overture to Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)
Composed in 1840 by Richard Wagner. Public domain.
Performed by the University of Chicago Orchestra, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Even before the Anschluss was completed, Adolf Hitler was already laying plans to invade and annex Czechoslovakia.

But at the last minute, Neville Chamberlain intervened, much to Hitler’s annoyance, and brokered the Munich Agreement, which ceded the Sudetenland to Germany, but preserved an independent Czechoslovakia.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

Má vlast
Composed in 1882 by Bedřich Smetana. Public domain.
Performed by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

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Some old-school conservatives in the German government and military feared confrontation with the Allies and resisted Hitler’s ambitious plans.

But by 1938, they were gone, and Hitler had his sights set on Austria.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

Overture to Tannhäuser
Composed in 1845 by Richard Wagner. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Marine Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

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Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.