Cablegram unnumbered 1 September 1939 [1],
PERSONAL
the discussions and have been greatly pleased with your replies to Hitler. [3]
I could best sum up the attitude of the great majority of Australians by saying that we would not consider Danzig or the Corridor intrinsically worth a war but that we do attach great importance to protecting Poland against being weakened and subsequently destroyed since that would begin a process the end of which cannot be seen but which we believe would be deplorable. At the same time our impression of Germany’s proposals to Poland are that they exhibit much more reasonableness than might have been expected and that any point blank refusal on the part of Poland might very well adversely affect public opinion even here. Despite a few academic and disgruntled critics you have a good public in Australia and my own complete confidence in the wisdom of your approach to these momentous matters.
MENZIES
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1 The date on this copy of the cablegram has been altered by hand from 2 September to 1 September. It is clear from Chamberlain’s acknowledgment (Document 183), which was received at 12.52 a.m. on 2 September, that Menzies’s cablegram must have been sent on 1 September.
2 Document 173.
3 Adolf Hitler, German Chancellor.
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[AA: A981, GREAT BRITAIN 8B, V]