History: WW2

Appeasement?
A policy of accepting the imposed conditions of an aggressor
-->One tends to think of Chamberlain yet it was adopted by: MacDonald, Baldwin (Italy: Abyssinia and Spanish Civil war)

Criticisms of the National Government?
-Foreign Policy Makers: "Guilt Men"
-Those who prevented German Rearmament
-They felt Britain still had the power/resources to combat Hitler
-Hitler had the impression Britain would resist anything
-Failure to realise the importance of a Soviet-British realtion
-->Could have limited Nazi power
-->Nazi-Soviet pact 1939

Resistance of Hitler?
1)Re-occupation of the Rhineland
2)Demand of Czechoslovakia 1938--> Sudetenland contained 3 million Germans
3)Occupation of Poland 1939

Chamberlains reasons for appeasement?
-He felt Hitler was reasonable
-->Previous appeasement:Lloyd George TOV

What was COLLECTIVE SECURITY?

-Collective security: nations dont act individually but through joint action when protecting themselves
-->LEAGUE OF NATIONS: act collectively to maintain independece

Limitations of Collective security/LON?
-Lack of USA support
-Lack of miliary support
-Great deprssion, Chanak affair*

Britains feelings towards the war?
-Until 1939 Britain had a method of appeasement
-Appeasement of Italy-Abyssinia question: Britain wanted Italys support as it was weak
-->STRESSA FRONT: 1935: agreement/reassurance
-->HORE-LAVAL PACT: 1935: negociated land for Italy

Physical strength issues?
-Britain wasn't physically ready for war
-->army numbers had fallen
-->money on defence had fallen from 700 million to 115 million
-Lack of international support

Anti-war stances? Paradoxal views?
-Attlee and many others didnt believe in war but Collective security
-People supported the Collective Secuirty and LON, yet inorder for it to work force was needed
--->Anti war: Peace Ballot and 'King and Country' debate