Charles Spicer describes the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a deceptive high point for Anglo-German relations. While Hitler sought a pact granting him control over Europe in exchange for British imperial security, Vansittart remained skeptical of Ribbentrop's in

Charles Spicer describes the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a deceptive high point for Anglo-German relations. While Hitlersought a pact granting him control over Europe in exchange for British imperial security, Vansittart remained skeptical of Ribbentrop's intellectual weight. Because Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin refused to meet Hitler, Conwell-Evansrecruited former Prime Minister David Lloyd George for a substitute mission. Lloyd George, known as the "Welsh Wizard," believed that dialogue was essential to "civilize" the dictator and prevent another catastrophic war, viewing himself as a free agent capable of building necessary rapport. (4)
1945