3
Dec. 45
"By
order of Chief of the Supreme Command of
the Armed Forces, signed, Keitel.
"Certified
a true copy, Zeitzler, Oberstleutnant on
the General Staff."
In line with the suggestion of the presiding
Justice, I shall omit the detailed instructions
which are set out for action by the Luftwaffe
and by the Navy, and I turn next to the last
paragraph of the directive, which will be found
on Page 19 of the English version:
"In
war economy it is essential that in the
field of the armament industry a maximum
deployment of forces is made possible
through increased supplies. In the
course of operations, it is of value to
contribute to the reinforcement of the
total war — economic strength —
by rapidly reconnoitering and
re-starting important factories. For
this reason the sparing of
Czechoslovakian industrial and factory
installations, insofar as military
operations permit, can be of decisive
importance to us."
In other words, the Nazi conspirators, 4 months
before the date of their planned attack, were
already looking forward to the contribution
which the Czech industrial plant would make to
further Nazi war efforts and economy.
And
the final paragraph of this directive, Paragraph
7, on Page 19:
"All
preparations for sabotage and
insurrection will be made by OKW. They
will be made, in agreement with, and
according to, the requirement of the
branches of the Armed Forces, so that
their effects accord with the operations
of the Army and Air Force as to time
and locality.
"Signed
Adolf Hitler.
"Certified
a true copy, Zeitzler, Oberstleutnant on
the General Staff."
Three weeks later, on 18 June 1938, a draft for
a new directive was prepared and initialed by
the Defendant Keitel. This is Item 14 at Pages
27 to 32 of the Big Schmundt file. It did not
supersede the 30 May directive. I shall read the
third and fifth paragraphs on Page 28 of the
English translation, and the last paragraph on
Page 29:
"The
immediate aim is a solution of the Czech
problem by my own free decision; this
stands in the foreground of my political
intentions. I am determined as from 1
October 1938 to use to the full every
favorable political opportunity to
realize this aim." Then skipping a
paragraph:
"However, I
will decide to take action against
Czechoslovakia only if I am firmly
convinced, as in the case of the
occupation