The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

Before Halifax broadcast his reply, Jock Colville heard of a dramatic new
rumour coming from Washington. The British Ambassador, Lord Lothian,
had been contacted by the German chargé d’affaires, Hans Thomsen, via an
American third party. Thomsen told Lothian they could outline precise
peace terms for Britain that Germany would find acceptable. General
Halder also heard of this. ‘British ambassador to Washington is quoted:
Britain has lost the war. Should pay, but do nothing derogatory to her
honour.’ Of course, Lothian had said nothing of the kind and the offer had
come from Thomsen and Berlin, rather than the other way round. Churchill
told Lothian not to respond. The same day, a Dutch businessman, at
Göring’s behest, also offered to mediate between Berlin and London. There
was also another attempt by the Pope.
Then, on Monday evening, Halifax made his broadcast as planned.
‘Hitler may plant the Swastika where he will,’ he announced in a line that
was pure Churchill, ‘but unless he can sap the strength of Britain, the
foundations of his empire are based on sand.’ The speech put an end to any
further German hopes. ‘England has chosen war,’ ran the headline of
Goebbels’s paper, the Völkischer Beobachter. Goebbels had been
monitoring public opinion in Germany carefully. Goaded by the
Propaganda Ministry, which had urged editors to attack Britain with ‘all
possible might’, the papers had referred to Britain’s rejection as a war
crime. ‘German public opinion is boiling hot,’ noted Goebbels with relish.
‘The war against England will be a relief. That is what the German people
want. The nation is aflame.’
William Shirer noticed a different mood. He thought Berliners seemed
depressed rather than angry, although most seemed to be pinning hopes on a
quick victory which would be won by autumn, and thus save them from
another long, cold winter of war. At any rate, the peace with Britain that had
been so assured would not happen just yet. As William wrote in his diary,
‘The die seems cast.’