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Hitler on peace From Adolf Hitler, The Speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922-August 1939. London: Oxford University Press, 1942. 2 February 1933: Any one like myself who knows what war is is aware of what a squandering of effort, or rather consumption of strength, is involved. (p. 1003) 23 March 1933: The German nation wishes to live in peace with the rest of the world. (pp. 1016-17) 17 May 1933: It is, however, in the interests of all that present-day problems should be solved in a reasonable and final manner. No new European war could improve the unsatisfactory conditions of the present day. On the contrary, the application of violence of any kind in Europe could have no favourable effect upon the political or economic position which exists to-day. Even the ultimate effect would be to increase the disturbance of European equilibrium and thus, in one manner or another, to sow the seed of further conflicts and complications. The result would be fresh wars, fresh uncertainty, and fresh economic distress. The outbreak of such infinite madness, however, would necessarily cause the collapse of the present social and political order. A Europe sinking into Communistic chaos would bring about a crisis, the extent and duration of which could not be foreseen. It is the earnest desire of the National Government of the German Reich to prevent such a disturbing development by means of its honest and active co-operation. (p. 1046) 17 May 1933: We therefore have no use for the idea of Germanization. The mentality of the past century which made people believe that they could make Germans out of Poles and Frenchmen is completely foreign to us; (p. 1047) 17 May 1933: Germany is at all times prepared to renounce offensive weapons if the rest of the world does the same, Germany is prepared to agree to any solemn pact of non-aggression because she does not think of attacking but only of acquiring security. (p. 1056) 17 May 1933: The German Government wishes to come to a peaceful agreement with other nations on all difficult questions. They know that in any military action in Europe, even if completely successful, the sacrifice would be out of all proportion to any possible gains. (pp. 1056-1057) 27 May 1933: We want no war waged only with the object of bringing over perhaps some millions of folk to Germany who have no wish whatever to be Germans and who cannot be Germans. We shall never attempt to subject folk who in their hearts only hate us at the price of sacrificing on the field of battle millions of those who are dear to us and whom we love. (p. 1061)