In order to further arouse the enthusiasm of military leaders, Hitler established a National Defense Conference on April 4 to step up the implementation of a secret plan to rearmament. Three months later, on July 20, he promulgated a new Army Law, which abolished the jurisdiction of civil courts over military personnel, abolished the electoral representation system of soldiers, and thus restored the long-standing tradition of the officer corps. Military privileges. Many army and navy generals began to view the Nazi revolution from another, more favorable perspective.
In order to give Röhm some sweetness as comfort, Hitler appointed Röhm and deputy party leader Rudolf Hess as cabinet ministers on December 1, 1933. On New Year's Day 1934, I wrote another warm and friendly letter to the leader of the SA. On the one hand, he reiterated that "the Army has the responsibility to defend the country and resist enemies abroad", but at the same time he acknowledged that "the task of the SA is to ensure the victory of the National Socialist Revolution and the existence of the Third Reich", and admitted that the achievements of the SA "should mainly be attributed to Credit to Roma". This letter was published in the Nazi Party's official newspaper Volksobserver on January 2, 1934, and played a great role in temporarily alleviating the dissatisfaction among the SA. In the general atmosphere of goodwill at Christmas and New Year, the struggle between the SA and the Army, and the clamor of the radical Nazis for a "second revolution" were temporarily subsided.
In the spring of 1933, Germany's position in the world took a turn for the worse. The Third Reich was unprecedentedly isolated diplomatically and militarily weak. The whole world hated the Nazis' oppression, especially the persecution of the Jews. The attitude of Germany's neighbors, especially France and Poland, was hostile and suspicious. As early as March 1933, after Poland held a military demonstration in Danzig, Marshal Piłsudski told the French that it would be best to unite for a preventive war against Germany. Even Mussolini was not actually enthusiastic about Hitler coming to power, although on the surface he pretended to welcome the emergence of a second fascist state. A head of state whose potential is much greater than that of Italy may soon eclipse Mussolini as a leader. A fanatical pan-Germanic Germany had ambitions in Austria and the Balkan countries, where the Italian dictator had already made territorial claims. The socialist Soviet Union supported republicanism and opposed Nazi fascism. Thus, in a hostile world, the Third Reich was indeed friendless and helpless. Moreover, it is unarmed, or in other words, incomparable to its highly armed neighbors.
Therefore, the current strategy and tactics of Hitler's foreign policy were determined by the harsh reality of Germany's weakness and isolation. Paradoxically, however, this situation provided a natural goal consistent with his own and most Germans' strongest wishes: to escape from the shackles of the Versailles Peace without incurring sanctions, to regain freedom without incurring war. Armed. Only after he has completed these dual short-term goals, will he have the military power to achieve the established long-term diplomatic goals without restraint, and his specific goals and methods were very explicit as early as in "Mein Kampf" and specified in great detail.
The first thing Hitler has to do now is to confuse Germany's enemies in Europe with propaganda about disarmament and peace, and at the same time open his eyes to find the weaknesses in their collective armor. On May 17, 1933, Hitler delivered a "peace speech" in the Reichstag. It was one of the most beautiful speeches in his life and a masterpiece of deceptive propaganda. It not only deeply touched the hearts of the German people and united them He created a favorable impression around him and abroad. Just the day before, US President Roosevelt had just sent a moving letter to the heads of state of 44 countries, outlining the US's plans and hopes for disarmament and peace, calling for the abolition of all offensive weapons-bombers, tanks, mobile heavy artillery. . Hitler quickly responded to the U.S. President's appeal and took full advantage of it. Hitler said that his government warmly welcomed President Roosevelt's call for Germany to give up all offensive weapons, to disband its entire army, and to destroy the few weapons it had, if neighboring and armed countries did the same. If you do. He also emphasized that Germany does not want to attack other countries, but only seeks security, and is willing to sign a non-aggression treaty with any country.
This speech, with its many gentle words and declarations of love for peace, surprised and delighted a worried world. The impression given is that Germany does not want war and that war is "a completely crazy thing." It would "cause the collapse of the existing social and political order." Nazi Germany did not want to "Germanize" the people of other countries. "The mentality of the last century, which led people to believe that they wanted to turn Poles and French into Germans, is alien to us... The French, Poles and other peoples are all our neighbours. , we know that nothing can change this objective reality, otherwise, this kind of thing would be unimaginable in history."
However, there is a caveat. Germany demands equal treatment with all other countries, especially in military matters. If it cannot receive equal treatment, Germany would rather withdraw from the Conference on Disarmament and the League of Nations. However, this warning went unheeded as the Western world united in congratulating Hitler for his unexpected reasoning.
The Times of London also believed that Hitler's demand for equal treatment was "irrefutable." The Labor Party organ, the London Daily Herald, demanded that Hitler be taken at his word. The conservative London Spectator weekly believed that Hitler had responded to Roosevelt's call, a gesture that gave a panicked world new hope. In Washington, the official German news agency quoted President Roosevelt's secretary as saying: "The President is encouraged that Hitler has accepted his proposal."
What came out of the mouth of this irascible Nazi dictator was not the brutal threat that many expected, but sweet words, and the whole world was captivated. In the Reichstag, even those members who had not been imprisoned or fled on their own did not express any objections and voted in favor of Hitler's foreign policy speech, allowing the Reichstag to pass it unanimously.
However, Hitler's warning was not empty talk. When he saw in early October that the Allied Powers insisted on reducing their armaments to German levels after eight years, he suddenly announced on October 14 that Germany would withdraw immediately because other major powers refused to give Germany equal treatment in Geneva. Conference on Disarmament and League of Nations. At the same time, he took three other steps, namely dissolving Congress, announcing that he would submit his decision to withdraw from the Geneva Conference to a national referendum for approval, and finally ordering the commander-in-chief, General von Blomberg, to issue secret instructions to the army, If the League of Nations takes sanctions, it must resist armed attacks.
Hitler decided to hold the referendum and the new election of all-Nazi members of the Reichstag on November 12, 1933. This was because this day was likely to arouse the German people's sentiments of revenge. It was the "National Humiliation Day" of the 1918 Armistice. the day after. On November 4, he said at a campaign meeting in Breslau: "We must make this day a day of salvation in the history of our people. History will record it like this: On November 11, the German people It officially lost its honor, and 15 years later, on November 12, the German people restored its honor." On the eve of the vote, on November 11, President Hindenburg delivered a radio speech to the nation in support of Hitler The government's domestic and foreign policies. He said: "Tomorrow you must show resolute national unity and support for the government. Join me and the Chancellor of the country in supporting the principles of equal rights and glorious peace, and let the world see that we have restored the unity of Germany!"
After 15 years of frustration and resentment over the consequences of defeat, the Germans' reaction was almost unanimous. , about 96% of eligible voters participated in the vote, 95% of which were in favor of Germany's withdrawal from the Geneva Conference. Even in the Dachau concentration camp, 2,154 of the 2,242 people interned voted for the government that imprisoned them!
An ordinary room on the second floor of the SS headquarters in Berlin, Germany. From the house number, you can tell that this is the office of Lampard Krupp, deputy national leader of the SS and chief of general staff. The atmosphere in the room is very solemn at this time. An overwhelming feeling of oppression.
"Okay, just say what you have to say. You don't have to come here to sit down and protest. Are there any difficulties? Or have you encountered an unsolvable problem?" Lin Wei was not easy to scold his men.
After a long time, no one spoke. Lin Wei became impatient and said, "If nothing happens, just go to work and don't come to me."
The people in the room suddenly started to make noise, which made Lin Wei dizzy. "Be quiet, if you need something, tell me." Lin Wei finally couldn't help shouting.
Finally, under the urging of several people, Lin Wei's adjutant Heinz stood up reluctantly and said, "Captain, I have something to say."
"Did I cover your mouth?"
Well! Heinz was choked, but he immediately adjusted and said, "Captain, from the first day I joined the SS, I have regarded being an SS soldier as a lifelong honor. Every comrade is mine." All brothers and sisters, regardless of birth or status, will swear allegiance to the Führer."
"Don't talk nonsense, talk about the important points." Lin Wei interrupted Heinz unceremoniously.
"Captain, Himmler is now colluding with Göring, and has brought chaos within our SS. I heard that he is going to select the Twelve Knights in his subordinate intelligence department. He simply regards his own as the king. I also heard that Himmler found a few wizards from somewhere. Those wizards praised Himmler every day and said things that were simply disgusting. Externally, they obeyed Goering. It seems to others that our SS has become Göring's followers. The captain cannot let Himmler continue like this. I wonder what the SS will become like if this continues." He was interrupted twice by Lin Wei. Inz finally fully expressed what he meant.