Labour and the Outbreak of War: Summer 1939, Part II

This is indeed a grave moment. I believe that the whole House is perturbed by the right hon. Gentleman's [Chamberlain's] statement. There is a growing feeling, I believe, in all quarters of the House that this incessant strain must end sooner or later--and, in a sense, the sooner the better. But if we are to march, and I hope we shall march in completely unity, and march with France. [4]

At this point he was interrupted by Mr. McGovern, a Tory supporter of Appeasement who asserted: "You people [Labour Party MPs] do not intend to march--not one of you," to which Greenwood responded:

I am speaking under very difficult circumstances with no opportunity to think about what I should say; and I speak what is in my heart at this moment. I am gravely disturbed. An act of aggression took place 38 hours ago.... That delay might have been justifiable, but there are many of us on all sides of this House who view with the gravest concern the fact that hours went by and news came of bombing operations, and news to-day of an intensification of it, and I wonder how long we are prepared to vacillate at a time when Britain and all that Britain stands for, and human civilisation, are at peril.... [5]

Toward the end of Greenwood's speech, one of the more famous interruptions in parliamentary history occurred. As Greenwood was pressing the point that "Every minute's delay means the loss of life, imperiling our national interests--," Robert Boothby, another prominent Tory anti-appeasement back-bencher, shouted out the word "Honour." [6] From this remark and the mood of the House, it was clear Chamberlain would have to declare war or risk a massive Tory revolt.

Thus, at the end of the debate, Greenwood told Chamberlain that unless war were declard the next day, "it would be impossible to hold the House." [7] Meanwhile, a "Cabinet revolt" led by Sir John Simon [the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Foreign Secretary from 1931-35] of all people, [8] pushed Chamberlain to declare war. [9] Pressured from all sides, Chamberlain relented. The next day, at 11 a.m. in the morning, Britain declared war on Germany. The Second World War had begun.

Footnotes:

[1] House of Commons Fifth Series [hereafter cited as H.C. Debs by vol.], vol. 351, 24 August 1939, col. 11.

[2] Ibid., 2 September 1939, col. 281.

[3] John F. Naylor, Labour's International Policy: The Labour Party in the