Chapter I: Part IV
Chapter I: The Hammerblow
Part IV
January 5, 1936
In a high-ceilinged conference hall in the Reichschancellery, Cristoph Scholl sat at the far side of the great oaken table that dominated the room. Around it sat a special conclave of the Wehrmacht’s leaders: Field Marshal von Blomberg, Minister of War, General von Fritsch, Commander-in-Chief of OKH, General Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, General von Rundstedt, senior field commander of the Army, and Generalleutnants von Reichenau and von Leeb, commanders of XII and IX Armeekorps respectively.
Each man had at his place a closed intelligence dossier, note-pad and pitcher of mineral water. Though neighbors engaged in muted conversation, all eyes flicked periodically to the empty chair at the back of the table. It was several minutes past eleven; the meeting was to have started already.
Scholl had been called into the room scarcely a quarter of an hour prior to take the minutes of what he was told was to be a routine staff meeting. The presence of four Leibstandarte-SS officers flanking the room’s great double doors quickly told him otherwise.
He was nominally Party Liaison to the War Ministry, but in practice spent most of his time assisting Friedrich Hossbach, Military Adjutant to the Führer. Hossbach had been ill for several days, and it therefore fell to Scholl to record the proceedings.
He had entered to find the generals already seated around the table. On the center of the table lay a large map of Europe. Scholl had attempted to not to eavesdrop on the hushed chatter that played about the table, but it was plain that each of these men was trying to learn something of the fall of General Beck.
Scholl smiled. As he carefully arranged his pens, he found that von Leeb was convinced that Beck had been shot. Rummaging idly through his briefcase, Scholl leaned far over in his chair to hear von Fritsch counter with rumors that he was under house arrest. With that, the briefcase spilled its contents at the OKH chief’s feet -- assisted in no small part by a kick from Scholl, who took advantage of the situation to strain to catch von Reichenau’s reply.
With a report like a gunshot, the SS officer guarding the small door at the back of the room locked his boot heels, instantly silencing the generals. The door swung open inwards, followed by Adolf Hitler.
As one, the generals snapped to their feet. “Heil!”
“Heil.” Hitler took his seat. “This is Scholl? Hossbach’s assistant?” None of the generals seemed to recognize Scholl.
“Yes, Mein Führer. Oberstleutnant Hossbach has been ill. I have been sent in his place.” A moment of suspicion flickered across the Führer’s face, but he soon nodded his approval.
“Very good, then.” The Führer gestured to Scholl to begin taking the minutes. “Good morning, gentlemen. I should congratulate you all on a daring opening gambit into the Rhineland. As you can see, my intuition has again proven correct: France and Britain are unwilling to risk war.”
von Rundstedt spoke when it was clear that the Führer had finished. “France and Great Britain have lodged formal diplomatic protests. Lebrun’s government is threatening war, and there is a vocal minority in Britain that supports intervention.”
The Führer did not appear worried. “Has France mobilized, General?”
“Not as yet, but they -- ”
“Then how shall they make war against us? They are content to sit behind their Maginot Line and enjoy their ill-won peace.”
The advances into the Rhineland completed by January 5th.
Next it was von Fritsch that spoke. “We have proven our point to the world. To stay in the Rhineland further risks provoking France to a mobilization.”
There was a chorus of assent from all the generals except Göring, who eyed the others coolly over his crossed arms. Looking at Göring and back to the Führer, von Leeb pressed the point. “We are opposed by more than eight full-strength divisions along the French border. IX Armeekorps cannot defend Saarbrücken against even a less than all-out attack.”
“You will hold where you are,” replied the Führer.
von Fritsch balked. “I beg you, Mein Führer! You must reconsider and pull XII and IX Armeekorps back across the Rhine.”
Now Field Marshal von Blomberg joined the exchange. “I have supported you, Mein Führer, with my whole heart up to this point. I have supported National Socialism with my whole heart up to this point. I tell you honestly -- both will fall if France attacks.”
Hitler shook his head sagely. “France will not attack. France is unwilling to attack.”
The finality in his tone settled the generals, but their Führer was not finished. He rose from his chair, slipped out of his overcoat, and stood in silence for several seconds staring at the map.
“Risk,” he began, “must be undertaken by any nation in the quest for its survival. Each nation, each leader, each race must face its own test of will. Are they willing to risk everything? Those who are unwilling are cast aside by history. No! Hannibal at Cannae, Frederick the Great at Leuthen, and Hindenburg and Ludendorff at Tannenberg each took chances. So now we also must take risks which can only be mastered by iron determination.”
He wheeled in place, preparing to launch his masterstroke. “It is just this determination which will be needed in the reoccupation of the Rhineland, the refortification of our western border and the thrusts into Belgium.”
von Rundstedt adjusted his eyeglasses as though not seeing clearly. “Begging pardon… What’s all this about ‘Thrusts into Belgium’?”
“A thrust,” Hitler replied didactically, “a narrow, forceful military advance.”
“Into Belgium?” The other generals were speechless.
“Yes, General, into Belgium.” Hitler had clearly been rehearsing for these moments in the fervid days and nights since the attack.
“A war is what you are calling for, then.” von Rundstedt’s voice was tired now, resigned.
“Open your folders, gentleman,” Hitler said. “Within each, you will find the preliminary plans drawn up by Admiral Canaris. Operation Hammerschlag is the clear response to the incident five nights ago. World opinion will view this action as justified and necessary. Again I say to you gentlemen: France and Britain will not go to war.”