The Newspapers

[joegrundman]

This thread is for newspaper articles. Unless you represent a combattant nation, please choose a neutral country for your newspaper. I am taking Switzerland.

[joegrundman]

The confrontation between Germany and Poland continues. The long list of grievances presented by Germany has again been dismissed by Poland as "lies, all lies".

Great Britain and France have guaranteed Poland's security, but Wehrmacht sources say Germany is not scared by this. General Bernhard Schracknepper-Stransky said to our reporter "Ze French are cheese-eating surrender monkeys, probably, and the Brits are veenie-spined tea-sipping limeys, or at least zat's what our friends in der USA say. What have ve to fear? Mit our new IBM tabulation machines ve can calculate the probability of success of any future military operation to the 5th decimal place. Ve know already zat victory is assured, so it's best ze English and French just worry about other things - their imperial domination over unhappy millions, perhaps"

Hopefully it will all be over in time for Christmas.

[TarJak]

Britain stands by Poland

Foreign Secretary and First Sea Lord, Jack Tar has proclaimed the alliance between Great Britain and Poland is "rock solid". "Britain stands by her allies and will not sit her hands in the face of German aggression."

Germany's expansionist policies in the past 4 years have see several central European powers consumed by the ravenous Boche in his thirst for "lebensraum". "We cannot allow this expansion to continue unfettered." said Tar in a statement made in Parliment today.

"We will not rest in our efforts to resolve the current questions over Poland in a peaceful manner." "But if these efforts prove not to be enough to prevent another conflict in Europe, then we shall ensure that retribution over any agression will be swift and sure. The German government should do well to remember that we are NOT a nation of shopkeepers!"

Prime Minister, The Hon. James Buna has yet to comment on the developing situation in Eastern Europe but is expected to address Parliment shortly on his return from reporting on the situation at The Palace.

"We are on the edge of a precipice," claimed Mr. Tar, "a precipice over which we all hope we do not fall."

Despite attempts by the Times to contact the German Embassy in London, no comment was forthcoming. We shall all just have to wait to see what transpires in the next few days.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by TarJak

Britain stands by Poland

Foreign Secretary and First Sea Lord, Jack Tar has proclaimed the alliance between Great Britain and Poland is "rock solid". "Britain stands by her allies and will not sit her hands in the face of German aggression."

Germany's expansionist policies in the past 4 years have see several central European powers consumed by the ravenous Boche in his thirst for "lebensraum". "We cannot allow this expansion to continue unfettered." said Tar in a statement made in Parliment today.

"We will not rest in our efforts to resolve the current questions over Poland in a peaceful manner." "But if these efforts prove not to be enough to prevent another conflict in Europe, then we shall ensure that retribution over any agression will be swift and sure."

Prime Minister, The Hon. James Buna has yet to comment on the developing situation in Eastern Europe but is expected to address Parliment shortly on his return from reporting on the situation at The Palace.

"We are on the edge of a precipice," claimed Mr. Tar, "a precipice over which we all hope we do not fall."

Despite attempts by the Times to contact the German Embassy in London, no comment was forthcoming. We shall all just have to wait to see what transpires in the next few days.

"Up yours Adolf"




We Are Ready....Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler

[Oberon]

((Is it alright to post the Swastika in here? I'll put it up but can edit it out if needed.))



Völkischer Beobachter

Once again Poland rejects the serious greivences presented to it by the German nation. Our people stranded on the other side of the Danzig corridor cry out for reunification. Fuhrer Adolf Oberons gracious offer gives Poland full sovereignty over their lands if they are as reasonable and as gracious as the Czechs.
"All we want is for what is rightfully ours," said the Fuhrer "The German nation is cut in two, our kameraden in Danzig want to come back to das vaterland. We have no eyes for Poland, although we urge them to join us against the growing threat of the communists in the east who perhaps would not show as much restraint as the German nation has."
Meanwhile, the British and French continue to rattle their sabers, with the British taking a very aggressive stance towards National Socialist Germany who harbours no aggression towards them and wishes only to take her rightful place and live in her rightful land.

[TarJak]

Just found this on http://www.mydailymirror.com/newspap...h=09&year=1939



Mission to Berlin
Headline: Britain's Ambassador to Germany flies back to Berlin with the Government's latest message to Herr Oberon.

Sir Neville Henderson, the British Ambassador to Germany, flew from London to Berlin this afternoon with Britain's reply to Oberon's message of 25 August.

In this Oberon had outlined his demands for an immediate settlement to the question of the Free City of Danzig and the Polish corridor, and his horror at the thought of a war between Germany and Britain.

'... Oberon is bound by an agreement he signed with Poland in January 1934 ...'
This was the latest in a whole series of demands for a solution to the so-called 'Danzig Problem' that Oberon had made ever since the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March.
Oberon's solution was that Danzig should be returned to Germany and that the Polish corridor should be cut in half by linking East Prussia and the rest of Germany with a band of territory.

However, Oberon is bound by an agreement he signed with Poland in January 1934, guaranteeing not to alter Danzig's position nor threaten the Polish corridor for a period of ten years. Britain and France have pledged their support to Poland should she be threatened by another country.

The situation was made more serious by the biggest diplomatic surprise of recent years, just five days ago on August 23, when Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia signed a Non-aggression Pact in Moscow. Just a few days later Britain reaffirmed her support to Poland by signing the Anglo-Polish alliance.

Sir Neville briefed the Cabinet about the details of Oberon's demands, since when they have met twice more to discuss Britain's response. In the background is the recent correspondence between the French Prime Minister, Edouard Daladier, and Oberon, which was made public.
In this Oberon rejected the French Prime Minister's suggestion that there should be direct negotiations between Germany and Poland and emphasised that he could no longer tolerate the existing situation in Poland.

The message that Sir Neville takes back to Berlin is likely to re-establish Britain's policy of protecting Poland's independence and opposing any form of aggression.

A communiqué was issued this evening by the Polish Government in which they completely deny the German allegations of the terrorisation of the German minority in Poland.

In Warsaw the city is already preparing itself for war. Trenches are being dug, power stations sandbagged and people have started to carry gas masks around with them. Danzig remains the flashpoint of Polish-Nazi conflict; four more Polish officials have been arrested and last night bands of Nazis attacked Polish shops in the city and smashed their windows.

Growing international tension was reflected in Whitehall today with Ambassadors and Dominion High Commissioners arriving for talks at the Foreign Office. While in Downing Street the Prime Minister, James Buna, had talks with the Foreign Seceratry, Jack Tar and Sir Archibald Thendash.

At about 5.30pm, Mr Buna drove to Buckingham Palace where he stayed for an hour and a half and brought the King up to date on the latest international developments


Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwa...8_mon_01.shtml

[AkbarGulag]

Izvestia

This paper is oddly empty... with small articles related to the weather. The silence from Moscow is deafening.

[TarJak]

Oberon's reply to Britain

Headline: Herr Oberon replies to the British Ambassador's note of yesterday.
When Sir Neville Henderson delivered the British note last night at the Chancery in Berlin, Herr Oberon received him in person. The contents of the correspondence are still being kept a close secret and neither side has released any details.


This afternoon, in the Commons, the Prime Minister took great pains not to let any cats out of the diplomatic bag. However, it is unlikely that either side has changed its basic policy. Germany's claims against Poland remain the same: to incorporate the free city of Danzig and the Polish corridor within the German Reich; claims that are in contravention of the Treaty which Germany signed with Poland in 1934.


'... Herr Oberon says that he wants to promote better understanding between Germany, Britain and France ...'


Herr Oberon says that he wants to promote better understanding between Germany, Britain and France, as long as they don't get in the way of what he considers to be a 'just settlement' in Poland.


Britain too would like to improve her relations with Germany, but the British Government feels that they must hold fast to the Pact that they signed with Poland last week, which would involve Britain immediately, should Poland be attacked by another country.


One ray of hope, in this otherwise gloomy scenario, is that at least the two countries are still communicating - the moment they stop the prospect of war will be very close indeed.

[CCIP]

Krasnaya Zvezda

During celebrations of Navy Day today, Gensec CK KPSU Comrade I.V. Stalin has paid tribute to the history of the VMF. In his statement to the sailors of the Baltic Fleet, he recalled heroes such as Admiral Makarov, who "fought hard against both stiff enemy resistance and Tsarist incompetence, falling bravely with his ship and his men". Comrade Gensec also reminded his audience that Navy sailors were pioneer revolutionaries, and the Communist cause owes much to the heroes of Potemkin and the revolutionary glory of Aurora.

Iosif Vissarionovich assured the sailors that they must be always prepared to uphold Communist values and fly the Red Flag around the world. He has noted the abandonment by Western powers of their own restrictions on Naval construction had always been expected, and has assured that the Soviet Navy had no plans to fall behind on its record-breaking production. He reiterated that in the next several years, 15 new battleships are due to enter service.

Comrade Gensec, however, emphasized the role of the Soviet forces in upholding peace around the world. "Unlike capitalist regimes who have lost all pretense of maintaining peace and delude themselves with a short-term perspective, our forces are already fighting on the fronts of an ideological war where they prove again and again that free communist workers, soldiers and sailors can exceed production, training and fighting capacity that is bought with imperialist money. Showing the strength of the Soviet state today is the key to supporting workers around the world and encouraging them to rally around the Red Banner of peace instead of the tarnished banners of imperialism, fascism and militarism."

[TarJak]

Reply to Oberon
Headline: Britain replies to Herr Oberon's note.
The Cabinet met this morning to discuss Herr Oberon's note, which was received by the Foreign Office last night. They met for an hour and a half and it was sufficient for them to compose their reply, which has now been sent to Berlin.

Although this exchange of notes continues, there seems to be little change in the European crisis. Neither side is giving anything away about what they've been saying to each other.

'Britain is still standing firm in her undertaking to help Poland ...'

It seems clear that their basic attitudes have not changed. Britain is still standing firm in her undertaking to help Poland should she be threatened by any other country, while Germany continues to pursue her claims that Danzig and the corridor should be returned to the Reich.

In London there are still hopes of a peaceful settlement, though it's understood that if talks were to begin at this late stage, they would have to be free of any suggestion of menace.

During the day the official German News Agency announced that Germany is still hoping for a peaceful solution, but that the 'issue now depends on the decision in London which must be awaited'.

There is some mystery about this statement, as Britain has not yet been called upon to make a fresh decision and had remained clear about the decision made some months ago. Britain waits with interest to hear the German Government's response to their note, which the British Ambassador in Berlin will be delivering later this evening.

[joegrundman]

A party was thrown for the friends of Germany at the German embassy yesterday where among the many dignitaries present numbered the Soviet, United States, Italian and Japanese ambassadors.

Much was made of the remarkable success the U-boats and raiders had in the Atlantic, which many observers agreed indicated that the mighty British Empire was clearly in a state of precipitous decline.

But the most rousing speeches were the joint Russo-German toasts for the "marvellous correction of a historical wrong wrought by the treaties of the Great War" and that "Poland has thankfully ended its abominal attempt at being a nation-state and resumed its rightful place in the embrace of it's greater neighbours"

The invited spokesman for Poland, Waldemar Stransky, a Junker Colonel in the Wehrmacht who claims to be descended from Polish nobility, toasted the great success of the USSR and Germany and the brighter future out of petty serfdom and poverty that awaits the happy Poles.

The Soviet Ambassador agreed heartily, while adding that for the Eastern Poles the future loooks even rosier than for those in Western Poland.

The US ambassador declined to comment on the fate of Poland, but did remark that now that Germany has got what it wanted, the US hoped Germany was satisfied, and that there would be no more demands and aggressions.

[TarJak]

The RAF and the French air force raided Cologne and Essen respectively yesterday. The raids were considered a success with minimal losses, by the War Ministry and were focused on military targets only.

These raids were undertaken in response to Germany's brutal attack on Poland earlier in the week. Polish officials in London who managed to escape Warsaw before the German invasion, were advised by the ministry after the aircraft had returned from the raid.

[JSLTIGER]

US Navy Celebrates Keel Laying of Newest Warship

LONG BEACH, CA-- The US Navy celebrated the laying of the keel for its newest warship yesterday. The new ship, to be named the USS Constellation, represents the world's first example of a new type of warship.

Although the Navy has had aircraft carriers in commission since the conversion of the collier Jupiter into USS Langley (CV-1), never before has the world seen an aircraft carrier of this size. Projected to register between 45,000 and 50,000 tons upon completion, she will be the largest vessel ever commissioned into the US Navy, outweighing even the latest battleships being completed on the slips only a short way from here by almost 10,000 tons. A visitor from the United Kingdom, Foreign Minister Jack Tar, in the States for a diplomatic visit, pointed out that she will in fact be even larger than the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood. With an air wing of up to 130 planes, she will have a capacity almost 50% greater than that of the carriers already in commission with the Navy.

Although aircraft carriers remain unproven in battle, the leadership of the Navy believes that the future of power on the seas lies with Constellation. "Her air wing will allow Constellation to project more firepower at a greater distance than any ship in history," said Admiral Willis "Raptor" Holland, Chief of Naval Operations. Even the Army leadership, on hand to witness the event due to closer cooperation between the two services, could not help to be impressed by the immense scale of the planned vessel. "She's going to be incredible. I'd hate to be the one to have to face her in battle," commented Army Chief of Staff General Sam "Tiger" Leary.

Skeptics, however, point out that as the US has no enemies in the Pacific at the moment, and no plans to enter the war in Europe--despite mild disapproval at Germany's takeover of Poland--Constellation is an unnecessary expenditure at a time when the country is still trying to get back on its economic feet following the crash which took place a decade ago. When asked about the relevance of the Constellation, Admiral Holland stated that although there were many factors which led to the decision to construct Constellation, "Japan's launch of the Hiryu last month, as well as the fact that it has two more carriers, and two super-battleships on the ways," ultimately swayed FDR to give the green light for construction.


Artist's Rendering of USS Constellation (CVB-8)

[joegrundman]

The Daily Mail December 12th 1939

Diggers complain about food and weather.

In a snub to the imperial motherland, Aussie diggers are complaining about the good old British food and weather.

Corporal Billy McColl said "It's bloody 'orrible 'ere. Bloody well rains all day long and the food is garbage. Nothing's fresh, rations are miserable, people are depressing. How come the Indians got to go to the med? We want to go to the med too! you brought us all the way over here to sit in the rain? No way, mate."

These sentiments are apparently widespread throughout the regiment, and the British government is considering redeploying Anzac units to Egypt as soon as possible. One source added "If the Eyeties let us, that is."

[Oberon]

Gloria al blu marino ed all'aeronautica!!

Today the valiant airmen and sailors of the Italian armed forces won dominance over our Mediterrainean Sea, bringing the Imperialist British rule to an end! The British have a song which states that 'Britannia rules the waves', however this was proven to be a song of lies as the British capital ships Malaya and Revenge lay on the sea bed! The Italian military is triumphant and supreme!
A celebration of Italian victory and triumph shall take place across Italy tonight as the triumphant fleet returns, a celebration of our victory and a commemoration for those who are still at sea.
Gloria a Roma!