Policy Of Appeasement Towards Hitler example essay topic

The 1920's had a good outlook towards peace, but near the end of the decade and throughout the 1930's signs of war were forming. Leaders arose in countries that were unsatisfied with the results of World War I. Germany, Italy, and Japan took aggressive actions, and neither the League of Nations nor the democratic countries were stopping them. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain suggested the policy of appeasement towards Hitler to keep peace. Europe moved closer to war as these actions were made. World War II had propelled with the lack of judgement by the League of Nations by continuous appeasing Hitler. September 3, 1939 was when the world plunged into World War II.

The main reason for the cause of this war was the policy of appeasement. Before the war started, In October 1935, Mussolini ordered a massive invasion of Ethiopia. After Italy attacked, Haile Selassie, leader of Ethiopia, asked the League of Nations for help. In document 2, Haile Selassie, requested the League of Nations help stop the invasion and when the League's response was ineffective he said", God and history will remember your judgement... It is us today.

It will be you tomorrow". By now, Hitler came to power and was leading the Nazi's in the Third Reich. They had also became the largest political party. In March 1935, the Fuhrer (Hitler) announced that Germany would not obey the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty. The League of Nations only issued a mild warning for the rebuilding of Germany's armed forces, which forbade the treaty. The League's failure to stop Germany from rearming convinced Hitler to take even greater risks.

On March 7, Hitler disobeyed another agreement, which forbade him to invade Rhineland (a buffer zone between Germany and France). In document 3, the article states that, "Germany today cast off the last shackles fastened upon her by the Treaty of Versailles when Adolf Hitler, sent in his new battalions into the Rhineland's demilitarized zone". British urged appeasement, which was not an excellent idea. First, it strengthened Hitler's power and prestige within Germany. Cautious generals who had urged restraint now agreed to follow him. Second, the balance of power changed in Germany's favor.

Finally, the weak response by France and Britain encouraged Hitler to speed up his military and territorial expansion. Hitler's growing strength also grew him allies which included Italy and Japan and the three aggressors became to be known as the axis powers. Instead of taking a stand against the aggressors, Britain and France repeatedly made concessions, hoping to keep peace. In addition, the horrors of World War I had created a deep desire to avoid war. Britain and France made yet another poor choice to follow the policy of appeasement on Hitler's first target Austria. In March 1938, Hitler sent his army into Austria and annexed it.

Hitler next turned to Czechoslovakia. France and Britain were preparing for war when Mussolini proposed the meeting of Italy, Germany, France and Britain to discuss the outcome of Czechoslovakia. This meeting was called the Munich Conference and was held on September 29, 1938. The next morning broadcast ed by William S hirer, as seen in document 4, he states the conclusion of the conference... "The price of peace is... the ceding by Czechoslovakia of the Sudeten territory to Herr Hitler's Germany... the German Fuhrer gets what he wanted... ".

The policy of appeasement only temporarily stalled Hitler from making his next move. Winston Churchill, in document 6, also agreed that the policy of appeasement was dreadful. He states, "I asked that Britain, together with France and other powers, guarantee the security of Czechoslovakia. If that course had been followed, events would not have fallen into this disastrous state".

Soon after, Hitler had his eye on a new land, Poland. Hitler was convinced that the nation's appeasement meant that they would not risk war. At this time, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, bargained with Hitler and the two leaders reached an agreement. On August 23, 1939, a nonaggression pact was signed. They publicly committed to never attack each other.

Secretly, however, they agreed that they would divide Poland between them and Hitler would give Finland and the Baltic countries to Stalin. The new nonaggression pact removed the threat to Germany of a Soviet attack from the east. On April 28, 1939, Hitler demanded that the Polish Corridor, along with the port Danzig, be returned to Germany. This time Britain and France decided to resist this threat of aggression.

Hitler then surprise attacked Poland on September 1, 1939. The city crumbled under assault. Two days later, September 3, 1939, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. Great Britain and France held the war off by using the policy of appeasement but it did not prevent it. The most effective response to aggression the first time should have been collective security. If Britain and France stopped Hitler in the beginning, the war may have been prevented.

For example, the League of Nations should have severely warned Hitler (back in 1935) if he was going to keep building up his military force. Other blockages could have been set up before the invasion of Rhineland (March 1936), the seize of Austria (March 1938) and Czechoslovakia (September 1938 and March 1939). Finally, Great Britain and France decided to resist aggression instead of appeasing it but by then Hitler and his country had gotten too powerful and war had already begun. While the policy of appeasement stalled the war a more effective response to aggression would have been collective security.