27 Nov. 45
There are three columns, one headed "Measure"' one
headed "Material Measures, Details," and the most
interesting one is headed "Remarks." The remarks contain
the pretext or justification for explaining away the violations of
the Treaty. They are numbered, so I can conveniently refer to the
numbers:
"Number 1. Exceeding the permitted
number of mines."-- Then figures are given.
Remarks--"Further mines are in part ordered, in part being
delivered."
"Number 2. Continuous storing of guns from the North Sea
area for Baltic artillery batteries."--In the remarks column--
"Justification: Necessity for overhauling. Cheaper
repairs."
"Number 6. Laying gun-platforms in the Kiel area."
Remarks: "The offense over and above that in Serial Number 3
lies in the fact that all fortifications are forbidden in the Kiel
area. This justification will make it less severe; pure defense
measures."
"Number 7. Exceeding the caliber permitted for coastal
batteries." The explanation ``Possible justification is that,
though the caliber is larger, the number of guns is less."
"Number 8. Arming of minesweepers. The reply to any
remonstrance against this breach the guns are taken from the Fleet
reserve stores, have been temporarily installed only for training
purposes. All nations arm their mine sweeping forces (equality of
rights)."
--Here is one that is rather amusing--"Number 13. Exceeding
the number of machine guns et cetera, permitted."
Remarks: "Can be made light of."
"Number 18. Construction of U-boat parts." This remark
is quite characteristic: "Difficult to detect. If necessary can
be denied."
"Number 20. Arming of fishing vessels." Remarks:
"For warning shots. Make little of it."--And so on
throughout the list.
I think quite obviously that must have been used as a guide for
negotiators who were attending the Disarmament Conference as to the
position that they might take.
Now to Paragraph IV (F) 2 (b) of the Indictment: the allegation
that "On 14 October 1933 they led Germany to leave the
International Disarmament Conference and the League of Nations."
That is an historical fact of which I ask the Tribunal to take
judicial notice. The Nazis took this opportunity to break away from
the international negotiations and to take an aggressive position on
an issue which would not be serious enough to provoke