Winston Churchill speaks before the House of Commons

In the 1930s, Winston Churchill served as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP). He was known for his position against appeasement and for his vocal warnings about the dangers of a rearmed Germany. Just days after Germany annexed Austria (the Anschluss), Churchill spoke before the House of Commons. He stated that German aggression posed a threat to all of Europe and urged Parliament to begin preparing to face Hitler. Churchill called for British rearmament. He also advocated for a mutual defense alliance among European nations to provide collective security against German aggression. Despite Churchill’s impassioned arguments, the British political mood supported Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement.