Question

Why did Britain and France follow a policy of appeasement towards Germany and Italy?

Answer 1

In the late 1930’s Britain, under Neville Chamberlain, and her ally France adopted a policy of appeasement. This meant that they wanted to keep the peace and avoid entering a war at any cost, even if it meant making concessions towards potential aggressors, particularly Germany ruled by the dictator Adolf Hitler. Britain and France adopted and pursued this policy for a variety of reasons, though it was eventually abandoned in September 1939.

They believed that if they pursued appeasement and didn’t go to war with Germany then Germany would provide defence against the spread of communism. In conclusion, Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement in the late 1930s for a variety of reasons. Public opinion was very much against war, as the horror of the first one was still in living memory. Britain and France could not afford to fight a war; they were more concerned with the social situation in their own countries, and with protecting their empires.

Answer 2

The policy of appeasement by Britain and France towards Italy and Germany:

1. Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement toward Germany and Italy to prevent war. They agreed to fulfil the demands of these aggressive nations, provided the demands were not considered too extreme.
2. Both countries feared the Soviet Union and the spread of communism, so they supported Germany and Italy because they were strongly anti-communist.
3. Britain and France were not prepared to confront the combined strength of Germany, Italy, and Japan, particularly given France’s lack of confidence in its military capacity.
4. Another reason was that Germany had been weakened by the Treaty of Versailles, and Britain and France felt that a weak Germany could easily fall under the influence of Russian communists.
5. The Great Depression had badly affected the economies of both Britain and France. Unemployment was high, and they feared that this situation could precipitate communist revolts in their own countries.
6. Lastly, Britain and France failed to correctly understand the real ambitions of Hitler and Mussolini. They believed that once these countries recovered from their losses in the First World War, they would stop their aggressive actions.