740.00119 European War 1939/83: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:25 p.m.]
1710. The following version has been given the Embassy by a correspondent attending Reich Press Chief Dietrich’s interview last night which it is understood has been the subject of varying reports both as to subject matter and emphasis:
After referring to Chamberlain’s speech of yesterday as a studied insult to the German people Dietrich said that it seemed as if nothing could prevent a “blood bath” except perhaps successful mediation by a neutral country. In reply to a question he stated that the United States would certainly qualify as a neutral power in a position to undertake mediation and according to certain persons present he was more explicit in characterizing the role which the United States was in a position to play in preventing war and in bringing about peace. Dietrich is also reported to have mentioned that Great Britain in making its “insolent reply” to Germany evidently felt that it could count on American support, an eventuality which he, Dietrich, was inclined to doubt.
I am informed that at the noon foreign press conference today Schmidt, Chief of the Press Section of the Foreign Office, read out an “official statement on Chamberlain” intended for the foreign press which I understand is being carried in full by the American press agencies and which is of the same general tenor as this morning’s Berlin editorial comment (see my 1703, October 13, 9 a.m.91.) In reply to the question as to whether Germany had given up hope Schmidt is reported to have answered, “Germany never gives up hope.” Great Britain and France, he said, had answered Hitler through the respective speeches of Chamberlain and Daladier but “no neutral has as yet spoken.” With respect to Dietrich’s statements last night Schmidt said that these were merely intended as an expression of a personal [Page 515] viewpoint and Schmidt pointed out that, “The United States was not the only neutral”.
With further regard to Dietrich’s interview of last night DNB has just issued the following communiqué.
“In connection with an Associated Press Berlin report that Reich Press Chief, Dietrich, made a statement according to which only an intervention by Roosevelt could halt the war in the West, which has been interpreted variously abroad as an appeal to Roosevelt to intervene, we announce that no such appeal was made at all or intended. This appeal was due to a misunderstanding of a private conversation which did not permit of this interpretation.”
- Not printed.↩