September 3 - Britain and France Declare War on Germany

This Day in History: 3 September 2020

 

3 September 1939

 

81 years ago, today, Britain and France declared war on Germany after Hitler's German forces invaded Poland. Britain's response was initially no more than the dropping of 13 tons of anti-Nazi propaganda leaflets over Germany. The next day, however, they would begin to bomb German ships, suffering significant losses, but were working under orders simultaneously to not harm German civilians. The German military had no such restrictions. Two weeks later, France would begin an offensive against Germany's western border, but was weakened by a narrow window, enclosed by the borders of Luxembourg and Belgium. The Germans mined the passage and stalled the French offensive.

 

The first causality of Britain and France's declaration was not German, but instead the British ocean liner 'Athenia'. The ship was sunk by a German U-30 submarine that had assumed the liner was armed and hostile. There were more than 1,100 passengers on board, 112 of whom lost their lives, and 28 of those were American. However, President Roosevelt remained unfazed by the tragedy, dashing German fears that the US might join the war on the side of Britain and France. An admission of responsibility did not come from German authorities until 1946.

 

Want to find out more about Britain and France's declaration of war? Click here for more information, or here for more about the sinking of 'Athenia'.