Chapter 139 The Battle of Poland (2)

French Prime Minister Daladier was also anxious. He did not wait for Chamberlain at the Prime Minister's Office, but went directly to the airport. As soon as Chamberlain got off the plane, the two had a brief discussion at the airport and then flew directly to Germany.

Poor 71-year-old Prime Minister Chamberlain was unable to take a break after being bumpy for two hours on the plane, and then arrived in Berlin after a bumpy ride of nearly two hours.

Being old and frail, he could only drag his body that was about to fall apart and get off the plane.

Because they arrived in such a hurry, the German side did not have time to arrange a welcome ceremony. The only people to greet them at the airport were German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop and a few of his men, making the scene very shabby.

However, Chamberlain and Daladier had no intention of paying attention to these pomps now. They got into the welcome car and headed to the Berlin Palace.

It was almost ten o'clock in the evening, and the streets of Berlin were still brightly lit. The marchers did not disperse, but gathered quietly on the roadside. Everyone, without exception, held a paper flower in their hand. Pricked white flowers. From time to time, soldiers wearing German Guards uniforms could be seen distributing drinking water and food to these people.

The whole Berlin was shrouded in a chilling atmosphere, as if it was the same scene before the outbreak of World War I. Prime Minister Daladier couldn't stand the depressing atmosphere and asked. "Mr. Minister Ribbentrop, does your country really want to declare war on Poland?"

Ribbentrop smiled slightly. "Your Excellency Prime Minister Daladier, I am only responsible for receiving you, and I don't know the high-level decisions. It is better for you two to ask our Crown Prince directly for the specific situation."

"..." Daladier frowned slightly, this guy was obviously perfunctory. Isn't your dignified foreign minister considered a high-ranking official?

Fortunately, it didn't take long for the motorcade to arrive at the palace, and they also met the person they wanted to see. "His Excellency Crown Prince Wilhelm, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Wilhelm looked very enthusiastic. "Your Excellency Prime Minister Daladier, Your Excellency Prime Minister Chamberlain, welcome you two to Germany again. I'm really sorry that I have too many things to do today and I couldn't go to the airport to greet you."

Chamberlain doesn't want to waste time on such complicated etiquette now, so he goes straight to the point. "Your Excellency Wilhelm, we came all the way this time because we don't want to see the war rekindle in Europe. I hope Your Excellency Wilhelm can calm down. Even if there are any disputes, we must resolve them at the negotiation table."

"Calm down?" Wilhelm looked at the Imperial Foreign Minister aside with an innocent look. "Mr. Ribbentrop, do you think I look like a raging madman now?"

The Imperial Foreign Minister nodded slightly. "His Highness's sanity has always been unmatched."

Wilhelm looked at Chamberlain with a smile. "Look, Your Excellency, Prime Minister Chamberlain, I am not impulsive. How can you tell me to calm down? But since you mentioned negotiation, I would like to hear your proposal." In fact, it doesn't matter whether you listen or not. After all, The famous remark that "Poland is more beneficial to Britain as a martyr than as a sovereign country" came from the mouth of this prime minister.

"Danzig Corridor, we can return Poland to the Danzig Corridor." Chamberlain betrayed his allies without hesitation.

The Imperial Foreign Minister next to him secretly laughed in his heart. As expected, His Highness guessed it again. It was still a spineless appeasement policy! Poland is really pitiful. I really wish there were Polish representatives present at this time. What will be the reaction? So angry that you fainted? Or will he fight Chamberlain? The picture is so beautiful that I can't even imagine it.

Britain and France were also helpless. In their view, it was cost-effective to exchange the Danzig Corridor for peace in Europe.

After World War I, Poland was restored. The Poles believed that if the newly independent Poland did not have a coastline extending to the Baltic Sea, it would become economically and even politically dependent on Germany. The Poles proposed to draw an 80-kilometer-wide strip between East Prussia and West Prussia, formerly German territory, along the west bank of the lower reaches of the Vistula River, called the "Polish Corridor", as Poland's access to the Baltic Sea, and to connect the mouth of the river. The nearby seaport Danzig is designated as the "Free City of Danzig" and is under international condominium management.

The Polish proposal was supported by Britain and France, so Germany was divided into two parts, with East Prussia separated from the rest of Germany. Most of the residents of Danzig were Germans, but the League of Nations did not allow a referendum and turned the port into the Free City of Danzig under Polish protection.

Poland is like a clown. During its temporary period of strength, Poland danced harder than anyone else. It even chewed a piece of meat from Germany and Russia and refused to spit it out. It even had the attitude of "I'm not afraid of you two together." The result was that a greedy little man was squeezed together and beaten by two big men.

The modern tragedy of Poland is that political leaders lack foresight, often stand on the wrong team, and do things that are beyond their capabilities. It's understandable that you stand wrong once, but it's a bit incredible if you stand wrong every time.

Looking at the expectant eyes of the two national leaders, Wilhelm slowly shook his head and said with great determination. "The Danzig Corridor originally belongs to Germany, and it is simply absurd to use it to resolve this massacre."

Daladier asked. "Then please put forward your request and see if we can discuss it."

Wilhelm raised his hand and pointed out the window. "You two should have seen it on the way here. Now the people of the empire are full of anger. If we want to quell this anger, the Poles must show enough sincerity. We are not fools, how can we believe it? How dare a few soldiers cross the border without permission to kill people and steal goods? There must be a bigger mastermind behind them. We just want to find out the mastermind and bring him to justice."

Uncover the mastermind? A bad feeling crept into the minds of the two of them. Is it possible that he wants the commander of the Polish military region to pay for it with his life? But Wilhelm calmly took out a piece of paper and handed it over. "These are the suspects we suspect. If the Polish government can send them to Germany for review, then we also believe in Poland's sincerity and this crisis can certainly be avoided."

"..." After taking the thin piece of paper and taking just one glance at it, Chamberlain was so angry that he almost spit out a mouthful of blood.

The first line of the paper was written with the names of Polish President Mościcki and Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces Rydz-Śmigły, and the names of a large number of high-level political and military officials were densely written below.

Daladier saw Chamberlain's hand holding the paper trembling. He was really worried that Chamberlain would faint from anger, so he quickly took the paper out of his hand. "Your Excellency Wilhelm, are you kidding me?" Let the head of a country go to another country for interrogation? This is simply a big joke. It can be said that there is no one before or after that can come up with such a ridiculous idea, right? "Are you determined to go to war with Poland?"