1. The Munich Agreement: In September 1938, the Munich Agreement was signed, allowing Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia. This was a significant concession to Germany's demands and was widely seen as a failure of the policy of appeasement.
2. The Invasion of Poland: On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of World War II. This act nullified the Munich Agreement and effectively ended any hope of achieving peace through appeasement.
3. The Declaration of War: Britain and France, who had guaranteed Poland's independence, declared war on Germany two days after the invasion. This marked the formal start of World War II in Europe.
4. The Fall of Czechoslovakia: In March 1939, Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia, violating the terms of the Munich Agreement. This further eroded the credibility of appeasement as a strategy for dealing with German aggression.
5. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact: In August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression agreement that included secret protocols dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.
6. The Outbreak of World War II: The invasion of Poland and the subsequent declarations of war signaled the failure of appeasement and plunged Europe into World War II, which lasted until 1945.
In summary, the policy of appeasement towards Germany failed to prevent World War II and instead led to the escalation of tensions and conflicts in Europe.