Between wars

Peace development of Czechoslovak army began soon after October 28th, 1918. The first military formations were assigned to secure the frontiers of the new Republic and to establish sovereignty in the areas close to Czech and Slovak borders. From December 1918 armed and well-organized units of legionaries started returning to the country.

The army of the democratic Czechoslovak state sprang from two basic sources. The first one was represented by local soldiers, meaning those members of the former Austrian-Hungarian army who spontaneously enlisted to service in favor of the new state. The latter was formed by legions abroad. From January 1920, so called unification was taking place, which meant that all components of the Czechoslovak army (legionary regiments, local soldiers, territorial armies in Italy etc.) united to make one body with a firm organizational structure, from October 1920 supplemented with regular recruitments.

In 1933 the Nazis grasped power in Germany. Under the influence of this threat, Czechoslovak army underwent an extensive modernization and organizational changes. In 1935 the construction of permanent fortification was launched, accompanied by an elaborate military program.

The events of 1938 found the army in the final phase. During the mobilization in September 1938, 1 075,000 determined men were called to arms. However, under pressure coming from all over Europe and in a desperate foreign political situation, the army was forced to lay their arms down. The March occupation in 1939 became the trigger of a new fight for the state’s and the nation’s existence. It was performed by the servicemen of the dismissed Czechoslovak army.