In July 1938, thirty-two nations gathered at a luxurious French resort to address the growing refugee crisis. The question was simple: Would anyone help? The answer was no.

This episode explores the Evian Conference—a pivotal moment when the world's democracies had the chance to save lives, but instead chose committees over compassion. We examine how diplomatic language masked a brutal reality: every nation had reasons, but none had the courage to act. From Australia's blunt "we don't want to import a racial problem" to Canada's chilling "none is too many," the conference became what historians now call "a ritual of abdication."

Four months later, Kristallnacht would prove just how catastrophic this failure truly was.

But this isn't just a story of closed doors. It's the prologue to something extraordinary—because in Kaunas, Lithuania, a handful of ordinary people would refuse to repeat Evian's silence.

Evian: The Conference of Excuses

Diplomatic Shadowplay

The World Turns Away

From Promises to Silence

What the Map Hides

The Final Lesson of Evian

🎙️ History Shadows: The Transit Zone Episode 1 of our series exploring the incredible story of rescue and resistance in wartime Kaunas.

📚 Next Episode: The Lost Republic—the overlooked role of Lithuania as a fragile sovereign state that opened its borders and provided a fleeting space for refugees.

#History #Holocaust #WWII #Refugees #EvianConference #Lithuania #Documentary #Podcast