Kill Hitler: Operation Valkyrie 1944 (Raid)
Neil Short
Language: English
Pages: 80
ISBN: 1780962584
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
At the end of 1943 the SS and the Gestapo arrested several prominent Germans involved in plotting to overthrow Adolf Hitler, including Dietrich Bonhoffer, Klaus Bonhoffer, Josef Muller and Hans Dohnanyi. Others under suspicion, such as Wilhelm Canaris and Hans Oster, were dismissed from office in January 1944. Major Claus von Stauffenberg emerged as a leader of the group of German Army officers opposed to Nazi rule, and began to plan for the assassination of Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler, and for a takeover by the Army. Once these three prominent Nazis had been killed, the plan called for troops in Berlin and other major German-controlled areas, commanded by his co-conspirators, to seize key government buildings, telephone and signal centres and radio stations. At least six attempts were aborted before von Stauffenberg decided on trying again during a conference attended by Hitler on 20 July 1944. It was decided to abandon the plans to kill Goering and Himmler at the same time, and to focus solely on removing the Führer. Von Stauffenberg carried the bomb in a briefcase and placed it on the floor beside Hitler before excusing himself to make a phone call. The bomb exploded killing four men in the hut. Hitler was injured but survived the bomb blast. The plan that called for Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Erich Fromm to take control of the German Army and declare martial law was abandoned when it became known that Hitler had survived the assassination attempt. In an attempt to protect himself, Fromm organized the execution of Claus von Stauffenberg and two other conspirators, Friedrich Olbricht and Werner von Haeften, in the courtyard of the War Ministry. It was later reported that von Stauffenberg died shouting "Long live free Germany". As a result of the 20 July Plot, the new chief of staff, Heinz Guderian, demanded the resignation of any officer who did not fully support the ideals of the Nazi Party and presided over the Army Court of Honour that expelled hundreds of officers suspected of being opposed to the policies of Adolf Hitler. This removed them from military jurisdiction and left them to be sentenced by Roland Freisler and his fanatically pro-Nazi People's Court. Over the next few months most of the group including Wilhelm Canaris, Carl Goerdeler, Julius Leber, Ulrich Hassell, Hans Oster, Peter von Wartenburg, Henning von Tresckow, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Erich Fromm were either executed or committed suicide. It is estimated that nearly 5,000 Germans were executed as a result of the events of the July Plot. Hitler ordered that the leaders should have a slow death. They were hung from meathooks with piano wire, and their executions were filmed and later shown to senior members of both the NSDAP and the armed forces.
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life. The exchanges became increasingly heated as Grossadmiral Dönitz and Joachim von Ribbentrop, the foreign minister, criticized the generals for their betrayal. Hitler sat quietly for the most part, but at one point mention was made of the Röhm plot of 30 June 1934. At this, Hitler sprang to life and threatened vengeance on the traitors. His diatribe lasted a full 30 minutes, before he settled back in his seat. The silence was filled by his cohorts, who pledged allegiance to Hitler in
Führer’s survival. At 2200hrs Stieff called to say orders from Berlin were to be ignored. When Burgdorf called, Bork explained that orders had been received but had not been actioned, thanks to Stieff. 46 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com The Raid 0 0 Frontier of German Reich 1942 Front line, 20 July 1944 Felsennest Wolfsschanze 200 300 250 miles 400km German occupied, 20 July 1944 B 150 A 200 Wolfsschlucht I 100 C 100 50 BRITAIN LONDON North Sea NETHERLANDS 10
Generalfeldmarschall von Witzleben had established himself at Zossen ready to take up his new role as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. However, it soon became clear that all was not going well in the attempt to wrest power from the Nazis. Wagner was now aware that Hitler was still alive and briefed Witzleben accordingly. Dismayed, Witzleben now travelled back to the Bendlerblock, arriving at about 2000hrs. He discussed the unfolding events with Beck and then Stauffenberg was called in to
Thüngen and Herfurth considered what to do next. At about 2000hrs Hase also arrived. He phoned Olbricht, who insisted that Thüngen act, but he was reluctant to and, after speaking to Generalleutnant Burgdorf, Thüngen addressed his staff and directed that orders from the Bendlerblock were to be ignored. Soon after he started to cancel the orders he had issued earlier and at 2230hrs Thüngen left the headquarters and did not return. Hase returned to his office on the Unter den Linden just after
Generalfeldmarschall, Wilhelm Keitel appointed as OKW chief of staff. The army, though, still had a powerful voice, and Beck continued to press Fritsch’s replacement, Generalfeldmarschall Walther von Brauchitsch, to act. Though sympathetic, Brauchitsch did nothing to influence Hitler and, with the Western powers seemingly unwilling to take action, Beck resigned in 8 NOVEMBER 1939 Johann Georg Elser’s attempt to kill Hitler at the Munich Beer Hall fails 19 DECEMBER 1941 Hitler becomes
