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OK, what exactly he was trying to rob Britain off in your opinion?
Her ability to influence events, and of course her Mid-East holdings and her Mediterranean naval bases. If he'd had his way, Britain would've just meekly stood by as he expanded East, hoping that acquiescence could perhaps buy them favored treatment after a Great Germany, probably stretching as far as the Ural, emerged on the scene.
So in that sense, and in that sense only - that he preferred people surrender to his demands and give him a free hand to grab territory and resources, rather than fight - of course he didn't want war.
I'm not disagreeing with you that going to war against the Soviet Union was in Hitler's long-term plans and fit in with his master race ideology. But I'm talking specifically about late 1940, when the concrete decision to invade the Soviet Union was made. Sure, Hitler may have said many things in 1937 and earlier - and Hitler, just like any politician, loved to talk. But the actual decision to invade the USSR was made in the fall of 1940. At the point in time, Germany was already at war with Great Britain. Even if conquering Russia and Ukraine had been the long term goal all along, starting a second war on another front is just very difficult to justify in practical terms. But Hitler was not entire off the rocker (at least not then) and practical considerations were more important that pure ideology.
I am not sure if I get your point, or if I believe the question.
I will give you the answer, no, he didn't. Like any other evil tyrant, bully and dictator, he hoped that no one would oppose his waltz into Poland or in the rest of Europe.
He would have loved to have done the horrible things that he did, without interference.
So no, Hitler did not want war. He wanted to take over countries and march people to the Gas Chambers.
But the actual decision to invade the USSR was made in the fall of 1940. At the point in time, Germany was already at war with Great Britain. Even if conquering Russia and Ukraine had been the long term goal all along, starting a second war on another front is just very difficult to justify in practical terms.
On the other hand, one can see why Hitler would write off Great Britain as major concern in the fall of 1940. The British army had left its heavy equipment at Dunkerque, the British Navy had a hard time in the Med, long-range bombing was in its infancy and most importantly, the US hadn't joined the fray yet. It must have looked like a window of opportunity.
On the other hand, one can see why Hitler would write off Great Britain as major concern in the fall of 1940. The British army had left its heavy equipment at Dunkerque, the British Navy had a hard time in the Med, long-range bombing was in its infancy and most importantly, the US hadn't joined the fray yet. It must have looked like a window of opportunity.
Oh sure, the definitely was a window of opportunity. And that's the problem - Hitler severely misjudged the size of the window he would need. It speaks to almost a cavalier attitude on his behalf - "Well, the British are out of commission temporarily, the Americans haven't joined the war yet, so let me turn east and defeat the Soviet Union real quick in 4 months. Oh and there is no need ramp-up production to war-time levels or anything. It will be very quick."
Oh sure, the definitely was a window of opportunity. And that's the problem - Hitler severely misjudged the size of the window he would need. It speaks to almost a cavalier attitude on his behalf - "Well, the British are out of commission temporarily, the Americans haven't joined the war yet, so let me turn east and defeat the Soviet Union real quick in 4 months. Oh and there is no need ramp-up production to war-time levels or anything. It will be very quick."
Just a thought, but I've read where Hitler often reversed or modified advise from his generals. Access to him was limitied and those who always had bad news, didn't always get it. This would tend to create a tendency to put the very best spin one could get away with when getting an audience with the Fuhrer, which could well lead to a less than realistic accessment of the situation.
Her ability to influence events, and of course her Mid-East holdings and her Mediterranean naval bases. If he'd had his way, Britain would've just meekly stood by as he expanded East, hoping that acquiescence could perhaps buy them favored treatment after a Great Germany, probably stretching as far as the Ural, emerged on the scene.
All right, so we are talking about colonial power ( Britain) that doesn't like the emergence of another growing colonial power with more land grab and more influence in world's affairs. I would like to point out however that lands "as far as Ural" - the potential land grab that Germany was interested in the most - were NEVER a sphere of British influence and that's what Hitler was hoping Britain to understand, that his expansion is no real threat to her, if she is wiling to share the world power.
Did he expect the war from Britain in response nevertheless? Of course he did, but did he WANT that war to happen? The answer is no, if he could help to avoid it.
He did however want the war with Russia, because
1. Russian lands/riches were essential for his expansion plans
2. The replacement of population was yet another essential point of his vision for Third Reich.
That's where he WANTED war to happen, because it was about the elimination of Slavic race and coveted expansion of German territory; no agreements, no compromises were an option ( unlike in case with Britain) Hence these words only prove it;
"The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness." -Adolf Hitler
I'm not disagreeing with you that going to war against the Soviet Union was in Hitler's long-term plans and fit in with his master race ideology. But I'm talking specifically about late 1940, when the concrete decision to invade the Soviet Union was made. Sure, Hitler may have said many things in 1937 and earlier - and Hitler, just like any politician, loved to talk. But the actual decision to invade the USSR was made in the fall of 1940. At the point in time, Germany was already at war with Great Britain. Even if conquering Russia and Ukraine had been the long term goal all along, starting a second war on another front is just very difficult to justify in practical terms. But Hitler was not entire off the rocker (at least not then) and practical considerations were more important that pure ideology.
Mr.Marbles, I am not quite sure what you are saying here, I mean how it's related to the question weather Hitler really did want the war?
I happen to agree with NJGoat's assessment, when he said "yes and no," making differentiation between the war with the West and war with Russia.
Here is something on Hitler's "love affair" with Great Britain;
"In the autumn of 1937 the German chancellor, Adolf Hitler, finally abandoned his coveted dream of an Anglo - German partnership and decided instead to pursue his expansionist aims in Central and Eastern Europe "without England." In his writings of the 1920s Hitler had singled out the British Empire, together with Italy in the role of junior partner, as the optimum ally for a National Socialist Germany and since his accession to power in January 1933, he had had his eyes firmly fixed upon an exclusive and wide-ranging arrangements with Britain upon which, he believed, the success of his foreign policy plans largely depended. By 1937 however Hitler had become frustrated by continual rejection of his overtures for a bilateral arrangement with London and was, moreover aggrieved at Britain's lack of gratitude for the Anglo-German agreement of June 1935 by which he voluntarily accepted British Naval supremacy over Germany at a quantitative ratio of 100:35."
So there we have it.
A rejected lover, who obviously didn't want initially to be at war with his subject of admiration.
Now regarding Russia ( i.e Soviet Union) - it was a totally different matter.
Hitler was more than just politician, he was a visionary ( his frequent references to God and Providence make it quite obvious I think.)
So no matter what he was (officially) saying about justification of attacking the USSR, it can be summarized in two words from famous Krylov's fable "The Wolf and the Lamb"
“Shut up! Enough! I’ve no time to sort through your transgressions!
You are at fault that I am famished,”
All right, so we are talking about colonial power ( Britain) that doesn't like the emergence of another growing colonial power with more land grab and more influence in world's affairs.
It was a bigger deal than that - this was a true-blue culture war, as well. The fight was over the future of Europe. The outcome was bad enough - Communism taking a huge chunk for 6 decades - but the alternative was Nazism all the way to the Atlantic.
[qute]I would like to point out however that lands "as far as Ural" - the potential land grab that Germany was interested in the most - were NEVER a sphere of British influence and that's what Hitler was hoping Britain to understand, that his expansion is no real threat to her, if she is wiling to share the world power.[/quote] A Nazi Germany with all the resources of the Continent at her disposal would be dictating terms. The UK would have had the choice between vassals or slaves. Churchill understood that quite well.
Quote:
Did he expect the war from Britain in response nevertheless? Of course he did, but did he WANT that war to happen? The answer is no, if he could help to avoid it.
Hitler wanted to enlarge his kingdom to the whole world and to be the dictator of the whole world, I think. It obviously resulted to war. It is silliness to bargain on such a topic.
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