(3 of 4)
Unspeakable Weapons. Tucked elsewhere into the Führer's long and heated speech were his old claims that Poland started World War II incited by the Allies; that France was willing at the last moment to keep peace on terms proposed by Italy but was rushed by Britain into war; that the whole Danzig question was an agony to A. Hitler personally ("What keen suffering I underwent in these years only few can imagine"); that Poles have invented a new atrocity ("Worst of all the Polish Government quite openly admitted on its own radio that parachuting German fliers were murdered"); and that Germany has in reserve a new weapon (see p. 50) ("Let them make no mistake here, however. The moment could come very suddenly when we could use a weapon with which we cannot be attacked. . . We Germans do not like that. It is not in our nature").
"General Purpose." The prompt retorts of London and Paris were as different as the personal characters of Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier.
In the House of Commons, the Prime Minister observed: "Herr Hitler says much in his speech about the humane 'methods by which he has waged war. I can only say that methods are not made humane by calling them so, and accounts of German bombing of open towns and machine gunning of refugees have shocked the world. . . . Our general purpose in this struggle is well known. It is to redeem Europe from the perpetually recurring fear of German aggression and to enable the peoples of Europe to preserve their independence and liberties. . . . Hitler's speech at Danzig yesterday did not change the situation."
The square-jawed French Premier returned hot from an inspection of French lines to broadcast: "I am not the leader of fanatic masses. I am charged with direction of a nation of free men. . . . They know why they are fighting. They are fighting because Germany has forced war on us, because for the last three years the devouring German ambition has not left Europe a single secure day. . . .
"The destruction of Poland was secretly resolved in advance. . . . The Red Army entered Poland in its turn as a result of a secret pact. In reality, since August 23 an accord had been concluded between Germany and the Soviet Union for the dismemberment of Poland.
"Mr. Hitler has pretended that he wanted only Danzig, plebiscite for the Corridor, an autostrade. He still broadcast his assurances even while he had in his hands the precious agreement by which Germany and Russia were to partition their living prey.
"What honest man in no matter what country in the world could still believe in the word of those who today declare themselves satisfied or peaceful, now that they are covered with blood? . . . When Mr. Hitler tells us today after destroying Poland that he asks for nothing more, when he declares he wants nothing from France and will respect her frontiers, every Frenchman knows he will not hesitate if he can destroy France as he destroyed Austria, as he destroyed Czecho-Slovakia, as he seeks to destroy Poland. . . .