Neville Chamberlain

**Arthur Neville Chamberlain**  (18 Mairch 1869&nbsp;– 9 November 1940) wis a Breetish Conservative politeecian who served as Prime Meenister o the Unitit Kinrick frae Mey 1937 tae Mey 1940. He wis Prime Meenister at the stairt o Warld War II. Chamberlain is best kent for his furrin policy o appeasement an in pairteecular for his signin o the Munich Greement in 1938, concedin the German-speakin Sudetenland region o Czechoslovakie tae Germany. Houiver, whan Adolf Hitler later invadit Poland, the UK declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 an Chamberlain led Breetain throu the first aicht months o Warld War II.

Efter wirkin in business an local govrenment, an efter a short spell as Director o Naitional Service in 1916 an 1917, Chamberlain follaed his faither, Joseph Chamberlain, an aulder hauf-brither, Austen Chamberlain, in acomin a Member o Pairlament in the 1918 general election at age 49. He declined a junior meenisterial poseetion, remeenin a backbencher till 1922. He wis rapidly promotit in 1923 tae Meenister o Heal an then Chancellor o the Exchequer. Efter a short-lived Labour-led govrenment, he returned as Meenister o Heal, introducin a range o reform meisurs frae 1924 tae 1929. He wis appyntit Chancellor o the Exchequer in the Naitional Govrenment in 1931.

Whan Stanley Baldwin retired in Mey 1937, Chamberlain teuk his place as Prime Meenister. His premiership wis dominatit bi the quaisten o policy taewart an increasinly aggressive Germany an his actions at Munich war widely popular amang Britons at the time. Whan Hitler conteena'd his aggression, Chamberlain pledged Breetain tae defend Poland's unthirldom if the latter war attacked, an alliance that brocht Breetain intae war whan Germany attacked Poland in 1939. Chamberlain resigned the premiership on 10 Mey 1940 efter the Allies war forced tae retreat frae Norawa, as he believed that a govrenment supportit bi aw pairties wis essential an the Labour an Leeberal pairties wad nae jyne a govrenment heidit bi him. He wis succeedit bi Winston Churchill but remeened verra weel-regairdit in Pairlament, especially amang Conservatives. Afore ill-heal forced him tae resign, he wis an important member o Churchill's War Cabinet as Laird Preses o the Cooncil, heidin the Cabinet in the new premier's absence. Chamberlain deed o cancer sax month efter leavin the premiership.

Chamberlain's reputation remeens controversial amang historians, wi the ineetial heich regaird for him bein entirely erodit bi beuks sic as *[[Guilty Men]]*, published in Julie 1940, that blamed Chamberlain an his associates for the Munich accord an for allegedly failin tae prepare the kintra for war. Maist historians in the generation follaein Chamberlain's daith held seemilar views, led bi Churchill in *[[The Second World War (beuk series)|The Gathering Storm]]*. Some recent historians hae taken a mair favourable perspective o Chamberlain an his policies, citing govrenment papers released unner the Thirty Year Rule an airgeein that gaein tae war wi Germany in 1938 wad hae been disastrous as the UK wis nae reidy. Nivertheless, Chamberlain is still unfavourably ranked amangst Breetish Prime Meenisters.

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