Why did Britain and France follow a policy of appeasement, and how did the outbreak of war finally come in 1939?
Explain the policy of appeasement, why Britain and France followed it, and how the invasion of Poland led to war in 1939
A clear N(A)-Level answer on appeasement and the outbreak of the Second World War. What appeasement was, why Britain and France followed it, the Munich Agreement, the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and how the invasion of Poland led to war.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point asks you to explain the policy of appeasement, why Britain and France followed it, and how the war finally broke out in 1939. Appeasement means giving in to some of an aggressor's demands in the hope of keeping the peace. You should be able to explain the reasons Britain and France chose this policy, describe the famous example of the Munich Agreement, and then explain how the invasion of Poland led to the declaration of war. The key idea is to understand appeasement fairly: it was not simply cowardice, but it ultimately failed and may have made war more likely.
The answer
What appeasement was
Appeasement was the policy followed by Britain and France in the 1930s of giving in to Hitler's demands, within limits, in order to avoid war. Rather than standing firm against each act of German expansion, Britain and France made concessions, hoping that once Hitler's reasonable grievances were satisfied he would be content and the peace would hold. The most famous example was allowing Hitler to take part of Czechoslovakia at the Munich meeting in 1938.
Why Britain and France appeased Hitler
There were several genuine reasons for appeasement, and a fair answer explains them rather than just calling it weak.
- Fear of another war. The First World War had been so horrifying, with millions dead, that the public and leaders were desperate to avoid another one. Avoiding war seemed worth almost any price.
- They were not ready for war. Britain and France felt they were not strong enough to fight, and wanted time to rebuild their armed forces before any conflict.
- Versailles seemed unfair. Many people in Britain believed the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh on Germany, so letting Hitler undo some of it, such as uniting German-speakers, seemed reasonable.
- Fear of communism. Some saw a strong Germany as a useful barrier against the spread of communism from the Soviet Union.
The Munich Agreement
The high point of appeasement was the Munich Agreement of 1938. Hitler demanded the German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia, and Britain and France, wanting to avoid war, agreed to let him have it without even consulting the Czechs properly. The British prime minister returned home claiming he had secured "peace for our time", and was greeted with great relief. For a moment, appeasement looked like a success. But it was built on Hitler's promise that this was his last demand.
Why appeasement failed
Appeasement failed because Hitler could not be satisfied. Just months after Munich, he broke his promise and seized the rest of Czechoslovakia, which was not German-speaking at all. This proved that his aims had no limit and that giving in to him only encouraged more demands. Critics argued that appeasement had been a mistake: by not standing firm earlier, when Germany was weaker, Britain and France had allowed Hitler to grow stronger and bolder, perhaps making war more likely rather than less.
The Nazi-Soviet Pact and the invasion of Poland
After Czechoslovakia, Britain and France finally changed course and promised to defend Poland if Hitler attacked it. Hitler, however, made a surprise agreement with the Soviet Union, the Nazi-Soviet Pact, in which the two countries promised not to fight each other and secretly agreed to divide Poland between them. This freed Hitler to attack Poland without fear of the Soviet Union. In September 1939 Germany invaded Poland. This time Britain and France kept their promise and declared war on Germany. The Second World War had begun.
Examples in context
Example 1. "Peace for our time". When the British prime minister returned from Munich in 1938, he waved the agreement and declared he had brought "peace for our time", and huge crowds celebrated. Within a year Britain was at war. This gap between the relief of 1938 and the outbreak of war in 1939 became the great lesson used to criticise appeasement.
Example 2. The shock of the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Few expected Nazi Germany and the communist Soviet Union, sworn enemies, to make an agreement, because their ideologies were completely opposed. Yet they did, secretly agreeing to divide Poland. The pact shocked the world and removed the last obstacle to Hitler's attack on Poland, showing how both dictators put their immediate interests ahead of their stated beliefs.
Try this
Cue. Define appeasement in one sentence and list the main reasons Britain and France followed it.
Cue. Describe the Munich Agreement of 1938 and explain why it later came to be seen as a failure.
Cue. Explain the part the Nazi-Soviet Pact played in allowing Hitler to invade Poland and start the war in 1939.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original8 marksExplain why Britain and France followed a policy of appeasement in the 1930s.Show worked answer →
- Point of view
- Britain and France appeased Hitler mainly because they wanted to avoid another terrible war and hoped that giving in to some demands would keep the peace.
- Reason 1 (fear of another war)
- The memory of the First World War was so horrifying that leaders and the public desperately wanted to avoid a repeat.
- Reason 2 (they were not ready)
- Britain and France felt militarily and economically unready for war and wanted time to rearm.
- Reason 3 (some demands seemed fair)
- Many believed the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh, so letting Hitler undo some of it seemed reasonable.
- Conclusion
- A mix of fear of war, weakness, and a belief that Hitler had some genuine grievances led Britain and France to give in to his demands.
What markers reward: a clear point of view, fear of another war, not being ready, the feeling Versailles was unfair, and a judgement.
Original7 marksStudy the source. A paraphrased British newspaper report from 1938 describes crowds cheering the prime minister as he returns from Munich waving an agreement and promising peace, while a lone writer warns that the cheering will not last and that Britain has only delayed the danger. What does this source suggest about reactions to the Munich Agreement? Support your answer with details from the source.Show worked answer →
- Message
- The source suggests that most people welcomed the Munich Agreement with relief because it seemed to keep the peace, but a few warned it would not last.
- Support from the source
- The "crowds cheering the prime minister" and his promise of "peace" suggest most people were relieved and grateful that war had been avoided. The "lone writer" warning that Britain has "only delayed the danger" suggests some critics thought appeasement was a mistake.
- Brief explanation
- This fits the real reaction to Munich, which was greeted with relief at the time but later criticised when Hitler broke his promises.
What markers reward: an inference about relief mixed with doubt, two details from the source used as support, and a short link to what happened after Munich.
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