Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy to meet.
It was a last ditch effort for peace, the news of September 28, 1938. In fact Hitler had already made up his mind, the story from Munich clearly stating that Hitler was postponing his mobilization. Chamberlain and Daladier were stuck in a bad spot staring across at Mussolini and the Nazi Party.
Joseph Goebbels is quoted as foreseeing peace. People still believed him at the time, I guess, despite his acknowledged title as propaganda minister.
Meanwhile Hitler wrote Chamberlain a letter saying the situation in Czechoslovakia would be "terminated by me."
The writing was on the wall for whomever cared to read it. The problem in western Europe was that everyone wanted peace. Stocks were up on this latest news, reserves were being called up and prayers were being offered, but everyone hoped for peace. Except for those that spoiled for war. And to the one, the other was almost unimaginable.
Indeed, FDR appealed directly, and singularly, to Hitler to avoid the war in his Ten-Strike Peace Note.
There is other news here, a storm brewing in the Gulf, the announcement of new car tages, a prison escape, kids at the fair and positive signs of the continuing business boom, but none of that holds up to the history of the day.
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers starred in Carefree showing at the time at the Alabama Theater. But the mood just couldn't hold.