2. Learning Objectives To understand the reasons behind appeasement. To decide whether Neville Chamberlain was ‘hero’ or ‘villain.’

3. Why did Britain adopt a policy of appeasement?

4. Economic Reasons The economy during this period was too weak The Great War and depression in 1929 had damaged Britain’s economy. The Government of Britain felt it was not able to cope with another war which may last many years again. Propaganda, mainly by Germany, highlighted the economic achievements of European dictators. Therefore, due to a weak economy appeasement seemed the best policy.

5. Public Opinion against war Horrors of WW1 still fresh in people’s minds. In the East Fulham by-election of 1933, a Conservative candidate in favour of rearmament lost his 3,000 majority to a Labour candidate in favour of appeasement – this showed that the public was against war The British public hoped the League of Nations would keep peace.

6. British propaganda also promoted appeasement 9 million homes had wireless (radio) and people attended cinemas at least weekly These means of reaching the bigger audiences were used to the full to promote pacifism. Britain’s two major newspapers, the Times and Mail were pro appeasement. 1932 – ‘the bomber will always get through’ – Stanley Baldwin. 1937 – Guernica.

7. Government’s attitude to Versailles British Government had always felt the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh on Germany Many of Hitler’s requests were seen as not too unreasonable. The remilitarisation of Rhineland was seen as Hitler “going into his own back yard” His taking of Austria was, after the plebiscite “what the people wanted” Britain had also made agreements with Hitler (Anglo-German naval agreement of 1935) It seemed there was no real reason to confront Hitler’s actions and start war.

8. A lack of reliable allies In order to go to war Britain would have to rely on her allies, this she could not do. There seemed no alternative to appeasement as collective security had failed miserably. France was divided by internal politics and was not viewed as a reliable ally. ‘she can never keep a secret for more than half an hour or a government for more than nine months’

9. America had retreated into isolation and had made it quite clear she did not wish to become embroiled in “European Wars” Russia was Communist and this was far more concerning than Germany and Hitler. Italy and Japan under fascist or military governments, had embarked on dangerous careers of aggression. Britain was, therefore, without suitable allies and had no option but to promote a policy of appeasement.

10. Weakness of the armed forces After the “Great Depression” of 1929 and the costs of the Great War, British military spending had been reduced. Chiefs of Staff had regularly informed government of their military weaknesses Only had 120 aircraft after WW1. Rearmament would be very costly. Hitler it was believed, after his successful propaganda campaigns, had rebuilt his armed forces to a strong level. To fight Hitler’s Germany with a weakened army would have frightening consequences. Appeasement, therefore seemed the best policy

11. Fear of the rise of Communism Communism in the 20s and 30s was seen as a bigger threat to world peace than Nazism. Chamberlain wanted to come to terms with Germany to provide ‘a strong bulwark against the spread of Bolshevism.’ Many people felt less threatened by Hitler than the threat from the spread of Communism. Overall there was a belief that the Nazi regime would become less brutal and racist when they were secure in power General feeling that it was better to have Hitlerism than Communism.

12. Concern for her Empire Many of the arguments in favour of non intervention were based around the belief that much of the trouble was too far away. Chamberlain was appalled by the prospect of the British Empire having to fight a war against the Japanese in the Far East, the Italians in Africa and the Germans in Europe - effectively a war on three fronts

13. He saw little chance of help from America or from the Empire, both of which had been invaluable in WW1, South Africa had previously stated their reluctance to become involved Australia, Canada and New Zealand would also need to be persuaded to fight in a ‘just’ war.

14. WINSTON CHURCHILL ‘An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping that it will eat him last.’

16. 1.When was Neville Chamberlain British Prime Minister? 2.Why do people revile (dislike) Chamberlain? 3.How many times did Hitler fly to Germany to meet Hitler? 4.In what book did Winston Churchill blame Chamberlain for the deaths of millions? 5.What did Field Marshall Erich von Manstein say at the Nuremburg trial? 6.What types and numbers of weapons did Niall Ferguson say Hitler gained by the annexation of the Sudetenland? 7.By how much did the French Army outnumber the Germans in the West in 1938? 8.What had the Sudeten-landers done in 1918? 9.What did David Dutton argue as a valid reason for Britain not going to war in 1938? 10.How many allies would Britain have had if they had gone to war in 1938?

17. 11.What was the third problem that could have faced Britain if they had gone to war in 1938? 12.What do defenders of Chamberlain argue signing the Munich Agreement gave Britain time to do? 13.What was Scheme M? 14.How many more aeroplanes did Britain have in 1940 compared to 1938? 15.What else was Neville Chamberlain able to build in the time between 1938 and 1940? 16.What does Gerhard Weinberg argue Hitler really wanted to do in 1938? 17.What did Chamberlain do? 18.How did waiting until 1930 to go to war lead to Britain having more allies? 19.What is wrong with the two criticisms: 1. that Chamberlain betrayed Czechoslovakia. 2. that he should have gone to war in 1938? 20.Who did Hitler blame for the ultimate defeat of Germany?