Hitler Trying To Separate France From Britain

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1940, Page 5

Hitler Trying To Separate France From Britain

LONDON. May 26. Fierce and terrible as the sudden onslaught had proved itself, once that onslaught had been repulsed the strength of Germany would diminish day by day, while the Allied strength would increase, said the Minister for Information (Mr Duff Cooper) in a broadcast speech in French to France. After referring to the “total war effort” in both countries, the Minister analysed Hitler’s policy as originally an effort to keep friends with England while he destroyed France. Finding that unsuccessful, he had decided to try the opposite and destroy England first. French Urged To Make Peace. “Even now, I am told, he is dropping pamphlets upon Paris urging the French people to make peace at the expense of England,” Mr Duff Cooper said. “We in Great Britain have not the slightest fear that the efforts will succeed. “The French people are as loyal as they are wise. They know as we do for what the two nations are fighting. Everything is at stake. “We are fighting not for possession, power or prestige. “We are fighting for independence, liberty and existence. “We are fighting that the soil of France may still belong to Frenchmen and the soil of Great Britain still belong to the men who live on it. Would Reduce French to Slavery. “United we are bound to conquer. “Separated we might be destroyed. “All Germany's efforts are now centred upon effecting that separation. “She may offer specious terms, but you know as well as we do that Germany has never kept the terms of any treaty, and that once she had rendered France powerless, she would not be content until she had reduced the French people to slavery, as she has reduced the Poles. “Germany has greater reason for hating France than for hating Poland, and any agreement France made with Germany today would mean the selling into slavery of the French people.”