10 Dec.
45
Next, the politics of destruction; preparation for the
political phase of the aggression. As I have already indicated and as I
shall develop more fully later in this discussion, there were both
economic and political reasons motivating the action of the conspirators
in invading the Soviet Union. I have already discussed the extent of the
planning and preparations for the economic side of the aggression.
Equally elaborate planning and preparation were engaged in by the
conspirators to ensure the effectuation of the political aims of their
aggression. It is, I believe, sufficient at this point to describe that
political aim as the elimination of the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics as a powerful political factor in Europe and the acquisition
of Lebensraum.
For the accomplishment of this purpose the Nazi conspirators selected
as their agent the Defendant Rosenberg. As early as the 2d of April 1941
Rosenberg or a member of his staff prepared a memorandum on the U.S.S.R.
This memorandum speculates on the possibility of a disagreement with the
U.S.S.R. which would result in a quick occupation of an important part
of that country. This memorandum then considers what the political goal
of such occupation should be and suggests ways for reaching such a goal.
The memorandum is Number 1017-PS in our series, and I offer it in
evidence now as Exhibit USA-142.
Beginning with the second paragraph it reads, under the subject "U.S.S.R.":
"A military conflict with the
U.S.S.R. will result in an extraordinarily rapid occupation of an
important and large section of the U.S.S.R. It is very probable that
military action on our part will very soon be followed by the military
collapse of the U.S.S.R. The occupation of these areas would then
present not so many military as administrative and economic
difficulties. Thus arises the first question:
"Is the occupation to be determined by purely military or
economic needs respectively, or is the laying of political foundations
for a future organization of the area also a factor in determining how
far the occupation shall be extended? If so, it is a matter of urgency
to fix the political goal which is to be attained, for it will without
doubt also have an effect on military operations.
"If the political overthrow of the eastern empire, in the weak
condition it would be at the time, is set as the goal of military
operations, one may conclude that:
"1) The occupation must comprise areas of vast proportions.
"2) From the very beginning the treatment of individual sections
of territory should, in regard to administration as well