70th Anniversary of Britain's Entry into WWII
Britain Declares War on Germany at 11am on September 3rd, 1939
September 3rd, 2009 sees the 70th anniversary of Britain’s entry into the conflict that was to become known as World War II. Britain’s Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, declared war against Germany at 11am on that day because of the refusal by Hitler's Government to give assurances that it would withdraw from Poland. The war was to last six long, hard and world-changing years.
Neville Chamberlain Declares War on Germany on 3rd September
Speaking to the Nation from 10 Downing Street at 11.15 am, the Prime Minister explained how Britain had requested an undertaking from the German Government that it would immediately prepare to withdraw from Poland and if there was no word by 11am, Britain would be at war. He went on to say, “I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany”.
King George VI confirmed the Nation’s slide into a state of conflict through an announcement in a supplement to the London Gazette newspaper, distributed on that evening, which said “It is notified that a State of War exists between His Majesty and Germany as from 11 o’clock A.M. to-day the 3rd September, 1939”.
France and other Allies Join Britain in Declaring War
France also joined Great Britain by sending a message to Berlin at 12.30pm asking for assurances that Germany would immediately start plans to withdraw from Poland with a deadline of 5pm. No assurances were received, as with Britain’s ultimatum, so from that deadline on the same day, 1939, France too was at war.
Also declaring war against Germany on the 3rd was Australia’s Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, on behalf of his country. Hot on the heels of the Australian announcement came one from New Zealand. India showed its support and also declared war. Canada offered support initially giving the rationale – “when Britain is at war, Canada is at war” then made its formal declaration on September 10th. South Africa’s declaration of war came on September 5th.
Other Nations Declare Neutrality
President Roosevelt was quick to announce America’s neutrality on the matter. In a speech to the Senate and House of Representatives on September 21st, he said: “Our methods must be guided by one single, hard-headed thought – the keeping of America out of this war.” But he requested that the leaders of the major parties remain in Washington over the winter just in case any change to this stance was needed.
Other countries declaring neutrality at that time included Yugoslavia, Argentina, Chile, Belgium, Spain and Norway. Whilst Egypt did not declare war, it showed its support for Britain by cutting diplomatic relations with Germany and either expelling or interning diplomatic staff and individuals with German Nationality. Other countries declaring support for Britain in that first week were Turkey, Portugal, Iraq, Barbados, Colombo and Malta.
Britain Prepares for a War of at Least Three Years
Britain immediately formed a war Cabinet made up of the following people:
- Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury – Neville Chamberlain
- Chancellor of the Exchequer – Sir John Simon
- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs – Lord Halifax
- Minister for Co-ordination of Defence – Admiral of the Fleet Lord Chatfield
- First Lord of the Admiralty – Mr Winston Churchill
- Secretary of State for War – Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
- Secretary of State for Air – Sir Kingsley Wood
- Lord Privy Seal – Sir Samuel Hoare
- Minister without Portfolio – Lord Hankey
Within a week of war being declared, the War Cabinet announced that its war policy would be based on the assumption that the conflict would last for three years or more. Plans were put in place for immediate rationing of food, fuel and other necessities of life. The Minister of Agriculture also began a scheme to start producing arable crops on as much grassland and open space as possible.
So began a war in which nearly 400,000 soldiers and civilians from the United Kingdom and its Colonies lost their lives and many, many more were injured. It was a war that not only saw severe personal loss, rationing of food and other everyday items in its latter years but also great technological advances in engineering, aviation technology and the development of the atomic bomb.
Sources:
Times Digital Online Archive
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Britain Declares War on September 3rd, 1939
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