Berlin to consult his specialist. On examination it is found that the ambassador’s throat cancer is only in remission. At the Foreign Office, Oliver Harvey believes Sir Nevile is ‘quite unfit to be in such a post at such a time. He ought, of course to be withdrawn at once – if only because the policy he was chosen to represent, appeasement, in which he passionately believes, has been reversed, and so long as he is there Germany and everybody else will never believe we may not have more appeasement.’
10 July, L ONDON
In the House of Commons, Chamberlain reviews the situation developing in Danzig. The Premier tells MPs that if Poland felt obliged to use force to maintain the status quo in Danzig, then Britain will go to her assistance.
11 July: W ASHINGTON DC
President Roosevelt’s ‘Cash and Carry’ Neutrality Bill, which if passed would have greatly favoured Britain and France, fails in the Senate.
13 July, L ONDON
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon announces defence borrowings of £500 million.
14 July, P ARIS
The French commemorate the 150th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille with a huge military parade. To demonstrate thesolidity of the Entente Cordiale , a contingent of Scots Guards take part in the march past and RAF Wellington bombers fly over the French capital. British war minister Leslie Hore-Belisha is one of the guests of honour, seated next to Premier Daladier.
16 July, M UNICH
As a deliberate counter-blast to the Bastille commemoration, the Nazis mount a four day ‘Rally of German Art’. It is not entirely successful as it pours with rain on the main day of the festival. Hitler’s rostrum is soaked and the Fuehrer is in a very bad temper, having already lent his raincoat to his mistress, Eva Braun.
16 July, L ONDON
Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists, holds a huge indoor rally at Earls Court exhibition hall. Mosley tells his audience: ‘If any country in the world attacks Britain then every single member of this great audience of British Union would fight for Britain [. . .] but a million Britons shall never die in your Jews’ quarrel. Why is it a moral duty to go to war if a German kicks a Jew across the Polish frontier . . .? We are going, if the power lies within us [. . .] to say that our generation and our children shall not die like rats in Polish holes.’
16 July, T EDDINGTON
‘Hitler spoke for twenty minutes without mentioning the democracies, encirclement or the Jews. What’s happened to him? Mosley suggested return of colonies to Germany and possessions in east. Does he know even the rudiments of the matter? He just wants to ride in on some popular ignorant slogan . . . his worst characteristic is his intolerance and dislike of the Jews – while his own fortune is derived from one.’ (Helena Mott)
‘We had to join, we had to join, we had to join Belisha’s army. Ten bob a week, bugger all to eat, great big boots and blisters on your feet.’ Secretary of State for War, Leslie Hore-Belisha, addresses the first batch of Militiamen, July 1939.
At Earls Court on 16 July 1939, British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley speaks to an audience of more than 20,000. ‘I am told that Hitler is mad. What evidence have they got so far that this man, who has taken his country from the dust to the height . . . has gone suddenly mad?’
17 July, W ARSAW
General Sir Edmund Ironside, the Inspector-General of British Overseas Forces, arrives in Warsaw. He tells the British military attaché that his main task is going to be to try ‘to obtain a guarantee from the Poles that they will not precipitate a war through a corporal blowing up a bridge’.
20 July, L ONDON
Birger Dahlerus, a Swedish businessman with connections both in Britain, where he worked as a young man, and in Germany, meets Lord Halifax. Dahlerus is setting himself up as unofficial peace broker between the two countries. He is on friendly terms with
10 July, L ONDON
In the House of Commons, Chamberlain reviews the situation developing in Danzig. The Premier tells MPs that if Poland felt obliged to use force to maintain the status quo in Danzig, then Britain will go to her assistance.
11 July: W ASHINGTON DC
President Roosevelt’s ‘Cash and Carry’ Neutrality Bill, which if passed would have greatly favoured Britain and France, fails in the Senate.
13 July, L ONDON
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir John Simon announces defence borrowings of £500 million.
14 July, P ARIS
The French commemorate the 150th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille with a huge military parade. To demonstrate thesolidity of the Entente Cordiale , a contingent of Scots Guards take part in the march past and RAF Wellington bombers fly over the French capital. British war minister Leslie Hore-Belisha is one of the guests of honour, seated next to Premier Daladier.
16 July, M UNICH
As a deliberate counter-blast to the Bastille commemoration, the Nazis mount a four day ‘Rally of German Art’. It is not entirely successful as it pours with rain on the main day of the festival. Hitler’s rostrum is soaked and the Fuehrer is in a very bad temper, having already lent his raincoat to his mistress, Eva Braun.
16 July, L ONDON
Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists, holds a huge indoor rally at Earls Court exhibition hall. Mosley tells his audience: ‘If any country in the world attacks Britain then every single member of this great audience of British Union would fight for Britain [. . .] but a million Britons shall never die in your Jews’ quarrel. Why is it a moral duty to go to war if a German kicks a Jew across the Polish frontier . . .? We are going, if the power lies within us [. . .] to say that our generation and our children shall not die like rats in Polish holes.’
16 July, T EDDINGTON
‘Hitler spoke for twenty minutes without mentioning the democracies, encirclement or the Jews. What’s happened to him? Mosley suggested return of colonies to Germany and possessions in east. Does he know even the rudiments of the matter? He just wants to ride in on some popular ignorant slogan . . . his worst characteristic is his intolerance and dislike of the Jews – while his own fortune is derived from one.’ (Helena Mott)
‘We had to join, we had to join, we had to join Belisha’s army. Ten bob a week, bugger all to eat, great big boots and blisters on your feet.’ Secretary of State for War, Leslie Hore-Belisha, addresses the first batch of Militiamen, July 1939.
At Earls Court on 16 July 1939, British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley speaks to an audience of more than 20,000. ‘I am told that Hitler is mad. What evidence have they got so far that this man, who has taken his country from the dust to the height . . . has gone suddenly mad?’
17 July, W ARSAW
General Sir Edmund Ironside, the Inspector-General of British Overseas Forces, arrives in Warsaw. He tells the British military attaché that his main task is going to be to try ‘to obtain a guarantee from the Poles that they will not precipitate a war through a corporal blowing up a bridge’.
20 July, L ONDON
Birger Dahlerus, a Swedish businessman with connections both in Britain, where he worked as a young man, and in Germany, meets Lord Halifax. Dahlerus is setting himself up as unofficial peace broker between the two countries. He is on friendly terms with
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