862.20/835: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 5—10:35 a.m.]
62. Your 25, April 3. Present European situation is parallel to that of 1912. The Hitler triumvirate is however far more powerful than the Kaiser was. The Reichswehr is not as ready for war now as the old army leaders were but grievances and ambitions of the Nazi forces are much deeper. Any German who avows pacificism goes at once to prison. Newspapers, maps and text books claim that all areas where people of German ancestry live belong of right to the Third Reich. Any teacher or historian who dissents is dismissed. [Page 321] One half of the Catholics are submitting. Hence the Pope dares not cooperate with German Protestants. A big minority of the Protestants resist and go frequently to jail praying and singing but all of them avow their loyalty to the political triumvirate. If you read the reports of last July you will see exactly what methods the “immortal trio” apply when no dissension arises. These facts show Berlin political situation.
The economic tangle is extraordinary, due in part to American tariff policy after the great war, in part to the Hitler philosophy that each nation especially Germany must close its wall against the outside world in order to compel people to live upon their own resources. Perfect obedience enables Schacht70 to do what he has declared to be impossible. This being the case we cannot say when an economic collapse will come. The official spokesman of the Chancellor said on April 2nd that universal military service and up to date armaments guaranteed prosperity. And the reported tens of thousands of indorsement letters and telegrams from the masses indicate public agreement. All over Germany there are enormous barracks surrounded by great drill grounds and many air fields where great bombing planes practice day and night. So economic collapse is not imminent though old time minority leaders like von Neurath indicate confidentially their great concern.
You may infer from these facts that war is the direct and major aim. Nearly all Germans swear that Germany did not precipitate the great war but they declare with equal unanimity that the United States prevented them from dominating Europe in 1918. Since American intervention will not be repeated the Third Reich will at strategic moment seize the Corridor or Austria and if war follows win what was lost in 1918. As to the correct moment for such a move the General Staff of the new army will be in the same position of the army staff which forced the Kaiser’s action in 1914. Hitler, Goering, Goebbels are listening more and more to the Generals—and anyone knows a General’s attitude toward war. All other military men here heartily indorse the universal service idea and the Senior Attaché avowed to me: The United States must adopt the same policy.
Neurath yesterday said to me: We shall not soon have war but we are sorely troubled at Italy’s attitude. The British Ambassador said it would be a year or two before war breaks. The French Ambassador greatly irritated at the British said “It will be a year or two”. I agree as to this but add that some blunder or local disturbance might at any time release the dogs of war.
Thus “civilized” Europe offers a sad and barbaric picture.
- Hjalmar Schacht, Minister of Economic Affairs.↩