OCR History GCSE Paper 1 - Appeasement Interpretations

Well done, Chamberlain

Dates:
- 1937-38

Key features - what is the interpretation? (HOW)
· Positive view
· Avoided war over Austria and Czechoslovakia
· Gave peace a chance
· Thousands lined street to support him after the Munich agreement
· 40,000 letters of support
· Support from Lord Halifax
· Only one minister resigned

Context - why did it change? (WHY)
1. Memories of the horrors of war meant people supported a policy that avoided war.
· E.g. 19,000 killed by machine gun in the Battle of the Somme
· E.g. Amputation after gangrenous infections
· E.g. Nightmares, Hallucination from shell shock
2. Particularly in 1937 - 38 as people were fearful of Hitler's bombing from the Spanish civil war

Agree:
- Rehabilitating Chamberlain 1960s - 90s

Disagree:
- The Guilty Men 1939 - 48
- Chamberlain Back on Trial 1990s - 2000s
- The Appeasers Misjudged Hitler 1948 - 60s

The Guilty Men 1939 - 48

Dates:
- 1939-48

Key features - what is the interpretation? (HOW)
· Negative view
· Foolish, cowardly and immoral policy
· Strengthened dictators and weakened Britain
· Based upon book called Guilty Men written by Cato who were journalists Foot, Owen and Howard
· Appeasement began in 1931 with Manchuria and continued with Mussolini and Hitler
· Britain failed to prepare for war


Context - why did it change? (WHY)
1. Began in 1939 as people felt ashamed when Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia as appeasement had failed so wanted Churchill to replace Chamberlain

2. Hardened in 1940 after the embarrassing evacuation from Dunkirk so feared invasion

3. Lond Beaverbrook, a close friend of Churchill, published Gulty Men in his newspaper as propaganda

Agree:
- Appeasers Misjudged Hitler 1948 - 60s
- Chamberlain Back on Trial 1990s - 2000s

Disagree:
- Well Done Chamberlain 1937 - 38
- Rehabilitating Chamberlain 1960s - 90s

The Appeasers Misjudged Hitler

Dates:
- 1948-60s

Key features - what is the interpretation? (HOW)
· Negative view but softer
· Good motives of avoiding war but terrible misjudgement of Hitler
· Began by Churchill in 1948 in book The Gathering Storm
· Continued in the 1960s when book became a TV documentary
· Critical of appeasement more than a personal attack on Chamberlain
· Chamberlain should have put together a grand alliance of Britain, France, USA and USSR

Context - why did it change? (WHY)
1. Churchill wanted to preserve his reputation
· E.G He lost the 1945 General Election to Labour due to the Conservatives policy of appeasement
· E.G He wanted to remind people that he had always opposed appeasement
2. Churchill did not want the world to make the same mistake with Stalin during the Cold War with a second policy of appeasement

Agree:
- The Guilty Men 1939 - 48
- Chamberlain Back on Trial 1990s - 2000s

Disagree:
- Well Done Chamberlain 1937 - 38
- Rehabilitating Chamberlain 1960s - 90s

Rehabilitating Chamberlain

Dates:
- 1960s-90s


Key features - what is the interpretation? (HOW)
· Positive view
· Chamberlain was in an impossible position and did the best he could
· Began in 1961 with historian Taylor who said Chamberlain could not be blamed as Hitler did not plan the events of the 1930s
· Continued in 1965 with historian Watt who said Chamberlain had his hand full and had limited options and resources
Some historians argued that Chamberlain actually bought Britain time to prepare armed forces

Context - why did it change? (WHY)
1. Traditional views on society were changing so new ideas on history were popular
· E.G Civil rights, feminism and gay rights
2. The USA was involved in the Vietnam War which was going badly, so appeasement would have avoided this
· E.G Napalm attacks and My Lai Massacre of 1968 3. 1958 Public Records Act meant more records became available that could explain Chamberlain's actions
· EG Treasury blocked Chamberlin from increasing the armed forces due to costs
· EG USA would not go to war
E.G Chamberlain feared Stalin as much as Hitler

Agree:
- Well Done Chamberlain 1937 - 38

Disagree:
- The Guilty Men 1939 - 48
- Chamberlain Back on Trial 1990s - 2000s
- The Appeasers Misjudged Hitler 1948 - 60s

Chamberlain back on trial

Dates:
- 1990s-2000s

Key features - what is the interpretation? (HOW)
· Negative view
· Chamberlain was personally partly responsible for the failure of appeasement
· Began by historian Parker in 1993
· Chamberlain overestimated his ability to understand and deal with Hitler Chamberlain ignored advice
Chamberlain should be accountable

Context - why did it change? (WHY)

1. Historical debate started by Parker to question previous interpretations and they did not want history to let Chamberlain off the hook

2. Glasnost (openness) - Soviet and German sources became available from 1989 when Gorbachev wanted transparency which allowed historians to have more information to base their judgements

Agree:
- The Guilty Men 1939 - 48
- The Appeasers misjudged Hitler 1948 - 60s

Disagree:
- Well Done Chamberlain 1937 - 38
- Rehabilitating Chamberlain 1960s - 90s