760F.62/1087: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Wilson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 24—5:19 p.m.]
490. The past week has been of course characterized by extreme nervousness and apprehension. Although the general impression in Germany after the Berchtesgaden conversations was that the danger of general war was past, that the Western Powers would under no considerations back up Czechoslovakia if it resisted German aggression, apprehension grew lest Hitler, dominated by this thought, should launch an attack in an attempt to settle the matter immediately by force of arms. This bellicose attitude was exemplified by a talk between Weizsaecker and the Czech Chargé d’Affaires reported in my 459, September 19, 4 p.m.,69 where Weizsaecker warned the Czech that the calling to the colors of seven or eight classes might have vastly different results from those of last May.
In spite of the still obscure and perhaps unsatisfactory results of the Godesberg conversations there are certain indications of a lessening of the tension and perhaps even of a relaxation of insistence upon unilateral action by Hitler. The German press reports the final conversation with Chamberlain in an optimistic spirit. Reports from Praha show that the Czech Army was mobilized yesterday. Three or four days ago I should have expected such mobilization to be met either by a most violent denunciation or by military action on Hitler’s part. Today the press denounces the mobilization but the signs of military activity in Germany are no more visible than they have been for the last week.
I can only speculate on the cause of this apparent change of temper. Possibly Chamberlain was [able?] to persuade Hitler that the danger of general conflagration was not past and that only decisions based upon international agreement including agreement with Czechoslovakia could preserve peace between Czechoslovakia and Germany and insure peace between Germany and the Great Powers.
Repeated to Paris, London, Praha, Warsaw.
- Not printed.↩