How Far Do You Agree That Chamberlain’s Behaviour During the Czech Crisis of September 1938 Reveals That ‘chamberlain Was Not the Dupe of Hitler but a Shrew Politician’ (source 7, Lines 1-2)

How far do you agree that Chamberlain’s behaviour during the Czech Crisis of September 1938 reveals that ‘Chamberlain was not the dupe of Hitler but a shrew politician’ (Source 7, lines 1-2)

During the Czech Crisis Hitler and Chamberlain arranged a series of meetings to discuss German military plans in Czechoslovakia. After the First World War, the map of Europe was re-drawn and several new countries were formed. As a result of this, three million Germans found themselves now living in a part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudeten Land, and Hitler demanded that they be incorporated into the Greater German Reich on the basis of national self-determination. At Munich, Chamberlain got an international agreement that Hitler should have the Sudetenland in exchange for Germany making no further demands for land in Europe. Chamberlain managed to postpone the war, which ultimately allowed Britain time to build up her armed forces but also managed to resolve the crisis peacefully without Britain’s involvement in this country, which they were not committed to. Nevertheless, Chamberlain claim that it was ‘Peace for our time’ brought him under accusations later on when it became clear that Hitler had in fact fooled him.  

        Chamberlain recognized that Britain was not militarily ready for war and through postponing the war he provided time for Britain to prepare. Between 1919 and March 1932, Britain had based its military planning on a “10-year rule,” which assumed Britain would face no major war in the next decade. Rearmament only began in 1934—and only on a limited basis. Chamberlain was not a strong advocate of building up the armed forces, which is confirmed by Hurd who argues that Chamberlain didn’t “share Churchill’s underlying excitement with questions of strategy and military leadership”. With no army to deploy in Europe, only 5 squadrons equipped with Hurricanes and none with Spitfires and an obvious lack of sufficient fighters, radar or anti-aircraft guns to defend Britain against a German air attack, a war in September 1938 would have been like “commit[ting] suicide” as Steward argues. The meetings forced Hitler to delay his military campaign in Europe, allowing Britain to organize a British Expeditionary Force, which would assist in France, and also to accelerate aircraft production; the majority of the Spitfires and Hurricanes, which won the Battle of Britain, came off the production line in this period of peace. Hurd supports this through arguing that the year of peace was vital in allowing “Britain to gather strength”, providing time to “Build up the Royal Air Force and introduce conscription”. It can therefore be seen Chamberlain was an astute politician, able to recognize the need to delay Hitler’s motives, and was successful in doing so- helping to strengthen Britain militarily, making victory possible in the Battle of Britain in 1940.