Hitler's 1918
Eight years ago, I watched Hit- ler, the new Reich Chancellor, receive, hour after hour, the ac- clamation of his marching Storm Troops from a spotlit window
in the Wilhelmstrasse. On January 30, 1941, I heard him, the con- queror of half Europe, speak to the Germans and promise them decisive victory "this year."
We get little news, these days, of what is happening "Inside Ger- many," and Hitler's last wish is that we should know. His speech was drafted to conceal and cur-
By Douglas Reed
tain everything we should like to know about the German mind- and yet, between the lines, it tells all!
For both he and his Propaganda Minister, Goebbels emphatically declared that there would never be "another 1918" in Germany. Qui s'excuse, s'accuse. These two sentences betray the vital truth, that our best ally, the memory of 1918, is busy in Germany,
In 1918, after 3 years of un- interrupted victories, the Germans suddenly found themselves defeat- ed. No German has ever forgot- ten that; those who are too young to remember have been told by their parents. The very words "Nineteen-Eighteen" are a langu age, મ menace, a verdict and a grim warning to every German. With every day that passes and does not bring Victory (as dis-. tinct from victories) the thought of "1918" looms larger in the German mind, like a black thun- dercloud on the horizon.
Thus these two sentences, de.. signed to banish fear and reassure, show what is happening "inside Germany" and in the German mind.
Hitler to-day, like all his peo- ple, must hear the words "Nine- teen-Eighteen" in his nightmares. He has won even greater vic- torics than Ludendorff had won by 1918-but he still has not gained Victory. He knows what his people are thinking and wait- ing for, the doubt that festers at the back of their minds.
That is why the other revealing passages in his speech are those in which he promised them "decisive
blows" this year and swore that "compel a decision by hook or by
the German fighting forces would
crook" this year.
The blows will fall. He must
re-strike, anyway: it is his last hope.
He indicated what the blows will be-savage submarine and aerial warfare, possibly an invasion.
In those few sentences the whole truth about "inside Ger-
The proclamation promised British arms, "of which you are so much in need," and an-many" was disclosed. Hitler knows nounced that the British Air Force was des-that 1941 is his ຄ
troying enemy fortifications.
at
of
that this stringency was incorporation in a hierarchy created in the first place states in which small peoples must serve the political and mili- by the Germans, and tary necessities of
the Leading there is good ground, in great powers.-Reuter. view of the statement of the "reliably informed in- dividual" to which we have referred, for believ-
contemplated. Doubtless | Petain,
unlike Hitler,
It proceeds: "I have notified the Italians in Ethiopia, who are now completely encircled, that they should surrender selves useless destruction.
"Therefore
F charge you
1918. unless he can gain complete Victory. He' cannot rise again, on January 30, 1942, and again swear that there protect those Italians who may will never be "another 1918" in surrender.
Germany, that 1042 will bring "decisive victory." the thought and fear of "1918" By that time will be too heavy in the hearts of the Germans.
5
valiant Ethiopians made Italians sincerely hopes that Dar- JAPANESE
ing that the stringency lan's threat may bring has been deliberately in-
to save them-Honour And Good Name "Do not retallate with the which was inflicted on solemnly to receive kindly and cruelty
He must win, by October, or our people but show, yourselves honourable and humane soldiers. disappear very soon afterwards,
"Do not forget that when the And he cannot win.
captive at battle they handed them to their Emperor without. doing them any harm, thus earn- ing for Ethiopia: honour good name:""
When the proclamation was circulated in the Commons, Mr. Phillp. Noel-Baker (Labour)" sug- gested Government should public
the
tensified recently to force about a relaxation in the SEIZURE Vichy into the action blockade without requir- which it threatens to take.
That Vichy is anxious to The
ing a suicidal fight on the OF S.N.R.
part of the French Navy.
BONDHOLDERS OF
and a
POLICING OF THE
consequences of SIR J. S. WARDLAW-MILNEly express. "appreciation of BADLANDS assume the role that Hit- open war between France (CONS) ASKED IN THE HOUSE "generous and statesmanlike po
OF COMMONS YESTERDAY icy followed by our ally, the ler would have it play and Great Britain, even WHAT PROVISION HAD BEEN Emperor of Ethiopia, despite the Mr. R. A. Butler, Under- seems very unlikely. The over the question of the MADELL PROTECT BRITISH against his subjects: the tallans Secretary for Foreign Af- shattered French fleet blockade, might prove SHANGHAI - NANKING AND Mr. R. A.Butler, Under-Secre fairs, made a statement in would be forced to per- disastrous for Petain's TIENTSIN-FUKOW RAILWAYS try for Moreign Affairs, agreed the House of Commons form a task that the Ger- government.
IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT it was a valuable document NevertheTHE CONCERNS WERE BUILT Which should be read with all yesterday regarding the mans and Italians have less, Hitler has succeeded WITH BRITISH MONEY AND consideration."
working of the agreement for policing the "bad- lands" outside the Inter-
that
WERE NOW CONTROLLED BY
REVENUES OF A MILLION
peatedly had made representa-
Router.
QUITE DIFFERENT AIR TACTICS
national Settlement at
Shanghai.
to
consistently refused in extorting from Vichy A JAPANESE COMPANY WITH fight the British Navy on a statement that implies YEN MONTHLY. the open sea. The mea- the use of French ships sure of Marshal Petain's against the British-on tary for Foreign Affairs, replied Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secre- reluctance to adopt his French initiative thus that the British Government re-
Mr. Butler, who was replying present stand may per- contradicting repeated ons in respect of both railways,
Sir. J. S. Wardlaw-Milne haps be found in the fre- assurances
The Swiss paper "Tagwacht" (Cons.) said that after lengthy they requesting that an arrangement says the Germans and English negotiations, extending over quent predictions from would never be so used. should be made to meet obliga- seem to adopt quite different several months, an agreement was Paris in recent weeks that To this extent Darlan's allow the British railway staff to While England, tries to bomb into force on March 15.
tions to British bondholders and aerial tactics tenda signed on February, 1 and": convoys would be employ- announcement is a disfunction in accordance with the maritime and military bases, Mr. Butler continued: "While. ed, and the no less fre- turbing revelation of a
provisions of the loant agreements. Germany tries to undermine the conditions in thet area have con- morale of the English population | tinued to be unsatisfactory in quent denials from Vichy new tendency in the Ad-
"I regret that no satisfaction by heedless bombing of towns recent months it is yet too early that such a policy was miral.
has yet been recoivad," he, con- Hence the unequal number of to judge what result the new, cluded-Reuter.
victime. Reuter; 1603 v
agreement will have?!; Reuters
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