Appeasement
YR 12 MODERN HISTORY 2013 – RESEARCH TASK
To what extent was the policy of appeasement the most important factor in causing the Second World War?
Appeasement is defined as the diplomatic policy used in the attempt at making centrally political compromises to an authoritarian power/powers in order to evade the possibility of a conflict. This policy was followed predominantly by Britain in the 1930s in their efforts to settle global disputes by resolving grievances through cooperation and conciliation. One of the most famous examples of this policy is the negotiations that were held between British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain and Nazi chancellor/dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler in the lead up to World War Two. Although it has been widely argued by many historians that in following such a policy, Britain and France invigorated Hitler’s aggression and triggered World War Two, appeasement was only a contributing factor in causing World War Two amongst other important influences such as the Treaty Of Versailles, Hitler’s actions and the failure of the League of Nations.
The heritage of World War 1 in France and Britain had generated a strong public and political longing for achieving ‘peace at any price’, British historian R.A.C Parker even believed that Chamberlain wanted to accomplish this notion for his own personal glory. However, neither country was militarily prepared for the outbreak of war, and as this was combined with widespread passivity, war-weariness and an economic slowdown, which was experienced during the Great Depression, the onset of rearmament was heavily prevented, thus introducing the idea of an appeasement policy.
The policy of appeasement was constructed based on the notion of weakness in post World War 1 collective security arrangements, however, it was also created in response to three key issues which Germany faced that needed to be managed and resolved, those being concerns over territory, economic problems, and the absence
To what extent was the policy of appeasement the most important factor in causing the Second World War?
Appeasement is defined as the diplomatic policy used in the attempt at making centrally political compromises to an authoritarian power/powers in order to evade the possibility of a conflict. This policy was followed predominantly by Britain in the 1930s in their efforts to settle global disputes by resolving grievances through cooperation and conciliation. One of the most famous examples of this policy is the negotiations that were held between British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain and Nazi chancellor/dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler in the lead up to World War Two. Although it has been widely argued by many historians that in following such a policy, Britain and France invigorated Hitler’s aggression and triggered World War Two, appeasement was only a contributing factor in causing World War Two amongst other important influences such as the Treaty Of Versailles, Hitler’s actions and the failure of the League of Nations.
The heritage of World War 1 in France and Britain had generated a strong public and political longing for achieving ‘peace at any price’, British historian R.A.C Parker even believed that Chamberlain wanted to accomplish this notion for his own personal glory. However, neither country was militarily prepared for the outbreak of war, and as this was combined with widespread passivity, war-weariness and an economic slowdown, which was experienced during the Great Depression, the onset of rearmament was heavily prevented, thus introducing the idea of an appeasement policy.
The policy of appeasement was constructed based on the notion of weakness in post World War 1 collective security arrangements, however, it was also created in response to three key issues which Germany faced that needed to be managed and resolved, those being concerns over territory, economic problems, and the absence