Chapter 97 Chapter 16 Returning to Hometown (3)

Hitler's threats against Austria also angered the French.France proposed to London that the two countries jointly send a note to Germany to lodge a protest.The proposal arrived in London at an inauspicious hour.At that time, Anthony Eden had just resigned, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was temporarily deserted.Events in Austria had not yet excited the British public, and the prime minister was still working on a policy of appeasement of Germany.Again, the Times of London, which constantly belittles the significance of the events in Austria, cheers Chamberlain up again, "at bottom," it wrote in an editorial, "the most natural that can be had between two German-speaking countries, nothing more than understanding each other.”"Austria is by no means against the Germans," said Goebbels, and could not have been more convincing.

The previous fall, Roosevelt had condemned all aggressors.However, even Roosevelt's action did not affect Chamberlain's appeasement policy in the slightest.Then, President Roosevelt put forward a specific and feasible proposal that all countries should "quarantine" Japan, Germany and Italy.But that didn't move Chamberlain either.Roosevelt also dispatched Captain Roel Ingersoll, Chief of Naval Operations Planning, to London to explore the possibility of a long-term naval blockade of Japan at the President's direction.The British Admiralty strongly agreed, telling Ingersoll that they were "preparing to block all the sea passages of Japan, roughly from Singapore, through the East Indies, New Guinea, and New Hebrew Islands, to Australia and New Zealand." Edom."

In early 1938, however, Prime Minister Chamberlain rejected another proposal from Roosevelt, thus nullifying the plan.At the time, Roosevelt invited Britain to an international conference to discuss key principles of international law—a conference that would later awaken the United States to the true nature of what Roosevelt privately called a "gangster state."At first, the president was a little taken aback by Chamberlain's refusal to attend, not grasping the full implications of Britain's move.It soon became clear that Britain's refusal to attend the international conference was due to its reluctance to participate in "quarantine", whether in the East or in Europe.Chamberlain's refusal was a major blow to Roosevelt, causing him to abandon a strong foreign policy that might have prevented further global aggression—and thus changed the course of history.Instead, he allowed America to return to its old isolation.

Thus, by the beginning of March, the kingdom of Great Britain was set on a policy of appeasement - beyond redemption. On March 3, Sir Neville Henderson, the British ambassador to Germany, visited the Chancellery and informed Hitler that the British government was prepared in principle to discuss all outstanding issues with Germany, although Henderson tried to pretend to be friendly and infallible, " His very British gentlemanly manner", recalled the interpreter Schmidt, "always made Ribbentrop and Hitler, who could not tolerate the 'elegant', angry." It took Henderson 10 minutes to clarify the purpose of his visit: sincerely want to improve the mutual relations between the two countries.He said that in order to solve serious problems such as equipment restrictions and bombing restrictions, as well as peacefully solve problems such as the Czech Republic and Austria.Britain is ready to make some concessions.What was Hitler prepared to contribute to European security and peace?

During this lengthy exposition, the Führer sat hunched over in an armchair, frowning constantly.After Henderson finished speaking, Hitler replied angrily that only a small number of Austrians supported Schuschnigg.Why did Britain insist on opposing a fair and reasonable settlement and interfering in "Germanic family affairs"?He suddenly took the offensive, accusing that there is no doubt that the Franco-Soviet and Czech-Soviet treaties are threats to Germany, and that is why Germany wants to rearm.The degree of armed restraint thus depends on the Russians, and the problem is complicated by the fact that "one trusts both the treaties of a savage like the Soviet Union and the knowledge of a savage about a certain mathematical formula." Understood. Any agreement with the USSR is worthless. We should never allow Russia into Europe."

He rambled on for two hours before finally dismissing the Austrian question with "vague answers."The next day, Hitler sent his chief economic adviser, Wilhelm Keppler, to Austria.He came with new demands—including everything that had been canceled at Berchtesgaden—to meet Schuschnigg as Hitler's personal representative.However, his main interest was economic, and he saw the annexation of Germany and Austria as a financial necessity for both countries.So, he behaved more like a benefactor than a predator. "What the Führer expected," Keppler recalled, "was evolution, in other words, to get rid of it from within Austria. If possible, try not to involve Germany explicitly." Lovely Keppler then concluded that the time had come to speed up the process.

Schuschnigg reacted forcefully to Kepler's demands such as the immediate appointment of a Nazi as Minister of Economy, the lifting of the ban on the Volksobserver, and the legalization of the National Socialist Party.Schuschnigg was full of doubts, and asked: Only three weeks later, why did Hitler come up with a set of imposing demands?His government would cooperate with the Austrian Nazis only on the basis of recognizing Austria's long-standing independence.According to Schuschniger's recollection, the meeting was "no result", but Kepler reported to the country that "the meeting started like a storm, and ended with a strong atmosphere of reconciliation." Nigger will never submit to violence. However, if it is handled properly and does not undermine his authority, he will cooperate with us to a large extent. Regarding the Treaty of Berchtesgaden, we can rely on his loyalty".He further reported that the Austrian party was making great strides, especially in Graz, where 80 percent of the population believed in National Socialism. "At the moment we are leaning towards the brakes in order to win more people away from Schuschnigg."

Schuschnigg's concessions to the Nazis only provoked new unrest, throwing Austria into a state of undeclared civil war.In Vienna, SA and Nazi sympathizers chanted "Hail Victory! Hoil Victory!" tonight and "Heil Hitler!" tomorrow night, across the Danube Canal and into the Jewish quarter of Leopoldstadt.The opponents shouted "Long live Schuschniger!" "Red, white and red, unyielding until death!" to fight.They often clashed, and the conflict was not over until the police came brandishing batons.Generally speaking, it was always the patriots who were beaten, because the police were more loyal to the Minister of the Interior Seth-Inquart than to the Chancellor Schuschnigg.

In desperation, Schuschnigg appealed to Mussolini on March 7, warning that, in order to salvage the situation, he might hold a referendum.Mussolini called back with an assurance.As Goering had pledged against the use of force, Mussolini claimed that he trusted Goering's assurances and urged Schuschny not to hold a referendum.For a chancellor who was threatened with invasion abroad, attacked by workers at home for being too lenient and the Nazis for being too restrictive, the letter was demoralizing.He decided to ignore Mussolini's advice. On March 9, he announced that the referendum would be held in the city of Innsbruck in Tyrol.Strolling up to the podium in the city square in traditional Austrian clothes (brown jacket, green vest), he announced affectionately that citizens of the country would go to polling stations in four days to answer a question: "Do you agree with the establishment of a Germanic, free , independent, friendly, Christian, united Austria?" For the second time he spoke as an orator rather than a scholar, "Tyroleans and Austrians, say 'yes' to Tyrol, to Austria 'Yes'!" he declared, and ended his speech in Tyrolean dialect with Andreas Hofer's famous words calling for volunteers to attack Napoleon: "Soldiers, it's time to fight!" Twenty thousand listened in unison. Shout out, resolutely resist.Most of the people who listened to the broadcast on the radio were also outraged.Prince Starburger, however, was dumbfounded. “Schuchnigg is screwed,” the former Austrian deputy chancellor told his wife. “I hope Austria is not screwed. Hitler would never have allowed this to happen.”

As he had feared, the announcement prompted the Führer to take tough measures.A vote for a free and united Austria means - as it may turn out - the delay, if not the end, of the merger.Since annexation with Austria was a necessary prerequisite for expansion to the east, a referendum would have jeopardized Hitler's entire plan for living space.He cannot tolerate such a challenge. On the morning of March 10, he told General Keitel that since the Austrian problem was so "serious," he should make proper preparations.Keitel recalled that the General Staff had prepared a plan, the "Battle of Otto," to prevent Otto von Habsburg from regaining the Austrian throne. "Get ready!" ordered the Führer.

Keitel hurried back to the staff headquarters on Bendler Street, and was shocked to find that the "Battle of Otto" was just a theory, regretting that he should not rush to please the Führer.Therefore, he handed over to General Baker the task of drafting a report on the possibility of invading Austria. "We have nothing prepared," Beck complained, "nothing, nothing." Beck reported to Hitler and suggested that two corps, plus the 2nd Panzer Division, be used for an armed invasion of Austria.Hitler told Baker that these troops must be ready to cross the border on Saturday, the 12th.He was taken aback. It was unimaginable for a professional soldier to make such a campaign deployment within 48 hours.Baker countered that this meant that orders would be sent to the various units by 6 pm today.So do it - says Hitler, the amateur strategist. The Führer was more concerned with the Italian response than with logistical issues.He hastily dictated a letter to Mussolini.Austria, he wrote, was approaching anarchy and he could not stand by. "I am Führer and Chancellor of the German Empire, and a son of this land. In the fulfillment of my vocation... I resolve to restore law and order to my homeland, so that the people there may, in their own judgment, speak with infallible, definite, In an aboveboard way, determine your own destiny." He reminded Mussolini that Germany had aided him in Italy's difficult time, that is, in the war against Ethiopia.In return for his support of Italy, he promised to recognize the frontier between Italy and the Empire as the Valle de Brenne. "This decision will neither change nor be doubted." At noon, Hitler handed the envelope to Prince Philip von Hessen, and ordered him to hand over the letter to Mussolini himself.The prince brought a basket of flowers and plants, ready to take back to Rome to plant in his own garden.He was on a special plane, and he had no idea how important the letter he was carrying was. Across Austria, street signs are plastered with posters announcing the referendum.Trucks with loudspeakers weaved through town streets urging citizens to vote "yes" when they voted on Sunday.In Vienna, the patriots were more violent than the Nazis.Teams of patriots took to the streets, chanting "Long live Schuschnigg!" "Long live freedom!" and "Sunday, voting day, vote yes!" The enthusiasm of the crowd inspired Schuschnigg.He continues to take resolute action. "I cannot and am not going to be a puppet," Schuschniger wrote in reply (Interior Minister Seyss-Inquart accused the referendum of being in violation of the Berchtesgaden agreement), "in terms of the national economy and Don't you think, Your Excellency, that I will stand by at a time of political ruin." He concluded his letter with an urgent plea to Seth-Inquart, as minister in charge of security, to take steps to end the terror.Otherwise, he would not be able to stop the opposition. Although most people think that Seth-Inquart is Hitler's pawn, he is also very concerned about Austria's independence.Although he sympathized with some policies of the Austrian Nazis, the Nazis did not regard him as one of their own.In ideology and nature, he is closer to Schuschnigg.Both considered themselves patriots; both were devout Catholics; both were intellectuals, both men of letters who loved music.Seth-Inquart promised to broadcast on the radio urging his followers to vote yes on Sunday, proving that he was more patriotic than the Nazis. Schuschnigg went to bed that night "with the utmost satisfaction" that the Nazi threat to the referendum had been removed.Unbeknownst to him, however, Seth-Inquart had little influence in his party at this time.Austrian Nazi diehards had already taken to the streets in four files, heading for the German Tourist Office, the epicenter of the unrest - a building bearing a huge portrait of Hitler."One people, one empire, one Führer!" they shouted. At first the patriots (who outnumbered them by three to one) amused this cry.Then, many windows were smashed.The police standing aside hurriedly circled the blockade to avoid greater losses.The Nazis screamed strangely, and the police not only ignored them, but concentrated their efforts on the patriots.In the end, Nazis with swastikas, who were outnumbered, flooded the streets.