The Rise of the Third Reich

"What? What? We want to join the "Oriental Locarno Convention"? That is a convention used to tie Germany's hands and feet!"

"It's not all about binding us. The Soviet Union is also restricted. Moreover, Austria is not among the invitations, and the merger of the Baltic Republic with our Germany does not require the use of force. As for Poland... Mr. Prime Minister is not sure that he will be able to reconcile with Bisu. Did Ski reach a deal?"

"Where is the Czech Republic? And where is the Czech Republic!"

"Czech? Sudetenland?"

"Yes, there are 3.5 million Germans in Czechoslovakia... All German-speaking people should live together, we cannot forget them!"

"That is not inconsistent with the "Oriental Locarno Convention". The Czech issue can be solved through peaceful means... As far as I know, in Czechoslovakia, Germans account for more than 25%, Slovaks account for 15%, and there are many others. There are less Poles, Hungarians, and Carpathian Ukrainians, and the Czechs probably account for less than 50%.”

In the Chancellery at 77 Wilhelmstrasse, Hersmann, Schleicher and Hitler were arguing in a large and luxurious office about whether Germany should join the Eastern Pact.

These three have obviously regarded Austria as Germany's possession. Because Austria was worse off than Germany throughout the 1920s!

After all, Germany has the Junkers Defense Force as a stabilizing force. Domestic politics are generally calm, and various parties mainly rely on votes rather than guns to determine the ownership of political power. Moreover, there was Soviet-German cooperation and the Keynesian Plan to ensure economic development.

And for more than ten years after Austria's defeat, it has been gun + democracy! The three major domestic parties, the Christian Socialist Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Bolshevik Party, all have partisan armed forces. The Christian Socialists had the Security Corps, the Social Democrats had the League for the Defense of the Republic, and the Bolsheviks had the Red Brigades.

From the mid-1920s to the present, small-scale armed conflicts between the three major parties in Austria have never stopped. In 1927, members of the security group shot dead members of the Republican Defense League, triggering a large-scale street shootout, killing and injuring more than a thousand people, and burning down the Palace of Justice in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

On May 18, 1930, the armed security group of the Christian Socialist Party proclaimed the "Corneuburg Oath" and publicly called for the overthrow of parliamentary democracy: "We reject Western parliamentary democracy and the party state!"

Then there were armed conflicts one after another. Although they were not serious, they were not as easy as the peaceful days. Under such circumstances, Austria's economy and people's livelihood were naturally in a mess. When the people see the prosperous development of their northern brother Germany, they naturally yearn for it. The merger of Germany and Austria is naturally the general trend.

Moreover, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, those Austrian politicians who truly represented public opinion rather than succumbing to the will of the Allies chose to allow Austria to join Germany rather than become independent.

In fact, the biggest obstacle to the Anschluss is the later "loyal ally" of the German Empire, Italian leader Mussolini, who currently supports Austria's independence. However, Hessmann knew that the Italian leader would invade Ethiopia in two or three years, and would then be involved in the Spanish Civil War with Germany. At that time, the Italian leader would become an ally of Germany and support Germany's annexation of Austria.

However, Austria's neighbor Czechoslovakia is not so easy to deal with. This is a country that inherited most of the industry of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its industrial strength ranks among the best in the world, and it also owns Austro-Hungarian military giants like Skoda.

In addition, Czechoslovakia also had two very difficult political leaders, Edvard Beneš and Thomas Masaryk.

These two people are both Czechs. Together with Milan Restislav Stefanik, who became a French citizen before the world war and achieved many military exploits as a French pilot during the war, they are also known as the "Three Founding Heroes of Czechoslovakia." ” – Stefanik served as Minister of Defense in the early days of Czechoslovakia’s independence. However, he died mysteriously in a plane crash on May 4, 1919.

At that time, during the Hungarian War, a Slovak Soviet Socialist Republic emerged in Slovakia.

This incident, as well as the subsequent purges and suppression of Bolsheviks in Slovakia by the Czech army, have always been two thorns in the heart of the Czechoslovak Republic.

In addition, the Czechs, the main ethnic group in Czechoslovakia, and neighboring Hungary also have a blood feud. In the Hungarian War that lasted for several years after World War I, the Czech army also had a lot of Hungarian blood on its hands. And Slovakia, occupied by Czechoslovakia, has been part of Greater Hungary "since ancient times" - it was once the only part of the Kingdom of Hungary!

Poland, another neighbor of Czechoslovakia, is also very dissatisfied with the Czechs. Because the Hungarian War was actually won by the Polish army. However, after the victory of the war, out of the need to restrict Poland (Poland seemed too powerful at the time), Poland did not get the Ceshin region and Carpathian Ukraine as it wished - where The main population is Polish and Ukrainian.

"Mr. Prime Minister, you can continue to play the role of a good person in the world." Hersman finally said confidently, "The Czechoslovak problem is very easy for us to solve. This is a country that was put together artificially. Relations with surrounding countries are very bad and the dominant Czechs have never been known for their bravery.”

"What are you going to do?" Hitler hesitated and looked at Hersmann and asked. "I am the Prime Minister, I should have the right to know, right?"

"Of course!" Hessmann smiled and whispered, "The Stasi has always had close ties with the Hungarian Bolshevik Party and the Slovak Bolshevik Party... We can first announce the truth about Stefanik's death and incite the Slovak people to Dissatisfied. Then send Slovak assassins to kill Czech President Thomas Masaryk.”

"Assassinate the president of a country?" Hitler hesitated, "Are you really sure?"

"That's no problem," Hersman nodded. "We have the ability."

"Won't they be found out?" Hitler thought for a moment and then asked, "If it is found to be related to us, I'm afraid there will be trouble, right?"

"It will only be traced back to the Third International!" Herschman paused, "The Czechs will only find out that it was the Slovak Bolsheviks, the lackeys of the Soviet Union, who killed their founding father!"

Of course Hessmann would not tell Hitler that this matter had to be conspired with the leader of the Hungarian Bolshevik Party, Kun Bella.

Kun Bella did not return to the Soviet Union after the failure of the Hungarian revolution, but persisted in leading the guerrilla war in the mountains of Hungary. Therefore, the Hungarian revolution is not a complete failure. The Hungarian Bolshevik Party still controls many guerrilla groups in Hungary and Slovakia.

And in the past few years, these Hungarian Bolshevik Party guerrillas have secretly received funding, weapons and intelligence support from the Stasi. So now there is no problem for Kun Bela's people to come out and be blamed - and this blame is not for nothing, because once the Soviet Union and the Czechs are seriously opposed, the Slovak Bolshevik Party (actually a branch of the Hungarian Bolshevik Party ) would have the opportunity to launch an uprising in Slovakia.

Once Slovakia breaks into chaos, the Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary, and even Romania will all intervene.

Hessmann shrugged, "At that time, it may be our German Wehrmacht who will defend Czechoslovakia in accordance with the "Oriental Locarno Convention"!"

"Are we going to defend Czechoslovakia?" Hitler rolled his eyes and already understood what Hersmann meant. "Sounds good! That's it...we should indeed sign the "Oriental Locarno Convention."

Schleicher added: "Mr. Chancellor, we cannot sign the contract unconditionally. We should ask France to recognize that our restoration of compulsory military service and our presence in the Rhineland are legal."

…

"What? German Chancellor Hitler agreed to sign the "Oriental Locarno Convention"?"

In Geneva, where the Soviet delegation to the League of Nations was based, the Soviet People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Litvinov, who was negotiating with the French Prime Minister in Geneva, heard news that made him incredible.

"Isn't this Hitler a militarist?" Litvinov looked at Mrs. Kollontai, an expert on German issues and head of the Soviet delegation to the League of Nations.

"Well...Hitler was indeed a militarist before he became prime minister." Kollontai thought for a moment and said with a wry smile, "But now that he is prime minister, he no longer shouts about beating and killing. I think , he did a very smart thing.”

"Yes," Litvinov nodded, "the French will definitely meet Hitler's requirements..."

Acknowledging the facts that have happened in exchange for tangible benefits is what any politician with a brain will definitely do.

At this time, a telephone placed on the desk suddenly came to mind. Litvinov picked up the receiver, and a brisk, soft female voice said: "Mrs. Kollontai, please answer the phone. This is Natalie Lesinskaya."

"It's Leshinskaya!" Litvinov handed the receiver to Kollontai. The voice on the other end of the phone continued: "Madam, Admiral Hersman was very pleased to hear that the Soviet Union became a permanent member of the League of Nations, and asked me to call to express my congratulations. At the same time, we have decided to join the "Oriental Locarno Convention" "This is an event of great significance to Europe and world peace... We hope that Comrade Stalin and Chancellor Hitler can win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1933 and meet in Norway when receiving the award."