Interpretations Flashcards

1
Q

Dates of popular majority view , summary and context? (3)

A

1937-1938
‘WELL DONE CHAMBERLAIN’ - supported for APPEASEMENT AFTER MUNICH CONFERENCE
- public assumed ‘PEACE OF OUR TIME’ would be true (Lord Halifax/JFK supported ), but realised there was only A CHANCE
- received 40,000 letters/telegrams as support

  • BEFORE WAR - wanted to avoid war so thought appeasement was only possible way as ppl were desperate
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2
Q

Dates of popular and political view , summary and context? (3)

A

1939-1948
1940, CATO (3 journalists) wrote book ‘GUILTY MEN’
accused appeasement for being cowardly and foolish policy
- ignored dictators’ plans/failed to prepare Britain for war - left it weak and defenceless

CATO felt ashamed abt Munich conference - personal attack against CHAMBERLAIN

  • ‘guilty men’ helped promote Churchill’s case for trying to become PRIME MINISTER, ,making CHAMBERLAIN A SCAPEGOAT for world war 2.
  • Guilty men written at time when hitler invaded CZECH, so British scared what happens if invaded UK
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3
Q

Dates of Churchill orthodox view , summary and context? (3)

A

1948-1960s
Churchill lost election and wrote ‘GATHERING STORM’ - 1945
-claimed chamberlain made a TERRIBLE MISJUDGEMENT/MISCALCULATION
- but said he had GOOD INTENTIONS

Churchill was sad to lose election/didn’t want historical reputation to suffer

  • at time, USA/USSR was threat to Europe in Churchill’s eyes, so believed USA/ALLIES should stand against STALIN (UUSR) to not repeat mistakes of past
  • Truman doctrine/JKF’S actions in Cuban Missile Crisis shows how they stood up instead of appeasement
  • JFK showed how there was a 3rd option so shows how chamberlain think strategically
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4
Q

Dates of academic revisionist view , summary and context? (3)

A

1960s-1990s
REHABILITATING CHAMBERLAIN - did best he could AJP Taylor :chamberlain shouldn’t be entirely blamed for not knowing HITLER’S PLAN
- Donald Cameron : Chamberlain had limited resources/options

  • very few options for Chamberlain bc of difficult economic issues - APPEASEMENT GIVES BRITAIN TIME TO PREPARE FOR WAR
  • VIETNAM WAR : made historians realise difficulty politicians face when in war, so understood chamberlain’s situation
  • official government paper were able to be seen to understand chamberlain’s action better
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5
Q

Dates of academic COUNTER revisionist view, summary and context? (3)

A

1990s-2000s
robert parker - didn’t think chamberlain was at mercy of the problems he faced
he was part of the problem, unable to deal successfully with situation

Chamberlain had overrated his own abilities/didn’t listen to others, still using 1920s ideas of diplomacy against dictators
new soviet files related at end of Cold War

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