Knowledge Organiser: Appeasement 1936-1939
Part of Appeasement · GCSE GCSE History revision
This topic summary covers Knowledge Organiser: Appeasement 1936-1939 within Appeasement for GCSE History. Revise Appeasement in Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 3 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 16 of 16 in this topic. Use this topic summary to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 16 of 16
Practice
8 questions
Recall
3 flashcards
Knowledge Organiser: Appeasement 1936-1939
Key Terms
- Appeasement: Making concessions to an aggressor to avoid war
- Munich Agreement: Sept 1938 — Sudetenland given to Hitler
- Anschluss: March 1938 — Austria united with Germany
- Collective security: Alternative policy — alliance to deter aggression
Key Dates
- March 1936: Rhineland remilitarised — unchallenged
- March 1938: Anschluss — Austria annexed
- Sept 29-30, 1938: Munich Agreement signed
- March 1939: Hitler takes rest of Czechoslovakia
- September 3, 1939: Britain declares war
Key People
- Neville Chamberlain: British PM — architect of appeasement
- Winston Churchill: Critic — called Munich "total and unmitigated defeat"
- Robert Vansittart: Foreign Office critic, removed for opposing appeasement
- A.J.P. Taylor: Revisionist historian, argued appeasement was rational
Must-Know Facts
- Chamberlain flew to Germany 3 times in September 1938
- Czechoslovakia was not consulted at Munich
- Czech fortifications and 70% of heavy industry transferred to Germany
- Hitler took rest of Czechoslovakia just 6 months after Munich
- FEMSC: Fear, Economy, Military, Sympathy, Communism — reasons for appeasement
Common Mistakes
- Calling Chamberlain "stupid" or "cowardly": Examiners want understanding of real constraints — military weakness, public opinion, economic limits — not moral judgements
- Only discussing Munich (1938) and ignoring the Rhineland (1936): The Rhineland was the most important missed opportunity — Hitler had orders to retreat if challenged
- Saying appeasement "caused" World War Two: Appeasement failed to prevent it; Hitler's expansionism caused it — be precise with your causal language
- Not naming historians in Q3 answers: Always name the historian, give an approximate date, and explain why they wrote what they did (purpose, sources available, political context)
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Practice Questions for Appeasement
What is the term for the policy of giving in to Hitler's demands in order to avoid war?
At the Munich Conference in September 1938, Britain and France agreed to give which territory to Germany?
Quick Recall Flashcards
8 questions on Appeasement — practise free
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