in the peace that allows of the fulfilment of such aims.
But the attainment of this peace has been opposed by three foes: firstly, up to the fifteenth century, by the Germans; secondly, by the Habsburg dynasty, who made use of the Germans in their endeavour to exterminate the Czechs; finally, by the Magyars, the traditional allies of the Germans, who tried to extirpate the Slovaks.
Inhabiting the most western of the Slav territories, wedged deeply into the German block and surrounded by Magyars on the east, the position of the Czecho-Slovaks has made their history a history of perpetual struggle. There is not a single period in the history of this people which does not record a conflict with one or another of these three enemies. And the struggle continues.
It is a significant fact that today these three adversaries are considered the most malignant enemies of humanity: the history of the Czech nation shows that it was ever thus. If Europe to-day groans under the German-Austro-Magyar brutality, it must not be forgotten that the Czecho-Slovak nation has suffered under it for twelve hundred years. During these twelve centuries the Czechs were never the aggressors. With great difficulty they defended themselves, and only by
