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

FRANCE IS TO BLAME 679would go down in history as the founders of a new Germany; Hitler wasa leader who had gathered together all the valuable elements of hiscountry for the public welfare. . . .The growth and consolidation of National Socialist power inGermany, the broad, confused, and vain efforts at understanding on thepart of public opinion in the western countries, were the real historicalcontent of this period. But through it all the diplomats kept up theirdwarfish activities: notes, memoranda, official visits, themeaninglessness of which was suspected even by the participants. Thisbecame evident when finally an attempt was made to do something formenaced Austria. The Daladier government in France, though none toohopefully, attempted to take Sir John Simon at his word with hisinvocation of the Four-Power Pact and to frighten Berlin with animpressive protest. The Four-Power Pact broke down at once; Italydeclared that she could participate in no common measures, since thiswould constitute an act of unfriendliness to Germany. On August 5, theItalian ambassador rushed to the German Foreign Office and 'in afriendly way called the attention of the Reich government to ... ' and soon. In an equally friendly way, Neurath replied that the Reichgovernment was willing to suppress Habicht's radio speeches; therewould be no more planes throwing down leaflets; he hoped that therewould be no explosions of paper bombs, but for this Germany couldassume no responsibility. Rome, highly pleased, transmitted the Germanpromises to Paris and London, and requested these governments to takeno steps of their own.But France insisted in London that at least France and England shouldtake steps in common. England, indifferent to Austria and CentralEurope in general, was, after the desertion of Italy, unprepared for jointaction. On the morning of August 7, the French ambassador appearedalone in the German Foreign Office with his note of protest; not untilthe afternoon did the British charge d'affaires put in an appearance. Bothreceived a sharp answer such as a disunited Europe could not butexpect. An official German communique on the incident approached thelimits of diplomatic discourtesy:The French ambassador stated this morning, with reference to