My Life

My Life - Oswald Mosleyassurances from England and Western Europe that they would not jump on his back inthe event of a clash between Germany and Russia, would not intervene against himduring a life and death struggle with communism. If I had been responsible for BritishGovernment I would certainly have granted this wish because, while I detest all war, Icertainly thought war between national socialism and communism a lesser evil thanwar between Britain and Germany. In return, he would have been ready to offer allpossible guarantees for the support of the British Empire, which I would not haverequired because we were then still strong enough to look after ourselves, and thatwould always have been the case in any government with which I was connected. Henot only expressed the warmest admiration for the British people, but said heconsidered Germany, as the leading land power, and Britain, as the leading navalpower, to be complementary and beneficent forces, who together could become twopillars supporting world stability, peace and order. In my view, it was at least true thatthere was no point on the entire globe at which British and German interests clashed.Let it not be understood from this that in real politics I would ever take anything at itsface value or trust anyone in international affairs. No one has the right to risk the lifeof his country on what men say, or on his personal beliefs, instincts or hunches. Strivefor the best, but prepare for the worst. I had for years been conducting a strenuouscampaign for the rearmament of Britain. In power, I would have sought any kind ofdefensive alliance with France and America, or with anyone else, in case, afterexpansion in the east, Hitler turned round and attacked us.I should have taken every precaution, but I do not believe he would have doneanything of the kind. Apart from the fact that the Germans would have bitten off asmuch as they could chew for at least a generation in a successful drive east, an attackon the west, to anyone who knew anything of the subject, was contrary to the wholehistory and psychology of the National Socialist Party. You cannot spend a lifetimepointing a mass movement of the people in one direction, and then suddenly say:'About turn, I really meant the opposite to what I have been saying all the time'. Someminor practitioners of the political art are now discovering the truth of this elementaryfact. Hitler had said again and again that he wanted the union of the Germans andliving room in the east, not the take over of crowded areas in the west. The idea ofconducting our large multi-racial Empire was also entirely contrary to nationalsocialist ideas for the proper employment of German energy. To attempt any of thesethings would have been to stand Nazi doctrines on their heads. It is true that all thiswas exactly the opposite of our British ideas, derived from the long Imperialexperience, and it was precisely this difference which gave us the best chance ofpeace; the Germans wanted something quite different.I would lose no time during such a discussion in dialectical exercise or moralsermonising to prove our ideas were the best. A statesman should never contravenethe vulnerable foibles of his opposite number; rather they can be the means of gettingwhat he wants, he should use them. The judo throw is one of the arts of politics; letthe other man go his way, but rather faster and further than he meant to. Some pertlittle governess of the Eden school would spend the afternoon trying to convert such aman to her particular point of view in a fit of moral indignation. I would rather say:we have no major issue to quarrel about, because we want entirely different things.But at the same time, I should keep my powder dry; nothing is certain in the world ofinternational politics.306 of 424