Crimea’s controversial referendum on joining Russia has reminded some observers of previous acts of aggression in Europe.
克裡米亞爭議性的加入俄羅斯公投，讓一些觀察傢想起過去歐洲發生的侵略行動。
Some commentators are drawing parallels with other countries where an ethnic minority’s interests were once backed by a powerful neighbour， with far-reaching consequences. Adolf Hitler’s plebiscite in the Sudetenland is often mentioned in this connection.
The Sudetenland was the name for northern， southwest， and western areas of pre-war Czechoslovakia， which were inhabited mostly by German speakers.
蘇臺德地區原是戰前捷克斯洛伐克北部、西南和西部區域之名，當時大多數是德語人口。
The Sudeten crisis began in February 1938 when Hitler demanded self-determination for all Germans in Austria and Czechoslovakia.
蘇臺德危機始於1938年2月，希特拉要求讓奧地利和捷克斯洛伐克的日耳曼人自決。
But then came the Munich conference， at which Britain and France， in an attempt to appease Nazi Germany， gave the Sudetenland to Germany.
但後來召開慕尼黑會議，會中英國和法國割讓蘇臺德給德國，以安撫納粹德國。
Hitler sent his troops into the Sudetenland in October 1938-and before long Europe was plunged into World War Two.
1938年10月希特拉派兵進入蘇臺德，不久後歐洲就被捲入第二次世界大戰。
Writing in The Washington Post， former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili， who remains bitter about the war with Russia in 2008， said："Many in the West are talking about the need to reach some kind of compromise with Russia， an option that smacks of Munich 80 years ago."