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Monday, March 05, 2007

Neville Chamberlain: Peace in our Time

Neville Chamberlain, British PM, arrived back in England from the Munich Conference ecstatic that he had achieved "peace in our time." He stood in front of many people, waving a piece of paper that was Hitler's guarantee that he would do nothing further. Read Chamberlain's statements. Comment on your first reactions. Then, read the next post.

Due: MIDNIGHT, Monday, March 5

posted by RJS at 8:12 AM

7 Comments:

  • Obviously, this was a serious misjudgement on Chamberlain's part. I have to try and put myself in that situation, and not be "armchair quarterback" about it, as Europeans were too genuinely scared of conflict to even think about it happening again so quickly. This fear led them into an even more horrible conflict, however. Chamberlain's actual words simply focus on his achievement of temporary peace, and not on the fact he just sold away a country for a little pledge. I just can't put myself in his situation quite well enough given all the suffering that resulted from it.

    By Blogger Unknown, at Monday, March 05, 2007 5:11:00 PM  

  • I'll try to avoid being an armchair quarterback, but honestly, Chamberlain was a wimp. If Churchill was a bulldog, he was a Pekingese. Honestly, I just don't see Winston Churchill making peace with Hitler in this blind fashion. This was not an example of European attitudes nearly so much as it was an example of really bad leadership on Chamberlain's part. He wanted to avoid a fight, yes. Whether he felt the British could not win or that the British were not ready I don't know, but hesitance like his has killed countries before. He's very lucky that W.C. and a few platoons of Spitfires were waiting to pull England out of the fire.

    By Blogger ThomasBatson, at Monday, March 05, 2007 6:41:00 PM  

  • Hah. Chamberlain's quite the character, thinking peace could be promised by any leader. I don't think I could trust an ambitious man such as Hitler to pull out some scrap of paper, jot down that Britain and Germany are and forever will be BFF's, and actually or even partially mean any of what he agreed to. No leader can promise that two countries will never go to war, especially not Britain and Germany. I can understand that Chamberlain might have wanted to put hope in english hearts, maybe to keep them from worrying, but to actually believe it....

    Like I said, He's quite the character, that Chamberlain.

    By Blogger TeganLove, at Monday, March 05, 2007 7:54:00 PM  

  • I think this declaration of 'peace in our time' was a manifestation of an extreme, dire wish to avoid war. Chamberlain had given so much for so long and to not achieve peace would (and did) hold him responsible for terrible losses that were not necessarily his to give. I think the reason Europe believed that silly little scrap of dead tree would protect them from the horrors of war was because they wanted it to so badly.

    By Blogger laura, at Monday, March 05, 2007 9:08:00 PM  

  • Ha that's funny. Chamberlain's determination not to allow Britain to go to war again obviously clouded his vision. He completely disregarded Hitler's past and was way too excited he had "appeased" his crazy demands. Ugh they're like little girls...they say they're best friends when they are together but then secretly one goes behind the other's back and screws her over. Then the other girl forgives her because she values their friendship, but that girl does it again. Yeah something like that. Anway, Chamberlain wasn't thinking. He ignored the fact that Hitler brushed off the Versailles Treaty and would break his promise again six months later.

    By Blogger taylor, at Monday, March 05, 2007 9:37:00 PM  

  • Well, Mr. Chamberlain severely overestimates the power of his contract, and although hindsight is 20/20, it was nieve to put so much faith into it. In all situations you're basically fooling yourself if you say "never" as the final word, but especially when you're dealing with a man who's already gone back on his promises on very grave issues. It seems that Chamberlain is really self pleased, just really full of it, and even though his intentions were good, it seems like glory is blinding him.

    By Blogger Victoria, at Monday, March 05, 2007 10:30:00 PM  

  • So Chamberlain is a little misguided. He seems to be far too trusting of a man whom he has no reason to trust. While what he did is admirable yes, the child-like joy he had in recieving this 'peace' seems to me to be over the top. The way he spoke for Germany was interesting also. "we" find this symbolic of....
    "We" find that....
    Chamberlain is quite sure of something that certainly doesn't end up working out.

    By Blogger manxomefoe, at Tuesday, March 06, 2007 12:10:00 AM  

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