To what extent was Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement responsible for the rise of Hitler and the eventual start of the Second World War?

Although Neville Chamberlain is often blamed for being solely responsible for allowing Hitler to mobilise a Germany that was spoiling for war, the extent to which this is the main reason is limited. A European anti-war rhetoric had befallen the belligerent nations of World War One after seeing the monumental destruction and death that it had caused, meaning it was not just Neville Chamberlain's fault for avoiding conflict until the last possible moment. The French also allowed Hitler to make great gains in remilitarising the Rhineland, despite it being flagrantly in opposition to the Locarno Treaty and the Treaty of Versailles. It is also worth mentioning that the Treaty of Versailles itself served to foster resentment among the German people due to the manner in which they were "embarrassed" by the international community, for a war they did not feel they were solely responsible for.

HF
Answered by Harry F. History tutor

2546 Views

See similar History A Level tutors

Related History A Level answers

All answers ▸

Can you please describe why the 1882 Married Women's Property Act was important to a married woman's rights?


‘Lenin was the ruler who did the most to transform Russia in the period 1855-1956’. How far and to what extent do you agree?


I know a lot of the content for my history exam but my marks are consistently poor. What do I need to do to improve?


'The main cause of rebellion in the years 1536 to 1558 was religious disagreements' Assess the validity of this view (25 marks)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences