ISSUES....
Inside,
confidential, off the record
The
German Octopus
A
Book Review
"The
future is unknowable" is a favorite saying of those appeasers,
mainly
at the State Department, who disparage fears of Iran and the Iran-Germany
Axis, and who block US moves against the 21st century Nazis, centered
in
Iran. This book, "The German Octopus, Hitler Bids for World
Power" - written
by Henry C. Wolfe in 1938 - should be required reading at State.
With an eerie
precision, when examined with today's knowledge of what
actually happened during this period, Wolfe looked beyond the
headlines and
foretold the fate of Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland. With
an insider's
perspective, based on years of travel in Europe, Wolfe lays out
in great
detail the German strategy for dominating the Balkans and Central
Europe.
Hitler's armed forces were soon to enter all the countries described
in
Wolfe's book. Of all the pre- WW II assessments, Wolfe's book
stands out
for the acccuracy and wide scope of its coverage.
To quote from
the book's forward by John Chamberlain: "Mr. Wolfe has not
written just another book on Hitler; we have enough of them already.
A
long-time student of Central Europe, he has pioneered in a different
direction and has brought back the first full-length study of
the effect on
the Baltic States, the Danube countries, the Balkans, and the
Near East of a
Germany dedicated once more to the Drang Noch Osten, or push to
the east.
His book is news, big news."
Wolfe also
analyzes the outstanding Nazi success in bringing under state
control all forms of what is called today "soft" power
(trade, cultural
ties, information warfare) with "hard" power (military
foce) in the service
of German hegemony. This book is highly relevant today because
Iran is
traveling down Germany's path, using Germany's methods, in the
Middle East,
Persian Gulf and Central Asian regions. An "Iranian Octopus"
has emerged,
fueled by the same apocalyptic visions and fears that drove Nazi
Germany in
the pre-WW II period, and directed at establishing Iran as one
of the
world's great powers.
What were
Wolfe's predictions for Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland? Wolfe
predicted early German annexation for Austria, with virtually
no Austrian
resistance. This prediction came when Mussolini was still defending
Austria
from Hitler, and most observers believe Austria, backed by Italy,
would not
go under without a fight. Wolfe next predicted the quick breakup
of
Czechoslovakia. His book appeared long before the Munich summit
between
Chamberlain and Hitler that partitioned Czechoslovakia. His chapter
title
for dealing with this issue was "Czechoslovakia, Hitler's
Next Prey."
Poland has
the saddest story. Long considered to be in the front ranks of
European diplomacy, unlike Austria and Czechoslovakia, Poland
fell into a
trap of its own making, as predicted by Wolfe. He said Poland
would be
crushed between Germany and the Soviet Union unless it found a
way to make
common cause with Stalin. Poland failed to reach out to Stalin,
and the
rest, as they say, is history.
The point
of Wolfe's book today is to establish that it is possible and
necessary to assess scenarios for Iran's domination of its neighbors
and
adjacent regions. His message is, do not fail to take messianic
dictators at
their word. They will do what they say they will do, and then
some.
Wolfe's second message is that the future is knowable from the
present,
based a knowledge of the past. In short, for those who want to
stop Iran,
this book is essential reading. Hitler is not dead, he is just
resting.
The German Octopus, Henry C. Wolfe, Doubleday, Doran and Company.
Garden
City, New York, 1938.
ISSUES....
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