Hitler by Peter Longerich

Author:Peter Longerich
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Incorporated
Published: 2019-05-16T00:00:00+00:00

Preparations for the attack in the West

On 23 November, Hitler gave a speech to the military leadership in which he made clear his determination to expand the war at all costs, even against the advice of his hesitant generals, and took the opportunity to humiliate the commander-in-chief of the army in front of the top brass.

In his speech he projected the image of a ruthless conqueror. After Munich, he said, it was clear to him ‘from the very first moment that I could not be satisfied with the Sudeten German territory. That was only a partial solution. The decision to march into Bohemia was made. There followed the establishment of the Protectorate and with that the basis for the action against Poland was laid, but I was not quite clear at the time whether I should start first against the East and then in the West or vice versa.’ Then Hitler moved on to his favourite topic: ‘the adjustment of living space to the size of population’. A solution to this problem was possible only ‘with the sword’. At this time, they were engaged in a ‘racial struggle’. Basically, he had ‘not built up the Wehrmacht in order not to fight. I always wanted to fight. I wanted to solve the problem sooner or later.’ In view of the overall situation, he had decided to attack first in the East. After the defeat of Poland, they were now in the fortunate position of not having to fight a two-front war. For the moment Russia was not dangerous; it was weakened ‘by numerous internal issues’; its army was ‘of little account’. This situation would last for one or two years. The fact that he had survived the assassination attempt had convinced him that Providence had chosen him to lead the German people to victory in this war. As a result, his willingness to take a risk had considerably increased.

‘As the final factor I must in all modesty name my own person. I am irreplaceable . . . I am convinced of the power of my intellect and my determination.’ This was particularly important, for ‘wars are always ended only by the destruction of the opponent. Anyone who believes otherwise is irresponsible. Time is on the side of our adversaries. . . . The enemy will not make peace if the balance of forces is not in our favour. No compromise. We have to be tough with ourselves. I shall strike and not capitulate.’ The ‘fate of the Reich’ depends ‘on me alone’, and he would act accordingly. Their forces were still more numerous and stronger than those of their opponents in the West. They had to preempt a possible attack on the Ruhr through Belgium and the Netherlands, particularly since the occupation of both countries by German troops was an essential prerequisite for the further air and sea war against Britain. ‘My decision is unalterable. I shall attack France and England at the most favourable opportunity. Breaching the neutrality of Belgium and Holland is irrelevant. No one will question that when we’ve won’.

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