Expert: Michel Cahier - 4/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: How did Hitler manage to enlarge the size of the German army by the year 1938? How did the Munich Agreement play a part in this?


Thank You!

ANSWER: Hitler repeatedly sat on the provisions of the Versailles Treaty of 1919 that limited the German military to 100,000 soldiers. During 1933 and 1934, after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, the Reichswehr began a secret programme of expansion. With the Nazi takeover of power, there were suggestions by Ernst Röhm that the SA, the Nazi paramilitary force, would take over the functions of the Reichswehr. This alarmed the leaders of the military, and to forestall the possibility of a coup, Hitler sided with the military and killed Röhm and his supporters in the Night of the Long Knives. The secret programme of expansion, finally became public with the formal announcement of the Wehrmacht in 1935. It was too late to oppose Hitler and his ambitions. Hitler had rid himself of the SA troopers chiefs but had to his disposal a huge reservoir (about 3 million) of very well trained soldiers. Most of them were incorporated in the new Wehrmacht or in the SS and the sleight of hand  was done. In 1938, the German military could  use several millions excellent soldiers. The SA numbers dropped to 1.2 million in 1938and had no significant role in the war and were generally appointed to administrative, security (concentration camps)or safety tasks.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Why was the German army so unbeatable?

Answer
It was not so unbeatable as it was eventually beaten. In 1938 it was not even stronger than the French army and the German Generals  were extremely skeptical about the chances of a successful invasion of France. But  they had a great advantage it was the Panzer divisions and a very strong air force (Luftwaffe). In 1940 the combination of both and the element of surprise plus the motivations of the German soldiers who wanted their revenge from the unfair Treaty of Versailles (1919)contributed to make an explosive cocktail that beat the English and the French who had a very mediocre commander in Chief (General Gamelin).

After  1940 the Germans occupied France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, and had control of the Mediterranean with their Italian allies. They started to exploit the resources of theses countries for their war effort and it gave them a edge in their pursuit of the war in 1941 against the Russians.

But their initial successes against the Soviets were short lived. The Germans retreated before  Moscow as soon as January 1942. Then the Germans lost the battle of Stalingrad at the end of the year and it was the beginning of the end. The same  year (October) Americans invaded North Africa and in 1943 a huge force landed in Sicily and Italy. The Germans fought back very severely but as of 1942 they were in a position of defense and not offensive.

I personally think -but it is only  my opinion- that the invincibility of the German soldiers is a myth. They have a huge sense of discipline and patriotism, Hitler had  built (with  Wall Street money) a formidable army, the Generals were totally submitted to his will by a pact of total allegiance. That are important assets in the conduct of a war but as history showed it may as well be  negative factors notably when the Supreme Commander can not tolerate the expression of divergent ideas and strategies by his Generals. Furthermore a country of 60 million people can not wage successfully a long war against the rest of the world.