Figure 1.--Lightly armed German triips and police marched across the Rgine River bridges to remilararize the Rhineland (March 7, 1936). The troops had orders to withdraw if the British and French offered any resistance. These of course are the same bridges that the NAZIs swould blow to ceate a Rhine River barrier the stop the Allies in the final months of World War II (1945).

French intelligence detected Germany troop movements east of the Rhine. The immediately informed the British (October 21, 1935). It proved to be a false alarm. But the British had not responded. This set the tone for the French. It Hitler did move into the Rhineland, they would be on their own. Hitler ordered War Minister von Blomberg to prepare to march into the Rhineland (March 2, 1936). Blomberg admired Hitler as a skilled politican. And he was providing Blomberg the men and weapons to build a great army. He was, however, very nervous about how the Allies would respond. Hitler was also nervous, but determined to throw the dice. Here his increasingly contemptuous view of France was central. [Fest, p. 497.] Von Blomberg despite his reservayion issued orders to march into the Rhineland. Hitler ordered 32,000 soldiers and armed policemen to march accross the Rhine bridges onto the left bank of the demilitarized Rhineland (March 7, 1936). Luftwaffe Me-109s began the operation, flying over the Rhine in tight formation, esentially acting as scouts. Then the soldiers began marching accross the bridges. Hitler chose Saturday knowing that the weekend woukd slow any Allied resonse. The Wehrmacht force sent into the Rhineland was a weak one and not heavily armed. They were under orders to withdraw if the British and French responded militarily. A military response from Britain and France could have dramatically changed 20th century history. On that first day they were not accompanied by tanks and artillery for propaganda ressons. Lighly armed men set a less threatening tone of press coverage. Heavily armed or not, this was a flagarant violation of the Versailles and Locarno Treaties.

Created: 2:12 AM 9/30/2024
Last updated: 2:13 AM 9/30/2024