[lbo-talk] De Long Way

[Brad DeLong]

>On Sat, 26 Jul 2003, Brad DeLong wrote:
>
>>  Yes. It is a truth too often forgotten that only three leaders chose to
>>  put and keep their countries in harm's way: everybody else ran for cover
>>  until Hitler attacked them.
>>
>>  Great praise and honor are due to Edouard Daladier, Winston Churchill,
>>  and Neville Chamberlain.
>
>I'm a little confused here.  Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier are
>generally considered the icons of appeasement for being the only signers
>of the Munich Agreement besides Hitler and Mussolini.
>
>To grant them highest honors would seem to require a revisionist defense
>of appeasement.  Which can be done -- but seems the opposite of the
>position you're espousing.
>
>Michael

Look: In September 1939 Chamberlain and Daladier faced a choice. They 
could either honor their promise to Poland and declare war on Nazi 
Germany, or they could say "Ooops! We were bluffing!" and stand aside.

They chose to do the first.

They were the only leaders (before 1943) to lead their countries into 
war with Nazi Germany.

We should be very grateful.

Brad DeLong