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利用者:Ran Ayase

提供:Wikisource

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British and French Declaration of War


I am speaking to you from the Cabinet Room at 10, Downing Street. 私は今、ダウニング街10番の内閣室から、皆さんに話しかけています。

This morning the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock, that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, that a state of war would exist between us. 今朝、在ベルリンの英国大使はドイツ政府に対し、ポーランドから軍隊を即時撤収させる用意がある旨を11時までに返答なき場合、両国との間に戦争状態が発生するという内容の最後通牒を渡しました。

I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany. 私は今、いかなる返答も受けられなかったこと、結果としてこの国はドイツと戦争下にあることを、皆さんにお伝えしなければなりません。

You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed. Yet I cannot believe that there is anything more or anything different that I could have done and that would have been more successful. 平和を勝ち取るための長きにわたる努力が水泡に帰したことが、私にとってどれほど痛ましいか、皆さんにも想像できるでしょう。しかしこれ以上に、より大きな成功が得られる方法があったはずだとは私には思えません。

Up to the very last it would have been quite possible to have arranged a peaceful and honourable settlement between Germany and Poland, but Hitler would not have it. 最後の瞬間まで、ドイツとポーランドの間には平和的かつ名誉ある合意の得られる可能性が十分にありました。しかしヒトラーは合意を得ようとはしなかったのです。

He had evidently made up his mind to attack Poland whatever happened; and although he now says he put forward reasonable proposals which were rejected by the Poles, that is not a true statement. 彼はついに、何があろうともポーランドを攻撃するという決心を固めました:そして彼はいま合理的な提案がポーランド人によって拒否された言いますが、この発言は事実ではありません。

The proposals were never shown to the Poles nor to us; and though they were announced in a German broadcast on Thursday night, Hitler did not wait to hear comments on them, but ordered his troops to cross the Polish frontier the next morning. 提案なるものはポーランド人たちにも、我々にも公開されなかったのです。その提案は木曜日の夜になってドイツの放送局が放送しましたが、ヒトラーは我々の反応を待つことなく、軍隊へ翌朝ポーランドの国境を越えるよう命令を下したのです。

His action shows convincingly that there is no chance of expecting that this man will ever give up his practice of using force to gain his will. He can only be stopped by force. 彼の行動は、この男が欲望を満たすために、いつまでも力を使いつづけるだろうということを如実に示しています。彼は力によってのみ阻止できるのです。

We and France are today, in fulfilment of our obligations, going to the aid of Poland, who is so bravely resisting this wicked and unprovoked attack upon her people. We have a clear conscience. We have done all that any country could do 本日我々とフランスは、国民に対するこの邪悪で一方的な攻撃へ勇敢に立ち向かっているポーランドを助けるべく義務を遂行するでしょう。我々は誠実な良心の持ち主です。すべての国家に平和がもたらされるよう、我々はあらゆる手を尽くしました 。

to establish peace. The situation in which no word given by Germany’s ruler could be trusted and no people or country could feel itself safe has become intolerable. ドイツ元首の言うことは全く信用できず、どこの誰もが安心できないという状況は


And now that we have resolved to finish it, I know that you will all play your part with calmness and courage.

At such a moment as this the assurances of support that we have received from the Empire are a source of profound encouragement to us.


When I have finished speaking certain detailed announcements will be made on behalf of the Government. Give these your closest attention.

The Government have made plans under which it will be possible to carry on the work of the nation in the days of stress and strain that may be ahead. But these plans need your help.

You may be taking part in the fighting Services or as a volunteer in one of the branches of civil defence. If so you will report for duty in accordance with the instructions you have received.


You may be engaged in work essential to the prosecution of war for the maintenance of the life of the people – in factories, in transport, in public utility concerns or in the supply of other necessaries of life. If so, it is of vital importance that you should carry on with your jobs.

Now may God bless you all. May He defend the right. It is the evil things that we shall be fighting against – brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution – and against them I am certain that the right will prevail. 皆さんに神のご加護があらんことを。神が正義を守り給わんことを。我々が戦うことになるのは、けだものであり、不誠実であり、悪であり、抑圧と迫害をもたらす邪悪なものです。そしてそれらに対して正義が優ることを、私は確信しています。