1. Appeasement

2. Review of German Troops, 1939
German Rearmament
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Review of German Troops, 1939

3. German Rearmament
By 1938, Germany had rebuilt its military under Hitler
Violation of Treaty of Versailles
Hitler wanted to expand Germany’s boarders claiming to unite ethnic Germans in Europe
European countries reluctant to prepare for war
WHY?

4. German Aggression German Aggression 1936-1939
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German Aggression

5. German Aggression
: Germany remilitarized the Rhineland (purple stripes), annexed Austria (maroon)
1938: Germany demanded control of Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia (maroon)
Heavy German ethnic population

6. Chamberlain and Hitler at the Munich Agreement
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Chamberlain and Hitler at the Munich Agreement

7. The Munich Agreement
British government took role of negotiating with Germany
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with Hitler in Munich to find compromise over Sudetenland
The Munich Agreement (9/29/1938), stated:
Germany would receive the Sudetenland, and promised Germany would not take further land from Czechoslovakia

8. The Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement became synonymous with the policy of appeasement
Appeasement:
giving into the demands of an aggressor in order to keep the peace

9. Further German Aggression
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Polish city of Wieluń after German bombing September 1, 1939

10. Further German Aggression
3/13/1939-Germany violated Munich Agreement
Occupied Czechoslovakia
9/1/1939-Germany invaded Poland, which initiated WWII in Europe
9/3/1939-Great Britain and France declare war on Germany

11. Central Historical Question
Was appeasement the right policy for England in 1938?