Jan Syrový (Munich Goes Sour)

Jan Syrový (January 24, 1888 - October 17, 1970) was a Czechoslovak general. On September 23 1938, he was appointed prime minister and minister of national defence. He is famous for urging President Edvard Beneš not to abide with the Munich Agreement and leading the Czechoslovak armed forces during the German invasion of Czechoslovakia. Despite his futile efforts, he led the Czechoslovak armed forces effectively, and was responsible for the evacuation of the Czechoslovak political leadership. On March 15, after resigning as prime minister, he capitulated to the Germans, to prevent Hitler's threat of an aerial attack by Luftwaffe on Prague to be carried out. His actions is regarded to have saved large parts of Prague from being destroyed, especially the ancient Old City.