On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany began World War II when it
invaded Poland. Two days later – exactly 75 years ago today –
Britain and France responded, honoring their commitment to protect
Poland’s border, by declaring war on Germany.
U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who had attempted
appeasement to avoid war, stated:
This is a sad day for all of us, and to none is it sadder than
to me. Everything that I have worked for, everything that I have
believed in during my public life, has crashed into ruins. There is
only one thing left for me to do: That is, to devote what strength
and powers I have to forwarding the victory of the cause for which
we have to sacrifice so much… I trust I may live to see the day
when Hitlerism has been destroyed and a liberated Europe has been
re-established.
Watch his declaration of war:
At this point, Germany had already incorporated Austria and
seized key military defense positions from Czechoslovakia.
Two weeks after Britain’s and France’s declarations, the Soviet
Union, which had made secret agreements with Germany, invaded
Poland.
The United States was very hesitant to join the Britain.
Congress passed legislation to
ensure neutrality, and even in 1940, as many as
80 percent of Americans polled opposed intervention. Not until
December 8, 1941, the day after the Pearl Harbor attack did
President Franklin Roosevelt declare war on Japan. Three days
later, Roosevelt declared war on Germany and Italy. The latter two
received unanimous approval from the House and Senate. The
declaration against Japan was opposed only by pacifist Republican
Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress.
Not since has the United States formally declared war before
engaging in military action.
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