The United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the neutrality of the US today.
By declaring neutrality, it means the United States will not take sides in the developing conflict which is currently restricted to within Europe. Neutrality will ensure the United States will remain outside of military engagements.
In other news, Jan Smuts has become Prime Minister of South Africa. He will later become a key supporter of Churchill. Smuts is only the second person to hold the position, the first being James Barry Munnik Hertzog. Smuts was born in 1870 and was educated both in South Africa and at Cambridge University in the UK. After graduation he became a barrister, then joined the army where he rose to the rank of General, before entering politics.
In developments, German troops have cross the Vistula, the longest river in Poland.
Yugoslavia has also declared neutrality.
Retrospective
Prime Minister Smuts was respected for his determination to fight the Germans. It was even considered that, in the event Winston Churchill was killed whilst Prime Minster, Smuts would assume the position. King George VI was even consulted on this suggestion, and was said to be ‘warm to it’.
