| 1. US Isolationism | After WW1: ⇒ United states adopted policy of isolationism ⇒ in 1920s and 1930s. ⇒ It did not want to get involved in European affairs because of the loss of human lives it had suffered as a result of the war. Thus ⇒ help from the United states against Hitler was not an option. |
| 2. Sympathy for Germany | There was criticism ⇒ of the TOV in Europe. People ⇒ around Europe ⇒ felt that it was fair ⇒ for Hitler to argue that Germany ⇒ was being unfairly treated if it had to disarm while other countries were unwilling to do so. ⇒ When Hitler reclaimed ⇒ the Saar and Rhineland ⇒ few spoke up against his actions. → Politicians were aware of the Sympathy that the People had for Germany. |
| 3. National Interest | Both Britain and France prioritized their own interests - For much of the 1930s ⇒ Britain was more worried about Stalin + USSR than they were about Hitler. ⇒ they saw Germany as a useful barrier against USSR. Example: in 1935 ⇒ they signed Anglo-German Naval Agreement with Germany ⇒ which allowed it to build a Navy up to 35% of the size of British Navy. ⇒ Broke the TOV. - France ⇒ was more worried about Hitler than Stalin ⇒ as France and Germany ⇒ shared a border. → Since British would not formalize an alliance ⇒ with France ⇒ French turned to the USSR ⇒ in 1936 ⇒ and signed the Treaty of Mutual Assistance. → alarmed the British → and created more sympathy → for Germany ⇒ which helped Nazi party ⇒ occupy the Rhineland with little opposition. |
| 4. Misjudgment Of Hitler | British and French ⇒ politicians ⇒ could neither comprehend ⇒ the real threat → that Hitler and his ideology → posed nor foresee the events that followed. |