| Image | 
|
| Reference Number | LSE2672 |
| Alt Ref No | LSE2672 |
| Artist or Creator | David Low (1891-1963) |
| Title or Caption | "If the British don't, maybe we will" |
| Extent | 1 item |
| Published by | Evening Standard |
| Date | 29 Jun 1939 |
| Format | Newspaper |
| Embedded text or transcript | Proposals for a Nazi-Soviet Pact to dish the democracies
Offices of M. Molotov
Engaged on talks re British-Soviet Pact |
| Person Depicted | Funk; Walther |
| Ribbentrop; Joachim von (1893-1946) |
| Goebbels; Josef (1897-1945) |
| Implied text | Symbols: David Low often drew an umbrella and top hat as representation of Chamberlain. |
| Notes | News: 27 Jun: When asked in the House of Commons on the progress of the negotiations with the Soviet Union, Chamberlain said: "His Majesty's Government, in consultation with the French Government, are considering the Soviet Government's comments on the proposals to which I referred in my statement on June 19...." to which Dalton replied, "Seeing that these negotiations have now dragged on for 10 weeks and it is more than 10 days since Mr. Strang was sent to Moscow, is not the Government taking some more energetic action in the form, for example, of sending a Minister to meet M. Molotoff." .... [The Times, p.8]
Notes: By 1939 it was clear that appeasement had failed and Hitler's ultimate objectives of expansion eastwards were obvious. Stalin was worried that he would have to fight Hitler alone. He didn't trust Britain and France to ally with him against Hitler, despite the fact that it was clear Hitler would not fight a united Europe. Stalin knew that British and French suspicion of communism was greater than their fear of Hitler. Stalin also knew that he was not yet militarily ready to fight and so on 18th April 1939 proposed a triple alliance with Britain and France. Hitler was aware that Stalin was trying to negotiate an alliance with Britain, and also guessed that Britain would withdraw. Hitler was therefore waiting in the wings for the opportunity to present Stalin with a pact that would offer Stalin the security he wanted, whilst precluding the threat of a war on two fronts for Germany. The Nazi-Soviet pact, finally signed between Ribbentrop and Molotov in August 1939, was ostensibly a non-aggression pact, but secretly agreed to carve up Poland, restoring land lost by both nations in the aftermath of the first world war.
Notes from "Europe since Versailles" by Low:"It became known that Nazi Germany, apprehensive of serious opposition at last, was also seeking a deal with Soviet Russia." |
| Subjects | Germany |
| Hammer and Sickle |
| International relations |
| Nazi-Soviet Pact |
| UK |
| USSR |
| communism |
| democracy |
| fascism |
| negotiations |
| top hats |
| treaties |
| umbrellas |
| waiting rooms |
| Copyright holder | Associated Newspapers Ltd. / Solo Syndication |
| Copyright contact details | Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT solo@solosyndication.com |
| Relates to cartoon | LSE2672 |
Show related Persons records.
Persons
| Code | PersonName | Dates | About | Multimedia | Image |
| GB/BCA/3129 | Funk; Walther | | | | |
| GB/BCA/626 | Ribbentrop; Joachim von (1893-1946) | 1893-1946 | | | |
| GB/BCA/345 | Goebbels; Josef (1897-1945) | 1897-1945 | German politician. Minister of Propaganda from 1933-45. Known for his zealous speeches and anti-Semitism. Chief architect of the Kristallnacht attack on German Jews considered to be the first manifestation of the Nazi violence culminating in the Holocaust. | | |