In 1938, Germans living in the border areas of
Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland) started to demand a
union with Hitler's Germany. The Czechs refused. Hitler
threatened war. On 30 September, in the Munich
Agreement - without asking Czechoslovakia - Britain and
France gave the Sudetenland to Germany.
reasons to agreeing with appeasement
1.Some British people approved of Hitler's policies.
2.The British people hoped that a strong Germany
would stop the growth of Communist Russia. 3.Many
people felt that events in Europe were not Britain's
business. 4.Many British people wanted peace. 5.Many
British people agreed with Hitler that the Treaty of
Versailles was unfair.
results of appeasement
1.let Hitler grow stronger. 2.gave Britain time to re-arm. 3.humiliated Britain – no country in central Europe
ever trusted Britain again. 4.abandoned millions of people to the Nazis. 5.caused the war, by encouraging
Hitler to think he could do anything. 6.gave Britain the morale high ground – when war came, Britons knew
they had done everything possible to keep the peace. 7.would never have stopped Hitler, who was
determined to go to war. 8.was a fine attempt to prevent the deaths of millions of people in a war.
End of APPEASEMENT
Invasion of Czechoslovakia on March 1939.
What it showed and proved
It proved that Hitler had been lying at Munich. It
showed that Hitler was not just interested in a
'Greater Germany' (the Czechs were not
Germans). On 17th March, Chamberlain gave a
speech saying that he could not trust Hitler not to
invade other countries. On 31st March,
Chamberlain guaranteed to defend Poland if
Germany invaded.
What made Chamberlain abandon APPEASEMENT?
Things happening in Europe
1. November 1938: Kristallnacht - attacks on the
Jews in Germany. 2.March 1939: Czechoslovakia
- Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. 3.May
1939: Pact of Steel: an alliance was formed
between Germany and Italy to help each other in
times of war.