[Stamp] Supreme Command of the Navy. AI Op. 121 38 Received 20 XII 38 Enclosures—
TOP SECRET Only through officers (Written by Officer)
' BERLIN, 17.12.38
OBERKOMMANDO DER WEHRMACHT Nr. 248/38 WFA/L
la Top Secret Superior Officers only.
10 Copies 4th Copy
Ref. (Letter of) the Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces OKW No. 236/38 Top Secret S.O. only L. Ia, dated 21/10.38
Reference "Liquidation of the Rest of Czechoslovakia" the Fuehrer has given the following additional order:
The preparations for this eventuality are to continue on the assumption that no resistance worth mentioning is to be expected.
To the outside world too it must clearly appear that it is merely an action of pacification and not a warlike undertaking.
The action must therefore be carried out by the peace time Armed Forces only, without reinforcements from mobilisation. The necessary readiness for action, especially the ensuring that the most necessary supplies are brought up, must be effected by adjustment within the units.
Similarly the units of the Army detailed for the march in must, as a general rule, leave their stations only during the night prior to the crossing of the frontier, and will not previously form up systematically on the frontier. The transport necessary for previous organisation should be limited to the minimum and will be camouflaged as much as possible. Necessary movements if any, of single units and particularly of motorised forces, to the troop-training areas situated near the frontier, must have the approval of the Fuehrer.
The Air Force should take action in accordance with the similar general directives.
950
C-138
C-138
For the same reasons the exercise of executive power by the Supreme Command of the Army is laid down only for the newly occupied territory and only for a short period.
Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
KEITEL.
Distribution: Supreme Command of the Army—1 (Copy 1), Reichminister for Air and C-in-C of the Air Force—1 (Copy 3), Supreme Command of the Navy—1 (Copy 4), OKW—7 (Copies 2, 5—10).
[This copy, which is Copy No. 4, distributed to the Supreme Command of the Navy, is initialed by Frick E, Schniewind and Raeder.]
Instructions for a future occupation of the remaining territory of Czechoslovakia, in a manner suggesting pacification rather than "a warlike undertaking"
Authors
Wilhelm Keitel (Field Marshal, Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces)
Wilhelm Keitel
German field marshal
- Born: 1882-09-22 (Helmscherode) (country: German Empire; located in the administrative territorial entity: Duchy of Brunswick)
- Died: 1946-10-16 (Nuremberg) (country: Allied-occupied Germany)
- Country of citizenship: Germany
- Occupation: military officer; military personnel; politician
- Member of political party: Nazi Party
- Military rank: general field marshal
- Military branch: artillery
- VIAF ID: https://viaf.org/viaf/74027425
Date: 17 December 1938
Literal Title: 2. Corollary to Directive of 21.10.38.
Defendants: Wilhelm Frick, Wilhelm Keitel, Erich Raeder
Total Pages: 2
Language of Text: English
Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)
Evidence Code: C-138
HLSL Item No.: 451824
Notes:Another copy of C 138 was entered as US exhibit 105; this copy was not entered as evidence on the OKW. The planning was initiated by Hitler in October 1938; see document C 136. The translator notes that Frick and Raeder initialled the text.
Trial Issues
Criminal organizations (Gestapo, Leadership Corps, Cabinet, SS, SD, OKW) (… Wars of aggression
Document Summary
C-138: Liquidation of remainder of Czechoslovakia