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The UK's declaration of war on Germany was announced to the public on national radio.

World War One Aftermath: 1939 - The End Of Appeasement

Find out how appeasement finally collapsed in 1939, as Britain rearmed, stood up to Hitler’s demands and moved from negotiation towards open war in Europe.

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Fascinating Fact:

Britain began to speed up rearmament in early 1939. Extra money was spent on the Royal Air Force and the navy to prepare for a possible war.

In GCSE History, this topic explores how appeasement came to an end in 1939. You will study Britain’s rearmament, the growing threat from Germany and the final steps towards declaring war.

Key Terms

Appeasement: A policy where Britain and France accepted some of Hitler’s demands in the 1930s, hoping that compromise would prevent another major European conflict.
Guarantee to Poland: A promise made by Britain in 1939 to defend Poland’s independence. If Poland was attacked, Britain was committed to taking military action.
Rearmament: The rapid strengthening of a country’s armed forces. In 1939 this meant Britain increasing spending on its army, navy and air force to get ready for war.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Why did Britain end the policy of appeasement in 1939?

Britain ended appeasement because Hitler kept breaking agreements and expanding, especially after occupying the rest of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Many politicians decided that only firm resistance would now stop him.

What was the significance of Britain’s guarantee to Poland?

The guarantee to Poland was important because it drew a clear line for Hitler. If Germany invaded Poland, Britain would be bound to act, turning any attack into a wider European war.

How did the end of appeasement lead to the Second World War?

When Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939, Britain and France honoured their promises and declared war on Germany. The end of appeasement therefore marked the final step into the Second World War.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

In March 1939 Hitler seized the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia. To which country had they belonged?

Poland

Hungary

Czechoslovakia

Yugoslavia

These areas were on Hitler's list for invasion, and he now prepared to move further east still

2 .

Which Nazi minister flew to Moscow on the 23rd of August 1939 to sign the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

Hess

Goering

Von Ribbentrop

Goebbels

German negotiators had been in Moscow for some weeks, hammering out the terms of the deal. Now it only remained for a senior Nazi to sign the treaty

3 .

Hitler invaded Poland on the 1st of September 1939. On which day did Britain and France formally declare war?

The 2nd of September

The 1st of September

The 4th of September

The 3rd of September

Britain and France were bound by treaty to guarantee Poland's integrity. If they were to follow the etiquette from 1914, they would give Germany a chance to withdraw before war was declared

4 .

In 1939 Hitler took a formerly German city that had been seized by Lithuania from League of Nations control. What was the German name of this Baltic port?

Danzig

Riga

Memel

Soppot

The town was still mostly populated by ethnic Germans, but the surrounding countryside was inhabited mainly by Lithuanians. Its invasion was a clear breach of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which Germany had signed in 1919

5 .

Which prime minister announced the declaration of war on Germany in 1939 by radio to the British people?

Winston Churchill

Stanley Baldwin

Neville Chamberlain

Archibald Sinclair

There were hardly any television sets in use in 1939, so major announcements were made on BBC Radio

6 .

Which politician was re-appointed to his old job as First Lord of the Admiralty on the outbreak of war?

Arthur Henderson

Winston Churchill

Ernest Bevin

Max Aitken

To be political head of the Royal Navy in the Cabinet was a key position, tasked with defending the United Kingdom and the wider British Empire

7 .

Which Soviet foreign commissar urged Stalin in 1939 to conclude an agreement with Germany, arguing that Britain and France could not be relied upon to confront the dictators Hitler and Mussolini?

Litvinov

Molotov

Beria

Voroshilov

Stalin was deeply suspicious of everyone - even of his own close associates. He was expecting to be attacked sooner or later by Germany, but he hoped that he could buy time to enable Russia to be ready for war

8 .

Britain sent an army across the Channel to fight in France and Belgium. What name was given to this force?

British Expeditionary Force

British Field Force

British Task Force

British Military Contingent

This was a larger force than the one that had landed in France in 1914, but it was still greatly outnumbered by the French army. However volunteers were joining up in large numbers and conscription was re-imposed

9 .

In May and June a joint Anglo-French diplomatic and military mission was visiting a potential ally against Germany. Which state was this?

The Soviet Union

Poland

Sweden

Romania

If the western powers were to go to war against Germany, they would need firm allies in the east

10 .

Which Conservative backbencher (a former Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer) criticised the slow pace of British rearmament following Germany's breach of the Munich Agreement? He used information provided by serving military personnel.

Winston Churchill

Lord Halifax

Anthony Eden

Leslie Hore-Belisha

The government announced increases in defence spending following the events of early 1939. However, there was some doubt about the government's determination to achieve this. Parliamentary critics of the government relied on inside information provided by serving officers, which was at variance with the official version

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-45

Author: Edward Towne