Kissinger Chapter 12
Germany emerged as the strongest nation on the continent
Hitler rose through his oratory
o
Rep. no single school of thought
His philosophy ranged from banal to fantastic and had popular repackaging of
right-wing, rad, conventional wisdom
Exploited democracies guilty conscience about Treaty of Versailles
Operated by instinct rather than analysis
o
distill emotion and frustration into single moment
Abroad, was most successful
World perceived him as pursuing normal, limited objectives
Once he abandoned pretense of rectifying injustice, credibility vanished
Designed campaign against France in 1940 and refusal to permit retreat in front of
Moscow in 1941
Hitler always seemed unfulfilled by his victories
o
only seemed to be able to realize image of himself by overcoming collapse
through sheer willpower
Demagogic skill and egomania
Felt that all his goals had to be accomplished in his lifetime b/c they were so
unique
Versailles left powerful country confronting grp of smaller unprotected states on eastern
border
At first, Hitlers true nature was obscured by his seeming ordinariness
o
neither Germ. nor West. Euro. estab. believed that he really meant to overturn
existing order
Western democracies initial reaction to his ascendancy was to accelerate commitment to
disarm.
o
Germ. govt. now headed by chancellor who had proclaimed his intention to
overthrow Versailles settlement
Democracies still saw no need for taking special precautions
France not reassured by British pronouncements
Problem still remained how to find security if Germ. rearmed and GB refused a
guarantee
Oct. 14, 1933, Germ. left Disarm. Conference forever
o
Guarantee risky and unnecessary to British
B/c Hitler afraid that Germ. demands for parity might be met
Hitler laid down challenge, yet democracies uncertain as to what he really meant
o
Hitler skillfully exploited such attitudes
Offered to limit Germ. army to 300 k and air force to half size of France
diverted attention from fact that Germ. scrapped limit of 100 k established at
Versailles
France refused offer
o
Since Germ. rearm., state of British defenses was disquieting
o
declare it would look after its own security
greater defense effort might be needed, they thought
France
o
took refuge in wishful thinking
Mil. in Berlin proclaimed disarm. as most effective way of containing Hitler
GB and France opted to let Germ. rearm. because they did not know what else to do
o
GB not yet prep. to give up on collec. security
League and France dispirited that they could not act on their own premonitions
Statesmen always face dilemma that, when scope for action is greatest, they have
minimum of knowledge
Wests obsession with Hitlers motives was misguided
o
Shouldve been clear that large and strong Germ. bordered on east by small states
was dangerous for balance of power
British leaders rejected Churchills warnings, saying that disarm. not preparedness
was key to peace
1934, Churchill urged that GB respond to Germ. rearm. by buildup in Royal Air Force,
govt. and opp. leaders united in scorn
PM Baldwin made rejection of Churchill unanimous
o
Info about Germ. air strength is difficult to obtain
France sought shelter behind accumulation of alliances
o
unilateral guarantees of Czech, Poland, and Romania of 1920s
Franco-Soviet agreement signed in 1935
o
rejected mil. staff talks with Soviet though
Last resort
France in mil. alliance with countries far too weak to help it
o
political alliance with RU but didnt want to coop. militarily
Strategic dep. on GB
Mussolini
o
Feared German annex. of Austria would lead to demand for return of South Tirol
which was ethnically German
Stresa
o
Alliance among GB, France, and ITaly seemed developing after Hitler
reintroduced conscription
GB signed naval accord with Germ
bilateral deals were what GB liked most
Stresa front collapsed
o
Mussolini adhered to RealPolitik and took it for granted that he had free hand for
the kind of colonial expansion that had been routine prior to WW1
Musso. aggression would have been accepted prior to WW1, it was now being
initiated in a world that was in thrall to collec. security and the League.
Italy hoist by engaging in what had been unprovoked aggression against member of
League
o
Abyssinia and Italy and GB
GB faced a challenge to collec. security and African colonial problem
Under British leadership, League machinery of economic sanctions was activated
Italys conquest of Abyssinia was completed by May 1936
Musso. proclaimed king of Italy
Victor Emmanuel emp. of Ethiopia
July 15 1936, League lifted all sanctions against Italy
GB and France subordinated their moral objections to their fear of Germ. by
recog. Abyssinian conquest
March 7, 1936 Hitler ordered army into demil. Rhineland, marking overthrow of last
remaining safeguard of Versailles settlement
Reoccupation of Rhineland represented bold gamble for Hitler
o
conscription had been in effect for less than year
Gb would only recognize only 1 threat to Euro. balance of power
o
Germ. army far from ready for war
violation of Frances borders
France said that once Germ. fortified Rhineland, Czech would be lost and soon after that
Gen. war unavoidable
GB once again dodged commitment to defend France
o
GB wanted to sit back and wait until Hitlers provisions seemed clearer
France implemented appeasement warily
Germ. pursued it eagerly
Dem. moral retreat by visiting Hiter
Lord Halifax praised Nazi Germany as bulwark against Bolshevism
GB had participated in wars of Spanish succession and against Napoleon in Spain
o
Each case, it had resisted most aggressive Euro. power attempt to draw Spain into
its orbit
Now it failed to perceive threat to balance of power in fascist vic. in Spain or it
perceived fascism as lesser threat than radical left-wing Spain tied to Soviet
Union
Nov. 5, 1937 Hitler called meeting of war minister, commander in chief, and foreign
minister
Hossbach memorandum
secret
Program of Mein Kampf
Conquest of large tracts of land in Eastern Euro and in SU for colonization
His generals were actually very disturbed
1938, Hitler felt his first target was Austria
Union b/w the two was critical for Hitler
Anschluss
1937 he threatened Czech on behalf of ethnic Germans
March 1939 Hitler occupied the rump of Czech
Czech portion became German protectorate
Slovakia designated a technically indep. State
German Satellite
Brit and French reaction of drawing the line made equally little sense in terms of trad. Power
politics
Hitler got Danzig in 1939
However, after Germ. Occupied Czech, Brit. Pub. Opinion would tolerate it no further
