4 Jan. 46
successful result at the price of Belgian
neutrality, they are at any time in a position to apply the necessary
pressure. That is to say, without covering themselves with the odium
of a breach of neutrality, they can compel Belgium and Holland to give
up their neutrality. Therefore, in the matter of the preservation of
Belgo-Dutch neutrality, time is not a factor which might promise a
favorable development for Germany."
The final paragraph to be read is as follows:
"The Nordic States: Provided no
completely unforeseen factors appear, their neutrality in the future
is also to be assumed. The continuation of German trade with these
countries appears possible even in a war of long duration."
Six weeks later, on 23 November 1939, our group as defined in the
Indictment — the Oberbefehlshaber — again assembled, as found
in Document Number 789-PS, already in the record as Exhibit Number
USA-23, and heard from Hitler much of what he had said previously to the
four service chiefs. This speech, part of which is already in the
record, contains other portions, not previously read, which are now of
interest; and the first extract which I would like to read is on Page 2
of the translation, about half-way down in Paragraph 1, starting with
the words, "For the first time in history we have to fight only on
one front ... " I quote:
"For the first time in history we
have to fight only on one front; the other front is at present free.
But no one can know how long that will remain so. I have doubted for a
long time whether I should strike first in the East and then in the
West. In principle I did not organize the Armed Forces in order not to
strike. The decision to strike was always in me. Sooner or later I
wanted to solve the problem. Inevitably it was decided that the East
was to be annihilated first. If the Polish war was won so quickly, it
was due to the superiority of our Armed Forces. The most glorious
experience in our history. Unexpectedly small expenditures of men and
material. Now the Eastern front is held by only a few divisions. It is
a situation which we viewed previously as unachievable. Now the
situation is as follows: The opponent in the West lies behind his
fortifications. There is no possibility of coming to grips with him.
The decisive question is: How long can we endure this situation?"
Passing to Page 3 of that document, line 3:
"Everything is determined by the fact
that the moment is favorable now; in 6 months it might not be so any
more."
The final passage on
Page 4 of the translation, in the long paragraph about half-way down,
beginning, "England cannot live without its imports. We can feed
... ":