The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany

by William L. Shirer

  15. François-Poncet, op. cit., pp. 188–89.

  16. NCA, VI, pp. 951–52 (N.D. C–139), the text of the order. See also TMWC, XV, pp. 445–48.

  17. NCA, VII, pp. 454–55 (N.D. EC–405), minutes of the meeting.

  18. NCA, VI, pp. 974–76 (N.D. C–159).

  19. TMWC, XV, p. 252, for Jodl’s evidence; Hitler’s Secret Conversations, pp. 211–12, for Hitler’s figure.

  20. François-Poncet, op. cit., p. 193.

  21. Berlin Diary, pp. 51–54.

  22. François-Poncet, op. cit., p. 190.

  23. Ibid., pp. 194–95.

  24. TMWC, XV, p. 352.

  25. Hitler’s Secret Conversations, pp. 211–12. Remarks of January 27, 1942.

  26. Paul Schmidt, Hitler’s Interpreter, p. 41.

  27. TMWC, XV, p. 352.

  28. TMWC, XXI, p. 22.

  29. Hitler’s Secret Conversations, p. 211.

  30. Quoted by François-Poncet, op. cit., p. 196.

  31. NCA, VII, p. 890 (N.D. L–150).

  32. Kurt von Schuschnigg, Austrian Requiem, p. 5.

  33. NCA, I, p. 466 (N.D. 2248–PS).

  34. Documents on German Foreign Policy [hereafter referred to as DGFP], Series D, I, pp. 278–81 (No. 152).

  35. Papen, op. cit., p. 370.

  36. DGFP, III, pp. 1–2.

  37. Ibid., pp. 892–94.

  38. DGFP, I, p. 37.

  39. Ibid. III, p. 172.

  40. Ciano’s Diplomatic Papers, ed. by Malcolm Muggeridge, pp. 43–48.

  41. Milton Shulman, Defeat in the West, p. 76. His source is given as a British War Office Intelligence Review, December 1945. It would seem to be from an interrogation of Goering.

  42. Text of the secret protocol, DGFP, I, p. 734.

  43. TWC, XII, pp. 460–65 (N.D. NI–051).

  44. TMWC, IX, p. 281.

  45. DGFP, I, p. 40.

  46. Ibid., pp. 55–57.

  47. NCA, VI, pp. 1001–11 (N.D. C–175).

  48. The Hossbach minutes, dated Nov. 10, 1937. The German text is given in TMWC, XXV, pp. 402–13, and the best English translation is in DGFP, I, pp. 29–39. A hasty English version was done at Nuremberg and printed in NCA, III, pp. 295–305 (N.D. 386–PS). Hossbach also gives an account of the meeting in his book Zwischen Wehrmacht und Hitler, pp. 186–94. The brief testimony of Goering, Raeder and Neurath on the conference is printed in TMWC.

  CHAPTER 10

  1. Affidavit of Baroness von Ritter, a relative of Neurath, TMWC, XVI, p. 640.

  2. TMWC, XVI, p. 640.

  3. Ibid., p. 641.

  4. Schacht, Account Settled, p. 90.

  5. Jodl’s diary, TMWC, XXVIII, p. 357.

  6. Ibid., p. 356.

  7. Ibid., pp. 360–62.

  8. Ibid., p. 357.

  9. Telford Taylor, Sword and Swastika, pp. 149–50. The manuscript of Blomberg’s unpublished memoirs is in the Library of Congress.

  10. Bullock, op. cit., p. 381, and Wheeler-Bennett, Nemesis, p. 369.

  11. Wolfgang Foerster, Ein General kaempft gegen den Krieg, op. cit., pp. 70–73.

  12. TMWC, IX, p. 290.

  13. The Von Hassell Diaries. 1938–1944, p. 23.

  CHAPTER 11

  1. Dispatch to Hitler, Dec. 21, 1937, DGFP, I, p. 486.

  2. Papen, op. cit., p. 404.

  3. Ibid., p. 406.

  4. Schuschnigg, Austrian Requiem, pp. 12–19; NCA, V, pp. 709–12 (N.D. 2995–PS).

  5. Draft of protocol submitted to Schuschnigg, DGFP, I, pp. 513–15.

  6. NCA, V, p. 711 (N.D. 2995–PS).

  7. Schuschnigg, Austrian Requiem, p. 23.

  8. N.D. 2995–PS, op. cit.

  9. Schuschnigg gave slightly different versions of Hitler’s threats in his book, p. 24, and in his Nuremberg affidavit, 2995–PS (NCA, V, p. 712). I have used both in abbreviated form.

  10. Austrian Requiem, p. 24.

  11. Ibid.

  12. Ibid., p. 25, and Schuschnigg’s affidavit, N.D. 2995–PS, op. cit.

  13. Austrian Requiem, p. 25.

  14. NCA, IV, p. 357 (N.D. 1775–PS).

  15. NCA. IV, p. 361 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  16. From my own notes taken during the broadcast.

  17. Dispatch to the German Foreign Office on Feb. 25, 1938, marked “Very Secret,” DGFP, I, p. 546.

  18. For Miklas’ testimony, see NCA, Suppl. A, p. 523. Papen’s suggestion is in his Memoirs, p. 425.

  19. Austrian Requiem, pp. 35–36.

  20. NCA, IV, p. 362 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  21. NCA, VI, pp. 911–12 (N.D. C–102).

  22. Ibid., VI, p. 913 (N.D. C–103).

  23. DGFP, I, pp. 573–76.

  24. NCA, V, pp. 629–54 (N.D. 2949–PS).

  25. Austrian Requiem, p. 47.

  26. Testimony of Wilhelm Miklas on January 30, 1946, during anti-Nazi court proceedings against Dr. Rudolf Neumayer. Though the former President is a bit hazy about exact times and the exact sequence of events on the fateful day, his testimony is of great value and interest. NCA, Suppl. A, pp. 518–34 (N.D. 3697–PS).

  27. Austrian Requiem, p. 51.

  28. See NCA, Suppl. A, pp. 525–34 (N.D. 3697–PS). Also, NCA, V, p. 209 (N.D. 2465–PS, 2466–PS).

  29. NCA, VI, p. 1017 (N.D. C–182).

  30. DGFP, 1, pp. 584–86.

  31. Ibid., pp. 553–55.

  32. TMWC, XVI, p. 153.

  33. DGFP, I, p. 263.

  34. Ibid.,

  35. Ibid.,

  36. NCA, I, pp. 501–2 (N.D. 3287–PS).

  37. Text of circular cipher telegram, DGFP, I, pp. 586–87.

  38. TMWC, XX, p. 605.

  39. TMWC, XV, p. 632.

  40. Memorandum of Seyss-lnquart at Nuremberg, Sept. 9, 1945, NCA, V, pp. 961–92 (N.D. 3254–PS).

  41. TMWC, XIV, p. 429.

  42. Text of Schacht’s address, NCA, VII, pp. 394–402 (N.D. EC–297–A).

  43. NCA, IV, p. 585 (N.D. 1947–PS).

  CHAPTER 12

  1. The file for Case Green was kept at Hitler’s headquarters and was captured intact by American troops in a cellar at Obersalzbreg. The summary of the Apr. 21 Hitler-Keitel discussion is the second paper in the collection. The entire file was introduced in evidence at Nuremberg as N.D. 388–PS. An English translation is in NCA, III, pp. 306709; a better English version of the Apr. 21 talks is in DGFP, II, pp. 239–40.

  2. Secret memorandum of the German Foreign Office, Aug. 19, 1938, NCA, VI, p. 855 (N.D. 3059–PS).

  3. DGFP, II, pp. 197–98.

  4. Ibid., p. 255.

  5. Weizsaecker memorandum, May 12, 1938, DGFP, II, pp. 273–74.

  6. Text of four telegrams exchanged, NCA, III, pp. 308–9 (N.D. 388–PS).

  7. Ibid., pp. 309–10.

  8. Text of Keitel’s letter and of the directive, DGFP, II, pp. 299–303.

  9. Ibid., pp. 309–10.

  10. Dispatch of the German minister and military attaché in Prague, May 21, 1938, ibid., pp. 309–10.

  11. Dispatch of Ambassador von Dirksen, May 22, 1938, ibid., pp. 322–23.

  12. Speech to the Reichstag, Jan. 30, 1939, in My New Order, ed. by Roussy de Sales, p. 563.

  13. According to Fritz Wiedermann, one of the Fuehrer’s adjutants, who was present and who later swore that he “was considerably shaken by this statement.” NCA, V, pp. 743–44 (N.D. 3037–PS).

  14. Undated Jodl diary entry, TMWC, XXVIII, p. 372 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  15. Item 11 of Case Green, NCA, III, pp. 315–20 (N.D. 388–PS); also DGFP, II, pp. 357–62.

  16. TMWC, XXVIII, p. 373. The TMWC volume gives the German text. An English translation of excerpts of Jodl’s diary is in NCA, IV, pp. 360–70.

  17. The texts of the memoranda are given by Wolfgang Foerster in Ein General kaempft gegen den Krieg, pp. 81–119.

  18. Jodl’s diary, TMWC, XXVIII, p. 374. English translation, NCA, IV, p. 364 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  19. Ibid.

  20. TMWC, XX, p. 606. />
  21. The Von Hassell Diaries, p. 6.

  22. Ibid., p. 347.

  23. Foerster, op. cit., p. 122.

  24. Dispatches of June 8 and 9, 1938, DGFP, II, pp. 395, 399–401.

  25. Dispatch of June 22, ibid., p. 426.

  26. Ibid., pp. 529–31.

  27. Ibid., p. 611.

  28. Item 17 of the “Green” file, NCA, III, pp. 332–33 (N.D. 388–PS).

  29. TMWC, XXVIII, p. 375.

  30. Minutes of the Sept. 3, 1938, meeting, NCA, III, pp. 334–35 (N.D. 388–PS).

  31. Schmundt’s minutes of the Sept. 9 meeting, ibid., pp. 335–38. It is Item 19 in the “Green” file.

  32. Jodl’s diary note for Sept. 13, TMWC, XXVIII, pp. 378–79 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  33. DGFP, II, p. 536.

  34. Reports of Kleist’s visit are in Documents on British Foreign Policy [hereafter referred to as DBrFP], Third Series, II.

  35. Most of the text of Churchill’s letter is in DGFP, II, p. 706.

  36. DBrFP, Third Series, II, pp. 686–87.

  37. Nevile Henderson, Failure of a Mission, pp. 147, 150.

  38. DBrFP, Third Series, I.

  39. Erich Kordt gives his brother’s account of this meeting in his book Nicht aus den Akten, pp. 279–81.

  40. DGFP, II, p. 754.

  41. Ibid., p. 754.

  42. L. B. Namier, Diplomatic Prelude, p. 35.

  43. There is a considerable amount of material about the conference. The text of the official report drawn up by Paul Schmidt, who acted as interpreter and was the only other person present, is in DGFP, II, pp. 786–98. Schmidt has given an eyewitness account of the meeting in his book Hitler’s Interpreter, pp. 90–95. Chamberlain’s notes are in DBrFP, Third Series, pp. 338–41; his letter to his sister on the meeting is in Keith Feiling’s Life of Neville Chamberlain, pp. 366–68. See also Nevile Henderson’s Failure of a Mission, pp. 152–54.

  44. DGFP, II, p. 801.

  45. Ibid., p. 810.

  46. Feiling, op. cit., p. 367.

  47. NCA, VI, p. 799 (N.D. C–2).

  48. DGFP, II, pp. 863–64.

  49. British White Paper, Cmd. 5847, No. 2. Text also in DGFP, II, pp. 831–32.

  50. See Berlin Diary, p. 137.

  51. The chief sources for the Godesberg conference are: Schmidt’s notes on the two Godesberg meetings, DGFP, II, pp. 870–79, 898–908; Schmidt’s description of the talks, Hitler’s Interpreter, pp. 95–102; texts of correspondence exchanged between Hitler and Chamberlain on September 23, DGFP, II, pp. 887–92; notes by Kirkpatrick on the meeting, DBrFP, Third Series, II, pp. 463–73, 499–508; Henderson’s description in Failure of a Mission, pp. 156–62.

  52. NCA, IV, p. 367 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  53. Jodl’s diary, Sept. 26, 1938, ibid.

  54. Text of the Godesberg memorandum, DGFP, II, pp. 908–10.

  55. The Times, London, Sept. 24, 1938.

  56. Text of the Czech reply, British White Paper, Cmd. 5847, No. 7.

  57. Text of Chamberlain’s letter to Hitler of Sept. 26, 1938, DGFP, II, pp. 994–95.

  58. Though Dr. Schmidt’s notes on this meeting are missing from the German Foreign Office papers, his own account of it appears in his book, op. cit., pp. 102–3. Kirkpatrick’s notes are in DBrFP, Third Series, II, No. 1, p. 118. Henderson’s version in his book, op. cit., p. 163.

  59. Items 31–33 of “Green” file, NCA, III, pp. 350–52 (N.D. 388–PS).

  60. Dispatch from Paris, DGFP, II, p. 977.

  61. The text of Roosevelt’s two appeals and Hitler’s answer to the first one are in DGFP, II.

  62. Dispatch from Prague, DGFP, II, p. 976.

  63. Text of Hitler’s letter of Sept. 27, 1938, DGFP, II, pp. 966–68.

  64. Chamberlain’s plan, DGFP, II, pp. 987–88. The Prime Minister’s messages are quoted by Wheeler-Bennett in Munich, pp. 151–52, 155, from the Czech Archives.

  65. Ibid., p. 158.

  66. Text in British White Paper, Cmd. 5848, No. I. The letter was handed to Hitler by Henderson at noon the next day.

  67. Henderson, op. cit., p. 144. DBrFP, Third Series, II, p. 614.

  68. Jodl’s diary, Sept. 28, 1938, NCA, IV, p. 368 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  69. Sources: Halder’s interrogation at Nuremberg by Capt. Sam Harris, a New York attorney, NCA, Suppl. B, pp. 1547–71: also Halder’s memorandum, which was given to the press at Nuremberg but is not included in either the NCA or TMWC volumes. Gisevius, To the Bitter End, pp. 283–328; his testimony at Nuremberg, TMWC, XII, pp. 210–19. Schacht. Account Settled, pp. 114–25.

  70. Gisevius, To the Bitter End, p. 325. Also his testimony on the stand at Nuremberg, TMWC, XII, p. 219.

  71. Erich Kordt’s memorandum, made available to the writer. Allen Dulles, Germany’s Underground, p. 46. also gives an account of the call.

  72. Accounts of the meetings in the Chancellery on the forenoon of Sept. 28 are given by some of the participants: Schmidt, op. cit., pp. 105–8; François-Poncet, op. cit., pp. 265–68; Henderson, op. cit., pp. 166–71.

  73. Schmidt, op. cit., p. 107.

  74. Ibid., p. 107.

  75. Henderson, op. cit., pp. 168–69. Schmidt, op. cit., p. 108.

  76. Masaryk later described this scene to the writer, as he did to many other friends. But my notes on it were lost, and I have used Wheeler-Bennett’s moving account in Munich, pp. 170–71.

  77. From Halder’s interrogation, Feb. 25. 1946. NCA, Suppl. B, pp. 1553–58.

  78. Schacht, op. cit., p. 128.

  79. Gisevius, op. cit., p. 326.

  80. Ciano’s Hidden Diary, 1937–1938, p. 166. In a telegram dated June 26, 1940, Mussolini reminded Hitler that at Munich he had promised to take part in the attack on Britain. The text of the telegram is in DGFP, X, p. 27.

  81. Text of the Chamberlain and Beneš notes, DBrFP, Third Series, II, pp. 599, 604.

  82. The minutes of the two Munich meetings, DGFP, II, pp. 1003–8, 1011–14.

  83. Henderson, op. cit., p. 271. François-Poncet, op. cit., p. 271.

  84. Schmidt, op. cit., p. 110.

  85. Text of the Munich Agreement, DGFP, II, pp. 1014–16.

  86. From the official report of Dr. Masarik to the Czech Foreign Office. The sources for this section on the Munich Conference are: DGFP, II, as cited above in note 83; text of the Munich Agreement, ibid., pp. 1014–16; DBrFP, Third Series, II, No. 1, p. 227; and Ciano. Schmidt, Henderson, François-Poncet and Weizsaecker, op. cit.

  87. Berlin Diary, p. 145.

  88. The sources for this Chamberlain-Hitler meeting are: DGFP, II, p. 1017, for text of declaration; DGFP, IV, pp. 287–93, for Schmidt’s official memorandum on the meeting; Schmidt’s book, op. cit., pp. 112–13. DBrFP, Third Series, II, No. 1228, gives a slightly different version of the conversation.

  89. DGFP, IV, pp. 4–5.

  90. Jodl’s diary, NCA, IV, p. 368 (N.D. 1780–PS).

  91. Keitel’s testimony, April 4, 1946, TMWC, X, p. 509.

  92. Manstein’s testimony, Aug. 9, 1946, TMWC, XX, p. 606.

  93. Jodl’s testimony, June 4, 1946, TMWC, XV, p. 361.

  94. Gamelin, Servir, pp. 344–46. A disappointing book! Pertinax, The Grave Diggers of France, p. 3, confirms the General here. These are also the sources of Gamelin’s advice on Sept. 26 and 28.

  95. Churchill, The Gathering Storm, p. 339.

  96. DGFP, IV, pp. 602–4.

  97. Schacht on the stand at Nuremberg, TMWC, XII, p. 531.

  98. Speech to the commanders in chief, Nov. 23, 1939, NC A, III, p. 573 (N.D. 789–PS).

  CHAPTER 13