36 J.-A. PEMBERTON
Philip Kerr, the 11th Marquess of Lothian, not long after Toynbee’s
return from Germany. Among others, the party included Lord Lothian,
Norman H. Davis and Mrs. (McPherson Paschall) Davis, Lord (Waldorf)
Astor and Lady (Nancy) Astor, Sir Walter and Lady (Eleanor) Layton
and Toynbee himself. In a letter dated March 8 which commenced with
the observation that at Blickling Hall Hitler ‘holds the stage and it’s
a long way to Abyssinia’ and which noted that ‘Layton and Astor are
more pro-French than the rest of us,’ Jones recorded that he had gone
for walk that morning with Toynbee while most of the others went to
play golf. Having noted that Toynbee had recently had an interview
with Hitler lasting one and three-quarter hours, Jones pointed out that
Toynbee had told him that he was ‘convinced’ of Hitler’s ‘sincerity in
wanting peace in Europe and close friendship with England, regarding
France as something rather secondary, and opposition to Bolshevism as a
role he must play for domestic Nazi consumption if for no other reason.’
Jones stated in his letter that on hearing this he had asked Toynbee to
write down his ‘impressions’ and had told him that he would have them
typed immediately and would ‘hand them to S.B. [Stanley Baldwin] and
Eden first thing in the morning.’^117
In the memorandum that he prepared in response to Jones’s request,
Toynbee stated that his overall ‘impression’ was that Hitler had become
sensitive to the ‘danger’ of Germany becoming embroiled in a mili-
tary conflict with Russia should the German leader continue in his role
as ‘champion against Bolshevism’.^118 In order to avoid such a con-
flict, Toynbee stated, Hitler was anxious to adopt a new role. Toynbee
explained this role as follows:
[H]e is eager...to appear as ‘the good European’ and ‘the associate of
England’—allowing his anti-Russian role to fall into the background. This
would be an alternative way, for him, of getting the prestige and justifica-
tion on the home front that he simply must have, in some form or another.
If he can get it in a way that might lead to peace instead of war, I believe
he would be vastly relieved. I therefore believe that any response from the
English side...would produce an enormous counter-response from Hitler.^119(^117) Thomas Jones, A Diary and Letters 1931– 1950 (London: Oxford University Press,
1954), 179–81.
(^118) Toynbee, 1936, quoted in McNeill, Arnold J. Toynbee: A Life, 173.
(^119) Ibid.