8 A Sunday Morning Sept 10 39 Historic Week In Brief Daily Steps in Europes Road to War Prelude Breaking point in Europes long exchange of diplomatic moves came Friday of last week when Chancellor Hitler ordered German troops to meet force with force on the Polish frontier. His fateful command was followed by bombing of Polish cities, invasion of Polish territory and naval blockade of the port of Gdynia, near Danzig. Again Saturday nazi planes bombed Warsaw while Berlin pondered a final ultimatum from France and Great Britain, which fixed a deadline of Sunday noon for withdrawal of reich troops from Poland. Meanwhile, Paris and London jockeyed diplomatically to avoid what seemed to be an inevitable plunge into armed conflict, but rushed feverishly to bolster defenses on land, sea and air. Sunday Britain and France formally declare war against Germany; British liner Athenia sunk with 1400 passengers aboard, including an estimated 246 Americans; Britain claims vessel torpedoed by German U boat and survivors assert submarine shelled Athenia during rescue attempts; Hitler rejects ultimatum and leaves for the front; United States moves to invoke neutrality act; President Roosevelt broadcasts appeal for unity in crisis; American citizens in Europe clamor for passage home. Monday British planes carry war to Kiel canal entrance in north Germany, bomb nazi battleships, drop pamphlets on German cities urging: Fight for your freedom get rid of Hitler; British fleet tightens blockade of Germany; Berlin claims victory on Polish front; British envoy leaves Berlin and nazi ambassador departs from London. Tuesday Poles and Germans battle at gateway to Warsaw; Polish government evacuates Warsaw, foreign embassy staffs flee; British sink three German ships as Berlin announces capture of rich Polish industrial centers; French announce troops make contact with enemy on north flank of German Siegfried line; President Roosevelt proclaims United States neutrality, puts embargo on arms shipments to belligerents; republic of Panama calls for Pan American conference to preserve peace in western hemisphere. Wednesday French troops reported fighting on German soil, penetrating line on western front in rich Saar basin; fighting rages 30 miles from Warsaw; British expeditionary force lands on French soil; Paris announces British air raid on Monday had sunk German pocket battleship in Kiel canal; United States launches drive against espionage, counter-espionage, sabotage, subversive activity and neutrality violations; London reports German planes over British Isles driven off by antiaircraft fire. Thursday British troops join French on western front; British freighter sunk off Portugal; heavy fighting reported on both fronts; Germany masses forces 30 miles from Warsaw; British navy opens drive on U boats; United States strengthens garrison in Puerto Rico as troops move to bolster Panama canal defense. Friday German high command announces motorized units of the nazi army entered Warsaw; official Polish circles broadcast reassurance that retirement of Polish troops was a strategic move; French troops launch another assault on Siegfried line; German island of Sylt, just off the southwest extremity of Denmark, reported bombed from the air; President Roosevelt proclaims state of limited emergency in the United States to bolster national defense and safeguard neutrality. Saturday Hitler decrees reestablishment of 1914 eastern front; Field Marshal Hermann Wilhelm Goering broadcast assurance that British cannot defeat Germany; nazi army battles Poles for possession of Warsaw; French report Germany counter attacking on western front but French troops have occupied 200 square miles of German territory; London war office working on assumption conflict will last three years or more; U. S. begins active army and navy recruiting.