Posted on 07/25/2008 5:22:45 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
He declared, however, that anti-fascist groups in both countries were increasing the tension, thus making it imperative to take into account possible developments and factors that might yet precipitate a crisis in unexpected quarters.
General von Metzch assumed the French to be skeptical about giving the Czechs tangible military aid. France, he said, could at best give only indirect assistance.
With Yugoslavia tacitly pledged to the Reich, he declared, the Little Entente no longer figures as a united military factor, especially as Rumania presumably would deny the Soviet military transit through her territory. The Soviet, the German expert believes, not only is too distant from the scene of the possible conflict but also is not prepared as far as mobilization and transportation facilities go.
The internal situation in Russia, he said, also leaves the Red Army an uncertain factor in Western European development. The writer pointed out, however, that the Polish port of Gdynia might come within the purview of Anglo-French military plans as a potential war base.
Turning to the larger implications of a conflict, General von Metzch insisted these must not be lost sight of in the agitation over the Czech-Sudeten issue. The struggle, he declared, converges on the future of Czechoslovakia’s key position on the Paris-Prague-Moscow route.
“Through the Austrian Anschluss this key position definitely has become undermined and that through natural and peaceable developments,” he declared. “Czechoslovakia – an unnatural creation among States – has thrived because of its geographic position and the Franco-Soviet pact. This explains why her key position as a Franco-Soviet military sentry post now is being stubbornly defended. Nevertheless, we consider that position a forlorn hope, viewed from a military angle.”
Austria’s return to the Greater German family also served to further emphasize the weakness of Czechoslovakia, in the opinion of General von Metzch. She has failed, he asserted, to fulfill her destiny as bridging the Danube, Elbe and Oder areas and thereby buttressing anti-German aspirations elsewhere.
The most normal procedure for Czechoslovakia, the writer declared, would be to identify herself with the natural European territorial configuration now in process of development. There are no indications, however, to suggest that Prague has correctly read the signs of the times, he said. It is to be hoped nevertheless, he concluded, that respect and recognition of Germany’s defense strength will not permit the Czechs to start a war at a third spot.
Both the Far Eastern and Spanish conflicts, he warned, demonstrated the large measure of punishment and destruction nations can endure today. He admitted that the superiority of Japan’s arms failed to force a quick decision in China. In Spain, he declared, victory has been frustrated through French and Soviet supplies of arms and munitions despite impressive Rebel military successes.
The television audience saw felt hats, revolvers, gas masks, skyscrapers and dugouts, but heard the original words as Shakespeare wrote them.
A lecturing tone toward Prague was adopted by The Daily Telegraph, one of the leading government newspapers, with the remark:
“If, as there is reason to believe, Germany is genuinely favorable to an agreed solution of the Czech problem, the hope of finding one should become much less precarious.”
The Telegraph also insisted on the “extreme undesirability” of a submission of the nationalities statute to the Czech Parliament without a thorough discussion “with those whom it is intended to placate.”
The Liberal News Chronicle, although advising “caution,” reported with relief that there seemed to be a “better frame of mind in Berlin.”
“If Germany is prepared not only to be reasonable about Czechoslovakia but to limit her air armaments and enter into a peace pact, there will be a generous response and Britain will be willing to re-open the colonial question,” it declared.
The Labor party organ, The Daily Herald, conspicuously failed to champion Czech policies and its Sunday subsidiary, The People, headlined its front page: “Hitler’s new bid for European peace.”
On the other hand The Times, although it did not comment on the Czechoslovakia question, took occasion to chide the Nazis for paying special honors to the murderers of former Austrian Chancellor Englelbert Dollfuss and to urge mercy for former Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg.
Firemen James Brennan and William Lutgen of Engine 8 brought the animal’s body here in a metal box lined with velvet and covered with a sheaf of flowers purchased by the company. The box was placed on the hose reel of a fire truck borrowed from the Wantagh Hook, Ladder and Engine Company and taken to the animal cemetery in the Bide-a-Wee Pet Memorial Park.
The New York City firemen and six local firemen rode on the truck, the latter as a guard of honor. After the box had been lowered in the grave Mrs. Grace C. Carrera, resident manager of the animal haven, distributed copies of a poem she had written as a memorial to Rex II. It began: “The eighth alarm has rung, old boy”—
The dog had been the mascot of Engine 8 for nearly two years and had learned to distinguish the alarms that called the company into action, leaping on the truck on those and no others. He suffered a fatal spinal injury under the wheels of the truck at a fire at Sixty-third Street and Second Avenue.
Four articles today.
Lieut. Gen. Horst von Metzch, well-known writer on military topics…
Never heard of him.
#2 ‘Julius Caesar’ Televised With a Modern Setting
I thought television was still in the laboratory in 1938. Guess not.
#3 BRITISH PRESS SEEMS FRIENDLIER TO REICH
The Labor party organ, The Daily Herald, conspicuously failed to champion Czech policies and its Sunday subsidiary, The People, headlined its front page: “Hitler’s new bid for European peace.”
The fix is in.
Finally, a dog story.
FIRE DOG ON LAST RIDE HAS GUARD OF HONOR
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — Santayana
* Speeches in stadiums filled with mesmerized, adoring audiences - Check
* An uninspiring background before meteoric rise - Check
* Creates his own new symbols of power - Check
* Associates with racists, hatemongers and violent radicals - Check
* A propaganda machine willing to show him only in the best possible light - Check
* Uses, “glorious leader” style Agitprop posters common in totalitarian nations - Check (see German campaign poster for example)
* Wants Secret Police force - Check
* Somebody powerful people think they can control - Check
* Often dismissed as a light-weight by his opponents - Check
* Seeks to replace God with the State - Check
* People adopting his name as their own - Check
* Inspires adoration art - Check
* Appropriates symbols of past German glory - Check
* Never plans on giving up power - Check (Obama to be president for the next “eight to 10 years”)
* A narcissistic megalomaniac - Check
* Brazenly Takes credit for other people’s accomplishments - Check
* Wants to build “youth” movement through State service - Check
* Acts as if in power before he is - Check
* Some followers believe him to be divine - Check
* Worshiped and aided greatly by the media - Check
that line from the labour party paper struck me as well...
Not sure what the connection is with this article, but obviously an attempt to portray Obama as the new Hitler. I think that is a stretch. There may be a superficial correlation as shown by your check list, but substantively it doesn't work. Whatever else you can say about him, Hitler was a serious man of action. Obama so far has shown himself to be a superannuated adolescent playing at being a world leader. He just wants people to like him. An Obama administration might be catastrophic for the U.S.A., but not because he tried to take over the world.
Hey, Homer. I’ve been real swamped and havent been able to post a lot at all.
It looks like things are heating up again over the Czech issue. Not too surprising since things are going to reach a critical mass here in a couple of months over the Sudentenland.
Since I’m having a nice and slow Friday I figured I’d update the situation on the other side of the globe.
As I mentioned last month, the Battle of Wuhan began on June 11th and is still in full swing.
On the north bank of the Yangtze River the 6th Japanese Division of the 11th Army have begun an attack on Taihu begining yesterday, the 24th.
On the south bank the Namita detachment of the 11th Army landed just east of Jiujiang on the 23rd. Jiujiang is being defended by a regiment from the Chinese 9th Military Region. They are putting up stiff resistence, but with the landing of the 106th Japanese Division, it is expected that Jiujiang will fall to the Japanese very soon.
We should just let the inspections work! I am sure there are no WMD’s.
Do you know what the Japanese objective is at this point? What began as a punitive campaign in July 1937 just keeps dragging on with the Chinese resisting only sporadically. The nationalists and communists are more interested in their rivalry with one another than the Japanese, figuring the Japanese will sooner or later get their fill of China and leave. I guess the implications of this for the future allies are #1 - The Japanese are getting themselves into a situation that will tie up an enormous army force that will not be availiable for battles in other parts of the Pacific theatre, and #2 - they are making mistakes and learning from them and generally gaining battle experience. The allies will have the same learning experience - in 1942.
The primary objective at this point are vital railways for transporting supplies. It also serves and a good central location for ops in all of southern China. With the coastal regions already under Japanese control and this location, the Japanese can concentrate on attacking the rest of southern China in a pincher move.
The final objective of the Japanese is the total domination of China and it’s resources.
Since Lord Runciman’s name will be prominent in the news for a while I insert here a relevant excerpt from The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, by William L. Shirer.
By August 3, Ribbentrop was informing the major German diplomatic missions abroad that there was little fear of intervention over Czechoslovakia by Britain, France or Russia.
It was on that day, August 3, that Chamberlain had packed off Lord Runciman to Czechoslovakia on a curious mission to act as a “mediator” in the Sudeten crisis. I happened to be in Prague the day of his arrival and after attending his press conference and talking with members of his party remarked in my diary that “Runciman’s whole mission smells.” Its very announcement in the House of Commons on July 26 had been accompanied by a piece of prevaricating by Chamberlain himself which must have been unique in the experience of the British Parliament. The Prime Minister had said that he was sending Runciman “in response to a request from the government of Czechoslovakia.” The truth was that Runciman had been forced down the throat of the Czech government by Chamberlain. But there was an underlying and bigger falsehood. Everyone, including Chamberlain, knew that Runciman’s mission to “mediate” between the Czech government and the Sudeten leaders was impossible and absurd. They knew that Henlein, the Sudeten leader, was not a free agent and could not negotiate, and that the dispute now was between Prague and Berlin. My diary notes for the first evening and subsequent days make it clear that the Czechs knew perfectly well that Runciman had been sent by Chamberlain to pave the way for the handing over of the Sudetenland to Hitler. It was a shabby diplomatic trick.
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