Explain how the borders of Europe changed as a result of the Anschluss and the Munich Conference. Why was the policy adopted by British and French leaders at Munich known as appeasement?
The Anschluss and the Munich Conference were two significant events that played a role in changing the borders of Europe and the subsequent outbreak of World War II. Let's break down each event and understand how they contributed to the territorial changes and the policy of appeasement.
1. The Anschluss:
The Anschluss refers to the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in March 1938. Adolf Hitler, the German Chancellor, aimed to unify all German-speaking territories under one nation. The Nazis organized a propaganda campaign and utilized political pressure to influence and coerce the Austrian government into agreeing to the annexation. As a result, Austria became a part of Germany, thus altering the borders of both countries.
2. The Munich Conference:
The Munich Conference took place in September 1938, and it was a diplomatic meeting between Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The main focus was to address the territorial claims of Germany over the Sudetenland, a region in Czechoslovakia with a large German-speaking population. Hitler demanded the incorporation of the Sudetenland into Germany.
At the conference, British and French leaders, namely Neville Chamberlain and Édouard Daladier, adopted a policy known as appeasement towards Hitler. The policy of appeasement can be explained as a diplomatic strategy aimed at avoiding conflict by making concessions and satisfying the demands of a potentially aggressive nation. In this case, the British and French leaders believed that by allowing Hitler's demands and ceding the Sudetenland to Germany, they could prevent a larger war.
As a result, Hitler's demands were met, and the Sudetenland was handed over to Germany. However, appeasement did not prevent war, as Hitler's ambitions continued to grow, eventually leading to the invasion of Poland in September 1939, which triggered World War II.
In summary, the Anschluss resulted in the annexation of Austria by Germany, altering the borders of both countries. The Munich Conference led to the appeasement policy, where British and French leaders agreed to Hitler's demands for the Sudetenland in order to avoid conflict. However, appeasement ultimately failed to prevent war, and the borders of Europe were further transformed by the outbreak of World War II.