Austrian Independence and the Innocent Aggressor
This chapter shows that the Nazi leadership has adopted the strategy of protesting against “Austrian atrocities.” Against the way their agent inspecteur has been treated there. Against the trivial penalties imposed on their loyal servants. They adduce photographic evidence of real, not just alleged, arrests. And that was why they had no alternative but to close the border, issue travel permits to would-be assassins, set up an Austrian Legion, and foment revolt in the country. The armed incursion into Austria was an internal German matter and “the deterioration of the mood in England can be attributed to the English public's inability to understand Germany's intentions towards Austria”; consequently, there was an alleged conflict between Germany and Austria and alleged interference of Germany in Austrian affairs by the alleged dropping of leaflets on Austrian soil, while the real dropping of leaflets on German soil had contributed to alleged aerial rearmament in Germany, which accounts for the alleged démarche of the powers.