The Rhineland Accident of 1935
On March 7, 1935, token units of the small German army entered the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland. The Versailles Treaty provided that the area, German sovereign territory, had to remain demilitarized. As long as it remained so, the military situation along the border line between Germany and France did not favor German adventurism; with a demilitarized Rhineland, France could quickly counteract against the key German industrial region of the Ruhr. But should the Germans deploy military units and build fortifications in the Rhineland, the security France had gained through Versailles would be seriously impaired.
France was under a caretaker government, preparing for general elections. But its most important weakness was in the fact that its much-vaunted army was an unwieldy machine. Its mobilization plans took 15 days to make it ready for war.
The French wanted to react, but they quickly realized they would be alone. The Belgians, who would be even more threatened than them by such a move, were switching back to neutrality right there and then. The British were committed to help France in such a case, but they saw the move as a statement of sovereign rights the Germans were entitled to.
Even so, the French government decided to act. In the meeting of March 8, the Prime Minister Sarraut, until then a rather obscure French politician, was adamant. Reportedly, he said: "With Hitler in power it's either now or later. Better now, than later, with their guns in the Saarland". Notwithstanding the precarious situation and the opposition of some of his own ministers, he ordered a partial mobilization and the entry of just about any available first units in German territory for the following day.
The French acted very cautiously. On March 9, token forces – anyway, they couldn't muster much more – showed up at the border posts in the Saarbrücken area, and their officers informed the German border officials that later in the day, they would have to cross. At that time, the German troops were nowhere near the area; the closest ones were 60 kilometers away. At midday, shots were exchanged across a bridge, but the toll was a few wounded men on either side. Elsewhere, the German border guards stood down and let the French in.
Meanwhile, the French diplomacy was at work. The ambassador in Berlin informed the Germans that the violation of the treaty wouldn't be tolerated. The British were required to do their duty under the Locarno agreements. The Poles were informed, even though their intervention would be called for only in case of German aggressive actions against French territory proper.
Back in Berlin, Hitler was livid. He had just announced the Reichstag his move, saluted as a triumph. Now he had to face the fact he had no army to speak of to send in. At the moment, he had about 15,000 men slowly moving across the Rhineland, mostly on bicycles, with almost no artillery support. He had about two dozen of modern fighters available. He could order the general mobilization, but that would bring about the same decision by the other powers, France, Britain and Poland at least, possibly Czechoslovakia as well. For the time being, he ordered his troops to stop where they were.
On March 10, the French advanced just seven kilometers across the Saarland. They were in no hurry, and wherever possible they managed to extract guarantees or deals from local authorities or the local police. Even so, two soldiers were killed at Völklingen, presumably by franc tireurs, another firefight erupted at St. Ingbert against border guards, and the French advance party began finding improvised obstructions on the road to Kaiserslautern. No organized resistance was taking place, however.
The French mobilization had begun, but it would take time to get into full swing, even on a partial basis.Nevertheless, the French had managed to push the first tank company across the streets of Saarbrücken, and had photographers ready to document that exploit.
The British government met on that day, but came to no decision as to the French request for support.
On the morning of March 11, the French vanguards were ordered to stop. They were in Homburg, still within 20 kilometers from the border. The French government made a public plea with the Germans not to risk another European war with this violation of their international commitments. Meanwhile, the newspapers of Europe had the photos of the French tanks in front of a German Rathaus.
In the early afternoon, there was the first engagement between the opposed armed forces. Up to that moment, the French had took casualties from border guards, policemen or civilians, all acting upon their own initiative. But over Saarbrücken, a German recon airplane was shot down by a French fighter.
The British cabinet took its decision and publicly announced it would back the French. The Poles stated they were mobilizing eight divisions.
That evening, Hitler met with his ministers and generals. His nerves were playing up, and it showed. The War Minister von Blomberg and General von Fritsch basically said that they had told him so. They reminded him he had been warned that if the French had chosen to oppose the move, the German army wouldn't stand a chance to win a war. They firnly insisted their units had to be withdrawn.
Late in the night, such orders were issued.
- What happened then?
On March 7, 1935, token units of the small German army entered the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland. The Versailles Treaty provided that the area, German sovereign territory, had to remain demilitarized. As long as it remained so, the military situation along the border line between Germany and France did not favor German adventurism; with a demilitarized Rhineland, France could quickly counteract against the key German industrial region of the Ruhr. But should the Germans deploy military units and build fortifications in the Rhineland, the security France had gained through Versailles would be seriously impaired.
France was under a caretaker government, preparing for general elections. But its most important weakness was in the fact that its much-vaunted army was an unwieldy machine. Its mobilization plans took 15 days to make it ready for war.
The French wanted to react, but they quickly realized they would be alone. The Belgians, who would be even more threatened than them by such a move, were switching back to neutrality right there and then. The British were committed to help France in such a case, but they saw the move as a statement of sovereign rights the Germans were entitled to.
Even so, the French government decided to act. In the meeting of March 8, the Prime Minister Sarraut, until then a rather obscure French politician, was adamant. Reportedly, he said: "With Hitler in power it's either now or later. Better now, than later, with their guns in the Saarland". Notwithstanding the precarious situation and the opposition of some of his own ministers, he ordered a partial mobilization and the entry of just about any available first units in German territory for the following day.
The French acted very cautiously. On March 9, token forces – anyway, they couldn't muster much more – showed up at the border posts in the Saarbrücken area, and their officers informed the German border officials that later in the day, they would have to cross. At that time, the German troops were nowhere near the area; the closest ones were 60 kilometers away. At midday, shots were exchanged across a bridge, but the toll was a few wounded men on either side. Elsewhere, the German border guards stood down and let the French in.
Meanwhile, the French diplomacy was at work. The ambassador in Berlin informed the Germans that the violation of the treaty wouldn't be tolerated. The British were required to do their duty under the Locarno agreements. The Poles were informed, even though their intervention would be called for only in case of German aggressive actions against French territory proper.
Back in Berlin, Hitler was livid. He had just announced the Reichstag his move, saluted as a triumph. Now he had to face the fact he had no army to speak of to send in. At the moment, he had about 15,000 men slowly moving across the Rhineland, mostly on bicycles, with almost no artillery support. He had about two dozen of modern fighters available. He could order the general mobilization, but that would bring about the same decision by the other powers, France, Britain and Poland at least, possibly Czechoslovakia as well. For the time being, he ordered his troops to stop where they were.
On March 10, the French advanced just seven kilometers across the Saarland. They were in no hurry, and wherever possible they managed to extract guarantees or deals from local authorities or the local police. Even so, two soldiers were killed at Völklingen, presumably by franc tireurs, another firefight erupted at St. Ingbert against border guards, and the French advance party began finding improvised obstructions on the road to Kaiserslautern. No organized resistance was taking place, however.
The French mobilization had begun, but it would take time to get into full swing, even on a partial basis.Nevertheless, the French had managed to push the first tank company across the streets of Saarbrücken, and had photographers ready to document that exploit.
The British government met on that day, but came to no decision as to the French request for support.
On the morning of March 11, the French vanguards were ordered to stop. They were in Homburg, still within 20 kilometers from the border. The French government made a public plea with the Germans not to risk another European war with this violation of their international commitments. Meanwhile, the newspapers of Europe had the photos of the French tanks in front of a German Rathaus.
In the early afternoon, there was the first engagement between the opposed armed forces. Up to that moment, the French had took casualties from border guards, policemen or civilians, all acting upon their own initiative. But over Saarbrücken, a German recon airplane was shot down by a French fighter.
The British cabinet took its decision and publicly announced it would back the French. The Poles stated they were mobilizing eight divisions.
That evening, Hitler met with his ministers and generals. His nerves were playing up, and it showed. The War Minister von Blomberg and General von Fritsch basically said that they had told him so. They reminded him he had been warned that if the French had chosen to oppose the move, the German army wouldn't stand a chance to win a war. They firnly insisted their units had to be withdrawn.
Late in the night, such orders were issued.
- What happened then?
