This
sheet should help you write your newspaper article.
Come
up with your headline:
e.g.
'Britain at war with Germany!'
Now
write your article. Try and answer some of these questions.
What
has
happened? Britain has gone to war with Germany
When did it happen?
Where was the news announced from?
Who decided Britain was at war?
Why did Britain go to war with Germany?
What
made Britain declare war on Germany?
Where did Germany invade?
When did Germany invade?
Why did the Germans invade those countries?
Who was in charge of Germany?
Some
other questions...
Why
didn't Britain declare war sooner?
What did people have to say about the news that Britain was at war?
Use
the other sheets to get evidence to put in your newspaper article.
(Remember
to add comments from famous people at the time)
The
events leading up to the Second World War
1918
Germany
loses World War One. Britain, France and Russia had fought against the Germans.
27th
January 1923 The
first meeting of the Nazi party in Germany takes place. Their leader is
called Adolf Hitler.
15th
March 1933 Adolf
Hitler and his Nazis come to power in Germany.
March
1936 German
troops march into the Rhineland in Southern Germany, breaking the promise
they signed when they lost World War I.
September
1938 Germans
invade some of Czechoslovakia. Britain says that's okay.
March
1939 Germans
invade the remaining parts of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France don't stop
them.
31st
March 1939 Neville
Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, promises Poland that if Germany
invades them Britain and her ally France would help.
1st
September 1939 Germany
invades Poland. The British Government sends many women and children from
cities into the countryside in an effort to keep them safe should war break
out.
3rd
September 1939 Britain
declares war on Germany. It is the start of (what will come to be known
as) World War II.
Quotes
by famous people after the war was announced
The
announcement of the war with Germany by Neville Chamberlain
"I
am speaking to you from the cabinet room at 10, Downing Street. This morning
the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German government the final
note stating that unless we heard from them, by 11 o'clock, that they were
prepared, at once, to withdraw their troops from Poland a state of war would
exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been
received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany."
Adapted
extracts from the broadcast to the nation from King george VI, made at 6pm
"For
the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war. Over and over
again we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between
ourselves and those who are now our enemies. But it has been in vain."
"We
have been forced into conflict. I ask you to stand calm, firm and united
in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead
but with God's help we shall prevail."
"(Britain)
need expect nothing other than annihilation as an enemy of the nation (of
Germany)," Adolf Hitler.
Other information
France
made a similar announcement to Britain, declaring war with Germany at 5pm.
Winston
Churchill was appointed as First Lord of the Admiralty.
"There
will be peace in our time," said Neville Chamberlain in 1937 after
signing a peace treaty with Germany.
