6
Dec. 45
England
once more with a large, comprehensive
offer. He is a man of great decisions;
and in this case also, he will be
capable of being great in his action."
— and then, magnanimously — "He
accepts the British Empire and is ready
to pledge himself personally for its
continued existence and to place the
power of the German Reich at its
disposal on condition that his colonial
demands, which are limited, should be
negotiated by peaceful means . . . . His
obligations to Italy remain untouched."
Again
he stresses irrevocable determination never to
enter into war with Russia. I quote the last two
paragraphs:
"If
the British Government would consider
these ideas, a blessing for Germany..."
THE
PRESIDENT: Why do you not read the first few
lines of Paragraph 3?
LT. COL.
GRIFFITH-JONES: Yes; I did summarize it —
Paragraph 3:
"He
also desired to express the irrevocable
determination of Germany never again to
enter into conflict with Russia."
THE
PRESIDENT: Yes.
LT. COL.
GRIFFITH-JONES: I quote the last two paragraphs:
"If
the British Government would consider
these ideas, a blessing for Germany and
also for the British Empire might
result. If they reject these ideas,
there will be war. In no case will Great
Britain emerge stronger; the last war
proved it. The Führer repeats that
he himself is a man of far-reaching
decisions by which he is bound, and that
this is his last offer...."
THE
PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will adjourn and then
the matter can be investigated.
[A
recess was taken.]
LT.
COL. GRIFFITH-JONES: I had just finished reading
the offer from Hitler to the British Government,
which was TC-72, Number 68, and which becomes
GB-65.
The British Government were
not, of course, aware of the real object that
lay behind that message; and, taking it at its
face value and desirous to enter into
discussions, they wrote back on the 28th of
August saying that they were prepared to enter
into discussions. They agreed with Hitler that
the differences must be settled, and I quote
from Paragraph 4:
"In
the opinion of His Majesty's Government,
a reasonable solution of the differences
between Germany and Poland