Chapter 87 Chapter Fourteen "With the Sleepwalker's Guarantee" (4)

While personal issues roiled Hitler, he continued on his quest for German supremacy. In the summer of 1936 he drafted a lengthy memorandum on wartime economics, in dire language.The memorandum was made in triplicate, one copy each for Goering and Blomberg, and the other for his own records.In the memo, he wrote that Germany's military power should be as great as its potential.This was an urgent task, and there was no room for "indecision." Germany was not only short of raw materials, but also overpopulated, unable to support herself from her own land. "It is meaningless to keep saying this. We must put measures into action now in order to finally solve the problem in the future. Before that, we should relax for a while. The solution lies in expanding the living space, or expanding the raw materials and resources of our people. The source of the food.” He went on to say that it is the government’s responsibility to ultimately address the shortage of raw materials. "Instead of waiting until the next major war, why not start thinking about and solving these problems in peacetime? Although there are other needs, economic investigations and experiments must also be started." A self-sufficient economy must be established as soon as possible to achieve The following objectives: "1. The German army must be ready for war within four years. 2. The German economy must be ready for war within four years."

At the same time, he was trying to cement relations with the British, who repeatedly showed how foolish they were in dealing with a leader so determined and cunning.They firmly believed that with concessions and understandings, they would surely bring Hitler into submission. However, last year he took advantage of the misunderstanding of the British, negotiated a compromise with them, and offered to sign a contract vaguely.Hopeful and well-meaning British dignitaries continued to flock to Germany.Historian Arnold Toynby, returning from Germany, believed Hitler to have peaceful intentions.Wartime Prime Minister David Lloyd George, one of the authors of the Treaty of Versailles, felt the same way - despite his vigorous promotion of the slogan "Hang the Kaiser". On the afternoon of September 4, Hitler gave him a warm welcome on the steps of the Berghof. "I have always been very interested in promoting a good relationship between our two countries," Lloyd George said. "I have renewed my efforts after the war." Sign a contract within the country, otherwise, the two countries will be separated.

"I wholeheartedly agree," Hitler replied.From a young age he had fantasies about forming this alliance.The main purpose of the alliance between the two nationalities is to understand each other.The threat to future civilization is Bolshevism.He hastily said that this was not an imaginary fear, but a real danger.Therefore, Western Europe must unite against Bolshevism.He expressed concern about the Spanish Civil War and the extraordinary extent to which Bolshevism had taken hold of Spain. "Why should I be so worried? I'm not afraid that the Russians will attack us. But if the countries around me are Bolshevized, what will our country look like from an economic point of view? Everything here is at stake middle."

After the guests left, Hitler told another family member, Heinz Linge, that the former prime minister had told him that during the war, Britain had almost surrendered for a long period of time. "I told Lloyd George, I agree, but the disaster for Germany was that he surrendered at 'five minutes to twelve'." His guest agreed that Germany surrendered too soon. "However, I told him that if Germany and Britain fight again, as long as I am the head of state, Germany will fight until five past twelve." Schmidt accompanied the Prime Minister back to the hotel.At the entrance, Lloyd's daughter sarcastically called out "Hurray Hitler!" The former prime minister did not laugh. "Hitler, of course!" he said solemnly. "I say the same, because he is really a great man."

The party's birthday commemoration at Nuremberg in 1936, predictably, made a deep impression on Lloyd George.This commemoration was even more spectacular than the previous ones, and it was marked by two major movements: the "Four Year Plan" for self-sufficiency and the opposition to Bolshevism in the name of the "forces of chaos" marching.Sunday morning, the weather is fine.In Nuremberg's sprawling stadium, Hitler spoke to the 160,000 brownshirts and SS troops who had assembled there, talking about the Bolshevik threat.Afterwards, he returned to the city in an open car (“Mercedes”), waving from time to time to the crowds who lined the narrow roads and cheered him from the balconies.The car of United Press reporter Richard Helms followed closely behind.Helms was accompanied by five or six journalists from various newspapers, all of whom were invited to lunch with the Führer at Nuremberg Castle.

“By the time we arrived, Helms recalled, “I was paranoid, too.I feel like I'm 10 feet tall even if the cheers aren't for me! " The guests were invited to the tower of the castle.There, they saw Hitler no longer ostentatious.What impressed Holmes was his easygoing manner.Not only is the earlier display of showmanship completely gone, but instead he appears bewildered, with his feet constantly rocking back and forth.It is hard to believe that this was the very man who had waved his arms at the wildly cheering stormtroopers a few moments ago, exclaiming: "The miracle of this age is that you have found me—one in millions." Someone mentioned Bolshevism, and he eloquently eloquently became an orator again.He attacked that Moscow was trying to rule Europe, but Germany would not agree. "People don't understand why we are so mad against Bolshevism. It's because we, as well as Italy, are people who have experienced what is happening in Spain right now." In the street below, people shouted rhythmically: "We I want to see the Führer!" So he had no choice but to step out of the tower and greet his admirers.

Holmes is gone.He was more impressed by what he saw in the tower than he was in the stadium.Here, he felt, he was a "reasonable man whose plans were reasonable." On the last day of the convention, people watched a large military display.After a simulated aerial combat demonstration and the performance of the latest anti-aircraft machine guns, a realistic mechanized battle was performed on the stadium.The party's birthday commemoration was over—on the one hand promising peace, announcing new goals;It was not only the true believers of the party who believed that the Führer was infallible. Even Lloyd George almost believed in what he had seen and heard in Germany.In an article in the "Daily Express", he wrote: Hitler single-handedly rescued Germany in dire straits.He is a natural leader, a figure of strong will and heroic character, trusted by the old and adored by the younger generation.

Lloyd George had been fooled by his new venture.Prior to this, Hitler tried his best to seek an understanding with Italy.He sent Hans Frank to Rome, inviting him to visit Germany—not only as Italian dictator but also as founder of Fascism.At this time, Mussolini sincerely wanted to contact Germany.Then he sent his son-in-law, Count Galliazzo Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, to fly to Berlin on October 21 to make preliminary arrangements for his visit.Ciano first consulted with German Foreign Minister Niu Wright.According to Italian reports, Niu Wright scoffed at Ribbentrop's fantasies of meaningful Anglo-German relations.Ciano was equally skeptical about signing the New Logano Pact, suggesting that Italy remain in the League of Nations in order to engage in "works of sabotage for the common purpose." Three days later, Ciano met Hitler at Uberghof.In order to confuse each other, Hitler said: "Mussolini is the number one politician in the world, and no one else can compare with him." It will be invincible against Bolshevism and Western democracy.

After entrusting his son-in-law with the task of sowing Anglo-German relations, Mussolini handed Ciano a document that had fallen into Italian hands.This is a telegram from the British ambassador in Berlin to London.The telegram called Hitler's government a dangerous risk taker.After reading this telegram, the head of state shouted angrily: "In the eyes of the British, there are two countries in the world led by adventurers, one is Germany and the other is Italy. However, the British are building the British Empire." At that time, its leaders were also adventurers. Britain today is led by incompetent people.” He assured Ciano that there was no need to worry about Britain, because Germany and Italy were rearming much faster.By 1939 Germany would be ready for war, and in four to five years it would be far more than ready.

Ciano and New Wright then signed a secret agreement in Berlin, establishing a new relationship and stipulating extensive cooperation.A few days later, in a speech delivered in Milan's Piazza Duamo, Mussolini made this point, in language that would sound ominous to a Western ear: "...the union of Berlin and Rome On the first line, this is not a partition, but an axis around which all European countries interested in cooperating and maintaining peace can turn.” After the autumn of 1936, Hitler's main concern was Spain.Prior to this, the Führer had provided Franco with small but significant provisions.At this time, Hitler was considering sending him a lot of aid. In November, a special aircraft group that can be used tactically by the insurgents has been put into battle. On November 18, Hitler and Mussolini finally recognized the Franco regime as the legitimate government of Spain.

While the Foreign Office urged Hitler to proceed with caution, Goering, now in charge of the Four-Year Plan, saw the Spanish Civil War as the prelude to a real conflict. "We are already in a state of war." On December 2, he said at a meeting of Air Force officers-although the first shot has not yet been officially fired.Even so, from the New Year onwards, “all aircraft factories need to be at full strength, as if a mobilization order had been issued.” He was equally blunt in a speech to a group of industrialists and senior officials in Berlin a few days later.He revealed that war was just around the corner and that Germany was about to mobilize. "The battle we're going to fight," he said, "requires us to take major steps to increase our productive capacity. Rearming is unlimited. The options are victory or death." After Goering's remarks were announced, Franco's new representative, General William Faubert, sent disturbing news: unless a German division and a trainer were sent immediately, the war might be lost.However, Wilhelmstrasse ignored this suggestion, and Faubert brought the matter to the Führer. On December 21, he met Hitler at the Chancellery.Göring, Blomberg, Hossbach, Fritsch, and Lieutenant Colonel Walter Vallimont, who had just returned from Spain and served as military representative at Franco's headquarters, were present.Faubert asked Hitler to send three reinforcements to end the protracted war.Hitler asked Vallimont for advice.Vallimont pointed out that since this was a civil war, Franco could only win it on his own.There could be no successful co-operation between the Spanish and German armies.The military aid already given was sufficient to save the rebel forces from defeat.In addition, Franco is in the right place and will be able to turn the tide.All the soldiers present supported Vallimont's view. Hitler agreed with everyone.He said Germany was not prepared to send reinforcements on a large scale.His reasons were not military but political.Then he candidly reveal that the last thing he needs is a quick Franco victory.A long and bitter fight in Spain would distract the world's attention from Germany's ambitious rearmament program.He did, however, pledge to continue aiding Spain against the Communists; if military catastrophe seemed to be imminent, he would increase it.His last remark was a cunning one.He ceded the honor of massive military aid to Mussolini.The deeper he got into the Spanish question, the more Mussolini demanded from Germany; if the conflict was prolonged, he became obligated to the Axis in words and deeds. In diplomacy, 1936 was the year of greatest success and least cost for Hitler.England has been turned head over heels, and Italy is about to fall into an unequal partnership with Germany.He also persuaded Japan to sign the Anti-Comintern Pact, which contained a secret (really vaguely worded) agreement to support each other against the Soviet Union.The agreement, while admittedly not absolutely necessary by both parties, was important in terms of a propaganda strategy to rationalize Germany's rearmament. The only setback then was Britain's constitutional crisis.The crisis was caused by the decision of the King to marry Mrs Wallis Walfield Simpson.He told Prime Minister Baldwin, "If I marry her as king and it goes well, otherwise, if the government objects to the marriage — which Baldwin has told Edward it will — I am ready to Retire." Most of the public sympathized with Edward VIII, but the prime minister and the church insisted on going their own way and refused to allow it. This crisis caused Ribbentrop a lot of headaches, because in the upcoming negotiations, the Führer relied on the support of the King. "Our best hope is him!" Ribbentrop said to Fritz Hesse, a press agent at the German embassy on behalf of the German Press Bureau.The latter was considered an expert on British affairs and acted as a special representative of the Foreign Office, receiving secret missions from the Foreign Office to deal unofficially with British officials, notably Horace Wilson, the prime minister's industrial adviser. "Do you think this is a conspiracy to deprive us of our final status in this country?" Not long after, Ribbentrop called Hesse again.He had just finished talking with the head of state on the phone, and the head of state refused to believe the resignation.It was a smoke screen and he had silenced the German press.Hitler's confidence gave Ribbentrop a guarantee. "As you will see," he predicted, "the Führer will be vindicated. The matter will pass away, and the King will be grateful that we have approached this crisis so strategically and with such care." On the evening of December 9, Edward signed the "Retirement Document", becoming the first monarch in British history to voluntarily renounce the throne.In a moving radio address that night, he told his subjects and the world that he felt that "without the support and help of the girl I love, despite my heart, I would not be able to rise to the burden of my responsibilities as king and fulfill my responsibilities. Responsibility." Hitler didn't understand why some people love beauty but not country.He telephoned Ribbentrop and (according to Hesse) sullenly informed his ambassador that he might as well pack up and leave, willing to lose and give up the game. "Since the king of England has abdicated, no one in England is willing to associate with us. Report your activities to me. If you do nothing, I will not blame you."