Footnote

c “Principal Events in 1939.— . . . on 1 September, at the outbreak of the war. Egypt proclaimed emergency measures. The following day German nationals were asked to leave the country and to return to Germany.” (The Encyclopedia Americana, 1940 Annual, page 259b, paragraph 2) Egypt, though not declaring war on Germany and Italy, played a vital role as the base from which Britain and its allies could launch a campaign against the Italian and German forces. Throughout July and August of 1940, British planes bombed the Fascist Italian base at Tobruk, Libya; and Italian planes bombed the British bases at Mersa Matruh and Alexandria, Egypt. On July 9, 1940, the French naval authorities at Alexandria, Egypt, demilitarized the French warships in that port rather than risk a battle with the British Mediterranean Fleet.—Ibidem, 1941 Annual, page 233.