21 Nov. 45
dated December 18, 1940, for the "Barbarossa
Contingency" outlining the strategy of the attack upon Russia
(446-PS). That plan in the original bears the initials of the
Defendants Keitel and Jodl. They were planning the attack and
planning it long in advance of the declaration of war. We have
detailed information concerning "Case White," the plan for
attack on Poland (C-120). That attack began the war. The plan was
issued by Keitel on April 3rd, 1939. The attack did not come until
September. Steps in preparation for the attack were taken by
subordinate commanders, one of whom issued an order on June 14,
providing that:
"The Commander-in-Chief of the
Army has ordered the working out of a plan of deployment against
Poland which takes in account the demands of the political
leadership for the opening of war by surprise and for quick
success...
"I declare it the duty of the commanding generals, the
divisional commanders, and the commandants to limit as much as
possible the number of persons who will be informed, and to limit the
extent of the information, and ask that all suitable measures be
taken to prevent persons not concerned from getting information....
"The operation, in order to forestall an orderly Polish
mobilization and concentration, is to be opened by surprise with
forces which are for the most part armored and motorized, placed on
alert in the neighborhood of the border. The initial superiority over
the Polish frontier guards and surprise that can be expected with
certainty are to be maintained by quickly bringing up other parts of
the Army as well to counteract the marching up of the Polish Army....
"If the development of the political situation should show
that a surprise at the beginning of the war is out of question,
because of well-advanced defense preparations on the part of the
Polish Army, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army will order the
opening of the hostilities only after the assembling of sufficient
additional forces. The basis of all preparations will be to surprise
the enemy...." (2327-PS)
We have also the order for the invasion of
England, signed by Hitler and initialed by Keitel and Jodl. It is
interesting that it commences with a recognition that although the
British military position is "hopeless," they show not the
slightest sign of giving in. (442-PS)
Not the least incriminating are the minutes of Hitler's meeting
with his high advisers. As early as November 5, 1937 Hitler told
Defendants Göring, Raeder, and Neurath, among others, that
German rearmament was practically accomplished and that he had