Why Did Great Britain and France Declare War on Germany?
The Pre-War Situation
As the summer of 1939 drew to a close, the world was holding its breath as the worst-case scenario of a Nazi-German invasion of Western Europe seemed more and more likely. Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, had already annexed Austria (1938) and part of Czechoslovakia (1939), causing a deep sense of insecurity and unease among neighboring countries.
The Culminating Factors
Several significant events contributed to the tensions between Germany and the allied nations of Great Britain and France:
- Remilitarization of the Rhineland**: In March 1936, Germany remilitarized the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone established under the Treaty of Versailles (1919). This act was seen as a major violation of the Treaty and a significant threat to regional stability.
- Anschluss with Austria**: The annexation of Austria on March 12, 1938, sent shockwaves across Europe, as the Austrians had voted for unity with Germany in a rigged referendum. This increased German territory by 77,000 square miles, gaining control over Austria’s coal and steel resources, and access to the Atlantic via the Adriatic and Mediterranean.
- Invasion of Czechoslovakia**: [Insert Image: Prague in 1939, surrounded by German troops.] In March 1939, Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, also known as Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the Slovak State , on both sides of the Western front. The invasion culminated in the ‘Munich Agreement‘ between Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, leading to the surrender of Czechoslovakia, which forced Poland to become the first casualty of Hitler’s blitzkrieg [1]** war machine.
The Assassination of Heydrich and the Outbreak of War
In May 1942, Reinhard Heydrich, SS General and head of Sicherheitspolizei (Sicherheits police force), was injured in a Czech resistance terrorist attack in Prague. Unfortunately, he died from wounds later that month. Following Heydrich’s demise, Hitler declared that Prague was "free from a Judas’ kiss of shame" ,[2], and gave an ultimatum for all "Czech terrorists and rebels" to surrender peacefully or face "the terror of the Reich"**. [3]
Contents
Why Did Great Britain and France Declare War on Germany?
The Allied nations could not sit idly by and allow the ‘aggressive appeasement policy**’ of Neville Chamberlain to continue, as Munich did. After the remilitarization of the Rhineland, Italy and the Soviet Union initially expressed reservations, but Chamberlain chose to ignore any red flags and instead invited Hitler to discuss the Rhineland in September 1938.
Economic Sanctions and Mollification
In order to placate Hitler without appearing weak, the Anglo-French entente initially tried economic sanctions to deter future German aggression, but instead allowed Germany to *negotiate the return of former Austro-Hungarian territory through bilateral agreements. (Refer to the Treaty of Munich)
As Germany continued her aggression, France and the United Kingdom gradually realized that further sanctions and negotiations would neither *_stabilize the European security landscape nor satisfy_ the concerns of the West and Eastern powers
Key Dates and Important Events
- 31 March 1939 – Germany occupies Prague **
- August 27, 1939 – The Lidice massacre** in Czechoslovakia** by German troops
- August 31, 1939 – German-Polish Declaration of Non-Aggression **
- September 3, 1939 – **Battle of the Bosphorus** in Strait of Istanbul, Turkey [5]
- September 13, 1939 – The Czech resistance engages in guerrilla warfare
- October 2, 1939 – General Maurice Gamelin, as commander of the French land forces, was appointed.
- November 29, 1939 – France declares war
- August 20, 1939, British Foreign Secretary [2] Halston declared, "*it would be a greater thing to try to solve our difficulties through the international law, through the Ligament of the League, rather than through recourse to arms we can try not only *_to achieve the same results_*
Why the War Should be Won
The threat posed by the German War Machine_ must not be underestimated. Despite Hitler’s aggression, we will have a chance when it is possible to engage and conquer our enemies under their own steam. On May 12, a secret British Royal Navy plan discussed potential war plans, aiming for the German [British Fleet) under control.
Conclusion
After years of appeasement, Britain and France ultimately decided that the path to peace is the way to war is peace. These significant events contributed to Britain’s ultimate determination to protect Poland , France’s obligation to its allies, particularly the Czechoslovak People and their Republic, _the European security community and to resist the Axis Powers.
Further References
- [2] Heydrich 1939 (May); see [5] [5] [1].
Sources:
- www.winstonchurchill.com
- Hitchcock, William; logbook_ World War II – The Western Front.
- ‘ Treaty of Munich’ 1938
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