#english_history 

## Antebellum
The people of Britain watched anxiously as German control spread over Europe in the 1930s. But some had foresen this precarious situations and believed that the reasons for German expansion could be found in the harsh peace terms forced on Germany by the Allies [[First World War from Britain's perspective|back in 1919]].

In **1920** the Allies had created the [[League of Nations]], which, it was hoped, would enable nations to cooperate with each other. However, by 1935 Italy's invasion of Ethiopia proved that League of Nations had little authority and power.

For the next years until 1939 the Axis took advantage of the League's weakness to seize territory of interest to them. But in order to avoid war in **1938** the British PM, Neville Chamberlain, accepted and co-opearated in the takeover of German-speaking parts of Czechoslovakia by Germany. He reassured Britain that he had Hitler's written promise that Germany had no more territorial ambitions. 6 months later Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia. Britain, realising that war was inevitable, gave a guarantee of support to Poland if Germany invaded.

## War
In 1939 Germany invaded Poland, then France, causing the British to evacutate from Dunkirk. The new PM, [[Winston Churchill]], persuaded the nation that it was a victory of courage and determination at Britain's darkest hour. War was from Europe to Africa to Asia.

in 1945, there was great relief in Britain than the war had finally ended, as Britain lost over 303,000 soldiers and 60,000 civilians.