- Title: United Kingdom: World War II - First Reactions
- Date: 3rd September 1939
- Summary: The British were slow to face the realities of Europe. At times of crisis people gathered in Downing Street in London and watched Cabinet Ministers come and go. On the day the Germans invaded Poland the crowd saw King George VI drive up to the Prime Ministers official residence at Number Ten. An Ultimatum gave the Germans until 11 am on September 3rd to withdraw. Then Neville Chamberlain announced that as there was no reply had been received, Britain and Germany were at war. Britain was more prepared than it might have been for the Czechoslovakia crisis a year earlier. Rearmament was under way and some defences against air attack had been prepared. Children were moved out of the cities and foreign tourists left for home.
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- Location: UK ENGLAND LONDON 10 DOWNING STREET
- Reuters ID: LDL000YMDSYZ3
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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- Copyright Holder: Reuters Archive
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