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| William Shirer (February 23, 1904 - December 28, 1993) |
Berlin, September 3
Hitler's "counter attack" on Poland has on this Sabbath day become a world war! To record the date: September 3, 1939. The time: eleven a.m. At nine o'clock this morning Sir Nevile Henderson called on the German Foreign Minister and handed him a note giving Germany until eleven o'clock to accept the British demand that Germany withdraw her troops from Poland. He returned to the Wilhemstrasse shortly after eleven and was handed the German reply in the form of a memorandum. The extras are out on the streets now. The newsboys are giving them away. The D.A.Z. here. Its headlines:
BRITISH ULTIMATUM TURNED DOWN
ENGLAND DECLARES A STATE OF WAR
WITH GERMANY
BRITISH NOTE DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL
OF OUR TROOPS IN THE EAST
THE FUHRER LEAVING TODAY FOR THE FRONT
A typical headline over the official account:
GERMAN MEMORANDUM PROVES
ENGLAND'S GUILT.
I was standing in the Wilhelmplatz about noon when the loud-speakers suddenly announced that England had declared herself at war with Germany. Some 250 people were standing there in the sun. They listened attentively to the announcement. When it was finished, there was not a murmur. They just stood there as they were before. Stunned. The people cannot realize yet that Hitler has led them into a world war. No issue has been created for them yet, though as this day wears on,it is plain that "Albion's perfidy" will become the issue as it did in 1914. In Mein Kampf Hitler says the greatest mistake the Kaiser made was to fight England, and Germany must never repeat that mistake.
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