Appeasement Overview
Appeasement is referred to as a foreign policy that is used to pacify an exasperated nation by negotiating in order to prevent any war situation. For example, in the year 1930, the foreign policies were taken by great Britain towards Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The then British prime minister named Neville Chamberlain took no action to stop Italy from invading Ethiopia in the year 1935 and it was also silent when Nazis took over entire Austria in the year 1938. When Adolf Hitler decided to take over the German German portions of Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain decided to put forward the ill-famed Munich Agreement where the Nazis were allowed to annex the Sudetenland that falls in the western part of Czechoslovakia.
Though appeasement is defined in the dictionary as an endeavour to bring about peace is white or come but in history, it is always known as the failed attempt of the British prime minister to keep the Nazis from starting World War 2. Today anyone who favours confrontation over negotiation refers to the historical example of appeasement citing that Chemballi chamberlain was a weak-hearted leader who was controlled by Hitler. It is believed by the historians that if Chamberlain had taken firm steps against nazis and put forward a strong stance rather than trying to appease Aldof Hitler from the very beginning then the world war might have been avoided.
The German aggression after 1935 could have been stopped if prime minister chamberlain and his predecessor Stanley Baldwin could have taken measures against the Nazis the brutal execution from the first world war is still afresh in the mind of people and the citizens, as well as the leaders of Britain of France, are not willing to risk any Divas starting war with Germany anymore. At the same time, many of the people feel that it was unfair for Germany to be pushed into signing the treaty of Versailles.
This is also believed by some that moving the troops into the demilitarized Rhineland and remilitarisation of Germany was justified on part of Hitler as he violated the treaty. It is also believed that the kind of fascism that happened in Germany was way better than the communism that was bought by Stalin in the Soviet Union. Thus appeasement became a very popular policy by mid-1930. Millions of people in Europe hoped that behaving in a polite and friendly way to Hitler could make him agree to limit German expansion and would satisfy him.
Thus this article deals with Nazi aggression and appeasement as well as Nazim and the rise of Hitler along with the aggression timeline of Nazi. As it is believed that nazi aggression and appeasement was the only reason for the second World war to happen.
Nazism and the Rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler first came into power when he joined the political party in Germany in September 1919 which was then known as the German workers’ party (DAP) also referred to as Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. India 1920 the name was changed for the party and it was renamed as NSDAP (national socialist German workers party) that was also commonly referred to as Nazi party. As it was anti-Marxist it strongly opposed the Government of the republic post the war and declined the treaty of Versailles. Holding toxic prejudice against Jews, Pan Germanism and nationalism was advocated by the party.
After which stag adopted the enabling act of 1933 in the month of March Hitler attended the great power in March 1933 as he was given unexpanded authority. On January 30, 1933, after a series of parliamentary elections that happened that was associated with backroom interest the president Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler as the chancellor. Once the enabling act was ruthlessly implemented with authority it ensured that Hitler could thereafter constitutionally implement the dictatorial power with a legal obligation.
During the early year of the party, Hitler rose to a place of prominence. As he was one of the best speakers in the party he threatened the party to leave if he is not made the leader. She was aided by his willingness to exercise ruthless measures and violence so as to advance his political objective and recruited the party members who were willing to do the same. The Munich putsch on November eighth and ninth of 1923 followed by the release of his book named “my struggle” had increased the audience of Hitler. During the mid-1920 when the party organised for an electoral battle and Hitler stood as a speaker and organiser for the party as well as in street battle and violence between the communist and the nazis Sturmabteilung (SA).
Later in the same year, the Nazis gained a lot of public attention and support and therefore acquired a large number of votes to become one of the largest political parties in the Reichstag. Also, Adolf Hitler’s sharpness and keenness on the political front along with cunningness and deceptiveness helped in converting the non-majority stance of the party into plurality status of effective governing in the ailing Weimar Republic of 1933.
Chronology of Appeasement and Aggression
Hitler kept invading the neighbouring countries, totally violating the Treaty of Versailles. As many people around Europe condemned the expansion tactics of Hitler along with its neighbouring countries, the concerns of the people in Britain and France started growing rapidly. But even then the Britan and France government were too reluctant to take any major action against the Nazis at the time of the erotic expansion program carried out under the supervision of Hitler. Thus here is the list of the events which reflected the aggression of the Nazis and the appeasement that was followed by the Britain and France:-
When | Aggression of German | Appeasement of Britain and France |
1935 | Public announcement of the rebuilt of German military | The response was very little and there was much praise and appreciation of the action of Germany. |
1936 | Sent troops to Reignland which was a demilitarized zone between Germany and France/Belgium. | France after lodging a complaint with the league of Nations, Great Britain announced that it was not in a position to back up France in the war with Germany. |
March 1938 | The unification of Germany and Austria where Hitler demanded that the Nazis in Austria should be put into the power position or else the German will Invade Austria. The Nazis after coming into power invited the German to Austria and they won a 99.7% vote in favour of the unification of the two states. | The reaction was very mellow for Britain and France. Chamberlain said: “The hard fact is that nothing could have arrested what has actually happened in Austria unless this country and other countries had been prepared to use force.” |
April 1938 | A part of Czechoslovakia with a large number of Germans referred to as the Nazis demanded self-governance from the Czech government. Hitler sent 75000 troops to the German-Czech border claiming that the Germans were in oppression in the state. | A representative was sent by Great Britain to the Czech Republic to convince the government over there to agree for self-governance to the Sudetenland Nazis. |
August 1938 | The Generals of Germany sent a letter to Great Britain claiming that they are ready to initiate the coup against Hitler and the Nazis provided that Great Britain will fight against Hitler if his troops invade Czechoslovakia. | Chamberlain ignored the letter believing that Britain and Nazi Germany were “the two pillars” of European peace. |
September 1938 | On the demand of Hitler Sudetenland became independent of Czechoslovakia followed by its merger with Germany. | Chamberlain believed that in order to protect Sudenteland from merging with Germany, France and Great Britain had to declare war against Germany that both the countries were not wanting the same. |
August 1939 | Hitler told his commanders something to the effect of, “Our enemies have leaders who are below the average. No personalities. No masters, no men of action… Our enemies are small fry. I saw them in Munich.” | Chamberlain basically replies, “I know you are, but what am I?” and Edouard Daladier, prime minister of France, offers something like, “I’m rubber, you’re glue. What you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” |
September 1939 | Poland was invaded by Germany | France and Britain thereafter declared War Against Germany. |
FAQs on Nazi Aggression and Appeasement
1. What is the fundamental difference between Nazi aggression and the policy of appeasement?
Nazi aggression refers to the hostile and expansionist actions taken by Hitler's Germany to enlarge its territory and influence, often through military threats and invasions. In contrast, the policy of appeasement was the diplomatic strategy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s, where they made concessions to Germany in the hope of avoiding a larger conflict. Essentially, aggression was the action, and appeasement was the reaction aimed at pacifying the aggressor.
2. What were the main ideological goals driving Nazi aggression?
Nazi aggression was primarily driven by two core ideological concepts. The first was the creation of a 'racial community' of pure Germans. The second, and more crucial for expansion, was the concept of Lebensraum, or 'living space'. Hitler believed Germany needed to acquire vast territories in Eastern Europe for its population to settle and thrive, which justified the invasion of neighbouring countries like Poland and Czechoslovakia.
3. What were some key examples of Hitler's aggressive actions before World War II began?
Hitler's path of aggression involved several calculated steps that violated the Treaty of Versailles. Key examples include:
- Remilitarisation of the Rhineland (1936): German troops moved into this demilitarised zone, a direct challenge to the treaty.
- Anschluss with Austria (1938): Germany annexed Austria, uniting the two German-speaking nations.
- Invasion of the Sudetenland (1938): Germany occupied the German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia.
- Invasion of the rest of Czechoslovakia (March 1939): Hitler broke his promise made at the Munich conference and took over the entire country.
4. Why did major European powers like Britain and France adopt the policy of appeasement?
Britain and France adopted appeasement for several reasons. Many leaders and citizens desperately wanted to avoid another devastating war like World War I. There was a widespread belief that the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh on Germany, and some of Hitler's initial demands seemed reasonable. Additionally, these nations were dealing with their own economic problems from the Great Depression and were militarily unprepared for a full-scale war with a rearmed Germany.
5. How did the Munich Agreement of 1938 exemplify the policy of appeasement?
The Munich Agreement is often cited as the ultimate example of appeasement. In this agreement, leaders from Britain, France, and Italy met with Hitler and consented to Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. They did so without consulting Czechoslovakia and in the belief that this concession would satisfy Hitler's territorial ambitions and secure 'peace for our time'. Instead, it only emboldened him to make further demands.
6. What was the ultimate impact of appeasement on Hitler's aggression?
The policy of appeasement had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of satisfying Hitler, it made him more confident and aggressive. Each time the Allies made a concession, Hitler saw it as a sign of weakness and became convinced that Britain and France would not intervene to stop him. This emboldened him to continue his expansionist plans, directly leading to the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II.
7. Why is the policy of appeasement now widely considered a significant strategic failure?
Appeasement is considered a failure because it was based on a fundamental miscalculation of Hitler's intentions. It assumed Hitler was a traditional statesman with limited, negotiable goals. In reality, his ambition for Lebensraum was limitless. The policy failed because it:
- Allowed Germany to grow stronger militarily and strategically.
- Sacrificed smaller nations like Czechoslovakia.
- Sent a clear message of weakness to authoritarian regimes.
- Ultimately failed to prevent the very war it was designed to avoid, which ended up being far more destructive.
8. What was 'Blitzkrieg' and how was it a key tactic in Nazi aggression?
Blitzkrieg, or 'lightning war', was the primary military tactic used in Nazi aggression. It involved using fast-moving, concentrated forces of tanks (Panzers), motorised infantry, and air support (Luftwaffe) to break through enemy lines, create panic, and encircle opposing armies. This tactic was designed to achieve a swift victory and avoid the long, static trench warfare of World War I. Its effectiveness was demonstrated in the rapid conquests of Poland, France, and other parts of Europe.
