GCSE OCR Interpretations of Appeasement

Appeasement

A policy of making concessions to an aggressor in the hopes of avoiding war. Associated with Neville Chamberlain's policy of making concessions to Adolf Hitler.

Popular Majority (1937-1939)

Chamberlain had done well to avoid war with Germany
Memory of WW1 meant no public appetite for war, this was short lived (the Munich agreement- an agreement between Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, signed at Munich on 29 September 1938, under which the Sudetenland was ceded to Germany)

Popular Political (1939-1948)

Appeasers caused war
During the war, Appeasement had clearly failed
Journalists CATO wrote 'The Guilty Man' (Chamberlain was guilty ) which directly blames 15 policies and public figures for the failed policy

Orthodox view (1948-1960s)

Appeasement was a terribly misjudgement despite good motives.
Churchill self promotion- keen to be remembered as one who spoke out against the failed policy
The Cold War- Churchill wanted to suggest that Britain should stand up to Stalin
Churchills message in 'The Gathering Storm' became accepted as the official orthodox view due to his high status as a war leader. The Gathering Storm was mainly aimed at the growing soviet power which was dangerous.

Revisionist view (1960s-1990s)

Chamberlain was in an impossible position and did the best he could in the circumstances
Radical thinking in the 1960s- traditional views were being questioned
Vietnam war- USA disliked appeasement and this also drew them into Vietnam
New British Sources- Public Records act 1958 gave more detail about problems and concerns that Chamberlain faced
Cameron Watt, AJP Taylor, Kennedy and Dilks

Counter-Revisionist (1990s-2000s)

Chamberlains personality meant that he couldn't deal with the situation properly, like the falling of the Berlin wall.
Historical debate- the nature of his historical debate means that Historians challenge most recent work, many disagreed with the revisionist view as it let Chamberlain off the hook.
New soviet sources- German sources taken by the soviets revealed more about meetings between Hitler and Chamberlain
Cameron Watt and Porter