3
Dec. 45
"When
Von Imredy had a discussion with the Führer
in the afternoon he was very relieved
when the Führer explained to him
that in regard to the situation in
question he demanded nothing of Hungary.
He himself would not know the time.
Whoever wanted to join the meal would
have to participate in the cooking as
well. Should Hungary wish conferences of
the General Staffs he would have no
objections."
I
think perhaps that sentence, "Whoever
wanted to join the meal would have to
participate in the cooking as well," is
perhaps as cynical a statement as any statesman
has ever been guilty of.
By the third
day of the conference the Germans were able to
note that, in the event of a German-Czech
conflict, Hungary would be sufficiently armed
for participation on 1 October. I now offer in
evidence Document Number 2797-PS as Exhibit
USA-89, another captured German Foreign Office
memorandum of a conversation between Ribbentrop
and Kanya on 25 August 1938. You will note that
the English mimeographed translation bears the
date 29 August. That is incorrect; it should
read 25 August. I read the last paragraph from
that document, or the last two:
"Concerning
Hungary's military preparedness in case
of a German-Czech conflict Von Kanya
mentioned several days ago that his
country would need a period of one to
two years in order to develop adequately
the armed strength of Hungary.
"During
today's conversation Von Kanya corrected
this remark and said that Hungary's
military situation was much better. His
country would be ready, as far as
armaments were concerned, to take part
in the conflict by October 1 of this
year." — Signed with an
illegible signature which probably is
that of Weizsäcker.
The account of the German-Hungarian conference
again finds its corroboration in General Jodl's
diary, Document Number 1780-PS, from which I
have already several times read. The entry in
that diary for 21 to 26 August on Page 4 of the
English version of the document reads as
follows:
"Visit
to Germany of the Hungarian Regent.
Accompanied by the Prime Minister, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the War
Minister Von Raatz.
"They
arrived with the idea that in the course
of a great war after a few years, and
with the help of German troops, the old
State of Hungary can be re-established.
They leave with the understanding that
we have neither demands from them nor
claims against them, but that Germany
will not stand for a second provocation
by Czechoslovakia, even if it should be