Page 83 - Was Hitler a Riddle?

70 The British Diplomats

out even consulting the Foreign Office. Vansittart warned Henderson that
criticism in england would be harsh, “you would be suspected of giving
countenance or indeed eulogy (as alleged by one Member of Parliament) to
the Nazi system,” and the Foreign Office would be accused of having “Fas-
cist leanings.” Vansittart also suggested to the foreign secretary that “recon-
sideration would be necessary.” 135 Henderson yielded grudgingly and told
Vansittart that he “didn’t love the Nazi system any more than you do.” But
he told eden that he and every other “competent observer” were certain
that even if Hitler left office “the country . . . would probably go on just
the same, if not even on more exaggerated lines.” in politics, he continued,
one had to be “empirical to a certain degree,” and since Nazism could not
be wished away, what was the point of being discourteous to Hitler and
unnecessarily irritating him? 136 in the end, the Foreign Office, for reasons
unknown, changed its mind and allowed him to attend the meetings at
Nuremberg.
Henderson found the two-day gala on september 10 and 11 very impres-
sive. the 140,000 people who attended the various meetings and activities
responded enthusiastically to the events and the long marches of uniformed
Nazis, as did all the honored guests who were also invited to the formal
dinner hosted by party leaders. diplomats were well treated by the German
authorities, who supplied private telephones to all the foreigners and bil-
leted them in well-appointed railway compartments. the diplomats were
further indulged with appetizing food and an enjoyable movie. Henderson
did not doubt that “we are here witnessing in Germany the rebirth, the
reorganisation and the unification of the German nation. One may criticize
and disapprove, one may thoroughly dislike the threatened consummation
and be apprehensive of its potentialities. But let us make no mistake. a ma-
chine is being built up in Germany, which in the course of this generation,
if it succeeds unchecked, as there is no reason to believe that it will not,
will be extraordinarily formidable. all this was achieved in less than 5 years.
Germany is now so strong it can no longer be attacked with impunity, and
soon the country will be prepared for aggressive action.” Yet Henderson
was convinced that Germany was not at all interested in undertaking an
“adventure.” in fact, he was inclined to believe that “we are perhaps en-
tering upon a quieter phase of Nazism, of which the first indication has
been the greater tranquility of the 1937 meeting [at Nuremberg].” Hitler, it
seemed to the ambassador, was prepared to pursue policies marked by “rea-
sonableness.” He and his subordinates were especially interested in reach-
ing an “anglo-German understanding.” Henderson’s final observation on