7 - From the Anschluss to Munich

Summary

Hitler’s seizure of Austria heightened awareness of the international danger. Churchill pointed to the weakening of France’s Eastern European alliances, but was deterred from advocating the use of force to reverse Hitler’s action by fear of air attacks on London. Instead he called for greater RAF expansion, and the government took steps to maximise aircraft production, including allowing rearmament contracts to divert industry from civil trade. On the other hand, whereas Churchill thought a grand alliance of European powers, including the Soviet Union, would deter German aggression, Chamberlain persisted in believing alliances would lead to war and instead pursued bilateral negotiations with Hitler on the basis of self-determination for the German-speaking minority in Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain’s decisions not to seek Soviet support against Germany or to fight over Czechoslovakia are placed in the context of advice from the Foreign Office and the chiefs of the armed forces. Churchill’s opposition to surrender to Hitler’s threats is explained in terms of the effect the fall of Czechoslovakia would have on the balance of power and also of his reduced fear of air attack following reports of the effects of bombing in the Spanish Civil War. Reactions to the Munich settlement show that both Chamberlain and Churchill’s positions had considerable public support.