Peace For Our Time
by Neville Chamberlain
The following is the wording of the printed statement that Neville
Chamberlain waved as he stepped off the plane on 30 September,
1938 after the Munich Conference had ended the day before:
"We, the German Fhrer and Chancellor, and the British Prime
Minister, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in
recognizing that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the
first importance for our two countries and for Europe.
We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German
Naval Agreement as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples
never to go to war with one another again.
We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the
method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern
our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts
to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to
assure the peace of Europe."
Chamberlain read the above statement in front of 10 Downing St.
and said:
"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British
Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with
honour. I believe it is peace for our time...
Go home and get a nice quiet sleep."
Hitler was so emboldened by the seemingly complete lack of
backbone of his enemies that he was quoted as saying, If my first
aggression is challenged, I will retreat, but if unchallenged, I will
take more. My enemies are worms. They will not challenge me. I
have seen them at Munich
Churchill replied that Neville Chamberlain had the choice
between honor and war, and that he had lost his honor, but would
still get his war.
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