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The British political, social and economic system and the decision for peace and war: reflections on Anglo-German relations 1800—1939*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 October 2009

Wolf D. Gruner
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Extract

One of the main fields of historical research for the period between the two world wars has been the role of National Socialist Germany in world politics and the character of the British policy of appeasement. A difference of opinion as to the roots and aims of German and British policies in the 1930s continues to exist as a result of disparate interpretations of the decisive factors of these policies. The extent to which such factors as security interests at home and abroad, problems of trade, domestic and foreign policy, economic conditions and social change influence the policy-making process, as well as the impact these elements have on the capability or incapability for reform of the sociopolitical system, remains controversial.

Type
Research Article
Information
Review of International Studies , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , October 1980 , pp. 189 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © British International Studies Association 1980

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References

page 189 note 1 For new interpretations in the light of recent research cf. Wendt, B. J., ‘Grossbritannien-Demokratie auf dem Prüfstand’ in Funke, M. (ed.), Hitler, Deutschland und die Mäclite (Düsseldorf, 1978)Google Scholar; Idem: ‘Aspekte der deutcshen Appeasement-Forschung’ Internationales Jahrbuchfür Geschichts- und Geographie-Unterricht., xvii (1977), pp. 248—75; A. S. Grenville, ‘Contemporary trends in the study of the British “appeasement” policies of the 1930s’, ida. pp. 236–247; G. Niethart, ‘Britische Deutschlandpolitik vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Friedensbedürfins und gescheiterte Friedenssicherung’ Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte. Beilage zu Das Parlament B13/77 v. 2.4.1977, pp. 26–39; Idem: ‘Appeasement: Die britische Antwort auf die Krise des Weltreichs und des internationalen Systems vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg’ HZ 226/1978, pp. 67–88; idem: ‘Europa in der britischen Weltpolitik vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg’ Francia, 5 (1977) pp. 789–797; Schmidt, G., ‘Politisches System und Appeasement-Politik, 1930–1937. Zur Scharnierfunktion der Rüstungspolitik fur die britische Innen- und Aussenpolitik’, Militdrgeschichtliche Mitteilungen, 26 (1979), pp. 37—53Google Scholar; Idem: England in der Krise. Grundlagen, und GrundzJige der britischen Appeasement-Politik 1930–1937 (Berlin, 1980), Kettenacker, L., ‘Die Diplomatic der Ohnmacht. Die gescheiterte Friedensstrategie der britischen Regierung vor Ausbruch des Zweiten Weltkrieges’, Sommer 1939, pp. 223–279Google Scholar; Gruner, W. D., ‘Friedenssicherung und politisch-soziales System: Grossbritannien auf den Pariser Friedenskonferenzen 1919’ L'Europe de Versailles 1918–1923. Bilan, perspectives et controverses (Geneva, 1979)Google Scholar, Rock, W. R., British Appeasement in the 1930s (London, 1977)Google Scholar; Watt, D. C., ‘The Historiography of Appeasement’ in Crisis and Controversy, Essays in Honour of A. J. P. Taylor (London, 1976); pp. 110—127Google Scholar; Kennedy, P. M., ‘The Tradition of Appeasement in British Foreign Policy 1865—1939’ British Journal of International Studies, ii (1976), pp. 110–127Google Scholar; and “Appeasement” and ‘British defence policy in the inter-war years’, Ibid vi (1978), pp. 161–77.

page 190 note 1 Cf Thompson, N., The Anti-Appeasers. Conservative Opposition to Appeasement in the 1930s, (London, 1971)Google Scholar; Naylor, J. F., Labour's International Policy. The Labour Party in the 1930s, (London 1969).Google Scholar

page 190 note 2 Grenville: op. cit. p. 240.

page 190 note 3 Cf Namier, L. B., Diplomatic Prelude 1938–1939 (London, 1948)Google Scholar; Wheeler-Bennett, J. W., Munich Prologue to Tragedy (London, 1948)Google Scholar. For a critical comment on this “School” and their pupils see Watt, D. G., ‘Appeasement. The Rise of a revisionist School?’, Political Quarterly, 36 (1965), pp. 191–213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 191 note 1 Grenville op, cit., p. 236.

page 191 note 2 For the questions involved cf. Rock, Appeasement, passim, esp. Ch. 3.

page 191 note 3 Gilbert, M., The Roots of Appeasement (London, 1966), p. 5.Google Scholar

page 191 note 4 Ibid. p. 9ff.

page 191 note 5 For these aspects see also the brilliant essay by P. M. Kennedy, ‘The Tradition of Appeasement,…’ op. cit. and his “Splendid Isolation” gegen “Continental Commitment”. ‘Das Dilemma der britischen Deutschlandstrategie in der Zwischenkriegszeit, 1931–1939’? in Hutter, J.et al. (eds.), Tradition und Neubeginn (Koln, 1975), pp. 151—172.Google Scholar

page 192 note 1 Cf John Grenville's critical commentary op. cit. p. 236ff.

page 192 note 2 Cf. P. M. Kennedy, ‘The Tradition ofAppeasement…’ op. cit. p. 195.

page 192 note 3 For exceptions to the rule cf Barnett, G., The Collapse of British Power (London 1972)Google ScholarBeloff, M., Imperial Sunset, Vol. I (London, 1969)Google Scholar; Northedge, F. S., The Troubled (London, 1966)Google Scholar; see also his ‘Freedom and Necessity in British Foreign Policy’, An Inaugural Lecture (London, 1972). From the younger generation of British historians special reference should be given to Kennedy, P. M., The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery (London, 1976)Google Scholaridem: ‘The Contradiction between British Strategic Planning and Economic Requirements in the Era of Two World Wars’, International Security Studies Program, The Wilson Center; Working Papers no. 11 (Washington, D.C., 1980); idem: The Rise of Anglo-German 1860–1914 (London, 1980).

page 193 note 1 See Kennedy, ‘Appeasement’, p. 164; also Grenville, op. cit. p. 236ff.

page 193 note 2 Cf. for example, besides others K. Hildebrand, Prenssen als Faktor der britischen Weltpolitik 1866–1970, Studien zur Aussenpolitik Grossbritanniens in 19. Jahrhundert. Phil. Habil (masch.) (Mannheim, 1972). An enlarged version of this study will be published soon. A summary of the results can be found in idem:. ‘British Interests’ als Staatsraison Grundlagen britischer Aussenpolitik im 19. Jahrhundert, Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft der Freunde der Uni versitdt Mannheim 22 (1973); idem: ‘Imperialismus, Wettrüsten, Kriegsausbruch 1914. Zum Problem von Legitimation und Revolution im internationalen System’, Part I, Neue Politische Literatur, 20 (1975), pp. 160–194; idem: “British Interests” und “Pax Britannica”. Grund-fragen britischer Aussenpolitik im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert', HZ, 221, 1975, pp. 623–639; idem: ‘Die deutsche Reichsgründung im Urteil der britischen Politik‘, Francia 5 (1977), pp. 399–424. G. Schmidt, Politische Tradition und wirtschaftliche Faktoren in der britischen Friedensstrategie 1917–1919’ Grundzuge der europdischen Nachkriegsordnung in der Sicht britischer Machteliten Phil. Habil. (masch.) (Minister, 1971); idem: ‘Wozu noch politische Geschichte? Zum Verhaltnis von Innen- und Aussenpolitik am Beispielder englischen Friedensstrategie 1918/19’ Aus Politik und geitgeschichte, B17/75 26 (1975); PP. 21–45; idem: ‘Effizienz und Flexibility politisch - sozialer System. Die deutsche und englische Politik 1918/19, ’ Vierteljahrshefte fur Zeitgeschichte 25 (1977), PP. 137–187; B. J. Wendt, ‘Demoktratie auf dem Prufstand’. Idem: Economic Appeasement. Handel und Finanz in der britischen Deutschlandpolitik 1933–1939 (Düsseldorf, 1971). W. D. Gruner, ‘Grossbritannien, der Deutsche Bund und die Struktur des europaischen Friedens’;idem: ‘Europaischer Friede, als Nationales Interesse. Die Rolle des Deutschen Bundes in der britischen Politik 1814–1832’, Bohemia Jahrbuch, 18, (1977), pp. 96–108; idem: ‘Die belgisch-luxemburgische Frage im Spannungsfeld europaischer Politik 1830–1839’. Uberlegungen zu den politischen, sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und ideo-logischen Bestimmungsfaktoren der Interessen des Deutschen Bundes, Grossbritanniens und Frankreichs, Francia, 5 (1977), pp. 299–398.

page 194 note 1 For these aspects see Morgan, R. and Kaiser, K. (eds.), Strukturwandlungen der Aussen politik in Grossbritannien und der Bundesreupuhlik (Munchen, Wien, 1970)Google Scholar, especially J. Frankel, ‘Die geistigen Grundlagen der britischen Aussenpolitik’, pp. 73–93; W. Besson, ‘Der Streit der Traditionen: Uber die historischen Grundlagen der westdeutschen Aussenpolitik,’ Ibid. pp. 94–109. (An English version was published in 1968). See also Kaiser, K., German Foreign Policy in Transition. Bonn between East and West (London, 1968)Google Scholar; Besson, W., Die Aussenpolitik der Bundesrepublik. Erfahrungen und Massstab (Munchen, 1970)Google Scholar, esp. p. 15 f; J. Frankel, National Interest (London, 1970).

page 194 note 2 Cf. for these aspects Wendt, ‘Demokratie auf dem Prüfstand’op. cit. D. C. Watt, ‘Hist-oriography of Appeasement’ op. cit. p. 122fT, Kennedy, ‘Appeasement’ op. cit. W. D. Gruner, “British Interest” in der Zwischenkriegszeit’; Aspekte britischer Europapolitik 1918–1938, in Bosl, K. (ed.), Gleichgewicht - Revision—Restauration. Die Aussenpolitik der Ersten Tschechoslowakischen Republik im Europasystem der Pariser Vorortevertrage (Munchen, 1976), pp. 85–151.Google Scholar

page 194 note 3 Schroeder, P. W., ‘Munich and the British Tradition’, Historical Journal, xix (1976), pp. 223—243CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Coghlan, F., ‘Armaments, Economic Policy and Appeasement. Background to British Foreign Policy, 1931—7’, History 57 (1972), pp. 205–216CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Grozier, A., ‘Prelude to Munich: British Foreign Policy and Germany, 1935–8’, European Studies Review, 6 (1976), pp. 357–381CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Dilks, D. N., ‘Appeasement Revisited’, University of Leeds Review, 15 (1972), pp. 28–56Google Scholar; Jones, R. J., The Study of ‘Appeasement’ and the Study of International Relations’, British Journal of International Studies i (1975), pp. 68–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

page 194 note 4 Cf Watt, ‘Historiography of Appeasement’, op. cit. p. 125.

page 194 note 5 Cf W. D. Gruner, ‘Europaischer Friede’, p. 96ff; idem: ‘British Interest’ und Frieden-ssicherung. Zur Interaktion von britischer Innen- und Aussenpolitik im frühen 19. Jahrhun-dert' HZ, 224 (1977), pp- 92—104; idem: ‘Die Interaktion von britischer Deutschland- und Europapolitik zur Zeit des Wiener Kongresses und in der Anfangsphase des Deutschen Bundes’, Kuhn, O. (ed.), Grossbritannien und Deutschland. Festschrift für John W. P. Bourke (München, 1974), pp. 93–138Google Scholar. Besides these studies by myself, only Ernst L. Presseisen from a different point of view has tried to establish a continuity of the policy of appeasement in his study, Amiens & Munich. Comparisons in Appeasement (The Hague), 1978.

page 195 note 1 See W. D. Gruner: “British Interest” in der Zwischenkriegszeit', op. cit. p. 87f.

page 195 note 2 See Gruner, W. D., Grossbritannien, der Deutsche Bund und die Struktur des europdischen Friedens, vol. 1, p. 46Google Scholarff., vol. 2, p. 47fF.; J. Frankel, National Interest op. cit. idem: ‘Geistige Grundlagen der englischen Aussenpolitik.’

page 196 note 1 For this specific aspect see Dehio, L., Germany and World Politics in the Twentieth Century, (London, 1959)Google Scholar and idem: The Precarious Balance. The Politics of Power in Europe 1944–1945 (London, 1962).

page 197 note 1 For the following see W. D. Gruner, Grossbritannien, der Deutsche Bund und die Struktur des europdischen Friedens, vol. i, p. 56fF., vol. 2, p. 57ff. idem: The Roots of Appeasement in the Napoleonic Age. Britain and the Reconstruction of Europe 1800—1821 (to be published next year). For a comparison between Amiens and Munich see E. L. Presseisen, Amiens and Munich, op. cit.

page 198 note 1 Durham County Record Office, Londonderry Papers (henceforth abbreviated as DCRO) D/Lo/F 418: ‘In Considering Alliances and the Balance of Power best calculated to preserve the Peace of Europe’ (c. 1792).

page 198 note 2 Castlereagh and also Liverpool and Sidmouth were personalities representative of the new type of ‘professional politician’ that emerged at that time. They believed in representing the nation and not only the ruling class. For these aspects see N. Gash, ‘After Waterloo: British Society and the Legacy of the Napoleonic Wars’, T.R.H.S. 5th series, vol. 28(1978), pp. 145–157, and generally Guttsman, W. L., The British Political Elite, (London 1963), p. 29ff.Google Scholar passim.

page 199 note 1 Cf. Yonge, Ch. D., The Life and Administration of Robert Banks, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, 3 vols. (London, 1868), vol. 2, p. 26.Google Scholar

page 199 note 2 Ida., p. 44.

page 199 note 3 See DGRO D/Lo/F 418.

page 200 note 1 These aspects are dealt with in Gruner, W. D., Grossbritannien, der Deutsche Bund und die Struktur des europdischen Friedens, vol. iGoogle Scholar, Gh. 2, p. 242ff., p. 491ff., p. 569ff. Published after the conclusion of this study Gash, N., Aristocracy and People. Britain 1815–1865 (London, 1969)Google Scholar, Cranfield, G. A.; The Press and Society. From Caxton to JVorthcliffe (London, 1978)Google Scholar; J. Stephenson: Popular Disturbances in England 1700–1870 (London, 1979); Quite useful are Hilton, B., Corn, Cash, Commerce. The Economic Policies of the Tory Governments 1815—1830 (Oxford, 1977)Google Scholar, Crosby, T. L., English Farmers and the Politics of Protection 1815—1852 (Hassocks, 1977)Google Scholar; Thomis, M. I. and Holt, P., Threats of Revolution 1789–1848 (London, 1977)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Thomis, M. I., Responses to Industrialisation. The British Experience 1780–1850 (Newton Abbot, 1976)Google Scholar; Emsley, G., British Society and the French Wars 1793–1815 (London, 1979)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Cookson, J. E., Lord Liverpool's Administration 1815—1822 (Edinburgh, 1975).Google Scholar

page 201 note 1 Broadland Papers BP/GG/FO 171–191: Palmerston-Fox Strangways, FO March 23, 1848. Similarly in the official instruction of March 25, 1848 (PRO FO 30/105 Nr. 1 Dft. exped.). For the ideas ofthe Prince Consort Albert see Broadland Papers BP/RC/H 32 Albert-Palmerston, March 28, 1848. See also PRO FO 30/146 Nr. 36, Palmerston-Cowley, Dft., FO March 18, 1851.

page 201 note 2 PRO FO 800/292 fol. 142.

page 201 note 3 Cf. Landes, D. S., The Unbound Prometheus (Cambridge, 1972)Google Scholar; Chambers, J. D., Workshop of the World. British Economic History 1820–1800 (Oxford, 1968)Google Scholar; Bartlett, G. S. (ed.), Britain Pre-eminent (London, 1969)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Milward, A. and Saul, S. B., The Economic Development of Continental Europe 1780–1870 (London, 1973).Google Scholar

page 202 note 1 Cf. inter alia Cottrell, P. L., British Overseas Investment in the Nineteenth Century (London, 1975)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Ward, J. T. and Wilson, R. G. (eds.), Land and Industry (Newton Abbot, 1971)Google Scholar; Williams, J. B., British Commerical Policy and Trade Expansion 1750—1850 (Oxford, 1972).Google Scholar

page 202 note 2 K. Hildebrand, ‘British Interests’ as ‘Staatsrason’, op. cit. p. 3f.

page 202 note 3 Cf. the memoranda and correspondence in Clarendon Papers Dep. c 558 folder two (Bodleian Library, Oxford).

page 202 note 4 See ‘Proposed Cabinet Minute on the State of Foreign Affairs’ June i860 and the comments of the members of the cabinet (Broadland Papers BP/CAB/A 103, 104, 109–113).

page 202 note 5 For this see Ibid. BP/CAB/A 157 and Grey-Papers 163/5 (University of Durham, Dep. of Paleography and Diplomatics) and Burckhardt, H., Deutschland-Ehgland-Frankreich. politischen Beziehungen Deutschlands zu den beiden westeuropdischen Grossmdchten (Munich, 1970)Google Scholar, p. 7ff., 142ff; P. M. Kennedy, ‘Tradition of Appeasement…’, op. cit. p. 199f. Item: Anglo-German Antagonism, op. cit. chapter I.

page 203 note 1 See PRO FO 361/I and besides the official files of the Foreign Office the private Papers of Lord Clarendon (Clarendon Papers dep. c. 474). For these problems consult besides British studies on the period especially K. Hildebrand, Preussen als Faktor der britischen 1866–1870, which is forthcoming in book form.

page 203 note 2 For the problems involved see Shannon, R., The Crisis of Imperialism i865–1915 (Frog more, 1976)Google Scholar; Lowe, C. J., The Reluctant Imperialists. British Foreign Policy 1878—1902 (London, 1967)Google Scholar; Ashworth, W., An Economic History of Europe 1870—1939 (London, 1972)Google Scholar, pt. I; C. M-Cipolla (ed.), The Fontana Economic History of Europe, vol. 4 (1, 2): The Emergence of Industrial Societies (London, 1973); Hynes, W. G., The Economic of Empire. Britain, Africa and the New Imperialism 1870–95 (London, 1979)Google Scholar; Grenville, J. A. S., Lord Salisbury and Foreign Policy (London, 1970)Google Scholar; Morris, J., Pax Britannica. The Climax of an Empire (London, 1975)Google Scholar; P. M. Kennedy, Naval Mastery, op. cit. ch. 7, 8.

page 204 note 1 PRO FO 800/9 Lascelles Papers, Salisbury - Lascelles FO March 3, 1896.

page 204 note 2 The most recent study is Paul Kennedy's Anglo-German Antagonism, op cit.

page 204 note 3 See Steiner, Z., Britain and the Origins of the First World War (London, 1977)CrossRefGoogle Scholar, esp. p. 24ff; Hayes, P., Modern British Foreign Policy: The Twentieth Century 1880—1939 (London, 1978)Google Scholar, ch. 4.

page 205 note 1 British Documents on the Origins of the War, 1898–1914, vol. 11 (London, 1926), ff., p. 277 (Buchanan-Grey, St. Petersburgh, Sept. 2, 1914).

page 205 note 2 For these questions see R. Vierhaus, Der gescheiterte Kompromiss (Goslar, 1969); M. Sturmer (ed)., Das Kaiserliche Deutschland (Düsseldorf, 1970); V. G. Kiernan, ‘Conscription and Society in Europe before the War of 1914–18’, War and Society, Historical Essays in honour and memory of J. R. Western, 1928—1971 (ed.), M. R. D. Foot (London, 1973), pp. 141—158 On a comparative basis P. M. Kennedy, Anglo-German Antagonism, op. cit.

page 205 note 3 For the debate on the origins of the First World War see inter alia Fischer, F., Germany's Aims in the First World War (London, 1967)Google Scholar; Berghahn, Germany and the Approach of War, op. cit. Z. Steiner, Britain and the Origins of the First World War, op. cit. A very good summary of the trends in historiography in Klaus Hildebrand's 'Imperialismus, Wettr¨sten, Kriegsaubruch 1914 Neue Politische Literatur, 20 (1975) pt. II, pp. 339–64.

page 205 note 4 On British War aims consult Nelson, H. I., Land and Power (Newton Abbot, 1971)Google Scholar; Rothwell, V. R., British War Aims and Peace Diplomacy 1914–18 (Oxford, 1971)Google Scholar; Fest, W., Peace or Partition. The Habsburg Monarchy and British Policy 1914~1918 (London, 1978)Google Scholar; Kennedy: ‘Splendid Isolation’ and ‘Tradition of Appeasement’’ op. cit.

page 206 note 1 Cf. Kennedy, ‘Splendid Isolation’, op. cit. p. 154f. Beloff, Imperial Sunset I, op. cit. p. 181f. G. Barnett, The Collapse of British Power, op. cit.

page 206 note 2 This expression refers to the white Dominions and colonies in the Southern Hemisphere.

page 207 note 1 Wendt, ‘Grossbitannien-Demokratie auf dem Prüfstand’, op. cit. p. 12.

page 208 note 1 Hildebrand, ‘Imperialismus, Wettrüsten, Kriegsausbruch’, I, op. cit. p. 185.

page 208 note 2 See Wendt, B. J., ‘Der blockierte Dialog. Neuere Literatur zu den deutsch-englischen Beziehungen in den 3oer Jahren’, MGM, 17 (1975), pp. 201–211.Google Scholar

page 208 note 3 Niedhart, Britische Deutschlandpolitik, op. cit. p. 39.

page 209 note 1 For these aspects see the literature see W. D. Gruner, ‘“British Interest” Zwischen-kriegszeit’, p. 97, fn. 37; St. Roskill, Naval Policy between the Wars. Vol. 2: The Period ofReluctant Rearmament 1930–1933 (London, 1976), esp. p. 37ff; Thome, G., The Limits of Foreign Policy; idem: Allies of a Kind. The United States, Britain, and the War against Japan, 1941–1945 (Oxford, 1979)Google Scholar, pt. 1, p. 3ff. See also Ralph Wigram's lecture on British Foreign Policy 1935 (PRO FO 800/292 sub voce Far East.) Important in this connections are the memoranda by Sir Victor Wellesley, the Deputy Undersecretary of State in the Foreign Office, especially his of February 6, 1932 on Anglo-Japanese relations (PRO FO 371/16146). For Far Eastern Questions vols. 8—11 of the second series of British Documents on British Foreign Policy.

page 209 note 2 PRO FO 371/16146.

page 210 note 1 Niedhart, G., ‘Friede als Nationales Interesse: Grossbritannien in der Vorgeschichte des Zweiten Weltkrieges’, Neue Politische Literatur 17 (1972), pp. 451–470Google Scholar, p. 455.

page 210 note 2 Cf. Wendt, ‘Grossbritannien — Demokratie auf dem Prüfstand’, op. cit. p. nff. Idem: ‘Deutsche Appeasementforschung’, p. 264ff;; Gruner, ‘“British Interest”, Zwischenkriegszeit’, op. cit. p. 97ff; Schmidt, 'Politisches System, op. cit. p. 37ff.

page 211 note 1 Schmidt, ‘Wozu noch politische Geschichte?’, op. cit. p. 34.

page 211 note 2 Ibid. p. 35.

page 211 note 3 The most recent study on Britain's role, in the creation of the League of Nations is by Egerton, G. W., Great Britain and the Creation of the League of Nations. Strategy, Politics, and International Organization, 1914–1618 (London, 1979).Google Scholar

page 212 note 1 PRO WG ‘A’ Minutes 616A. For the Origins of the Ten Year Rule in 1919 see N. Gibbs, Grand Strategy. Vol. 1 (London, 1976), p. 3ff. For the problems of disarmament and rearma ment see Gibbs, N., ‘Das britische Aufrustungsprogramm 1933 bis 1939’, in Forstmeier, F. and Volkmann, H. E. (eds.), Wirtschaft und Rushing am Vorabend des Zweiten Weltkrieges (Düsseldorf, 1975), pp. 245—263Google Scholar; R. A. G. Parker, ‘Okonomie Aufrüstung und Aussenpolitik Grossbritan-niens vor 1939’, Ibid., pp. 264–274; Howard, M., The Continental Commitment. The Dilemma British Defence Policy in the Era of two World Wars (Harmondsworth, 1974), p. 74ffGoogle Scholar; Meyers, R., Britische Sicherheitspolitik 1934–1938 (Düsseldorf, 1976)Google Scholar; P. M. Kennedy, ‘The Contradiction between British Strategic Planning and Economic Requirements’, idem: ‘Appeasement and British Defence Policy’ Shay, R. P. Jr.; British Rearmament in the Thirties. Politics and Profits (Princeton, 1977)Google Scholar; Peden, G. G., British Rearmament and the Treasury 1932–1939 (Edinburgh, 1979).Google Scholar

page 214 note 1 For these questions see inter alia Wendt, B. J., Economic Appeasement. Handel und Finanz in der britischen Deutschlandpolitik 1933–1939 (Dusseldorf, 1971)Google Scholar; Coghlan, F., ‘Armaments, Economic Policy and Appeasement. Background to British Foreign. Policy 1931–1937’, History, 57 (1972), pp. 205—216CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Kennedy, ‘Contradiction between British Strategic Planning and Economic Requirements’, op. cit.

page 214 note 2 Cf. PRO GAB 23/87ff. PRO GAB 23/93, 94.

page 214 note 3 See PRO GAB 24/273 (G.P. 316 (37)) and the Cabinet's debate on Inskips report on December 22, 1937 (PRO CAB 23/90).

page 214 note 4 PRO CAB 23/90 Conclusions 22.12.1937.

page 215 note 1 Cowling, Impact of Hitler, op. cit. p. 5.

page 215 note 2 K. Hildebrand, ‘Imperialismus, Wettrüsten und Kriegsausbruch 1914’, op. cit., p. 185.

page 216 note 1 Kennedy, ‘Contradiction’, op. cit. p. 21.

page 216 note 2 For these problems consult Hillgruber, A., ‘Forschungsstand und Literatur zum Ausbruch des Zweiten Weltkrieges’, in Benz, W. and Graml, H. (eds.) Sommer 1939 (Stuttgart, 1979), pp 337–364Google Scholar; M. Funke (ed), Hitler, Deutschland und die Mächte, Niedhart, ‘Britische politik; idem: Kriegsbeginn 1939’, Hildebrand, Deutsche Aussenpolitik; idem: Das Dritte (M¨nchen, 1979); J. Henke, England in Hitlers politischem Kalktil 1935–1939 (Boppard a.R.h., 1973), P 296ff. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg, vol. 1, espec. p. 68ff; Fleming, N., August 1939. The Last Days of Peace (London, 1979), p. 199Google ScholarMichalka, W., Ribbentrop und Weltpolitik 1933–1940 (M¨nchen, 1980)Google Scholar; Robertson, E. M. (ed.), The Origins of the Second World War (London, 1976)Google Scholar; Thorne, Ch., The Approach of War 1938–39 (London, 1973), p. 202Google Scholar. Adamthwaite, A. P., The Making of the Second World War (London, 1977).Google Scholar

page 216 note 3 Kennedy, ‘Contradiction…’, op. cit. p. 21.

page 217 note 1 Kennedy, ‘Contradiction…’, p. 22.