Policy of Appeasement
"One day President Roosevelt told me that he was asking publicly for suggestions about what the war should be called. I said at once 'The Unnecessary War.' There never was a war more easy to stop than that which has just wrecked what was left of the world from the previous struggle." The consequences of the First World War threw Europe into economic, social, and political instability. Disenchanted people turned to the emerging radical political factions for answers. Moreover, the Treaty of Versailles was viewed by many German leaders, including Adolf Hitler, as too harsh and crippling to Germany. When Hitler came to power in the early 1930s, waving the banner of the Nazi Party, he planned to mend the damage of the Treaty of Versailles, rebuild Germany's economy, stabilize social unrest, and restore Germany's respect and prominence in the world. However, Hitler had a major obstacle to overcome - the interference of the "great powers," specifically Great Britain and France, who had condemned Germany to her fate. Hitler continuously tested their resolve to block his successes. In response, Great Britain and France instituted a conciliatory diplomatic approach towards Germany. Appeasement, as it was called, ac
cepted aggressor's requests with little opposition or objection. In fact, Chamberlain cautioned the Nazis that "in the event of any action that clearly threatens Polish independence," the British, will "at once lend the Polish government all support in their power. Surprisingly, Britain condoned this action and permitted Germany in the Anglo-German Naval Agreement to rebuild her navy, if desired, with U-boats on the British scale. 75 percent in favor of Anschluss, thus justifying the taking of Austria under Germany's possession. Hitler later confessed that if he had been advanced upon "we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been totally inadequate for even a moderate resistance. Appeasement encouraged Hitler's appetite for aggression and after the Munich agreement he ordered for the organization of a " gigantic armaments program which would make insignificant all our previous achievements. " However, judging from past experience, Hitler thought that he could ignore this warning, and on the morning of September 1, 1939, commanded Nazi forces to cross the Polish border and invade Poland. Once again, in an effort to maintain peace with Germany, Britain and France did not intervene in Germany's affairs with Austria, thus allowing Hitler to continue gaining more and more power. Once he had successfully gained control of Austria, Hitler went on to pursue his next goal - the annexation of the German-speaking Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia. With the loss of Sudetenland, its military perimeter, Czechoslovakia was defenseless against the Nazi pressure which came forth in March 1939. He informed British Prime Minister Chamberlain of his demands, and falsely accused the Czechs of mistreating the German minorities to help bolster his case. One month later, Hitler held his own plebiscite and gained a majority of 99. On March 13, 1938, a new chancellor approved by Hitler was installed in Austria. " As expected, Great Britain succumbed to Hitler's desires and on September 29, 1938 France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany signed the Munich Pact in Munich, Germany, which secured Great Britain and France's acceptance of Germany's annexation of its bordering region Sudetenland in exchange for Germany's promise not to claim any more European territory. " While at the time it was considered to be a prudent and realistic way to deal with the Hitler's Germany, now, looking back at the history of the first half of the last century, one can clearly see that the policy of appeasement was a grave political mistake.
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Acceptance Essays
