17.1.3

Appeasement

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Appeasement

Some argue that Hitler was able to become so powerful because Western politicians followed a policy of ‘appeasement’. This means they gave in to the demands of Hitler to avoid war.

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Chamberlain

  • Neville Chamberlain was the Prime Minister of Great Britain between 1937 and 1940 AD.
  • Chamberlain agreed to give Hitler what he wanted to avoid war.
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Example of appeasement

  • An example of appeasement is the Sudetenland Crisis in 1938 AD.
  • Hitler invaded the Sudetenland, an area in Czechoslovakia.
  • Chamberlain negotiated with Hitler. Hitler promised to not invade any more of Czechoslovakia in return for keeping the Sudetenland. This agreement was called the Munich Agreement. Chamberlain was happy with this result.
  • Months later, Hitler invaded all of Czechoslovakia and the British did not stop him.
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Reasons for appeasement

  • There were several reasons for appeasement.
  • The memory of World War One was raw.
  • Britain and France were not ready for another war.
  • The Fascist dictatorships in Europe were 'protecting' Britain and France from the Communist dictatorship in the Soviet Union.
    • Chamberlain believed Hitler was the ‘better of two evils’.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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