KEITEL'S WAR PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 7

KEITEL'S WAR PLAN.

FOUR-WAY ATTACK. OVERRUN LOW COUNTRIES. PUPIL OF VON SCHROEDER. I have just had an opportunity of discussing' without reserve the mentality and development of General Keitel, the 'German Army Chief of Staff, reported the Brussels correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph" last month. My , informant was a lieutenant-peneral. ' recently retired, who has known him ' since he was an army captain, and has : watched liis rise to a supreme post. ' "The staff of tin. German Army," said the lieutenant-geiierc.l, "lias always -been .against the violation of Holland amll Belgium since the failure of ]!114. Von Moltke, before August, 15)1 J, opposed the [violation of Holland because he said that jcountry must remain like a German lung, open to the outside world.' From 191!) till 183S the German stall openly [recognised that the violation of Belgium in 1!)14 was the blunder which caused' Germany's defeat. "That opinion is not shared by General Keitel. To understand his views one must know his career and development as I know it. "Keitel does r.ot belong to'the Prussian military caste. He is much closer to the mentality of Hitler than any ' other German general, Militarily he is a pu[ti 1 of Admiral von Sclirocder, Com-mander-in-Chief in Flanders and alon" the Belgian coast in the last war. ° ' "Von Sclirocder thoroughly deserved his nickname of 'Lion of Flanders,' con -! forred by the German ollicers and soldiers. He terrified his staff, threater-lj ing to put in prison or to execute officers , who did not succeed in performing the i orders he gave, especially when 'thoseL orders were intended to counteract l British enterprise. "It must not be forgotten," said the lieutenant-general, "that yon Schroeder'c had in Flanders the command of t!>c ? ,Marine Corps acting as infantry, theli;

group of submarines and torpedo-boats, • and also the aircraft stationed along the coast. The only stall officer he could tolerate was Keitel, who was always ready sincerely to espouse his chief's views. "Keitel is the direct heir of the doctrines and hatreds of von Seliroeder. Ilia earnest desire is to wage war on Britain at the same tiuic on land, on sea, under sea, and in the air, which is only possible , from the river deltas of the Netherlands and the sandy coast of Flanders. "Keitel," concluded by informant, "will f never advise Hitler against passing through Holland and Belgium to strike 0 at lira lice on the weakest points of her defensive system of fortifications."