Posted on 10/02/2009 4:53:39 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/myday/displaydoc.cfm?_y=1939&_f=md055386
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt
October 2, 1939
NEW YORK, Sunday—I have paid two visits to the New York World’s Fair since I have been in New York City, and I really feel that I have seen a good deal. I have been through the Federal Building again and each time I find it more interesting than the last. I saw the General Motors show that gives one visions of the possible discoveries which may be made in the next few years in the fields of science. I think it is probably the most encouraging thing that I have seen, for, in pointing out how the first telephone was received and then explaining what we know about certain scientific facts and how little we really understand them, the vision of what may lie before us must come even to the most unimaginative. Great fields of new employment lie open to our young people if our scientists are able to delve further into the mysteries which lie all about us in the universe.
A fitting climax to this show is to walk through what is supposed to be a New York City street of 1892, lighted by gas, with shops and houses of that period and the cobbled streets. I understand that the young man who arranged it is English, and that explains the fact that I felt I was walking in an English street rather than in one of the streets of my childhood in this country. However, this makes no difference in the illumination of the change that has come in this short period.
The Eastman Kodak show, with its beautiful colored pictures, must put ambition into every photographer and shows one what charming pictures lie all about us.
Mr. Hungerford, in his “Railroads On Parade,” has created a delightful pageant. Here again it seems incredible that such changes have come about in such a short time. We would hesitate to consider the first tiny sailboat safe in the Hudson River. I think the thing that amused me most was the train that was drawn by horses because the engine was delayed in arriving. The Pennsylvania engine was not very polite to us, and we were almost as wet as though we had been out in the rain when it finally reached its station in front of us!
Friday night I went to see “The Philadelphia Story” with Katharine Hepburn. It is a most entertaining play, but I cannot help feeling that even a sophisticated, disagreeable child could be as odious as Dinah. Perhaps Mr. Barry, the author, had to point her up in this manner, and perhaps there is no need for sticking to reality so long as you get your point across—but to me she seemed a very unreal phenomenon. We had a delightful evening and I think Miss Hepburn and all the cast do so well that this play deserves its great success.
Last night we saw Billy Rose’s Aquacade Show out at the Fair and it is so delightful that it should not be missed by anyone. We watched the fountains from the French Pavilion during dinner and the colors seem more beautiful to me each time I see them.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601391002,00.html
Table of Contents: October 2, 1939
interesting how it seems germany and russia want a time out but all of a sudden churchill is pounding the war drum. wonder what would have happened if england had taken hitler’s offer of a cease fire.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/oct39/f02oct39.htm
Monday, October 2, 1939
Americas declare coastal security zone
In Panama City... The Inter-American Conference, with 21 countries participating, establishes a 300-mile security zone off the American coast in which any act of war is to be interpreted as a hostile act against the country concerned.
In Britain... Special tribunals begin to deal with an estimated 50,000 enemy aliens registered in the London area.
In France... A Franco-Czech agreement is signed providing for the raising of a Czech National Army in exile.
In Berlin... The German government advises the United States that all merchant ships in international waters will be subject to boarding by German naval forces to search for contraband.
Over Germany... The RAF makes its first nighttime leaflet raid on Berlin.
It would have been disasterous. The Germans wanted a cease fire in order to resupply and move troops around without risk, they always planned to attack the UK and France at a later date. Churchill was one of the few people who understood that the war NEEDED to be fought and the sooner the better.
If you read up on the "Phoney War", the period of time between early October, 1939 and the invasion of Belgium and France in May, 1940, you will see that the lack of major land confrontation between the Allies and the Nazis actually was used to the Nazis advantage.
all true, althouygh i am struck by how wide of the mark churchills assessment of the upcoming war is. he says they are much better off than ww1, whereas the truth turned out the opposite, i.e. dunkirk.
perhaps if he had a better idea of what was about to happen he could have taken the time to beef up his own forces.
one could argue the only thing that really saved england was japan attacking pearl harbor. without that they probably would have lost, or russia would have beat hitler alone and all europe be under russia.
for the record i also note that churchills major war objective, to free Poland, was not met. Poland ended up still incaptivity, just russia not russia and germany.
just another example, that when you get in a war you have no idea how it will turn out, none.
Some smart Hollywood producer should make this play into a movie. With the right cast it could do well.
You must remember at this time Churchill was not PM. He was ‘merely’ First Sea Lord. Chamberlain was PM and probably reflected the mood of the electorate at the time.
And I agree that the US saved Europe’s bacon. Churchill said as much on 12/7/41.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/churchill/interactive/_html/wc0142_1.html
Winston S. Churchill. The Second World War, vol. 3
In Churchill’s history of The Second World War he wrote of his emotions upon hearing that Japan had attacked United States forces at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Only “silly people, and there were many,” underestimated American strength. For him, the entry of the United States into the war meant that the ultimate outcome—favorable for his country—was now assured. Feeling “the greatest joy” that the attack had arrayed his mother’s country on the side of Britain, he “went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful.”
Does Riga Latvia yeild to Russia as easily as Estonia?
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's "major war objective" may have been to free Poland. When Churchill became Prime Minister, his "major war objective" was the complete and utter destruction of Nazi Germany.
What do you think? Did he achieve that?
My beloved late Father met Jimmy Stewart, who was in
“The Philadelphia Story”, while they were both serving in England during WWII. They were in a mess hall with a few hundred other GI’s. My Dad sat across from Jimmy. He sat down and said,”Hello.” Then preceded to eat his meal. Dad said he chewed every bite 20 times.He said that must be why Jimmy was so skinny! Mr. Stewart was one of my favorite Actors and a great American!
Jerzy Matusinski, the Polish diplomat, was apparently never found. It appears that he (along with the drivers) was seized by the NKVD, held briefly in Kiev, and taken to Moscow on October 8 of that year. (One of the drivers apparently turned up in Russia. My source is a Google translation of a Polish Wikipedia page, so assume the risk.
It also appears that the diplomat may have served in the US earlier in his career.
i could argue it wasnt achieved, because the objective was to free europe from tyranny, but at least half of europe ended up under the soviets, so no, i dont think any of the major war objectives of UK were met, plus, they were a broken country afterward, quickly succumbed to socialism and economic decline.
all around, its a toss up who ended worse, well maybe not toss up, but you get the point.
just another way of saying no one had any idea what they were getting into, or how the world would look when over.
You misunderstand. The allies' "major war objective" was not to "free europe from tyranny." It was to defeat Nazi Germany, period.
And this goal was impossible without the full efforts of Stalin's Soviet Russia.
It has often been said, and is true -- the choice facing Churchill, FDR & other western leaders was not between a Europe ruled by tyranny or freedom. Rather their choice was: would all of Europe be ruled by Nazi Germany, or could they save the western half at the price of letting Stalin rule the East?
They rightly chose the latter.
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