U. 80,000,000 people must get what is their right. Their existence has to be secured.

P. 157, line 4: We have to steel our heart and make it hard.

P. 157, line 10: Greatest harshness can mean great-
est mildness during the accomplishment of such
a task.

P. 157, line 4: Whoever has pondered over this
world order knows that its meaning lies in the
success of the best by means of force. And the
German people belong to the best races of the
earth. Providence has made us the leaders of
this people and thereby given us the task of se-
curing the necessary living space for the German
people who are compressed 140 persons to a
square kilometre.

BB. New German frontier according to healthy principles, possibly a protectorate as a buffer.

CC. Military operations are not to be influenced by these reflections.

DD. Complete destruction of Poland is the military aim.

EE. Speed is the main thing.

GG. Conviction that the German Wehrmacht is up
to the requirements.

HH. The start will be ordered later, probably on
Saturday morning.

P. 157, line 18: This is the military goal as a prerequisite of the narrower political goals of a subsequent drawing of the boundary lines.

Document 798-PS

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Prosecution comparison of documents 798-PS and Raeder 27
Raeder Document Book II, No. 27
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A. 1 1 I have called you together to give a
picture of the political situation,
in order that you may have insight
into the individual elements on
which I have based my decision to
act and in order to strengthen
your confidence.

1

1 Purpose of speech to give the Fuehrer's opinion on the political situation, to present his ideas so as to strengthen confidence in his decision because his decision to act was irrevocable.

C. 1 6 It was clear to me that a conflict with Poland had to come sooner or later.

D. 1 7 I had already made this decision in Spring but I thought that I would first turn against the West in a few years, and only afterwards against the East.

E. 1 9 9

But the sequence cannot be fixed.

F. 1 9 One cannot close ones eyes even be

fore a threatening situation.

G. 1 10 I wanted to establish an acceptable relationship with Poland in order

to fight first against the West.

H. 1 12 But this plan, which was agreeable
to me, could not be executed since
essential points have changed.

I. 1 13 It became clear to me that Poland
would attack us in case of a con-
flict with the West.

15 Although this conflict with Poland was unwelcome and it was necessary.

1 4 As late as last Spring his intention still was to postpone the solution of the Polish question, to put it on ice, so to speak, in order to settle first the conflict in the West, unavoidable in his opinion.

1 7 However, a politician cannot commit himself as to the sequence of events. One must be elastic.

No.

J. 1 15 Poland wants access to the sea. The
further development became ob-
vious after the occupation of the
Memel Region.

K. 1 16 And it became clear to me that in
the circumstances a conflict with
Poland could arise at an inoppor-
tune moment. I enumerated as
reasons for this reflection.

1 12 This is shown by the map.

1 15 It was necessary and the political situation was at present more favorable than perhaps in a few years' time for the following reasons.

2

1 (b) A similar case can be made for Mussolini.

N. 1 21 Essentially depends on me, my exist-
ence, because of my political ac-
tivities. Furthermore the fact that
probably no one will ever again
have the confidence of the German
people as I do. There will probably
never again be a man in the future
with more authority than I have.
My existence, therefore, is a fac-
tor of great value.

O. 1 25 But I can be eliminated at any time
by a criminal or an idiot.

1

19 His own person as acid in the life of the German people. He had unified the German people; has confidence and authority over the German people such as no successor could enjoy it greater.

1 22 Any day he could be the victim of an enemy or an insane or could die a natural death.