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

NOW I HAVE THEM IN MY POCKET! 431among themselves would be as good as opening the door to Bolshevism.'By October, 1931, a German observer, who, in his official capacity,saw much of foreign countries, felt justified in saying that 'Germany hasbecome the great fashion; everywhere in the world everything Germanis the last word in chic' But while Germany saw her territories freedfrom foreign troops, while reparations vanished and further diplomaticprogress was in the offing, internal conditions deteriorated more andmore, economic life destroyed itself, parliament fell a prey to its owndisunity, and the misery of the people increased. At the end of 1930,while Germany still bore the burden of reparations, while there werethree million unemployed and the German miner earned 562 marks in aquarter, Hitler sent a New Year's message to his followers, full of ratherquestionable encouragement: 'After twelve months more, the road toGerman freedom will be open!' Toward the close of 1931, reparationshad been lifted from Germany's shoulders, but the number ofunemployed had risen to almost eight million, the miner earned only473 marks a quarter, and Hitler promised his followers that this wouldbe the year of final decision: 'Let us march into this new year asfighters, in order that we may leave it as victors!'It is profoundly characteristic of this segment of European history thatit contained too many victories, too many concessions, and no realpeace. As before 1914, they were wrested by one nation from another,or dearly sold by one nation to another. The fetters of Versailles bindingGermany rotted and fell one by one; the German people correctlysensed that this did not mean more peace but more power; concessionsare not made to us because we have become more trustworthy, butbecause the world's ability to cling to Versailles is dwindling.On September 18, 1931, a mysterious explosion occurred on theManchurian railway near Mukden, which legally was still Chineseterritory. The Kwantung Army advanced and 'avenged Japan's honor,'occupied the Manchurian cities, and the Chinese central government inNanking, weakened by Communist disorders at home, could offer nomilitary resistance, but had to content itself with a boycott whichreduced Japanese imports to China to one