Appeasement and All Souls: A Portrait with Documents, 1937–1939

The origins of World War II and alternatives to appeasement have been the subject of vigorous debate for many decades. However, the least understood and explored aspect of these debates has been the subject of public opinion. This volume addresses the vital phenomenon of elite and intellectual opinion. This unique All Souls 'think-tank' deliberated for almost two years to frame an alternative foreign policy for a country facing the menace of a worldwide threat, stretching from Germany to Italy to Japan. The group represented a wide-ranging selection of the finest individuals of the time with an unmatched wealth and breadth of public and private service. The volume analyses the deliberations of this think-tank as it struggled to frame a consensus for a foreign policy document intended to guide public and government debate, and avoid another world war.