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Telegram from Adolf Hitler in Berlin to the Reich Foreign Minister, Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop in Moscow
"I hereby grant full power to negotiate, in the name of the German Reich, with authorized representatives of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, regarding a non-aggression treaty, as well as all related questions, and if occasion arises, to sign both the non-aggression treaty and other agreements resulting from the negotiations, with the proviso that this treaty and these agreements shall enter into force as soon as they are signed." -
Memorandum by the State Secretary in the German Foreign Office Pt. 1
"The ideas of (Japanese Ambassador) Oshima were, as was to be expected, along two lines: If Russia were relieved of anxiety in Europe, she would strengthen her East Asiatic front and put new life into the Chinese war." -
Memorandum by the State Secretary in the German Foreign Office Pt. 2
"The jurists in Tokyo (and there were many of them) would debate the consistency of our present proceedings with certain earlier German-Japanese conversations. Oshima added that there was no use in trying to interfere with accomplished facts. He did, however, look for a certain shock in Japan, and he would like to abate this by making a telegraphic report tonight. My discussion was along lines somewhat as follows:" -
Memorandum by the State Secretary in the German Foreign Office Pt. 3
"We were doing nothing which would put in question our friendly relationship with Japan. On the contrary, we would continue to maintain that, and we esteemed the personalities, like Oshima, who had acted and would act most vigorously to that end." "The present proceedings were not a cause for surprise in as much as the Reich Foreign Minister had informed the Ambassador some months previously that a normalization of German-Russian relations was worth attempting." -
Memorandum by the State Secretary in the German Foreign Office Pt. 4
"Such an arrangement would also put us in a position to take steps to bring about a period of quiet in Japanese-Russian relations and to insure its continuance for a considerable period of time. That Japan was at the moment not seeking a Japanese-Russian conflict was certain. I had even received from the Russian side the impression that a Moscow-Tokyo agreement would be welcomed there..." -
From M. Garreau, French Consul-General in Hamburg, to M. Georges Bonnet, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pt. 1
"I learn on good authority that the German Government hopes, by a lightning attack, to dispose of Poland before the end of the month. The Reich seems to be convinced that Great Britain and France, equally disconcerted by the Russian attitude, will not move. The Reich believes that Moscow is preparing a great political upheaval which would tend to bring the ideologies of the two totalitarian regimes into harmony." -
Neville Chamberlain writes a letter to Hitler, warning him the German-Soviet Agreement will not alter Britain's obligation to come to the aid of Poland Pt. 1
"Your Excellency will have already heard of certain measures taken by His Majesty's Government, and announced in the press and on the wireless this evening." -
Sir William Seeds, British Ambassador in Moscow, accuses Molotov of negotiating in bad faith
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From M. Garreau, French Consul-General in Hamburg, to M. Georges Bonnet, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pt. 2
"The rumour that the offensive against Poland would be launched on August 22 has been circulating in Hamburg for several days. A great number of railway employees have been ordered to report in various Polish towns, notably in Warsaw, Ibrun and Poznan, on a date which would be notified towards the end of the month. From this it would seem that the occupation of these centres by the German Army was expected very soon." -
Meeting in Obersalzburg, Hitler tells his generals that the destruction of Poland "starts on Saturday morning" (26 August), the aim of this war is the wholesale destruction of Poland.
"Our strength is in our quickness and our brutality. Genghis Khan had millions of women and children killed by his own will and with a gay heart. History sees him only as a great state builder... Thus for the time being I have sent to the East only my "Death's Head Units" with the order to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish race or language. Only in such a way will we win the vital space that we need. Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?" -
From M. Garreau, French Consul-General in Hamburg, to M. Georges Bonnet, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pt. 3
"Many motor-cars have been requisitioned in Hamburg. They are at once given military numbers and repainted grey (Usually an acceptable automotive painting job would take several days to complete). The departure of the 20th Mechanized Division for the Polish frontier has taken place within the last 48 hours; these troops left Hamburg partly by train and partly in three motor convoys..." -
Neville Chamberlain writes a letter to Hitler, warning him the German-Soviet Agreement will not alter Britain's obligation to come to the aid of Poland Pt. 2
"These steps have, in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, been rendered necessary by the military movements which have been reported from Germany, and by the fact that apparently the announcement of a German-Soviet Agreement is taken in some quarters in Berlin to indicate that intervention by Great Britain on behalf of Poland is no longer a contingency that need be reckoned with. No greater mistake could be made..." -
Nazis Invade Poland
