"In this book I trace the origins of appeasement, and follow its course from 1914–39. Often those who sought a lenient peace in 1919, or tried to bring Britain and Germany together during the inter-war years, are seen as misguided men who mistook weakness for charity. This was not so: appeasement was a policy of optimism and hope, even at times of strength. Those who believed that every possible effort should be made to improve Anglo-German relations did so, not because they feared German""territorial ambitions, but because they respected German national aspirations and admired German cultural and scientific achievements. The arguments for and against appeasement were never simple ones, nor did the debate which raged with acerbity for twenty years fall into any clear categories of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. My aim is to examine the wide range of the appeasement argument, and to show that appeasement, both as an attitude of mind and as a policy, was not a silly or treacherous idea in the minds of stubborn, gullible men, but a noble idea, rooted in Christianity, courage and common sense."
One must remember the effect the Great War had on Europe.
ReplyDeleteTwenty million people died because a Serbian shot an Austrian. Countries that had no interest in that still went to war and suffered terribly. Even the victors suffered terrible economic damage and a strain on their empires. And really for what? A Serbian who shot an Austrian. It was a senseless war that wound up dividing Europe and creating the evil of the USSR.
Knowing that, is it any wonder that Britain and France were desperate not to go through that again?
Interesting point at the beginning of the book that until recent centuries, beating opponents' brains out was the default solution to disagreements.
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