InSeptember1941,HitlerappointedReinhardHeydrichastheadministrativeheadofCzechoslovakia,wherehisinhumanityearnedhimthenicknames"HangmanofEurope"and"theBeast".
InMay1942,HeydrichwasseverelywoundedinagrenadeattackbytwoCzechparachutistssentfromLondonbytheCzechgovernment-in-exile.Hediedofhiswounds,andtheNazissworerevenge.On10June,theSSrazedtothegroundthevillageofLidice,whoseresidentswereknowntobehostiletotheoccupation,andallthemaleresidentsover16yearsofagewerekilled.TheCzechsweresostunnedbytheNazis'brutalitythattheycametoviewresistanceactivitieswithconsiderablylessenthusiasm,andtheassassinationwassounpopularthattheCzechgovernment-in-exiledeniedallresponsibilityforit,evenafterthewar.
一九四一年九月，希特勒委任賴恩哈德．海德里希為捷克行政首長。海德里希實行殘酷統治，獲得「歐洲絞刑手」、「野獸」等稱號。
一九四二年五月，倫敦的捷克流亡政府派來兩名捷克傘兵，向海德里希擲手榴彈。海德里希傷重死亡。納粹黨誓言報復。六月十日，以仇恨入侵者著稱的利迪澤村遭納粹黨衞軍夷為平地，十六歲以上男村民全部被殺。捷克人見納粹黨這樣兇殘，驚懼之餘，對反納粹活動的熱情大減；捷克流亡政府見刺殺海德里希行動這樣不得人心，也否認和刺殺行動有任何關係，甚至戰後都不敢承認。