3
Dec. 45
to
commit themselves. Thereupon Hitler emphasized
Ribbentrop's statement and said that whoever
wanted to join the meal would have to
participate in the cooking as well. I now quote
from this document the first two paragraphs:
"While
in the forenoon of the 23rd of August
the Führer and the Regent of
Hungary were engaged in a political
discussion, the Hungarian Ministers
Imredy and Kanya were in conference with
Von Ribbentrop. Von Weizsäcker also
attended the conference.
"Von
Kanya introduced two subjects for
discussion: Point 1, the negotiations
between Hungary and the Little Entente;
and 2, the Czechoslovakian problem."
Then I skip two paragraphs and read the fifth
paragraph:
"Von
Ribbentrop inquired what Hungary's
attitude would be if the Führer
would carry out his decision to answer a
new Czech provocation by force. The
reply of the Hungarians presented two
kinds of obstacles: The Yugoslavian
neutrality must be assured if Hungary
marches towards the north and perhaps
the east; moreover, the Hungarian
rearmament had only been started and one
to two more years time for its
development should be allowed.
"Von
Ribbentrop then explained to the
Hungarians that the Yugoslavs would not
dare to march while they were between
the pincers of the Axis Powers. Romania
alone would therefore not move. England
and France would also remain tranquil.
England would not recklessly risk her
empire. She knew our newly acquired
power. In reference to time, however,
for the above-mentioned situation,
nothing definite could be predicted
since it would depend on Czech
provocation. Von Ribbentrop repeated
that, 'Whoever desires revision must
exploit the good opportunity and
participate.'
"The
Hungarian reply thus remained a
conditional one. Upon the question of
Von Ribbentrop as to what purpose the
desired General Staff conferences were
to have, not much more was brought
forward than the Hungarian desire of a
mutual inventory of military material
and preparedness for the Czech conflict.
The clear political basis for such a
conflict — the time of a Hungarian
intervention — was not obtained.
"In the meantime, more
positive language was used by Von Horthy
in his talk with the Führer. He
wished not to hide his doubts with
regard to the English attitude, but he
wished to put on record Hungary's
intention to participate. The Hungarian
Ministers were, and remained even later,
more skeptical since they feel more
strongly about the immediate danger for
Hungary with its unprotected flanks