Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - A ranar 30 ga Agusta, 1939, nan da nan kafin barkewar Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu, Hitler ya nada Keitel zuwa Majalisar Ministocin Tsaro ta mutum shida na Reich wanda aka kafa don yin aiki a matsayin "gidan yaki". Bayan da Jamus ta ci Faransa a yakin Faransa a cikin makonni shida, Keitel ya bayyana Hitler a matsayin "babban shugaban yaƙi a kowane lokaci". Keitel ya jagoranci tattaunawar yarjejeniyar zaman lafiya ta Faransa
, kuma a ranar 19 ga Yulin 1940 an daukaka shi zuwa "Generalfeldmarschall" (Field Marshal).