Post by Diarist on Nov 30, 2016 8:14:27 GMT 1
At the MCD I introduced Generals Winkelmann and van Overstraeten to COL Wilkins who in turn showed them their office and introduced them to other senior personnel. Admiral Keyes dropped in to inform me that we have a meeting with Winston in ten minutes here at MCD. General Gort will also be here.
"You don't waste time do you? I haven't even got my coffee ready yet." The boss is coming to me! But on the other hand we don't discuss SOE outside of SOE. Ten minutes later they arrived.
"Admiral Keyes has informed me that you have important information for us, Bob." Winston isn't wasting any time either.
"Indeed I do. I wanted to talk with the Admiral first but unfortunately I didn't reach him until yesterday. It all started in Belgrade. I told their Army Chief of Staff that I imagine you people sleep better now that Mussolini is gone. He asked me why and I responded that Mussolini had long said that he had ambitions for Dalmatia and Slovenia, probably Albania too. He replied that if Austria becomes part of Germany then they'll share a long border with them and the territory they have received from Italy (Trieste) used to belong to Austria-Hungary until 1919. I thought to myself that Hitler won't need Italy for a Mediterranean strategy."
"With Austria and probably Hungary under his belt too Yugoslavia and Rumania become prime targets for Hitler's Germany," Winston finished for me.
"Exactly what I thought, Winston. Remember that this is before I visited Germany."
"Please continue."
"The following day I was in Prague and I asked them bluntly what could they do to help if Britain and France were to resist a German remilitarization of the Rhineland. They responded, in confidence, that if Hitler enters the Rhineland the 3 million Sudeten Germans will be given one hour to pack their bags and then marched to the German border because they don't want to be next on Hitler's list. Even if we do nothing. Winston, I don't wish this information to be used as a reason for us not to do anything. In fact it should compel us to do something."
"I agree with you, Bob and you don't wish Stanley Baldwin to be informed."
"No. I was told this in confidence. He doesn't need to know. Let him be genuinely surprised. And if all this doesn't get Hitler removed from power then Germany goes down with him."
"Now I understand why you are so confident of a German debacle. But what comes after Hitler?"
"I see three possibilities. The Wehrmacht takes over with the promise of free elections. The SA is now part of the Wehrmacht so the streets should be safer for parties to campaign. A second option is that the Wehrmacht takes over but no promise of elections but civilians are invited to share power, (my preference,) and finally the SS take over and there is a civil war. Do we then get involved?"
"Would they want us to?"
"Good question, John." Both Winston and I answered.
"There's more. In Warsaw President Moscicki said that not only would they provide air cover for a British Baltic fleet but they would also attack German airfields in the east. He also asked if we, Britain, would support Poland if they were attacked by the Soviet Union. I replied that I can't commit Britain to anything but I'm certain that both Britain and France would support you. Five minutes later I got the Polish guy. TANSTAAFL."
"Tanstaful???"
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." That got us smiling. "But it is unlikely that we'll have a hot conflict. Remember that all this is before I went to Germany and you know what information I got in Erfurt."
"It doesn't look very promising for Hitler, does it?"
"No, it doesn't and the irony of it is that Hitler will be kicking down his own door!"
"Anything else you haven't told me, Bob?"
"I think that is all. I also suggested not to export anything to Germany that could be used for their war machine. Ask a western ally first. On another note two new things. I've brought the Belgium and Dutch generals here this morning. You could say hello to them. Apparently they have access to a TRADOC Hillman in future."
"That's correct."
"There won't be any serious planning until after the holiday season."
"The second item?"
"LTC Rodriguez from the Spanish Embassy will be visiting TRADOC tomorrow afternoon after our SOE lunch. Apparently his father is a General who knows the Spanish Chief of the General Staff General Franco well. I've given him a letter to pass on to Franco inviting trusted officers to TRADOC."
"He will pass the letter to his father?"
"That's what he said then he asked if he could visit TRADOC. I could hardly say no. This was yesterday evening and I was going to tell you both but then I was informed that you're both coming here."
"I've heard enough, gentlemen. Where do I find our new colleagues?" Winston inquired.
"I'll show you."
"You don't waste time do you? I haven't even got my coffee ready yet." The boss is coming to me! But on the other hand we don't discuss SOE outside of SOE. Ten minutes later they arrived.
"Admiral Keyes has informed me that you have important information for us, Bob." Winston isn't wasting any time either.
"Indeed I do. I wanted to talk with the Admiral first but unfortunately I didn't reach him until yesterday. It all started in Belgrade. I told their Army Chief of Staff that I imagine you people sleep better now that Mussolini is gone. He asked me why and I responded that Mussolini had long said that he had ambitions for Dalmatia and Slovenia, probably Albania too. He replied that if Austria becomes part of Germany then they'll share a long border with them and the territory they have received from Italy (Trieste) used to belong to Austria-Hungary until 1919. I thought to myself that Hitler won't need Italy for a Mediterranean strategy."
"With Austria and probably Hungary under his belt too Yugoslavia and Rumania become prime targets for Hitler's Germany," Winston finished for me.
"Exactly what I thought, Winston. Remember that this is before I visited Germany."
"Please continue."
"The following day I was in Prague and I asked them bluntly what could they do to help if Britain and France were to resist a German remilitarization of the Rhineland. They responded, in confidence, that if Hitler enters the Rhineland the 3 million Sudeten Germans will be given one hour to pack their bags and then marched to the German border because they don't want to be next on Hitler's list. Even if we do nothing. Winston, I don't wish this information to be used as a reason for us not to do anything. In fact it should compel us to do something."
"I agree with you, Bob and you don't wish Stanley Baldwin to be informed."
"No. I was told this in confidence. He doesn't need to know. Let him be genuinely surprised. And if all this doesn't get Hitler removed from power then Germany goes down with him."
"Now I understand why you are so confident of a German debacle. But what comes after Hitler?"
"I see three possibilities. The Wehrmacht takes over with the promise of free elections. The SA is now part of the Wehrmacht so the streets should be safer for parties to campaign. A second option is that the Wehrmacht takes over but no promise of elections but civilians are invited to share power, (my preference,) and finally the SS take over and there is a civil war. Do we then get involved?"
"Would they want us to?"
"Good question, John." Both Winston and I answered.
"There's more. In Warsaw President Moscicki said that not only would they provide air cover for a British Baltic fleet but they would also attack German airfields in the east. He also asked if we, Britain, would support Poland if they were attacked by the Soviet Union. I replied that I can't commit Britain to anything but I'm certain that both Britain and France would support you. Five minutes later I got the Polish guy. TANSTAAFL."
"Tanstaful???"
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." That got us smiling. "But it is unlikely that we'll have a hot conflict. Remember that all this is before I went to Germany and you know what information I got in Erfurt."
"It doesn't look very promising for Hitler, does it?"
"No, it doesn't and the irony of it is that Hitler will be kicking down his own door!"
"Anything else you haven't told me, Bob?"
"I think that is all. I also suggested not to export anything to Germany that could be used for their war machine. Ask a western ally first. On another note two new things. I've brought the Belgium and Dutch generals here this morning. You could say hello to them. Apparently they have access to a TRADOC Hillman in future."
"That's correct."
"There won't be any serious planning until after the holiday season."
"The second item?"
"LTC Rodriguez from the Spanish Embassy will be visiting TRADOC tomorrow afternoon after our SOE lunch. Apparently his father is a General who knows the Spanish Chief of the General Staff General Franco well. I've given him a letter to pass on to Franco inviting trusted officers to TRADOC."
"He will pass the letter to his father?"
"That's what he said then he asked if he could visit TRADOC. I could hardly say no. This was yesterday evening and I was going to tell you both but then I was informed that you're both coming here."
"I've heard enough, gentlemen. Where do I find our new colleagues?" Winston inquired.
"I'll show you."