7 Jan. 46
to the order which I have just read —
"a supplementary order of the Führer is enclosed.
"This order is intended for commanders only and must not, under
any circumstances, fall into enemy hands.
"The further distribution is to be limited accordingly by the
receiving bureaus.
"The bureaus named in the distribution list are held responsible
for the return and destruction of all distributed copies of this order
and copies made thereof."
It
is signed, "The Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces, by
order of Jodl."
Thereafter follows a distribution list and then the supplementary order
itself, signed by Hitler. I will start reading the first two paragraphs
of the supplementary order which appear at the bottom of Page 1 of the
translation:
"I have been compelled to issue
strict orders for the destruction of enemy sabotage troops and to
declare non-compliance with these orders severely punishable. I deem
it necessary to announce to the competent commanding officers and
commanders the reasons for this decree.
"As in no previous war, a method of destruction of
communications behind the front, intimidation of the populace working
for Germany, as well as the destruction of war-important industrial
plants in territories occupied by us has been developed in this war."
I propose to skip to the bottom of Page 2, the last two paragraphs on
Page 2 of the translation:
"The consequences of these activities
are of extraordinary weight. I do not know whether each commander and
officer is cognizant of the fact that the destruction of one single
electric power plant, for instance, can deprive the Luftwaffe of many
thousand tons of aluminum, thereby eliminating the construction of
countless aircraft that will be missed in the fight at the front and
so contribute to serious damage of the homeland as well as to bloody
losses of the fighting soldiers.
"Yet this form of war is completely without danger for the
adversary. Since he lands his sabotage troops in uniform but at the
same time supplies them with civilian clothes, they can, according to
need, appear as soldiers or civilians. While they themselves have
orders ruthlessly to remove any German soldiers or even natives who
get in their way, they run no danger of suffering really serious
losses in their operations, since at the worst, if they are caught,
they can immediately surrender and thus believe that they will
theoretically fall