Who served as the British Prime Minister at the beginning of World War II?

At the beginning of World War II, Neville Chamberlain served as the British Prime Minister. Chamberlain, who held office from 1937 to 1940, is most notably remembered for his policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler in the years leading up to the war. His attempts to maintain peace in Europe included the Munich Agreement of 1938, which allowed for the annexation of the Sudetenland by Germany in exchange for a promise of no further territorial expansion.

Chamberlain's government was in power when Britain declared war on Germany in September 1939, following the invasion of Poland. His leadership during the early stages of the war was characterized by a struggle to prepare the country for the conflict and to address early military setbacks, which ultimately led to his resignation in 1940. The subsequent leadership by Winston Churchill marked a significant turning point in British wartime strategy and morale.

In summary, Neville Chamberlain's role as Prime Minister at the onset of World War II is a crucial aspect of understanding British responses to the aggression of Nazi Germany and the broader context of the conflict.