September 2 was a day of suspense. The Poles were, it was reported, putting up a brave resistance in the face of surprise and overwhelming numbers, and in spite of the vast superiority of the German air force and mechanized forces, No reply was received from the German Government throughout the day to the British and French warnings.
On the other hand, the Italian Government was making one more effort to save the situation. The Italian Ambassador had come to see me at midday on his way to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Signor Attolico told me that he must know one thing immediately. Was the communication which I had mede the previous evening to Herr von Ribbentrop an ultimatum or not? I told his Excellency, that I been authorized to tell the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he had asked me—which he had not done—that it was not an ultimatum but a warning. I mentioned to Signor Attolico that I understood that the Italian Government had put forward a suggestion for the cessation of hostilities and the immediate summoning of a conference of the interested Powers. In this connection I said that I felt bound to express the opinion that such a proposal would never be entertained unless at the same time all the German troops were withdrawn from Polish territory. The Ambassador retorted that I could not speak for my Government. I admitted that fact, but said that I could not imagine the possibility of ourselves, and much less of the Poles, agreeing to any lesser course. I do not know what reply, if any, was given by the German Government to this proposal. But I should like to put on record here that no one ever worked harder for peace than did Signor Attolico not only this year but last year also. He was entirely selfless in this his earnest endeavour,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.