The only weapon that seemed to offer any chance of success against Germany’s heavily fortified neighbours was the tank. So, in December 1935 Beck added 48 tank battalions to the projected 36 divisions, bringing forward by at least a year the creation of an offensive striking force that had originally been planned for the second phase of rearmament.20 At the same time, the Luftwaffe began its latest phase of multiplication, with an expansion scheduled to raise its strength from 48 squadrons in August 1935 to over 200 by October 1938.21 In March 1936, Hitler accelerated further by authorizing
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