Page:Edvard Beneš – Bohemia's case for independence.pdf/76

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BOHEMIA'S CASE FOR INDEPENDENCE

now voluntarily enlisted in Canada and in England, and others at present prisoners in Italy, who also asked to enroll in the armies of the Allies to fight against their hereditary enemies.

This attitude of the Czech soldiers in Italy is very significant, seeing that lately the Austrian government has done all it possibly could to incense the Austrian Slavs against Italy and the Allies. Indeed, this unhappy Czech nation, whose situation during these two years of war can only be compared to that of martyred Belgium and blood-deluged Serbia, by contributing to the victory of the Allies, may be said to have almost achieved the impossible.

(b) Terrorism in the Czech Countries

We have seen that the Czechs have had a hand in the military disasters of Austria and that they continue to menace the Central Empires. The conduct of the Czecho-Slovak soldiers was the cause of terrible persecutions of the whole nation. During the whole time the war has raged, the Czecho-Slovaks have worked continuously, silent and martyred, but never faltering in their task. Isolated and dumb, they struggle for the triumph of the Entente without the consolation of encouragement. They know not the glory of sacrifice, only its bitterness.