What does the policy of appeasement mean and how did it apply to World War 2?

The policy of appeasement refers to the diplomatic strategy of making concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict. In the context of World War II, it was most notably applied by Western democracies like Britain and France towards Nazi Germany, particularly in the 1930s, as they allowed Hitler to annex territories such as Austria and the Sudetenland in hopes of maintaining peace. This approach ultimately failed, as it emboldened Hitler's expansionist ambitions and contributed to the outbreak of the war in 1939.