Causes of WW2: Appeasement

"the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and compromise, thereby avoiding the resort to an armed conflict which would be expensive, bloody and possibly dangerous."

What is Appeasement?

Definitions: To appease

“To bring peace”

“To quiet or calm”

Put simply, appeasement is a policy* followed by the British Government in the 1930’s.

Its aim was to negotiate with aggressive foreign powers or nations in order to prevent war.

*policy = an official course of action

REMEMBER, to appease is …

To bring peace

To quiet or calm

The aim of the British Government was to negotiate with aggressive powers / nations in order to prevent war.

In a particular school there is a student who has developed a reputation for causing problems in classes.

A list of their alleged crimes includes:

• disruption to lessons• threatening and violent behavior towards teachers• bullying of other class members

If we were to use a policy of appeasement in dealing with this situation, the following would probably take place:

• Discussions would begin with the teacher to determine what some of the problems are.

• The student would list the demands that he wants. Such as other students completing his homework for him & teachers completing his notes during class.

• In the case of the teacher – he / she simply wants peace in the classroom and as a result gives the student everything he demands.

Consider this scenario:

The aim of the teacher is …

&

avoid any conflict

to keep the peace

What problems do you foresee if such an approach was taken in a school?

• To challenge the student regarding this unacceptable behavior.

• The student is told that any repeat of this unacceptable behavior will result in him/her being excluded.

• The student is informed that the next course of action will be expulsion from the school.

• The student must also prove that they can behave first, before any of their requests are heard.

• Even then, only sensible requests will be considered.

An alternative way to deal with this solution would be …?

Suppose that this problem student chose a new strategy and began to bully students individually.

What could the rest of the students in the class do?

In terms of appeasement this is known as Collective Security

Where groups/nations join together to protect each other

• Look out for each other (FORM AN ALLIANCE)

• Join together to challenge the student when they try to bully a fellow class mate.

– THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

The Teacher: Great Britain, the ‘dominant’ power in Europe at this time, trying to avoid a war.

The disruptive student: Germany and occasionally Italy.

The class: The League of Nations, with France as one of the members.

Now transfer this to international politics and countries in the 1930’s …

Appeasement - PersonalitiesAppeasement - Personalities

oops!

Appeasement - PersonalitiesAppeasement - Personalities

Leon Blum

Eduoard DaladierNeville Chamberlain

Winston ChurchillBenito Mussolini

Appeasement - PersonalitiesAppeasement - Personalities

Adolf Hitler

Germany: After the Treaty of VersaillesGermany: After the Treaty of Versailles

Sources of German discontentSources of German discontent

The Rhineland:

The Rhineland was an area of land which belonged to Germany.

As part of the Treaty of Versailles Germany was forbidden from having a military presence in the Rhineland – this was at the insistence of the French.

It was designed to prevent any future wars from occurring on French soil.

The Rhineland:

In March 1936 German troops entered the demilitarised zone of the Rhineland, breaking part of the Treaty of Versailles.

The Rhineland:

If the British Government followed a policy of appeasement, how would you expect them to deal with this situation?

The British Government would begin to discuss and negotiate with Germany over this incident. Britain would likely act alone here, ignoring the League of Nations and other ‘helpful’ powers such as France & RussiaDespite breaking the Treaty of Versailles and acting aggressively, the British Government would allow Germany to remain in the Rhineland (concession)REASON: To avoid a war, afterall the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh.

The Rhineland:

The alternative course of action would be to take a tougher line with Germany, working with the League of Nations using Collective Security.The British Government would condemn the German action and point out that they have broken two internationally binding agreements.Germany would be told to immediately remove all of her military forces from the Rhineland. Failure to do so would result in economic penalties and possible military action from the League of Nations, backed by G.B. & Fra.REASON: To prevent Germany taking Europe to war again!

The ultimate aim of appeasement …

Is to keep the peace

or

To prevent war or conflict

… through negotiation

Adolf Hitler:

German Fuhrer

Benito Mussolini:

IL Duce, Leader of Italy

The ‘AGGRESSORS’The ‘AGGRESSORS’

Anthony Eden:

British Foreign Secretary. Resigned in February 1938.

Disagreed with Chamberlain’s Policy of

Appeasement.

Winston Churchill:

Statesman and staunch critic of the Conservative’s Policy of Appeasement. Became British

Prime Minister, May 1940

The ‘ANTI - APPEASERS’The ‘ANTI - APPEASERS’ – Great Britain – Great Britain

P.Telfer

Eden was replaced by Lord Halifax who fully supported this policy. (although he would later change his views once WW2 began)

Halifax had already developed a good relationship with the German Government.

After his first visit to Nazi Germany he told his friend, Henry (Chips) Channon that: “… He liked all the Nazi leaders and he was much impressed, interested and amused by the visit. He thinks the regime absolutely fantastic."

Anthony Eden, Chamberlain's Foreign Secretary, did not agree with the policy of appeasement and resigned in February, 1938.

P.Telfer

He believed the policy of appeasement was cowardly and gave away too much (=concession) to aggressive powers.

"There can never …. be a fight if one side (G.B. Govt) is determined that it will give way completely."

Churchill preferred a tougher approach in dealing with Hitler’s Germany:

"If a dog makes a dash for my trousers, I shoot him down before he can bite."

Churchill was less willing!

Most wanted to avoid confrontation and therefore, chose to ignore Hitler's rise to power.

In the 1930's, the British people remembered the horrors and destruction of the First World War.

Churchill repeatedly warned the British Government of the dangers of appeasing Hitler’s Germany.

Neville Chamberlain:

British Prime Minister, 1937 - 1940

Lord Halifax:

Replaced Eden as British Foreign Secretary. A supporter

of Chamberlain’s Policy of Appeasement.

The ‘APPEASERS’The ‘APPEASERS’ – Great Britain – Great Britain

Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister of Britain on 28th May, 1937.

He believed that:

• Germany had been badly treated by the Allies after it was defeated in the First World War.

• the German Government had genuine grievances, in respect to Versailles and these needed to be addressed.

• by agreeing to some of the demands being made by Hitler and Mussolini, he could avoid a European war.

Over the next two years Chamberlain's Conservative Government became associated with the foreign policy that later became known as appeasement.

Was the Second World War inevitable (always going to happen) given the

harshness of the Treaty of Versailles?

Who is responsible for causing World War 2?

1. Adolf Hitler & Germany: Given that the Germans invaded Poland.

OR

2. Great Britain, France and the rest of the world: For continuing to give into Germany’s demands and failing to stop Hitler when he first broke the Treaty of Versailles.

The Issues:

P.Telfer

CRITICS OF THE POLICY WOULD ARGUE:

• That a tougher line was needed with Germany. Appeasement allowed the dictators to become stronger.

• The threat of military action should have been against Germany much earlier than 1939.

• Perhaps if Hitler had been strongly challenged in 1936 during the Rhineland incident he might have pursued more peaceful methods.

• The German people may even have voted him from power for risking another war

SUPPORTERS OF APPEASEMENT WOULD ARGUE:

• If World War 2 had not broken out, the policy of appeasement would be hailed as successful.

• Preventing a second world war was a noble and admirable course of action.

• It was the only course of action open to Britain.

The ultimate aim of appeasement …

Is to keep the peace

or

To prevent war or conflict

It is an admirable and noble cause.

Yet equally, it can be a cowardly option if aggressive behavior continues to be rewarded as

a result of fear.

… through negotiation