1. What was Appeasement?
Learning Objective: To develop an understanding of how and why Germany was appeased in the 1930s

2. By the end of this lesson you will know…
What Appeasement is
How Germany was appeased
Why Germany was appeased

3. “Why should we take a stand about someone pushing someone else when its all so far away….”

4. What is Appeasement?
This is the policy that Britain and France took towards Germany in the 1930s.
It means to try and keep peace by making allowances – i.e. letting someone get away with things that they shouldn’t be doing
In the 1930s when Hitler ignored the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and started behaving aggressively, he was appeased by Britain and France.

5. How was Germany appeased?
1933-Germany leave the L of N - start to rearm in secret (Germany was banned under the Treaty of Versailles from having a large army or navy)
1935-Anglo-German Naval Agreement, Abyssinian Crisis, German announces conscription (Germany was not supposed to have conscription because it was not supposed to have a large army or navy)
1936- Remilitarization of the Rhineland (The Treaty of Versailles demanded that the Rhineland be demilitarised – i.e. no troops allowed there)
1938 (March) Anschluss with Austria (This meant that Germany and Austria were united which was banned under the Treaty of Versailles)
1938/9 Hitler invades Czechoslovakia
1939 Hitler invades Poland

6. “I have in my hand a piece of paper…”
Munich Agreement 1938
“I have in my hand a piece of paper…”
In 1938 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew to Germany to try and negotiate with Hitler. The two men agreed that Hitler could take over the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia but that he could not try anything more. Chamberlain returned to Britain to a hero's welcome and announced that he had secured “peace in our time.” The Second World War broke out less than a year later.
Chamberlain on his return from Munich waving the piece of paper which he claimed had secured peace

7. Appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s
Situation
What Hitler did
How other countries responded
Why other countries responded in this way
Rearmament, 1933 onwards
The Rhineland, 1936
Austria, 1938
The Sudetenland, 1938
Czechoslovakia, 1939
Poland, 1939

8. Why was Germany appeased?
Politicians at the time genuinely believed that Appeasement would bring about peace. Many people in Britain in the 1930s supported the policy and some historians today think that there were good reasons at the time to follow the policy of Appeasement.
Reasons for Appeasement:
Buying time
Avoiding another war
Giving Hitler a chance
Germany could be a buffer against communism
Trying to rebuild relations with Germany

9. Why appease Hitler? Avoiding another war Your Task: Buying time
Copy this diagram.
Underneath each heading explain in more detail why this is a reason for countries appeasing Hitler. (One has been done for you as an example)
Buying time
People remembered the horrors of the First World War and were determined not to allow a repeat of this conflict; therefore they were willing to go to extra lengths to try and keep peace.
Germany could be a buffer against communism
Why appease Hitler?
Trying to rebuild relations with Germany
Giving Hitler a chance