29 Nov. 45
Nazi and Fascist groups as to insure
peaceful acquiescence in the German program. Her machinations in
Austria I have related in detail, as they came under my direct
observation, in a separate affidavit. In Czechoslovakia they followed
the same tactics with the Sudeten Germans. I was reliably informed
that the Nazi Party spent over 6,000,000 marks in financing the
Henlein Party in the elections in the spring of 1935 alone. In
Yugoslavia she played on the old differences between the Croats and
the Serbs and the fear of the restoration of the Hapsburg in Austria.
It may be remarked here that this latter was one of the principal
instruments, and a most effective one, which Nazi Germany used, as
the fear in Yugoslavia in particular of a restoration of the Hapsburg
was -very real. In Hungary she played upon the agrarian difficulties
and at the same time so openly encouraged the Nazi German elements in
Hungary as to provoke the Government of Hungary to demand the recall
of Von Mackensen in 1936. In Hungary and in Poland she played on the
fear of communism and communist Russia. In Romania she aggravated the
existing anti-Semitism, emphasizing the important role of the Jews in
Romanian industry and the Jewish ancestry of Lupescu. Germany
undoubtedly also financed the fascist Iron Guard through Codreanou.
"Such 'diplomatic' measures reinforced by Germany's vast
rearmament program had a considerable effect, particularly in
Yugoslavia, Poland, and Hungary, and sufficient at least to deter
these countries from joining any combination opposed to German
designs, even if not enough to persuade them actively to ally
themselves with Nazi Germany.
"Important political leaders of Yugoslavia began to become
convinced that the Nazi regime would remain in power and would gain
its ends, and that the course of safety for Yugoslavia was to play
along with Germany."
I shall not take the time of the Tribunal to read into evidence
the detailed official dispatches which Mr. Messersmith sent to the
American State Department, showing that Yugoslavia, Hungary, and
Poland were beginning to follow the German line.
As for Italy, Germany's initial objective was to sow discord
between Yugoslavia and Italy, by promising Yugoslavia Italian
territory, particularly Trieste. This was to prevent France from
reaching agreement with them and to block an east Locarno pact. On
that I quote again from Document 2385-PS, Exhibit USA-68, the second
Messersmith affidavit, in the middle of Page 21 of the English
version: