Ultimatum - GCSE History Definition

An ultimatum is a final demand or statement given by one person or group to another. If the demands are not met, the ultimatum states the consequences that will follow as a result. This might including starting a war or breaking a relationship. In GCSE History, you might study how countries in the past used ultimatums to make others follow their rules or demands, often leading to important events. An ultimatum is like a "last chance" warning, where the people receiving it have to decide quickly whether to agree to the terms or face the consequences set out by the person giving it. The British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain famously issued Hitler with an ultimatum to remove German troops from Poland in 1939. When Hitler failed to do this, Chamberlain declared war and World War II began.