(Neville Chamberlain - Peace In Our Time an ironic, faded echo)
(Apologies for not posting this yesterday. Living in Southern California during the Heat and Fire season makes for optional breathing and migraines - both which came in ample supply yesterday)
With Berlin's rejection of Britain's "White Paper", calling for an end to Germany's invasion of Poland and a restoration of Versailles Treaty provisions at the end of World War 1, it was clear Prime Minister Chamberlain had no alternative other than to declare War on Germany - setting the stage for a conflict few thought would be avoided, yet none wanted to face. It was a crushing defeat for the Chamberlain Government and raised an alarming thought that Britain may not be able to survive.
Prime Minister Chamberlain: “This morning, the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German government a final note stating that, unless we heard from them by eleven o’clock, that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received. And that consequently, this country is at War with Germany.”
This clip starts with Berlin Radio reacting to the Chamberlain note, followed by Chamberlain declaring War and then ending with a recap from Berlin Radio.