Appeasement and the declaration of war
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why Britain eventually declared war against Germany in 1939.
Key learning points
- Hitler believed in perpetual struggle: nations that were hard-working would prosper, those that did not would fade away.
- In 1936, Hitler moved troops into the Rhineland, the response emboldened him to acquire more 'living space' for Germany.
- Countries like Britain followed a policy of appeasement with Hitler.
- Hitler annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia, securing Germany’s eastern border.
- War broke out in 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland, whom Britain had promised to defend.
Keywords
Colonise - to send people to live in and govern another country
Reich - meaning ‘empire’, there had been two German empires previously, so the Nazis described their empire as the ‘Third Reich’
Demilitarised - an area in which military forces have been removed
Annexation - taking possession of a piece of land or a country, usually by force or without permission
Appeasement - the act of giving the opposing side in a war an advantage that they have demanded, in order to prevent further disagreement
Common misconception
At the time, everyone knew Hitler was a tyrant, so appeasement was clearly wrong.
The international community was divided. Many wanted to avoid a repeat of World War One. Furthermore, many thought that Germany had been treated harshly after WWI, and it seemed fair for Germany to take back some of its territory.
Teacher tip
Map activity: provide students with a blank map of Europe. Have them colour the territory of Nazi expansion. Then write a brief description of each annexation.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which keyword describes the German Empire (1933 to 1945)?
Q2.Who did Hitler blame Germany’s problems on?
Q3.Why did Hitler's speeches become popular during a period of Germany’s national weakness?
Q4.What event in 1929 sent the American economy into meltdown?
Q5.Who was Hitler inspired by?
Q6.Which of the following methods did Hitler use to consolidate his power?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which keyword describes an area in which military forces have been removed?
Q2.Which of the following did Hitler believe in?
Q3.Complete the sentence: In 1936, Hitler moved troops into the , the response emboldened him to acquire more 'living space' for Germany.
Q4.How did Hitler aim to build a ‘thousand-year Reich’?
Q5.Who in Britain was arguing for increased military spending and preparations for war in response to Hitler's actions in 1934?
Q6.What was Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement?
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Appeasement and the declaration of war, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 history lesson on: Appeasement and the declaration of war, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the WW2: which events turned the tide in the story of the Second World War? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.