The German Question, Part One Hundred Thirty-Six

"Hitler Rules Germany" Part Two/C
"Germany In World War Two" Part One/B
"War Comes To Europe" Part Two

Many historians view September 1, 1939 as the beginning of World War Two, but it is important to remember, Japan and China had been fighting off and on since the early 1930s, and Japan and its satellite entity, Manchukuo (a part of Manchuria), also came into conflict with the Soviet Union in that area. In 1939, Germany and Japan were "loosely" connected by an anti-Communism pact, which they had signed in the latter part of 1936, and it wasn't until 1940 that they became true military allies. Also in 1936, Germany and Italy had signed a "friendship pact," known commonly as "the Rome-Berlin Axis," which later gave the two countries and their other allies the name, "the Axis powers." This pact was expanded in May 1939 as much more of a military alliance as "the Pact of Steel" between Germany and Italy.

With the invasion of Poland by Germany, and with both Britain and France allied to Poland, you might think there would have been a swift declaration of war on Germany by Britain and France, but that was not the case. While the public, many legislative members, and some cabinet members in both countries wanted an immediate declaration of war on Germany, the more prominent government leaders hesitated, and instead issued a warning to Hitler, that he must withdraw his military forces from Poland before any large-scale talks on Danzig or the Polish Corridor could begin. In an attempt to add weight to the statement and to placate the public and certain government members, they included in the "warning," that if Germany did not withdraw her forces from Poland, Britain and France would honor their alliances with Poland, with the implication being, they would declare war on Germany. There was some diplomatic activity attempted through Hermann Göring, who, while close with Hitler, and indeed his designated successor,* was opposed to the invasion of Poland, because of the possible war with Britain and France. Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, now criticized even by members of his own political party for lack of a declaration of war, faced the reality that Hitler had to be confronted militarily. Laying Göring's diplomatic effort aside, Chamberlain issued a direct ultimatum to Hitler to begin to withdraw German forces from Poland, or Britain would declare war within a couple of hours. No answer was received from Hitler, and Chamberlain announced that Britain was at war with Germany. France followed with a similar ultimatum and the consequent announcement of war. A general European war had erupted; it was September 3, 1939.

The irony to all of this was, Britain and France had chosen NOT to help Czechoslovakia over a matter far more egregious, the German occupation of March 1939. They now went to war over what they themselves felt was a justified German grievance, the city of Danzig.

In Germany, Hitler was a bit stunned that the "little worms"** had taken a stand against him. Göring said, "If we lose this war, then may heaven be merciful to us."***

* Hitler formally named Göring as his successor in his speech to the Reichstag on September 1,  1939 when he said: "Should something happen to me in this struggle, then my first successor will be party comrade Göring" (German: "Sollte mir in diesem Kampf etwas zustoßen, dann ist mein erster Nachfolger Parteigenosse Göring.")

** About a week before the attack on Poland, Hitler said about the British and French leaders, "Our enemies are 'little worms.' I saw them in Munich," in reference to the Munich Conference which began the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. ("Unsere Gegner sind kleine Würmchen. I sah sie in München.")

*** "Wenn wir diesen Krieg verlieren, dann möge uns der Himmel gnädig sein."

WORD HISTORY:
Panzer-This word, borrowed from German, came into usage in English during the World War Two era, and it has been used in reference to German tanks ever since, including in books, on television and in movies. The ultimate origin of its ancestor is unknown. It goes back to Latin "panticem," which meant "belly, stomach," whose nominative form was "pantex." This was inherited by Old French, a Latin-based language, as "pance," which then spawned "panciere," which meant "armor or mail^ to protect the abdominal area." German borrowed the word (1200s or 1300s???) as "panzier," and later, in its modern spelling as "Panzer," the notion of "armor" remained, although the "stomach, belly" idea died out in German. "Technically" it does not mean "tank," although usage in both German and English has certainly made it synonymous with "tank," but the actual German word for tank is "Panzerkampfwagen;" German being known for stringing words together as one "super word," and it means, "armor(ed) battle wagon/vehicle." Now you know why they just say "Panzer." For those studying German, it is masculine; thus, "der Panzer."

^ Mail, not the "letter" kind, but rather "armor, chain mesh," used by the knights of old.