By the Treaty of Versailles, as we have seen, the future peace of the world became the responsibility of the League of Nations. There was soon reason to fear that the League would prove unequal to the task. The first blow to its authority was the withdrawal of the United States of America, once again influenced by the doctrine of "isolation," and when Italy, in 1935, attacked Abyssinia, her Emperor appealed in vain to the League for assistance.

In 1932 Hitler became the ruler of Germany and soon began the rearming of the Reich under the Nazi system. He repudiated the debt of reparations and in the next few years threw off all the obligations imposed at Versailles and made open preparation for war while the rest of the world disarmed in the hope of perpetual peace. The re- occupation of the Rhineland (1936), the annexation of Austria (1938) and the invasion of Czechoslovakia (in March, 1939) only provoked protests from the League of Nations. In 1939 Hitler had eliminated the opposition of Italy and Russia by concluding treaties with both. Finally, early in September, 1939, he invaded Poland, but England and France had guaranteed her independence and at once issued an ultimatum. The Second World War began on 3rd September, 1939, Italy, Russia and the United States of America at first remaining neutral.

The First Year Of War

Polish resistance collapsed when Russia invaded that country from the east. The British Expeditionary Force, as in 1914, landed in France and lined up with the French Army, but both sides remained on the defensive and for nearly nine months no important developments took place. In Egypt the British forces watched the frontier of Cyrenaica in anticipation of an Italian attack.

Early in April, 1940, Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway, occupying both countries after feeble resistance by the Allies. Great Britain promptly occupied Iceland, the troops being under the command of Major-General H. O. Curtis, l C.B., D.S.O., M.C.

By the end of the month the German preparations were complete. The plan was to overwhelm France and the Low Countries at one stroke and after that England. The Italians were to declare war and assist by invading France in the south, at the same time attacking Egypt where their forces outnumbered the British by three or four to one.

The first part of the plan met with complete success. On 1st May the offensive in the west opened; French resistance collapsed every- where almost at once. Holland and Belgium capitulated. The British Army fell back fighting on Dunkirk, where it succeeded in embarking a large part of its personnel, but had to abandon the whole of its guns and equipment. Italy joined Germany on 10th June. France, with her colonies in North Africa, surrendered on 21st June. Great Britain stood alone. But the preliminary to the invasion of England was to be the destruction of the Royal Air Force, with the bombing of London, and in the Battle of Britain the German air fleets were defeated and this part of Hitler's plans was abandoned. Also, on the Egyptian frontier the Italian army was practically destroyed a little later by General Wavell.

It will be seen how later on America and Russia joined the Allies and Japan the enemy, and how the lesser powers in the Balkans and Scandinavia were drawn successively into the war, while Turkey this time remained neutral

The Regiment And The United States Of America

America did not actually enter the war until after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in December, 1941, but her sympathy for the cause for which England was fighting was shown in many material ways. Americans were enlisting in the British Services and it was only natural that the Royal American Regiment of two hundred years ago should receive special attention in this respect.

In the spring of 1941 the plan to enlist a certain number of American citizens as officers in the Regiment was approved by the American Government with the British War Office and put into effect. The first five candidates, selected from a large number of applicants, joined the Depot at Winchester and after a course of training in the Rifle Officers' Training Corps were granted His Majesty's commission in the 60th. The number of Americans who by this plan became officers in the Regiment was seventeen, three of whom were killed in action and all proved themselves brave and efficient leaders of men. When America entered the war the scheme ceased to operate, but it had revived an old association and added a new and enduring link between the British Army and the United States.

It is of interest that the first American unit to occupy the Ride Depot Barracks, while training for the invasion of France in 1944, was the 60th Regiment, 9th Division, United States Army.

The Regiment In The First Nine Months

When war was declared the 1st Battalion was in Egypt and the 2nd Battalion at home.

The 1st Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. E. Gott, M.C., joined the troops guarding the western frontier, where training in desert warfare was completed. Later it formed part of the Support Group in the 7th Armoured Division. When hostilities with Italy began, the Battalion was in the highest state of efficiency.

The 2nd Battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. B. Miller M.C., remained at home for the first nine months and formed part of the brigade which fought at Calais.

The three Territorial regiments attached to The King's Royal T.A. Bns. Rifle Corps were soon after mobilization made part of the Regiment and their battalions were later numbered as follows :

1st and 2nd Bns. Queen Victoria's Rifles—7th and 8th Bns. The King's Royal Rifle Corps.
1st and 2nd Bns. The Rangers—9th and 10th Bns. The King's Royal Rifle Corps.
1st and 2nd Bns. The Queen's Westminsters — 11th and 12th Bns. The King's Royal Rifle Corps.

During 1940 these battalions were equipped and trained as motor battalions.

The Rhodesians

In April, 1940, detachments of Rhodesians joined the 1st Battalion and by the end of the month a Rhodesian Platoon had been formed in the Battalion, receiving reinforcements from Rhodesia, and were later on formed into a Rhodesian Company, one of the finest companies in the Regiment.