... neither the people nor the government of (Britain and France) were conditioned to the idea of war Before September 1, 1939, Hitler had done nothing that any major power considered
dangerous enough to warrant precipitating (starting] a major European war. Nor was there any
existing coalition that could have opposed Hitler's massive forces. For Britain sought to appease
Hitler (and) the French feared a repetition of the bloody sacrifices of World War I in 1914-1918.
Stalin wanted an agreement with Hitler on partitioning Europe and the United States rejected all
responsibility for Europe.
1. What evidence does this historian give for his belief that Hitler would not have been stopped
prior to 1939?