Instructions to the army, navy, and air force commanders, on secret plans to prepare responses to sanctions against Germany, including armed resistance

To A I op 23/35. [in pencil]
Appendix to "The Reich-Minister for Defense No. 7/33 secret Reich Ministry of Defense.
Berlin, 25.10.1935.
Secret 114.
Directive for the Armed Forces in case of Sanctions.
1. The further development of the international situation created by Germany's giving notice of leaving the League of Nations and the Disarmament Conference, can lead to the application of sanction measures against Germany.
It is not known which States will take steps towards sanctions. As long as the Council of the League of Nations does not decide upon joint action, France should first of all be considered. But France can induce Poland, Belgium and Czechoslovakia also to apply sanctions.
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2. The sanctions of the opponents can be of various natures.
The Armed Forces will be immediately and directly affected by such measures as entail a violation of German Territory, particularly, therefore, if the enemy's forces break into, fly over or shell German land areas. The same applies at sea to the 3-miles zone [pencil margin-note—mine-laying] also in case of enemy measures against German naval forces in case of the capture or sinking of German merchant ships, in case of the blockade of the German coast as well as in case of attack on German coastal fortifications or places.
First of all an occupation of German territory is to be reckoned with.
3. The Government of the Reich is determined to reply to all enemy actions as described under figure 2, with a local armed resistance, without regard to the chances of military success. (for restrictions see figure 5. a) to c) ). [Pencil margin note: Resistance.!
This resistance will be made only by the Army, Navy and Air Force and the other forces, which have been expressly described as components of and which are under orders of the Armed Forces. These other forces must comply with the conditions of Article 1.) of the Appendix to the Treaty regarding the laws and usages of land warfare of 18.10.1907.
4. In order to carry out armed resistance, the following emergency, and defensive measures of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, are visualized: a. Systematic formation of the A-Army [A-Heeres]. The whole. Provincial and/or Emergency Police Force of the states [Laender] is, as a fighting body, at the disposal of the Chief of the Army High Command and under his orders. Defence-District-Command I (Wehrkr.Kdo.I) has at its disposal the East Prussian Provincial Police Force.
b. Systematic formation of the V-Navy [V-Marine] and its further reinforcement as material and personnel possibilities permit.
c. Systematic formation of the A-Air Force [A-Luftwaffe] including the passive air defence of the Reich. The air-forces
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planned for co-operation with the Army and the Navy, as soon as ready, will be placed under the orders of the Commander in Chief of the Army or Navy. The field passive air defense troops [Feldluftschutz-truppen] planned for the Army will be available at first for .the passive air defence of the Reich. I reserve for myself the time of placing them under the orders of the Chief of the Army Command.
5. The following tasks of the armed resistance to be offered are to be envisaged first, a. on land: The ensuring of the positioning of the A-Army against France-Belgium, against Poland and Czechoslovakia together with the Frontier Guards (the reinforced Frontier Guard—Survey Service included) and the Provincial and/or Emergency Police Force. In the West the line Roer-Rhine and the Black Forest, in the East of the Reich the position Hotzenplotz-Oder-Nischlitz-Obra and Pomerania must be held as long as possible. In the struggle against Czechoslovakia ground may be given only yard by yard. As far as East Prussia is concerned the present regulations remain in force. A concentration of forces of the Army in the demilitarized zone or their entry into the same requires my consent.
b. At sea: Protection of commerce in the North and Baltic seas. Securing of communication with East Prussia. Defence against enemy attacks launched from the sea and from the air against the German Coast. I reserve for myself the approval of all enterprises which have not the character of armed resistance (pencil note: see para 2) such as attacks against Gdingen, mining operations which exceed local or tactical purposes, as well as of countermeasures against an enemy blackade (marginal note in pencil; as long as the blockade has nothing to do with para. 2 or 3) and the opening of warfare against merchant and naval shipping.
c. in the Air: Defense of the air over Berlin and over the industrial part of central Germany, with Berlin as the center of gravity.
The employment of Bombers remains reserved.
I reserve for myself the approval of declaration of restricted areas for civil aviation.
signed.
Blomberg.
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