German President Paul von Hindenburg and Adolf Hitler sit in a car during a labor day celebration in Berlin on May 1, 1933.The Associated Press
September, 1939
“ … Don’t get me wrong, I have no use for Mr. Hitler, the man is a bully and a thug. And obviously what’s going on in Poland is awful, just awful. But what did we expect? Poland is practically in Germany’s backyard. It’s in its sphere of interest. I’m not saying it should be, I’m just stating a fact. There have been Germans living there for eons.
So the idea of Poland joining a mutual defence alliance with Britain and France, putting troops right on Germany’s doorstep – you know, talk about a red line. Couldn’t anyone see how it would leave Germany feeling encircled? No German leader could have accepted it …”
March, 1941
“ … What are we doing supplying all these arms to the British? Don’t misunderstand me, no one is a bigger admirer of the British than I am. So brave, the way they fight on, in spite of everything.
But isn’t this lend-lease deal simply prolonging the inevitable? It’s not the cost to the taxpayer I’m concerned about – although my God it does add up, doesn’t it? No, I’m talking about the cost in British lives.
It’s easy for these armchair generals to talk about the need to stand up to Mr. Hitler but I don’t see any of them enlisting. I have to ask: How long can this war go on? Do we keep sending Britain arms forever? I mean, what’s our exit strategy?...”
November, 1942
“ … I see a lot of people saying the war has turned a corner, now that the Germans have been defeated in North Africa. Some are even talking as if victory were possible, as if somehow we could just, I don’t know, invade Europe, push Hitler out of the territory he has occupied and force Germany to surrender.
I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that. The lesson of history is that wars only ever end by negotiation. I mean, what is this war even about now? I get it, at the start it was all about preventing Germany from annexing its neighbours. But now? Giving the Allies a stronger bargaining position? Regime change? What? What exactly are our war aims?
At what point do we say, this has gone on long enough? It’s time to give diplomacy a chance to work. We need a solution that allows both sides to walk away with something. Maybe Germany hangs onto Poland, but gives up Norway. That sort of thing …”
June, 1944
“ … I’ll admit it, I didn’t think the German defences would collapse so quickly. Of course, that brings problems of its own. It used to be we worried what would happen if Hitler won. Now we have to worry about what will happen if he loses. It’s easy to say Hitler has to go. But have we given any thought to who would replace him? Can we be sure whoever it was would not be even worse?
Of course, Hitler has to be driven out of France, I am not saying he shouldn’t be. But all of France? No one wants to leave the Nazis in Paris, come on be serious. But Alsace? It’s been back and forth between Germany and France for centuries. It’s arguably more German than French.
It’s time someone sat the French down and said now look, I know it’s a tough pill to swallow but you’re just going to have to make some sacrifices if this is ever going to end. We have to provide Hitler with an exit ramp, some way of saving face; we can’t just totally humiliate him. He’s never more dangerous than when he’s cornered …”
September, 1944
“ … You never give in to blackmail, that’s fundamental. At the same time we can’t just ignore Hitler’s latest threat to incinerate all the great cities of Europe with his V2 rockets. I mean, sure, we have enough firepower to destroy Germany many times over. But is that going to deter him? I just don’t know whether we can take the chance. Are we really willing to risk London for Cologne? Paris for Berlin?
We’ve got to try to de-escalate the situation, start negotiations on a ceasefire, rather than hand him the victory in defeat he is seeking …”
May, 1945
“ … It was obvious from the start Germany could never win this war. I just hope certain people have learned the right lessons from it …”