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 ...
what achievements would those be??
And yet another fine example of British socialized dentistry as well.
We recognize his achievement of failure each and every day as an example of what not to do.
I’m sure he was a find grandfather, remembered Christmas, birthdays and pulled her in a wagon. As a world leader.... he failed.
This needs to be posted alongside Buchanan’s recent apologia for Hitler.
Even in hindsight he was a naive idiot.
September 3rd 1939....my Christening day!
And the fact that Neville sold Czechoslovakia down the river and embolden Hitler to start WW2... is forever too...
Well, Neville, that's because you're an a$$hole
Yes. I was going to say that she is cheerful and good looking except for those British dentist-neglected teeth.
As for defending Chamberlain, well, sure, he meant well. Unfortunately, however, he screwed up.
And so were his supporters.
"Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more, or anything different, that I could have done."
And with this remark, Neville Chamberlain revealed that he was even a bigger fool than he had previously revealed (which is saying plenty!). He couldn't even see the truth in hindsight!
Chamberlain did one thing for the people of the world: He showed what happens to appeasers and to those who follow fools.
This lesson is lost on millions of people in the world today--who are obviously fools themselves. It seems to be lost on Mary.
By they way, Mary, the vast majority of people are peace loving. Some of us are intelligent and wise and learn the lessons of history. Some are fools.
Winston Churchill was peace loving!
Wasn’t Chamberlain also responsible for outlawing dentistry in England ?
However, once Churchill was named Prime Minister, Chamberlain not only stepped graciously aside, but acknowledged his mistakes in dealing with Hitler, and backed his successor to the hilt for the short interval left for him to live.
Chamberlain had been naive, but he was later proven to be a man of honor. Unlike Jimmah Carter, Neville C. didn’t spend the rest of his days kicking his successor(s) in the shins.
I agree.
And furthermore, Chamberlain wasn’t actively trying to dismantle his country and deliver it in pieces to his enemies, like some modern er...ahem...”leaders” today are doing.
He was well meaning but an epic failure. Sorry Mary, the truth hurts. Hitler played him like fiddle.
Il recall (with intended tongue-in-cheek) as Ann Coulter pointed out in a pithy quote which I have to paraphrase: “At least Neville Chamberlain didn’t have himself as an example...”
That is the same mistake the US State Department makes with Kim Jong-il, Ahmanutjob, Putin, etc.
Unfortunately, they also bouight even more precious time for the little socialist corporal with the small mustache.
Additionally, France's socialist labor unions took this exact time to strike, fatally weakening her reamament program.
It was a losing proposition that laid the groundwork for the Molotov-Ribentrop (Socialist-Socialist) pact that alloewed the war to start.
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