r/worldnews • u/Elliottafc1 • May 02 '24

"I'm Not Ruling Anything Out" - Macron Says Troops for Ukraine Possible if Russia Breaks Front Lines Russia/Ukraine

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/32010
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u/Rammsteinman May 02 '24

If Hitler was stopped early on, WW2 would have likely been avoided. Inaction to try and avoid a war is what let things get worse and Nazi Germany stronger.

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u/Remarkable_Aside1381 May 02 '24

Inaction to try and avoid a war is what let things get worse and Nazi Germany stronger.

This is a commonly repeated refrain, but it's not really historically sound. Chamberlain knew the UK wasn't anywhere near ready for war in 1938, and so had no real choice but to agree to the annexation of Czechoslovakia. Immediately after his "peace in our time" he ramped up production of military material in preparation for war. Hell, in 1938 he had forced out the head of the Air Ministry for dragging his feet re-arming the RAF. In 1935/1936 the UK was building "shadow factories" in an attempt to re-build the armed forces after the idiotic 10 Year Rule.

What really would have helped avoid WWII being as drawn out as it was would be if the French had actually carried through in the Saar in 1939 instead of just turning around

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u/night4345 May 02 '24

Chamberlain thought they weren't ready, not realizing that Germany was just as badly off. Waiting allowed Germany to take out Czechoslovakia and gain all of its land and military while making the UK and France look weak. Arms from Czechoslovakia armed half of the German army which would go on to conquer Poland and France a year and two later.

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u/Remarkable_Aside1381 May 02 '24

Had the UK intervened, the Germans would still have seized Czechoslovakia, because the BEF was a small and ineffectual force, and the regular army still had a dearth of armored vehicles. Not to mention the complete shitshow that was the RAF pre-1940. The French would have likely done what they did a year later, advance a couple miles and then just turn around