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Coursework Assignment: "To what extent did the policy of appeasement cause the Second World War?"
“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!” – Neville Chamberlain, 1938
Introduction
 "Appeasement" can be defined as "giving in to someone's demands as far as is reasonably possible to avoid conflict". Throughout the 1930s, Britain and France in particular were very keen on using this policy. They used it in their dealings with Japan (who attacked Manchuria), Italy (who attacked Abyssinnia) and of course Germany (who reached a Naval Agreement with Britain, remilitarised the Rhineland, secured an Anshcluss with Austria and took control of the Sudetenland).
Since World War Two, politicians have been desperate to avoid being accused of appeasement. This has created aggressive foreign policies which are arguably much less well-considered, and just as damaging: Britain plunged into the Suez Crisis and the USA got bogged down in Vietnam (and now Iraq) rather than "surrender" to the demands of "the next Hitler".
This essay assignment will test your ability to
- Explain how and why Britain and France pursued a policy of appeasement
- Explain how appeasement led to World War Two
- Explain how other factors also contributed
- Explain how these factors are linked together to reach a conclusion.
Although class time will be given over to this assignment, you will also be expected to work on it at home. Your teacher will be able to give you some general advice on structuring essays and about events, issues and concepts - but the actual assignment must be entirely your own work.
Stage 1: Gather your evidence, form your views
Through your studies, you should already be familiar with the main causes of World War Two (German bitterness about Versailles; weaknesses of the League of Nations; the impact of the Depression; the rise of aggressive dictatorships in Japan, Italy and Germany; the policy of appeasement led by Britain and France).
Stage 2: Write the first draft of your essay
Once you feel confident that you understand the events and issues, you can start thinking about writing your essay.
Exhibit A. A sample markscheme for an essay at GCSE / IGCSE level.
L1 |
General points; little evidence of background knowledge from classroom studies |
L2 |
One-sided answer; factual details about one factor described |
L3 |
One-sided answer; role of one factor explained
OR
Multi-causal answer; factual details about several factors described |
L4 |
Multi-causal answer; role of several factors explained, but in isolation |
L5 |
Multi-causal answer; role of several factors explained, and linked together |
Exhibit B. How to write essays at GCSE / IGCSE History. A step-by-step guide by Mr. Tarr.
Stage 3: Write the final draft of your essay
In theory, your essay could be handed in at this point. However, before doing so it is a good idea to have a look at some other sources
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Secondary Sources (these are quite easy to follow)
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Primary Sources (these are a bit more difficult - don't feel you have to use them!)
History in the News for IST Coursework: Appeasement1. Why has Germany taken so long to pay off its WWI debt? Germany is finally paying off World War I reparations, with the last 70 million euro (£60m) payment drawing the debt to a close.
2. Briefing: Computer traders blamed for Wall Street crash
3. Germany still owes £50m in reparations for the First World War
4. Glorious 39's scorn for appeasement is unjustified #historyteacher (via activehistory.co.uk / classtools.net)
5. World War 2: Poland was conspiring with Nazis to destroy Soviet Union, Russia claims
6. Vladimir Putin condemns appeasement of Hitler on 70th anniversary of WW2 outbreak
7. EyeWitness Reports: Watching the start of World War II
8. Stalin's bid for a new world order
9. BBC Viewpoint: The Nazi-Soviet Pact
10. Treaty of Versailles: 90 years old this weekend
11. Stock market optimists need to read a history of the Great Depression
12. 103 Year Old reflects on 1929 > 2008
13. Wall Street's Final '08 Toll: $6.9 Trillion Wiped Out
14. Depression offers lessons for financial crisis
15. Hitler's desk set on which Munich pact was signed in 1938 put up for sale in online auction
16. Ideas and Trends - Appeasement’s Taint Is All in Hindsight - NYTimes.com
17. Germany end World War One reparations after 92 years with £59m final payment Germany will finally clear its First World War debt by repaying nearly £60million this weekend.The £22billion reparations were set by the Allied victors – mostly Britain, France and America – as compensation and punishment for the 1914-18 war.
18. FTSE falls for 4th day on Greek contagion fears | Reuters FTSE falls for 4th day on Greek contagion fears
19. 'Great depression' gaffe lifted from Prime Minister's website
20. History judges Neville Chamberlain unfairly, says his granddaughter
21. Poland angry at Soviet war role
22. Putin blames Britain for Russia's invasion of Poland on the 70th anniversary of WWII
23. Modern views on the Nazi-Soviet pact
24. Neville Chamberlain should be praised, not buried
25. Russia declassifies secret documents on Nazi-Soviet pact
26. Amid Russian push to recast history, Russian historian blames Poland for starting WWII
27. CNN Online Video - Great Depression vs. Now - Which was Worse?
28. Britain on the brink of an economic depression, say experts - Telegraph
29. Girl from iconic Great Depression photo: 'We were ashamed'
30. 70th Anniversary of the Munich Agreement
31. The Parallel with 1929 We Ignore at Our Peril
32. Terror on Wall Street, 1920
33. Rethinking Churchill and the Allied warmongers World War II, we know on good authority, was unnecessary, the authority being none other than Winston Churchill. By unnecessary Churchill meant that if the Allies' appeasement of Hitler hadn't taken place earlier, the war wouldn't have to have been to fou
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