A State Of War- Ultimate to Berlin Monday, September 4th 1939
Extract from The Times Newspaper on that day.
Monday 4th 1939
The Ultimatum to Berlin
A supplement (the third) to the London Gazzette of Friday issued last night contains the following announcement from the Privy Council office:-
IT IS NOTIFIED THAT A STATE OF WAR EXISTS BETWEEN HER MAJESTY AND GERMANY AS FROM 11 O'CLOCK A.M TO-DAY THE 3RD SEPTEMBER 1939
On the instructions of his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, his Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin addressed on the 1st September a communication to the German Government in the following terms:-
"Early this morning the German Chancellor issued a proclamation to the German Army which indicated clearly that he was to about to attack Poland.
" Information which reached his Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the French Government indicates that German troops have crossed the Polish frontier and that attacks upon Polish towns are proceeding.
" In these circumstances, it appears to the Governments of the United Kingdom and France that by there action the German Government have created conditions ( an aggressive act of force against Poland threatening the independence of Poland) which call for the implementation by the Governments of the United Kingdom and France of the undertaking to Poland to come to her assistance.
" I am accordingly to inform Your Excellency that unless the German Government has suspended all aggressive action against Poland and are prepared promptly to withdraw their forces from Polish territory. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom wiil, without hesitation, fulfil their obligation to Poland".