5
Dec. 45
Government
as an excuse for intervention. On the following
day, March 11, a strange scene was enacted in
Bratislava, the Slovak capital. I quote from
Document D-571, which is USA-112. That is the
report of the British Minister in Prague to the
British Government.
"Herr
Bürckel, Herr Seyss-Inquart, and
five German generals came at about 10
o'clock in the evening of Saturday, the
11th of March, into a Cabinet meeting in
progress in Bratislava and told the
Slovak Government that they should
proclaim the independence of Slovakia.
When M. Sidor, the Prime Minister,
showed hesitation, Herr Bürckel
took him on one side and explained that
Herr Hitler had decided to settle the
question of Czechoslovakia definitely.
Slovakia ought, therefore, to proclaim
her independence, because Herr Hitler
would otherwise disinterest himself in
her fate. M. Sidor thanked Herr Bürckel
for this information, but said that he
must discuss the situation with the
Government at Prague."
A
very strange situation that he should have to
discuss such a matter with his own Government,
before obeying instructions of Herr Hitler
delivered by five German generals and Herr Bürckel
and Herr Seyss-Inquart.
Events went on
moving rapidly, but Durcansky, one of the
dismissed ministers, escaped with Nazi
assistance to Vienna, where the facilities of
the German broadcasting station were placed at
his disposal. Arms and ammunition were brought
from German offices in Engerau across the Danube
into Slovakia, where they were used by the FS
and the Hlinka Guards to create incidents and
disorder of the type required by the Nazis as an
excuse for military action. The German press and
radio launched a violent campaign against the
Czechoslovak Government; and, significantly, an
invitation from Berlin was delivered in
Bratislava. Tiso, the dismissed Prime Minister,
was summoned by Hitler to an audience in the
German capital. A plane was awaiting him in
Vienna.
At this point, in the second
week of March 1939, preparations for what the
Nazi leaders like to call the liquidation of
Czechoslovakia were progressing with what to
them must have been very satisfying smoothness.
The military, diplomatic, and propaganda
machinery of the Nazi conspirators was moving in
close coordination. All during the process of
the Fall Grün (or Case Green) of the
preceding summer, the Nazi conspirators had
invited Hungary to participate in this new
attack. Admiral Horthy, the Hungarian Regent,
was again greatly flattered by this invitation.
I offer in evidence Document 2816-PS
as Exhibit USA-115. This is a letter the
distinguished Admiral of Hungary, a country
which,