Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

INTERLUDE 241'Once Germany has achieved the power,' Chamberlain prophesied,'and we may confidently expect her to achieve it — she must immediatelybegin to carry out a scientific policy of genius. Augustusundertook a systematic transformation of the world, and Germany mustdo the same. . . . Equipped with offensive and defensive weapons,organized as firmly and flawlessly as the Army, superior to all in art,science, technology, industry, commerce, finance, in every field, inshort; teacher, helmsman, and pioneer of the world, every man at hispost, every man giving his utmost for the holy cause — thus Germany,emanating efficiency, will conquer the world by inner superiority.'For this program of world domination the Emperor decorated hisfriend (who had become a naturalized German) with the Iron Cross,Germany's most popular war medal. But just as Chamberlain was notreally a German, so Wilhelm was not really the master of Germany. OnJuly 25, 1917, at the height of Germany's military successes, whenRussia seemed to be liquidated, and when in France the commander-inchiefPetain advised a negotiated peace, the Reichstag voted, 212 to126, for a peace of 'understanding and conciliation'; it wanted 'noenforced cessions of territory,' no 'political, economic or financialoppression.' True, the Pan-Germans, Chamberlain among them,attempted to form, in protest, a movement for a 'good' or 'strong' peace,a peace of conquest. This group, calling itself the Fatherland Party,enjoyed the support of the all-powerful Ludendorff and a large numberof followers, but it remained, all the same, a minority that did not reflectpopular feeling. Its most remarkable effect on history was probably thefounding of a small subdivision in Munich which tried to recruitfollowers among the workers — without any success at that time. Thiscommittee called itself the 'Free Workers' Committee for a Good Peace.'Its leader was Anton Drexler. It was the original cell of the later GermanWorkers' Party, which in turn was to become the National SocialistMovement.When in September, 1918, the World War was driving toward aGerman military defeat, Ludendorff strongly advocated the formation ofa democratic German government to conclude peace. He pressed theKaiser to hurry; the Kaiser, irritated, shouted back,