Word: friedrich
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Because of the complicated technological skills involved in developing any modern fighting force, the West would have no choice but to enlist the aid of the Prussian officer corps in the reestablishment of any kind of German force, Friedrich said. It is this elite group, however, more than any other, which was responsible for Hitler. The political effect of putting power into the hands of these men again would far outweigh any purely military advantages of German remilitarization, Friedrich continued...
...Germany, the outcome of such a move would be to undo our post-war policy of impressing on the German population that is was "militarism more than anything else that was the crux of the recent German misfortune," Friedrich argued. In this regard, he added, it is significant that the results of a recent poll showed that the people of western Germany were against the formation of a German army...
Were the authoritarian officer corps to regain ascendency in Germany, Friedrich continued, this group would be put in a unique position of being able to play the East and West off against one another...
Reappearance of German soldiers would have a devastating psychological effect in Europe, especially in France. This is a fact which Russian propagandists would not ignore, Friedrich said. To discuss such an explosive topic as German rearmament now is needlessly risky anyway, because it will be some time before our industrial plant can fill even our own demand for arms, he pointed...
Another compelling argument against German rearmament is that the present constitution of the West German Republic has a section specifically outlawing any form of compulsory military training, Friedrich said. He added that the process of constitutional amendment is slow in Germany and the German people would not now change this part of the Constitution. Nor is there any prospect for raising a sizeable force of volunteers, he claimed...