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                         THE BRITISH
                        WAR BLUE BOOK
                              
                 Miscellaneous No. 9 (1939)
                              
                          DOCUMENTS
                         CONCERNING
                   GERMAN-POLISH RELATIONS
                           AND THE
               OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN
                  GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY
                    ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1939
                              
   Presented by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
           to Parliament byCommand of His Majesty
                              
 Electronic version published by permission of Her Majesty's
                         Government.
                              
                              
                          CONTENTS.
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
                              
                  GERMAN-POLISH AGREEMENT.
                              
1    German-Polish       Text.                           1
     Agreement, January
     26, 1934

STATEMENTS  MADE  BY  HERR  HITLER SINCE  THE  GERMAN-POLISH
     AGREEMENT RECORDING HIS SATISFACTION AT THE IMPROVEMENT
     IN GERMAN-POLISH RELATIONS.

2    Herr Hitler, May    Reichstag speech                3 
     21, 1935
3    Herr Hitler, March  Reichstag speech                3
     7, 1936
4    Herr Hitler,        Reichstag speech                4
     January 30, 1937
5    Herr Hitler,        Reichstag speech                4
     February 20, 1938
6    Herr Hitler,        Speech at Nuremberg             5
     September 14, 1938
7    Herr Hitler,        Speech in the Sportpalast       5
     September 26, 1938
8    Herr Hitler,        Reichstag speech                6
     January 30, 1939

  DETERIORATION IN EUROPEAN SITUATION RESULTING FROM GERMAN
                           ACTION
         AGAINST CZECHO-SLOVAKIA ON MARCH 15, 1939.
                              
9    Prime Minister,     Speech at Birmingham            6
     March 17, 1939
10   Secretary for       Speech in the House of Lords   13
     State for Foreign
     Affairs, March 20,
     1939
11   Prime Minister,     Question and Answer in the     23
     March 23, 1939      House of Commons
12   Sir N. Henderson    Interview with Field-Marshal   24
     (Berlin) to         G”ring
     Viscount Halifax,
     May 28, 1939

                 GERMAN-POLISH DISCUSSIONS.
                              
13   Herr Hitler, April  Extract from Reichstag         28
     28, 1939            speech
14   German Government   Memorandum denouncing the      32
     to Polish           German-Polish Agreement of
     Government, April   1934
     28, 1939

III

IV                                CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
15   Polish Minister     Speech in Parliament           36
     for Foreign,
     Affairs, May 5,
     1939
16   Polish Government   Memorandum replying to No.     42
     to German           14
     Government, May 5,
     1939

                   ANGLO-POLISH AGREEMENT.
                              
17   Prime Minister,     Statement in the House of      48
     March 31, 1939      Commons announcing assurance
                         given to Poland
18   Anglo-Polish        Unilateral British assurance   49
     Communiqu‚ , April  to Poland replaced by
     6, 1939             reciprocal assurances
19   Agreement of        Text                           49
     Mutual Assistance
     between the United
     Kingdom and
     Poland, August 25,
     1939

           DEVELOPMENTS IN ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS.
                              
20   Herr Hitler, April  Speech at Wilhelmshaven        52
     1, 1939
21   Herr Hitler, April  Extract from Reichstag         63
     28, 1939            speech
22   German Government   Memorandum denouncing the      68
     to His Majesty's    Anglo-German Naval Agreement
     Government, April
     27, 1939
23   Viscount Halifax    Conversation with the German   70
     to Sir N.           Ambassador in London
     Henderson
     (Berlin), June 16,
     1939
24   His Majesty's       Memorandum replying to No.     71
     Government to the   22
     German Government,
     June 23, 1939
25   Secretary of State  Speech at Chatham House        78
     for Foreign
     Affairs, June 29,
     1939

       DETERIORATION IN THE LOCAL SITUATION AT DANZIG.
                              
26   President of the    Polish Customs Inspectors      87
     Danzig Senate to
     the Polish
     Commissioner-
     General, June 3,
     1939
27   Sir H. Kennard      Summary of reply to No. 26     89
     (Warsaw) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), June
     11, 1939

V                                 CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
28   Sir H. Kennard      Freicorps at Danzig; Customs   91
     (Warsaw) to         disputes; Polish views on
     Viscount Halifax    German plans
     (telegram), June
     27, 1939
29   Mr. G. Shepherd     Details of German military     92
     (Danzig) to         preparations at Danzig
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), June
     28, 1939
30   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to sound the      93
     to Sir H. Kennard   Polish Government regarding
     (Warsaw)            developments at Danzig
     (telegram), June
     30, 1939
31   Mr. G. Shepherd     Further German military        94
     (Danzig) to         preparations at Danzig
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), June
     30, 1939
32   Mr. Norton          Polish views in reply to No.   95
     (Warsaw) to         30
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), July
     1, 1939
33   Mr. G. Shepherd     German military preparations   96
     (Danzig) to         at Danzig and K”nigsberg
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), July
     1, 1939
34   Mr. Norton          Views on Polish attitude       97
     (Warsaw) to         towards a German coup at
     Viscount Halifax    Danzig
     (telegram), July
     3, 1939

      BRITISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEVELOPMENTS IN DANZIG.
                              
35   Prime Minister,     Statement in the House of      98
     July 10, 1939       Commons
36   Sir N. Henderson    Interview with German State   101
     (Berlin) to         Secretary
     Viscount Halifax ,
     July 15, 1939

          TEMPORARY EASING IN THE DANZIG SITUATION.
                              
37   Mr. F. M. Shepherd  Interview between Herr        103
     (Danzig) Viscount   Forster and the League of
     Halifax             Nations High Commissioner
     (telegram), July
     19, 1939
38   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to approach      105
     to Mr. Norton       Polish Government regarding
     (Warsaw)            No. 37
     (telegram), July
     21, 1939
39   Mr. Norton          Conversation with M. Beck as  106
     (Warsaw) to         instructed in No. 38
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), July
     25, 1939

VI                                CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page

40   Mr. F. M. Shepherd  Statement by Herr Forster     107
     (Danzig) to         that Danzig question could
     Viscount Halifax    wait. Increased military
     (telegram), July    movements
     25, 1939
41   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck     108
     (Warsaw) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), July
     31, 1939
42   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with the Vice-   109
     (Warsaw) to         Minister for Foreign Affairs
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     2, 1939

      FURTHER DETERIORATION IN THE SITUATION AT DANZIG.
                              
43   Mr. Norton          Polish intention to address   110
     (Warsaw) to         note to Danzig Senate about
     Viscount Halifax    Customs Inspectors
     (telegram), August
     4, 1939
44   Mr. F. M. Shepherd  Exchanges between the Polish  111
     (Danzig) to         Commissioner-General, the
     Viscount Halifax    League of Nations High
     (telegram), August  Commissioner and the
     4, 1939             President of the Senate
45   Sir H. Kennard      Polish attitude towards the   111
     (Warsaw) to         customs dispute
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     9, 1939
46   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck     112
     (Warsaw) to         regarding German Government
     Viscount Halifax    intervention in the Danzig
     (telegram), August  customs dispute
     10, 1939
47   Sir H. Kennard      Text of notes exchanged at    114
     (Warsaw) to         Berlin between the German
     Viscount Halifax    and Polish Governments
     (telegram), August  referred to in No. 46
     10, 1939
48   Sir N. Henderson    Conversation with German      115
     (Berlin) to         State Secretary
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     16, 1939
49   Explanatory note    Herr Hitler's meeting with    119
                         M. Burckhardt on August 11,
                         1939
50   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to discuss       119
     to Sir H. Kennard   situation with M. Beck
     (Warsaw)
     (telegram), August
     15, 1939
51   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck as  120
     (Warsaw) to         instructed in No. 50
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     15, 1939

VII                               CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page

           TREATMENT OF GERMAN MINORITY IN POLAND.
                              
52   Sir H. Kennard      Refutation of the German      121
     (Warsaw) to         press allegations of
     Viscount Halifax    persecution
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
53   Sir H. Kennard      German-Polish frontier        123
     (Warsaw) to         incidents
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     26, 1939
54   Sir H. Kennard      Polish denial of story that   124
     (Warsaw) to         Germans had been killed at
     Viscount Halifax    Lodz and Bielsko
     (telegram), August
     26, 1939
55   Sir H. Kennard      Reasons for German false      124
     (Warsaw) to         accusations of ill-treatment
     Viscount Halifax    of German minority
     (telegram), August
     27, 1939

     DEVELOPMENTS LEADING IMMEDIATELY TO THE OUTBREAK OF
 HOSTILITIES BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY ON SEPTEMBER
                          3, 1939.
                              
56   Prime Minister to   Attitude of His Majesty's     125
     German Chancellor,  Government towards the
     August 22, 1939     crisis
57   Sir N. Henderson    Interview with Herr Hitler    127
     (Berlin) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     23, 1939
58   Sir N. Henderson    Further conversations with    130
     (Berlin) to         Herr Hitler
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
59   Sir N. Henderson    Comment on underlined         131
     (Berlin) to         portion of Herr Hitler's
     Viscount Halifax    reply in No. 60
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
60   German Chancellor   Statement of views of German  132
     to Prime Minister,  Government in reply to No.
     August 23, 1939     56
61   German-Soviet Non-  Text                          135
     Aggression Pact,
     August 23, 1939
62   Mr. F. M. Shepherd  Appointment by Danzig Senate  136
     (Danzig) to         of Gauleiter Forster as Head
     Viscount Halifax    of State of Free City of
     (telegram), August  Danzig
     26, 1939
63   Sir H. Kennard      Polish note of protest and    137
     (Warsaw) to         warning to the Danzig Senate
     Viscount Halifax    as regards No. 62
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939

VIII                              CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
64   Prime Minister,     Speech in the House of        138
     August 24, 1939     Commons
65   Secretary of State  Speech in the House of Lords  145
     for Foreign
     Affairs, August
     24, 1939
66   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck     153
     (Warsaw) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
67   Sir H. Kennard      Interview between Polish      154
     (Warsaw) to         Ambassador in Berlin and
     Viscount Halifax    Field-Marshal G”ring
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
68   German Chancellor   Possibility of an Anglo-      155
     to Sir N.           German understanding
     Henderson (Berlin)
     (verbal), August
     25, 1939
69   Sir N. Henderson    Comments on No. 68            158
     (Berlin) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     25, 1939
70   Viscount Halifax    Proposal for corps of         160
     to Sir H. Kennard   neutral observers
     (Warsaw)
     (telegram), August
     25, 1939
71   Viscount Halifax    Exchange of populations as a  160
     to Sir H. Kennard   solution of German Minority
     (Warsaw)            problem
     (telegram), August
     26, 1939
72   Sir H. Kennard      M. Beck's views on Nos. 70    160
     (Warsaw) to         and 71
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     27, 1939
73   Viscount Halifax    Need for direct German-       161
     to Sir H. Kennard   Polish discussions
     (Warsaw)
     telegram), August
     28, 1939
74   His Majesty's       Reply to Nos. 60 and 68       162
     Government to
     German Chancellor,
     August 28, 1939
75   Sir N. Henderson    Interview with Herr Hitler    165
     (Berlin) to         for the purpose of
     Viscount Halifax    presenting No. 74
     (telegram), August
     28, 1939
76   Sir N. Henderson    Additional points in the      169
     (Berlin) to         conversation recorded in No.
     Viscount Halifax    75
     (telegram), August
     29, 1939

IX                                CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
77   Prime Minister,     Speech in the House of        169
     August 29, 1939     Commons
78   German Chancellor   Reply to No. 74               175
     to His Majesty's
     Government, August
     29, 1939
79   Sir N. Henderson    Comment on two points in No.  178
     (Berlin) to         78, i.e., German reply to
     Viscount Halifax    British proposals for direct
     (telegram), August  German-Polish negotiations
     29, 1939            and an international
                         guarantee
80   Sir N. Henderson    Comment on interview with     179
     (Berlin) to         Herr Hitler on August 29
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     29, 1939
81   Viscount Halifax    Acknowledgment of No. 78.     180
     to Sir N.           Unreasonableness of German
     Henderson (Berlin)  request for immediate visit
     telegram) August    of a Polish plenipotentiary
     30, 1939            to Berlin
82   Sir N. Henderson    Action taken on No. 81        180
     (Berlin) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
83   Viscount Halifax    Interim reply to No. 78       181
     to Sir N.
     Henderson (Berlin)
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
84   Sir H. Kennard      Views on method of            181
     (Warsaw) to         conducting German-Polish
     Viscount Halifax    negotiations
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
85   Viscount Halifax    Suggestions tending to        182
     to Sir H. Kennard   improve the situation
     (Warsaw)
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
86   Sir H. Kennard      Message from M. Beck          182
     (Warsaw) to         regarding incidents and
     Viscount Halifax    proposed British answer to
     (telegram), August  Herr Hitler
     30, 1939
87   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to inform        183
     to Sir N.           German Government of renewed
     Henderson (Berlin)  representations made in
     (telegram), August  Warsaw
     30, 1939
88   Viscount Halifax    Suggestion to be put to       183
     to Sir N.           German Government about
     Henderson (Berlin)  request for a Polish
     (telegram), August  plenipotentiary
     30, 1939
89   His Majesty's       Reply to No. 78               184
     Government to
     German Chancellor,
     August 30, 1939

X                                 CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
90   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to communicate   185
     to Sir H. Kennard   No. 89 to M. Beck and to ask
     (Warsaw)            for reply
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
91   Sir N. Henderson    Conversation with Herr von    187
     (Berlin) to         Ribbentrop regarding to No.
     Viscount Halifax    85
     (telegram), August
     30, 1939
92   Sir N. Henderson    Interview with Herr von       187
     (Berlin) to         Ribbentrop at which the
     Viscount Halifax    latter read out the German
     (telegram), August  proposals
     30, 1939
93   Sir H. Kennard      Report of interview with M.   189
     (Warsaw) to         Beck as instructed in No. 90
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
94   Viscount Halifax    Instructions for joint Anglo- 190
     to Sir H. Kennard   French suggestion to the
     (Warsaw)            Polish Government to confirm
     (telegram), August  to German Government their
     31 1939             acceptance of principle of
                         direct discussions
95   Viscount Halifax    Suggestions for German-       190
     to Sir H. Kennard   Polish discussions of any
     (Warsaw)            German proposals
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
96   Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck     190
     (Warsaw) to         regarding Polish reply to
     Viscount Halifax    No. 90
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
97   Sir H. Kennard      Text of Polish reply to No.   191
     (Warsaw) to         90 confirming readiness for
     Viscount Halifax    direct German Polish
     (telegram), August  discussions
     31, 1939
98   German Government   Note containing German        192
     to His Majesty's    proposals now regarded by
     Government, August  them as rejected
     31, 1939
99   Viscount Halifax    Instructions to inform        198
     to Sir N.           German government of Polish
     Henderson (Berlin)  steps to establish contact
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
100  Viscount Halifax    Instructions to speak to M.   198
     to Sir H. Kennard   Beck about certain points in
     (Warsaw)            the Polish reply contained
     (telegram),         in No. 97
     September 1, 1939
101  Sir H. Kennard      Action on No. 100 rendered    199
     (Warsaw) to         useless by German invasion
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram),
     September 1, 1939

XI                                CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
102  Sir N. Henderson    Text of Polish note to        200
     (Berlin) to         German Government regarding
     Viscount Halifax    direct discussions
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
103  Sir N. Henderson    Action taken on No. 99        200
     (Berlin) to
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram),
     September 1, 1939
104  Explanatory Note    [blank]                       200
     upon the actual
     Course of Events
105  Prime Minister,     Speech in the House of        202
     September 1, 1939   Commons
106  Herr Hitler,        Reichstag speech              207
     September 1, 1939
107  Herr Hitler,        Proclamation to the German    214
     September 1, 1939   Army
108  Herr Forster and    Proclamation and exchange of  214
     Herr Hitler,        telegrams
     September 1, 1939
109  Viscount Halifax    Instructions to convey No.    216
     to Sir N.           110 to German Government
     Henderson (Berlin)
     (telegram),
     September 1, 1939
110  Viscount Halifax    Notification of intention to  216
     to Sir N.           assist Poland unless German
     Henderson (Berlin)  forces are withdrawn
     (telegram),
     September 1, 1939
111  Sir N. Henderson    Interview with Herr von       217
     (Berlin) to         Ribbentrop in compliance
     Viscount Halifax    with Nos. 109 and 110
     (telegram),
     September 1, 1939
112  Sir H. Kennard      Conversation with M. Beck     218
     (Warsaw) to         indicating desirability of
     Viscount Halifax    British action to relieve
     (telegram),         pressure on Poland
     September 1, 1939
113  Viscount Halifax    Conversation with Polish      219
     to Sir H. Kennard   Ambassador recording facts
     (Warsaw),           of German invasion
     September 1, 1939
114  Viscount Halifax    Conversation with the German  220
     to Sir N.           Charg‚ d'Affaires regarding
     Henderson           the German invasion
     (Berlin),
     September 1, 1939
115  Sir H. Kennard      Request by M. Beck for        221
     (Warsaw) to         information of allied
     Viscount Halifax    assistance
     (telegram),
     September 2, 1939
116  Prime Minister,     Speech in the House of        221
     September 2, 1939   Commons
117  Mr. Preston         M. Burckhardt's account of    224
     (Kovno) to          his departure from Danzig
     Viscount Halifax
     (telegram),
     September 2, 1939

XII                               CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
118  Viscount Halifax    Notification to German        224
     to Sir N.           Government of existence of
     Henderson (Berlin)  state of war unless German
     (telegram),         assurances are received by
     September 3, 1939   11 a. m.
119  German Government   Reply to No. 118              225
     to His Majesty's
     Government,
     September 3, 1939
120  Prime Minister.     Speech in the House of        228
     September 3, 1939   Commons
121  Herr Hitler,        Proclamations to the German   230
     September 3, 1939   People and the German Army

            ATTEMPTED MEDIATION BY OTHER STATES.
                              
122  President of        Appeal for intervention in    232
     United States of    cause of peace
     America to King of
     Italy, August 23,
     1939
123  King of Italy to    Reply to No. 122              234
     President of
     United States of
     America, August
     30, 1939
124  President of        Appeal for a peaceful         234
     United States of    solution
     America to Herr
     Hitler, August 24,
     1939
125  President of        Appeal for a peaceful         236
     United States of    solution
     America to
     President of
     Poland, August 24,
     1939
126  President Moscicki  Reply to No. 125              236
     to President
     Roosevelt, August
     25, 1939
127  President           Text of No. 126 and further   237
     Roosevelt to Herr   appeal
     Hitler, August 25,
     1939
128  King of the         Broadcast appeal in the name  238
     Belgians, August    of the Oslo Group of Powers
     23, 1939
129  Viscount Halifax    British reply to No. 128      240
     to Sir R. Clive
     (Brussels)
     (telegram), August
     24, 1939
130  French Government   French reply to No. 128       240
     to King of the
     Belgians
131  President           United States reply to No.    241
     Roosevelt to King   128
     of the Belgians,
     August 25, 1939
132  President of        Polish reply to No. 128       241
     Poland to King of
     the Belgians,
     August 25, 1939
133  Pope Pius XII to    Papal reply to No. 128        242
     King of the
     Belgians

XII                               CONTENTS
                              
No.        Date.                   Subject.            Page
134  Sir R. Clive        Joint offer of mediation by   242
     (Brussels) to       King of the Belgians and
     Viscount Halifax    Queen of the Netherlands
     (telegram), August
     28, 1939
135  Viscount Halifax    British reply to No. 134      242
     to Sir R. Clive
     (Brussels) and Sir
     N. Bland (The
     Hague)
     (telegrams),
     August 31, 1939
136  French Government   French reply to No. 134       243
     to King of the
     Belgians and Queen
     of the Netherlands
137  Italian Government  Italian reply to No. 134      243
     to Queen of the
     Netherlands and
     King of the
     Belgians
138  Polish Government   Polish reply to No. 134       243
     to King of the
     Belgians and Queen
     of the Netherlands
139  The Pope, August    Broadcast appeal for peace    244
     24, 1939
140  Viscount Halifax    British reply to No. 139      246
     to Mr. Osborne
     (Holy See)
     (telegram), August
     25, 1939
141  Mr. Osborne (Holy   Further appeal by the Pope    247
     See) to Viscount
     Halifax
     (telegram), August
     31, 1939
142  Viscount Halifax    Action on No. 141             247
     to Sir N.
     Henderson (Berlin)
     and Sir H. Kennard
     (Warsaw)(telegrams
     ), August 31, 1939
143  Sir P. Loraine      Peace efforts of Italian      248
     (Rome) to Viscount       Government
     Halifax
     (telegram),
     September 4, 1939

 THE PRIME MINISTER'S BROADCAST TALK TO THE GERMAN PEOPLE ON
                     SEPTEMBER 4, 1939.
                              
144  Prime Minister to   Text                          249
     the German People,
     September 4, 1939

XV

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