Higher History Paper II Special Topic: Appeasement

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Higher History Paper II Special Topic
Appeasement
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What is Appeasement?
According to Paul Kennedy in his Strategy and
Diplomacy (1983), appeasement is
"the policy of settling international quarrels by
admitting and satisfying grievances through
rational negotiation and compromise, thereby
avoiding the resort to an armed conflict which
would be expensive, bloody and possibly
dangerous."
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Definitions To appease
To bring peace
To quiet or calm
Put simply, appeasement is a policy followed by
the British Government in the 1930s.
Its aim was to negotiate with aggressive foreign
powers or nations in order to prevent war.
policy an official course of action
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Returning to Paul Kennedy
According to Paul Kennedy in his Strategy and
Diplomacy, 1983
appeasement is "the policy of settling
international quarrels
by admitting and satisfying grievances through
rational negotiation and compromise
thereby avoiding the need to resort to an armed
conflict which would be expensive, bloody and
possibly dangerous."
Professor Keith Robbins of Glasgow
University Appeasement "a disposition to avoid
conflict by judicious concession and
negotiation.
Disposition an inclination a tendency to do
something.
Judicious sensible or sound.
Concessions The act of conceding, to give
something away.
Since World War II, the term APPEASEMENT has
gained a negative connotation, in politics and in
general, of weakness and cowardice. It is,
simply, the policy of granting concessions to
potential enemies to maintain peace.
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Returning to Paul Kennedy
According to Paul Kennedy in his Strategy and
Diplomacy, 1983
appeasement is "the policy of settling
international quarrels
by admitting and satisfying grievances through
rational negotiation and compromise
thereby avoiding the need to resort to an armed
conflict which would be expensive, bloody and
possibly dangerous."
Professor Keith Robbins of Glasgow
University Appeasement "a disposition to avoid
conflict by judicious concession and
negotiation.
The most well-known case of appeasement is one
which ultimately failed -
- the appeasement of Adolf Hitler's Germany by
the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain,
and his government in the late 1930s.
Even today there is still considerable debate
about this policy of appeasement.
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REMEMBER, to appease is
To bring peace
To quiet or calm
The aim of the British Government was to
negotiate with aggressive powers / nations in
order to prevent war.
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Consider this scenario

• In a particular school there is a pupil who has
  developed a legendary status for causing problems
  in classes.
• A list of their alleged crimes includes
• disruption to lessons
• threatening and violent behaviour towards
  teachers
• bullying of other class members

• If we were to use a policy of appeasement in
  dealing with this situation, the following would
  probably take place
• Discussions would begin with the pupil to
  determine what some of the
• problems are.
• The pupil would list the demands that he
  wants. Such as other pupils
• completing his homework for him teachers
  completing his notes
• during class.
• In the case of the teacher he / she simply
  wants peace in the
• classroom and as a result gives the pupil
  everything he demands.

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The aim of the teacher is
to keep the peace

avoid any conflict
What problems do you foresee if such an approach
was taken in a school?
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An alternative way to deal with this solution
would be ?

• To challenge the pupil regarding this
  unacceptable behaviour.
• The pupil is told that any repeat of this
  behaviour will result
• in them being excluded.
• The pupil is informed that the next course of
  action will be
• expulsion from the school.
• The pupil must also prove that they can
  behave first, before
• any of their requests are heard.
• Even then, only sensible requests will be
  considered.

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Supposing that this problem pupil chose a new
strategy and began to bully pupils individually.
What could the rest of the pupils in the class do?

• Look out for each other
• Join together to challenge the pupil when
  they try to bully a fellow
• class mate.
• THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

In terms of appeasement this is known as
Collective Security
Where groups/nations join together to protect
each other
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Now transfer this to international politics and
countries in the 1930s
The Teacher Great Britain, the dominant power
in Europe at this time, trying to avoid a war.
The disruptive pupil Germany and occasionally
Italy.
The class The League of Nations, with France as
one of the members.
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Appeasement - Personalities
oops!
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Appeasement - Personalities
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Appeasement - Personalities
Eduoard Daladier
Neville Chamberlain
Winston Churchill
Benito Mussolini
Leon Blum
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Sources of German discontent
Germany After the Treaty of Versailles
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The Rhineland
The Rhineland was an area of land which belonged
to Germany.
As part of the Treaty of Versailles Germany was
forbidden from having a military presence in the
Rhineland this was at the insistence of the
French.
It was designed to prevent any future wars from
occurring on French soil.
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The Rhineland
In March 1936 German troops entered the
demilitarised zone of the Rhineland, breaking
part of the Treaty of Versailles.
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The Rhineland
If the British Government followed a policy of
appeasement, how would you expect them to deal
with this situation?
The British Government would begin to discuss and
negotiate with Germany over this incident.
Britain would likely act alone here, ignoring the
League of Nations and other helpful powers such
as France Russia
Despite breaking the Treaty of Versailles and
acting aggressively, the British Government would
allow Germany to remain in the Rhineland
(concession)
REASON To avoid a war, afterall the Treaty of
Versailles was too harsh.
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The Rhineland
The alternative course of action would be to take
a tougher line with Germany, working with the
League of Nations using Collective Security.
The British Government would condemn the German
action and point out that they have broken two
internationally binding agreements.
Germany would be told to immediately remove all
of her military forces from the Rhineland.
Failure to do so would result in economic
penalties and possible military action from the
League of Nations, backed by G.B. Fra.
REASON To prevent Germany taking Europe to war
again!
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The ultimate aim of appeasement
Is to keep the peace
or
To prevent war or conflict
through negotiation
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The AGGRESSORS
Adolf Hitler German Fuhrer
Benito Mussolini IL Duce, Leader of Italy
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The AGGRESSORS
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The ANTI - APPEASERS Great Britain
Winston Churchill Statesman and staunch critic
of the Conservatives Policy of Appeasement.
Became British Prime Minister, May 1940
Anthony Eden British Foreign Secretary.
Resigned in February 1938. Disagreed with
Chamberlains Policy of Appeasement.
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Anthony Eden, Chamberlain's Foreign Secretary,
did not agree with the policy of appeasement and
resigned in February, 1938.
Eden was replaced by Lord Halifax who fully
supported this policy. (although he would later
change his views once WW2 began)
Halifax had already developed a good relationship
with the German Government.
After his first visit to Nazi Germany he told his
friend, Henry (Chips) Channon that He liked
all the Nazi leaders, even Goebbels, and he was
much impressed, interested and amused by the
visit. He thinks the regime absolutely
fantastic."
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In the 1930's, the British people remembered well
the horrors and destruction of the First World
War.
Most wanted to avoid confrontation and therefore,
chose to ignore Hitler's rise to power.
Churchill repeatedly warned the British
Government of the dangers of appeasing Hitlers
Germany.
Churchill was less willing!
Churchill preferred a tougher approach in dealing
with Hitlers Germany "If a dog makes a dash
for my trousers, I shoot him down before he can
bite." William Manchester, in his book titled
The Last Lion Alone (1939-1940), p83-84
He believed the policy of appeasement was
cowardly and gave away too much (concession) to
aggressive powers. "There can never . be a
fight if one side (G.B. Govt) is determined that
it will give way completely."
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The APPEASERS Great Britain
Neville Chamberlain British Prime Minister,
1937 - 1940
Lord Halifax Replaced Eden as British Foreign
Secretary. A supporter of Chamberlains Policy of
Appeasement.
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Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister of
Britain on 28th May, 1937.
Over the next two years Chamberlain's
Conservative Government became associated with
the foreign policy that later became known as
appeasement.

• He believed that
• Germany had been badly treated by the Allies
  after it was defeated in the
• First World War.
• the German Government had genuine
  grievances, in respect to Versailles and
• these needed to be addressed.
• by agreeing to some of the demands being
  made by Hitler and Mussolini, he
• could avoid a European war.

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Through face-to-face discussion and negotiation
Chamberlain believed that he could secure German
promises to be peaceful.
Securing these promises was the easy bit. Getting
Adolf Hitler to keep them was slightly more
difficult.
War came on 3rd September 1939!
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The Issues

• Was the Second World War inevitable (always going
  to happen) given the
• harshness of the Treaty of Versailles?
• Who is responsible for causing World War 2?
• Adolf Hitler Germany Given that the Germans
  invaded Poland.
• OR
• Great Britain, France and the rest of the world
  For continuing to give into Germanys demands and
  failing to stop Hitler when he first broke the
  Treaty of Versailles.

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• SUPPORTERS OF APPEASEMENT WOULD ARGUE
• If World War 2 had not broken out, the policy
  of
• appeasement would be hailed as successful.
• Preventing a second world war was a noble and
• admirable course of action.
• It was the only course of action open to
  Britain.

• CRITICS OF THE POLICY WOULD ARGUE
• That a tougher line was needed with Germany.
• Appeasement allowed the dictators to become
  
• stronger.
• The threat of military action should have been
  
• against Germany much earlier than 1939.
• Perhaps if Hitler had been strongly challenged
  in
• 1936 during the Rhineland incident he might
  
• have pursued more peaceful methods.
• The German people may even have voted him
• from power for risking another war

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The ultimate aim of appeasement
Is to keep the peace
or
To prevent war or conflict
through negotiation
It is an admirable and noble cause. Yet
equally, it can be a cowardly option if
aggressive behaviour continues to be rewarded as
a result of fear.
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Appeasement in the modern world
Argument in favour of appeasing Iraq Iraq
has legitimate problems with its neighbours and
needs help to work these out. Failure to assist
could lead to all-out war in the region of the
Middle East. War is a costly business both in
money and human life it should be avoided.
Aim 1) Negotiate with Iraq establish what
needs it has. 2) To keep the peace prevent a
war.
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Appeasement in the modern world
Argument against appeasing Iraq Questionable
intelligence suggested that Iraq had W.M.D. Iraq
has used chemical weapons and W.D.M. before. Iraq
is a threat to peace in the area. Iraq has
invaded independent, sovereign nations. This
nation needs to be stopped before it causes a war
to break out in the area.
Aim To prevent an aggressive nation from
becoming too powerful and causing a war in the
region.
Ironically, war is used (twice) to prevent a war!
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Appeasement in the modern world
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And finally
Faced with the option of defending a small which
is being bullied by an aggressive nation such as
Germany
What do you think the British Prime Minister
would do?
aggressive here means threatening to invade.