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

FRANCE IS TO BLAME 693must be taken for the whole of the people, whether their motives weregenuine agreement, fatalism, or partly even fear. Of the 45,178,000people who had the right to vote, 43,053,000 votes were cast;39,655,000 of these were for the National Socialist list of Reichstagcandidates; 3398,000 were against them, or, to express it in NationalSocialist electoral terms, their ballots were 'invalid.'Within three days this peace plebiscite was crowned by a deed bywhich Hitler once again showed what he meant by peace. He receivedMr. Lipski, the Polish ambassador recently named to Berlin, and acommunique published by both parties stated that the conversationrevealed 'the complete unanimity of both governments in their intentionto deal with the questions touching both countries by means of directnegotiations and to renounce all application of force in their relationswith each other for the consolidation of European peace.' Here was apact from which the League of Nations and the principle of collectivesecurity were openly excluded — for this was the meaning of thecarefully chosen words, 'direct negotiations' and 'relations with eachother.' Thus crumbled France's political system in Europe — but was itstill France's system?Among the Frenchmen who no longer believed in the great hope ofcollective security was Edouard Daladier, the Premier who had justbeen overthrown. He served as Minister of War in Sarraut's cabinet andwas closer to what was sometimes called in public debates 'militaristicthinking' or 'the policy of the generals' than other French politicians.Frivolous or half-serious private diplomats were traveling back andforth between France and Germany; the novelty of the German Reichattracted many French observers, and those among them who in theirown country were of any importance or were thought to wield anyinfluence could be sure of an attentive, even flattering, reception byleading National Socialists. The close cartel connections betweenGerman and French steel industry made such meetings unceremonious,natural. Thus, soon after the German plebiscite, Ferdinand de Brinon, aFrench journalist representing Le Matin and L'Injormation, came toBerlin to write a few stimulating articles; actually he had been sent byDaladier. Hitler received him and told him that Germany would notreturn