The British - 1938
The British - 1938
First of all, Great Britain is not Europe. From the USA continent is seems that way. It is an island and as such had been protected over the years by the water, The English Channel. That was before the aircraft was invented.
British foreign policy was based on the concept of “the balance of power” with Britain holding the balance. In that regard, Britain had tended, when France was stronger than Germany, to support Germany; when Germany was stronger than France, to support France. Since the War I, the League of Nations has been a convenient mechanism to this end; if the League ceased to serve British purpose, Britain ignored it.
England was very pro-German even after Hitler established dictatorial rules in Germany. So were the Americas, including the United States. Many in England, such as Tories, believed that an England-German alliance would be beneficial to fend off Communist Russia, called Soviet Union. In fact England was the only ally Germany had at the time. The city of London had enormous investments in Germany. Many powerful individuals disliked France and the French; therefore tended to be pro-German. Many influential personalities believed that a stable Germany under Hitler will insure peace.
The best reference book I found is Inside Europe by John Gunther, a time capsule, the 1938 edition.
