The first priority of German rearmament was to escape the overwhelming threat posed by France and its Allies, who might intervene at any time. The longer-term objective was ‘possibly the struggle for new export possibilities [i.e. colonies], possibly–and probably better–conquest of new Lebensraum in the East and its ruthless Germanization. Certain that the current economic situation can be changed only with political power and struggle. Everything that can occur now . . . mere makeshift.’5 Less than a week later, on 9 February, whilst chairing the cabinet committee on work creation, Hitler
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