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

712 DER FUEHREREventually, when the powers did take a common step, its feeblenessrevealed their profound disunion. This came about when Dollfuss,shortly after the blood-bath of the Vienna workers, again appealed forhelp against the National Socialists and this time (February 17)succeeded in getting out of England, France, and Italy a commondeclaration stressing 'the necessity of maintaining the independence andterritorial integrity of Austria in accordance with the existing treaties.'This was a phrase without punch, without teeth, and above all withoutmeaning, because the National Socialist method of conquest fromwithin seemingly did not violate independence and territorial integrity.The truth is that there was no agreement among these powersconcerning the protection of Austria, and this fact became clear within amonth. In March, three Fascist statesmen, Mussolini, Dollfuss, andGoemboes, met in Rome and signed a common declaration of waragainst the French system of alliances in central and eastern Europe.The so-called Rome Protocols of March 18, 1934, provided for politicaland economic collaboration among Italy, Austria, and Hungary. Byimplication they were directed against Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia,the states of the Little Entente; and if any stern words against Germanycould be found in them, they were masked behind cryptic phrases like'respect for the independence and rights of all countries.'Actually Fascist Italy had made her choice: she neither could norwould stand in the way of a Fascist Europe, embodied in FascistGermany. Confusing temporary circumstances might for a short timeveil this decision; nevertheless, it was founded on the facts and vitalforces of the times. When Mussolini opened his heart to his people, hefrankly expressed this view. On the night following the signing of theRome Protocols, he made a speech before three thousand Fascists in theRome Opera House. He gave only passing mention to the Protocols; buthe loudly defended Germany, the system of bilateral pacts and Germanrearmament; and with great sincerity he explained why he did this andhad to do it. That the Disarmament Conference had failed, he said, wasnow completely clear; it was the only completely clear fact. It wassimply impossible to forbid defensive armament to a nation like theGermans. 'Per-