Abstract
It is a commonplace to say that the policy of appeasement implemented by Neville Chamberlain was inadequate to deal with Hitler.
However, certain historians (e.g. John Charmley) have criticized this perspective, arguing that Hitler should have been appeased even more, stressing that Germany’s search for “living space” to the East did not affect Britain’s strategic interests. On the other hand, Sir Winston Churchill is characterized as a promoter of war, having prevented the policy of appeasement from achieving its objective – to achieve peace.
Therefore, we have the objective to reanalyze the policy of appeasement, so this paper pretends to answer the following question: could the policy of appeasement have appeased Hitler?
For that end, this issue must be analyzed from different perspectives: the background and characteristics of the appeasement policy; the characterization of Hitler's foreign policy; the analysis of Sir Winston Churchill's performance; how to appease Hitler; and, last but not least, why would the appeasement policy be doomed to failure?
However, certain historians (e.g. John Charmley) have criticized this perspective, arguing that Hitler should have been appeased even more, stressing that Germany’s search for “living space” to the East did not affect Britain’s strategic interests. On the other hand, Sir Winston Churchill is characterized as a promoter of war, having prevented the policy of appeasement from achieving its objective – to achieve peace.
Therefore, we have the objective to reanalyze the policy of appeasement, so this paper pretends to answer the following question: could the policy of appeasement have appeased Hitler?
For that end, this issue must be analyzed from different perspectives: the background and characteristics of the appeasement policy; the characterization of Hitler's foreign policy; the analysis of Sir Winston Churchill's performance; how to appease Hitler; and, last but not least, why would the appeasement policy be doomed to failure?
Translated title of the contribution | Chamberlain and the Attempt to Appease Hitler to Achieve Peace in Our Time: Analysis of an Impossible Appeasement |
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Original language | Portuguese |
Pages (from-to) | 291-308 |
Journal | Revista Militar |
Volume | 2485/2486 |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2009 |
Keywords
- Appeasement
- Hitler
- Churchill
- Peace