4
Dec. 45
"Opinion
on the Draft Study of Naval Warfare against
England," this is stated:
"1.
If, according to the Führer's
decision, Germany is to acquire a
position as a world power, she needs not
only sufficient colonial possessions but
also secure naval communications and
secure access to the ocean.
"2.
Both requirements can be fulfilled only
in opposition to Anglo French interests
and would limit their position as world
powers. It is unlikely that they can be
achieved by peaceful means. The decision
to make Germany a world power therefore,
forces upon us the necessity of making
the corresponding preparations for war.
"3 War against England
means at the same time war against the
Empire, against France, probably against
Russia as well and a large number of
countries overseas, in fact, against
one-third to one-half of the world.
"It can only be justified
and have a chance of success" —
and it was not moral justification which
was being looked for in this document —
" It can only be justified and have
a chance. of success if it is prepared
economically as well as politically and
militarily, and waged with the aim of
conquering for Germany an outlet to the
ocean. "
THE
PRESIDENT I think the Tribunal would like to
know at what stage you propose to put the
documents, which you are citing, in evidence.
SIR HARTLEY SHAWCROSS: Well, Sir, my
colleagues my American and my British
colleagues, were proposing to follow up my own
address by putting these documents in The first
series of documents, which will be put in by my
noted colleague, Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, will be
the treaties.
THE PRESIDENT: I suppose
that what you quote will have to be read again.
SIR HARTLEY SHAWCROSS: Well, I am
limiting my quotations as far as I possibly can.
I apprehend that technically you may wish it to
be quoted again, so as to get it on the record
when the document is actually put into evidence.
But I think it will appear, when the documents
themselves are produced, that there will be a
good deal more in most of them than I am
actually citing now.
THE PRESIDENT Yes
.Very well.
SIR HARTLEY SHAWCROSS This
document on naval warfare against England is
something which is both significant and new
until this date the documents in our possession
disclose preparations for war against Poland,
England, and France, puporting on the