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Hitler cotrrectly judged that after his appointment as Chancellor, that the Reichwehr was the only force in Germany that could prevent him from seizing absolute power. The Whermacht was also in 1944 the only force capable of taking control of Germany from the NAZIs. Wehrmacht officers had perpetrated terrible attrocities. Some were apauled with what the SS abd other security forces were doing. Others were bothered about the Wehrmacht's conduct. Only the impending defeat of Germany, however, brought about an attempted (July 1944). An idealistic young Catholic aristocrat, Colonel Claus von Staufenberg, placed a bomb in the Wolf's Lair. After Hitler was dead, the Hpme Army would seize control of Berlin and then Germany. The idea was to then negotiate a separate peace with the Western Allies. That by 1944 was unrealistic. Some one moved the bomb and Hitler was protected by the thick oak leg of the map table. The failure to kill Hitler and the extensive NAZi penetration of the Wehrmacht led to the coup's failure. The bulk of the Wehrmacht remained loyal to Hitler and the NAZIs. The real loser was the German people. The great bulk of German civilian casualties took place after the failed coup. To form the Honor Court trying the conspirators, Hitler appointed Field Marshal Gerd Von Rundstedt--a Prussian aristocrat who despised Hitler personally.
Hitler cotrrectly judged that after his appointment as Chancellor, that the Reichwehr was the only force in Germany that could prevent him from seizing absolute power. The Whermacht was also in 1944 the only force capable of taking control of Germany from the NAZIs. Some authors suggest that the fact that the plot to assasinate Hitler came from within the Wehrmacht shows the extent to which the barbarities of the NAZIs offended the Christian sensibilities of the Prussian officer corps. It certainly offended some like Col. Stauffenberg. One author writes, "The radicalization of the resiatance was most marked among army officersvwho witnessed such attrocities as the massacre of Jewish communities, and the slaughter of Slav 'sun-humans--both civilians and Soviet prisoners--and who gradually became aware of similar Nazi crimes within Germanybitself, including the euthanasia of the mentally and physically handicapped. Such flagrant trampling on the Christain ethics that had tradutionally underpinned Christian ethics that had tradutiinally underpinned German society profiundly shicked tge Prussian officer corps." [Jones] Just how many is another question. It must remembered that the Wehrmacht itself was deeply implicated in the cries committed in the occupied countries. And at any rate, from an early point, it was only the Wehrmacht that as Hitler correctly assessed, had the capability of seizing power from the NAZIs.
Goebbels after the Soviet Winter Offensive before Moscow (December 1941) becan writing about defeatists within the Wehrmacht. Interestingly he discussed this issue with Abwehr Commander Admiral Canaris. Goebbels did not complain about abti-NAZI setiment or objections to German attricities, but criticism about the War and Germany's ability to in it.
Wehrmacht officers had perpetrated terrible attrocities. Some were apauled with what the SS abd other security forces were doing. Others were bothered about the Wehrmacht's conduct. Only the impending defeat of Germany, however, brought about an attempted (July 1944).
The timing of the July plot has been questioned. Actually there had been earlier attempts that had not succeeded, but were unknow to the NAZis because the actual explosives had not been detonated. It is certianly the case that it was too late to save the vast number of Jews consumed in the Holocaust or Slavs killed in the Soviet Union. It was too lare the save the NAZI regime. The Allies had landed in Normandy and were in the process od of destroying the German forces in France. The Red Army was in the process if destroying the Wehrmachts largest remaining formation--Army Group Central. What had not yet taken place, however, was the destruction og German cities. The Allied bombers had damaged a number of cities, but it was not unttil Eisenhiwer released the 8th Air Firce and Bomber Command (September 1944) that the devestation of German cities went forward. And they would proceed to relentlessly pound the cities of the Reich. The ploters had various goals in mind. Some still thought that a Soviet occipation could be avoided. Many hoped to avoid the whole-scale destruction of Germany which was yet to occur.
Claus von Stauffenberg was born in Jettingen (1907). He had twin older brothers (Berthold and Alexander). He was very intelligent, but only an average student. He decided on a military career and at age 19 became a cadet. The Germany Army, the Reichswehr was extremely limited because of the Versailles Peace Treaty. He went on to attended the War Academy in Berlin. He was appointed to the General Staff (1938). Germany invaded Poland, launnching World war II (September 1939). Stauffenberg was assigned to the staff of the the staff of 6th Panzer Division. Germany Generals and Hitler gave considerable effort to tanks (panzers), emphasizing speed and mobility. Poland was the world's introduction to what they could do. The turning point of the War, was Hitler's decesion to invade the Soviet Union--Operation Barbarossa (June 1941). During Barbarossa Stauffenberg was horrified by the atrocities committed by Germans, especially the Schutzstaffeinel (SS). He met other officers that shared his revulsion of SS attrocities. Especially important were Henning von Tresckow and Fabin Schlabrendorff). He was promoted to the rank of major. He was severly wounded when his staff car ran into a mine field and was strafed by aircraft. Stauffenberg's injuries were extensive. He lost his left eye, two fingers on the left hand and his right forearm.
Even before he was injured Staufenberg was meeting with other officers that shared his revulsion of the SS and the attrocities German forces were committing. Especially important were Henning von Tresckow and Fabin Schlabrendorff). Stauffenberg decided s early as 1942 to kill Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi government and began conspiring with like-minded officers. The result was the July Bomb Plot.
The idea was to then negotiate a separate peace with the Western Allies. That by 1944 was unrealistic.
In the end, the failure to kill Hitler and the extensive NAZi penetration of the Wehrmact led to the coup's failure. The bulk of the Wehrmacht remained loyal to Hitler and the NAZIs. Fromm attempting to protect himself, ordered the immediate execution of Stauffenberg along with three other conspirators (Friedrich Olbricht and Werner von Haeften). They were executed by firing squad in the courtyard of the War Ministry. Stauffenberg is reported to have shouted "Long live free Germany" as he was shot.
Himmler’s Gestapo encouraged by an enraged Hitler proceeded to round up most, but all of the principal conspirators. They also arrested large numbers of individals who had only the most remote connections to the plot. They also discovered details about earlier failed plots, especially conspiracies in 1938, 1939 and 1943. The Gestapo found incriminating letters and diaries and viciously interogated those arrested. This led to more and more arrests. Himmler’s new Sippenhaft (blood guilt) laws led in addition to the arrest of relatives of the principal plotters--this included children and the elderly.
Eventually about 5,000 people were arrested and approximately 200 executed. They were not all connected with the July 20 Bomb Plot. The Gestapo used the opportunity to move against several individuals eho they had suspected of disloyalty. Relatively few of the plotters attempted to escape or to deny guilt after the Gestapo arrested them. Those who managed to survive the brital interrogations were given perfunctory trials before Volksgerichtshof (People’s Court) and its dedicated NAZI judge, Roland Freisler. The first trials were held within a few weeks (August 7-8). Hitler ordered that those found guilty be "hung like cattle".
Hitler appointed Field Marshal Gerd Von Rundstedt, a Prussian aristocrat who despised Hitler personally, to oversee the purging of the Wehrmacht.
The execution of those with a Rote Kapelle (key role) was slow strangulation using suspension from a rope attached to a slaughterhouse meathook. For the actual July 20 plotters piano wire was used.
Freisler was killed in an American air raid on Berlin (February 3, 1945). This ended the formal trials, but not the execultions. The Gestapo as a result of the investigation has come to suspect Admiral Canaris, head of the Abwehr. They had troubke finding solid evidence. Finally they found his diary. He was executed only a few weeks vefore the end of the War (April 1945). Both the trials and executions were filmed. The first show trials wwre shown in German newreals. The execution films werecfor Hitler's viewing. Goebbels used the films to create a short 30-minute film. The film was reportedly shown to cadets at the Lichterfelde Military Academy. The cadets reportedly were apauled and walked out. [Dulles, p. 83.]
The real loser was the German people. The great bulk of German civilian casualties took place after the failed coup. To form the Honor Court trying the conspirators,
Claus and Berthold von Staufenberg are today considered martyrs to Hitler's genocidal fanaticism. Although they initially supported Hitler, the support was for hitler's nationalism, not genocide. Their religion was probably a factor in turning them against the dictator. One question that has to be asked about the Wehrmacht officers who conspired against Hitler was what their motives were. Staufenberg and his brother Berthold seem to have been truly apauled by the attrocities they witnessed. Many Wehrmacht officers were more concerned with the fact that Hitler's war was lost and that continuing it was ruining not only Germany, but their beloved Wehrmacht. Stauffenberg and his brother and no doubt some others did act out of Christain ethics. One author provided a more charitable assessment to the genuine heros who "may have failed to kill Hitler, but in the mere fact of making the attempt these brave man snatched the soul of their tortured country from the pit--and saved it." [Jones]
Dulles, Allen. Germany's Underground.
Jones, Nigel. Countdown to Valkyrie: The July Plot to Assainate Hitler.
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