And further:
“Our problem is to extend our living space in the East, secure our food supplies, and solve the problems of the Baltic Sea and States. As regards food supplies, we can only rely upon the thinly populated areas. The thoroughness of German agriculture, together with the fertility of the soil, will show itself favorably in the manifold increase of food production.”
In another document known as the “Minutes of the Führer’s Conference with the Commander-in-Chief on 23 November 1939,” Hitler stressed the necessity of solving the problem of the struggle for oil, rubber, and useful minerals; and at that conference, Hitler formulated the main tasks as follows:
“. . . adapt the living space to the density of the population. . . .
“This is an eternal problem: to establish the necessary balance between the number of Germans and their territory, and to secure the necessary living space. Sharp ingenuity can be of no avail here. The problem can be solved only by the sword.”
At this conference Hitler with complete frankness disclosed his plans concerning the drive to the East. Boasting of his successful seizures of Moravia, Bohemia, and Poland he no longer kept secret his intentions of pursuing his aggression eastwards.
“I did not resurrect the armed forces”—said Hitler—“for the purpose of keeping them inactive. The determination to act has always been alive in me. I always meant to solve this problem—sooner or later.”
In that the Nazi Government felt itself in no way restrained by the existence of a non-aggression pact signed between Germany and U.S.S.R. on 23 August 1939. However, Hitler’s cynical declaration that treaties need only be respected as long as they serve a purpose is now universally known.
My American colleague has already quoted in his address the speech made by the Defendant Jodl at the conference held by the Reich Gauleiter in Munich in January 1943. In his speech the Defendant Jodl said, “Hitler informed me, while we were still fighting in the West, of his plans to fight the U.S.S.R.” In his turn, the Defendant Raeder at his preliminary examination testified that the idea of a military campaign against the U.S.S.R. had been born in Hitler’s mind long ago, and it grew ever stronger with the decrease of the probability of an invasion of England in June 1940.
According to the Defendant Keitel’s statement, Hitler had decided to attack the U.S.S.R. at the end of 1940. Already in the spring of 1940 a plan of assault had been worked out. Conferences on this subject had been held during the summer. In July 1940 at a military conference in Reichenhall, the plan of attack on the U.S.S.R. was examined.