Appeasement was the foreign policy adopted by Britain and France in the 1930s in response to Adolf Hitler's aggression.

It involved making political, material, and territorial concessions to an aggressor power in order to avoid conflict.

The policy was motivated by a deep desire to avoid another catastrophic war like World War I.

Many leaders believed that the Treaty of Versailles had been too harsh on Germany and that some of Hitler's demands were reasonable.

Britain and France were also dealing with the Great Depression and were militarily unprepared for another war.

Key acts of appeasement included allowing Hitler to remilitarize the Rhineland, annex Austria (the Anschluss), and eventually, claim the Sudetenland.

The policy was based on the hope that if Hitler's 'legitimate' grievances were met, he would be satisfied and war could be avoided.

The leading proponent of appeasement was the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain.

The policy reached its high point at the Munich Agreement in 1938.

Appeasement ultimately failed, as Hitler's ambitions were not limited, and it only emboldened him to make further demands.