Poland. The aim is then to destroy Polish
military strength, and to create in the East a situation which
satisfies the requirements of defense. The Free State of Danzig will
be incorporated into Germany at the outbreak of the conflict at the
latest. Policy aims at limiting the war to Poland, and this is
considered possible in view of the internal crisis in France, and
British restraint as a result of this."
In spite of the contents of those two directives,
Hitler made a speech in the Reichstag on 28 April 1939 in which,
after describing the Polish Government's alleged rejection of an
offer he had made with regard to Danzig and the Polish Corridor, he
stated:
"I have regretted greatly this
incomprehensible attitude of the Polish Government, but that alone is
not the decisive fact; the worst is that now Poland like
Czechoslovakia a year ago believes, under the pressure of a lying
international campaign, that it must call up its troops, although
Germany on her part has not called up a single man, and had not
thought of proceeding in any way against Poland . . . . The intention
to attack on the part of Germany which was merely invented by the
international press. . . ."
It was four weeks after making this speech that
Hitler, on 23 May 1939, held the important military conference to
which reference has already been made. Among the persons present were
the Defendants Göring, Raeder, and Keitel. The adjutant on duty
that day was Lieutenant Colonel Schmundt, and he made a record of
what happened, certifying it with his signature as a correct record.
The purpose of the meeting was to enable Hitler
to inform the heads of the Armed Forces and their staffs of his views
on the political situation and his future aims. After analyzing the
political situation and reviewing the course of events since 1933,
Hitler announced his decision to attack Poland. He admitted that the
quarrel with Poland over Danzig was not the reason for this attack,
but the necessity for Germany to enlarge her living space and secure
her food supplies. He said
"The solution of the problem
demands courage. The principle by which one evades solving the
problem by adapting oneself to circumstances is inadmissible.
Circumstances must rather be adapted to needs. This is impossible
without invasion of foreign States or attacks upon foreign
property."
Later in his address he added:
"There is therefore no question
of sparing Poland, and we are left with the decision to attack Poland
at the first suitable opportunity. We cannot expect a repetition of
the Czech affair. There will be war. Our task is to isolate Poland.
The