Why western countries such as canada and britain favoured appeasing Hitler? Why did appeasement ultimately fail!
Why would you want to appease Hitler?
Why do you think appeasing him failed?
I'll be glad to critique your answers.
I really don't know
Do you know what appease means?
No.
Ah ha! You'd save yourself a lot of time by simply looking up appease in a dictionary. Obviously you can't answer the question if you are ignorant of the word's meaning and have not read your text.
Or you can Google appease definition.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir1/chamberlainandappeasementrev1.shtml
The question of why Western countries such as Canada and Britain favored appeasing Hitler before the outbreak of World War II can be explained by considering the historical context and the factors that influenced their decision-making. However, it's important to note that the concept of appeasement and its failure is a complex and debated topic among historians.
1. Historical Context: After the devastating consequences of World War I, many Western nations were determined to avoid another war. The trauma and loss suffered during the Great War led to a desire for peace and stability. Appeasement, in this context, was seen as a way to prevent the repetition of such horror.
2. War Guilt Clause: The Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, included the War Guilt Clause that placed the blame for the conflict entirely on Germany. This created resentment and humiliation within Germany, fostering a desire for revenge. Western countries understood the harshness of the treaty and sought to avoid a repeat of such punitive terms, which may have influenced their inclination towards appeasement.
3. Fear of Communism: During the interwar period, the rise of communism was a significant concern for Western countries. They viewed the Soviet Union as a potential threat and saw Nazi Germany as a potential bulwark against the spread of communism. Thus, they were initially willing to appease Hitler in the hope that he would act as a counterweight to communism.
4. The Economic Crisis: The Great Depression hit the world economy hard, including Western nations. They were preoccupied with domestic economic challenges and were hesitant to engage in militaristic endeavors due to the financial strain. This led to a desire to maintain peace and avoid the economic costs of war.
However, appeasement ultimately failed for several reasons:
1. Hitler's Expansionism: Hitler's territorial ambitions went beyond the initial demands presented during the appeasement negotiations. Once he realized that Western powers were hesitant to confront him, he became emboldened and continued to annex territories, such as the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia and later Poland. This expansionist tendency demonstrated that appeasement only encouraged further aggression.
2. Underestimation of Hitler: Many Western leaders underestimated Hitler's true intentions and believed that their concessions would satisfy his territorial demands. They failed to accurately assess the level of his ambition, his ideological zeal, and the threat he posed to global stability. This misjudgment led to the failure of appeasement.
3. Lack of Unity: Western countries, particularly Britain and France, were divided in their response to Hitler's aggression. They struggled to present a united front and lacked a cohesive strategy to deal with Nazi Germany. This disunity undermined their ability to effectively challenge Hitler and contributed to the failure of appeasement.
4. Failure of Diplomacy: Despite attempts to negotiate and appease Hitler, diplomatic efforts ultimately proved ineffective in deterring his aggression. Hitler viewed concessions as a sign of weakness and exploited the appeasement policies to further his expansionist aims.
In summary, Western countries favored appeasement due to historical context, a desire for peace, fear of communism, and economic challenges. However, appeasement ultimately failed because Hitler's ambitions exceeded their expectations, they underestimated the threat he posed, lacked unity, and diplomatic efforts proved ineffective in deterring his aggression.