> When have they fought to maintain their identity? In case of Czech and Slovak Republic, at the very least in the second half of the 19th century, during WW I

> When have they fought to maintain their identity? In case of Czech and Slovak Republic, at the very least in the second half of the 19th century, during WW I, and during WW II. > Japan, Germany, and Italy lost WW II, but their identities didn't (substantially) change. Another red herring; it wasn't the intention of victors to change the identities of Japan, Germany, and Italy, but it was DEFINITELY an intention of Germany to remove the identities of their Slavic neighbors. Had Germany won WW II, the losers wouldn't have been anywhere as lucky.