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Post by Diarist on Feb 19, 2017 5:58:49 GMT 1
Thursday evening was fun and I'm glad that Sally really enjoyed it. It didn't please her though when I said that I'll be busy all day Friday. I told her that she's in Paris so go shopping, eat at a nice restaurant and she should take Malcolm with her.
Yesterday at the 1st Motorized Division was interesting. Charles was in his element showing us all the meticulous planning. I had to remind him that there are no enemy troops on the other side of the border. All they need to do is plan the routes, get in their vehicles and drive eastwards. The rest of the division can arrive after daybreak. The main thing is that the Germans KNOW you are in Saarland. That should freeze THEIR advance. In the evening PM Daladier announced that General Gamelin would accompany us to Belgium. Edward had called his 'cousin' King Leopold to confirm our arrival. Queen Wilhelmina and entourage will also be arriving Saturday.
The weather was marginally good but we were able to fly to Brussels. We arrived at Château de Laeken just after lunchtime and were assigned rooms. We are now gathering in a medium-sized lounge. When King Leopold entered Edward introduced him and DM Albert Devèze to all present. A short while later a group of us retired to a small room where BG van Overstraeten could show the King our plans. The Belgian 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions are located in and around Liege. These two divisions are earmarked to move into Germany. I added that the RAF would like to move a fighter and a bomber wing to the Liege area to provide air support for the forces although we aren't expecting any hostilities. King Leopold only had a few questions and agreed that some battalions from each of these two divisions be placed on alert status starting Monday. I made no mention of the post-Rhineland plan because I wanted to wait until Queen Wilhelmina has been brought up to date.
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Post by Diarist on Feb 19, 2017 9:42:41 GMT 1
The Dutch delegation headed by Queen Wilhelmina arrived at Château de Laeken just after 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Accompanying her are Hendrikus Colijn, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister, and LG Izaak Reijnders the Head of the Dutch High Command. The Queen conferred alone with King Leopold for a while then Edward joined them. Shortly afterwards Edward called LG Winkelmann and myself into the room. She greeted the General warmly then turned to me.
"Edward has informed me that you are heading a British delegation with plans on how to deal with this wretched Hitler."
"That is correct, Your Majesty. More accurate is that we have plans to deal with Hitler if he does something stupid and he does have a habit of doing stupid things especially when attempting to expand Germany's borders."
"Now I am curious so please tell us, Sir Robert."
"I must first stress that these plans are Top Secret and should not be mentioned outside these chambers."
"I understand completely. We all have our secrets, don't we?"
I explained about Hitler's two failed attempts in Austria and my discussions with Germans and my recent trip to Berlin and Weimar.
"So you believe that if Germany enters the Rhineland and his gambit fails because you are responding the Wehrmacht will take over and oust the Nazis once and for all?"
"That is correct and we would like to invite The Netherlands to join the party."
"That is very generous but The Netherlands prefers to remain neutral. Do you have anything to make us more interested?"
"General Winkelmann has been kind enough to draw up a few plans if you would care to review them. There is no combat involved because the objectives are in the demilitarized zone." She indicated that Winkelmann approach and they discussed the plans in Dutch. I did understand enough though. He also told her the Belgian and French moves.
"You have interesting plans which are not at all to Hitler's liking. But first Hitler must make the foolish move."
"He will because there others in Berlin who are even more stupid than Hitler and are pushing him."
"And who may they be?"
"Konrad von Neurath and Hermann Goering."
"Clowns but predictable clowns. Anything else to tempt me?"
"Consider this offer a ticket to an exclusive club, Your Majesty. The Netherlands is not a member, that's the disadvantage of neutrality. I'm offering you a ticket to end The Netherland's neutrality."
"We accept."
"Excellent. We are meeting this evening. King Leopold knows the venue. May I recommend that General Winkelmann be given command of the 5th, 7th and 8th Infantry Divisions for the duration of this mission? He knows all the details. Informing more personnel would entail an unnecessary risk."
"That is acceptable."
"Then with your permission I would like to retire to confer with the other members of our delegation, Your Majesty."
"It has been a pleasure to meet you. Until this evening."
How I hate neutrality.....
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Post by Diarist on Feb 19, 2017 14:41:49 GMT 1
After an early dinner we met in a conference room with Britain and France at one side of the table opposite Belgium and Holland. I opened by explaining the origin of the alliance between Britain and France, a meeting after Hitler's speech in the Reichstag last March. This evolved into a joint operation to stop Mussolini's aggression in East Africa if the League of Nations were to fail. The operation was a resounding success with Mussolini being deposed and Italy is on the path to become a parliamentary monarchy. While we were busy dealing with Mussolini Germany tried to gain control of Austria a second time but failed miserably.
The Germans were now questioning the Locarno Treaties because Italy can no longer be considered a guarantor they argued. We countered that Italy is only missing Mussolini and their Navy. Britain needs neither of them. I recounted my first attempts to suggest a response to a German violation of the Locarno Treaties.
"Eventually I was given permission to secretly draw up a contingency plan and after general elections in both France and Britain the plan was shown to a select few in France. PM Daladier reacted positively to the idea and a meeting was scheduled in Versailles before the end of January. We also decided to exchange notes a week before Versailles so that we could find common ground. That meeting was brought forward to this weekend and we have agreed on a joint plan if Hitler violates the Locarno Treaties." I drank some water.
"We accept that the Wehrmacht may have to break Art. 1 and 2 in order to trigger our response. They can then show the German people that Hitler's policies have resulted in a new war against Britain and France and use that as a reason to depose the Nazi regime. We also believe that as soon as the Germans notice we are responding they will stop their advance and call for negotiations. The purpose of the Versailles meeting was to determine our course of action if we find ourselves in this situation. However we decided on a plan Thursday.
The aim is to prevent another devastating war with Germany. The plan is to ask Germany to form a confederation with Britain and France. It will include a common defence/foreign policy, later a common economic policy. A non-aggression pact between member nations as well as a mutual defence agreement are part of the package. Once it is functioning other nations, Belgium and Holland for example, can be invited to join. We have to prepare for the inevitable threat which the Soviet Union poses."
"A confederation between Britain, France and Germany. This Germany?" King Leopold asked.
"Not THIS Germany, Your Majesty. A Germany without the Nazis. All the Nazi laws will have to be reversed of course before they qualify but if they truly desire a just and respected position in Europe then it will be worth the effort."
Queen Wilhelmina asked what happens if they refuse the offer.
"If this happens in 1936 we destroy Germany before it becomes too strong. We invade Germany and tear it apart. Germany has no friends at the moment. Even Austria is on the war path."
General Gamelin now explained the French view. He concluded, "being the arch enemy of Germany the rise of the Nazis is particularly disturbing for France and because of the Maginot Line our neighbours to the north won't be spared either. Your Majesty, if Hitler goes on the rampage no nation west of the Rhine is neutral, not even Holland. If we are given the opportunity we must either tame or destroy Germany."
PM Colijn asked what happens if the opportunity doesn't present itself this year.
"Then Hitler is still in power and nobody in Europe is safe." John Gort replied. "The window will close in 1937."
After another 30 minutes it was decided to continue the discussion tomorrow morning. I feel encouraged by the talk we've had during the last few days. The idea of a confederation is much more attractive than the League of Nations.
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