The Czechoslovak Army ( Czech and Slovak: Československá armáda) was the name of the armed forces of

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

. It was established in 1918 following Czechoslovakia's declaration of independence from

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

History

In the first months of the World War I, the response of the Czech soldiers and civilians to the war and mobilisation efforts were highly enthusiastic, however it turned into apathy later. Although modeled after Austro-Hungarian Army patterns, the army of the newly established state also incorporated former members of the Czechoslovak Legion fighting alongside the Entente during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. Czechoslovak Army took part in the brief Polish-Czechoslovak War in which Czechoslovakia annexed the Zaolzie region from Poland. In the interbellum the force was fairly modern by contemporary standards, with the core of the force formed by LT vz. 38 and LT vz. 35 tanks, as well as an extensive system of border fortifications. Mobilised during the Munich Conference, the force did not take part in any organised defence of the country against invading Germans due to international isolation of Czechoslovakia. The army was disbanded following the German takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1939. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

the Czechoslovak Army was recreated in exile, first in the form of the new Czechoslovak Legion fighting alongside of Poland during the

Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week af ...

and then in the form of forces loyal to the London-based Czechoslovak government-in-exile. After the war Czechoslovak units fighting alongside the Allies returned to Czechoslovakia and formed the core of the new, recreated Czechoslovak Army. However, with the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia, it was being increasingly Sovietised and in 1954 was formally renamed to Czechoslovak People's Army. The army of Czechoslovakia returned to the former name in 1990, following the Velvet Revolution, but in 1993, following the

Dissolution of Czechoslovakia The dissolution of Czechoslovakia ( cs, Rozdělení Československa, sk, Rozdelenie Česko-Slovenska) took effect on December 31, 1992, and was the self-determined split of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries ...

, it was disbanded and split into modern Army of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Armed Forces.

References

Military history of Czechoslovakia Military units and formations established in 1918 Military units and formations disestablished in 1992 {{Czechoslovakia-mil-stub

History

See also

References