4. Continuity and Change How did the policy of appeasement affect France and Great Britain?

The policy of appeasement had significant effects on both France and Great Britain leading up to World War II. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Initial Support for Appeasement: Both France and Great Britain initially supported appeasement in the hope of avoiding war. They believed that by satisfying the reasonable demands of Germany and Italy, they could maintain peace in Europe.

2. Munich Agreement: The most notable instance of appeasement was the Munich Agreement in 1938. France and Britain, led by Neville Chamberlain, allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland (a region of Czechoslovakia) in hopes that this would satisfy Hitler's territorial ambitions.

3. False Sense of Security: The policy of appeasement gave France and Britain a false sense of security. They believed that they had secured "peace for our time," as Chamberlain famously said. However, this peace was short-lived.

4. Failure of Appeasement: The policy of appeasement ultimately failed when Germany invaded Poland in 1939, triggering World War II. This showed that appeasement only emboldened aggressive nations and did not prevent war.

5. Lessons Learned: The failure of appeasement taught France and Britain that they could not appease totalitarian regimes. This lesson influenced their approach to international relations in the post-war period, with a greater emphasis on collective security and deterrence.

In conclusion, the policy of appeasement had profound effects on France and Britain. It initially seemed like a viable strategy for maintaining peace, but ultimately it failed to prevent World War II and instead led to a shift in how these nations approached international relations.