XIV: The Shadow of Dictatorship Begins to Darken the American Landscape
a. European Statesmen Fumble for a Peace Formula
WHEN it became apparent to British and French statesmen that President Roosevelt would make no effort to point a path to peace they merely continued their policy of drifting towards the rim of the abyss.
XV: Britain Blocks an Effort of Roosevelt to Find a Path to Peace
WHILE Ambassador Dieckhoff was trying to convince the German Foreign Office that Roosevelt’s quarantine speech of October 5, 1937, was aimed at Japan and not at Germany, Secretary Ickes was striving desperately to prove to suspicious Nazis that America was definitely hostile to the Hitler regime.
XVI: Hitler Takes over Austria as a Long-Delayed Step towards Anschluss
THE PLANS of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Chamberlain for effecting some sort of agreement with Chancellor Hitler were merely expressions of wishful thinking. The Chancellor had plans of his own which partial appeasement would not satisfy.
XVII: President Beneš Postpones Too Long a Policy of Appeasement
a. Czechoslovakia Precipitates the May Crisis
HITLER’S absorption of Austria made a fundamental change in British and French plans to appease Germany by restoring some of the colonial domain that had been taken away from her by the Treaty of Versailles. France had long been favorable to the return of some of the German colonies as one means of satisfying the demands of the Nazi Government for Lebensraum.
XVIII: Munich: Prelude to Prague
a. President Roosevelt Extends Monroe Doctrine
AS TENSION developed in Europe over the problem of the Sudeten Germans, President Roosevelt became deeply concerned over the possible outbreak of war. In January 1938 he had vainly endeavored to secure British support of a plan for world peace, but Prime Minister Chamberlain had rejected this appeal on the ground that it might adversely affect his efforts to conciliate Italy and thus dislodge the uneasy Duce from the eager arms of Hitler.
XIX: Hitler Takes Czechoslovakia under Protective Custody
THE AGREEMENT at Munich made provision for an international commission that was to fix the new boundaries of Czechoslovakia.
XX: Russia Instigates War in the Far East; Roosevelt Blames Japan
DURING THE long months that Hitler devoted to redrawing the frontier lines in Europe, Joseph Stalin was preparing to change the map of the Far East. Chiang Kai-shek, as his chief cartographer, would unwittingly splash Red across the chart of eastern Asia all the way from Outer Mongolia to Mukden and then draw back in sudden alarm at the implications of his handiwork.
XXI: Japan Proposes a Joint Search for World Peace but Hull Declines
a. Germany Views with Evident Dissatisfaction the Outbreak of War between China and Japan
THE OUTBREAK of war between China and Japan aroused the deep concern of all the Western powers that had financial interests in the Far East. Even Germany, whose sphere of influence in Shantung Province had been lost as a result of the World War, took an active interest in the undeclared war in China.
XXII: Europe Moves towards War
WITH RUSSIA pushing China into conflict in the Far East it was soon evident to some observers that no armistice was in sight. If Chiang Kai-shek grew tired of pulling hot Soviet chestnuts out of the fires of war he would at once be smeared as a traitor to Chinese unity and communist agents throughout eastern Asia would clamor for his exile or execution. Peace would have to bear a communist tag.
XXIII: Stalin Lights the Fuse to World War II
a. Britain Is Reluctant to Regard Russia as an Ally
BEFORE THE PAPAL interlude in favor of world peace had even been set in motion, Russia had already made her first overtures to Germany for an accord.
