League of Nations resolves to do nothing much

The League of Nations met during a special session from May 21-22 to discuss the Abyssinian Crisis. Though much was said, nothing is being done.

At this time, the League has resolved to meet if no fifth arbitrator has been selected by June 25, or if a settlement was not reached by August 25. They can offer little hope to Abyssinia which finds itself with a knife to its throat.

Great Britain accepts Hitler ovetures

After Hitler's speech in Berlin yesterday, the British cabinet met today and voted to formally take up Hitler on his offer. Advice had come from Sir Eric Phipps, the British Ambassador to Germany, that no chance at a naval agreement with Germany should be lost “owing to French shortsightedness”. In addition, Admiral Chatfield also informed the cabinet that they should not oppose Hitler's offer but what the reactions of the French will be to it are more uncertain and its reaction on our own battleship replacement still more so."

The two countries will meet in the coming days to negotiate the details of an agreement between the two nations. It is unknown if Great Britain has had any communications with Italy or France regarding this new development.

Hitler defines German Naval future

Chancellor Hitler, in a speech in Berlin today, made overtures toward discussing German militarization with Great Britain. He said "The German Reich government recognizes of itself the overwhelming importance for existence and thereby the justification of dominance at sea to protect the British Empire, just as, on the other hand, we are determined to do everything necessary in protection of our own continental existence and freedom".

In the speech he also noted that Germany has no intentions of returning to the Naval Arms Race that dominated the Atlantic ocean in the years proceeding 1914 and the outbreak of the Great War. The speech carried an air of quid pro quo. The Germans would like to assume a superiority of the continental Europe while offering their respect of Great Britain's mastery of the seas.

Abyssinian protests

Though it seemed the crisis was subduing, the Italians are unwilling to stop the military buildup in their colonies bordering the Empire of Abyssinia. Abyssinia is protesting the buildup considering the mixed message it sends.

Simon visits Hitler

Sir John Simon, the British Foreign Secretary, is in Germany today to speak with Chacellor Hitler of that country's efforts to re-arm. Though this is a violation of the Treaty of Versailles, there seems to be room for diplomatic wrangling.

Recently, Hitler has declared that all articles in the Treaty of Versailles relating to Germany's militarization have been rejected. As a completely new government than the one that signed the Treaty, this is possible. However, it is quite unusual.

Italians yield

After three and half months of appeals by the Abyssinian Empire to the League of Nations, something has finally happened. Italy has finally yielded to the League of Nations on arbitration of the Walwal Incident that occurred December 5th.

Abyssinia makes another appeal

The Abyssinian Crisis continues. On February 23rd, the Italians began to increase the troop level in the neighboring colonies of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. With little international protest to these actions, Mussolini continued undeterred.

On March 8, Abyssinia again requests arbitration and notes Italian military build-up that no one seems to care about.

On March 13, Italy and Abyssinia agree on a neutral zone in the Ogaden. Yesterday, Abyssinia again appealed to the League due to continued Italian build-up that shows no sign of decreasing.

Germany violates Treaty of Versailles

In clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany's Chancellor Adolf Hitler has ordered the rearmament of Germany. Germany was limited to only 100,000 men in its armed forces with even fewer arms. Military Conscription was also reintroduced to facilitate a better military.

Germany's Air Force

Yesterday, Germany announced the existence of the Luftwaffe. Unofficially, this has been known since February 26th.

In clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the government of Germany has been producing planes for two years. There has been no reaction from Great Britain or France.

At this time, Great War Ace Pilot and President Hermann Göring is the Minister and Oberbefehlshaber of the Luftwaffe.

Abyssinia makes second appeal

The Government of Abyssinia makes a second appeal to the League of Nations for arbitration in the Walwal incident. This was a skirmish between Abyssinian and Italian troops in Abyssinian territory that took place on December 5th.

The League of Nations has done nothing at this point prompting the Abyssinians to ask again for arbitration.

Saarland back in German hands

Today, Germany has gained more land. The Saarland voted on January 13th to rejoin Germany and today it has happened. The French have ended their control of the region and it has now been taken by Germany.

Joseph Bürckel has been appointed the Reichkommissar für die Rückgliederung des Saarlandes. His title translates as "Imperial Commissioner for the re-union of Saarland".

Saarland plebiscite approved

The League Council, a committee within the League of Nations, has voted today to approve the recent plebiscite that occurred in the Saarland.

The people of the Saarland voted overwhelmingly to reunite with Germany and end the mandate. The French government will no longer administer to the region.

Saarland votes to rejoin Germany

By an overwhelming majority, the people of the Saarland have voted to rejoin Germany. The exact percentage of votes for the measure was 90.73%. This is roughly the same as the population of ethnic Germans residing in the area.

Among the other options on the referendum, 8.86% voted to retain the status quo. A third option of joining France received a paltry 0.41% of the vote.

Besides the Nazi involvement with opinion leading up to the vote, the Catholic Church also supported rejoining Germany. There has also been concern with Bolshevism.

Shortly after the vote was tallied, Hitler announced that Germany "had no further territorial demands to make of France."

The French administration will be withdrawing from the region as soon as possible.

Plebiscite in the Saarland today

The Saarland, in Southwest Germany, has been occupied by the French since 1920. This is a 15-year mandate, part of the Treaty of Versailles.

Despite the French Occupation, the area is highly populated by ethnic Germans. In the past two years, the local anti-Nazi political organizations have either fled or dissolved. Many that oppose the Nazis would like to see the Saarland remain under French administration.

But it will be up to the people of the Saarland. They can vote today for their future.

Franco-Italian Agreement

The French Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierra Laval sat down with Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, to hash out an agreement involving Abyssinia. Largely this was to to gain Italy as an ally in the chance that Germany might attack France in the future.

Italy gained parts of the French Somaliland and changed the official status of Italians living in Tunisia. On top of this, the French are giving the Italians a free hand in dealing with Abyssinia. In exchange, France is looking for support if Germany ever turns agressive to them.

Abyssinia appeals to League of Nations

In an effort to rectify problems with Italy that have risen in the past month, Abyssinia has made an appeal to the League of Nations. Emperor Selassie made a personal appeal to arbitrate between Abyssinia and Italy.

Italy Abyssinian relations get heated

Six days ago on December 5th, there was a skirmish at Walwal between between Abyssinian troops and Somali troops in service to Italy. The reasons for Italy's alleged aggressive activity are unknown. However, Italy claims that the Abyssinians were armed with machine guns. The Abyssinians claim that the Italians had two tanks and three aircraft. They also claim that the Italians attacked them.

The ratio of casualties was 3:1 with 150 Abyssinians and 50 Italians dead.

On December 6th, the Emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie, protested against aggression that occurred at the border town of Walwal the day before.

Italy demanded an apology two days later. Furthermore, today, the Italians demanded financial and strategic compensation.

Hindenburg's Funeral

President Paul von Hindenburg was honored with an elaborate state funeral today. Last night, his casket was brought to the site in a torch lit parade.

He was laid to rest at Tannenberg, Prussia. His wife Gertrud, who passed away in the 1920's, is buried in Hanover.

Hitler has made himself both Chancellor and President 6 days ago. His new title is Der Führer.

New Laws in Germany

Immediately after the death of President Hindenburg, new laws which took effect with his passing were announced. The edict states:

The Reich Government has enacted the following law which is hereby promulgated.
Section 1. The office of Reich President will be combined with that of Reich Chancellor. The existing authority of the Reich President will consequently be transferred to the Führer and Reich Chancellor, Adolf Hitler. He will select his deputy.
Section 2. This law is effective as of the time of the death of Reich President von Hindenburg.

The same day, members of the Heer, the German Army, were required to take an oath of allegiance to Hitler himself, not the German state or an office. The oath reads:

"I swear by God this sacred oath: I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and will be ready as a brave soldier to risk my life at any time for this oath."

It is unclear of the constitutionality of the laws at this time. Hindenburg's state funeral is set for August 7th.

President Hindenburg Dead

President Paul von Hindenburg, 86, died today at approximately 9 AM local time, in Neudeck, East Prussia, of Lung Cancer. Herr Hindenberg served as President since 1925. He named no successor. Currently, Adolf Hitler is the Chancellor.

Hindenburg was born in Posen, Prussia, on October 2, 1847. His lineage was that of an aristocrat. In fact, his full name, not often used in public, is Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg. He was a direct descendant of Religious leader Martin Luther.

Hindenburg fought in the Army during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. He was present in Versailles when the German Empire was formally proclaimed on January 18th, 1871. He also served in the Honor Guard in the Military Funeral of Emperor William I in 1888.

He was General of the Infantry and retired from the Army in 1910 only to be recalled in 1914 with the outbreak of the Great War.

Though Hindenburg was a noted monarchist all his life, he and a staff member Wilhelm Groener, persuaded Kaiser Wilhelm II to abdicate for the greater good of Germany. This was an episode of Hindenburg's life that brought him considerable guilt and embarrassment.

From his Army career, he was decorated with some of the highest medals available in the Wehrmacht notably the Iron Cross, the Military Order of Max Joseph, the Order of the Black Eagle and the Pour le Mérite, a Prussian decoration nicknamed the Blue Max and dating to 1740.

Hindenburg became President on May 12, 1925 and took his oath to the Weimar Constitution seriously. He was known for the dignity and decorum he brought to the office. He kept himself above the sniping German politics of the era and seemed to operate more as a constitutional monarch then an elected official. In fact, he was nicknamed the Ersatzkaiser, or Substitute Kaiser.

He won re-election in 1932 though by then was in poor health and of considerable age. After that, he dissolved Parliament twice as politics flared. The new National Socialist Party, or Nazi, had received an enormous amount of the vote. After the Machtergreifung in early 1933, the Reichstag was burned possibly by Communist Party members. Hindenburg signed the Reichstagsbrandverordnung, or the Reichstag Fire Decree, on February 28th. This suspended civil liberties such as that of the Press, Assembly ant Communication Rights.

Hindenburg was a family man. He married Gertrud von Sperling, also an aristocrat, who preceded him in death. From the union there were three children, duaghters Irmengard Pauline and Annemaria and one son Oskar.