Xx-xx-xx02The War Begins

World War II, a drama preserved for all time through the medium of radio, and era never to be forgotten. It is September 1, 1939. Chancellor Adolf Hitler is broadcasting to the German nation and the world.

It is 10 a.m. In London, Prime Minister Chamberlain of Great Britain is listening. In two days he will be speaking to the British Empire and the world. The war two is about to get underway.

The events leading up to this moment. Eleven months earlier in Munich, Chamberlain, Chancellor Adolf Hitler of Germany, Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Premier Eduard de La Dier of France, signed the pact that sealed the death of Czechoslovakia.

Chamberlain believed it to be peace in our time. This morning, another talk with the German Chancellor here, Hitler. And here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine. Since time last night and the Anglo-German naval agreement, as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples, never to go to war with one another again.

As Winston Churchill had prophesied, the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup that will be proffered to us year by year. Six months after Munich, Czechoslovakia became a German protectorate. Now Adolf Hitler was looking east to Poland, and that within the decisive year that followed Munich would earn first the scorn,

then the respect of the free world. Poland, a scavenger nation, grabbing land from helpless Czechoslovakia after Munich under the approving eye of Chancellor Hitler. Poland, next on Hitler's timetable of world domination. The mistakes of Munich had now been realized.

On March 31, 1939, Prime Minister Chamberlain spoke to Parliament. Said the Prime Minister, I now have to inform the House that in the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence, in which the Polish government considered it vital to resist with their national forces, his Majesty's government would feel themselves bound at