HITLER SPEAKS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 138, 11 May 1940, Page 8

HITLER SPEAKS.

“THE HOUR HAS COME.” LONDON, May 10/ Simultaneously with the Berliiv radio announcing that Hitler had left lor the front, a communique was issued from the Fuehrer’s headquarters saying: “The Fuehrer as supreme commander of the army has taken up his headquarters on the: Western l 1 ront to load the general operations.” Hitler addressed the following message to the troops on-the Western Front:— “The hour has come for the most cle- .. cisive struggle of the German people. Britain and France have aimed lor 300 years to prevent any consolidation in Europe and . especially weaken Germany. France alone has declared war against Germany 31 times in the past two centuries in order,to achieve this aim. The British have aimed*for many decades to divide Germany into small •* States in order to roh her of her strength and the necessities for 80,000,■OOO people. “Britain and France followed this policy without . considering what German Government was in power. Their plans were always directed against the German peoplo and their responsible leaders always admitted openly that they must smash Germany. That’s why all "my peace efforts failed, also why war was declared against Germany last year v FEAR QF DESTRUCTION. “The German people do not hate the-British and French peoplesi < but we are faced with a question of life or destruction'. Our brave troops defeated Poland, whom the Western Powers incited against Germany. We thus eliminated danger from the east. Then Britain and France tried to attack Irom the north. The German troops'also-end-ed this danger. “Now the danger we always expected has come. After a gigantic manoeuvre in South-Eastern Europe. Britain and France attempted to attack the Ruhr through Belgium and Holland. Soldiers of the Western Front! Your hour has come! The, fight which begins to-day will determine Gerimany’s future for tlm next thousand rears. Do your duty. The German peo- . pie give you their Messing.” The Foreign Office has summoned newspapermen for ail important announcement from Herr yon Bibbentroo. The Minister of Propaganda .Dr Goebbels), broadcasting -from Berlin, said that Germany was invading Bein'j uni and Holland as “friends of the people.” He added that anv Belgian or Dutch ‘resistance would he broken 1 by all'means.