Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Sudetenland Crisis (6)
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< Interwar Period - The Sudetenland Crisis (6) >
Time flew by, and September, the month of the Munich Agreement in the original history, was fast approaching.
The Sudetenland crisis had now become a global issue.
Hitler was clamoring day after day about liberating the Germans in the Sudetenland, while Czechoslovakia was openly stationing troops there, oppressing the local German population.
When rumors began to circulate that France was even considering mobilization, the German military command started to fall into a state of near panic.
And only when the situation reached this point did the discussions among the resistance forces begin to accelerate.
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August 25, 1938
An apartment in Berlin, Northern Germany
“Is… is there no way… to restrain them as much as possible?”
At Ludwig Beck’s desperate remark, the true leader of this gathering, Lieutenant Colonel Hans Oster, shook his head.
“The Abwehr is doing its utmost to stop it, but the Nazi agitation is blatant and involves a massive deployment of personnel. We are at a severe disadvantage, as we must even conceal our operations against them.”
Hitler’s plan was to have the Germans in the Sudetenland rise up, which would force Czechoslovakia to suppress them violently. He would then use the pretext of protecting Germans to declare war.
His plan was to swallow the Sudetenland on the blood of Germans.
However, according to the Locarno Treaties, France was obligated to guarantee Czechoslovakia’s independence. Still feeling insecure, Czechoslovakia had also signed a defense treaty with the Soviet Union, contingent on France’s entry into the war.
With the looming threat of a three-front war, the military, still in the midst of rearmament, was naturally frantic to prevent it and had secretly mobilized the Abwehr (the military intelligence service of the Wehrmacht).
Under the orders of its deputy director, Lieutenant Colonel Hans Oster, the Abwehr had been working tirelessly to pacify the Germans in the Sudetenland, urging them to avoid provoking Czechoslovakia and refrain from armed demonstrations. These efforts had, in fact, borne some fruit.
But when the Sudeten Germans failed to respond as enthusiastically as hoped due to the Abwehr’s interference, the Nazi Party began to openly use the SD (the Nazi intelligence service) to incite them.
While the Abwehr had to keep its activities hidden, the SD’s operations faced no such constraints. Moreover, their leader, Reinhard Heydrich, was not a man who shied away from any means necessary.
Ultimately, the Abwehr’s efforts to prevent unrest in the Sudetenland were reaching their limit.
“I regret to say this, but it is as clear as day that a large-scale riot will soon break out in the Sudetenland. ...The pretext for war that Hitler desires.”
As sighs erupted from all around, Beck brought up the one hope they were clinging to.
“What about the British…?”
But contrary to Beck’s hope, Vice-Chancellor Weizsäcker shook his head.
“They are not very proactive.”
“Those cunning islanders!”
“What gives that madman Hitler the nerve to start a war!”
What a mess.
Everyone was in an uproar, lost in confusion.
“What are we to do now? We cannot guarantee victory even in a war with Czechoslovakia, let alone Britain and France! That damned fortress line will surely bog down our offensive!”
Halder, the Chief of the General Staff, was in the biggest panic.
Come to think of it, wasn't he the one who devised the plan to advance through southern Silesia and split Czechoslovakia?
Czechoslovakia had predicted that exact plan and built a line of fortifications at the expected point of attack. It was obvious what would happen if the offensive began as planned, which explained his desperation.
Amid the chaos, Lieutenant Colonel Oster’s eyes met mine, and I gave him a nod.
We were now at a crossroads: either we act, or we go to war.
At least, that’s how it would appear to them.
“...You must make a decision.”
A sudden silence fell over the room at Lieutenant Colonel Hans Oster’s words.
“If we do not oust Hitler and the Nazis now, we will fight a new great war as Hitler’s Germany.”
Even after Oster repeated himself, no one spoke.
The high-ranking officials merely exchanged anxious glances, holding their tongues.
As the men swallowed nervously in the silence, Oster waited patiently. Finally, Beck spoke.
“What… do you intend to do?”
“My plan is to mobilize former members of the Stahlhelm to raid the Führer’s Chancellery and either arrest or kill Hitler. In the meantime, you will mobilize our divisions to suppress the SS and declare the establishment of a new government.”
The Stahlhelm was a civilian paramilitary organization run by right-wing conservative factions during the Weimar Republic.
Well, that’s the sophisticated way of putting it. They were a gang of political thugs, a gathering of unemployed soldiers and royalist Junkers who had been massively downsized after the defeat in World War I.
After Hitler took power, they were absorbed into the Nazi Stormtroopers (SA), but their incompatible ideologies led to constant friction with the Nazi Party. Eventually, during the Night of the Long Knives, they were lumped in with the SA, their key figures purged, and the organization disbanded.
Although they were hostile to the Nazis, the plan to mobilize members of a thuggish organization that was a root cause of the Weimar Republic’s chaos was somewhat distasteful to me, but this wasn't the time to be picky.
In truth, they weren’t a group to be entirely dismissed as political thugs; quite a few high-ranking German military officers had been members of the Stahlhelm.
“How do you intend to mobilize the Stahlhelm?”
“I still have connections.”
The one who stepped forward was Count von Blumenthal.
He had also been a key figure in the Stahlhelm, and many of his acquaintances had been purged during the Night of the Long Knives.
He himself had only narrowly survived thanks to Göring’s protection, owing to his friendships with Crown Prince Wilhelm’s eldest son and Mussolini’s daughter, Countess Ciano. Having had to watch his comrades be purged, his proactive stance was understandable.
“Will connections be enough? This is a momentous undertaking. To act rashly…”
“These are men who had to stand by and watch their comrades be killed by the Nazis during the Night of the Long Knives. I have known them for a long time; this is not a rash move.”
Halder tried to object but fell silent at Count von Blumenthal’s sharp retort. Even though he’s just a first lieutenant, being a count with direct ties to the imperial family gives him a strong voice, doesn't it?
In reality, that alone wasn't enough.
Many of the long-neglected Stahlhelm survivors, after falling on hard times, had defected and joined the rapidly expanding SS.
He was in the process of carefully identifying and recruiting those among the Stahlhelm who had not yet turned, and the necessary funds were to be provided by me, with my father’s approval.
“Then the problem is the division to be mobilized. Witzleben, is it possible?”
“It is. The unit I command happens to have men who were wronged during the last incident and are willing to join our cause.”
General of the Infantry Erwin von Witzleben had been briefly retired for demanding a full investigation during the Blomberg–Fritsch affair, but he was reappointed as a commander when Hitler made war with Czechoslovakia a certainty.
“If we get the go-ahead, the preparations can certainly be made. All that remains is the decision.”
At Oster’s urging, the leaders of the conspiracy fell into deep thought, swallowing hard.
I couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from enough, but then again, there’s no such thing as a perfect plan for a coup.
I could only hope that what the Abwehr and I had prepared would be effective. The truly critical part was for these indecisive leaders to make a decision.
Failed coups are most often the result of a lack of resolve and division among the conspirators.
Even when united and following a plan, unexpected events can occur. For a coup faction, which is bound to be at a numerical disadvantage, a firm consensus is crucial.
In any case, something could only be attempted if these influential figures within Germany resolved to rise up against the Nazis and stage a coup.
If history was any guide, Reinhard Heydrich and the SD were too busy with their operations in the Sudetenland to have any inkling that the Black Orchestra was plotting such a conspiracy at this point.
That meant there was a chance, if only we could set the plan in motion.
The plan’s flaws could be amended, but if these men didn't make a decision, even the most perfect plan would be nothing more than a paper exercise.
“What of Brauchitsch?”
After some hesitation, Beck asked. Halder replied with a scowl.
“He seems unlikely.”
Sighs rippled through the room. Brauchitsch, General Model’s mentor, was not cooperating, just as I had known he would.
The Wehrmacht officers had likely accepted him as Commander-in-Chief of the Army believing he would be a check on Hitler, so their dismay was understandable.
They couldn't have known that he was indebted to Hitler and being dragged along by him.
Ultimately, without the order from the Army Commander-in-Chief, it was impossible to be certain which side the Wehrmacht generals, aside from those recruited for this meeting, would take.
No, at this rate, a civil war was a foregone conclusion.
The participants here were dreaming of avoiding a civil war and simply eliminating Hitler and the Nazis in one fell swoop, but such a convenient outcome was unlikely.
“Without being able to issue an order from the Army High Command, we can only act after a British declaration of war. If Britain declares war, Brauchitsch will realize there is no other way and will support us.”
A sigh escaped me at Beck’s conclusion, reached after long deliberation. So, this was how it went.
They don’t want a civil war, but they can’t get an order from the High Command, so they’ll launch the coup once Britain declares war and the government and military are in turmoil.
But contrary to their hopes, British Prime Minister Chamberlain would succumb to Hitler’s blackmail and sign the Munich Agreement.
This was the full story of the coup plot that, despite having concrete plans, was never carried out.
“But, Colonel General, sir. Britain will not give us a firm promise of support.”
“Then get one! That’s what the Foreign Ministry is for! We are providing the army and have even drawn up a detailed conspiracy plan!”
Beck’s response to Vice-Chancellor Weizsäcker’s statement was irritable.
...The Foreign Ministry has it rough. Observing the scene, Lieutenant Colonel Oster gave me a look.
Did I have to be the one to step up? If Oster, the main executor, antagonized the stubborn old guard, even what could be done would fail... I sighed.
But there was no turning back.
Just as they were now desperately feeling the threat of war, the outcome of the Munich Agreement was something no one at this moment could possibly imagine.
The praise and support that would pour down on Hitler for such a miraculous achievement would only rise, not fall, throughout the early and middle stages of World War II.
And the point at which that support would turn back into doubt would be after the disastrous defeat at Stalingrad.
By then, nothing could be changed.
“Honorable Colonel General, sir. May I say a word?”
“You again.”
Chief of the General Staff Franz Halder shot me a look of utter weariness, and I merely gave a slight bow.
A captain on the bad side of the Army Chief of the General Staff… I didn’t particularly want this role either...
Ludwig Beck glanced over at my father, Hjalmar Schacht, who was watching this chaotic scene with a stoic glint in his eyes behind his glasses, then nodded.
“Speak.”
Standing before the cold gazes of the high and mighty, I truly felt like running away, but…
It couldn’t be worse than plunging into World War II, could it?
“With all due respect, are we gathered here to conspire to become traitors?”
“What!”
“What is this nonsense!”
“I’ve had enough of you!”
As expected, the distinguished gentlemen erupted in a furious torrent of accusations.
Ah, damn it. I needed a shock tactic because they wouldn't even consider listening properly otherwise.
It was Lieutenant Colonel Oster who quelled the pandemonium. He raised a hand to draw their attention, then fixed me with an intense gaze and asked.
“What do you mean by that, Captain? You had better be prepared if you cannot explain yourself properly.”
He possessed a powerful charisma that could silence even the highest-ranking generals.
My past image of him as just someone who took the fall, exhausted by these hopeless superiors, suddenly felt deeply inadequate…
Oster and I had coordinated our words, but from here on, it was all up to me. I swallowed dryly and began to speak.
“Mr. Vice-Chancellor. Forgive my impertinence, but is Britain our ally? Or have they handed us a diplomatic document recognizing us as the legitimate government and promising their support?”
Even as I spoke, I had no idea how much of what I said would get through. My throat was parched, but I had to do this.
“...No.”
Vice-Chancellor Weizsäcker shook his head, immediately denying it.
“I am well aware that most of you here are veterans of the last Great War, men with far more experience and accomplishments than a mere captain like myself. But why, then, do you seek to rely on Britain?”
If you can't, then remember. Remember the face of Hitler, the face of the enemy.
He was by no means more intelligent than these men, but the conviction he possessed was a magic in itself.
“At this moment, at least, they are nothing to us. In the last Great War, they were an enemy nation, allied with our traditional foe, France. Many of the men who fought against those of you in this room during that war are now in their government.”
As the gazes of these high-ranking generals, men of history, pierced me, my voice, instead of trembling, grew clearer.
“If such men declare war on Germany to stop Hitler, do you think they will stand idly by while we stage a coup and oust the Nazis? Of course not."
Yes, of course not.
"The reason Britain was more lenient than France in revising the Treaty of Versailles was not because they were friendly to Germany. It was because we, defeated in the last war, had become weaker than France, and they did not want France to dominate.”
The only advantage I had over them was conviction.
“Think of their ally, France. Do you believe those arrogant men who trampled our industrial heartland, the Ruhr, with their jackboots will simply watch as Germany’s government is replaced and stabilizes?"
If necessary, I would do it even if it meant stirring their most shameful memories.
"The only reason they failed to respond to the remilitarization of the Rhineland was that they misjudged our military strength. All of you here know full well what would have become of Germany if the French army had invaded then.”
Every general here had tried to stop Hitler in a panic during the Rhineland remilitarization. The current situation was not much different.
“We have now overcome that trial and rearmed, to the point where we now threaten Britain and France. Do you think their politicians, who declared war against the will of their own people, could possibly leave Germany alone—a Germany that has grown strong enough to threaten them despite the harsh Treaty of Versailles?"
Having only one thing to cling to is a trap in itself. It turns you into a blind man, clinging to a rotten rope without seeing it for what it is.
“They will try to erase the threat of Germany forever. More harshly and more definitively than in the last war. If they declare war and begin to march into Germany, we will be left with only two choices.”
A strange sensation, a shiver running down my spine, the illusion of conviction becoming a heat that warmed my body.
“Either we stage our coup, divide Germany, and bear the infamy of traitors who allowed it to be trampled by Britain and France, or we fight for Hitler’s Germany to the very end and perish along with our fatherland.”
“How dare a mere… a mere captain say such things…”
Chief of Staff Halder looked around as if seeking agreement, but everyone remained silent.
It was almost surreal to see these once-vocal dignitaries listening intently to me, unable to speak.
Could it be that they had never once considered such a possibility? No, that couldn’t be.
The people here were Germany’s renowned veteran soldiers and politicians.
They were by no means incompetent fools. They just wanted to ignore the worst-case scenario.
Didn’t even Hitler create the miracle of Dunkirk and lose the war because he couldn't let go of the hope for a peace treaty with Britain until the very end?
The Second World War was the worst hell on earth, created by the overlapping hopes that the worst could be avoided.
The hope that Hitler and the Nazis would be better than the communists.
The hope that giving up just the Sudetenland would avert another great war.
The hope that, having joined hands with the Soviet Union, Britain and France would not intervene.
The hope that, since it had worked so far, Danzig would be fine.
The word "hope," which should be the greatest of comforts, how cruel it is in this era.
My role is to shatter their hope.
“You cannot turn away from this any longer. If war breaks out, Germany is finished, one way or another.”
< Interwar Period - The Sudetenland Crisis (6) > End