I think his appeasement policy is largely taken out of context. Britain simply couldn't have gone to war before 1939, it just wasn't ready, throughout the thirties we needed time to build up our military in order to pose a worthy adversary to the Nazi's.
Though, it certainly wasn't what his father - Joseph Chamberlain - would have done. Being the most fervent imperialist in the British Empire, and perhaps the most honourable, Joe would never have stood for appeasement had he been alive.
Chamberlain probably was the wrong person for his time. Someone like him at Versailles or in the 50s would have made a better world than did cynics like Lloyd George or Clemenceau or a complete failure like Wilson who snapped, went home and left the USA to Al Capone and Rockefeller.
Have always been puzzled by Chamberlain saying in his radio speech after Munich that the Czechs were "a people far away we know little about." Did he know that Britain still had a world wide empire full of lots of people with lots of cultures.
@Gydinglight12 The speech to which you refer was broadcast on 27th September 1938, 3 days before the Munich Agreement. His actual words were, "How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because of a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing".
Empire and public opinion against war in 1938 over a dispute to unite two German speaking peoples. He emphaised this which is what the public wanted to hear.
His intentions were honourable?. An experienced politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the difficult days of the early 30's. He was too trusting perhaps?. The rest as they say is history.
now this is my soundtrack to history homework.
blackops00007 3 weeks ago
I think his appeasement policy is largely taken out of context. Britain simply couldn't have gone to war before 1939, it just wasn't ready, throughout the thirties we needed time to build up our military in order to pose a worthy adversary to the Nazi's.
Though, it certainly wasn't what his father - Joseph Chamberlain - would have done. Being the most fervent imperialist in the British Empire, and perhaps the most honourable, Joe would never have stood for appeasement had he been alive.
SuperMassiveDementiA 10 months ago
Chamberlain probably was the wrong person for his time. Someone like him at Versailles or in the 50s would have made a better world than did cynics like Lloyd George or Clemenceau or a complete failure like Wilson who snapped, went home and left the USA to Al Capone and Rockefeller.
Oldsteamer2 1 year ago 4
Have always been puzzled by Chamberlain saying in his radio speech after Munich that the Czechs were "a people far away we know little about." Did he know that Britain still had a world wide empire full of lots of people with lots of cultures.
Gydinglight12 1 year ago
@Gydinglight12 The speech to which you refer was broadcast on 27th September 1938, 3 days before the Munich Agreement. His actual words were, "How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because of a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing".
Empire and public opinion against war in 1938 over a dispute to unite two German speaking peoples. He emphaised this which is what the public wanted to hear.
jackpaynefan 1 year ago
Yep
alan12396 1 year ago
A very unfortunate tragedy.
dmorlan 1 year ago
His intentions were good but they are often portrayed wrong when people hear about him trusting Hitler
alan12396 2 years ago 5
His intentions were honourable?. An experienced politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the difficult days of the early 30's. He was too trusting perhaps?. The rest as they say is history.
85scampi 2 years ago