Radio Paris – An Address by Prime Minister Edouard Daladier – September 21, 1939 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection-
The French Premier Edouard Daladier in a world broadcast declared France would fight until “complete victory” crushed Hitler and Germany’s dream of “world French Tighten Defences. As Daladier spoke, the French on the Western Front were reported strengthening their lines in German territory to withstand the shock of an offensive the Germans were believed preparing, now that the conquest of Poland, with the aid of Russian invasion. seemed complete. Daladier said frankly that the reason’ appeals for peace by the Pope, President Roosevelt the Oslo group of nations and others failed was that a secret agreement on the partition of Poland had been concluded ‘between. Russia and Germany.
Daladier said frankly that the reason’ appeals for peace by the Pope, President Roosevelt the Oslo group of nations and others failed was that a secret agreement on the partition of Poland had been concluded ‘between. Russia and Germany. Until now Daladier had with held official statements on the Russian invasion of Poland. Daladier declared “the destruction of Poland had been resolved secretly in In a reference to the abruptly broken off negotiations between Russia, Great Britain and France which he once referred to as a “Stop Hitler” the French Premier declared that “Poland’s destruction was being prepared by arms and secret treaties even while there was a pretense of negotiations’. The Russian army, Daladier said, struck Poland in the rear “as the result of a secret treaty “In said Daladier, who is his own Foreign Minister, “an accord for the dismemberment of Poland was concluded between Germany and the U.S.S.R- on August 23.
It was a new war, and with Russia now aligned with Germany, Italy and Japan, the future looked far from certain. Germany had lied about its promises and its motives, and France was now thrown into a war it didn’t want. But, as Daladier pointed out, it was a fight for human dignity and dignity in the world – and it was committed to pledging full support to the allied cause.
Here is that complete address by Premier Edouard Daladier, with simultaneous English translation, as it was originally broadcast from Paris Radio on September 21, 1939.
