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862.00/3425 –1/2
The Consul at Berlin (Geist) to
the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Moffat), Department of
State
BERLIN, September 15, 1934.
DEAR MR. MOFFAT:
. . . With regard to the German public,
observers are generally unanimous in the belief that the German nation, while
anxiously regarding the present state of affairs, is content to be led on the
political paths marked out for it by the National-Socialist Government. The
National-Socialists have so strongly organized their position and so completely
dominate the situation, that there is little possibility that anything serious
will happen within the councils of the party or among the leaders of the
Government. It is apparent that such men as von Neurath have agreed that the
only hope for Germany's regaining her position in the world is along the lines
laid down by the present regime, namely that Germany must first of all recover
her military prestige, and then it may be seen what can be obtained from the
rest of the world. They hope to be in a position
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to assert themselves on the basis of their military strength, which of
course is a dangerous and a disquieting outlook. Mr. Goering is known to have
said a short time ago that after the 1st of April 1935 nobody will have
anything to say in the air, and from reports which I get I am convinced that
the German rearmament is concentrating upon two points; first, power in the
air, and second, motorization of any attacking forces. There is nothing
conservative or traditional in their present policy. Many of the young Nazis
are enthusiastic with regard to the military prospects. They speak of gas war,
of bacteriological war, of the use of death-dealing rays. They boast that
airplanes will not pass the German frontiers. Their ideas of Germany's
invincibility and Germany's power in "the next war" are really
phantastic. It is to be concluded, however, from these remarks that a good deal
of lively talking is going on in the Nazi circles and they are really thrilled in
contemplating Germany's future tremendous victory over her enemies.
It is a significant fact in estimating the
present situation in Germany, that into the youth is being inculcated an
unprecedented, conscious and deliberate love of militarism and all that it
stands for. It is one of the amazing things of modern history that the
Government of a great power should definitely teach its children to cherish
ideas of valor, heroism, self-sacrifice, unrelieved by any of the virtues which
modern civilization has come to place above brute force. Primarily owing to the
international political situation and the disposition of the great powers in
Europe to consolidate a defense position, war may not be imminent, but it is
very difficult to foresee how the bellicose spirit here can be restrained and
directed into permanent channels of peace towards the end of this present
decade.
Very sincerely yours,
RAYMOND H. GEIST