Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

172 DER FUEHRERAnd each one will have to ask himself: Will you be one of those?Hammer, Sickle, and Star, the Red Banner will rise over Germany, butFrance will not give back the Ruhr.'As he wallowed in these images of terror, fear grew in him: fear thatthe wave which bore him might suddenly break; fear that this creepingcatastrophe might end, not with a sudden plunge to ruin, but with asudden turn for the better, a sudden mustering of energies, a suddensalvation. Hitler lived in dread of a sudden shift of fortune. What heparticularly dreaded was that despite his prophecies France should giveback the Ruhr.So he looked desperately for an opportunity to force the Reichs-wehrinto a bloody civil war, before it was too late. The opportunity seemedto come. It was May Day, 1923, 'world holiday of the proletariat.' Tradeunions, Social Democrats, and even Communists planned to gatherpeaceably and respectably in a meadow outside Munich, listen to a fewfestive speeches, and sing a few of their songs — the traditional,somewhat sleepy workers' holiday as it was celebrated in most countriesof the world. It was the dull demonstration of those masses who, asHitler liked to say, were compounded of stupidity, cowardice, andlaziness — of men who, 'working only with their bodies, either possessno clarity of thought, or become disinclined to all brain work. Agigantic organization of work animals, without spiritual leadership.' Atall events, a peaceable herd. And just this gave Hitler courage. He calledhis lieutenants together and declared that under any circumstances thisRed demonstration must be broken up. He, together with the leader ofother 'combat leagues,' addressed an ultimatum to the government: theMay Day celebration must be forbidden, or blood would flow. Leafletswere printed: Women and children, off the streets! One of thesubordinate leaders promised that the Reds would be shot down likemad dogs.But the rifles lay in the barracks. Hitler and his comrades went toLossow and demanded them. What for? Well... there was danger of aMarxist putsch. This was a pretext, and a particularly bad one. Defenseagainst a Marxist putsch, said Lossow, is something you can leave tome. Hitler grew red in the face and reminded the general of his promiseto release the arms any time they were asked