Aufgabe Vorschlag C - NS-Außenpolitik und Weg in den Zwei… · Abitur Hessen Geschichte GK · bilingual Englisch 2022

Europe before the Second World War

Material: William Dodd: Hitler Aims at War (1935)

Dodd (1869–1940) served as US Ambassador to Berlin from 1933 to 1937, when international tensions grew due to the policy of the German government. The text below is an excerpt from Dodd's diary (4 April, 1935).

1 I received a telegram from Secretary Hull 1 asking whether war in Europe is imminent. I had an engagement with Von Neurath 2 at 12 o’clock to speak about a minor matter. So I decided to see Sir Eric Phipps 3, whose office is near the German Foreign Office, at 11:30. He happened to be free. In the conversation it was made clear that the visits of Sir John Simon 4 and the young Eden 5 had been of

5 negative value.

Hitler had sat in the conference in his brown-shirted S.A. uniform, the others all in civilian clothes. Hitler made it clear he would not agree to the so-called “eastern Locarno pacts” 6 or guarantees of existing boundaries between Germany, Poland, the little Baltic states and Russia. But he said he would not go to war, only insist upon treaties being kept. As to the annexation of Austria, he vowed that there

10 would be no German aggression. However, he insisted on the same right to send help to his cohorts 7 there as the Italians had sent to theirs, both countries being engaged simultaneously in rival propaganda. As to Russian-German co-operation, Hitler said there was no possibility. Most of these points I had telegraphed to Washington. Sir Eric simply confirmed them and indicated once more grave doubts as to the maintenance of peace in Europe. One thing is certain: Hitler aims at war. When

15 he will strike depends on preparations and a proper incident.

At 12:00 I sat down for a talk with Von Neurath. [...] I raised the question of German military policy. I told him first how general is the feeling in the United States that Germany aims to go to war relatively soon. He vowed there is no move toward war. He pretended great concern that Mussolini 8 should have almost doubled the strength of the Italian army by recent orders, also that Mussolini

20 should have published a statement two days ago demanding the encirclement of Germany and blaming England for not uniting with France and Italy to make it possible. [...]

I reminded Von Neurath that all Germans seem military-minded, that all their public demonstrations are in full war equipment. I also said that Germany circulated, widely, imperialistic maps, that is, maps which show that the Nazi leaders demand the annexation of border countries like Holland, Austria,

25 parts of Switzerland and the Polish Corridor. [...]

I said: It convinces the outside world that Germany means to re-apply the old imperialist policy, not unlike that of Theodore Roosevelt 9. Marching everywhere in uniforms and claiming all border areas where German-speaking people live are strong evidences of the war spirit here. The Foreign Minister said: “Imperialistic talk and attitudes worry me too.” The conversation lasted half an hour and it

30 convinced me once more that Von Neurath and perhaps all the higher officials of the Foreign Office are fully aware of the dangers of Hitlerism and that they press for their points of view in vain. Hitler really aims to annex all these areas and will in due time go to war for that purpose.

I came away without any valid assurances, just as I left the British Embassy without being convinced that England was doing anything [...]. The encirclement of Germany is at present not possible and the

35 1914 situation is reproduced in most of its features. Will Europe go to war? I think not in a year or two.

William E. Dodd, Jr. und Charles A. Beard (Hg.): Ambassador Dodd’s Diary, 1933–1938. New York 1941, S. 228 f.

1 Cordell Hull (1871–1955), US Secretary of State from 1933 to 1944.

2 Konstantin von Neurath (1873–1956), German Foreign Minister from 1932 to 1938.

3 Sir Eric Phipps (1875–1945), British Ambassador to Germany from 1933 to 1937.

4 Sir John Simon (1873–1954), British Foreign Secretary from 1931 to 1935.

5 Anthony Eden (1897–1977), British Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs from 1931 to 1935.

6 French initiative of the year before, which did not materialize.

7 cohorts – Parteigänger, Anhänger

8 Benito Mussolini (1883–1945), Italian dictator from 1922 to 1943 and antagonist to NS Germany until late 1935.

9 Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 26 th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909.

1

Summarize the author’s reasoning. (Material)

[30 BE]

2

Put the source into the context of German foreign policy from 1933 to 1939.

[40 BE]

3

Dodd argues that “the 1914 situation is reproduced in most of its features” (Material). Discuss this statement.

[30 BE]