Discuss why the Western democracies adopted a policy of appeasement in response to Hitler’s aggression.
The Western democracies, specifically Great Britain and France, adopted a policy of appeasement in response to Hitler's aggression for several reasons.
Firstly, the memory of the devastating World War I was still fresh in the minds of many European leaders. The loss of millions of lives and resources had left the continent exhausted, and the leaders of Great Britain and France were unwilling to plunge their countries into another costly war if it could be avoided.
Secondly, the pacifist sentiments of the time played a significant role in the adoption of the policy of appeasement. Many people in the Western democracies believed that peace should be maintained at all costs, and that avoiding conflict with Hitler would prevent another world war.
Thirdly, the Western democracies were also facing internal economic and political challenges. The Great Depression had hit Europe particularly hard, and many leaders were focused on restoring their own national economies and strengthening their respective political positions. They saw appeasement as a way to buy time and avoid conflict while they dealt with their internal issues.
Finally, there may have also been a sense of underestimation of Hitler's intentions and capabilities. At the time, many leaders saw him as a reasonable leader who simply wanted to restore Germany's strength and pride after the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles. They believed that he could be appeased with minor concessions and policies of appeasement. However, this assessment proved to be dangerously incorrect.
Overall, the policy of appeasement was driven by a combination of factors, including the fear of another world war, pacifist sentiments, internal economic and political challenges, and underestimation of Hitler's intentions. Unfortunately, the policy ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of the devastating World War II.
Food was rationed to two pieces of bread a day. Desperate Leningraders ate almost anything. For example, they boiled wallpaper scraped off walls because its paste was said to contain potato flour.
Use the quotation to answer the question.
Which nation was the aggressor in the action described here?
A. Germany
B. the Soviet Union
C. Italy
D. Japan
The quotation does not provide information about which nation was the aggressor in the action described.
Which was a cornerstone of Hitler's anti-Semitic beliefs?
A. He believed that Jews were to blame for Germany's defeat in World War I.
B. He feared that Jews would soon outnumber Aryans in Germany.
C. He was a strong supporter of German Christian churches.
D. He resented Jewish opposition to the Weimar government.
A. He believed that Jews were to blame for Germany's defeat in World War I was a cornerstone of Hitler's anti-Semitic beliefs.
Why did France surrender to Germany?
A. France was unable to fund its war effort.
B. The French people favored Hitler.
C. France was overrun by German and Italian forces.
D. France did not receive military support from Britain.