Carpatho-Ukraine or Carpathian Ukraine (Ukrainian: Карпа́тська Украї́на, romanized: Karpatska Ukraina, IPA: [kɐrˈpɑtsʲkɐ ʊkrɐˈjinɐ]) was an autonomous region, within the Second Czechoslovak Republic, created in December 1938 and renamed as the Subcarpathian Rus', whose full administrative and political autonomy had been confirmed by constitutional law of 22 November 1938.

On 2 November 1938 the First Vienna Award separated territories from the Second Czechoslovak Republic, including southern Carpathian Rus', that were mostly Hungarian-populated and returned them to Hungary.

Nazi Germany did not reply, and the short-lived state was invaded by the Kingdom of Hungary, crushing all local resistance by 18 March 1939.

[1] The region remained under Hungarian control until the end of World War II in Europe, after which it was occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union.

The first local government of autonomous Subcarpathian Rus', appointed on 11 October 1938, was headed by Prime Minister Andrej Bródy.

[3] On 22 November 1938 the Second Czechoslovak Republic adopted a "Constitutional Law on the Autonomy of Subcarpathian Rus'" (in the Czech language, Ústavní zákon o autonomii Podkarpatské Rusi), officially reaffirming the self-determination rights of the "Rusyn people" (preamble) and confirming the full administrative and political autonomy of Subcarpathian Rus', with its own assembly and government.

The Czechoslovak army had built 2,000 small concrete emplacements along the border in places where rivers did not serve as natural obstacles.

On 6 January 1939 Czechoslovak troops ordered by general Lev Prchala performed a surprise attack on the city of Munkács (now Mukacheve), in which the Carpathian Sich were as well involved, but the Rongyos Gárda with the help of the local police pushed them back.

Hitler made it absolutely clear: Slovakia could either declare independence immediately and associate itself with the Reich, or he would allow the Hungarians to take over the country – whom Ribbentrop reported were massing at the border.

In addition to regular units, Hungarians were also aided by several irregular formations such as the Rongyos Gárda and black-shirt guards of István Fenczik, who has been accused earlier as a Magyaron by the Volosin-cabinet.

[8] The greatest battle between the Hungarian army and several hundred Ukrainian soldiers (armed with light machine guns, rifles, hand grenades and pistols) took place near Khust.

The Royal Hungarian Army continued their advance, pushing forward at top speed, and reached the Polish border on 17 March.

The handicaps imposed by the Trianon Treaty were clearly visible, but the morale and nationalist spirit of the soldiers and the civilian populations were high [citation needed], which was also important in building a strong national army.

Following the German occupation of Hungary in March 1944, Adolf Eichmann oversaw the deportation of almost the entire Hungarian Jewish population; few survived the Holocaust.

At the conclusion of the Battle of the Dukla Pass on 28 October 1944, the Soviet Union had driven the Germans and Hungarians back and occupied Carpathian Ruthenia and the rest of western Ukraine.

After two months of conflict and unsuccessful negotiations the Czechoslovak government delegation departed Khust on 1 February 1945, leaving Carpatho-Ukraine under Soviet control.

The Soviet Union exerted pressure on Czechoslovakia, and on 29 June 1945, the two countries signed a treaty, officially ceding Carpatho-Ruthenia to the USSR.

At the session the parliament approved the proclamation of the sovereignty of Carpatho-Ukraine, adopted its Constitution, elected the president, and confirmed the new government of Julian Révaý.