Floodlights at the Branderburg Gate Adolf Hitler 50th birthday

Lights at the Branderburg Gate

Gonfalonier in the birthday parade of Adolf Hitler 50th birthday

Gonfalonier


War Minus 1 Day : Wednesday 30th August 1939 - Countdown to War
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France : With war on the horizon, the government evacuates 16,000 children from Paris. 


Germany : Ambassador Henderson is informed from Britain that Hitler's demand for the arrival of a Polish plenipotentiary that day is unreasonable.

Germany : Henderson and Ribbentrop meet again, and this time come close to blows: Ribbentrop 'gabbles' through Hitler's latest proposals and refuses to give Henderson a copy of the text.

Germany : A document setting out the German demands in 16 points is prepared. 

They include: the annexation of Danzig by Germany; a corridor across the Danzig Corridor; a plebiscite to be held in the Corridor area in 12 months time, and a later exchange of populations. The port of Gdynia was to be recognized as Polish, thus leaving Poland with access to the sea. It is not put to the Polish ambassador until 1 September, although they are broadcast over German radio on the evening of the 31st.

Germany : [Tomorrow the OKW will issue] Führer Directive #1 for the Conduct of the War.

Germany : Hermann Göring is appointed Reich Council Chairman for National Defence. 
New Zealand : The Army mobilises the Regular Force and Special Reserve and coastal defenses were manned. 

Poland : Beck tells Kennard that Polish mobilisation will resume at midnight. By 4.30 p.m. all Polish towns are covered with posters summoning up all men up to the age of 40 to report for enlistment.

Poland : Poland sends all 4 of their destroyers, and 1 submarine to the UK. Their other 4 submarines are sent to positions in the western Baltic. 

Switzerland : Henri Guisan is elected by the Swiss Federal Assembly as General. The Swiss Army only elects a General when their neutrality is threatened and Guisan is only the fourth General in Swiss history. 

United Kingdom : Sudden optimism on the London Stock Exchange, as Hitler is said to have studied Chamberlain's speech with care.

United Kingdom : Military guards are posted on all railway stations.

United Kingdom : D-notices are issued to newspapers, forbidding publication of specified aspects of news.

United Kingdom : 5.30 p.m. message is sent from the Foreign Office to Berlin, after receiving reports of German sabotage in Poland,

" Germany must exercise complete restraint if Poland were to do so as well."

United Kingdom : The last first class cricket games of the pre-war period get under way. Lancashire play Surrey at Old Trafford (home of Lancashire Cricket Club), because the Oval has already been designated as a potential prisoner of war camp (for expected German parachutists).

United Kingdom : RMS Queen Mary sets sail from Southampton for New York City on its last commercial voyage. The ship will remain berthed at New York until the end of the year while it was decided what role the ship would play in the war.
taken from fb /Trevor Solley