“The policy of appeasement was necessary because, by the mid-1930s, collective security had failed.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Candidates will consider the merits of the suggestion that appeasement was a consequence of the failure of collective security by the mid-1930s. Candidates may address the reasons why Britain and France, as Guarantor powers, adopted the policy of appeasement. These could include domestic priorities as well as the international context. The weakness of the League of Nations by 1936 and its inability to effectively contain aggression was evidence of the failure of collective security. The fear of war with aggressive states could arguably be the overarching reason for appeasement. Some candidates may argue that appeasement was used to buy time for rearmament. In Britain appeasement was adopted because a strong Germany acted as a buffer to the Soviet Union. Also, in Britain, many people argued that Versailles had been too harsh and that France was too unstable to be a reliable ally, and would struggle to continue to maintain it. Further, France was too weak to act alone in foreign policy and had similar reasons to Britain for favouring appeasement.