Berlin, November 27,1933. Dear Mr. President: I am preparing a somewhat careful analysis of the ruling trio here with a view to more accurate understanding in the State Department as to the situation. As I can not get the report off in today's pouch, I am taking the liberty of summarizing it to you. Your remark in your letter of the 13th about the eight percent of the world's population de- footing ninety-two percent in their peaceful objectives leads me to think that you might possibly profit from this summary. The Hitler regime is composed of three rather inexperienced and very dogmatic persons, all of whom have been more or less connected with murderous undertakings in the last eight or ten years. It is a combination of men who represent different groups of the present German majority (not an actual majority). Hitler, now about 45, was an orphan at 13, went through the war without promotion or decorations, so much wor- shipped here, and who had very curious experiences in Munich between 1919 and 1923. He is romantic-minded, half-informed about great historical figures in Germany, and he was for a number of years a strict imitator of Mussolini. He rose to power by organizing elements in Germany which were partly unemployed and wholly indig- nant because Germany had not won the great war. His devices are the devices which men set up in ancient Rome, namely, his flag and salute. He has definitely said on a number of occasions that a people survives by fighting and dies through peaceful policies. His influence is and has been wholly belligerent. The last six The President, The White House, Washingtcn, D.C. |