Neville Chamberlain's Legacy: Hitler, Munich and the Path to War

by Nicholas Milton

Neville Chamberlain has gone down in history as the architect of appeasement, the Prime Minister who by sacrificing Czechoslovakia at Munich in September 1938 put Britain on an inevitable path to war.

In this radical new appraisal of the most vilified politician of the twentieth century, historian Nicholas Milton claims that by placating Hitler, Chamberlain not only reflected public opinion but also embraced the zeitgeist of the time. Chamberlain also bought Britain vital time to rearm when Hitler’s military machine was at its zenith. It is with the hindsight of history that we understand Chamberlain’s failure to ultimately prevent a war from happening. Yet by placing him within the context of his time, this fascinating new history provides a unique perspective in to the lives and mindset of the people of Britain during the lead up to the Second World War.

Never before have Chamberlain's letters been accessed to tell the story of his life and work. They shed new light on his complex character and enable us to consider Chamberlain the man, not just the statesman. His role as a pioneer of conservation is revealed, alongside his work in improving midwifery and championing the introduction of widows pensions. It is a reminder that there is often more to political figures, even Tory Prime Ministers, than many a quick judgment allows.

Genres: Politics, War, History

296 pages, Hardcover

Published December 27, 2019

Reviews

[Anne Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read focusing on Neville Chamberlain and I went into it hoping to learn more about the man and his work than what everyone knows- appeasement. In many ways, "Neville Chamberlain's Legacy" did just that: introduce a man to those who know nothing about him. While in many ways the book is a shallow look into his life and accomplishments, I rarely felt like I really knew who Chamberlain was or why he did what he did, in other ways Milton's book opened a human side to the Prime Minister that I quite liked. Milton frequently remarks on Chamberlain's interests in nature conservation and his love of nature- especially birds. I enjoyed the purely human moments in the book when Chamberlain would leave 10 Downing Street (often sneaking out without his bodyguards) to walk in St. James' Park and study the birds there. These were his stolen moments of peace, his way of relaxing in an increasingly turbulent world, and they brought Chamberlain to life for me in a way that all the recitals of his work and accomplishments in politics could never do. I do wish the book had been written a little better, or edited to be a little tighter, because there was a distracting amount of unneeded repetition throughout the book- particularly when it came to Chamberlain's birding. Readers don't need to hear every single time that this was how Chamberlain took breaks from work and stress- after the first few times they should be able to remember it on their own!

A short look into the life and legacy of Neville Chamberlain, this was a good book for someone who knows nothing about him, as a way to see him as both a politician and as a man.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's painstaking research and attention to detail is obvious in the writing of this book. There were many facts that I only discovered after reading this!

[Amanda Bruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting! I read this book for reference while working on a paper and found it extremely interesting.

[Emily Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great quality hardback book! It's really well researched, giving you little known facts and information about a Prime Minister many people have negative opinions about. Did you know he worked to improve midwifery services, for example & that he adored nature?
EG. xx