Facing the Facts

An hour and a half after the people of the United Nations began celebrating Italy's surrender, Radio Berlin was still soothing its listeners with a musical program called Let Us Go On Dreaming. After sufficient time had passed for hard-pressed Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels to concoct his explanations, the German radio let out the big, bad news by quoting Allied announcements, adding: "Marshal Badoglio, in the meantime, confirmed the capitulation in a broadcast from Rome, although the King of Italy on Sept. 8 rejected as slander the suggestion that Italy was thinking of capitulation." Later reactions:

Broadcasts: An Anglo-U.S. "plot" overthrew Mussolini's Fascist regime; Italy's action was "the shameless betrayal of an ally whose deeds of valor in Italy's defense were recognized by the enemy themselves"; Badoglio acted "not only to maneuver Italy out of the war but to allow the Italian forces . . . to administer a stab in the back to the German troops on Italian soil."

From the Nazi press: "Mussolini was too great a person for a nation like that."

Dr. Paul Schmidt, German Foreign Office spokesman: "Yes, one tire has blown out on the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo tricycle."

Dr. Goebbels: "With regard to the present time and its sufferings, there is only one deadly sin and that is cowardice. . . . In critical situations one must keep one's heart in one's hand and jump over the threatening precipice."

Now, after half a year's silence--a half year strewn with retreats, defeats and disasters--Fuehrer Adolf Hitler had to speak. It was the speech of a man caught in a net of facts:

"Freed from the heavy burden of expectation weighing on us for a long time, I now consider that the moment has come again to address myself to the German people without having to resort to lies, either to myself or to the public. . . .

"Without [the German soldiers'] intervention, North Africa would have been lost to Italy as long ago as the winter of 1940-41. . . .

"When the Reich decided in the spring of 1941 to help Italy in the Balkans, this was done not to achieve personal aims but to assist an ally. . . .

"The withdrawal of Italy means little in a military sense because the struggle in that country has for months been sustained and carried on mainly by German forces. We will now continue the struggle free of all burdensome encumbrances."

Friend Mussolini. "One of the most outstanding men of modern times was at the head of Italy, the greatest son of Italian soil since the collapse of the ancient empire. His bearing was so loyal that conditions existed for success of the common alliance. His fall and the disgraceful insults to which he was subjected will be felt with the deepest shame by future generations of the Italian people. . . .

"I personally was seized with understandable sorrow at the unique historic injustice inflicted on this man, at the shameful treatment meted out to a man who for 20 years lived only for his people and who is now treated as a common criminal. I was, and still am, happy to describe this great and loyal man as my friend."

I, Adolf. "Personal life for myself has in any case long ceased to exist. I work from recognition and a sense of duty to make my contribution in safeguarding the life of my nation for future generations. My right to believe unconditionally in success is founded not only on my own life but also on the destiny of our people.

". . . Hope of finding traitors here rests on complete ignorance of the character of the National Socialist State; a belief that they can bring about a July 25 in Germany rests on a fundamental illusion as to my personal position as well as about the attitude of my political collaborators and my field marshals, admirals and generals. More than ever before, the German leadership opposes these intentions as a fanatical unit. Any emergency will only fortify us in our determination."

The Threat. "Only from the air is [the enemy] able to terrorize the German homeland, but in this respect also technical and administrative conditions for finally breaking his terroristic attacks are coming into existence, as well as those for retaliation by other and more efficient means.

"Tactical necessity may compel us once and again to give up something on some front in this gigantic fateful struggle, and to avoid some particular threat, but it will never break the ring of steel that, forged by the homeland and maintained through the heroism of our front, protects the German Reich. . . .

"The measures decreed for the protection of German interests in the face of events in Italy are very hard. . . . [But] we all know that, in this merciless fight, according to the intentions of our enemies, the vanquished will be destroyed to afford the victor the possibility of living. . . .

"The fate of Italy . . . may serve as a lesson to us all, in the hours of gravest crisis and most dire distress, never to forsake the commandment of national honor but to stand loyally by our allies and loyally by our hearts--full of faith, to do what duty demands."

God Willing. "To a people that passes successfully through these trials ordained by Providence, the Almighty will give in the end the laurel wreath of victory and, thus, the prize of life. Come what may, this people must and will be Germany."

Once before, 25 years ago, a tired, bitter little corporal had shuffled along the grey road back. Now, the same beaten road stretched ahead, and Adolf Hitler saw it. Even the arrogant intuition could not feel victory: the Fuehrer paid his lip service, but he was not really offering victory. Like Goebbels, Hitler could only tell the German people that, for honor's sake, they must clutch their hearts, march on in faithful discipline toward the precipice.

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