Page 167 - Was Hitler a Riddle?

154 The American Diplomats

windows, burned gasoline stations after ringing false alarms to divert the
fire brigades from these fires, attempted to destroy democratic or socialist
newspaper offices by fire and sought out prominent members of the social-
ist and Communist parties who were murdered or assaulted in their dwell-
ings, some whilst they were in bed.” in various parts of the country, Jews
were also attacked. several policemen and civil servants in Prussia were dis-
missed “simply because they were objectionable to the Nazis.” the methods
were everywhere similar, which suggested that they had been centrally and
carefully planned. On various occasions, the government threatened to put
an end to the lawlessness, but it rarely followed through with decisive mea-
sures. 20
the state department appreciated the detailed account of the grim situ-
ation in Germany, but it wanted analysis in addition to facts. More spe-
cifically, Castle, then acting secretary of state, asked Berlin on august 15,
1932, for a broad assessment of the political situation and for informed es-
timates of likely future developments. sackett, no doubt chastened by the
implied criticism, responded immediately that he had changed his mind
about Hitler’s intentions. “the keynote of the political situation,” he wrote,
“would seem to be Hitler’s dogged intentions to rule alone. . . . Hitler, one
of the biggest show-men since P. t. Barnum, and his silver-tongued lieu-
tenant, Goebbels, are past adepts at twisting events to suit their fancies and
purposes, and indefatigable spell-binders.” ever cautious, the ambassador
spelled out four possible outcomes of the political struggles: Hitler might
come to power as head of a coalition supported by the Catholic Center
Party; the present government under Papen might be granted a “breathing
spell”; the Nazis, having declined in popularity because of the widespread
violence, would split between Hitler’s loyal supporters and the radicals who
favored a “more militant aggressive line”; or, finally, the reichstag might
be dissolved. sackett thought that the most likely scenario was the fourth,
which would be followed by new elections, but he conceded that all the
alternatives he had listed were based on “conjecture.” 21
Within a few months, on January 30, 1933, sackett’s first scenario proved
to be more or less on target, though not quite in the way he had foreseen.
after intense intrigues at the highest level of politics and especially in the
circle of advisers in President Hindenburg’s office, Hitler came to power as
the chancellor of a coalition that included only three Nazis (Hitler, Göring,
and Wilhelm Frick) and nine conservatives, and it was widely assumed that
under the circumstances Nazi influence on policy would not be decisive;
nor were the three Nazis expected to remain in office very long. as became