Word: germanic
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Thrifty Netherlanders own some $6,000,000,000 in gold, foreign exchange, foreign and colonial securities. But wily Dutch bankers have taken such precautions that scarcely a penny of the rich loot could fall into German hands. All but 5% of their gold is deposited in the U. S., England, South Africa...
...Germany rolled in, Premier Hendrikus Colijn decided not to be caught napping. Dutch defense plans are to block invaders by blowing up the dikes and flooding one-third of the country, but this takes time to organize. Queen Wilhelmina ordered border battalions mustered to full strength to forestall possible German seizure of the vital sluice gates. Machine guns were placed along the border and reservists were ordered ready for instant service. Harbors and roads were mined. Amsterdam's great commercial airport was commandeered by the Government and heavy bomb-laden Fokkers waited to take...
Furthermore, to aristocratic Italians, and thus to the "King's party," the alliance with Germany is plainly abhorrent. They dislike the fact that the German Gestapo operates in Italy. They long for the days when Italy followed Britain's lead in international affairs. They are but little impressed by II Duce's imperial ambitions. In a war they would try to keep Italy from becoming the ally of Germany...
...Savoy and the Ciano family. II Duce's favorite daughter, Countess Edda Ciano, does not even rate as a royal lady in waiting, is ignored by Queen Elena. Moreover, it was Count Galeazzo Ciano and the scheming Edda who were personally active in bringing Italy into the German alliance, and who have since been working for a social revolution in Italy along the lines of the Nazi one in Germany. Before Adolf Hitler came into power, Benito Mussolini was willing to let things in Italy go on pretty much as they had always been...
...been to be neither seen nor heard but to be felt. The housewife who puts quilted covers over her telephone for fear the Gestapo can listen in on household conversations even when the receiver catch is down has felt Herr Himmler's not-too-remote presence. The German who uses prearranged codes in letters to his relatives in or out of the country decidedly feels Policeman Himmler's existence. The discontented merchant, the dissident Party member, the persecuted Jew, the defiant churchman, the too-independent Army officer have with good reason dreaded his heavy hand-and often landed...