Chapter 92 Chapter Fifteen "Such a Tiny Human Insect" (4)

In late October, he told a group of regional propaganda officials that his family was short lived.This is the big problem.These problems, especially the living space problem, must be solved as soon as possible.Those who follow him can no longer do this, because only he can. "Now," he said, "I feel as fresh as a donkey on grass." A week later, on November 5, 1937, he summoned the military chief, his army adjutant Hossbach, and Foreign Minister Niu Wright.Ostensibly, the reason for the summons was to resolve the growing competition for raw materials between Blomberg and Göring.Minister of Operations Blomberg was very annoyed at Goering's use of his position as director of the four-year plan to favor the Air Force, and he begged the Fuehrer to stop his actions.

When the meeting was about to start, Hitler told Goering privately that the main purpose of the meeting, according to Goering's confirmation, was to "put pressure on General von Fritsch. Because he was dissatisfied with the rearmament of the country.It would do no harm, he said, if Mr. Blomberg also put pressure on General Fletcher. When Göring questioned Neuwright's presence, the Fuehrer replied that he "did not intend to make it too much like a military The pace had to be quickened. " A similar thing may well have been said by Hitler, since it is characteristic of him that when quarrels arise he has historically avoided favoring one side over the other.At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when the meeting began, Hitler kept silent about the quarrel and talked only about his foreign policy.From his sober attitude, it was clear that this was no ordinary meeting.He asked everyone to keep the meeting a secret.That way, the participants (with the possible exception of Goering) knew that something was serious.After a while, he asked the participants to "consider the long-term interests of German policy, and in case of his death, make his speech as his will." Good detail points.Then, Hitler said that the goal of German policy is to ensure the security of the nation, maintain and expand the living space of the nation.In fact, Germany's future depends entirely on whether she can obtain enough living space, and this living space can only be found in Europe. "There has never been a situation where there is no space without an owner, and it is still the case today. The attacker must compete with the occupier. The problem for Germany is where she can get the greatest benefit at the lowest cost." Participants Surprised.He went on to say that Germany's problems "can only be solved by force. Of course this will not be without risks".The question now is when and how.

Germany's power will be at its peak in about six years, he said.After fighting there, German military equipment will become obsolete.By then, other countries will have rearmed again.Germany should go on the offensive while other countries are still preparing to defend. "If the Fuehrer is still alive, he will unwaveringly solve the problem of Germany's living space by 1943-1945 at the latest." Hitler hardly read the theses.All kinds of events and figures came out of his mouth, and his memory was amazingly clear.His genius is said to be matched only by Caesar, Napoleon and Lenin.Baron von Neureit sat motionless, the other generals were on pins and needles, and Hossbach, who was not good at recording, was desperately scribbling down what the Führer said.He went on to say that Germany's first objective was to occupy Czechoslovakia and Austria in order to consolidate its southeastern flank.There is no doubt that Britain and France "had secretly written off the Czechs", and Britain itself had too many problems to start a war against Germany.He warned that the Czech defenses were increasing and the Austrian army was growing stronger.At the same time, he also guaranteed that once the above two countries were annexed, a large amount of food would be continuously shipped from the two countries to the empire.This also means that "the border can be shortened and strengthened, and the troops can be transferred to other uses." At the same time, it is also possible to raise the army organization to a new level of 12 divisions, that is, there is one division for every million inhabitants.Italy would certainly not object to the annihilation of the Czechs, but he could not estimate what attitude it would take toward Austria—mainly it depended on whether Mussolini was still alive at that time. "Poland's attitude will depend on the level of surprise and speed of our operations (interestingly, he had just signed a treaty with this neighboring country earlier in the day on ethnic minorities). Poland, with Russia behind it, will have no intention of Victorious Germany goes to war.” Similarly, if Russia intervened, Germany would respond with blitzkrieg.

By the time Hitler finished speaking, the sky was slowly getting dark.He asked everyone what their opinions were, and both Blomberg and Fritsch opposed the Fuehrer's conquest plan.They warned him not to make enemies with Britain and France.The French army will not be subject to much restraint in the war with Italy, and it is still a strong enemy of West Germany.Blomberg also protested that the Czech defenses were as strong as the Maginot Line and that breaking through it would be extremely difficult.Afterwards, together with Fritsch, he elaborated these arguments again.Fritsch expressed concern and even offered to cancel his leave - he was planning to go to Egypt to recuperate, because he had just suffered from partial adenitis - but the Fuehrer told him that it was not necessary; war was possible, but not urgent to such an extent.

Hitler left Goering to refute these arguments while he listened.The discussions were so intense that Hossbach could barely keep a record of them, "yet," he recalls, "I also remember with precision that they were very heated, both in content and in form. The look on Hitler's face was constant. Changing. It can be seen that he was also deeply impressed. Every detail of the behavior of Blomberg and Fritsch clearly showed Hitler that his policy was not met with approval and applause, but It is an objective contradiction." Niu Wright was equally indifferent.He warned that war between France and Italy was not as certain as the Führer had imagined.Admiral Raeder was not involved in the debate, but it was clear that he too was skeptical.

The meeting ended at 8:15 p.m.After Hitler left, Goering pulled Raeder aside to explain his doubts.The strange thing is that Blomberg, who was still opposed just now, is also praying to the admiral not to take the head of state too seriously; what the head of state said was just to urge Fritsch to speed up his armaments.Germany would not have had a naval conflict with Great Britain at all.When he left the Chancellery, Raeder felt relieved that Hitler did not really want to start a war.After all, the Navy didn't even have a single ship in service, and the Army and Air Force were unprepared. "We were not armed for war, but to go to war with England," he recalled, "was the act of utter madness."

On the other hand, Niu Wright believed in the words of the head of state.But he didn't really understand what that meant until he returned to the office.He fell ill and had to call for a doctor.Driven by conscience, in less than 48 hours, New Wright (who later suffered several heart attacks for this matter) put aside his oath of secrecy, and met the two generals Baker and Fletcher in Bendler. Main Street, to discuss ways to induce Hitler to abandon his war plans.The two generals promised to do their best; if they didn't have more than 50% certainty of victory, they didn't want to fight.The three unanimously agreed that Fritsch would once again emphasize to the Führer that it would be militarily stupid to start a war.Then, Niu Wright debated political issues with the head of state.

Fritsch did meet the Führer at the Berghof on November 9.What was the result of the meeting? Although he did not leave a record, he said in a letter to his friend Baroness von Schutzbahl that day: "New problems have come one after another, and they must be resolved before I set off. I really Exhausted, much worse than you can see from my appearance." A few hours later, he set off for Egypt.His arguments certainly had little effect.Hitler never even saw Niu Wright. Did Hitler not mean what he said at that important meeting?Was he acting, as Goering said, as Blomberg and Raeder believed,?Or, a rare glimpse into his mind?Judging from his unpublished writings, as well as from the many speeches he has given and the many things he has said about living space and the Jewish people, he speaks the truth.A fortnight later he gave another lecture in Zonthofen, in which he warned the political cadets with equal earnestness that Germany could not survive without sufficient living space and that war must be risked for this purpose.

What he said at that fateful meeting was not a blueprint for war, but it did indicate what he might do if diplomatic threats failed.He is determined to wage a diplomatic war, even if it means taking a big risk.By 1943, either by means of diplomatic blackmail or by a series of blitzkriegs, he had to clear some smaller, preliminary obstacles: first Czechoslovakia, then Poland and France.He hoped to fight for the neutrality of Britain. If he could not do this, he would also teach Britain a military lesson and force it not to interfere with matters on the mainland.Thus, by 1943, he would have cleared the way to start a major war—and bring down his arch-enemy, Russia.In any case, he was determined to embark on a warlike path.With his gambler's nature, he was ready to take the risk he had planned to take as early as 1938.