Operation Otto: the invasion of Austria, March 1938
Operation Otto: the invasion of Austria, March 1938
Source: J. Noakes & G. Pridham, Documents on Nazism 1919-1945, (London, 1974), pp.535-536.
TOP SECRET 1. If other measures prove unsuccessful, I intend to invade Austria with armed forces to establish constitutional conditions and to prevent further outrages against the pro-German population. 2. The whole operation will be directed by myself... 5. The behaviour of the troops must give the impression that we do not want to wage war against our Austrian brothers. It is in our interest that the whole operation shall be carried out without violence but in the form of a peaceful entry welcomed by the population. Therefore any provocation is to be avoided. If, however, resistance is offered it must be broken ruthlessly by force of arms. Austrian units who come over to us come immediately under German command. 6. On the remaining German frontiers no security measures are to be taken for the time being.
