Question

One of the primary reasons for the outbreak of the Second World War was the policy of Appeasement followed by Britain and France.

Give any four reasons to explain why these two nations adopted the policy of Appeasement.

Answer 1

1. In order to prevent war, Britain and France adopted an appeasement strategy toward Germany and Italy, giving in to their demands when they were seen to be acceptable.
2. Both nations secretly supported Germany and Italy in opposition to communist expansion because they were afraid of the Soviet Union and the spread of communism.
3. Given that France lacked faith in its military prowess, Great Britain and France were hesitant to confront the united forces of Italy, Germany, and Japan.
4. The idea that Germany, which the Treaty of Versailles had weakened, could act as a counterweight to Russian communism was another driving force behind this program.
5. The Great Depression had severely harmed both countries' economies, resulting in high unemployment, which they feared might inspire internal communist uprisings.
6. The final justification for the appeasement strategy was an incorrect assessment of the goals of Mussolini and Hitler. After suffering the losses of the First World War, Britain and France thought they would stop committing war.