Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression "The detailed mission of Army and Air Force is as
follows:
"The units stationed in the vicinity of Bohemia-Moravia
and several motorized divisions are to be earmarked for
a surprise type of attack. Their number will be
determined by the forces remaining in Czechoslovakia; a
quick and decisive success must be assured. The
assembly and preparations for the attack must be worked
out. Forces not needed will b kept in readiness in such
a manner that they may be either committed in securing
the frontiers or sent after the attack army.
"b. Air Force
"The quick advance of the German Army is to be assured
by an early elimination of the Czech Air Force.
"For this purpose the commitment in a surprise attack
from peace-time bases has to be prepared. Whether for
this purpose still stronger forces may be required can
only be determined from the development of the military
situation in Czechoslovakia. At the same time a
simultaneous assembly of the remainder of the offensive
forces against the West must be prepared." (C-136)
This order was signed by Hitler and authenticated by Keitel.
It was distributed to the OKH, to Goering's Luftwaffe, and
to Raeder at Navy headquarters.
Two months later, on 17 December 1938, Keitel issued an
appendix to the original order stating that by command of
the Fuehrer preparations for the liquidation of
Czechoslovakia are to continue. Distribution of this Top
Secret order was the same as or the 21 October order. The
order provides:
"2. COROLLARY TO DIRECTIVE OF 21.10.38.
"Reference 'Liquidation of the Rest of Czechoslovakia'
the Fuehrer has given the following additional order:
"The preparations for this eventuality are to continue
on the
[Page 562]
assumption that no resistance worth mentioning is to be
expected.
"To the outside world too it must clearly appear that
it is merely an action of pacification and not a
warlike undertaking.
"The action must therefore be carried out by the peace
time Armed Forces only, without reinforcements from
mobilization. The necessary readiness for action,
especially the ensuring that the most necessary
supplies are brought up, must be effected by adjustment
within the units.
"Similarly the units of the Army detailed for the march
must, as a general rule, leave their stations only
during the night prior to the crossing of the frontier,
and will not previously form up systematically on the
frontier. The transport necessary for previous
organization should be limited to the minimum and will
be camouflaged as much as possible. Necessary
movements, if any, of single units and particularly of
motorized forces, to the troop-training areas situated
near the frontier, must have the approval of the
Fuehrer.
"The Air Force should take action in accordance with
the similar general directives.
"For the same reasons the exercise of executive power
by the Supreme Command of the Army is laid down only
for the newly occupied territory and only for a short
period.
"Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
"KEITEL" (C-138)
This particular copy of the order, an original carbon signed
in ink by Keitel, was the one sent to the OKM, the German
naval headquarters. It bears the initials of Fricke, head of
the Operational Division of the Naval War Staff, of
Schniewind, Chief of Staff of the Naval War Staff, and of
Raeder.
As the Wehrmacht moved forward with plans for what it
clearly considered would be an easy victory, the Foreign
Office played its part. In a discussion of means of
improving German-Czech relations with the Czechoslovak
Foreign Minister, Chvalkovsky, in Berlin on 21 January 1939,
Ribbentrop urged upon the Czech government a "quick
reduction" in the size of the Czech army. The captured
German Foreign Office notes of this discussion bear the
following footnote, in Ribbentrop's handwriting:
"I mentioned to Chvalkovsky especially that a quick
reduction in the Czech army would be decisive in our
judgment." (2795-PS)
The
original plaintext version
of this file is available via
ftp.
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Volume
I Chapter IX
The Execution of the Plan to Invade Czechoslovakia<(Part 21 of 29)