policy of appeasement

Question 1

fear of another major war

Answer 1

• br and fr suffered heavy casualties during WW1 and were not physically ready for another war of a similar scale. rearmament was also made difficult due to the public disgust toward war and the effect of the gd on both countries
• wld also not have public support (lack of interest of br during hitler’s remilitarisation of the Rhineland, as well as public support for the Munich agreement
• pacifist countries
• give them time to rearm and strengthen their forces

Question 2

weakness of the lon

Answer 2

main aim: resolve international disputes and fights, however powerless and ineffective when dealing with more powerful countries
- therefore, instead of relying on the league to act, br and fr adopted a policy of appeasement to satisfy hitler, and prevent the outbreak of major war (pacifist nature!!)

Question 3

genuine sympathy 4 Germany over the ToV

Answer 3

br was sympathetic towards germany as they felt that the terms of the ToV were too harsh for the germans
- when hitler claimed the ethnic germans in Czechoslovakia were being oppressed, chamberlain believed hitler’s grievances were justified, as he thought hitlers motive was to grant the germans self-determination: the key goal of ToV, and by giving in to him, will prevent the start of another war

Question 4

examples of appeasement (Anglo-Nazi Naval Agreement)

Answer 4

The terms of the ToV clearly stated that Germany’s navy ships should only consist of 6 battleships and a few smaller ships. However, signing the Anglo-Nazi Naval Agreement in June 1935 meant that the size of germany’s navy could increase, which signalled the beginning of appeasement. Through these concessions, it was hoped that it would reduce German anger at the ToV and stabilise Europe.
However, this angered the fr and confused the germans as a member of the Stresa Front, altho this very behaviour of defying the ToV was criticised after WW1, the br seemed to be encouraging this behaviour