3
Dec. 45
decision,
would notify the Italian Chief of
Government as rapidly as possible. In
any case, the Italian Government will be
the first one who will receive such a
notification."
THE
PRESIDENT: You did not tell us what the initial
was, did you''
MR. ALDERMAN: The
initial "R" for Ribbentrop, and the
date 23 August 1938. Four days later Attolico
again asked to be notified of the date of the
pending attack. I offer Document Number 2792-PS
as Exhibit USA-87 — another German Foreign
Office memorandum, and from that document I read
three paragraphs under the heading "R. M.
251."
"Ambassador
Attolico paid me a visit today at 12
o'clock to communicate the following:
"He had received another
written instruction from Mussolini
asking that Germany communicate in time
the probable date of action against
Czechoslovakia. Mussolini asked for such
notification, as Mr. Attolico assured
me, in order 'to be able to take in due
time the necessary measures on the
French frontier.' Berlin, 27 August
1938; 'R'" — for Ribbentrop,
and then:
"N. B. I
replied to Ambassador Attolico, just as
on his former démarche, that I
could not impart any date to him; that,
however, in any case Mussolini would be
the first one to be informed of any
decision. Berlin, 2 September 1938."
Hungary, which borders Czechoslovakia to the
southeast, was from the first considered to be a
possible participant in Case Green. You will
recall that in early March 1938 Defendants
Keitel and Ribbentrop had exchanged letters on
the question of bringing Hungary into the Nazi
plan. At that time the decision was in the
negative, but by mid-August 1938 the Nazi
conspirators were attempting to persuade Hungary
to join in the attack.
From August 21
to 26 Admiral Horthy and some of his ministers
visited Germany. Inevitably there were
discussions of the Czechoslovak question. I now
offer Document 2796-PS as Exhibit USA-88. This
is a captured German Foreign Office account
signed by Von Weizsäcker of the
conversations between Hitler and Ribbentrop and
a Hungarian Delegation consisting of Horthy,
Imredy, and Kanya aboard the S. S. Patria
on 23 August 1938. In this conference Ribbentrop
inquired about the Hungarian attitude in the
event of a German attack on Czechoslovakia and
suggested that such an attack would prove to be
a good opportunity for Hungary.
The
Hungarians, with the exception of Horthy, who
wished to put the Hungarian intention to
participate on record, proved reluctant