NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF STUDY AND

RESEARCH IN LAW

LEGAL HISTORY: CAT I

SUBMITTED TO: SREMOYEE SARKAR

SUBMITTED BY: ROHAN VIJAY

SEM III’ A

ROLL: 543
1. SOURCE A: The policy of appeasement aimed at making concessions to dictatorial
powers to maintain peace and avoid conflict. After the annexation of Rhineland,
Hitler’s expansionist policy became apparent and brought to light the goals which he
sought to accomplish. Since Britain and France sought to avoid war, this policy was
initially considered to be a sensible course of action and became popular. The SS
democratic opposition was also suppressed by the Nazi Party when it took over the
city of Danzig.
Hitler’s rearmament policy is also depicted in the picture. This policy made him
wildly popular and drove wedges between his enemies. The picture also depicts the
Democratic Party reduced to mere bystanders before Hitler’s power and influence.
SOURCE C: This picture depicts the expansionist policy of Germany and Japan; and
how they wanted to expand their territories. Britain and France, with their policy of
appeasement, tried to control this expansion. They were not ready for war nor did they
want to indulge in it. Hitler’s goals were obviously unreasonable but they could not
do much about stopping him. The picture states that the only way their only way of
stopping Germany and Japan was defeating them in war but a war was not what they
wanted.

2. Source B: This source is a speech by then Prime Minister of Britain, Neville

Chamberlain. He is praising his appeasement policy and is claiming that it will be
successful in countering this threat. He seems very adamant about solving these
disputes peacefully and it confident that this policy will work.
Source D: This source is an extract from a British textbook and is very critical of
Chamberlain’s appeasement policy. It criticizes him for being too naive as he failed to
recognize Hitler’s true nature. Germany did not compromise at all. Despite all the
agreements it entered into with other countries, it continued to follow its own
expansionist agenda. The agreements and the treaties did not stop Germany’s
conquest of the Czech.

3. There are many views regarding the policy of appeasement by Britain and France.
Source B justifies the policy as it shows that Britain was completely justified in
applying this policy. The policy was historically justified as it had resulted in peace in
many instances. Britain and France were just trying to end this conflict amiable and
on peaceful terms. Through treaties and agreements; they were trying to avoid another
 World War. However, they misjudged Hitler’s intentions and goals. In their naiveté,
they believed that Hitler’s would be appeased with the concessions they had to offer.
They did not consider the fact that Hitler was a shrewd and strategic leader and kept
them believing that they were succeeding while he planned to take them by surprise
and use that surprise to his advantage. Czechoslovakia is a great example of this.
However, source E has justified the policy by saying that it would bring peace in
Europe which would the victory of mankind. This source praises Mr. Chamberlain.
Source A shows the bossy attitude of Hitler. It shows how Hitler captured territories
and tried to suppress leaders of democratic parties because of Appeasement policy.
Source C and D also criticise this policy. Source C shows that instead of smashing
Germany and Japan, Britain and France are trying to control them by mutual
agreements. Source D is the view of a historian who also criticises this policy.

The policy of appeasement was basically a compromise to avoid war. It highlighted the
European sentiments with regards to war during that time period. The First World War
had just ended and the bloodshed lay heavy on the European countries. They did not want
any more death and destruction. Hitler’s actions were obviously unreasonable and a war
against him would have been completely justified but Britain and France were apparently
ready to do anything to avoid one. The First World War lay heavy on their collective
national mentalities. So they tried to control Germany’s expansionist agenda with treaties
and agreements, mostly just hoping that it would work. However, they underestimated
Hitler. He used these treaties to shroud his real agenda; strategising his next moves even
as Britain believed that he had stopped and entering into new pacts after he had broken
the old ones. It was the inaction of the allied powers that led to Hitler’s rise in power.
Germany and its allies had gotten very strong by the time the allied powers did finally get
down to brass tacks and by then, it was too late. The war that the policy of appeasement
has sought to avoid had begun before the Allies realised it had.