Changes

Europe in the1930's, saw the rise of dictators in Europe, as democracies collapsed, in the aftermath of the Great Depression. Hitler seized power in Germany and he immediately began to establish a dictatorship in Germany. He dismantled the provisions of the Versailles Treaty and contrary to its terms, he expanded the army and rapidly began to rebuilt the Germany arms industries.<ref> James, Robert Rhodes. Churchill: ''A Study in Failure, 1900–1939''(Harper Press, London, 1970), p. 134 </ref> Soon the German’s were acting in an aggressive manner, for example, they re-occupied the Rhineland. Churchill warned against this and he stated in fiery speeches that Hitler was a danger to peace in Europe. However, he was widely dismissed at this time. <ref> James, p. 211</ref> The political elite in Britain at this time favoured a policy of appeasement, many believed that Germany had been too harshly treated under the Treaty of Versailles. The British governments of Baldwin and later Chamberlin, favoured, with the French the policy of appeasement. That was to allow German to reassert itself on the continent and to pursue its own interests. This policy of appeasement would mean that the Germans would not go to war. By the mid-1930s, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy were becoming increasingly belligerent. The Italians invaded Ethiopia and the Nazis occupied Austria.<ref> Hastings, p. 117 </ref> Still the British and French governments did nothing. Churchill condemned the aggression of Italy and Germany and he deplored, what he saw as the weakness and cowardice of the British and French governments, in many speeches in the House of Commons and in newspaper articles.<ref>''The Times of London'', 13 June 1936</ref> He argued that their policy of appeasement was wrong and would only lead to a war and he called on them to stand up to Hitler before it was too late. In 1938, Germany demanded the return of the Sudetenland, a German-speaking area in Czechoslovakia to Germany. This almost led to a war. However, Chamberlin, the current British Prime Minister , allowed the Germans to occupy the Sudetenland in exchange for German reassurances that they would seek no more territory in Europe, in the so-called Munich Agreement of 1938. <ref>Hastings, p. 134</ref> Within months, Hitler had broken the agreement and by 1939, it was widely expected that Europe would once again be plunged into war. Churchill, had predicted much of this and the British public recognized that their government’s had been wrong. <ref> Hastings, p. 119</ref> If Many believed that if Churchill had been heeded, then Hitler may have been stopped. Churchill was by now became the most popular politician in Britain and many . Many began to call for him to lead the country and many who had once derided him and his ideas now saw him a brilliant politician.