Appeasement of Hitler

Definition

This refers to a policy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s where they allowed Hitler's Germany to break international laws with the hope it would prevent another war.

Analogy

Imagine a kid (Hitler) who keeps breaking rules at school, but instead of punishing him, teachers (Britain and France) let him off hoping he'll stop on his own - this is appeasement.

Related terms

Munich Agreement: An agreement made between Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France in September 1938 that permitted Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia.

Neville Chamberlain: British Prime Minister from 1937-1940 known for his policy of "appeasement" toward Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany.

World War II: A global conflict that took place from 1939-1945. It was marked by significant events such as the Holocaust, atomic bombings on Japan, and ultimately led to major shifts in global power.