The Czech Crisis

Why did the British Government appease Germany?

The Czech Crisis

Many in the British Government believed that the demands of the Nazis was reasonable.

On 8th April 1938 Chamberlain said: “we should take any and every opportunity to try to remove any genuine and legitimate grievance that may exist…”

BUT By February 1939 it was understood that Hitler’s ultimate aim was the domination of Europe.

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Many in the British Government believed that Hitler could be trusted. They were placated by Hitlers’ words:

BUT by late 1938/9 Chamberlain commented that Hitler was “the nastiest piece of work I ever met.”

"I have no further interest in the Czecho-Slovakian State, that is guaranteed. We want no Czechs..."

Adolf Hitler, 26th September 1938

Chamberlain said after Berchtesgaden “I got the impression that here was a man who could be relied on when he had given his word.”

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Britain was militarily unprepared:

General Ironside said “we have not got the means of defending ourselves…we cannot expose ourselves now to German attack”.

BUT “Our past experience has shown us only too clearly that weakness in armed strength means weakness in diplomacy, and if we want to secure a lasting peace…behind the diplomacy [must be] the strength to give effect to it.” [Chamberlain, 6th October 1938

IMPROVING:

1 Squadron of Spitfires by Sept 1938

9 Squadrons of Spitfires by Sept 1939

19 Squadrons of Spitfires by 1940

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British public opinion was dividedAugust 1938: 46% believed the

Czech crisis would not lead to war.

August 1938: 36% of people

thought the Czech crisis would

lead to war.

5000 people cheered

Chamberlain at Downing Street

on his return from Munich. He

received 40,000 letters of

support.16,000 demonstrated against the

Munich Agreement at Trafalgar

Square.

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The British still fear communism.

Despite being as ally of Czechoslovakia, Russia was excluded from the Munich discussion.

Chamberlain stated: “I must confess to the most profound distrust of Russia.”

26th March 1939

But by the Summer of 1939 – France and Britain approached Russia to form an alliance against Germany but were knocked back.

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British economy was supporting social welfare programmes:

“I became a politician to help my people. I want better homes,schools and hospitals. Must all these good things be destroyed by the madness of more and more weapons.”

Neville Chamberlain, August 1938

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Chamberlain was clearly displaying a fear of war:

“How horrible and unbelievable that we should be getting ready for war, trying on gas masks and digging air raid shelters in Britain because of a faraway quarrel between people that we know nothing about.”

27th September 1938, Neville Chamberlain

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Criticisms of Government Policy

On the 5th October 1938, Churchill said: “We have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat…this is only the beginning…Czechoslovakia will be engulfed in the Nazi regime.”

25th January 1939: Lord Halifax urged a tougher policy towards Germany. He warned Hitler may attack in the West.

Graham Darby [historian] The Munich Agreement turned out to be the limit of the policy of concession [appeasement]. The British Government would not accept German domination of Europe.

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Two views emerged after the Munich Agreement:

1. War had been avoided. Hitler had been satisfied and there was peace. Some historians state that Chamberlain genuinely thought this.

There was a change in British policy and in diplomatic relations with Germany. Britain was no longer willing to negotiate with Hitler. Appeasement had failed.

OR

2. Munich was a stall, it bought time. Time was needed to plan, prepare and rearm. Britain could not go to war in 1938 and Chamberlain realised this. He played Hitler at his own game. This idea was reinforced when the Nazis took Prague in March 1938.

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How useful is the following source for investigating attitudes towards the Sudeten Crisis, September 1938?

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Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

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Think about the usefulness of this source in terms of:

Origin

Possible Purpose

Context of the source

Content

Balance

Origin

Published in response to Chamberlain broadcast on BBC radio, 27th Sept, assume it was 28th.

Gabriel, cartoonist, anti-appeasement, concerned with Nazi power.

Newspaper had a large readership, mainly London, but throughout Britain.

Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

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Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

Possible Purpose

To inform and influence the readership about events in concerning Czechoslovakia.

To highlight the threat of Nazi Germany to the balance of power across Europe.

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Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

Content

Chamberlain is talking about the horrors of war.

Czechoslovakia shows it could stand firm against the Nazis.

Nazis are armed and ready to take on the Czechs, possibility of war.

Highlighting how allowing the Nazis to dominate in Czechoslovakia would allow domination of other areas of Europe and ultimately Britain.

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Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

Context

Speech delivered between Godesberg [22nd] and Munich [29th] meetings.

Godesberg, demands for immediate granting of Sudeten present condition.

At Munich, hurried, agreed handover on 1st October ... No Czech representation.

Hitler said “The Czech problem is the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe…”

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Cartoon by Gabriel, London Illustrated News September 1938.

Balance

This should focus on the reasons why the British Government chose to appease.

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What did Hitler and the Nazis gain from the annexation of Czechoslovakia?

•Germany gained a lot, at almost no cost.

•Gained 11,000 square miles of territory [30% of Czechoslovakia]

•30% of the population of Czechoslovakia [800,000 Czech people]

•50% of Czech industry, 55% of Czech coal, 46% of electrical energy

•Lost strong natural defence line, became vulnerable to attack.

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What did Hitler and the Nazis gain from the annexation of the Sudetenland?

•Czech arms industry, including Skoda Arms work.

•Balance of power in Eastern Europe shifted in Germany’s favour.

•Poland became vulnerable, Germany commanded the air routes into Poland.

Adapted from A Hunt, The Road to War, Hodder and Stoughton

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'Rendezvous.’ The text reads: Hitler to Stalin: 'The scum of the earth I believe?' Stalin to Hitler: 'The bloody assassin of the workers, I presume?'David Low, September 1939