Evening star., 1947-03-13

-AP Photo.
Moreover, said Hitler, there was Italy's
reaction to consider II the q. s. s. r.
penetrated to the Aegean.
What a wonderful opportunity for
Britain to fish in troubled waters!
Goering seized on the mention Of
Britain to insist that a Russian march
to the Aegean would surely embrol the
the U. S. S. R. with that country. That
would enable the latter to settle matters
In the West to its liking.
Goering claimed that all of his argu-
ments were shattered on the Fuehrer's
conviction that the concessions de-
manded would only facilitate a Russian
attack.
Hitler's tactics, as was customary with
him whenever he had made decision
which he knew to be unpopular, were
to avoid argument by hiding his purpose
even from those most concerned with
Russian relations. Only small group
in the foreign office was informed.
Undertaking Fritz"
The German army hardly could be
kept in the same ignorance as the for
eign Office, for where the responsibility
of the diplomats ceased that of the
soldiers began. Adm. Raeder hoped that
the Molotov visit would relax the ten
sion in the East. He was grievously
disillusioned after a conference with
Hitler on November IA. AS on previous
occasions, the admira recommended that
this be put off until after the victory
over Britain, but Hitler was adamant.
On December 5, the chief of the army
general staff Gen. Franz Halder, re-
ported on the progress of plans for
operations in the East and recommended
May Is, 1941, as the date for commenc-
ing operations. Hitler approved and
Jodls staff was put to work on Direc-
tive No. 21-Undertaking Fritz. On De-
cember 18, this cover name was changed
to Case Barbarossa and it was issued
as def1nitive instruction. It's opening
words tell the whole story:
1.-THE German armed forces must be
prepared to crush Soviet Russia In a
quick campaign before the end Of the
war against Britain"
To all intents and purposes, matters
thus were decided by mid-November,
1910. 1t only remained for the military
preparations to be completed while the
diplomatic farce was being played out.
self with a memorandum which he
presented to Schulenberg November ",
containing series of proposals, to which
Hitler Rever replied. Through December
and January the Russians were told the
matter was still being studied. BY Feb
ruary relations had cooled to a point
where the Russians ceased to press Tor
an answer. .-rg,.
brought into the Three-Power pact. A
few days later, Romania and Slovakla
Joined the parade. In direct contradic-
ton to the primary Russian interest re-
vealed by Molotov, Bulgaria also was
introduced into the circle OF Axis
satellites.
End Of the Alliance.
The Soviet government watched these
developments with mounting annoy
ance-and anxiety.
Something like panic seems to have
swept Moscow-at any rate, in the hope
Of averting or postponing an attack, the
attitude toward Germany overnight be-
came very conciliatory, almost servile.
When, on April 13, Stain broke all
precedent by seeing off japanese Foreign
Minister Matsuoka at the railway sta
tion, he walked across the platform to
the German acting military attache, 1t
COL Krebs, whom he scarcely knew,
put an arm around his shoulder and
said familiarly, 1--WE want to remain
friends, do we not?"
Every attempt was made to prevent
incidents" 1t is even said that to avoid
any possibility of mistake" Russian
artillery did not reply to German fire
until the German infantry began to ad-
vance. Yet, when Soviet Ambassador
Vladimir Dekanosov appeared in the
German foreign Office at am, June
%, to protest against the flight of Ger
man planes over Russian territory, Rib
bentrop interrupted him with the words:
Germany is forced to take military
counter measures"
Such was the official notification Of
the opening of hostilities.
Copyright 1947)