Appeasement, Sudetenland and Munich

Appeasement and Chamberlain; Sudetenland and Munich Agreement;

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You must know:

Appeasement

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What was appeasement?

Appeasement was believing that Hitler's claims were REASONABLE, and that if we gave in to him he would stop when he got it.

Appeasement involved treating Hitler as 'a man who can be trusted'.

Facts

FIVE examples of appeasement are:

1935: Britain and France ignored Hitler's open rearmament rally

1935: Britain made the naval agreement with Germany

1936: Britain and France ignored the reoccupation of the Rhineland

April 1938: Chamberlain did nothing about Anschluss

Sept 1938: Chamberlain GAVE Hitler the Sudetenland at Munich.

Britain gained time to build up her armed forces - but so did Hitler.
Hitler decided that Britain and France were afraid of him and would not stop him whatever he did - in this way appeasement ENCOURAGED Hitler to start WWII.
Russia decided that Britain and France would never stand up to Hitler, and made the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
It also improved the war morale of the British people, who knew they had done everything possible to avoid war.

Overview

In 1938, the Sudeten Nazi Party demanded union with Germany. Hitler threatened to support them by invading Czechoslovakia.

Chamberlain met Hitler three times:

1. at the first, he agreed to a plebiscite

2. at the second, Hitler made more demands, which Chamberlain refused

3. at the third at Munich, France and Britain GAVE Hitler the Sudetenland.

Chamberlain told the cheering crowds; ‘I believe it is peace for our time’.

Facts

• the leader of the Sudeten Nazis was Konrad Henlein

• The three meetings were at Berchtesgaden (15 Sept), Bad Godesberg (22 Sept) and Munich (29 Sept).

Czechoslovakia was weakened (only a matter of time before Hitler took the rest - 15 Mar 1939).
Hitler decided that Britain and France were afraid of him and would not stop him whatever he did.
Russia decided that Britain and France would never stand up to Hitler, and made the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

Britain gained a year to prepare for war (but so did Hitler)

Revision Focus

This is a Paper 1 topic, so concentrate on learning:

1. WHAT happened

2. EFFECTS/ Importance