See how it looked in 1939

Germany Invades Polish Borders; Allies Mobilize

By the Associated Press

Reuters, British News Agency reported from Berlin today that the German Supreme Command had issued this announcement at 11:40 A.M. (5:40 A.M., E.S.T.):

“In the fulfillment of their task to offer resistance to Polish force, German troops have crossed all the frontiers to counterattack.

“The air arm has also come into action. The Navy has taken over the protection of the Baltic.”

The announcement, Reuters said, was broadcast by the German radio soon after it was announced that bombs had been dropped on Warsaw.

Subsequently the German High command issued a communiqué which said that the German troops which started from Pomerania Silesia and East Prussia were well under way toward their objectives, and that the Air Force is “controlling Polish air.”

At the same time London dispatches stated that King George today signed an order in council for complete British Army, Navy, and Aviation mobilization and a similar order was made in France to take effect tomorrow.

The attitude of Britain’s dominions was indicated, as far as Canada was concerned, when the Ottawa Government placed all militia and naval and air forces of the Dominion on an active basis under proclamation of the war measures act of 1914.

Swastika Flies

Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King announced that, as soon as Parliament assembles Sept. 7 in emergency session, it would be asked to authorize the Government to give the most effective co-operation to Great Britain in the present crisis.

The German radio announced that the League of Nations Commissioner for Danzig, Prof. Carl Burckhardt, and his staff left Danzig this morning.

The German swastika immediately was raised over the red brick house which had been headquarters of League Commissioners since after the World War Danzig became a free city, under League protection and a unit of the Polish Customs Administration.

Hitler declared his intention to lead his forces at the front, and named Field Marshal Göring as his first choice for succession to the Nazi leadership if he were killed.

He called Germany’s Army the best equipped in the world, and confidently assured Germany that “there will not be another November, 1918.”

A Reuters dispatch from Warsaw today said the Polish official radio announced that the German Army had invaded Poland, attacking towns in or near the Polish Corridor (Pomorze) and in Upper Silesia.

At the same time, Polish towns, including Cracow and Katowitz, were reported to have been bombed from the air.

The only signs of Polish resistance so far have been a Warsaw message saying that the Poles had brought down four German airplanes at Gdynia and German news agency reports announcing a Polish bombing of Beuthen in German Silesia and the sounding of air-raid sirens in Berlin.

Striking at Corridor

The Polish radio said Germany was striking at the Corridor both from the East and the West – from the East at the town of Dzialdowo on the East Prussian Border, and from the West at Chojnice, about 60 miles from Danzig. Dzialdowo is about 80 miles northwest of Warsaw.

Fighting in Upper Silesia is in the region Czestochowa, about 120 miles southwest of Warsaw.

Budapest dispatches stated that German troops had crossed the Polish Border between the Vistula River and Deutsch-Eylau early this morning. German planes attacked Dirschau and the bridge over the Vistula.

A tank attack was directed against Zakopani from Slovakia.

German armored cars moved against a section of Kraszta and against Praepice.

An infantry battalion equipped with tanks moved against Lubliniec, Tarnowski, and Gori.

Whole Border Involved

Dispatches from Havas, French News Agency, reported from Warsaw that hostilities between Germany and Poland had spread to the entire frontier, including that of Slovakia.

Westerplatt and Puck, Polish Territory near Danzig, were bombed, also Cracow, Katowitz, Grodno, Teschen, and Dirschau. It reported also that three bombs were dropped in Gdynia.

Military Objectives Aim

A German Government spokesman denied Warsaw reports that the German airforce was bombing the open Polish cities.

“Our planes bombed military objectives near these cities,” the spokesman said, “but no attack was made on defenseless towns or on the Polish population.”

Air Raid Alarms

In Warsaw after three air raid alarms, when the German raiders apparently failed to break through Warsaw defenses, a fourth saw bombs actually dropped on the city.

The Polish public was taking the alarms with remarkable calm.

It was announced that initial German attacks on Westerplatte in Danzig, where Poland has maintained an ammunition depot, were repulsed by Polish troops.

The Polish Embassy in Paris announced that “German reports of pretended violation of German territory by Poland are pure invention, as is the fable of an ‘attack’ by Polish insurgents on Gleiwitz.”

Danzig Cut Off

News in Warsaw that Danzig now is virtually under complete control of Germany was intensified by reports from the free city of what Poles called “new aggressive activity” by Danzig Nazis. One was that all communications between Danzig and the Polish port of Gdynia had been cut off.

Polish railway lines to Gdynia run through Danzig, where all railway stations already have been occupied by free city Nazis.

Mobilization was in full swing yesterday and foreign experts agreed that it was being carried out with undoubted skill and efficiency.

Those older men not yet called up rushed to volunteer in such large numbers that authorities asked them to remain away from military concentration points for the time being.

The organ of New Zionists promised that Poland’s 3,500,000 Jews “wait in full preparedness” to do their part in defense of the Nation.

Radio broadcasts announced that Warsaw would be blacked out nightly from now on.

Polish Attack

Meanwhile from Berlin DND, the German Official News Agency, reported from Marienwerder that Polish bands, supported by regular Polish soldiers, had attacked the railway station at Alt Eiche, in West Prussia.

German guards responded with machine gun fire, the agency reported, and the Poles retreated.

These battles were reportedly going on at about the same time that, the news agency said, “Polish insurgents” invaded the Gleiwitz radio station.

From Bratislava come reports that the Slovak Government, replying to a Polish protest concerning occupation of Slovakia by German troops, called on Poland yesterday to return territory to Slovakia.

The announcement said the situation existing before last September’s partition of Czechoslovakia, when Poland occupied the Javorina District, must be reestablished before Slovakia can change attitude.

Meanwhile German bombers flew in increasing numbers over the Slovak Capital toward the Polish frontier where 500,000 German troops were reported in position.

At sea the German fleet was active in the Baltic, establishing a blockade of the Polish port of Gdynia.

German warships started clearing neutral shipping off the Baltic.

The German Air Defense ordered the grounding of all but military planes.

Of the smaller nations the Swiss Federal Council today decreed general mobilization of the Swiss Army for tomorrow.

The Belgian Cabinet ordered the third stage of mobilization effective immediately as a precautionary move.

As to defense regulations the British Government has applied restrictions upon the purchase of food and upon flights of civil aircraft in the United Kingdom.

It was made an offense for anyone to buy more than a week’s supply of any kind of food. The restriction does not apply to stocks of food acquired by merchants in the ordinary manner, but it is an offense for a merchant to sell to a customer if he has grounds for knowing the customer is buying an excessive quantity.

It was stated officially that the order does not mean there is a food shortage. The Government’s plan was designed to prevent profiteering and to maintain the flow of distribution and provide all regularly with a fair share.

One week’s supply of food generally was taken as a reasonable maximum limit.

The Board of Trade authorized search of any premises to learn whether the order was being contravened.

The civil aircraft flight restrictions were announced about the same time. Certain areas were announced as prohibited, including most of Eastern England.

Land planes were restricted to landings at Shoreham, Belfast, Bristol, Liverpool, and Perth, and flying boats to Poole and Pembroke.

Planes were forbidden to fly at night. The carriage of arms, explosives, and cameras, and the transmission of radio messages other than those for navigation purposes, were forbidden.

All planes were ordered to carry identity and nationality documents for all crew members and to display prominently their identification marks.

One result of the order was that Croydon Airport was closed to civil aviation. It was expected that air services from the Continent would be suspended.

The mobilization in France means that every able-bodied Frenchman is called for military service, and experts estimated it would put a total of 8,000,000 men under arms. Mobilization date is tomorrow.

The state of siege was proclaimed throughout France and Algeria by an emergency Cabinet meeting.

As to the strategy of the campaign so far as it can be gathered today, two German armies are said to be striking swift blows toward the heart of Poland in an apparent effort to pinch off the Corridor before the French and British war machines could be brought into action.

Göring’s Instructions

The campaign was set in motion by Field Marshal Göring who, after telling the Air Force that its “great hour has arrived,” continued:

“Fliers – in lightning attacks you will annihilate the enemy wherever he presents himself for battle or retreats in full rout!

“Men of the ground organization – you will be happy conscientiously to make preparations for attacks and for the safety of your comrades in the air!

“Anti-aircraft artillerymen – you will bring down every attacker!

“Radiomen – upon you devolves the responsibility of insuring the quick and frictionless co-operation of our Air Force!

“Comrades! I look each of you in the eyes and pledge each of you to give all for the people and the Fatherland. At your head, our beloved Führer; behind you, the entire German Nation united in National Socialism.

“Then there can be but one slogan for us: Victory!”

General von Brauchitsch’s orders said: “In the certainty of our just cause we enter the fight for a clear aim: the lasting security of German folkdom and German living space against foreign attacks and claims to power…. Forward with God for Germany!”

Admiral Raeder stated: “The Führer’s call has reached us. The hour of decision finds us ready to give our all for the honor, justice, and liberty of our Fatherland.

“Remembering our glorious tradition, we will conduct the fight in unshakable confidence in our Führer and in firm belief in the greatness of our people and the Reich.

“Long live the Führer!”