Stands Among The World's Most Stands Among The ... - Index of

"May the time not be far off when all other European nations will come to the realization that the
primary necessity is putting an end to the quarrels and strife of centuries and of building up of a finer
community of all peoples is: The recognition of a higher common duty arising out of common rights."
- Adolf Hitler
"MY FIRST PROPOSAL: Germany demands at all costs equality with other nations, but it is
prepared to renounce all further armaments if other nations will do the same. In other words, general
disarmament down to the last machine-gun. This proposal was not even deemed worthy of the rest of
the world as fit for a single discussion."
"I MADE A SECOND PROPOSAL: Germany was willing to restrict her army to 200,000 men on
the condition that other nations would do the same. This also was rejected."
"I MADE A FURTHER PROPOSAL: Germany was prepared, provided other nations wanted this,
to renounce all heavy artillery, tanks, bombing planes and if necessary all types of airplanes. But this
was also rejected."
"I WENT FURTHER and proposed to limit by international agreement all European armies to
300,000 men. This was also rejected."
I SUBMITTED STILL FURTHER PROPOSALS: Limitation of all aircraft, abolition of air
bombing and gas warfare, security for those in non-warfare areas, abolition of at least all heavy
artillery and tanks. All these proposals were also declined. All had been in vain."
Adolf Hitler
THE RHINELAND
The German re-occupation of the de-militarized Rhineland in 1936 is often held up as proof of Hitler's
willingness to break his word. In fact, France was the first to break the Rhine Pact, and the Locarno
and League of Nations Agreements too, by signing a Pact with the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia,
thereby collaborating in an aggressive military build-up encircling Germany.
Hitler reminded the French that as early as winter, 1935/36, the Soviet Union, with which France was
collaborating, was mobilising the world's largest army, tank and air forces along eastern Europe's
borders.
"Then a completely new state of affairs has been brought about and the political system of the Rhine
Pact had been destroyed both in the letter and in the spirit.... with a military pact with the Soviet
Union exclusively directed against Germany and in violation of the Rhine Pact."
Adolf Hitler
In the same speech, Hitler offered "to negotiate with France and Belgium for the establishment of a
bilateral demilitarized zone, proposed the conclusion of a non-aggression pact between Germany,
France and Belgium for a period of twenty-five years, invited England and Italy as guarantors with
the same inclusion of the Netherlands should they so wish. He at the same time offered agreements
with countries to the east of Germany." - Adolf Hitler, March 1936
These proposals were rejected.
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