Skip to main content
EnglandHistorySyllabus dot point

Why did appeasement fail to prevent the outbreak of war in 1939?

The policy of appeasement and the Sudetenland and Munich Agreement, the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and the invasion of Poland that triggered war in September 1939.

A focused answer to the final section of AQA's Conflict and tension depth study, covering the policy of appeasement, the Sudetenland crisis and the Munich Agreement, the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and the invasion of Poland that brought Britain and France into the war in September 1939.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.812 min answer

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page

Jump to a section
  1. What this dot point is asking
  2. The policy of appeasement
  3. The Sudetenland and Munich
  4. The Nazi-Soviet Pact and the invasion of Poland
  5. Try this

What this dot point is asking

This is the final section of the wider world depth study. You need to explain the policy of appeasement and the reasons for it, the Sudetenland crisis and the Munich Agreement, why appeasement was abandoned in 1939, the shock of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and how the invasion of Poland finally brought Britain and France into war in September 1939. The 16-mark essay often asks you to weigh the causes of the war.

The policy of appeasement

These reasons matter because the 16-mark essay expects you to explain appeasement on its own terms before judging it. Britain was rearming but not yet ready in 1938, especially in the air; the Dominions were reluctant to fight over central Europe; and many genuinely believed Hitler had limited, justifiable aims. Judging appeasement only with hindsight is a common weakness.

The Sudetenland and Munich

In 1938 Hitler turned to Czechoslovakia, demanding the Sudetenland, the German-speaking border region that also contained Czechoslovakia's main defences and industry. As the crisis grew through September 1938, Chamberlain flew three times to meet Hitler in a desperate effort to avoid war.

The occupation of Prague was the turning point. Because Hitler had broken his Munich promise and taken non-German territory, the argument that he only wanted fairness collapsed. Britain abandoned appeasement and, with France, guaranteed to defend Poland, Hitler's likely next target.

The Nazi-Soviet Pact and the invasion of Poland

Hitler now wanted Poland, but the British guarantee and the risk of a two-front war (against the West and the USSR) stood in his way. He removed that risk with a stunning diplomatic reversal.

Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, using the Blitzkrieg tactics rehearsed in Spain. Britain and France issued an ultimatum and, when it was ignored, declared war on 3 September 1939, honouring their guarantee. The Second World War in Europe had begun. The chain is the key analysis: Hitler's aims and the failure of appeasement created the guarantee, the Pact made invasion safe, and the invasion triggered the declarations of war.

Try this

Q1. What did Britain and France agree to at the Munich Conference? [Knowledge recall]

  • Cue. To give Hitler the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia in return for promises of peace.

Q2. Explain why the Nazi-Soviet Pact made it safe for Hitler to invade Poland. [Short explanation]

  • Cue. It removed the threat of a two-front war with the USSR and secretly agreed to divide Poland, so Germany could attack without fear of Soviet opposition.

Exam-style practice questions

Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.

AQA 20188 marksStudy Source A, a British newspaper photograph of Chamberlain holding the Munich Agreement on his return in September 1938. How useful is Source A to a historian studying British attitudes to appeasement? Explain your answer using Source A and your contextual knowledge.
Show worked answer →

The Paper 1 source usefulness question (8 marks, mostly AO3). Weigh content against provenance and reach a judgement on usefulness for the enquiry.

Content. Note the detail (Chamberlain waving the signed paper, the "peace for our time" moment) and what it suggests about relief and support for appeasement at the time.

Provenance (NOP). Nature: a press photograph and headline, presenting an event to the public. Origin: British, September 1938, the height of the Munich celebrations. Purpose: to report and to reflect or shape the public mood.

Contextual knowledge. Tie it to the genuine fear of another war, memories of 1914 to 1918, military unreadiness and the popularity of avoiding war in 1938.

Judgement. Useful for showing the public relief and support for appeasement in 1938, less useful for the later view that Munich was a betrayal of Czechoslovakia. Say what it is useful for.

AQA 202216 marksHow far do you agree that the Nazi-Soviet Pact was the main reason war broke out in 1939? Explain your answer.
Show worked answer →

The 16-mark "how far" essay (plus 4 SPaG marks). Argue both sides and judge.

For the Pact. Signed in August 1939, it secretly agreed to divide Poland and removed the threat of a war on two fronts, giving Hitler the confidence to attack Poland days later.

Against (other reasons mattered). The failure of appeasement after March 1939 ended trust in Hitler and produced the British guarantee to Poland; Hitler's own aims and aggression were the driving force; the years of unopposed expansion convinced him the West would back down again.

Judgement. A strong answer argues the Pact was the trigger that made invasion safe, but that the underlying cause was Hitler's aims and the collapse of appeasement, which created the British guarantee that turned the invasion into a wider war. Reach a clear verdict.

Related dot points

Sources & how we know this