"In short, Hitler was a much more effective negotiator than Chamberlain, but he never wanted to negotiate, whereas Chamberlain, a less skilled tactician, got what he really wanted—peace not war. Yet it was a hollow victory, because Hitler never intended to honor the Munich agreements. He was soon kicking himself for losing his nerve at the end of September. In March 1939, when he seized the rest of Czechoslovakia, he was not only going beyond his professed aim of simply bringing Germans within the Reich, he had also torn up what had been signed at Munich. A disenchanted Chamberlain was forced into a complete U-turn, offering guarantees to Poland, Romania and other countries possibly on the Nazi hit-list in a belated and panicky effort to deter further German expansion. That summer Chamberlain still hoped for peace but Hitler was now bent on having a war over Poland, determined not back down a second time. He felt he had the measure of his opponents. “Our enemies are small worms,” he told his generals in August 1939. “I saw them in Munich.""
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Prime Ministers of the United KingdomPoliticians from EnglandUnitariansPeople from BirminghamConservative Party (UK) politicians
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
David Reynolds, Summits: Six Meetings that Changed the Twentieth Century (2007), pp. 99-100
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Neville_Chamberlain
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Related Quotes
"There are some people who do not desire to draw any conclusions at all. I see, for instance, the other day that the p…"
"I myself was not born a little Conservative. I was brought up as a Liberal, and afterwards as a Liberal Unionist. The…"
"I shall not give up the hope of a peaceful solution, or abandon my efforts for peace, as long as any chance for peace…"
"In common with my colleagues, I recognise that no single remedy can be a complete cure, but while I am ready to exami…"
"There can have been few occasions in all our long political history when to the son of a man who counted for somethin…"
"Of all countries passing through these difficult times the one that has stood the test with the greatest measure of s…"
"In 1932 many dark clouds still hung round the horizon. In 1933, although the outlook was distinctly brighter, there w…"
"The Labour Party, obviously intends to fasten upon our backs the accusation of being 'warmongers' and they are sugges…"
"There is no use for us to shut our eyes to realities. The fact remains that the policy of collective security based o…"
"Is it not apparent that the policy of sanctions involves, I do not say war, but a risk of war? Is it not apparent tha…"