◆ SpookStack

A wrmg Moiand, he added that. 1 +2 nonaggression pact with War- saw -would “bring about lasting and continuous pacification.” In November he again stressed this idea, and in January, 1939, he _ Praised the Pact of Warsaw In an address before the Reichstag. In - that month Foreign Minister * Joseph Beck of Poland visited the * Fuehrer at Berchtesguden. It was ” reported that they had reached an agreement on various questions then under discussion between the two countries. Foreign Minister Joachiny von Rihbentrop returned Beck's visit by going to Warsaw. _But the end of the idy!! was ap- proaching.: * ‘. In March Hitler seized Bohemia and Moravia after reducing S!o- Metirad to the role of . vassal of rlin, an ¢ campe ainst _ Poland began, | go ne -_3,/ Abuse of Germans Alleged - ‘The “heat” was first turned on , the Danzig issue. In accordance . with the practice the Nazis had used so effectively in Austria and -fn the Sudeten region, they Jaunched’ a campaign of propa- ‘ganda charging mistreatment of - Germans by Poles in territory held ‘by Germany before 1918. At the same time a drive was inaugurated .for the annexation of Danzig, the . municipal administration of which OR FOOD I NT n Aug. 18 German trvops oc- a Slovakia, a move Intecpret- ed the Plcirclement of Poland. On Aug. 19 mobilization of the - C= art of the military plan for BA: $ L- eae EN il eT woeltinaie were a ete = ° & fa a K wn Slovak Army waa announced to be # / incorporated in the German forces. h On Aug. 20 came the announce- ment of the conclusion of a com- "kh" mercial pact between Germany and Bt < Soviet Russis. On Aug. 21 Berlin sprang its great coup with the announcement that Germany and Soviet Russia fri: had concluded a nonaggression treaty. Poland Left Alone In East On Aug. 23 Foreign Minister von E>: Ribbentrop arrived in Moscow to B sign the treaty. It was signed within twelve hours. left alone to fight her battle in the east. By the treaty Soviet Rus- Bf: 3 sia obilgnted herself not to come fs’, to the assistance of Poland in the &: event of war with Germany. Hit- ler intensified his pressure on War- F saw. On Aug. 24 Hitler conferred in Berlin with Sir Nevile Henderson Byte? and “left no dodbt in the mind af § the British Ambassador that thi obligations assumed by the British Government (to come to the de- fense of Poland) could not induce Germany to renounce the defense of her vita! interests.” Hitler let it “had in the meantime come under be known that his army was ready -Nazt rule, with Poland, however,|for action. It was also reported, -still retaining the rights she helditwo days later, that Hitler had there under the Danzig statute.._Itjtold Henderson that Britain must became clear that Hitler was about |abandon her alliance with Poland. _to embark upon a new adventure,| On Aug. 25 Hitler.took another “In violation of the atatement he'step toward the annexation of - had made as late as Sept. 12, 1038,!Danzig by proclaiming Foerster when he declared, referring to his/his Staathalter. War seemed im- treaty with Tilsudskt: “When in Poland a great states- minent. On Aug. 27 Hitler addressed a man and patriot was ready to con-|"man-to-man” letter to Premier jerrde a pact with us we immedi- _ ately acceptec the treaty recogniz- Edouard Daladier of France which he assured the Premier of in tng our respective frontiers as in-lhis love for peace but insisted violable. This treaty has done‘upon his “minimum demands,” “more for peace than al! the chat-!Danzig and the Corridor. The same tering in Geneva put together.” Frontiers Became ‘Unboarable’ In 16939 the frontiers, which Hit- Jer had declared “inviolable” less than @ year before, became “un- bearable.” ‘From March, 1939, the relations between Germany and Poland be- gan to deteriorate rapidly. The aituation in Danzig grew tense. The controlled German press set up.a hue and cry about Polish “oppression.” On April 28, 1939, Hitler addressed a memorandum to Warsaw announcing the abrupt - pbrogation of the 1934 nonaggres- alon-treatv. There was no pro- a@viefon in the pact for such unilat- eral action. ‘Soon Nazi armed bands began to seep. into Danzig as preparations were begun by both asides for armed action. For five months Polund lived in a state of semi- mobilization, and by the time the erisis reached an acute stage in August milions of men had been mobilized om both sides. The Ger- day Berlin announced the cancella- tion of the Nuremberg Nazi party “peace congress,” set for early in September, and rushed completion of German mobilization, On Aug. 28 Great Britain in- formed Hitler through Sir Nevile Henderson that she was deter- mined to atand by her obligations to defend Poland, but at the same time urged direct negotiations be- tween Warsaw and Berlin. France likewise reiterated her determina- tion to defend Poland. On Aug. 29 Hitler replied to London, insisting upon the satis- faction of Germany's “minimum demands” before any negotiations could take place. Great Britain Stands Pat On Aug. 30 Great Britain re- iterated her position and again appealed for negotiations. Hitler's answer was an crder setting up a council for the “defense of the realm.” “. 31 Danzig. announced On Aug. 2 eich. Rib- its rejoining of the man press intensified ita campaign} bentrop summoned Henderson and against Polish “atrocities,” de-jread to him a sixteen-point pro- manding the unconditional sur-igram for settlement of the Polish render of Danzig and of the Polish | dispute. Corridor, where the inhabitants{disclosed that the program had One ycar later had for centuries been 90 per cent, never been aubmitied to the Pelivh Polish: Tne subsequent eventa that led to the advance of the Government. On Bept. 1 German troopa moved German into Poland. The same day ‘Varsaw|gpi Poland was ip e first real success oneneteatlenat Badlalist Party members of his party, elected to the, R alenita gto outline their ™ jtered into voluntarily by Gi BROKEN PROMISES. ji=sees.° FILL HITLER RECORD To reassure Europe as purpose in marching int Pledges Repeatedly Flouted o frontic-s from the atme as Fuehrer Pursued His of public discussion in Ger. He gave this assurance Career of Conquest Rhineland, Hitler declared; “I have removed the ques specch in the Reichstag:. I three years I believe I can jregard the struggle for ¢ Hitler's record of broken prom-|equality as over. We hi iscs atands out as one of the con-, territorial demands to mi murope.” spicuous features of his career. Speaking again in the Rel When he first came into power|this time on the Austrian ql the question of most immediatejon May 21, 1935, Hitler sa concern te Europe was that of the] “Germany has neither th ; nor the intention to mix in { Saar Basin, the part of Germany Austrian affairs or to an held by France and administered) nite with Austria.” by the League of Nations in ac-| On Jan. 30, 1{37, he but cordance with the Versailles Treaty; this promise by saying: “Wi for fifteen years. After that period jdectaration I wish to announ the people of the Saar were to vote ;the era of so-called surpri: on whether they desired to return pe vithin a little more than to Germeny, become part of France jsrter these declarations or remain under the League. marched into Austria and Speaking in the Feichstag on,porated the country in the ¢ Jan. 30, 1934, on the Saar issue,'Reich, = which was becoming acuie because | A week after German tro . “| driven into Austria Hitler de of the approaching plebiscite, Hit-|--The eternal dream of the ¢ ler said: | people has been fulfilled. Ge “After the solution of this ques- lwants only peace, She d& tion, the German Government is vant to add to the sorrows ¢ willing and determined to accert!nations.” in its innermost soul, as well as! external formulation, the Pact of Conquest After Conque The conquest of Austr Locarno. barely two months old wher March Into Rhineland lraised the question of | On March 1, 1925, after the) slovakia by mobilizing and plebiscite, in which Germany re-jening to invade her. On t ceived more than 90 per cent of|casion the Czechs counter the votes, sovereignty over the re-'their own mobilization, ant on was returned to Germany.|appeared to hold back hi German troops | Hut In September, 1938, h \marclied into the Rhin-land zone | the question of the annex: created Sy the Treaty cf Versailtes:the Sudeten country to G and guaranteed against remilitari-lafter inst’gating, as he had zation by the Locarmo pact en- tria, a state of civil war 44