““I was in Germany in 1935,” he began seriously. “I saw what happened there—what happens to a country when gangsters take over.” “Are you talking about Hitler?” I asked. “What’s he got to do with me?” I fished for a cigarette. I remembered what had happened last June when France fell. People walked around in the streets talking in subdued voices, looking bad. There was a great deal of muttering about going to war with Germany. Business fell off a few days but jumped back to normal quickly enough. I think it even picked up a little. But we didn’t go to war and I didn’t think we would—especially if we kept on minding our own business.””
![“[Sept 1939]When the news of Britain and France’s action was finally given to Hitler, he listened to his interpreter translate the phrases of diplomacy. He sat slumped down in his chair, silent for a few moments. He looked up, and said, “Well…what do we do now?” quote by Stokesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/506/stokesbury-280170_quote_sept-1939-when-the-news-of-britain-and-f_1261267.jpg)
