Why did Great Britain try to appease Germany after they invaded Poland?

Answer 1

Great Britain did not try to appease Germany after the Germans invaded Poland. In fact, Britain and France both declared war on Nazi Germany almost immediately after the invasion of Poland.

Lord Chamberlain's appeasement efforts took place after the German anschluss of Austria (forcing Austria to become part of Germany) and especially after the Nazis announced plans to take part of the Czech Republic called Sudetenland. Britain allowed the Nazis to take over this strip of land (which was occupied by many German speaking people) and the Nazis then also grabbed control of the rest of the Czech and Slovak countries without a word from Britain.

Answer 2

Britain had lost a great many of its citizens in WWI. There was a Great Depression in the 1930s and the economy of England was terrible. It was hoped that Hitler could be appeased by giving him some land. The USA made it clear that it wasn't going to be dragged into any European war, (until after Pearl Harbor and Hitler declaring war on the USA after Japan attacked America). The military of England in the 1930's was at a bare minimum, while Germany had a strong army, air force, and navy, especially submarines. England relied on the English channel to protect it from Germany. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was a wimp, who valued peace above the reality of the evil of Adolf Hitler.