THREE YEAR WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 October 1939, Page 6

THREE YEAR WAR

UNLESS VICTORY IS GAINED SOONER MR WINSTON CHURCHILL’S BROADCAST. BREAKING GRIP OF HITLER GANG. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON. October 1. In his broadcast address, Mr Winston Churchill,. First Lord oF the Admiralty, said the Government had given directions to prepare at least . for a three years’ war. “That,” he added, “does not mean that victory may not be gained in a short time. How soon depends on how long Hitler and his group of gangsters, whose hands,are stained with blood and sticky with corruption, can keep their grip on the docile and unhappy German people. It is for him to say when it will end. It began when he wanted it and will end only when we are convinced that he has had enough.

“Now that wc have begun, we are going on with the help of God and with the conviction that we are defenders of. civilisation and freedom. Britain and together are eighty-five millions, even in their homelands alone, and are united in their cause and convinced of their duty. Nazidom, with all its tyrannical power, controls no more than eighty-five millions, of which at least sixteen millions are newly conquered Czechoslovakians and Austrians, who writhe under a cruel yoke and are held down by main force. We can bring the vast, latent, power of the British and French empires to bear upon decisive points. We have freely been given the ardent support of twenty millions of British citizens in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. We have the heart and moral convictions of India on our side. I believe we are entitled to the respect and goodwill of the world, particularly the United States.

“Here I am,” said Mr Churchill, “in the same post as I held twentyfive years ago. Rough times lie ahead, but how different is the scene from that of October, 1914. Then the French front, with British assistance, seemed about to break under the terrific impact of German imperialism. Russia h.ad been laid low at Tannenberg. The whole might of the Aus-tro-Hungarian Empire was embattled against us. The brave and warlike Turks were about to join our enemies. We had to be ready day and night to fight a decisive battle with the formidable German Fleet. I do not underrate what lies before us, but I have no doubt we have the strength to carry the good cause forward.”