hitler 's intentions outlined in the hossbach memorandum led to strong protests from the foreign minister , baron konstantin von neurath , the war minister field marshal werner von blomberg , and the army commander general werner von fritsch , that any german aggression in eastern europe was bound to trigger a war with france because of the french alliance system in eastern europe ( the so-called cordon sanitaire ) , and if a franco-german war broke out , then britain was almost certain to intervene rather than risk the chance of a french defeat .