In May 1936, the German government formally sent invitations to the leaders of the Kingdom of Italy, the Republic of Turkey, the Kingdom of Spain, Romania, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, France, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Portuguese Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Greece, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, inviting them to Berlin for a conference.
Also invited to Berlin were the leaders of Germany's Protectorates. Even where the kings of certain countries had been succeeded by Oscar, their prime ministers still had to go to Berlin for the conference.
With the international situation growing ever more complicated and war seeming ready to erupt at the slightest touch, Germany's grand-scale invitation to so many nations to gather in Berlin placed tremendous pressure on other countries. Germany's enemies in particular feared that Germany would further consolidate the strength of those nations. If that happened, Germany would become even harder to defeat.
However, Germany was clearly too powerful. If Germany wanted to forcibly consolidate those countries, there was nothing they could do. If they stepped forward in opposition, Germany would only strike them first. Germany's military strength remained immensely formidable. Other countries simply had no power to contend with Germany.
The United States and other countries could only call upon Germany, as the world's hegemon, to find a way to ease the current tensions rather than further inflame them. Yet the German government paid no heed whatsoever to the Americans' appeals. Though this enraged the Americans, there was nothing else they could do. After all, Germany was now the world's boss.
After receiving Germany's invitation, the kings, presidents, and prime ministers of those nations all set out for Germany. Although they had no idea why Germany had invited them, since