British politician (1869-1940) who served as prime minister from 1937 to 1940, and is remembered for his foreign policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany; by signing the Munich Agreement in 1938, he allowed Hitler to annex Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland in what is now recognized as one of the major early steps toward World War II. TLS, one page, 7.5 x 9.5, Derby Council Office letterhead, May 14, 1940. Letter to Sir James Marchant, in full: "I am grateful to you for your letter and for the message of sympathy and understanding which you have sent me. It is a help in these difficult days to know that the action I have taken has been understood and appreciated." In fine condition, with intersecting folds. Chamberlain had just resigned from his position as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 10th, following the 'Norway Debate' in the House of Commons. After the failure of Allied forces to prevent the German invasion of Norway, a no confidence motion was held amidst widespread criticism of Chamberlain's conduct in the war. Accepting that a national government supported by all the main parties was essential, Chamberlain resigned the premiership but remained leader of the Conservative Party.
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