Eduard Benes was a Czech politician and statesman who was a key founder of modern Czechoslovakia. He helped lead Czechoslovakia's independence movement during World War I from exile in Paris. After independence, he served as Czechoslovakia's foreign minister from 1918 to 1935 and also had a term as prime minister. Benes twice served as president of Czechoslovakia, leading the country from 1935 to 1938 and again from 1940 until 1948, when declining health forced his resignation. He was a skilled diplomat but ultimately could not withstand pressure from Germany and the Soviet Union on Czechoslovakia's sovereignty.

1. EDUARD BENES
The Founder of Modern Czechoslovakia
Flt Lt HSPB Kuragamuwa
No 40 JC & SC

2. CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Aim
• Background
• Benes as Politician
• Benes as a Leader
• Critique
• Conclusion
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3. INTRODUCTION
• Dr. Eduard Benes the founder of modern Czechoslovakia.
• Born to a Czech famer in 1884.
• Well educated.
• Skilled diplomat.
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4. …Contd
INTRODUCTION
• One of the leaders of Czechoslovak independence movement.
• First and the longest serving Foreign Minister (1918–1935).
• Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1921 – 1922).
• President of Czechoslovakia twice (1935 – 1938 and 1940 – 1948).
• Passed away in 1948.
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5. AIM
To impart knowledge and discuss the
leadership qualities of Great diplomat
Eduard Benes.
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6. BACKGROUND
• Borne as tenth of farmer family in Kozlany, Bohemia (1884).
• Spent much of his youth life in Vinohrady district of Prague.
• Grammar school education (1896 – 1904).
• Secondary education at Faculty of Philosophy
Charles University in Prague.
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7. …Contd
BACKGROUND
• Higher studies at the Sorbonne and at the Independent
School of Political and Social Studies.
• “Doctorate of Law” - University of Dijon (1908).
• Lecturer in Commercial Academy of Prague and at the Czech
University of Prague.
• 1921 he became a professor.
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8. BENES AS POLITICIAN
• Influenced by Tomas Masaryk and his nationalist ideas to
liberate the Czechs and Slovaks from Austrian rule.
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9. …Contd
BENES AS POLITICIAN
• First exile during World War I - Paris.
• Benes formed a Czechoslovak independence movement
With Tomas Masaryk and Milan Stefanik.
Tomas Masaryk Milan Stefanik
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10. …Contd
BENES AS POLITICIAN
• Became the secretary of Czechoslovak National Council in
Paris.
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11. …Contd
BENES AS POLITICIAN
• Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia (1918 – 1935).
• Famous in diplomacy.
• Influential figure at international conferences.
• Prime Minister (1921 – 1922).
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12. …Contd
BENES AS POLITICIAN
• First presidency (1935 – 1938).
• Sudetenland crisis.
• Hit by Nazi ideology – Emil Hacha.
• Second exile.
Emil Hacha
• Second presidency (1940 – 1948).
• Czechoslovak provisional government in 1940.
• In 1946, formally elected as the President.
• Hit by Communism – Klement Gottwald.
• Resigned in June 1948. Klement Gottwald
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13. BENES AS A LEADER
• Vision.
• Knowledge.
• Diplomacy.
• Inspiration and coordinating ability.
• Courage.
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14. VISION
• Unite Czech and Slovak as one nation .
• Liberation of Czech and Slovak from Austrian empire.
• Two exiles.
• Rejection of German the proposal to give up the
Sudetenland.
• Forming the “Little Entente”.
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15. KNOWLEDGE
• Faculty of Philosophy - Charles University in Prague.
• Sorbonne and at the Independent School of Political and
Social Studies.
• Doctorate of Laws in 1908.
• Lecturer in sociology at Charles University.
• 1921 he became a professor.
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16. DIPLOMACY
• Longest serving Foreign Minister (1918 – 1935).
• Gave recognition to the Czechoslovak National Council as the
representative of the new Czechoslovak State by France, England and
Italy.
• Leader of the Czechoslovak delegation in international conferences.
• League of Nations - Council chairman six times.
• Pioneer in forming “Little Entente”.
• Restored Czech-Soviet diplomatic relations.
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17. INSPIRATION AND
COORDINATING ABILITY
• Excellent speaker.
• During World War I he was one of the leading organizers of
an independent Czechoslovakia abroad.
• Secret resistance movement called “Maffia”.
• Courier service - covert links between him and “Maffia” in
Czech lands.
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18. COURAGE
• Coordinate the struggle from abroad.
• Two exiles.
• In Sudeten crisis.
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19. CRITIQUE
• Great diplomat and statesmen.
• Good leader.
Where did Benes go wrong?
• Too much trust on allies;
• Deserted by little Entente – 1938
• Soviet support – 1948
• Benes decrees ?
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20. CONCLUSION
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