Lecture Notes: Neville Chamberlain and Appeasement

Introduction

• Date: October 1, 1938
• Location: Heston Airport, outside London
• Key Figure: Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister
• Event: Announcement of peace with Germany after signing an agreement with Hitler, sacrificing Czechoslovakia.
• Legacy: Chamberlain becomes synonymous with the policy of Appeasement, criticized by Winston Churchill.

Early Life

• Birth: March 18, 1869, in Birmingham, England.
• Family Background: Wealthy, politically involved family; father Joseph was a Cabinet Minister during Queen Victoria's reign.
• Education: Rugby School and Mason College (University of Birmingham).
• Personality: Introverted and shy, faced bullying in school.

Career Beginnings

• First job at age 21: Managed family business in the Bahamas, which ultimately failed.
• Proven managerial skills led to a move into politics.

Political Ascendancy

• 1911: Wins a seat in Birmingham City Council.
• 1915: Becomes Lord Mayor of Birmingham.
• WWI Contribution: Director of National Service, faced challenges from unions and the war cabinet.
• 1918: Elected to House of Commons as a Conservative.
• Rapid rise in positions:
  • 1922: Postmaster General
  • 1929: Minister of Health
  • Chancellor of the Exchequer in about 5 years.
• Achievements: Reforms in welfare, Import Duties Bill, and the Factories Act of 1937.

The Sudetenland Crisis

Background

• Sudetenland: Region in Czechoslovakia with a significant ethnic German population (approx. 3 million).
• 1931: Konrad Henlein founds Sudeten German People Party advocating for secession.
• Nazi Interests: Economic motives (coal, Skoda works) behind the annexation ambitions.

Chamberlain's Response

• Aware of potential war consequences.
• Negotiations with Hitler began in September 1938.
• Agreement: Hand over areas of Sudetenland with a majority of ethnic Germans without consulting Czechoslovakia.
• Munich Conference: Czechoslovakia excluded from negotiations.
• October 1, 1938: German troops occupy Sudetenland.

Consequences of Appeasement

• Moral Duty: Western powers should have defended Czechoslovakia.
• Practical Considerations: Britain and France were not prepared for another major conflict.
• Misjudgments: Chamberlain underestimated Germany's military readiness and overestimated the risks of conflict.

A Brief History of Appeasement

• Examples of previous appeasements leading up to WWII:
  • Japanese invasion of Manchuria (1931)
  • Failed Anschluss attempt (1934)
  • Italy invades Ethiopia (1935)
  • Hitler retakes the Rhineland (1936)
  • Japan invades China (1937)
  • Successful Anschluss (1938)
  • Non-intervention in Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

World War II Onset

• September 3, 1939: Chamberlain announces Britain's war with Germany.
• Lackluster leadership during the early war period known as the 'Phoney War.'
• Notable success: Development of Britain's air defense systems and introduction of RADAR.

Conclusion

• Chamberlain's legacy: Often seen as naive but had complex motivations for his actions.
• Potential for different outcomes if he had considered diverse opinions.
• Churchill's quote: "You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war."