740.0011 European War 1930/3607: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Heath) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:19 p.m.]
1721. No. 162 from Brussels. From Cudahy.
“I handed the following to German military authorities in Brussels June 2 for transmission through Berlin, but learn never received.
‘Today I was handed the following letter (given below in translation) by King Leopold who asked me to transmit it to the President [Page 212] without delay. An identical letter, the King told me, had been placed in the hands of the Papal Nuncio in Brussels for delivery to the Pope.
“Bruges, May 28, 1940 to the President:
In the midst of the general confusion brought about by the prodigiously rapid development of events amid which we are living the importance of which are incalculable I wish to state that Belgium and its army have done their whole duty.
Belgium has kept its international undertakings first in scrupulously maintaining its neutrality and then in defending foot by foot the whole length of its territory.
Attacked by enormous forces our army reached in good order a strongly organized line of defense in liaison with the armies of those who came to our aid and to whom we had appealed. However, military events which had taken place outside our territory forced us to evacuate this battlefield and necessitated a series of movements of withdrawals driving us towards the sea.
Our army then gave of its best without counting the cost, in a 4-days battle conducted jointly with the Allied armies. We finally found ourselves surrounded in a very limited, densely populated territory already invaded by several hundred thousand civilians without shelter, without food, without water, moving from one place to another to escape from air bombardments.
Yesterday our last means of resistance were broken under the weight of a crushing superiority of forces and aviation.
Under these conditions I attempted to avoid a conflict which would today have led to our extermination without helping the Allies. No one has the right to sacrifice uselessly human life.
Whatever happens I propose to continue to share the fate of my army and my people. I have for a number of days been asked to leave my soldiers. I have repulsed this suggestion which for the head of the army would have meant desertion. Moreover, by remaining on Belgian soil I wish to support my people in the trial which it is passing through.
The solicitude which the United States have always shown Belgium makes it a duty for me to explain the facts to you without delay, (signed) Leopold.”
The King told me that on May 27 he sent an emissary from his headquarters at Bruges with a message for me to see the King at Bruges at once. The area about Bruges was in violent combat at the time this messenger was sent and the messenger never reached Brussels.[’]”