|
dcnovice -> Interesting Look at Neville Chamberlain (4/17/2014 8:33:09 PM)
|
With his furled umbrella, flights to Munich, "piece of paper" bearing his and Hitler's signatures, and hope for "peace in our time," Neville Chamberlain has become an icon of folly and naivete. Idling on YouTube, though, I chanced across a fascinating BBC documentary that offers a more nuanced portrayal. I enjoyed it and thought others might as well.
A few things particularly struck me:
-- Hitler not only coveted territory, but he yearned for the glory of war. So there was probably nothing Chamberlain could have done to win true peace.
-- Hitler said during one of their meetings that Chamberlain was the only man to whom he'd ever conceded anything.
-- Chamberlain was lionized in London--and Berlin.
-- One of the factors driving Chamberlain's bid for peace was the British military's fear (premature but ultimately accurate) of German air strikes on London.
-- And I couldn't help feeling a bit of kinship with the old boy when I learned he was a fellow colorectal cancer patient.
Happy viewing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFlsYffrTF0
One request: I deliberately placed this in OT rather than P&R in the hope--Chamberlainesque, I'm sure--of drawing thoughtful feedback rather than the usual partisan sniping. Hey, a guy can dream. [:)]
|
|
|
|
