The Rise of the Third Reich

Austria's "little dictator", Prime Minister Engelbert Dollfuss, got out of the car worriedly and looked up at the German soldiers wearing helmets standing in front of the German Embassy. Germany now has 900,000 to 1 million such armed personnel, at least 3,000 aircraft, and possibly the same number of tanks. It is already one of the five major powers in Europe.

Internationally, Germany has long gotten rid of its weak image and has always presented itself as a European power. It has not only obtained the status of a permanent member of the League of Nations, but also won the right to host the 1936 Summer Olympics.

And the Austria he led still has only 30,000 troops, and cannot have tanks and aircraft. Even machine guns and cannons are restricted... Powers such as Britain, France, and Italy, on the one hand, require Austria to abide by the Treaty of Saint-Germain and not merge with Germany; on the other hand, they strictly order Austria not to violate the arms control clauses in the Treaty of Saint-Germain.

Do these powers want Austria to use 30,000 troops that lack even cannons and machine guns to resist 1 million enemies armed with aircraft and tanks?

Moreover, the 30,000 Austrian troops would not resist when Germany invaded, but would cheer to welcome their long-awaited "German relatives"...

Because Germany's economic performance in recent years has been so good, in 1934, the coal, steel, electricity, and cars they produced far exceeded the total of Britain and France! Unemployment and hunger have completely disappeared. It is said that German workers will soon be able to take cruise ships and planes to travel abroad, and may even own cars - German Chancellor Hitler announced not long ago that he would open a "national car factory" (Volkswagen) that specializes in producing cheap cars to sell to workers and farmers.

And what do Austrians have now? In addition to the suffering in life, it is hatred for the Allies and envy of the powerful German Empire, a brotherly country... Now the German embassy in Austria receives hundreds or thousands of immigration applications every day. If the situation in Austria has not shown signs of improvement, perhaps in another ten or eight years, there will be no one there.

"Mr. Prime Minister, let's go in. Chancellor Hitler is waiting in the conference room." The voice of German Foreign Minister Neurath sounded in the ears of the little dictator Dollfuss.

Waiting in the conference room instead of coming out to greet him!

Dollfuss had an urge to turn around and leave - after all, he was the prime minister of a European country!

"Let's go," Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas also came out of the car at this time, "Let's go to the embassy to meet Hitler... Now Germany is still Germany, but Austria is no longer Austria."

Dollfuss sighed. The Austrian president said a "proverb" that was very popular in Austria. The German Empire has regained its former strength, but the former Austrian Empire is nowhere to be found?

...

"Welcome, my friends!" Adolf Hitler stood at the door of a conference room, speaking pure Austrian German, shook hands with the visiting Austrian president and prime minister, and then hugged them warmly.

"Please, please come in." After the hug, Hitler took Dollfuss's hand and strode into the conference room.

As soon as he entered the conference room, Dollfuss suddenly saw a map that made him feel both strange and familiar - a huge map of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1913, hanging on the wall facing the door.

"This is..." Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas was stunned for a moment.

"This is our home! The former home of 13 million Austrian Germans!" Adolf Hitler stood in front of the huge map and said in a very affectionate tone, "I was once one of these 13 million Austrian Germans... Mr. Miklas, Mr. Dollfuss, are you one of the 13 million Austrian German compatriots?"

What is Hitler going to do?

The Austrian President and Prime Minister looked at each other and didn't know what to say for a while. They thought Hitler would talk to them about the issue of the merger of Germany and Austria - the Austrian National Socialist Workers' Party has always been promoting the benefits of "merger".

And Miklas and Dollfuss also thought of reasons to oppose the merger - Austria must abide by the treaty, 8 million Austrians love their motherland, and Austria is unable to fight against France and Italy...

But Hitler never mentioned the merger, but instead asked people to hang up the map of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Dollfuss said: "Mr. Hitler, we used to be part of the 13 million Austrian Germans, but now, we are citizens of the Republic of Austria! And as the Austrian Chancellor, I am only responsible for 8 million Austrian citizens."

"What about you? President Miklas, you used to be a member of the Imperial Parliament, right? Have you forgotten the motherland you once fought for?" Hitler looked at the Austrian president who was very tall and very graceful.

"Chancellor Hitler," President Miklas shook his head and said in a helpless tone, "our former motherland no longer exists... We lost the war!"

"The motherland is gone, what about the people?" Hitler asked, "How many of the 13 million Austrian Germans are now living in Austria?"

"Less than 8 million..."

"There are still 5 million, at least 500 people!" Hitler looked at Miklas and Dolphus sadly. "You ignore them? Do you know how miserable they are now? Do you know how those Czechs, Poles, and Italians bullied them? They have no dignity, no dignity at all, and live like slaves! You Christian Socialist Party Are you abandoning them like this? Many of them voted for you before the war! You are now the president and prime minister, but they are being oppressed and crying all the time!"

Dolphus looked ugly, "What can be done about this? What can Austria do?"

Hitler said in a sharp and serious tone: "How come there is no way? You have never thought of a way. You have never thought about those German compatriots who are oppressed by the Slavs and live humiliatingly in dire straits. You have never thought of it!" You abandoned them and betrayed them!"

"Mr. Hitler!" Dollfuss said not to be outdone, "Austria is not Germany. We do not have one million troops, thousands of aircraft and tanks..."

"Nonsense!" Hitler suddenly waved his hand, interrupting the Austrian Chancellor, and then said loudly in a hysterical tone, "Is this a problem of planes and tanks? If you have planes and tanks, you can save Czechoslovakia. Compatriots?"

Before Dolphus could answer, Hitler shouted: "Admiral Herschmann!"

"Here!" Hersman had been watching Hitler's performance in this conference room, but he didn't expect that he would also perform.

"I order," Hitler screamed, "to give the Austrians 500 aircraft and 500 tanks within three months!"

ah? This is possible too?

Hessmann was taken aback, and immediately understood that Hitler was still acting, and immediately stood at attention, "Okay, Mr. Chancellor!"

"Okay!" Hitler immediately said to the two stunned Austrians, "We have airplanes and we have tanks... This is not a problem for Germany. Our factories can quickly produce enough airplanes and tanks, as many as we need." How many!"

He looked at the Austrian Chancellor, whose eyes were as big as bells, and said, "Mr. Dollfuss, after you get the planes and tanks, when will you be ready?"

what to prepare?

"Mr. Hitler, what do you want us to prepare..." Dolfis had never seen such a politician.

"Go to fight! Go to fight! Go to fight!" Hitler roared and waved his arms, "To save the 3.5 million oppressed Sudeten Germans, to restore the former glory of the Austrian Empire, and to tear up the Treaty of Saint-Germain that trampled on the dignity of the Austrian Germans. ", tear it into pieces, completely tear it up!"

Is this guy... crazy?

The Austrian Prime Minister stammered: "But we, we Austria only have a population of 8 million, we can't resist the Italians..."

"But there are 70 million people in Germany," Hitler's tone suddenly became extremely calm. "We also have the strongest industrial strength in Europe. So we can tear up the Treaty of Versailles, and we can also help our Austrian brothers tear up the Treaty of Versailles." Break the Treaty of Saint-Germain as long as you are willing to accept our help!"

"It is not difficult for us to abrogate the Treaty of Saint-Germain," Herschmann began to speak for Hitler. "The key is whether you believe in us or not."

What he said is absolutely right! As long as Austria and Germany sign a "Mutual Assistance Treaty", all the clauses binding Austria in the "Saint-Germain Treaty" will be invalid.

But the Treaty of Saint-Germain, hated by all Austrians, was also the only weapon to protect Austria from German "invasion".

Once the treaty is invalidated, nationalist sentiment in Austria will become extremely high, and Hitler will become an idol of the Austrians. Moreover, France and Italy will also think that Austria has completely turned to Germany, and thus give up their protection of Austria... In fact, they cannot protect Austria.

Because it is impossible for France to send troops, it does not border Austria. The Italian army was about to attack Abyssinia, and Mussolini would never abandon Abyssinia for Austria. And even if Mussolini took the wrong medicine, he would definitely not be able to defeat the German mechanized army!

Hitler looked at Dolphus with bright eyes, "Are 8 million Austrians willing to accept the selfless assistance of 70 million German brothers, or are they willing to be slaves of the Italians?"

Upon hearing this question, Dolfis knew that he had no choice!