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'File 1/A/50 I Publicity' [‎189r] (377/810)

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The record is made up of 1 file (403 folios). It was created in 31 Jul 1939-25 Nov 1939. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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which I might make to him. I accordingly handed to Dr. Schmidt
at 9 a.m. precisely the final ultimatum from His Majesty’s Govern
ment, pointing out that over 24 hours had elapsed since I had
requested an immediate answer to our warning communication of
the 1st September, that since then the attacks on Poland had been
intensified, and that, unless satisfactory assurances were received by
His Majesty’s Government before 11 a.m. British summer time of the
suspension of all aggressive action against Poland and of the with
drawal of the German forces from that country, a state of war would
exist between our two countries as from that hour.
81. Dr. Schmidt received this communication and undertook to
deliver it immediately to his Chief. As no reply from the German
Government was vouchsafed by 11 a.m., the German Representative
in London was informed in due course at that hour that a state of
war existed between Britain and Germany. By 10 minutes past
11 a.m. every British consular officer in Germany had been advised
by the staff of His Majesty’s Embassy at Berlin that this was the
case.
82. Shortly after 11 a.m. I received a final message from Herr
von Ribbentrop asking me to call upon him at once. I did so at
11-80 and he handed me this time a lengthy document to read,
beginning with a refusal on the part of the German people to accept
any demands in the nature of an ultimatum made by the British
Government, and stating that any aggressive action by England
would be answered with the same weapons and the same form. The
rest of the document was pure propaganda with a view to attempting
to prove to the German people and the world generally that it was
f Britain alone who was to blame for everything which had happened.
[y only comment on reading this completely false representation
of events was : “It would be left to history to judge where the blame
really lay.” Herr von Ribbentrop’s answer was to the effect that
history had already proved the facts, and that nobody had striven
harder for peace and good relations with England than Herr Hitler
himself. His last remark to me was that he wished me personally
good, to which I could only reply that I deeply regretted the failure
of all my efforts for peace, but that I bore no grudge against the
German people. Thereafter I saw no further German official except
the member of the Protocol, who accompanied our special train as
far as Rotterdam. My last official communication to the German
Government was a note which I presented on the instructions of His
Majesty’s Government enquiring whether the German Govprnment
would observe the provisions of the Geneva Protocol of 1925 pro
hibiting the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases
and of bacteriological methods of warfare I understand that the
German Government have since replied through the Swiss Minister
in London giving the required assurance on the understanding that
His Majesty’s Government would similarly observe the provisions of
the Protocol.

About this item

Content

The file deals with the dissemination in Bahrain of publicity and propaganda material in support of the British and allied cause at the start of the Second World War (1939-45). Most of the information originated with the Ministry of Information in London. The file also contains information on the response of British officials to broadcasts in the region by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and the support given to the allied side by the Ruler and people of Bahrain.

The principal correspondents are the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (principally, Major Charles Geoffrey Prior); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain (Hugh Weightman); the Ministry of Information (which is often referred to in the correspondence as MINIF or MINIFORM); the Information Office, Aden; the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ; and the Government of India.

The papers cover: the selection of Bahrain as the publicity distributing centre for the Arab side of the Gulf, and the appointment of a publicity interpreter at Bahrain, who would also undertake intelligence duties (folios 2-6); India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. telegram explaining the principles adopted as the basis of British publicity abroad (folios 8-9); Arabic broadcasts by the BBC, including comments on the service, many of them critical, by the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Prior), and the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Bahrain; discussion of the format and publication of the Arabic language Al Bahrain newspaper (e.g. folios 29-30); numerous reports from the Ministry of Information on political, military and economic developments in the war (including contradictions of German propaganda), which were then recast in Bahrain and translated for publication in the newspaper Al Bahrain ; the suggested use of loudspeakers to broadcast a daily Arabic news bulletin (e.g. folios 36-37); official reports forwarded to Bahrain by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (e.g. Papers concerning the Treatment of German Nationals in Germany, 1938-1939 (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1939) (folios 221-238); covering letters for pamphlets of war interest sent by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Bahrain to the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) for the use of employees of the company (e.g. folio 266); the support of the Ruler of Bahrain, Shaikh Hamad [Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah], for the allied cause (e.g. folios 251, 253); the assessment of public opinion on the war in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. (e.g. folios 279, 281, and 348); and newspaper cuttings used for publicity purposes (folios 313-319).

The Arabic language content of the papers consists of approximately fifteen folios of publicity material and correspondence.

The date range gives the covering dates of the correspondence; the last dated additions to the file are notes on a couple of the documents dated 29 November 1939.

Extent and format
1 file (403 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in chronological order from the front to the rear of the file, except where enclosures of an earlier date are filed after their relevant covering letter, and terminate in a set of notes (folios 396-404). Circled serial numbers in red crayon on certain items of correspondence refer to entries in the notes.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 405; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-395; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 1/A/50 I Publicity' [‎189r] (377/810), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/174, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100028297536.0x0000b2> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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