<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <blockquote TYPE=CITE>  >glb wrote: > >Methinks Mr. DeLong is not comfortable with the facts of "Western" >collusion & support of fascism (Chamberlain and the key people in >his cabinet; French PM Daladier... This is worse than incoherent. I think that the French and British governments of the 1930s made *bad* mistakes. I think they grossly underestimated the threat from Hitler. I think they grossly overestimated the threat from Stalin. Nevertheless, when the chips were down, the British and French governments *declared* *war* on Nazi Germany in early September 1939. They didn't have to do so. And they were the only governments to declare war on Hitler, rather than wait out as much of WWII as possible in the hope that Hitler would not attack them. Brad DeLong (footnote: FDR would have declared war on Hitler--in fact did all he could to try to bring the U.S. into WWII earlier--but could not carry a congressional majority with him).</blockquote> glb answers: I also think that "the French and British governments of the 1930s made *bad* mistakes". However, that does not address their intent.  Even prior to Hitler's chancellorship, France allowed Germany to start rearmament in violation of Versailles. In 1933 Hitler informed the British ambassador to Germany, Sir Eric Phipps, that he sought a "certain expansion in eastern Europe". The lack of denunciation could be interpreted as tacit acceptance, especially so when England concluded a naval accord with Germany (1935) that allowed Hitler to expand his navy and unrestricted expansion of his land forces. Versailles was shredded. Shortly after Hitler's rise to power the Soviets attempted to form alliances with the Western powers to contain Hitler. Every attempt was rejected until after Chamberlain (and his collusional cabinet) were thrown out of office. In Chamberlain's private letters (amongst those to his sister[s]) and private conversations, he was more concerned about expansion of "bolshevism" than the fascist take-overs of Austria, Czechoslovakia (where he was THE cheerleader), Spain, Portugal, etc. Remember "Munich" and "Peace in our times"?  Churchill said Britain had resorted to disgrace to avoid war but would have the disgrace and the war also. He was close; Britain only wanted to avoid war to the WEST. Chamberlain's words AND actions establish "intent" quite clearly, especially when we add in the approval of Hitler/fascism from his class. He was intent on giving Hitler a "free-hand" towards the east, even at the expense of functioning democracies. England and France declaring war on Germany did not run counter to their intents. Prior to a shot being fired in anger, England/France were planning an attack on the Soviet-occupied port of Petsamo; France's Daladier sent about 100 bombers and 50,000 "volunteers" to Finland (England agreed to send 50 bombers) to be used against the Soviets. This was in early 1940 as German troops were massing on their border with France. Strange actions for governments that had  *declared* *war* on Nazi Germany. Rather than giving credit to Chamberlain/Daldier for resistance to Hitler the record shows they (and others including many in the US business class) could be accused as Hitler's accomplists. Is the word "treason" too strong? Others have been imprisoned and worse for less.</html>