Great Britain governs Palestine under an international mandate. Earlier, Mandate Palestine offered Jews an escape from Nazi-occupied Europe, but the British restrict their immigration under pressure from Arab leaders.
The US, Canada, and Cuba deny entrance to over 900 refugees aboard the St. Louis, though they possess Cuban visas. The passengers--nearly all Jewish--are forced to return to Europe. Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Holland accept the refugees, though many are later deported and murdered when the Nazis occupy Belgium, France, and Holland.
In violation of the Munich Agreement, Nazi troops invade and occupy Czech territory, establishing the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Hungary annexes territory along the former southern border of Czechoslovakia, as well as Subcarpathian-Ruthenia [today Transcarpathia, part of Ukraine]; the Tesin District of Czech Silesia is annexed by Poland. Slovakia becomes an independent state.
Following the partition of Czechoslovakia, the independent Slovak Republic is established. Essentially a client state of Nazi Germany, the new Slovakian regime under Prime Minister Jozef Tiso immediately curtails democratic freedoms and pursues a decidedly anti-Jewish agenda.
Jews have been living in Poland for 800 years. On the eve of World War II, Polish Jews constitute the largest Jewish community in Europe, accounting for 10% of the country's total population.
