I ought to have seized the initiative in 1938 instead of allowing myself to be forced into war in 1939; for war was, in any case, unavoidable. However, you can hardly blame me if the British and the French accepted at Munich every demand I made of them! (14th February 1945)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Hitler regrets not starting war earlier in 1938. He blames the British and French for accepting his demands at Munich, which delayed the inevitable conflict.
- In plain terms
- He thinks he should have started the war in 1938 instead of waiting.
- What can you take from it?
- He views peace talks as unnecessary delays.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Was war truly inevitable in 1939?
- How did diplomacy fail here?
Another view
His view assumes war was inevitable regardless of diplomacy.
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