Posted on 09/03/2009 5:07:19 PM PDT by nickcarraway
On the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, the granddaughter of former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain has defended his response to the threat posed by Hitler.
Chamberlain became prime minister in 1937 when Stanley Baldwin retired following the abdication of Edward VIII. He had been a Conservative MP for 19 years, some of which were served in senior ministerial positions, including chancellor. However, many historians believe Chamberlain's legacy as prime minister was tainted by his government's policy of appeasement towards Hitler. But Mary de Vere Taylor, who lives in Ashburton, Devon, has defended her grandfather, describing him as a "peace-loving man" who was unjustly denigrated. Chamberlain's policy of appeasement culminated in Britain and France agreeing that the Czech region of Sudetenland should be ceded to Germany. 'Bitter blow' When a non-aggression pact was signed in Munich in September 1938, Chamberlain arrived back in the UK declaring the accord with the Germans signalled "peace for our time". He told Parliament the pact had "averted a catastrophe which would have ended civilization as we have known it".
The pact stated Adolf Hitler's desire never to go to war with Britain again, but less than a year later, his Nazi troops invaded Poland and on 3 September 1939, Chamberlain was forced to declare war on Germany.
Mary de Vere Taylor would like her grandfather's achievements recognized.
In his declaration of war, broadcast to the nation, Chamberlain said: "You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed.
"Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more, or anything different, that I could have done."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
he transferred the Czech arms manufacture to Germany without a fight. On the other hand, he began rebuilding Britain’s defenses (to include the ChainHome Radar) after years of neglect by PM Baldwin.
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