Cartoon group - Chamberlain and Appeasement 1938 (Student)
So when the first of the cartoons in this collection was published the mood in Britain was mixed when it came to Germany and Hitler. Most
people were wary of the Nazi leader and probably did not trust him. On the other hand few people wanted another war with Germany. A
few lone voices were calling for action to stop Hitler. One was Winston Churchill. Another was the cartoonist David Low. Low was a New
Zealander who worked in Britain. He came from a Liberal background so his politics were very opposed to Hitler’s. He was also a critic of
the Conservative Party in England. At the time of this collection the leader of the Conservatives was Neville Chamberlain, who was also the
Prime Minister.
In this collection you have five cartoons, four of them by David Low and one by Sidney ‘George’ Strube. Your task is to work out what each
cartoon is saying about Hitler, but also what it is saying about Chamberlain.
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk
Record code: LSE2463
Before you start, it is worth knowing that the figure in
the suit next to Hitler is Lord Halifax. He was the British
foreign Secretary in 1937 and was a close friend of Prime
Minister Neville Chamberlain. The plaques read Weimar,
Versailles, Locarno and the others are reserved. Locarno
was a Treaty signed in 1925 in which Germany agreed to
respect the borders it had been forced to accept in the
Treaty of Versailles.
1 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Hitler?
2 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Britain?
3 How is Britain portrayed compared to Hitler?
Nazi hunting exhibition.
David Low (1891-1963) : Evening Standard(c) The British Cartoon Archive
4 According to the cartoon, Britain has helped Germany.
Why has the cartoonist said this?
5 Is this a reliable view of Britain’s views and actions at
this time? Use other evidence to test this out.
6 Overall, do you think this cartoon is more about Hitler
or more about Britain’s leaders? Bear in mind it was
published in a British newspaper.
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk
Record code: LSE2494
In 1938 the state of Austria was in turmoil. Nazi activists
in Austria wanted to join Austria and Germany together
in an Anschluss even though the Treaty of Versailles
forbade this. Hitler talked about intervening in Germany
in order to preserve the peace there.
1 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Hitler?
2 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Britain?
3 What point is the cartoonist making by showing the
various countries being toppled over?
4 What is British Prime Minister Chamberlain saying and
what do you think is the cartoonist David Low’s view of
Chamberlain’s comments?
Increasing pressure.
David Low (1891-1963) : Evening Standard(c) The British Cartoon Archive
5 Is this a reliable view of Chamberlain’s views and
actions at this time? Use other evidence to test this out.
6 Overall, do you think this cartoon is more about Hitler
or more about Britain’s leaders? Bear in mind it was
published in a British newspaper.
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk
Record code: LSE2564
In 1938 more trouble arose in central Europe. Hitler
demanded that the German speaking areas of the
Sudetenland, which was part of Czechosolvakia. The
Czechs, under their leader Eduard Benes, were horrified.
However, on September 15th 1938 Britain and France
agreed with Hitler that his demands would be granted.
On September 19th Hitler went back on his agreement
and demanded all of the Sudetenland.
1 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Hitler?
2 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Chamberlain?
No caption
3 What is in the pie?
David Low (1891-1963) : Evening Standard(c) The British Cartoon Archive
4 What is cartoonist David Low trying to say by showing
Chamberlain eating humble pie?
5 Is this a reliable view of Chamberlain’s views and
actions at this time? Use other evidence to test this out.
6 Overall, do you think this cartoon is more about Hitler
or more about Britain’s leaders, especially Chamberlain?
Bear in mind it was published in a British newspaper.
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk
Record code: GS0496
In September 1938 Hitler was demanding that the
Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia should be given to
Germany. It looked as though war was very likely but on
September 29th British Prime Minister Chamberlain flew
to meet Hitler and reached an agreement with Hitler. It
effectively handed Hitler what he wanted but in return
Hitler promised that his demands were no satisfied and
there would be no war between Britain and Germany.
1 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Chamberlain in this cartoon?
2 How does the portrayal of chamberlain in this cartoon
compare to the other cartoons?
No caption
3 What point is the cartoonist making by showing
Chamberlain doing what he is doing?
Sidney 'George' Strube : Daily Express(c) The British Cartoon Archive
4 How can you tell this cartoon was not drawn by David
Low?
5 Is this a reliable view of Chamberlain’s views and
actions at this time? Use other evidence to test this out.
6 Overall, do you think this cartoon is more about
international events or more about Britain’s leaders?
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk
Record code: DL1374
In September 1938 Hitler was demanding that the
Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia should be given to
Germany. It looked as though war was very likely but on
September 29th British Prime Minister Chamberlain flew
to meet Hitler and reached an agreement with Hitler. It
effectively handed Hitler what he wanted but in return
Hitler promised that his demands were no satisfied and
there would be no war between Britain and Germany.
1 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Hitler?
2 Do you think the cartoonist approves or disapproves of
Chamberlain?
Our new defence
David Low (1891-1963) : Evening Standard(c) The British Cartoon Archive
3 How does the portrayal of chamberlain in this cartoon
compare to the Strube cartoon from the same time?
4 What is cartoonist David Low trying to say he thinks
will happen?
5 Is this a reliable view of Chamberlain’s views and
actions at this time? Use other evidence to test this out.
6 Overall, do you think this cartoon is more about Hitler
or more about Britain’s leaders, especially Chamberlain?
This document was created at The British Cartoon Archive - http://www.cartoons.ac.uk