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[[File:Winston_Churchill_1874_-_1965_ZZZ5426F_(1).jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|Winston Churchill in military uniform in 1895]]Europe in the 1930's, saw the rise of dictators in Europe, as democracies collapsed, in the aftermath of the Great Depression. Hitler seized Germany's democratic government's power in eroded during the depression and eventually collapsed. Germany and he immediately began to establish a dictatorship in Germany. He dismantled dismantle the provisions of the Versailles Treaty and contrary to rapidly expand its terms, he expanded army. The government invested heavily into the army country's arms industry and it was rapidly began to rebuilt the Germany arms industries.<ref> James, Robert Rhodes. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BO1KMC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000BO1KMC&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=220db8c453a51701fea9c803c9dfef97 Churchill: A Study in Failure, 1900–1939]''(Harper Press, London, 1970), p. 134 </ref> Soon the German’s were acting in an Germany's actions became increasing aggressive manner, for example, and they re-occupied the Rhineland. Churchill warned against this German aggression and he stated in several fiery speeches that Hitler was a danger Germany posed an existential threat to peace in Europe. However, he was widely dismissed at this time.<ref>James, p. 211</ref> The Still many in the political elite in Britain at this time favoured a policy of appeasement, many appeassing Germany because they believed that Germany had been too harshly treated under the Treaty of Versailles.

The British governments of Baldwin and later Chamberlin, favoured, with and the French favoured the policy of appeasement. That was They were willing to allow German Germany to reassert itself on the continent and to pursue its own interests. This policy of appeasement would mean that the Germans would not go was intended to prevent Germany from goingto war. By the mid-1930s, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy were becoming increasingly belligerent. The Italians invaded Ethiopia and the Nazis Gernmany occupied Austria.<ref> Hastings, p. 117 </ref> Still the British and French governments did nothing. Churchill condemned the aggression of Italy and Germany and he deplored, what he saw as the weakness and cowardice of the British and French governments, in many speeches in the House of Commons and in newspaper articles.<ref>''The Times of London'', 13 June 1936</ref> He argued that their policy of appeasement was wrong and would only lead to a war and he . He called on them to stand up to Hitler Germany before it was too late.

In 1938, Germany demanded the return of the Sudetenland, a German-speaking area in Czechoslovakia to Germany. This almost led to a war. However, Chamberlin, the current British Prime Minister, allowed the Germans to occupy the Sudetenland in exchange for German reassurances that they would seek no more territory in Europe in the so-called Munich Agreement of 1938. <ref>Hastings, p. 134</ref> Within months, Hitler had broken the agreement and by 1939, it was widely expected that Europe would once again be plunged into war. Churchill, had predicted much of this and the British public recognized that their government’s policies had been wrongill advised.<ref>Hastings, p. 119</ref> Many believed that if Churchill had been heeded, Hitler Germany may have been stopped. Churchill became the most popular politician in Britain. Many began to call for him to lead the country. These people even included those who had previously derided him as a crank. Churchill was viewed as remarkably prescient and who potentially understood Germany's ultimate goals better than anyone else in Parliament.