APPEASEMENT
“Why should we take a stand about
someone pushing someone else
when its all so far away….”
What is Appeasement?
•Trying to keep the
peace
•Give them a peice of
the pie and hope they
don’t eat the whole
thing
•Policy that Britain and
France took towards
Germany in the 1930s.
How was Germany appeased?
• 1933-Germany leave the L of N - start to rearm in secret
(Germany was banned under the Treaty of Versailles
from having a large army or navy)
• 1935-Anglo-German Naval Agreement, Abyssinian
Crisis, German announces conscription (Germany was
not supposed to have conscription because it was
not supposed to have a large army or navy)
• 1936- Remilitarization of the Rhineland (The Treaty of
Versailles demanded that the Rhineland be
demilitarised – i.e. no troops allowed there)
• 1938 (March) Anschluss with Austria (This meant that
Germany and Austria were united which was banned
under the Treaty of Versailles)
• 1938/9 Hitler invades Czechoslovakia
• 1939 Hitler invades Poland
Munich Agreement 1938
“I have in my hand a piece of paper…”
•In 1938 British Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain flew to
Germany to try and negotiate
with Hitler.
•Agreed that Hitler could take
over the Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia but no more
•Chamberlain returned to
Britain to a hero's welcome
•“peace in our time.”
Chamberlain on his return from
Munich waving the piece of paper
which he claimed had secured peace
So what’s with this Chamberlain guy?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAAqfS8lUQ
• Youtube video“Neville Chamberlain Appeasement World
War 2”. 8:05 mins
Chamberlain’s Fate & Legacy
• Chamberlain resigned on 10 May
1940, after the Allies were forced to
retreat from Norway as he believed a
government supported by all parties
was essential
• Labour and Liberal parties would not
join a government headed by him.
• He was succeeded by Winston
Churchill but stayed in politics
• Ill health forced him to resign from
Churchill’s war cabinet and he died of
cancer six months after leaving the
position of PM.
• Chamberlain's reputation remains
controversial among historians
What do you think? Sensible or stupid?
Sir Winston S Churchill
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4BVzYGeF0M&feature=related
30 Nov 1874 – 24 Jan 1965
PM twice (1940–45 & 51-55)
Army Officer in WW1
Historian, writer, and artist.
Only British PM to receive the
Nobel Prize in Literature
• First person to be made an honorary citizen of
the United States