success of the isolation will be decisive
. . . . The isolation of Poland is a matter of skillful
politics."
Lieutenant Colonel Schmundt's record of the meeting
reveals that Hitler fully realized the possibility of Great Britain
and France coming to Poland's assistance. If, therefore, the
isolation of Poland could not be achieved, Hitler was of the opinion
that Germany should attack Great Britain and France first, or at any
rate should concentrate primarily on the war in the West, in order to
defeat Great Britain and France quickly, or at least to destroy their
effectiveness. Nevertheless, Hitler stressed that war with England
and France would be a life and death struggle, which might last a
long time, and that preparations must be made accordingly.
During the weeks which followed this conference, other meetings
were held and directives were issued in preparation for the war. The
Defendant Von Ribbentrop was sent to Moscow to negotiate a
non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union.
On 22 August 1939 there took place the important meeting of that
day, to which reference has already been made. The Prosecution have
put in evidence two unsigned captured documents which appear to be
records made of this meeting by persons who were present. The first
document is headed: "The Führer's Speech to the
Commanders-in-Chief on 22 August 1939." The purpose of the
speech was to announce the decision to make war on Poland at once,
and Hitler began by saying:
"It was clear to me that a
conflict with Poland had to come sooner or later. I had already made
this decision in the spring, but I thought that I would first turn
against the West in a few years, and only afterwards against the East
. . . I wanted to establish an acceptable relationship with Poland in
order to fight first against the West. But this plan, which was
agreeable to me, could not be executed since essential points have
changed. It became clear to me that Poland would attack us in case of
a conflict with the West."
Hitler then went on to explain why he had decided
that the most favorable moment had arrived for starting the war:
"Now", said Hitler,
"Poland is in the position in which I wanted her . . . . I am
only afraid that at the last moment some Schweinehund will
make a proposal for mediation . . . . A beginning has been made for
the destruction of England's hegemony."
This document closely resembles one of the documents
put in evidence on behalf of the Defendant Raeder. This latter
document consists of a summary of the same speech, compiled on the
day it was made, by one Admiral Boehm, from notes he had taken during