Historical Interpretations Appeasement Flashcards
Explain the popular majority view
Chamberlain gave a chance at piece and held off war for as long as possible
Popular between 1937-1938
40,000 letters of support to Chamberlain
People were scared of war breaking out once again as still recovering from ww1
People began to feel guilty about the events that took place in Czechoslovakia
The view was challenged by Winston Churchill and David Low, as well as increasing members of the public
Explain the popular political view
Appeasement was a foolish and cowardly act that strengthened dictators and weakened Britain
1939-1948
‘Guilty Men’ written by a group called Cato
Scapegoating of Chamberlain following Events in Munich and anger of Hitlers invasion of Czechoslovakia
Support from Lord Beaverbrook and Churchill
It helped Churchill defeat Halifax in the elections
It received little to no challenge at the time but more recent historians criticise it
Explain the orthodox view
‘Appeasement was a misjudgement and miscalculation’
1948-1960s
Churchill wrote ‘the gathering storm’ following his loss in the 1945 elections
- he was bitter from this loss and was known for self-promotion
- he believed that Britain and US should oppose the USSR and should not repeat the past
No challenge from academic historians at the time
Modern historians have been critical e.g. John Charmley
Explain the Academic Revisionist view
‘Chamberlain was in an impossible position and responded rationally’
1960s-1990s
Key believers in this view were A.J.P. Taylor, and D.C. Watt and David Dilks
‘Hitler was not trustworthy and appeasement was the best option’ Chamberlain was a master politician
At the time, new British sources has been released, historical debate was emerging, and the Vietnam war made people question if Britain would have ended in the same place had it not been for appeasement.
Sources showed Chamberlain viewed Stalin as a threat, war was not affordable, lack of public support for war, and their military was too inferior to that of the Germans.
Received opposition from the academic counter revisionists
Explain the academic counter revisionist view
Chamberlain betray Czechoslovakia, ignored advice, failed to reason with Hitler, and overestimated his abilities
1990s-2000s
New soviet sources released as well as a time of great historical debate
D.C. Watt showed mild support as well as Robert Parker.
It received challenge from revisionists using counter-factual history
