The consequences of the First World War threw Europe into economic, social, and political instability. Disenchanted people turned to the emerging radical political factions for answers. Moreover, the Treaty of Versailles was viewed by many German leaders, including Adolf Hitler, as too harsh and crippling to Germany. When Hitler came to power in the early 1930s, waving the banner of the Nazi Party, he planned to mend the damage of the Treaty of Versailles, rebuild Germany's economy, stabilize social unrest, and restore Germany's respect and prominence in the world. However, Hitler had a major obstacle to overcome - the interference of the "great powers," specifically Great Britain and France, who had condemned Germany to her fate. Hitler continuously tested their resolve to block his successes. In response, Great Britain and France instituted a conciliatory diplomatic approach towards Germany. Appeasement, as it was called, ac

In the summer of 1935 Germany reinstituted conscription, therefore violating the Treaty of Versailles. Surprisingly, Britain condoned this action and permitted Germany in the Anglo-German Naval Agreement to rebuild her navy, if desired, with U-boats on the British scale. Germany had already secretly and unlawfully created a military air force which, by spring of 1935, openly claimed to be equal to the British. Hitler once more went against the Treaty of Versailles by marching German troops into Rhineland. Had the British and French gone in to put down the German troops, the Germans would not have been able to resist them. Hitler later confessed that if he had been advanced upon "we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been totally inadequate for even a moderate resistance." However, sticking by their policy of appeasement, Britain and France made no such efforts to physically prevent the invasion of Rhineland, thus indicating to Hitler the passive attitude that they were taking on.

"It is...essential that the Czechoslovak Government should be brought to face the realities of the present situation and to realize the necessity of making wide concessions to the German minority."

Failure of the policy of appeasement was inevitable -- one could only accede to the demands of a powerful aggressor for so long before his drastic actions would need to be put to a halt. So why then, one might ask, were the leaders of the major European countries so shortsighted in their policies toward Hitler's Germany in the late 30s? Had the leaders of Britain and France been more bold and resolute in their approach, World War Two may have been prevented. Yet, as said by later Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, "in each instance, they showed a disposition to avoid trouble and shelve awkwar

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Approximate Word count = 1262
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)