Causes of World War II

Policy of Appeasement

Source I

APPEASEMENT

A Political Education or a Detrimental Implication in the Post-War Ear?

Overview

What is Appeasement?

Sections of Research and Analysis

Impact of Appeasement

Why is this Topic Important to Study?

Project Form

What is Appeasement?

Appeasement has been defined as:

• “Giving in to the demands of aggressive powers to avoid war”
• “The policy of pacifying an aggressive nation in the hopes of avoiding further conflict”
• “A policy of making concessions to an aggressor in hopes of avoiding war”

What is Appeasement?

• During the 1930’s, Britain and France adopted a policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, offering the menacing dictator numerous concessions in the hope of avoiding a conflict reminiscent of WW1
• The climax of appeasement occurred at the Munich Conference in 1938 when Britain and France granted the Germans permission to occupy portions of Czechoslovakia.

What is Appeasement?

• Allowed Hitler the opportunity to transform Germany into a war machine and gain control over Central Europe without a fight
• Appeasement failed, eventually leading to World War 2, the most devastating conflict of our time, which resulted in an estimated 56 – 61 million deaths

What is Appeasement?

Sections of Research

• Historiography and general theories regarding the policy of appeasement
• An analysis and description of the policy of appeasement in Britain and France throughout the 1930’s
• The role of the Soviet Union during this time period, analyzing their reactions to the appeasement of Nazi Germany
• Historiography
• Traditional Theory – belief that the policy of appeasement was merely an attempt on behalf of Britain and France to save themselves by offering other nations to Germany

“How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing!” – Neville Chamberlain, 1938

Historiography

• Revisionist Theory – more sympathetic towards Britain and France, arguing that they were fighting to maintain their dieing empires while simultaneously attempting to reinstate a “balance-of-power” system throughout Europe, excluding the Soviet Union

Analysis and Description
Britain and France

• An in-depth analysis and description of the causes, motivations, political actions and reactions, discussions, debates and political policies of Britain and France during appeasement
• Includes heads of state, government officials, ambassadors, foreign ministers, politicians, and most importantly, ordinary citizens
• Inability of the capitalist west and communist east to cast aside their differences and come to an agreement to in order to counter Hitler

Role of the Soviet Union

Role of the Soviet Union

Impact of Appeasement

• Following the end of World War 2, the United States formulated its foreign policy based in accordance with the lessons the world had learned from the policy of appeasement during the 1930’s. As a result, the U.S. adapted an aggressive policy of action to prevent the failures of appeasement from reoccurring
• The effects of appeasement on U.S. foreign policy has been apparent for several decades, and is still influencing diplomatic decisions in today’s world
• An example of the U.S. anti-appeasement policy is the Vietnam War

Why is this Subject Important to Study?

Why is this Subject so Important to Study?

• “History proved that Churchill was right. If the appeasers of our own day are wrong, then Saddam Hussein continues Hitler’s quest to eradicate the world of Jews and terrorize the planet with the threat of, now, nuclear annihilation. The United States is the only country that CAN stop Saddam Hussein before that terrifying possibility becomes a horrific, unstoppable reality.”

Why is this Subject so Important to Study?

• “Hussein is the brute that threatens not only his continent, but the entire civilized world. And after two world wars, one would expect the public’s reaction to [the] unprovoked attacks on New York and Washington to elicit an appropriately autonomic response of no less than pre-emptive self-defense against the source of those attacks. But, quite the contrary, there is a growing peace movement in Europe, Canada and the United States calling for ‘temperance,’ ‘patience’ and yes, even appeasement of Saddam Hussein.

Why is this Subject Important to Study?

• Studying appeasement is essential to the problems that will inevitably arise in the future
• History teaches us lessons, providing us with the opportunity to analyze certain scenarios that have presented themselves
• Does the legacy of appeasement still impact the diplomacy, foreign policy and international relations of the United States?
• Is the policy of appeasement justifiably comparable to the events in today’s world?

What Will This Project Look Like?

• After a period of extensive research and detailed analysis, this project will take the form of a polished and in-depth research paper
• This project can be accomplished at UNCW
• A wealth of primary and secondary source material pertaining to this subject is available at Randall Library. This includes memoirs, microfilm, personal letters, testimonies, diaries, official correspondences, state and government documents

Dondarski, Michael. "APPEASEMENT." A Political Education or a Detrimental Implication in the Post-War Ear? 8 Jan 2009

Source II

Munich Pact September 29, 1938

GERMANY, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, taking into consideration the agreement, which has been already reached in principle for the cession to Germany of the Sudeten German territory, have agreed on the following terms and conditions governing the said cession and the measures consequent thereon, and by this agreement they each hold themselves responsible for the steps necessary to secure its fulfilment:

(1) The evacuation will begin on 1st October.

(2) The United Kingdom, France and Italy agree that the evacuation of the territory shall be completed by the 10th October, without any existing installations having been destroyed, and that the Czechoslovak Government will be held responsible for carrying out the evacuation without damage to the said installations.

(3) The conditions governing the evacuation will be laid down in detail by an international commission composed of representatives of Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Czechoslovakia.

(4) The occupation by stages of the predominantly German territory by German troops will begin on 1st October. The four territories marked on the attached map will be occupied by German troops in the following order:

The territory marked No. I on the 1st and 2nd of October; the territory marked No. II on the 2nd and 3rd of October; the territory marked No. III on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of October; the territory marked No. IV on the 6th and 7th of October. The remaining territory of preponderantly German character will be ascertained by the aforesaid international commission forthwith and be occupied by German troops by the 10th of October.

(5) The international commission referred to in paragraph 3 will determine the territories in which a plebiscite is to be held. These territories will be occupied by international bodies until the plebiscite has been completed. The same commission will fix the conditions in which the plebiscite is to be held, taking as a basis the conditions of the Saar plebiscite. The commission will also fix a date, not later than the end of November, on which the plebiscite will be held.

(6) The final determination of the frontiers will be carried out by the international commission. The commission will also be entitled to recommend to the four Powers, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, in certain exceptional cases, minor modifications in the strictly ethnographical determination of the zones which are to be transferred without plebiscite.

(7) There will be a right of option into and out of the transferred territories, the option to be exercised within six months from the date of this agreement. A German-Czechoslovak commission shall determine the details of the option, consider ways of facilitating the transfer of population and settle questions of principle arising out of the said transfer.

(8) The Czechoslovak Government will within a period of four weeks from the date of this agreement release from their military and police forces any Sudeten Germans who may wish to be released, and the Czechoslovak Government will within the same period release Sudeten German prisoners who are serving terms of imprisonment for political offences.

Munich Pact : Annex to the Agreement

His MAJESTY's GOVERNMENT in the United Kingdom and the French Government have entered into the above agreement on the basis that they stand by the offer, contained in paragraph 6 of the Anglo-French proposals of the 19th September, relating to an international guarantee of the new boundaries of the Czechoslovak State against unprovoked aggression.

When the question of the Polish and Hungarian minorities in Czechoslovakia has been settled, Germany and Italy for their part will give a guarantee to Czechoslovakia.

Munich Pact : Declaration

THE HEADS of the Governments of the four Powers declare that the problems of the Polish and Hungarian minorities in Czechoslovakia, if not settled within three months by agreement between the respective Governments, shall form the subject of another meeting of the Heads of the Governments of the four Powers here present.

Munich Pact : Supplementary Declaration

ALL questions which may arise out of the transfer of the territory shall be considered as coming within the terms of reference to the International Commission

Munich Pact : Composition of the International Commission

THE four Heads of Governments here present agree that the international commission provided for in the agreement signed by them to-day shall consist of the Secretary of State in the German Foreign Office, the British, French and Italian Ambassadors accredited in Berlin, and a representative to be nominated by the Government of Czeckoslovakia.

Munich September 29, 1938.
ADOLF HITLER,
NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN,
EDOUARD DALADIER,
BENITO MUSSOLINI.

"Avalon Project." The Munich Agreement - Document 8 Jan 2009

Source III
This cartoon tells that the munich pact saved europe from the chaos of war

"Greece Central School District." 8 Jan 2009

5 multiple question about Nazi Germany

1. What is the date that The Night of the Long Knives happen?

a. 29 June 1934
b. 30 June 1934
c. 29 July 1934
d. 30 July 1934

2. What is the year in which Reynhard Heydrich become the leader of the Gestapo

a. 1934
b. 1935
c. 1936
d. 1937

3. Which of these are not the reason for the increase in support for the Nazi party?

a. Fear of communism
b. Hitler's public-speaking skills and Nazi party propaganda
c. The weakness of other political party
d. Failure of Democracy

4. Who is the leader of the SA and the SS?

a. Reynhard Heydrich and Ernst Rohm
b. Ernst Rohm and Heinrich Himmler
c. Heinrich Himmler and Ernst Rohm
d. Ernst Rohm and Reynhard Heydrich

5. What does SA stand for?

a. Sturm Ableilund
b. Sturm Ableitung
c. Sturm Abteilund
d.Sturm Abteilung

RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA POSTERS

Propaganda is a set of message that was used to influence the opinion or behavior of a large group of people. Propaganda provides some information in order to make the audience follow with the idea of the poster with the aim at affecting the emotionally more than affecting logic reasoning. The thing that you can learn by studying the poster is the history during the time that the propaganda was used, when you read the message you can know what it is like that time.

"Soviet posters 3." 23 Oct 2008 http://posters.nce.buttobi.net/russ3.htm

This poster message is “Peace to the world. Lenin. We promise to the workers and to the peasants to do everything for peace - and we will do it,” said by V. I. Lenin. I can learn that this is a poster that Lenin used to gain support from the people for the Bolsheviks between February revolution and October revolution. The part of the poster that conveys the message is where they put the message below Lenin which is the leader of the Bolshevik. The thing that is particularly effective about the poster is where Lenin wrote peace in many language to make people in Russia where there are more than 100 language understand the meaning of this poster.

"Soviet posters 2." 23 Oct 2008 http://posters.nce.buttobi.net/russ2.htm

The message of the poster is “Be on guard at all times it is a police officer.” This poster is trying to get people to be aware of police in town because the police will sometimes will arrest people who opposed the government. This poster conveys the message by writing the message on top of the police officer who just steps out of the car. The part of the poster is particularly effective is where the police wear full uniform and the car had the sign that say police.

"Soviet posters 1." 23 Oct 2008 http://posters.nce.buttobi.net/russ1.htm

The message of the poster is “Our Fatherland is in danger: Crisis of economy, Confrontation, Criminality, Separatism. The Soviet flag is being torn apart….”This propaganda is trying to get people to rethink about their country in that time, which faces the crisis of economy, confrontation, criminality, separatism. It’s like the country is being torn apart. This poster conveys the message by putting the main message on the flag in the middle, than putting the different crisis in the country during that time on the four side of the flag. The part that is particularly effective about this poster is where the flag was torn, this mean all the crisis is putting Russia in danger.

After I read all the three propaganda, it tells me that Russia during that time is in the state of chaos where everything is unstable and they cannot find a good government to settle the chaos yet. The Russian people are all separated and that some people tried to unite them the peaceful way while some other people used force to unite people. At last, I learned that Russia is a country that used a lot of propaganda to share their opinion, or just to warn other people. So my conclusion is Russia used propaganda to express their ideas to the public.

World War I : The battle of the Masurian Lake

Do you know that even WW I was fought all over Europe, the German fought British and France and the western front, at the same time, the German and Austria-Hungary also fought Russia on the Eastern Front. There are many battles at the Eastern front, and one of them is the battle at the Masurian Lake. I chose this battle because it had two battles at the same place.

After Russia was defeated at the battle of Tannenberg, the German head on to the next battle at the Masurian Lake at Prussia, the terrain of the Masurian Lake land is broken and that made the German force which outnumbered the Russia unable to surround them. The battle start at September 9, 1914, and it took five for the Russian army to gain some land back but on September 25, 1914, General Rennenkampf was able to extract his army in small group and was able to defeat Russian army.

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm

After the first defeat of the Russian army, there was a second battle at the Masurian Lake in 1915. This battle is also called as the winter battle of the Masurian Lake, because during the battle, there was a big blizzard. It was part of Paul von Hindenburg, a German commander’s plan to push Russia on two sides by combining Germany and Austria force. His aim is to end the war at the Eastern Front, the plan work and Russia finally surrenders at 21 February 1915.

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm

In my opinion, Russia should have prepared for the war better since they are the one who lives in the cold all time, they shouldn’t have know that how cold would it be in a long fight, I think that if the Russian army had prepared better, they could have repel the German attack.

Source:

Rickard, J. (15 March 2001), First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 9-14 September 1914, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_masurian.html

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm