Their assertion was merely an excuse on their part to enable them to plead extenuating circumstances in justification of their aggression against a small nation, already entangled in a war against a Great Power.
Deres påstand var blot en undskyldning fra deres side til at kunne pege på formildende omstændigheder som grundlag for deres aggression mod et lille land, som allerede var i krig mod en stormagt.