Appeasement

Concessions intended to avert war

The 1930s

Appeasement describes the British policy of making concessions to satisfy German demands and avoid war during the 1930s. Munich in 1938 became its best-known example. Understanding the policy requires distinguishing its contemporary aims, particular decisions and consequences.

Why concessions appealed

Fear of repeating the immense losses of the First World War gave efforts to reach agreement strong support. The British government also regarded some German grievances over Versailles as legitimate and hoped that meeting them would limit Hitler’s demands. This explains the reasoning behind the policy; it does not mean those expectations were fulfilled.

What Munich revealed

Chamberlain secured an agreement at Munich to transfer the Sudeten territory to Germany. Yet German forces occupied Prague in March 1939. Concessions had not stopped further expansion. Britain entered the war after the invasion of Poland that September. The 1938 decision should therefore be understood through contemporary fears and subsequent developments, rather than treated as a guarantee of lasting peace or reduced to a single label.

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• Munich

  Negotiations and concessions in September 1938.