August 14th, 1939

The German government has issued the following reminder through its embassies in neutral Europe, the United States, Africa, Asia and South America:

To All Seafaring Peoples, A state of war exists between the Empire of Germany and the menacing Syndicalist duopoly, the Commune of France and the Union of Britain. Any ships flying the flags of these countries, or allied syndicalist countries such as Mexico or Chile, are liable to be stopped, searched and seized on the high seas by warships of the Imperial German Navy. Per internationally agreed upon regulation, any merchant ship that refuses to heed to calls to present itself for inspection is liable to be fired upon and sunk. In addition, any ship functioning in a clearly military capacity, such as a raider or troopship, is liable to be sunk without warning. We wish not to endanger the lives of civilians aboard merchant ships, and thus advise all merchant ships within the North Atlantic ocean and Caribbean sea to be prepared to submit to inspection by German naval vessels at any time.