[On 7 November 1939 King Leopold III of the Belgians and Queen
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands offered their good offices to act as
intermediaries and explore with each of the belligerent parties
separately the possibility of reaching an agreement. The offer
coincided with the massing of German troops on the Belgian and
Dutch frontiers and German press attacks on the two countries.]

Peace move by Dutch Belgian sovereigns entirely unexpected and
form of reply causing some anxiety.

Reasons for move variously suggested:

(1) Fear of an immediate invasion of Netherlands;

(2) Pressure from Germany as part of their peace offensive;

(3) Genuine desire by King of Belgians to bring about peace,
precipitancy being due to fear that irretraceable step might be
taken at any moment.

In my view mixture of (1) and (3) probably right. (2) is unlikely
as improbable our representatives in respective countries would
not have heard if such pressure attempted.

BRUCE