Hitler Breaks the Silence
There was grim irony in Hitler tearing himself from The pressing duties of the eastern front to open a Winter Relief Fund, but it is unprofitable to belittle the skilful casuistry of his speech by speaking, as one newspaper did, of "the little coherence it at times possessed." As an appeal to the infatuated if depressed German people, and to certain non-belligerents whose services he needs, it was a most ingenious mingling of plausible lies with a few truths. On this occasion he did not repeat the recital of the origins of the war, but on the historical side was content to dwell on his relations with Russia during the last two years in such a way as to suggest that it was Russia who was intent on war, and he twisted the facts to indicate that just as the Soviet Government earlier had designs on the Baltic States, so it had more recently on Bulgaria and Turkey. This was a bid for Bulgarian and Turkish sup- port. He admitted—and this is doubtless true—that he would have needed the whole of his Air Force for a decisive attack on Britain. He dared not denude his eastern front for this purpose ; and reading the truth between the lines, we see that that was why he decided to take Russia first, in the belief that that front could be liquidated. He lies when he says that all has gone according to plan on the eastern front, but tells the truth when he admits that the Germans had no idea how gigantic was the strength of Russia. Does he also tell the truth when he says that with all Europe working for him he has, and will have, a superfluity of munitions? Not if aero- planes are included, for he had just admitted that his Air Force was not enough for decisive engagements on two fronts. He was able to get ahead of the communiqués by announcing the start of a new offensive which was to help himin "smashing the enemy." Even the egomania of the speech was perhaps not unsuited for his Nazi public, as when he told them that it did not need the war to make his name eternal, and that it is fortunate for Germany that it came while he is his country's leader. The deification of the ruler is an ancient device for enlisting superstition on his side.
Previous page
