Countdown to War
This is how Britain found out that they were at war. . .
At 11.15 a.m. on 3 September 1939, Britain's Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain made this radio announcement :
"I am speaking to you now from the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing
Street. This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note, stating that unless we heard from them by 11o'clock
that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state
of war would exist between us. I have to tell you that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany."

    This announcement was not a big surprise to lots of the people who were listening because they were expecting war.
   After losing the First World War (1914-1918), the Germans were made to sign the Treaty of Versailles. This said that Germany would have to pay for damage done during the war and that it could not a big army or any tanks, submarines or warplanes. Lots of people in Germany thought that this was too strict especially the Nazi party. The Nazi gained support in Germany by promising to break this treaty and make germany rich and powerful again.
    Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 in Germany and started to build up his army and his military units. In 1938 he took over Austria and Czechoslovakia and broke the treaty. Then on 1 September 1939, he moved his troops into Poland. This was when Britain and France declared war on Germany.
    Britain had begun preparing for well before it was declared. By then millions of gas masks had been given out to the public in case poison gas was dropped on the country. Also many children had been evacuated - sent away from the main cities to live in the countryside.
 
 

 
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