Messersmith, G.S.
Date
2011-06-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Abstract
Description
In spring of 1937 returned with wife to U.S. for holiday; stopped for a few days in Berlin; talked with Gen. [Werner] von Fritsch, who was discouraged; he said in spite of efforts to prevent it, Nazi elements had infiltrated army and were spreading propaganda; top army officials had been opposed to move across Rhine, certain they would meet resistance from British and French, but when they didn't, even some of the generals were won over to Hitler; went to party given by Bella Fromm, journalist, whose husband was army officer; met there 40 or 50 younger officers; to a man they thought Germany was being menaced from all sides, and that the attack was imminent; they spoke of Austria as being pro-Nazi and said it should be annexed to Germany at once because Austrian people wanted it; tried to give them the facts, but made no impression, they had been so thoroughly indoctrinated; at Sir Walford Selby's request, called on British Ambassador Sir Nevile Henderson; he proceeded to deliver lecture on greatness of Germany and how she had to be allowed to expand to Southeast; then he said that Selby and Messersmith were sending out inaccurate reports to their governments; Messersmith replied that he reported the facts as he found them and that it was no concern of Henderson's anyway; at request of President Roosevelt, stopped in London for talks with Lord [Waldorf] Astor, chief owner of London Times and Geoffrey Dawson, editor of the Times; got almost the same lecture from Astor that Henderson delivered in Berlin, except that it was given more courteously; Geoffrey Dawson called at hotel for talk; he had been fine editor and should be responsible for editorial policy of paper; told him one of the ablest correspondents in Germany, Norman Ebbutt, was now in South of France with nervous breakdown, no doubt brought on by what the London Times was doing to articles he sent in; Dawson confessed that he was not responsible for editorial policy, but was only doing as he was told by the owners; he seemed greatly distressed; Harold J. Laski arranged dinner for Messersmith to meet some of the men in the government; present were [Clement R.] Attlee, [Herbert Stanley] Morrison, Ernest Bevin, and Sir Stafford Cripps among others, all members of Labor Party; they asked searching and intelligent questions about Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia; tried to give them information they wanted.
Keywords
Messersmith, George S. (George Strausser), 1883-1960.