Orthodox view (1948-1960s)
Appeasement was a terrible misjudgement and miscalculation even if it was based on good motives.
After WW2 Churchill lost the general election but he remained an influential figure. He spent his time writing 'The Gathering Storm'.
He took a softer line than 'Guilty Men'- he was critical of appeasement but didn't say Chamberlain was weak or immoral.
The Churchill Factor: He wanted to leave a good legacy for himself and remembered well.
The Cold War: Churchill was concerned by the USSR and saw it as a threat. He believed the USA and its allies should stand up to Stalin to avoid repeating history.
- His book 'The Gathering Storm' was a bestseller and still in print today
There were very few challenges to this interpretation at the time.
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