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Sir Nevile Henderson
INSTALMENT 17
The storm breaks over Europe as Hitler decides that it shall be war.
As German troops and warplanes are flung into Poland, Sir Nevile Henderson, 'Britain's Ambassador in Berlin, warns Hitler that unless the troops are withdrawn Britain will go to the aid of Poland.
But no reply is forthcoming.
+
And so, once again, Britain was at war
with Germany.
DURING August 31 there
has been much activity on the part of Field-Marshal Goering. I think that Goering him- self would have preferred
Molution, peaceful
but
in
matters such as these it was Hitler's decision which alone counted: and whatever Goer- ing might feel, he was merely the loyal and submissive ser vant of his master.
Moreover, as I have already de-. scribed, he had come down de finitely on the side of peace a year before, and It may have bren dificult for him to adopt this course a second time,
He invited me, however, to come and see him that afternoon, und I did so at 5 p.m. in company of Sir G. Ogilvie-Forbet.
I had heard that the test of As the proposals which Ribbentrop tus refused to give me was to be broadcast on the radio that even-" ing, my first remark was to point out to the Field-Marshal that this procedure would probably and finally wreck the last, prospect of
pence.
I begged him to do his utmost to prevent their publication.
Guering's reply was that he could not intervene, and that the German Government felt obliged to broadcast their proposals to the world in order to prove their "good faith."
Final but
1
forlorn hope
He talked for the best part of two hours of the iniquities of the Poles and of Hitler's and his own desire for friendship with England. and of the benefit to the world in general and the advantage to Eng- land In particular of such friendship:
It augured the worst from the fact that he was in a position ut such a moment to give me so much of his time.
He had a few days before been made president of the new Ger- man Defence Council for the Reich (or War Cabinet), and he could scarcely have afforded at sucli
one
moment to spare time in conver- sation, it it did not mean that everything, down to the last detall. was now ready for action.
My general impression of this Jast talk with Goering was that
Henderson left Berlin with staff and pet dachshund Hippy on the morning of "September The train was delayed 4 on a special train. for some 18 hours.
ZERO HOUR IN BERLIN
tions with the Poles. It was zero hour.
In the early hours of Septem- ber 1, without any declaration of war, the Germun army crossed the frontier, and the German air force proceeded to bomb the Polish aero- dromes und ilnes of communica- Lion.
In accordance with Hitler's usual technique everything was then
done by the German authorities to prove to the German pubile that it was the Poles who had been the oggressors instead of the aggressed. Goering sent me a message to say that the Poics tad begun the e bridge by blowing, up the across the Vistula at Dirchau, while
War
of the Staff left their normal re- sidences and were concentrated in the Adlon Hotel next door or in the Embassy itsell.
י
September 2 was a day of sus- pense. The Poles were, it was re- ported, putting up a brave re- sistance in the face of surprise and overwhelming numbers.
No reply was received from the German Government throughout the day to the British and French warnings.
Italy's last
Hitler himself issued, a proclama peace effort
tion to the German army declar- ing that the Polish Stute bad re- fused the settlement which he cffered and hud appealed to arins.
Every German newspaper peated the ile that it was the Poles who had begun the fighting.
Finally, at 10.30 am., Hitler met
re-
In the meantime the Italian Government was making one last effort to save the situation.
The Italian Ambassador had come to see me at midday on his way to the Ministry for Foreign
molog,-which had beenAffairs.---
for that hour, similarly announced to sembled Delegates
and the 28- that he had been "forced to take up arms in detence of the Relch."
It was a deliberate travesty of the facts, and never can there have been, or ever be, a case of more premeditated and carefully planned aggression.
10
Late that same evening I was instructed by Lord Halifax
Government notify the German
that the latter by their action had created conditions which called for the implementation by the Govern- iments of the United Kingdom and France of their undertaking to come to Poland's assistance.
A day
Il constituted a final but forlorn of suspense
effort on
his part to detach
Britain from the Poles.
Nevertheless, the Field-Marshal seemed sincere when, having been cafled to the telephone, he returned. to tell us that M. Lipski was on his
way
to see Ribbentrop,
He seemed relleved and to hope that, provided contact was only established, wor might after ali
unnecessary.
prave
The meeting with the Pollsh Ambassador proved, however, quite futile.
M. Lipski slated that he was act- ing solely in his capoelty as an Ambassador without plenary powers to discuss or to negotiate...
Travesty of
the facts
He handed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs a brief communi- ention to the effect that the Polish Government were weighing favour- ably the proposal of His Majesty's Government for direct discussion, and
formal answer in this matter would be communleated to the German Government in the immediate future,
that
He did not ask for the German proposals, and Ribbentrop did not offer to give them to him. Their meeting lasted but a few minutes.
When the Polish Am
Ambassador, after his interview, attempted once more to wiephone to his Govern- ment, he found that it was no longer possible for him to do so.
·Hitler had. In fact, chosen this moment to precipitate the conflict. He did not want direct negotia-
Unless His Majesty's Cavern- ment received satisfactory assur nnces that the German Govern- ment had suspended all aggressive action and would be prepared, to Polish withdraw their forces from territory, His Majesty's Govern- ment would,
Signor Attolled told me that he must know one thing immediately, Was the communication which had made the previous evening to Herr von Ribbentrop an ultimatum or not?
I told His Excellency that I had been authorised to tell the Minis- ter for Foreign Affairs if he had. asked me--which he had not done that it was not an ultimatum but: a warning.
I mentioned to Signor Attolico Italian that I understood that the Government were putting forward a suggestion for the cessation of hostilities and the immediate sum- moning of a conference of the interested Powers.
In this connection I said that I felt bound to express the opinion that such proposal would never be entertained unless at the same time all the German troops were withdrawn from. Polish territory. I urged him to press for this.
Only two
without hesitation, Sotions
time
and
fulfil their obligations to
I was instructed at the same to request on immediate reply, was authorised, if asked, to explain that this communication was in the nature of a warning, and was not to be considered as an ulti- matum.
handed this communlention in writing to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 9.30 that evening.
Ribbentrop received it without other comment than that the sole blame rested on the Poles.
He made no inquiry as to the of the communica- exact nature tion, but merely said that he must submit it to the Fuehrer.
I told him that I realised that this would be available at whatever hour he might be in a poslilon to Reichschancellor's give mo the reply.
The French Ambassador, who had been instructed to make similar communication, did so im-
A
mediately after me and received n reply on the same lines.
Early in the afternoon of that day, I had in accordance with.
Halifax's instructionis, qm-
Vily requested the United States
d'Affaires to be good Charge enough to take charge of British interesis in the event of war.
All ciphers and confidential do cuments were burnt, and the whole
+
The Ambassador retorted that I could not sponk for my Govern ment. I admitted that fact, but said that I could not imagine the possibility of ourselves, and much less of the Poles, agreeing to any lesser course.
There had never been, in faci, for Hitler but the two solutions: the use of torce, or the acideve- ment of his alms by the display of force.
Late in the afternoon of Septem- ber 2 1 communlested to the Secretary of State for the infor- mation of the German Governinent the verbatim report of the Prime Minister's speech In the House of Commonя on that date.
was
Therein Mr. Chamberlain stated that while His Majesty's Govern- ment could not agree to the proposal of the Italian Government for a conference while Poland being subjected to Invasion, they would be willing, if the German forces were withdrawn from Poilsh territory, to regard the position as being the same as before the foreca had crossed the frontier.
It Was the last chance of avoiding the great catastrophe of war at the last minute, but the
German silent.
Government remained
I present our ultimatum
At 4 am on September 3. 1 was accordingly instructed by His Majesty's Government to arrange for a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 9 aan.
In There was some difficulty establishing contact
with The Ministry at that hour, but I was finally informed that Dr. Schmidt was authorised by the Minister to necept on His Excellency's behalf any communication which I night make to hlm.
I accordingly handed to Dr. Schmidt at 9 a.m. precisely the final ultimatum from His Majesty's Government, pointing out that over twenty-four hours had elapsed
since I
I had requested un Immediate answer to aur_warning communies- tion of September 1.
14.
As no reply from the German Government was vouchsafed by 11 the German representative in London was informed in due course at that hour that a state Britain of war existed between and Germany.
By ten minutes past 11 am. every British consular ofleer In Germany had been advised by the staff of His Majesty's Embassy at Berlin that this was the ease.
History will judge
a
Shortly after 11 am. I received- Anal message from Ribbentrop asking me to call upon him at once. I did so at 11.30, and he lost no time in giving me on this occa- slon a lengthy document to read, beginning with a refusal on the part of the German people to accept any demands in the nature of an ultimatum made by the British Government, and stating that any aggressive action by Eng- land would be answered with the same weapons and the same form. The rest of the document was destined pre- propagande, suntably for home and neutral consumption, with a view to at- tempting to prove to the German people and the world generally that it was Britain alone which was to blame for everything which had happened.
My only comment on
reading this completely false representa. tion of evenis was: “It would be left to history to judge where the blame really lay,"
Ribbentrop's answer was to the effect that history had already the facts, and that nobody proved had striven harder for peace good relations with England than Herr Hiller had done.
und
His last remark to me was that he wished the personally good, to which I could only reply that I deeply regretted the failure of all my efforts for peace, but that I bore grudge against the German people.
no further Thereafter I BRW German official except the member of the Protocol, who accompanied
no
These extracts are taken from the bool by Sir Nevile Hender-..
entitled "Evilure.......... 01. Mission." --published by BlessTS. Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd.
on Saturday, May 10, 1940.
our special train as far as Notter- dam.
was a
My last official communication to the German Government note which I presented on the of His Majesty's instructiona Government inquiring whether the German Government would observe the provisions of the Geneva Fro- in tocol of 1925 prohibiting the use
usphyxiating, war of
poisonous or other gases
ases and of bacteriological methods of warfare.
The German Government Inter replied to this through the Swiss Minister in London giving the re- quired assurance on the under- standing that His Majesty's Govern- ment would similarly observe the provisions of the Protocol.
-
the
Copyright in all countries. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited.]
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