Chapter 126 Chapter 21 Victory on the Western Front (4)

Twelve days after the bombing, Hitler issued "Battle Order No. 8".Invasions on land would go ahead as planned, but he banned the bombing of population centers in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg "when there is no compelling military necessity".This is more practical than humanitarian and reveals Hitler's ultimate goal.His real intention in attacking the West was to strengthen the rear and surprise Russia, not to conquer the lands of Europe or destroy Britain - which he might later be able to induce to condone his eastward advance. A few days later, he called a special meeting.This time, he invited not only the commander-in-chief, but also the men who would lead the attack.The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's Office at noon on November 23 - and the tone started off very low. "The purpose of this meeting," he explained, "is to give you an idea of ​​what I have in mind, because it is this that will guide me in future events. I am not asking you to come and listen to me. It's decided." He then revealed what everyone in his audience should know: that the military, with its proud tradition, had degenerated into a yes-man's tool of a one-man dictatorship. "I've always wondered if I should hit the East first and then the West," he said. "Basically, I organized the armed forces to fight. The decision to fight has always been in my hands. Sooner or later, I will solve the problem."

This is a public announcement to be the host, but the participants did not say anything to disagree.Goering later testified that any rebuttals made by those present did so knowingly. "After the decision of the Supreme Commander, a soldier has nothing more to discuss; this applies to the general as well as to the field marshal." Hitler went on to say "very modestly" that he was irreplaceable. "The fate of the empire rests with me alone. I'm going to do it here." He admitted that his overall plan was a gamble, but the words were aggressive. "I either win or die," he said. "I choose victory." "This is a historic decision, comparable to that of Frederick the Great before the First Silesian War. No hate. That's how I'm going to live my life." Significantly, he ended his speech with a dark prophecy about his own fate. "In this struggle, I will either stand or fall. If my people fail, I will not live on mediocrity." These are true words.For Hitler, there was only black and white; either outright victory or "Goth Dameron"—the end of the world.

That afternoon, Hitler read to Brauchitsch and Halder one of his lectures on defeatism among the Army's top generals.Brauchitsch was taken aback and offered to resign.Hitler refused, reminding him that as a general, he should do his duty and fulfill his obligations "like other soldiers."It was a day of misery for the Army, as Halder eloquently put it succinctly in his diary, "a day of crisis!" Hitler had said he would destroy anyone who got in his way.Both Brauchitsch and Halder were weakened by Hitler's intimidation.They both worked desperately to keep themselves out of the hands of the Resistance.

Just a week later, Stalin surprised the world again. On November 30, he invaded Finland.The country of Finland, as early as 1918, had defeated a communist rebellion with the help of the German army.Stalin invaded Finland, much to Hitler's dismay.This was not only because Delfin was on better terms, but also because it weakened the already weak alliance with Mussolini.The Italians, who had opposed the German-Soviet Pact from the very beginning, expressed, like the West, great indignation at the unprovoked invasion of Finland by the Soviet Union.The Pope's official mouthpiece, the Roman Observer, followed the Pope in not condemning a fascist or Nazi invasion.Now it joins the Pope in denouncing the Soviet Union's invasion as deliberate.Mussolini, Ciano writes, was under intense pressure from both the church and the nation to "seek to fail Germany." Indeed, on December 26, he authorized his son-in-law to inform the Belgian and Dutch representatives that Hitler was about to Invasion (B Belgian ambassador in Rome hastily telegraphed this information to Brussels. The Germans intercepted and translated the telegram.)

For a whole week, Mussolini was restless, both afraid of the Führer's success and hoping for his success.On New Year's Eve, he considered going to war and joining Hitler, but as soon as the signs of Germany's imminent invasion of the West grew, he sat down again, playing the role of big brother, and wrote letters to persuade his little friend.Never before has an Italian prime minister been so bold and outspoken.But his bluntness worried him.Therefore, it was not until January 5, 1940 that he finally allowed the letter to be sent.He advised Hitler to restrain himself and not to invade the West.In such a war, both sides have only losses "Now, now that you have acquired the eastern frontier and established a great empire with a population of 90 million, you risk everything-including your own government-and sacrifice the Germanic powers. The flower of the nation, the purpose is only to let the fruit that will fall sooner or later fall earlier, and be reaped by us, the emerging powers of Europe. Is it worthwhile? The great democracies themselves have the seeds that will rot their fruits. "

Then he criticized the treaty with Russia.Such an attitude, he knew, would inevitably provoke the head of state to be angry. "I feel that you cannot abandon the banner of anti-Semitism and anti-Bolshevism which you have held high for 20 years and for which many comrades have died; you cannot abandon your own gospel which the German people blindly believed in." 4 months ago , the Soviet Union is the number one enemy in the world.Now, how could she be number one friend? "The day of the eradication of Bolshevism is also the day of faith in the revolutions of our two countries."

On the afternoon of January 8, Attolico delivered the letter himself.Understandably, the Führer disdained to reply, but simply shelved it.It was Mussolini's best effort to rid himself of the rule of his allies.But almost immediately after asserting his rights, there was a predictable reaction and began to play the role of servility again.