Eden became Foreign Secretary at a time when Britain was having to adjust its foreign policy to face the rise of the fascist powers . He supported the policy of non-interference in the Spanish Civil War through conferences like the Nyon Conference and supported prime minister Neville Chamberlain in his efforts to preserve peace through reasonable concessions to Germany . The Italian-Ethiopian War was brewing , and Eden tried in vain to persuade Mussolini to submit the dispute to the League of Nations . The Italian dictator scoffed at Eden publicly as " the best dressed fool in Europe . " Eden did not protest when Britain and France failed to oppose Hitler 's reoccupation of the Rhineland in 1936 . When the French requested a meeting with a view to some kind of military action in response to Hitler 's occupation , Eden in a statement firmly ruled out any military assistance to France
Nyon Conference
Nyon Conference
Anthony Eden