ABSTRACT
As Hitler consolidated his power in the months after January 1933, the debate on what role Britain should play in helping to restart the German economic machine began in earnest. In spite of these concerns, Britain's attempt to create a favourable climate through policies which appeared understanding and sympathetic was generally supported. The reaction, for example, to the news in October 1933 that Germany was to leave the League of Nations and the Disarmament Conference was muted. The revival of lagging exports was a fundamental objective of the National Government and remained so throughout the 1930s. Tariffs gave Britain, in theory, the opportunity to protect the home market and to hold a strong position, particularly when negotiating specific trade agreements with countries outside the Empire. The British coal industry was also presented with a serious problem through Germany's determination to challenge Britain's supremacy in world markets.
