Hitler’s Foreign Policy: A Look Back

Much of what the public knows about Hitler and his regime comes from text books in a “this is how it was, trust us” form, in that, typically a text book will describe major events, throw in a small reference and move on. To a majority, delving deeper into the subjects, such as the world war II Germany, suddenly opens them up to public ridicule as a neo-Nazi or some other stereotype. This scenario is such a horrible state of affairs; there is much to learn about German society and politics at the time. It is especially important to learn from our past in order to protect ourselves in the future.

A major Nazi argument, and party platform was in terms of “lebensraum” (living space, or elbow room in America). That is, after world war I, many Germans felt a crunch after land and colonies were taken from them as required by after war agreements. Especially jealous of some of the larger nations of the globe, the Nazi party argued that “real” Germans were entitled to more room of their own, and those not of the German “bloodline” could easily find places to inhabit in other countries. Hitler remarked after unsuccessfully negotiating with the league of nations about exporting Jews to countries that had plenty of room for greater populations,”1. “We,” that is the democracies, “are not in a position to take in the Jews.” Yet in these empires there are not 10 people to the square kilometer. While Germany, with her 135 inhabitants to the square kilometer, is supposed to have room for them! 2. They assure us: We cannot take them unless Germany is prepared to allow them a certain amount of capital to bring with them as immigrants” (Hitler’s speech of January 30, 1939 before the Reichstag ). With hindsight, it is painfully interesting that a large amount of the Jewish population could have been absorbed by other democracies had they not been worried about the lack of capital that Nazi Germany would confiscated from them.

With respect to war plans, the Nazi government, just like governments in contemporary times, had to at least try to convince the public of their military plans or desires. The rhetoric for these plans ramped up in early 1938, for obvious reasons, as Hitler and his party explain their reasons for being aggressive towards their neighbors. Austria was one of the first targets, wherein Hitler argues, “”I have therefore decided to offer the millions of Germans in Austria the assistance of the Reich. Since this morning soldiers of the German armed forces have been crossing all of the German-Austrian borders. Armored units, infantry divisions and SS units on the ground and the German Luftwaffe in the skies, summoned by the new National Socialist Government in Vienna, will ensure that the Austrian People are within the very near future finally given the opportunity to determine for themselves their future, and thus their fate, through a genuine plebiscite” in a reference to his wish for the Austrian people to become self determining (March 12, 1938, broadcast read by Goebbels).

The public and press asked questions regarding this action and Hitler was kind enough to respond, in a reassuring manner. He blamed the league of nations, “A foreign paper asks: Why could you not have done this peaceably? The world would have been ready to grant you all you wanted? We know better: the conscience of the world, the justice of the world shone forth upon us for the first time from the peace treaties. When has more shameless violence been done to peoples than in the period when men began to talk about world conscience and world justice? When have economic territorial unities been torn apart with less regard to conscience than since the day when a League of Nations was established with the professed aim of serving the interests of peoples? How often have I made representations, have warned and counseled – but all to no effect? … Up to the present our complaints fell on ears that were stone deaf” (25 March 1938 in KÃ?¶nigsberg). The complaint was not unique, especially in terms of current political controversy: “I said to the Austrian Chancellor: Herr Schuschnigg, you are oppressing a country. You have no right to do so. … How comes it that you are continually doing violence to it? … Not as tyrants have we come, but as liberators: an entire people rejoiced” (25 March 1938 in KÃ?¶nigsberg).

Later that year, Czechoslovakia was next on Hitler’s list of occupation. As before, he also had a reason for the invasion of that country. This time it was for defensive purposes, in which he claimed, “After 21 May it was quite clear that this problem had to be solved one way or another [so order so]! Each further postponement could only make it more difficult and make its solution more bloody. Now we know also that it was, I would say, the last moment at which this problem could be solved in the way it was solved. One thing is certain, gentlemen: a delay of only one or two years would have put us into an extraordinarily difficult situation from the military point of view. Our enemies in the rest of the world would have remained. The aircraft carrier in the heart of Germany, i.e. Czechoslovakia, would have strengthened and fortified itself more and more, and gradually all the additional weapons produced by our rearmament programme would have been swallowed up by the task of having to solve this problem first before tackling any other” (Hitler’s Secret Speech to the German Press, 10 November 1938). More or less, Germany claimed that it was defending itself from a possibly military buildup by its neighbor – a pre-emptive action.

Finally, it is interesting to note Hitler’s view that citizens should support their country and be positive in any action it takes. To do this, Hitler wishes the media to express the qualities of the nation, and disregard its weaknesses. He summarizes his opinion here: “They must be educated to the absolute, steadfast, optimistic belief that in the end we will achieve all that is necessary. We can only succeed in this by a continuous appeal to the strength of the nation, by stressing the qualities of the nation and by disregarding the so-called negative sides as much as possible. To achieve this, it is also necessary for the press in particular to hold blindly to the principle: The leadership is always right!” (Hitler’s Secret Speech to the German Press, 10 November 1938).

While Hitler’s old speeches and statements are rarely read, they are very insightful to the origins of both the community and politics in Germany at the time. The texts are tucked away into obscurity, waiting for inquisitive eyes to behold them Within them lie the secrets that caused the world as it is, and will shape the world into what it will be.