Neville Chamberlain and Appeasement

History IA: Neville Chamberlain and Appeasement Research Question: Was Chamberlain's appeasement a policy of peace at any price? http://www.jeffhead.com/obama/chamberlain.jpg Word Count: 1939 IB History: Internal Assessment Candidate: Rasmus Puggaard Hansen Class: 3u School: Birkerød Gymnasium May 2009 Table of Contents A: Plan of Investigation 3 B: Summary of Evidence 3 C: Evaluation of Sources 4 D: Analysis 5 E: Conclusion 7 F: List of Sources 8 A: Plan of Investigation This historical investigation will focus on Neville Chamberlain, "the man who was to become the world's most celebrated and notorious appeaser,"1 and his policy of appeasement, especially from March 1936 to September 1939. In order to successfully go into depth with this assignment, I ordered books on the topic, and the main body of this investigation will outline how Chamberlain's appeasement allowed Hitler's many territorial and political gains in the years leading up to the war.

  • Word count: 2318
  • Level: International Baccalaureate
  • Subject: History
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Neville Chamberlain was born in 1869 and was the son of the politician Joseph Chamberlain.

Neville Chamberlain was born in 1869 and was the son of the politician Joseph Chamberlain. In 1915 Neville was elected Lord Mayor of Birmingham and by 1918 he had been elected as Conservative MP for Ladywood. His promotion was rapid, and in 1923 the then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin appointed him as Postmaster-General (1923-1924) the Minister for Health (1924-1929). During his period as Minister for Health Chamberlain was responsible for the reform of the Poor Law, the promotion of Council house building, and the systematising of Local Government. As Chancellor of the Exchequer in the National Government from 1931-1937 he steered the economy back towards prosperity with a policy of low interest rates and easy credit. However Chamberlain's years as Prime Minister (1937-1940) and his appeasement policy of accommodating the European Dictators in order to avoid war, gives us the opportunity to analyse his influence on European International Relations. To many Chamberlain's era was the beginning of Britain's appeasement policy of avoiding war with aggressive powers such as Japan, Italy and Germany. However the origins of appeasement can be seen in British Foreign policy during the 1920's with the Dawes and Young plans. These policies tried to conciliate the Germans, as did the Locarno Peace treaties of 1925 - but the significant omission was that Britain did not agree to

  • Word count: 2506
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Historical and Philosophical studies
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Even after the German occupation of Prague in March 1939, Neville Chamberlain was reluctant to confront Hitler and abandon the policy of appeasement How far do you agree?

Poppy Steel ‘Even after the German occupation of Prague in March 1939, Neville Chamberlain was reluctant to confront Hitler and abandon the policy of appeasement’ How far do you agree? When Hitler sent troops to invade the centre of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, it was done in blatant disregard of the terms that had been set at Munich and those who had made them this is inclusive of Chamberlain. Although it is uncertain as to whether it was at this point that Chamberlain decided to abandon his previous policy of appeasement has been highly debated among historians. Source 7 largely supports the claim that Chamberlain was still reluctant to identify Hitler’s aggression as a source of the event. It claims that instead he chose to remain with the opinion that through making concessions to Hitler that he would eventually be pacified, as Chamberlain continued to blame the harshness of the terms set in the Treaty of Versailles. Source 7 therefore can be used in support of both the ‘bungling man’ interpretation, as well as, that of A.J.P Taylor. Taylor’s view point was that Chamberlain was a well-meaning statesmen and the fault lay in the inadequacies at Versailles, depending on whether one want to criticise Chamberlain or vindicate his actions. However in contrast to this, Source 8 takes a counterview proposing the argument that Chamberlain (as well as the rest of

  • Word count: 1670
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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"Guilty men" - how responsible were Chamberlain et.al for World War Two?

Guilty men Neville Chamberlain was 68 years old when he succeeded Baldwin as PM on 28th May 1937. It was a post for which he would never fight a general election. As he was being groomed as future PM, he became more critical of policy decisions, sure that he could do better on foreign matters, and his diary recorded a constant lament. He felt that Hitler was the 'bully of Europe', and decided to hope for the best, and plan for the worst. Chamberlain embarked on a policy of deterrence and appeasement, searching for 'decency even in dictators'. Chamberlain saw war as the ultimate absurdity, and he desired peace at all costs. However, he believed in the principle of the 'vital cause', one which if you went to war for, and won you could say 'that cause is safe'. Chamberlain's view that Britain was 'a very rich and a very vulnerable empire' was supported by the idea that Europe was divided between two ideologies. He believed that it was up to Britain to defend itself, holding France and the league of nations in low regard, with similar views towards the US. He was always quick to refute support for certain ideologies, claiming total indifference to Nazism, Fascism and Bolshevism. Chamberlain believed that a nation should not make threats unless it can back them up with action, and that foreign policy is dictated by circumstances. The criticism of Chamberlain came strongly,

  • Word count: 854
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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The Chamberlain Case -

The Chamberlain Case By Meagan West "A Dingo Took My Baby!"They were the words that Lindy Chamberlain had screamed out into the blackness of the cold night in a camping ground close to Ayers Rock, Central Australia, on the night of August 17 1980, when she discovered that her nine-week-old baby, Azaria had been taken by a dingo. Lindy had returned to the family tent where she had left her sleeping 4 year old son, Reagan, and Azaria only moments before. Her husband Michael was sure that he had heard Azaria cry out. As she approached, closely followed by their 6 year old son Aidan, Lindy saw with a large dingo coming out of their tent. It seemed to be shaking its head like it was trying to drag something out of the tent. She couldn't see what it was. As Lindy reached the opening of the tent a sense of panic had begun to well inside her. The children! Lindy ran from the tent moments later calling out "A dingo took my baby!!" In this essay, you will see the prosecution and defence as well as the rumours which circulated at that time. The aim of the Prosecution is to provide evidence which would lead to the conviction of Lindy Chamberlain of the murder of her daughter, Azaria. There were four arguments which eventually lead to Lindy's conviction. Firstly Ian Barker stated that, although Azaria's body was never found, they would easily see, from the evidence, that she was in

  • Word count: 1540
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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How far were the policies of Chamberlain in facing the challenges from Nazi Germany to 1939 'Dangerously Negligent'?

How far were the policies of Chamberlain in facing the challenges from Nazi Germany to 1939 'Dangerously Negligent'? In October 1938, Neville Chamberlain returned from the Munich conference to Britain saying "I believe that it is peace in our time". The following September, war with Germany started. Many historians believe that it was Chamberlain's policies of appeasement that helped to cause war with Germany; others argue that Chamberlain's policy of appeasement was a realistic one, which was a sensible way to go at the time. This essay will examine how Chamberlain's policies affected Anglo German relations, leading up to The First World War, and attempt to reach a conclusion about whether or not he deserves to be remembered as a negligent Prime Minister. Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister in May 1937, succeeding Stanley Baldwin, and taking on the problems of some of the countries in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Chamberlains' policy was mainly that of appeasement, which has two meanings-pre 1930's, and post 1930's. The pre 1930 meaning of appeasement means 'To calm or pacify',1 and the post 1930 meaning is to give in to a bully; this is what many historians see Chamberlain doing in his appeasement of Germany. If this definition is right, then there may be some truth in the allegation that Chamberlain was negligent. There is an ongoing historical debate on

  • Word count: 3066
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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Were Contemporaries Correct in Viewing Chamberlain as a Peacemaker?

Were Contemporaries Correct in Viewing Chamberlain as a Peacemaker? After the First World War had ended in 1918, most of Europe was struggling to survive. The Treaty of Versailles was created because of the war, as countries such as France and Italy wanted to get revenge on Germany for the war, but it's harsh terms caused Germany to become vengeful. Neville Chamberlain became the prime minister in 1917, and he felt that the Treaty's terms were much too harsh. He decided that the best option was to follow appeasement to best comply with Germany. The majority of Europe (especially France and Britain) and America were angry towards Germany for the war, and therefore created the Treaty of Versailles. The main points of the treaty blamed Germany for the war (article 231), made Germany harshly cut down their military forces, forced Germany give much of their land to different countries and finally Germany had to pay £6,600 million in reparations. Woodrow Wilson created the fourteen points to stop himself and America from getting into war again. The fourteenth point was to create a League of Nations to stop future wars. Any aggressive countries would be sanctioned by all the League's members and would be attacked as a last resort. As America didn't join the league, it failed pretty quickly, as it had no real structure or power. One of the policies the British followed was

  • Word count: 3005
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: History
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Stevens is a newsagent and is located on Neville Parade

Theme D Tasks Stevens is a newsagent and is located on Neville Parade. Neville Parade is a small street of around 9 or 10 small businesses such as a pharmacy and butchers. It is located here because it is convenient for customers. It is nearby houses and many people who would not usually bring their custom here pass the shop on the way to various nearby things such as a school, a nursing home, a church, and tanning booths. Stevens are also located in this area because the costs of premises are lower than those in the centre of the town centre. Stevens do not have supplies delivered to their store, and therefore do not need to have easy to access transport links, although Steven can quickly and easily get to the place where he buys his stock from. Stevens attract customers of all ages for example older people come in to collect their pension, Couples pop in to put the lotto on, and children often come in to but sweets and chocolate. Three local competitors are: the Co-op, which sells everything that Stevens sells and more, and it is located just a few steps away from Stevens at the Neville parade site. Garages can also be classed as competitors because they also sell everything that Stevens do, and more and more people are using cars now so it could be more convenient to pop in while on the road. There are also numerous shops in the town centre that offer the same, if not

  • Word count: 1267
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Business Studies
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"We are at war with Germany" - dyfyniad Neville Chamberlain Medi 3ydd 1939. Dechreuodd y rhyfel byd cyntaf ar y 1af o Fedi 1939 pan wnaeth yr Almaen o dan Adolf Hitler ymosodiad ar Pwyl

Gwaith Cwrs Y seithfed ar hugain o Hydref Traethawd 1 "Beth oedd effaith yr ail rhyfel byd ar fywyd cartref yng Nghymru a Lloegr" "We are at war with Germany" - dyfyniad Neville Chamberlain Medi 3ydd 1939. Dechreuodd y rhyfel byd cyntaf ar y 1af o Fedi 1939 pan wnaeth yr Almaen o dan Adolf Hitler ymosodiad ar Pwyl. Achos cytundeb rhwng gwelydd a cafodd ei greu ar ol y rhyfel byd cyntaf, gan gynnwys Prydain a'r Almaen o dim rhyfela, daeth Prydain fewn i'r ymladd i drio atal yr Almaen cyrraedd ei nod o ennill mwy o thir a bwer. Or dyddiad hyn ymlaen roedd Prydain wedi ymuno a'r rhyfel a felly o ganlyniad bu newidiadau i fywyd cartref y Cymry a'r Saeson. Roedd hyn yn rhyfel llwyr h.y pawb yn ymuno mewn, y cyfoethog, y dlawd, yr hen a'r ifanc, i gyd yn helpu mewn rhyw ffordd. Mewn rhyfel llwyr yr unig ffordd o ennill oedd i'r wlad gyfan helpu. Dim ond diwrnod ar ol i ryfel cael ei ddatgan dechreuodd y llywodraeth y system ymgilio. O Medi'r 4ydd ymlaen bu plant y dinasoedd, yn enwedig Llundain a Birmingham ei ymgilio oddi wrth eu rhieni a'i tai allan i'r cefn wlad, llefydd fel Cymru. Wnaethant hwn achos bod peryg mawr i'r plant o golli'i fywydau yn y cyrchoedd awyr dros y dinasoedd mawr, cymron y plant allan o'r lefydd yma i drio safio cenhedlaeth o fywydau.

  • Word count: 2258
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Welsh
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Why did Chamberlain follow a policy of appeasement?

Why did Chamberlain follow a policy of appeasement? There are many reasons why Chamberlain decided to follow a policy of appeasement; personal reasons, reasons on behalf of the British public and reasons due to the views of the British public. In the 1930s most people were on Chamberlain’s side, favouring appeasement, however there were a few like Winston Churchill who judged Hitler accurately and so opposed appeasement. Since 1945 historians have been split, deciding if appeasement was cowardly and stupid because it encouraged Hitler to do more and more or if it is just easy to look back in hind-sight and criticise him when Chamberlains decisions made a lot of sense at the time. Chamberlain became prime minister in 1937 so he remembered the tragedy of World War 1. This contributed greatly to his personality and his opinions, he hated wars and was horrified at the idea of another one, Chamberlain believed passionately in the importance of peace “War wins nothing, cures nothing, ends nothing”. Your personality determines how you react to different circumstances, Chamberlain was an honest man and assumed other leaders would also be honest to him if they respected him. On 15th September Hitler met Chamberlain at Berchtesgaden where Hitler said Czechoslovakia was the last problem to be solved; he had no further intentions of expanding his Reich in Europe.

  • Word count: 1222
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
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