By 19 39 it had become clear you didn't need secret intelligence reports any more. What changed opinion was what happened to chekeslevacia, and what looked like it was going to happen to poland. As glynn said, there were only two countries in world war too that went to war voluntarily. That was britain and france - after they had exhausted all other possibilities. And preciselyth factors, which, for much of the 19 thirties militated against involvement in 19 39, convinced most people,. harry pollett, the leader of the communist party, and sir oswald, mostly apart, that the moment had come and there was no alternative.