This reflection examines the nature and internal integrity of interwar Czechoslovakia. The author critically re-evaluates his earlier idealized perceptions of the First Republic, which were formed during childhood under the influence of family and school education. In the context of ongoing debates about whether Czechoslovakia should have defended itself militarily in 1938 or 1968, the author emphasizes the importance of assessing the actual state of the society and the republic at those times. The text expresses the author's growing understanding of philosopher Jan Patočka's critical stances toward the First Republic, a realization reached through the author's own experiences of political and social developments during the first decade following the 1989 revolution. The author concludes that democratic Czechoslovakia was not as flawless as previously believed and that the state's internal weaknesses are essential factors for understanding its historical failures. This reflection serves as a deeper exploration into the deconstruction of national myths and the search for historical truth within the context of modern Czech history.