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3 The Approach of War: November 1938 to August 1939
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2009
Extract
Friday 11 November 1938 Armistice Day — and what a world today after those strenuous years of war. How little one thought that all that expenditure of blood and treasure would have so little result — that 20 years after we shall be, to all appearances, on the brink of another war. How helpless and hopeless we have all been since 1918 — in my heart of hearts during the war I always felt that we should learn nothing from our experiences — that as soon as peace came the cranks and fools would again obtain control — and they did — they shrieked for disarmament and pinned their faith in the League of Nations. They shut their eyes to the inevitable — and now here we are again vis à vis with Germany as we were in 1914 — only today our position is infinitely more dangerous as a result of air warfare — God knows what may be in store for us — pray that yet again he will see that England is preserved despite her follies and her thoughtlessness.
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References
1 translation: face to face.
2 Basil Sheridan Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (1909–45), P.P.S. to Lord Irwin (Viscount Halifax) 1932–36; Whip in the Lords 1936–37; U.S. Colonies 1937–40; sue. 4th Marquess of Dufferin & Ava 1930, killed in action in Burma 25 March 1945.
3 Robert Spear Hudson (1886–1957), Con. M.P. Whitehaven 1924–29, Southport 1931–52; P.S. Labour 1931–35; Min. of Pensions 1935–36; P.S. Health 1936–37; Sec. Overseas Trade 1937–40; Min. of Shipping 1940; Min. of Agric 1940–45; cr. Viscount Hudson 1952.
4 George Thomas Broadbridge (1869–1952), Con. M.P. City of London 1938–45; Sheriff of City of London 1933–34, Lord Mayor 1936–37; kt. 1929, cr. Bart. 1937, Baron Broadbridge 1945.
5 A Central Office publication containing basic material for speeches.
6 Walter Ross Taylor (1877–1958), Con. M.P. Woodbridge 1931–45.
7 Edward John Stanley (1907–1971), suc. 6th Baron Stanley of Alderley 1931, assumed style of 6th Baron Sheffield 1957.
8 Donald Sterling Palmer Howard (1891–1959), Con. M.P. Cumberland N. 1922–26; P.P.S. to H. Betterton, 1923–24, to W. Bridgeman 1925; U.S. War Office 1934–39; sue. 3rd Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal 1926.
9 Katharine Marjorie Stewart Murray (1874–1960), married 1899 Marquess of Tullibardine, sue. 8th Duke of Atholl 1917; Con. M.P. Kinross & W. Perth 1923–38 (resigned Con. whip May–October 1935 & from April 1938 and sat as Ind. Con.); P.S. Educ. 1924–29; the first woman to hold office in a Con. ministry.
10 Clifford William Hudson Glossop (1901–1975), Con. M.P. Penistone 1931–35, Howdenshire 1945–47, prospective cand. Berwick 1936–38; N.E. Area Meat & Livestock Officer 1940–44.
11 Leonard John Milburn (1884–1957), High Sheriff of Northumberland 1928–29; suc. 3rd Bart. 1917.
12 Herbert Hensley Henson (1863–1947), Canon of Westminster 1900–12, 1940–41; Dean of Durham 1912–18; Bishop of Hereford 1918–20; Bishop of Durham 1920–39: one of the most prominent clergymen of the inter-war era.
13 Lambeth Palace, official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
14 The visit of Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax to Rome, 10 Jan. 1939.
15 Maureen Stanley, Lady Londonderry's daughter.
16 Edward Charles Stewart Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart (1902–1955), Con. cand. Darlington 1929, M.P. Co. Down 1931–45; styled Viscount Castlereagh 1915–49, suc. 8th Marquess of Londonderry 1949; known as Robin, he had a drink problem.
17 Eustace Sutherland Campbell Percy (1887–1958), Con. M.P. Hastings 1921–37; P.S. Educ. 1923; P.S. Health 1923–24; Pres. Bd. of Educ. 1924–29; Min. without Portfolio 1935–36; Rector of King's College, Newcastle 1937–52; styled Lord Eustace after suc. of father as 7th Duke of Northumberland in 1899, cr. Baron Percy of Newcastle 1953.
18 The book containing Hitler's ideas and programme, written whilst in prison in 1923–24, which became the key text of the Nazi Party.
19 (Alfred) Ernle Montacute Chatfield (1873–1967), entered Navy 1886, Rear-Admiral 1920, Vice-Admiral 1930, Admiral 1935; 4th Sea Lord 1919–20; 3rd Sea Lord 1925–28; C. in C. Atlantic 1929–31, Med. 1931–32; 1st Sea Lord 1933–38; Min. for Co-ordination of Defence 1938–40; kt. 1918, cr. Baron Chatfield 1937.
20 A Baltic port which had been part of Prussia and then Germany until 1919.
21 In preparation for military conscription if needed, but at this point compulsory service was not applied and registration was voluntary.
22 John Anderson (1882–1958), civil service career; Chairman Bd. of Inland Revenue 1919–22; Perm. U.S. Home Office 1922–32; Gov. of Bengal 1932–37; Nat. M.P. Scottish Univ. 1938–50; Lord Privy Seal 1938–39; Home Sec. 1939–40; Lord Pres. 1940–43; Chanc, of the Exchequer 1943–45; kt. 1919, cr. Viscount Waverley 1952.
23 (Alfred) Ernest Brown (1881–1962), Lib. M.P. Rugby 1923–24, Leith 1927–45 (Lib. Nat. from 1931); P.S. Health 1931–32; Sec. for Mines 1932–35; Min. of Labour 1935–40; Scottish Sec. 1940–41; Min. of Health 1941–43; Chanc. Duchy of Lancaster 1943–45; Min. of Aircraft Production 1945.
24 Bernard Cruddas (1882–1959), Con. M.P. Wansbeck 1931–40; High Sheriff of Northumberland 1942.
25 Hugh Michael Seely (1898–1970), Lib. M.P. Norfolk E. 1923–24, Berwick 1935–41; P.P.S. to A. Sinclair 1940–41; U.S. Air 1941–45; sue. 3rd Bart. 1926, cr. Baron Sherwood 1941.
26 This position was held by the various Areas in rotation, and due to this unwritten convention normally no other nomination would be made.
27 Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home (1903–1995), Con. M.P. Lanark 1931–45, 1950–51, Kinross & W. Perth 1963–74; P.P.S. to N. Chamberlain 1935–40; U.S. For. Office 1945; M.S. Scotland 1951–55; Commonwealth Sec. 1955–60; Lord Pres. 1957, 1959–60; For. Sec. 1960–63, 1970–74; P.M. 1963–64; Con. Leader in the Lords 1957–60; Con. Leader 1963–65; styled Lord Dunglass 1918–51, suc. 14th Earl of Home 1951, disclaimed peerage 1963, cr. Baron Home of the Hirsel 1974, K.T. 1962.
28 Situated at the mouth of the River Vistula on the Baltic, Danzig was a Prussian city from the partition of Poland in 1793 to the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. It was then internationalised as a ‘Free City’, administered by a League of Nations Commissioner, as part of giving Poland a ‘corridor’ of access to the sea.
29 The ellipsis in is Headlam's original text.
30 The Versailles Treaty created the ‘corridor’ in order to ensure that Poland had independent access to the Baltic, but the territory was mainly German in population and also divided East Prussia from the rest of the Reich.
31 (George) Gilbert Aime Murray (1866–1957), Prof, of Greek, Glasgow Univ 1889–99; Regius Prof, of Greek, Oxford Univ. 1908–36; Lib. cand. Oxford Univ. 1918–29; Chairman, Exec. Council, League of Nations Union 1923–38; Pres., United Nations Association 1945–49.
32 Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945), Ass. Sec., U.S. Navy 1913–20; Gov. of New York State 1929–33; Pres. of U.S.A. 1933–45.
33 Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary.
34 Charles Edward Dunscomb Bridge (1886–1961), army career 1904–28, Gen. Statf 1915, Lt.-Col. 1918; Military Attache, Warsaw & Prague 1927–28, Rome 1940; Sec.-Gen., British Council 1934–40.
35 George Ambrose Lloyd (1879–1941), Con. M.P. Staffs. W. 1910–18, Eastbourne 1924–25; Gov. of Bombay 1918–23; High Comm. for Egypt & the Sudan 1925–29; Colonial Sec. 1940–41; Con. Leader in the Lords 1941; Chairman, British Council 1937–40; kt. 1918, cr. Baron Lloyd 1925.
36 From 29 April to 16 May 1939 Headlam visited Portugal to deliver a series of lectures on the British Army.
37 The Anglo-Portugese Alliance had been in existence since 1642.
38 The honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Laws, from Oxford University.
39 António de Oliveira Salazar (1889–1970), Portugese Min. of Finance 1928–32; P.M. 1932–68, with dictatorial powers; For. Minister 1936–47.
40 The publishing firm of Macmillan.
41 Frances Leggett (d. 1977), daughter of Francis Leggett of New York; married D. Margesson 1916, divorced 1940.
42 The crisis began when the manager of the Japanese-sponsored Federal Reserve Bank was assassinated at the Grand Theatre in the British territorial concession at Tientsin in northern China. In order to force the British authorities to hand over the Chinese nationals arrested for the crime, the Japanese military began a blockade of the settlement on 14 June 1939 during which they inflicted humiliations upon British citizens attempting to enter or leave.
43 An unofficial organization which fostered public support for the League of Nations, known for its large membership and effective propaganda.
44 Despite this speech, the crisis was eventually ended by British concessions and a compromise accord was reached on 24 July.
45 (Honor) Rebe Bradford (d.1943), Vice-Chairman, Womens Advisory Ctte., Northern Counties Area 1926–38, Chairman 1938–43; Vice-Chairman, Northern Counties Area 1938–43; became Lady Bradford after kt. of husband, Thomas Andrews Bradford, 1939.
46 The final sentence was written in a more critical form and then amended to this wording; the deleted words are partly obscured, but the original text appears to have read: ‘It is odd why some people should think that the inclusion in the cabinet of these two gents should be so urgently necessary for the national welfare.’ The alterations are in Headlam's hand, and could have been made at a later date with benefit of hindsight. It is more probable, however, that they were made at the time of the entry or very shortly afterwards: Headlam did not return to his diary entries and revise or sanitise them, and much sharper comments on both Churchill and Eden exist elsewhere without any changes having been made to them.
47 Orme Garton Sargent (1884–1962), entered For. Office 1906, Head of Central Dept. 1928–33, Ass. Under-Sec. 1933–39, Dep. Under-Sec. 1939–46, Perm. Under-Sec. 1946–49; kt. 1937.
48 Anthony Crommelin Crossley (1903–1939), Con. M.P. Oldham 1931–35, Stretford 1935–39; P.P.S. to C. Headlam 1932–34; a member of the ‘Eden group’ of antiappeasers.
49 translation: without a day, i.e. without arranging a further meeting.