Size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches

This incredible WWII era propaganda leaflet was air dropped by the British military (planes) over the Germans. Airborne leaflet propaganda (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a Letter bomb) is a form of psychological warfare in which leaflets (flyers) are scattered in the air. Military forces have used aircraft to drop leaflets to attempt to alter the behavior of combatants and non-combatants in enemy-controlled territory, sometimes in conjunction with air strikes. Humanitarian air missions, in cooperation with leaflet propaganda, can turn the populace against their leadership while preparing them for the arrival of enemy combatants.

This leaflet was created in the E.H./S.O.1 production agency and was printed by H.M.S.O. The first dissemination of this leaflet by British aircraft was recorded on 05/06 March 1940 with its last drop being made 21/22 April 1940. A total of 2,673,500 of these leaflets were dropped during that time span with very few still existing today. Due to the harsh and strict rules in Germany at the time…civilians or soldiers caught holding leaflets such as this on their person were severely punished…ultimately leading to death. Because of the delicate nature of these leaflet many were burned, thrown away, and decayed due to the thin and delicate paper.

Translation:

WHY

For seven years you had rearmament. Not Germany was built up - but a war machine. The people's wealth, the people's prosperity, the people's savings were sacrificed for rearmament. Did not food deterioration begin years ago? For the Nazis were preparing war

at YOUR expense.

YOU were not asked. YOU, the people, have been declared incapable of managing your own affairs. YOU have lost every power of decision. Have YOU the slightest influence or control? Have YOU the right to make honest criticisms?

And YOUR life, YOUR future and the blood and health of YOUR children are at stake.

That is not YOUR State. It is the State of the ruling Party, which gives you no more freedom than it gives to Czechs.

Hitler and his accomplices pushed you into war. But the days of cheap triumphs are over. Two huge world Empires have risen against Hitler and his system.

HITLER cannot retreat -

But are YOU willing, for his madness, to

PERISH?

[Verbluten = bleed to death]

(REVERSE)

WHY

WHY was there a butter and egg shortage already in 1938?

WHY have real wages been sinking since 1934?

WHY at each "Hitler victory" did the people not get richer?

WHY had war to come?

Because the ruling Nazi clique has been preparing for war for seven years!

Do you FIGHT

for the perpetuation of this system of forced labour for men and women, daily executions, loss of all workers' rights, ruin of the middle-classes? Are you fighting really for the 10-hour day, for "voluntary" compulsory contributions, and the omnipotence of the Gestapo?

Do

YOU

really believe the fairy tale that other nations wish to attack, destroy and annihilate you, because your rulers talk of "German Socialism"? Only when war broke out did the NSDAP discover their "Socialist hearts".

NOW THEY NEED YOU!

England is not fighting for the destruction of the German people, but against a system of enslavement and perpetual threats to peace.

AND WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?