rise-and-fall-of-the-third-reich-william-shirer-pdf

SITZKRIEG IN THE WEST 577Germany; revival of international trade; ”an unconditionally guaranteed peace”;reduction of armaments; ”regulation of air warfare, poison gas, submarines,etc.”; and settlement of minority problems in Europe.To ”achieve these great ends” he proposed a conference of the leading Europeannations ”after the most thorough preparation.”It is impossible [he continued] that such a conference, which is todetermine the fate of this continent for many years to come, couldcarry on its deliberations while cannon are thundering or mobilizedarmies are bringing pressure to bear upon it.If, however, these problems must be solved sooner or later, then itwould be more sensible to tackle the solution before millions of menare first uselessly sent to death and billions of riches destroyed. Continuationof the present state of affairs in the West is unthinkable.Each day will soon demand increasing sacrifices . . . The nationalwealth of Europe will be scattered in the form of shells and the vigorof every nation will be sapped on the battlefields . . .One thing is certain. In the course of world history there have neverbeen two victors, but very often only losers. May those peoples andtheir leaders who are of the same opinion now make their reply.And let those who consider war to be the better solution reject myoutstretched hand.He was thinking of Churchill.If, however, the opinions of Messrs. Churchill and followers shouldprevail, this statement will have been my last. Then we shall fight. . . There will never be another November, 1918, in German history.It seemed to me highly doubtful, as I wrote in my diary on my return fromthe Reichstag, that the British and French would listen to these vague proposals”for five minutes.” But the Germans were optimistic. On my way to broadcastthat evening I picked up an early edition of Hitler’s own paper, the VoelkischerBeobachter. The flamboyant headlines said:GERMANY’S WILL FOR PEACE – NO WAR AIMS AGAINSTFRANCE AND ENGLAND – NO MORE REVISION CLAIMSEXCEPT COLONIES – REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS – CO-OPERATION WITH ALL NATIONS OF EUROPE – PROPOSALFOR A CONFERENCEThe Wilhelmstrasse, it is now known from the secret German documents,was encouraged to believe by the reports it was getting from Paris throughthe Spanish and Italian ambassadors there that the French had no stomachfor continuing the war. As early as September 8, the Spanish ambassador wastipping the Germans off that Bonnet, ”in view of the great unpopularity of thewar in France, is endeavoring to bring about an understanding as soon as theoperations in Poland are concluded. There are certain indications that he is incontact with Mussolini to that end.” 758On October 2, Attolico handed Weizsaecker the text of the latest messagefrom the Italian ambassador in Paris, stating that the majority of the French