Britain 17 Flashcards
(8 cards)
What was Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement?
To avoid war by using diplomacy to address Germany’s grievances about the Treaty of Versailles, allowing Hitler to revise it peacefully.
: How did Chamberlain act on appeasement?
He flew to Germany three times and at the Munich Conference in 1938 agreed to let Hitler annex the Sudetenland, claiming “peace in our time.”
: How and why did appeasement fail?
: Hitler broke his promises by invading the rest of Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain abandoned appeasement, guaranteed Poland’s independence, but Germany invaded Poland in 1939, triggering war.
What were the five key reasons for Chamberlain’s fall as Prime Minister?
1) Appeasement failure, 2) No alliance with Soviet Union, 3) The “Phoney War” claims, 4) Poor war economy preparation, 5) The failed Norway Campaign.
What was the ‘Phoney War’ and its impact on Chamberlain’s leadership?
Early in WWII, no fighting occurred, leading Chamberlain to boast Hitler “had missed the bus.” Days later, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway, undermining confidence in Chamberlain.
: What was the Norwegian Campaign and how did it contribute to Chamberlain’s resignation?
From April to June 1940, British forces failed to defend Norway from Nazi invasion. The resulting political debate led to Labour demanding Chamberlain resign and Conservative rebels withdrawing support.
What happened in the wartime leadership contest after Chamberlain’s resignation?
Churchill and Halifax were contenders. Halifax was widely accepted but declined, believing Churchill was the right man. Churchill’s self-confidence and leadership won the role.
