Allies at War with Germany

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1939, Page 9

Allies at War with Germany

NO REPLY TO BRITISH ULTIMATUM

"Sad Day for All of Us"

MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S ADDRESS

(British Official Wireless.) (Received September 4, 9 a.m.) ■- ■ A RUGBY, September 3. In a broadcast address to the nation today the Prime Minister announced that Britain was at war, with Germany. " The announcement was made a quarter of an hour after the expiration of the time limit contained in the communication informing Germany that unless, not later than 11 a.m. (British Summer Time) today, satisfactory assurances reached Britain that Germany would suspend all aggressive action against Poland and be prepared promptly to withdraw her forces from Polish territory, a state of war would exist between the two countries as from that hour. The terms of this communication were revealed in the House of Commons when Mr. Chamberlain addressed a crowded House at noon. He referred at the outset to doubts and some bewilderment in parts of the House last night as to whether there had been hesitation or vacillation on the part of the Government. The statement he had now to make would show there were no grounds for doubt. r He proceeded:—"We were in close consultation with France yesterday, and we felt that the intensified action which the Germans were making in Poland allowed of no delay in making oyv position dear. Accordingly we decided to send to Sir Nevile Henderson instructions which he was to hand at 9 o'clock this morning to the German Foreign Secretary, which read as follows :— Sir, in the communication which I had the honour to make to you on September 1, I informed you that on instructions by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs that unless Germany was prepared to give Britain a satisfactory assurance that Germany suspended all aggressive attention aorainst Poland and was prepared promptly to withdraw her forces from Polish territory Britain would without hesitation fulfil her obligations to Poland. Although this communication was made more than twenty-four hours ago, no reply has been received, but the German attacks on Poland have been continued a^d intensified. I have the honour, accordingly, to inform you that unless not later than 11 a.m. (British Summer Time) today, September 3, satisfactory assurances have been given by Germany and reached Britain a state of war will exist as between the two countries as from that hour. Mr. Chamberlain said: "No such undertaking was received by the time stipulate^, and consequently this country is at war with Germany. "I am in a position to inform the House that arrangements have been made between the British and French Governments. The French Ambassador in Berlin at this moment is making a similar demarche, accompanied also' by a definite time limit. "As I said the other day, we are ready. This is a sad day for all of us, and to none is it sadder than to me. Everything I have worked for, everything that I hoped for, everything that I believed through my public life has crashed in ruinsi "There is but one thing left for me, and that is that I hope, with what strength and power I have, to for- ., ward the cause for which we have all sacrificed so much I cannc^t tell what part I may be allowed to play myself, but I hope I may live to see the day when Hitlerism has been destroyed and a restored and liberated Europe re-established." The Polish wireless stations interrupted programmes at 1 p.m. with the dramatic interjection "Germany, Britain has declared war on you." Then the English and Polish national anthems were olayeci. The French Ambassador in' Berlin, M. Coulondres, delivered an ultimatum to Herr yon Ribbentrop in similar terms to Britain's. The Paris correspondent of the American United Press reports that the French Government officially announced that Germany replied in the negative to its ultimatum; thus France is automatically at war and no declaration is needed.