ALTERNATIVE TO APPEASEMENT Recent Titles in Praeger Studies in Diplomacy and Strategic Thought The Development of RAF Strategic Bombing Doctrine, 1919-1939 Scot Robertson The Outbreak of the First World War: Strategic Planning, Crisis Decision Making, and Deterrence Failure John H. Maurer Strategy in Vietnam: The Marines and Revolutionary Warfare in I Corps, 1965-1972 Michael A. Hennessy American Diplomats in Russia: Case Studies in Orphan Diplomacy, 1916-1919 William Allison American National Security and Economic Relations with Canada, 1945-1954 Lawrence Robert Aronsen ALTERNATIVE TO APPEASEMENT Sir Robert Vansittart and Alliance Diplomacy, 1934-1937 Michael L. Roi Praeger Studies in Diplomacy and Strategic Thought B.J.C. McKercher, Series Editor PRAEGER Westport, Connecticut London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roi, Michael L. (Michael Lawrence), 1965— Alternative to appeasement : Sir Robert Vansittart and Alliance diplomacy, 1934—1937 / Michael L. Roi. p. cm.—(Praeger studies in diplomacy and strategic thought, ISSN 1076-1543) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-275-95909-0 (alk. paper) 1. Vansittart, Robert Gilbert Vansittart, Baron, 1881-1957. 2. Great Britain—Foreign relations—1910-1936. 3. Great Britain— Foreign relations—1936-1945. 4. Diplomats—Great Britain— Biography. I. Title. DA574.V3R65 1997 327.2'092—dc21 97-5865 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 1997 by Michael L. Roi All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-5865 ISBN: 0-275-95909-0 ISSN: 1076-1543 First published in 1997 Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21 Copyright Acknowledgments The author and publisher are grateful for permission to print excerpts from the following: The papers of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library. The papers of Lord Templewood, courtesy of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library. The papers of Lord Avon, courtesy of Lady Avon. The papers of Neville Chamberlain, courtesy of The University of Birmingham. The papers of Viscount Simon, courtesy of Christie, Viscountess Simon and Bodleian Library, Uni versity of Oxford. The papers of Sir Horace Rumbold, courtesy of Sir Henry Rumbold. The papers of Baron Inverchapel, courtesy of Lady Lewthwaite. The Lord Hankey collection, courtesy of The Master and Fellows of Churchill College, Cambridge. The Sir Eric Phipps collection, courtesy of The Master and Fellows of Churchill College, Cambridge. The Lord Strang collection, courtesy of The Master and Fellows of Churchill College, Cambridge. Sir Alexander Cadogan's Diaries, courtesy of Farrer & Co. The papers of Group Captain Malcolm Christie, courtesy of M.A.H. Christie. The papers of Allen Leeper, courtesy of Katharine Cobbett. The papers of Lord Vansittart, courtesy of Sir Colville Barclay. The papers of Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd, courtesy of The Trustees of the Liddell Hart Center for Military Archives. The papers of Lord Chatfield, courtesy of The Trustees of the National Maritime Museum. The James Ramsay MacDonald papers (PRO 30/69), copyright British Crown and courtesy of the heirs of the late Malcolm MacDonald. "From the Stresa Front to the Triple Entente. Sir Robert Vansittart, the Abyssinian Crisis and the Containment of Germany" by Michael L. Roi, appearing in Diplomacy & Statecraft 6 (1995), cour tesy of Diplomacy & Statecraft. Every reasonable effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright materials in this book, but in some instances this has proven impossible. The author and publisher will be glad to receive informa tion leading to more complete acknowledgments in subsequent printings of the book and in the meantime extend their apologies for any omissions. This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 Rethinking Vansittart 9 2 The Beginning: Vansittart's Strategic Vision and the DRC 25 3 "Deepening Shadows": Death of Disarmament and the Strcsa Solution, January 1934-June 1935 57 4 "The Worst of All Worlds": The Abyssinian Crisis and the End of the Stresa Front, June 1935-February 1936 91 5 Vansittart and Eden: Facing the Dictators, Though Not Together, 1936 117 6 A Year of Grace: 1937 149 Conclusion: "Mine Is a Story of Failure?" 169 Selected Bibliography 111 Index 193 This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments Unlike Athena, this book did not spring fully formed from the head of its creator. Its conception, gestation, and birth owe much to the assistance of others. I would like to acknowledge first of all the steadfast support of Professor Sidney Aster of the University of Toronto, whose efforts on my behalf deserve more recognition than the few sparse sentences given here. His constructive criticism and his exhortations to think and write clearly have undoubtedly made this a much better book. I would like to underscore the considerable support I received from Professor R J.C McKercher of the Royal Military College of Canada. He enthusiastically supported the project, and it is a measure of my good fortune that he has become a dear friend. I am especially grateful to Sidney and Brian for urging me forward at moments when my own spirits languished I have also benefited greatly from the insightful comments of Professor Denis Smyth and Professor John Cairns, both of the University of Toronto. Professor Smyth has shown me that writing history involves much more than "cutting and pasting" historical documents together. Like many others before me, I too found Professor Cairns' vast knowledge of interwar international history of inestimable value. He not only forced me to rethink Vansittart but also, generally, British attitudes toward the French. In addition, I would like to thank Professor Wesley K. Wark for his keen and incisive comments on an earlier version of this book—though I'm certain he will disagree with what follows. I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff of Praeger Publishers and, in particular, Dan Eades, Maureen Melino, and Jason Azze for their consummate professionalism. My greatest debt, however, belongs to my wife, Amy, to whom this book is dedicated. With grace and good-humor, she continuously supported me throughout the researching and the writing of this book. In return, I have tried, in the words of one of her favorite poets (W.R Yeats), to tread softly for I am fully conscious that I tread on her dreams. I am grateful to the following people and institutions for permission to cite and to quote limited passages from unpublished Crown material and private manuscript collections: Unpublished Crown material in the Public Record Office is reproduced by