ment of Germany and to the economic planning and preparation required to launch the German wars of aggression. As long as he remained in power, he worked as eagerly for the preparation of aggressive war as any of his co-conspirators. He personally was favorably disposed towards aggression, if "Lebensraum” for Germany could not otherwise be attained. He knew that Hitler intended to and would break the peace, and with this knowledge, he willingly and purposely contributed his efforts. His withdrawal from three of his four posts reflected no moral feeling against the use of aggressive warfare as an instrument of national policy; he withdrew for reasons wholly unrelated to Hitler's program of illegal aggression. By the time of his withdrawal from these three positions, he had already provided his co-conspirators with the physical means and economic planning necessary to launch and maintain their wars of aggression; and he continued in his lucrative fourth position (Minister without Portfolio) until January 1943-until, in short, it became doubtful whether the conspirators could maintain the successes which they had gained in the wars they had illegally launched and were waging. LEGAL REFERENCES AND LIST OF DOCUMENTS *3724-PS *3725-PS *3726-PS *3727-PS *3728-PS *3729-PS *3730-PS *3731-PS *3901-PS *D-203 *EC-128 *EC-174 Testimony of Hjalmar Schacht, VI 796 VI 463 VI 464 1080 306 Staff between 25 May and 2 June VII 326 *EC-177 Minutes of second session of Work- VII 328 |