4
Dec. 45
In an
Air Force letter dated the 25th of August 1938
which deals with the action to be taken if
England and France should interfere in the
operation against Czechoslovakia, it is stated:
"It
is not expected for the moment that
other states will intervene against
Germany. The Dutch and the Belgian area
assumes in this connection much more
importance for the conduct of war in
Western Europe than during the World
War, mainly as advance base for the air
war."
In
the last paragraph of that order it is stated: "
Belgium
and the Netherlands, when in German
hands, represent an extraordinary
advantage in the prosecution of the air
war against Great Britain as well as
against France . . ."
That
was in August 1938. Eight months later, on the
28th of April 1939, Hitler is declaring again:
"I was pleased that a number of
European states availed themselves of
this declaration by the German
Government to express and emphasize
their desire to have absolute
neutrality."
A
month later, on the 23rd of May 1939, Hitler
held that conference in the Reich Chancellery,
to which I already referred. The minutes of that
meeting report Hitler as saying:
"The
Dutch and Belgian air bases must be
occupied by armed forces. Declarations
of neutrality cannot be considered of
any value. If England and France want a
general conflict on the occasion of the
war between Germany and Poland they will
support Holland and Belgium in their
neutrality . . . . Therefore, if England
intends to intervene at the occasion of
the Polish war, we must attack Holland
with lightning speed. It is desirable to
secure a defense line on Dutch soil up
to the Zuider Zee."
Even
after that he was to give his solemn
declarations that he would observe the
neutrality of these countries. On the 26th of
August 1939, when the crisis in regard to Danzig
and Poland was reaching its climax, on the very
day he had picked for the invasion of Poland,
declarations assuring the governments concerned
of the intention to respect their neutrality
were handed by the German Ambassadors to the
King of the Belgians, the Queen of the
Netherlands, and to the Government of the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg in the most solemn form. But
to the Army Hitler was saying:
"If
Holland and Belgium are successfully
occupied and held, a successful war
against England will be secured."
On
the 1st of September Poland was invaded and 2
days later England and France came into the war
against Germany, in