September 30, 1938
Chamberlain’s “Peace for Our Time” Speech
After signing the Munich Agreement on September 30, Chamberlain flew back to Britain believing he had prevented European war. When Chamberlain reached the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, he read a prepared statement on behalf of Britain and Germany. He famously proclaimed: “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time….” The speech would later seal Chamberlain’s reputation as the chief architect of appeasement.