3
Dec. 45
OKW
requested Hitler's permission to rescind Case
Green, to withdraw troops from the occupied
area, and to relieve the OKH of executive powers
in the Sudeten-German area as of 15 October.
These are Items 46, 47, and 48 in the Schmundt
file.
Item 46, which appears at Page
77, is a letter from Berlin, dated October 10,
1938, signed by Von Brauchitsch:
"My
Führer:
"I have to
report that the troops will reach the
demarcation line as ordered, by this
evening. Insofar as further military
operations are not required, the order
for the occupation of the country which
was given to me will thus have been
fulfilled. The guarding of the new
frontier line will be taken over by the
reinforced frontier supervision service
in the next few days.
"It
is thus no longer a military necessity
to combine the administration of the
Sudetenland with the command of the
troops of the Army under the control of
one person.
"I therefore
ask you, my Führer, to relieve me,
with effect from 15 October 1938, of the
charge assigned to me: That of
exercising executive powers in
Sudeten-German Territory.
"Heil,
my Führer, Von Brauchitsch."
Item
47 of the Schmundt file, appearing on Page 78,
is a secret telegram from the OKW to the Führer's
train, Lieutenant Colonel Schmundt:
"If
evening report shows that occupation of
Zone 5 has been completed without
incident, OKW intends to order further
demobilization.
"Principle:
1) To suspend operation Grün but
maintain a sufficient state of
preparedness on part of Army and
Luftwaffe to make intervention possible
if necessary. 2) All units not needed to
be withdrawn from the occupied area and
reduced to peacetime status, as
population of occupied area is heavily
burdened by the massing of troops "
Skipping
to below the OKW signature, this appears, at the
left:
"Führer's
decision:
"1. Agreed.
"2. Suggestion to be made
on the 13 October in Essen by General
Keitel. Decision will then be reached "
On
the same date additional demobilization of the
forces in the Sudetenland was ordered by Hitler
and Defendant Keitel. Three days later the OKW
requested Hitler's consent to the reversion of
the RAD (Labor Corps) from the control of the
Armed Forces. These are Items 52 and 53 in the
Schmundt file.