Detroit evening times., 1945-02-05
The WORLD
IN REVIEW
BY Maj. Gen.
D. P. Barrows

oEENlD pIODdulc lildt tiic
= coming conference between
Roosevelt. Churchill and Stain
will define with some sharpness
the terms upon which the Ger
mans may surrender.
II also seems possible 1t will
he Stain, rather than Roose-
welt or Churchill, who will lay
down these terms to the enemy,
and secure their acceptance.
There are several reasons for
thinking this, yet all OF these
reasons present some inconSis-
tencieS
There was A sort Of intimacy
built up between the Germans
and the Russians in the period
following the first World War.
Both nations, in a sense, were
excluded from the international
grouping of the powers
For years Germany was not
admitted to the League of Ma
tcionS, Neither was Russia.
Germany's reputation was
clouded by her failure to meet
the indemnity conditions of the
Treaty Of Versailles. and by her
many devious courses TO avoid
the liquidation of these burdens,
in which, eventually, she was
successful.
4 FTER the BolSheviks seized
"A power, in November. 1917,
they repudiated all treaties with
other powers, and all financial
obligations, incurred in earlier
years, for internal improve
mcnts in Russia. including the
building Of the Siberian rail
road.
They pursued. under Lenin
and TrotSky, policy of spread
ing the Communist revolution
iii OhkllOul NllC WI
This produced their isolation.
Both countries lay under the
suspicious dread u other gov
ernments and peoples.
A common ostracism drew
them together.
Germans then explored the
possibilities OF cooperation with
the Russians.
1t seemed attractive econoni-
cally, the technical skill of the
Germans TO be united with the
Russians TO develop the enor-
nous natural resources Of the
latter people.
It was believed in Germany
that, out of this economic CO.
operation, there might develop
a political and military alliance.
This view was particularly
entertained by the military
class, which saw that such a
union of the forces Of both
these great nations would be
irresistible.
Owing to their proximity 10
one another and 10 centuries Of
intercourse, there was no
western people which knew
Russia as we'll as did the Ger
mans.
No people with so many
men who spoke the Russian
language.
There was a scholarly insti-
tute in Berlin, with a branch
in Breslau; that was devoted
10 the scientific investigation of
the Russian social and economic
life.
In 1882 and 1893 il seemed to
me to possess the only accurate
and objective information in re-
gard to Russia.
TNHE suddenly framed treaty
l. between Hitler and Stain
In August, 1889, which prepared
the opening Of this war by the
invasion of Poland, surprised
and stunned the world.
But I believe that the basis
for such an agreement had been
laid in the preceding years.
The joint invasion OF Poland
and the partition Of that un-
fortunate country in 1899 seemed
a consummation of long studied
military plans by both sides.
The view of "geopolitical"
writer's Of eastern Europe and
western Asia constituted a
"heartland" which would doni-
nate Europe, and after that the
world, seemed to be present.
The prospects Of such an
Allied contamination were de-
stroyed by Hitler when he at
tackled Russia in 1941 He
wanted the "heartland" ex-
clusively for himself.
Both Hitler and Stain and
their immediate adherents have
gained disillusionment from this
war.
Stain, In his own mind,
appreciates the fact that. with
out the allied power of Great
Britain and the United States,
Russia would have been de-
stroyed.
Hitler has q G monstrated q
afresh that Germany can win
no war II attacked both on the
west and on the east.
His military policy has mai
rowed TO the defense of Ger
many.
l think Stain has determined
10 get rid Of Hitler and Himmler
and the whole National Socialist