p As the Nazi rulers of Germany prepared for war, their appetites were growing. Having strengthened the Reich’s Western frontiers by the occupation of the demilitarised Rhineland and taking advantage of the overall exacerbation of the international situation, the Nazis were gradually getting down to carrying through their aggressive designs in Central and Eastern Europe. Their first object was to take hold of Austria.

p The Soviet Union proceeded from the assumption that to preserve Austria’s independence was an important matter of principle for the maintenance of peace in Europe. The annexation of Austria would provide Germany with good vantage-ground from which to launch her aggression against Czechoslovakia. The USSR was prepared to co-operate with other nations in the defence of Austria. As early as 1935, Litvinov wrote that the fate of Austria seriously affected the security interests of the Soviet Union. "We cannot be indifferent,” he pointed out, "to any intensification of Nazi Germany whatsoever.” ^^1^^ in February 1936, the Soviet Ambassador in Paris, V. P. Potemkin, reaffirmed in a conversation with the French Foreign Minister, Pierre Flandin, that the USSR was prepared to join other members of the League of Nations in imposing collective sanctions against the aggressor in the event of attack on Austria.^^2^^

p On July 11, 1936, the Nazis forced the Austrian government into an agreement compelling it to concert its foreign policy with Germany. Describing that agreement and its implications for Austria, the Soviet Ambassador in Vienna, I. L. Lorents, wrote in May 1937 that Berlin kept up in its violent and brutal pressure on Austria. "There is a growing realisation here that the agreement of July 11, 1936, 142 in its Berlin interpretation, must be an instrument to mako the Anschlufi with." ^^3^^

p On June 24, 1937, Germany’s War Minister W. Bloniberg endorsed a directive for (lie invasion of Austria codenamed "Operation Otto”. As he set out his foreign policy programme to the top members of the General Staff on November 5, 1937, Hitler emphasised that "there is only one way—the way of violence" to achieve Germany’s aims. The primary task was to capture Austria and Czechoslovakia.” On December 7, 1937, Blomberg signed the plan of preparations for the seizure of Czechoslovakia “(Operation Grim”).

Italy’s accession to the Anti-Comintern Pact in November 1937, the opening of negotiations to transform that pact into a military-political alliance of the three aggressors, and Italy’s withdrawal from the League of Nations a month later all pointed to the growing danger of war.