Evening star., 1945-07-24
Memoirs Of Paul Reynoud
Bonnet Planned to Repudiote
Frances Pledge to Poland
(Fifth OF a Series.)


(Ftfth OF a Sertes.)
BY PAUL REYNAUD,
war Premier Of France.
Germany In the fall of 1888 was
delighted with the terms of the
Munich agreement. Compliments
were heaped upon France for her
good Will in helping to create a
new Europe" Goering said: with
g. man like M. Deladier Edouard
Daladier, the then Premier OF
France; one of the signatories OF
the Munich agreement), 1t Is pos
sible to carry on political negotia-
tions successfully"
This amiable German mood IA
yored a new political undertaking ON
which the Hitler clique was already
at work. Germany had achieved a
substantial position in Central
Europe. The next objective was to
lull France to sleep, so that Ger
many might have free hand for
expansion In the east. On October
20, 1888, the suggestion was con-
veyed to M. Francois Ponset, our
Ambassador In Berlin, that a
Franco German declaration Of mu-
tual understanding was desirable.
On November "a, document was
drafted recalling that the Fuehrer
had declared that there were no
substantial differences of principle
likely to interfere with friendly re-
lations between France and Ger
many. Then Joachim Won Ribben-
trop, the German Foreign Minister,
came to Paris and left Georges Bon
net, the French Foreign Minister,
with the impression-subsequently
sent as an official note to all our
ambassadors-that German policy
would be directed against Boil
shevism.
The mask was thrown off, how
ever, when France reminded Ger
many that she had undertaken at
Munich to participate in an inter-
national guarantee OF the new
Czechoslovak frontiers.
AohtC oSht A'ASoS~6t'
When the matter was raised, on
December %, by a new Ambassador
in Berlin, M. Maurice Coulondre,
Ribbentrop said: Since Germany
is the predominant power in that
region, surely the guarantee of the
Reich is sufficient for all purposes. "
On March 2. 1899, the French
government received note from
the Wilhelmstrasse intimating that
France had no right to concern
herself with Central European af-
fairs. 1t referred in menacing terms
to any attempt the western pow
ers might make to intervene on
behalf Of Czechoslovakia.
Reporting on March IA, M
Coulondre wrote that German plans
for the disruption of Czechoslovakia
had been in existence since Feb
ruary. On the afternoon of March
IA German troops entered Czech
territory.
| M. Coulondre reported on March
IS: President Emil Hacha OF
Czechoslovakia and M. Frantisek
Chvalkosky, the Czechoslovak for
eign minister, summoned to Berlin
were told in brutal tones by the
Fuehrer, in the presence of Rib
bentrop and Goering, that the time
was not one for negotiations
that any attempt at resistance would
be crushed. Opposition would
be met by the German bomber
force. Prague would be occu-
pied at 10 am. the following day
President Hacha, who is very
old man, was in a state Of acute
physical depression. He collapsed
in a faint. He was revived
then signed the document presented
to him. It asserted that the Czech
government felt entire confidence
in the Fuehrer :"
Policy Fails.
On that same day, March 16
Bonnet sent a telegram to M
Charles Corbin, our Ambassador in
London, In which he asked him to
emphasize to the British govern
ment that the policy of Munich
had failed. And the French Am
bassador in Warsaw reported that
fresh German action in the east
was expected-probably against Po-
land:
The Wilhelmstrasse on March IS
refused to accept French protest.
The Germans alleged that certain
verbal assurances" has been given
Ribbentrop by Bonnet when the
agreement of December 6 was signed.
Bonnet protested that the Wilhelm
strasse's statements were extrava-
CANT. But the trick had been played,
without any one lifting so much as a
little finger.
The road to Warsaw now lay
open.
Our first bond with Poland had
been the military convention bear
ing the signature of Marshal Foch.
Georges Bonnet had furthermore
undertaken to go to war in defense
of Poland as well as of Romania,
Greece, Holland and Switzerland.
After the surrender of Bordeaux,
when Bonnet was denouncing the
"warmongers," his friends took
great pains to explain that he him.
self had given these pledges with
the fixed intention of refusing to
honor them when the time came.
His idea was that all such engage
ments should lead to settlements of
the same character as that of
Munich.
Meeting Called.
When the threat of war was inn
minent, during the second half OF
August, 1899, Bonnet called meet
ing of the ministers concerned with
national defense. It was attended