Appeasement Fails War is Inevitable
HITLER 1935 announced Germany would begin to rebuild their military This was against the Treaty of Versailles British urged appeasement Britain/France were too worried about their own economies Both wanted to avoid war
League of Nations 1936 German Troops move into Rhineland (A buffer zone between Germany/France) Reoccupation of Rhineland marks a turning point!
GERMANY Continues Aggression 1937 announces it plans to “absorb” Austria & Czechoslovakia 1938 Demands Sudentenland be given to Germany
Munich Conference 1938 Czechs & USSR not invited Britain & France give Hitler Sudetenland Policy of appeasement continued… Hitler promises to “respect” new borders
“I believe it is peace for our time” Neville Chamberlain (Prime Minister of Britain) September 1938
Winston Churchill: (future prime minister of England) We are in the presence of a disaster of the first magnitude …we have sustained defeat without war….this is only the first sip….the foretaste of a bitter cup…. Unless we arise again and take our stand for freedom…
Munich
Nonaggression Pact Hitler & Stalin’s 1939 10-year pact signed Secretly agree to divide Poland other countries promised to Stalin strategy: Hitler was assured there would be no attack from the east (USSR)
United States Followed policy of ISOLATIONISM: argued WWI was a mistake avoided ties with other countries 1935 passed the Neutrality Acts Banned the sale of Arms to nations at war Designed to keep USA out of a war
Isolationism
Hitler’s Dance 1935-- Rearmament begins in Germany 1936-- Moves into the Rhineland 1938 -- Seizes Austria & demands Sudetenland Munich Conference gives Hitler Sudetenland 1938- Hitler Breaks word & seizes all of Czechoslovakia Next, Hitler demands the Polish port of Danzig
Appeasement