How did Britain and France respond to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland?

Britain and France responded to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland with diplomatic protests but took no military action.

In 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered German troops to enter the Rhineland, a region that had been demilitarised under the Treaty of Versailles following World War I. This was a clear violation of the treaty, and it was met with diplomatic protests from both Britain and France. However, despite their objections, neither country took military action to enforce the terms of the treaty.

The British response was largely influenced by a policy of appeasement. The British government, led by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, believed that by allowing Germany to remilitarise the Rhineland, they could avoid a potential war. They viewed the remilitarisation as a justifiable act by Germany to reclaim its own territory. Furthermore, Britain was still recovering from the economic and human costs of World War I and was not prepared for another conflict.

France, on the other hand, was more directly threatened by Germany's actions. The Rhineland bordered France and its demilitarisation had been a key security measure for France in the Treaty of Versailles. However, France was politically unstable at the time, with frequent changes in government, and was reluctant to act without British support. The French military was also not prepared for a potential war.

The lack of action from Britain and France in response to the remilitarisation of the Rhineland is often seen as a missed opportunity to curb Hitler's aggression. It emboldened Hitler and gave him confidence that he could violate international agreements without facing serious consequences. This would have significant implications in the years to come, leading up to the outbreak of World War II.