Wolf’s lair meeting May 4th
Present were Hitler, Himmler, Göring, Goebbels, Karl Donitz, Martin Bormann, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Wilhelm Keitel, Field Marshal von Kleist, Field Marshal von Kluge, Field Marshal List, Rommel, Field Marshall von Witzleben,and Field Marshall Von Rundstedt.
Hitler again stated that "Jewish Bolshevism" was the main threat to Germany. Rundstedt, like most German officers, questioned the viability of deploying the majority of their forces to the eastern-front, while Britain was still undefeated. Things were ok in North Africa until Operation Gymnast when Rommel was forced to fight a two front war.
Ribbentrop, ever the Nazi, pointed out that Africa was lost, not due to the two fronts, but because of the Italians whom the Africa Korps was sent to support. He claimed that Italians were a hybrid of races, including black African races. Due to the darker complexion of Mediterranean peoples, Hitler agreed and regarded the Italians of having traces of Negroid blood and therefore did not have strong Nordic Aryan heritage and were thus inferior to those that had stronger Nordic heritage.
Hitler added the role of Germanic influence in Northern Italy, such as stating that the art of Northern Italy was nothing but pure German, and will be annexed into the Reich.
Ribbentrop stated that Gymnast only succeeded as the landings were unopposed. Sealion was cancelled because it was impossible to cross the channel and landing on well prepared defences. Work was progressing according to plans on the Atlantic Wall.
Rommel remained convinced that US forces posed little threat, while the British and Commonwealth troops were his equal.
Hitler again reiterated that he looked forward to the eventual day when "England and Germany march together against America" and that it was "not impossible" for Britain to still quit the war and join the Axis side.
Göring reminded the High Command Japan was a "Far East Italy" (referring to the fact that during World War I Italy had broken its alliance and declared war against Germany), and Germany should never trust Japan. China could be a mighty power in the future and Germany recommit China as friend. Hitler also said he admired Chiang Kai-Shek because he had built a powerful centralised government as advised by Von Seeckt the Chinese military were now uniformly trained and consolidated under Chiang's command, and that the entire military system must be subordinated into a centralised hierarchy. The defeat of the Japanese expedition into the Indian Ocean and the advance of the British and Chinese in Burma was well noted. Chinese troops were trained by Von Falkenhausen modelled on the Wehrmacht, and this was the cause of their recent victories.
With the destruction of the Soviet Union and the Bolsheviks, goods could be transported overland between the two countries.
In reality this would cause several diplomatic problems, but the room was filled with ‘nodding horses’ so no objections or alternative proposals were raised.