Interpretations - Appeasement

Question 1

what are the interpretations of appeasement?

Answer 1

1. Popular majority
2. Guilty Men
3. Orthodox
4. Revisionist
5. Counter-revisionist

Question 2

when was the Popular majority view around?

Answer 2

1937-8

Question 3

what is the Popular majority view summarised?

Answer 3

Chamberlin had successfully avoided war

Question 4

what factors influenced the Popular Majority view?

Answer 4

Impact of WWI on the British public.

Question 5

who are the critics of the Popular Majority view?

Answer 5

1. Churchill
2. David Low

Question 6

when was the Guilty Men view around?

Answer 6

during WWII

Question 7

what is the Guilty Men view summarised?

Answer 7

appeasement was cowardly and immoral. it strengthened Hitler and meant Britain was left defenceless.

Question 8

what are the key historians of the Guilty Men view and what do they believe?

Answer 8

1. ‘Cato’ - published the book ‘Guilty Men’
2. Winston Churchill

Question 9

what factors influenced the Guilty Men view?

Answer 9

people feeling ashamed
Britain doing badly in the war
power struggle between Churchill (wanted to keep fighting) and Halifax (wanted peace)

Question 10

when was the Orthodox view around? (appeasement)

Answer 10

1948 to the late 1950s

Question 11

what is the Orthodox view summarised? (appeasement)

Answer 11

Churchills view from ‘Gathering Storm’. Argued that Chamberlin had misjudged Hitler.

Question 12

what are the key historians of the Orthodox view and what do they believe?

Answer 12

Churchill - no one argued with him because of his fame

Question 13

what factors influenced the Orthodox view?

Answer 13

Churchill’s self promotion - made it seem like he was the only person to oppose appeasement. this was so people would forget his election loss.
The cold war - wanted to send a message that Stalin shouldn’t be appeased.

Question 14

when was the Revisionist view around? (appeasement)

Answer 14

1960s and 70s

Question 15

what is the Revisionist view summarised? (appeasement)

Answer 15

Chamberlin did the best he could’ve done given the situation.

Question 16

what are the key historians of the Revisionist view and what do they believe?

Answer 16

AJP Taylor - Hitler didn’t have a clear plan
Donald Cameron Watt - Hitler was just one of Chamberlin’s problems
David Dilks - appeasement was the best policy
Paul Kennedy - Appeasement was the best policy due to Britan’s problems

Question 17

what factors influenced the Revisionist view?

Answer 17

Studies being carried out about Britans troubles at the time. these included: economic problems (debts from WWI and the depression)

Question 18

when was the Counter-Revisionist view around? (appeasement)

Answer 18

late 1980s - early 1990s

Question 19

what is the Counter-Revisionist view summarised? (appeasement)

Answer 19

Chamberlin was at least partially responsible for appeasement.
Chamberlin overrated his own ability, failed to understand Hitler, and ignored official advice.

Question 20

what are the key historians of the Counter-Revisionist view and what do they believe?

Answer 20

Robert Parker

Question 21

what factors influenced the Counter-Revisionist view?

Answer 21

Historical Debate - Historians need to disagree with earlier writers
New Soviet Sources - German documents became available.