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World War II was the greates military struggle in human history. Millions of people from every importnt county were involved in the struggle. HBC has prepared several biographies of some of the main political and military figures involved in the War. The biographies here just scratch the suyrface as t the important individuals involved in the struggle. We plan to add additional biographies and encourafe readers to submit biogrphies of individuals they believe to have played important roles.
Many of these biographies, however, are just at the beginning phase. As the focus of HBC is on childhood, we will give some attention to their childhood in addition to providing information on their adult lives as well for the historical background.
Field Marshal (Alexander, Harold Rupert Leofric George) was born in London during 1891, but grew up on the family estate in Ulster. He was trained at
Sandhurst and during World War I commanded a battalion of Irish Guards on the Western Front. After the War he bought the Bolshevicks in the Baltics with a unit of largely ethnic-Germans. He cpmmanded the British 1st Division and as commander of I Corps oversaw the Dunkirk evacuation. He is nenowned for the North African campaigns against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel during World War II (1942-43). Under Eisenhower he oversaw the Allied drive on Tunia and the invasion of Sicily and Italy. He was one of the few commanders that was able to work amicably with Montgomery--a major accomplishment in itself.. He later commanded the Italian campaign (1943-45). He was Governor General of Canada (1946-52), granted the rank of Earl (1952) and becoming the Minister of Defence under Winston Churchill (until 1954).
Admiral Wilhelm Canaris was a World War I U-boat commander and war hero. He was appointed to head the Abwehr, German military inteligence (1935). He is one of the most mysterious figures of World War II. While a committed German patriot, he was horrified at SS attrocities in Poland that he personally witnessed. Other attrocities campe to his attention such as plans to kill importantPolishish officials and nobels as well as highly educated and cutures Poles to destroy the Polish inteligencia--the repository of national culture (Aktion AB). From that point he began to work to prevent a NAZI victory in the war. A great deal is known about his activities, but the full extent of his activities may never be known. He was extrodinarily effective, The NAZIs had no idea of his activities until the last months of the War. He was close to many top NAZIs like Goebbels who trusted him without reservation. Only after the Wehrmacht Bomb Plot (July 1944). Hitler had him hanged at Flossenburg Concentration Camp (April 9, 1945). Hitler had movies takrn so he could watch. The Americans liberated the Camp (April 23). German military intelligence during World War II was highly ineffective. It is unclear just what Role Admiral Canaris played in this.
Neville Chamberlain was a decent man. He may also well be the greatest failure as a prime minister in British history. Not because he was dishonest or venal, but because he was unwilling to use power. Up through Munich most most British people agreed with this approach, the result was catastrophe in Europe and almost the end of Britain as an independent country.
Chiang was a Chinese general who became prominent in the Kuomintang (1923). He led the Northern Expedition to unite China (1926-28). He first cooperated with the Communists, but broke with them (1927). He married Mei-Ling Soong was a graduate of Wellesley and sister-in-law of Sun Yat-Sen became an effective spokeswoman for her husband in the United States. He dominated the Chinese Goivernment (1928-48). He led Chinese resistance after the Japanese invasion (1937). His Government was accudsed of corruption. After World War II, The Communists defeated him in the Civil War. He and his followers fled to Taiwan (1948).
British statesman and author, considered by most historians to be the greatest of all primeministers for his role in warning about the dangers of Germany' military buildup in the
1930s, and after being ignored, leading the seemingly hopeless resistance to the NAZIs during the darkest days of World War II when Britain stood alone. He was born at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire and had a trurbulent childhood. He was born into one of te most elustrious families in England, a descendent of the Duke of Marlborough. His father was a brilliant parlimentarian who considered his son slow and a disappointment. His mother was the beautiful American heiress, loving but tied up in the social swirl of the time. He was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy. Churchill was an early voive in Britain warning of the menace of NAZI Germany, but was largely ignored. His contribution to the Allied victory was enormous, including the critical Mulberry floating docks on D-Day. His most important contribution was his refusal to deal with Hitler after the fall of France when many in the cabinent were preaped to accept a British Vichy. Then there was that booming, resonating defiant voice which heartened the British people during the Blitz and 5 years of war. As President Kennedy explained, "He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle."
Mark Clark is one of the most controversial of the great American World War II commanders. General Eisenhower brought him to England (1941) and assisted in the planning of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa (November 1941). Clark worked with OSS operative Robert Murphy to bring the Vichy forces in North Africa into the Allied camp. Clark negotiated the deal with Vichy leader Admiral Jean-Francois Darlan which proved very controversial. Clark was promoted to major general (three stars), the youngest to receive that rank (October 1942). He was given command of the 5th Army in North Africa. After Sicily, the Allies invaded Italy (September 1943). Montgomery with the British 8th Army landed at the Toe of Italy. Clark and the American 5th Army landed further north at Salerno, near Naples. German General Albrecht Kesselring focused his forces on the Americans at Salerno, but withdrew when he was unable to dislodge the American bridgehead. Both the British and Americans tooked substantial casualties. Clark and Alexander have been criticised for lackluster leadership. This may have been a factor, but another factor was that the Allied force had been weakened to focus on the cross-Channel invasion of France. The Anzio invasion failed to dislodge the Germans, Allied troops led by Polish and French units finally broke throuh at Casino (May 1944). In the ensuing Allied offensive, Clark has been criticized for the glory of liberating Rome (June 1944) rather than cutting off retreating German forces. Kesselring was able to set up another strong defensive poiton in northern Italy--the Gothic Line. Clark replaced Alexander as commander of the 15th Army Group in Italy (December 1944). He was promoted to full general with his fouth star (March 1945). He ovrsaw the Allied offensive which breached the Golthic Line and the collapse of German resistance. Generl Kael Wolff surrendered unilaterally. Clark served as commander of the U.S. occupation forces in Austria.
John Curtin was the Australian Prime Minister during much of World War II. Some consider him to be the greatest of Australia's prime ministers. John was born in Creswick, a tough gold mining town (1885). He grew up in an Irish family. His father was a policeman, but infermity forced him to resign his post and work managing various small hotels. The family needed money and John, although bright, could not persue his education. He had to look for a job. He moved to Melbourne and found a job as a newspaper copy boy. While his education ws cut short, he became a voracious leaders. His reading and work on the newspaper caused him to become interested in politics. He developed strong opinions and voiced them to people he met. He was strongly influenced by socialist writings. Australia joined Britain in World War I (1914). The issue of conscription became a major national issue. Curtin stronly opposed conscription and even soent a few days in jail because of it. He viewed the War as Britain's war, not Australia's war. As in many countries, World War I had a powerful impact on Australian politics. In one of histories many ironies, the WorldcWar critic became Australia's great war leader in World War II. Upon taking office in 1941, only 2 months before Pearl Harbor, he told Australians, "???? has ended in Australia".
Admiral Jean-Francois Darlan was assigned the task of modernizing the French Navy (1929). Primeminister Leon Blum appointed Darlan as admiral chief of staff (1936). The following year he was promoted to admiral of the fleet commanding all French maritime forces. Darlan held right-wing and anti-British convictins. He came to think that NAZI Germany would win World War II. He thus like Pétain concluded that resistance was futile and not in France's interest. He thought that France should seek the best deal that could be obtained from Hitler. After Primeminister Paul Reynaud resigned (June 16, 1940, Darlan agreed to support his replacement, Henri-Philippe Pétain. Pétain named him minister of the navy. Hitler did indeed offer terms, severe ones, but terms. What men like Darlan an Pétain did not grasp is that after Germany had won the war, he could impose what ever termns he wanted. Pétain signed the armistice, Darlan ordered the French fleet to colonial bases in North Africa to kep them out of German hands. He also orderd the Navy to remain loyal to the Vichy government. Darlan's anti British sentiment was more than reinforced when the Royal Navy sank much of the French fleet at Oran (July 1940). Pétain appointed Darlan to replace Pierre Laval as vice premier (February 1941). He also designated Darlan as his successor. He also ppointed Darlan as minister for foreign affairs, defence and the interior. Pétain appointed Darlan Commander in Chief of French armed forces and the High Commissioner in North Africa (January 1942). Hitler seems to have trusted Laval more than Darlan. Thus Darlan resigned his cabinet posts (April 1942) and they were assigned to Laval. Darlan remained Petain's deputy premier. Darlan was in North Africa when the Allies landed (November 1942). Darlan ordered Vichy troops to resist. He was not sure in what force the Allies had landed and was still convinced the Germans would win the War. He eventually ordered them to surrender, but secretly ordered Vichyvauthorities in Tunisia where the Allies had not labded to let the Germans bring in reinforcements. Eisenhower to get the Vichy forces to stop fighting agreed to allow Darlan to retain his position. EEisenhower appointed Darlan as civil and military chief of French North Africa. General Charles De Gaulle was furious, but the decession saved quite a number of Allied and Frenchh lives and allowed the Allies to get on to fighting the Getmans. Darlan did not, however, escape tge Resistance. A young French royalist, Ferdinand Bonnier de la Chapelle, shot him in his office (December 1942). It is only after Darlan's death thatva final break with Vichy came. Jews and other intenees were finally released from the work camps. I am not precisely sure when this occurred.
Dietrich was born in Bavaria (1892). Like other members of his generation, he fought in World War (1914-18). He was a crewman in one of the first German tanks, but the Germans generally failed at tank profuction in World War I. The British tanks, however, played a major role in the Anglo-American 100-Day Offensive that forced the Germans to ask for an Armistice (1918). Dietrich after the War, like many Germans, were disillusioned with the Versilles Peace Treaty and the Weimar Republic. He joined the Freikorps (Free Corps). This was radicaized right-wing youth and former soldiers who were hostile to the Socialists who formed the Weimar government, but even more hostile to Communists who attempted to seize power. The Freikorps gained a reputation for brutality in supressing the Communists and workers. The suppression of the Communisyts in Munich was a leading example. Dietrich naturally gravitated to nationalists and eventually the NAZI Party after hearing Hitler speak. Hitler confoirmed all his basic suspicions that the Marxists and Jews were responsible for Germany's misfortunes. Dietrich joined the NAZI Party (1928). He became Hitler's driver and bodyguard.
Dietrich became a senior figure in the Waffen SS. He fought on the Eastern Front with considerable destinction and was known for his brutality. Hitler chose him to be a principal commannder in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944-January 1945).
Admiral Karl Doenietz commanded the U-Boat fleet and came very close to victory in the North Atlantic. He is widely credited with conceiving the tactics that almost defeated the Allies. Less commonly mentioned is his inflexibility. Unlike the Allies he did not adapt to the changeing military situation. The tactics Doenietz employed at the start of the War (1939) were the same he used later when the U-boats were decisively defeated (1943). Because of the failure of the German surface flee and the fact Doenietz was an ardent NAZI, Hitler appointed Doenietz as overall naval commander. Then Hitler before shooting himself, named Doenietz as the new Führer. Doenietz had no allusion about the military situation. His only task as Führer was to arange Germany's surrender. For the week that he was the second Führer of NAZI Germany, his chief concern was to get as much of the Wehrmacht as far west as possible so that they could surrender to the British and Americans raher than the Soviets. The NAZIs seemed to have leaned where the post-War occupation zone boundaries would be drawn. The Allies were unablre to try Hitler at the Nurenberg War Crime Trials, but they did try Doenietz. He was not tried for his brief stint as Führer, however, but for his war time activities. This proved complicated, however, because of the American submarine campaign in the Pacific. Additional information has surfaced about Doenietz after the Niremberg Trials. He liked to distribute the booty from the Jews murdered at the death camps to his U-boat crews.
Benito Mussolin appointed Giulio Douhet (1896-1930) his first Undersecretary of Air was. Douhet was an Italian Air Force Officer who theorized about air tactics after World War I. The air planr had made its first significant appearance during Wirld War I. Great advances, as a result, were made in aviation. The War ended, however, before strategic bombing had begun. After the War, military experts debated the effective use of air pforces in future wars. Douhet wrote Air Power which advocated using strategic bombing to defeat an enemy. Despite an extensive debate, countries ended World war II without any idea of how to best use air power or the impact of strategic bombing. The Luftwaffe chose the alternative approach, using airpower for tactical ground support. This was not the result od aheoretical debate, but because the Luftwaffe was created with Wehrmacht officersnd Germany did not have the industrial capability of building a tactical and stategic air force. The United states and Britain did.
Until he was sent to England by Marshall, he was largely unknown by the American people. It was General George C. Marshall that made Eisenhower's career. After Pearl Harbor (December 1941), Marshall called him to Washington for a war plans assignment. Eisenhower arrived in Europe (1942) convinced that the primary ffort should be to invade France and relieve the Red Army fighting for its life on the Eastern Front. Churchill convinced him that periferal areas should be secured first. [D'Este] Churchill was wrong about the "soft under-belly of the AXIS. He was right that American troops were not yet ready to take on the battle hardened Germans. Eisenhower He commanded the Allied Forces landing in North Africa (November 1942). It was to be Marshall that would command the Allied invasion of France, but FDR told him that he could not do without him in Washington. Marshall recommended Eienhower. FDR was hesitant to appoint such a junior officer, but aceeded to Marshall's judgement and appointed Eisenhower Supreme Commander of the European theater. Eisenhower thus oversaw the D-Day invasion (June 1944), France. His order "Let's go" was the single most important decission of the War. A British journalist observing Eisenhower interacting with the soldiers describes "an untimate bond with a great romantic enterprise". It is chilling to thank what might have occurred if it they had failed. It was Eisenhower's skills as a diplomat which were most valuable after D-Day, especially dealing with Montgomery. The campaign after the Normandy breakout and the liberation of Paris (August 1944) has been hotly bebated concerning the merits of a single thrust rather than the broad-front approach Eisenhower decided upon. Eisenhower had to decide on pushing the American offensive or to seek defensive positions to build up for a German counter offensive and the push in Germany. He rejected a plan proposed by Montgomery. [David Eisenhower] After the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944) and crossing the Rhine (March 1945), Allied armies rolled into Germany. Eisenhower did not cross the Elbe and push for Berlinthat he was, fooled by Stalin on the matter. [D'Este] Others claim that he had no sesire to lose men to achieve a political objective. [Wukovits] His son maintains that he made the correct decission to pursue the German field armies rather than racing the Russians to Berlin. [Davide Eisenhower] He was apauled at what he found at the the NAZI concentration camps. When the NAZI generals surrendered, Eisenhower had subordinates at the actual surrender ceremonies (May 1945). And afterwards refused to return military honors to the Germans.
Hans Frank was born in Karlsrule, Germany (1900). During World War I he joined the German Army when he reached conscription age (1917). After te War like other young men with right-wing politics, he joined the Freikorps. He thus participated in the suppression of the Communist uprising in Munich.
Soon afterwads he joined te NAZI Party. He was with Hitler in the Beer Hall Putsch (1924) Like Hitler he was no severely punished and studied law. He then became a legal adviser to Adolf Hitler and the NAZI Party. NAZI Party fortunes changed with the Depression (1929). Frank was one of the many NAZI deputies elected (1930). After Hitler was appointed Chancellor, he appointed Frank Minister of Justice in Bavaria (1933).
Frank complained about extra legal NAZI killing and lost influence with Hitler. After Hitler launched World war II and occupied Poland (1939), he appoited Frank Govenor General of Poland. Under Frank, the NAZIS conducted one of the most brutal occupation regimes in the War. After the War, Frank was arrested and tried for war crimes at Nuremburg. He was found guilty and executed (1946).
Cdr. Minoru Gend was known in the Imperial Navy as "Madman". He was one of the innovative young offivers with which Yamamoto surrounded himself. He was Japan's most brilliant naval air commander. He led the strike force on Pearl Harbor. Kry aspects of the strike such as shallow torpedo atacks and level bombing were masterminded by Gena He is reported to have said, "... the great follies of the world were the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, and the battleship Yamamoto". He opposed kamakazi attacks and at the end of the war commanded an elite fighter group. He survived the War and played a major war in Japan's new Air Force.
George VI was born Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor in 1895 at York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk. He was called Bertie in the family. Albert was never intended to be king. A biographer calls him, the reluctant king. It was his older brother who was to be king. But Albert rose to the occassion and it was his qualities, rather than those
of his popular but undiscplined older brother, that reflected the needs of the British people in perhaps their darkest hour.He was the son of King George V and Mary of Teck (Queen Mary). George was known as "Bertie" to the family, was never intended to be king. In fact he stammered and public appearances were a terrible ordeal for him. Many thought him
unsuited to be king. It was his older brother who was destined from the beginning to be king. But he proved his detractors wrong, cotrageosly leading his embattled nation through the dark days of World War II.
Joseph was reportedly raised by a weak father and domineering mother who idolized him. He apparently had few friends as a boy. His club foot made him an object of derision to other children. It also kept him out of World War I. He was an excellent student and earned a Ph.D in German literature. Goebels joined the NAZI Party after meeting Hitler in 1925. Hitle appointed him Gauleiter, or party governor, in Berlin. He founded the Party magazine Der Angriff (The Attack). After HItler sized power he made Goebels Minister of Propaganda and National Enligtenment in 1933. He served in that position until killing his six children and himself in Hitler's Berlin bunker at the end of the War.
The Reichmarshal's mother was kept by a half Jewish Austrian nobleman, perhaps even his father. Hermann was apparently a cheerfully unruly boy. He was sent to a military boarding school at the age of 11 where he was punished for choosing his half Jewish godfather as a great German. His school mates found out about it and paraded him around the school with a placard hung around his neck, "Mein Pate ist ein Jude" ("My Godfather is a Jew."). The humiliated Hermann ran off home. Heydrich who organized the Holocaus had a similar experience. Bios: Ella Leffland, The Knight, Death, and the Devil Morrow, 1989/90.
General Charles de Gaulle is the most important French political leader of the 20th century. His name today is averywhere in France and the former colonies (airport,
streets, places, ect.). DeGualle commanded an armored division in the first year of World War II. He refused to surrender after the German invasion in 1940. He
escapd to France and organized the Free French resistance to the German's and the Vichy French Government colaborating with the Germans. He made inspired
radio broadcasts to occupied France. DeGualle quarled with both Churchill and Roosevelt who did not recognize his Free French movement as the Goverment of
France. After D-Day, however, his popularity helped himn to quickly organize a government in the liberated areas.
General Hans Guderian was one of the most innovative and effective commander of World war II. He was the strongest advocate of Blitzkrrieg in the Wehrmacht before World War II. Blitzkrieg was the tactic of comined arms (ground and air attack). Fast motrized armored units with air support would break throuh weak ponts in the opposing defenses and then rampage through rear areas destoying command and control and cutting the front line off from reinforcement and supplies. Blitzkrieg was actually conceived by English tnk proponents, Liddell Hart and J. F. C. Fuller. It was Guderian who was able to put the theories into force. He explained his concepts in Achtung— Panzer!. He impressed Hitler who made him the driving force in building the panzer units and that would bring decisive vicyories in Poland (September 1939) and France (May 1940). Guderian was also impressive during Barbarossa in the Soviet Union (June 1941). He commanded Panzergruppe 2 which played a key role in the great German victories. Hitler failed to take is advice about keeping focuded on Moscow. In horrible winter conditions Guederrian attempted to envelop Moscow, commanding the southern pincer force. but was stopped by Soviet resistance and the weather. Hitler releaved him from command (December 1941). He never achieved the rank of Field Marshal because of his disputes with Hitler. Hitler was forced to bring him back after the disaster at Stalingrad, but he never received another major combt command. Heated disputes with Hitler finally brought his finl dimissal (March 1945).
Legendary Ammerican World War II carrier commander William "Bull" Halsey was born in 1882. All we know about hisboy hood clothing at his time is that he wore sailor suits as a boy. He entered the U.S. Naval Accademy at Anapolis in 1900. He was popular, but not abilliant student. He graduated 43rd in a class of 62. He was a part of the Geat White Fleet that President Theodore Rooseveltsent on a world tour. It called at Yokahama which was Halsey's first experience with the Japanese. His first command was a torpedo boat. Much of his naval career was spent on destroyers. He followed aviation with considerable interest. At the time planes were primarily conceived as scouts for the fleet. He was offered command of the Saratoga in 1934. This required to earn his wings. At age 52 he chose the most difficult program--that for a pilot.
SS Reichführer Himmler represents the true embodiment of evil in the 20th century. He grew up in a middleclass German family. His father was the headmaster at a gymnasium (academically selective seconadry school). He could be extremely cruel to the boys in psychological ways. One boy remembers how he and his brother were expelled by being pubically humiliated before the class when their farher could not pay the school fees.
His father had an interest in romanticised German history which hr passed on to his son. Heireich and his brothes were outfitted in dresses and sailor suits as boys. Heinrich was not a brilliant student, but did very well because he was extremely diligent. He was dissapointed in World War I becaue he did not complete officer cadet training before the War ended. One biograpger mainatins that although he was strongly anti-semitic that
the Holocaust was forced on him by Hitler from above and Heydrich from below.
Reinhard Heydrich, konw to the world as "The Hangman", is considered by most to be the architect of the Holocaust. Adolf Eichmann is often seen as the director of the Holocaust. Eichmannwas in fact primarily the administrator of the Holocaust. It is Heydrich more than any other single individual who planned the Holocaust. Heydrich at the time of his death was the thitd most powerful individual in NAZI Germany and in all liklihood if he had lived and the NAZIs had won the War would have been the second Führer.
Emperor Hirohito reigned from 1926-1989. He reigned throughout World War II. He was a head of state, but he did not create state policy, He dutifully accepted the decessions of his ministers as increasingly military givernments moved toward war in the 1930s. It is not clear if he had quams about Japanese militarism or the expansion of the Empire by military force. The only decession that we know of that he made during the War was the decession to surrender. Here after the atmomic boms were dropped and the Soviets invaded Manchuri, the War Cabinent was split. Hirohito thus made the decession to surender. He was thus the last Japanese emperor to uphold the Shinto idea of imperial divinity. his was changed by a new Cinstitution following Japan's defeat in World WarII. Hirohito reigned just over 62 years
after acceding to the throne on December 25, 1926. His life of 87 years and 8 months made him Japan's longest-living Emperor. He was also the longest-reigning
Emperor in Japanese history.
There was in Europe only one important political leader who desired a war--Adolf Hitler. Hhe saw war as an exhaulting human expeience. Even before he seized power in 1933 he began to see a war as the only way of creating a new European order. The only question in his mind was when and how to launch the war for maximum strategic advantage. Here he proved remarakably astute until the Ludtwaffe's failure to force tghe British to seek terms. Hitler not only saw himself as a strstehic war planner, but as a great tactical commannder and as the War progressed played an increasingly important role in Wehrmacht operations. Historians debate Hitler's effectiness as a war leader. Here his basic strategic concept was to divide his enemies and defeat them one by one which was the same tactic used in domestic politics. Here his on failure was the failure to defeat the British and then going on with the Soviet invasion with the British still undefeated in the rear. His grasp of the political situation proved more insightful than that of the military and was responsible for the startling success of the Germans early in the War. His actions in the Rhineland, Austria, and Czechesolvakia were all at first opposed by elements of the Germany military. He played key roles in the campaigns aginst Poland, Norway amd in the West against France and he was proven correct against more timid military commanders. Jodl based on these campaigns called him "a great military leader" even after the War. [Schramm, p. 1721.] After the early military victories, his value as a military leader declined even has he played an increasing important role in German planning. The one exception was his insistance on holding in the Winter of 1941-42 before Moscow. In general, however, after the success in France, his decisions were almost always wrong.
These include a long litiany: a switch of tacics in the Battle of Britain to bomb London, the invasion of the Soviet Union (this is debateable), the division of the army in the Soviet Union in both 1941 and 42, the decalration of war on the United States, the failure to allow Von Paulis to break out at Stalingrad, the use of reserves to bolster the Afrika Corps after Allemain and Torch, the failure to attack the Normandy bridgehead in force, the attack in France leading tp the Falaise pocket, various unsuccessful stands in the East, the deployment of SS Panzer divisions to defend Budapest leaving Berlin essentially undefended, and fianlly the decession to fight on the west side of the Rhine. Jodl does agree that Hitler did when the tide turn against Germany interfere in operational matters which disrupted the military, some times disastrously. [Schramm, p. 1721.] Hitler also had a major role in German armaments. Here he had some successes such as the selection of the anti-tank gun used in Soviet campaign. [Picker, p. 96.] He made, however many huge mistakes. He delayed theGerman jet program and then insisted that the Me-262 be used as a bomber. Huge resources were devoted to the V-1 and V-2 programs which had little real impact on the War. He cobstantly went for massive projects like the Bismarck or tiger tank when more numerous smaller systems would have been more effective. Here Hitler appears to have over-emphasized the psychological impact of weapons. It was his idea to install sireens on Stuka dive bombers and he ordered several terror bombing raids. He also greatly over em[hasized the power of the will--especially in Russia. He consistently demanded more of the German troops there than was physically possible. [Hadler, p. 489.]
Muhammed/Haj Amin al-Husseini was a Palestinian Muslim cleric in the British Mandate of Palestine.
He was born 1893/95. His father was the Mufti of Jerusalem. The family was a respected aristocratic family Ottoman Judaean part of Palestine. He studied religious law at al-Azhar University, Cairo and subsequently attended the Istanbul School of Administration. Hemade the pilgrimage to Mecca where he acquired the honorrific title of "Haj" (1913). He joined the Ottoman Turkish Army during World War I. He subsequently seserted while in Jerusalem and oportunistically aided the British who were driving into Palestine (1917). He emerged after the War as a violence-prone, anti-Jewish fanatic. British authorities arrested him for organizing an attack on Jews praying at the Western Wall (1920).
appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem under the Brisish Mandate of Palestine. He was a devoted pan-Arab nationalist. He became themost important Palestinian political leader during the British Mandate era. He helped inflame anti-Jewish feeling and was associated with disturbance and riots often attacking Jews in Palestine. Expelled by the British, he helped inspire a pro-NAZI uprising in Iraq aimed at expelling the Brirish (1941). When the rising failed, Husseini fled to NAZI Germany. During World War II while in Germany he collaborated with the NAZIs. His primary interest was the anti-Jewish and anti-British orientation of the NAZIs. He seemed to have ignored the fact that NAZI racial doctrine classified Arabs as an inferrior people. The NAZIs found him useful to promote anti-British propaganda in the Arab world. He urged NAZI leaders to kill nore Jews and was involved in forming Muslim Waffen-SS units in the Balkans. These units were involved in attrocities against both Jews and Serbs. With the defeat of the NAZIs, Husseini managed to escape to Cairo where Eggyptian authorities sheltered him and other NAZI war criminals. From Cairo he persued his pan-Aran annd anti-Semetic politics. Husseini is one of several Arab figures that were strongly influenced by NAZI/Fascist idelology. The next major Palestinian leader was Hussaeini's nephew Yasser Arafat.
William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada's longest serving primeminister and considered by most historians as Canada's greatest primeminister. The King name was well know to Canadians before he etered politics. His grandfather, William Lyon Mackenzie, led the Upper Canada Rebellion (1837). He was born in Berlin, Ontario (renamed Kitchener). He had a younger sibling named Jennie. King was a gifted scholar and earned five university degrees, including a Ph.D. from Harvard in political economy (1909). King was first elected to Parliament as a Liberal in a 1908 by-election. He was appointed Canada's first Minister of Labour (1909), but lost his seat in the next general election (1911 ). He worked in the United States for the Rockefeller family to help them improve labor relations. He returned to Canada during World War I to run in the 1917 general election. The principal issue was conscription issue. He lost the election, primarily because English-speaking Canadians strongly supported Britain and conscription while King opposed conscription. The Liberal Party chose his as their leader after World War I (1919). Public opinion had begun to chage about the War and King's position on conscription was seen as principled. He became primemiister 2 years later (1921). He was Canada's primeminister for much of the following three decade thriugh 1948 (except for 1926 and 1930-35). He was primeminister during World War II. He loyally followed Britain into the War and oversaw Canada's participation. He developed a solid working relationship with President Roosevelt and negotiated inmportant defense agreements with the United States.
Leopold was the eldest son of King Albert I and Queen Elizabeth. He and his brother were emacualtely dressed, often in fancy outfits, as boys by their fashionable mother. He ascended to the throne in 1934 as Leopold III after the tragic death of his father. Although greeted with great warmth by the Belgian people, his reputation was tarnished by his surender of the Belgian Army in World War II after it had been mauled in the 1940 NAZI invasion. Unlike Queen Wilhimina in the Netherlands, he refused to flee to England, an act
of some courage, but proably unwise given the circumstances. Thus when the Allies entered Belgium in 1944, Leopold was never returned to the throne. His brother Charles served as regent until 1951 when his son Baudouin was crowned.
Charles Linburg was once of the most respected americans of the 1920s and 30s. He was the famed Lone Eagle who in 1927 flew the Atantic solo. A photograph of Lindburgh with his mother shows him at about 5 years of age with beautiful curls and dressed in a lovely sailor suit. His mother reportedly constantly hovered over him, but was not outwardly affectionate. When he was older, she would always put him to bed with a handshake. His father was distant. Once when his son fell into a river, he didn't jump in after him--expecting the boy to learn to swim. Lindburg's reputation was diminished when after war broke out in Europe, he returned from England and joined the isolationists in the effort to prevent America from aiding Britain and France.
Hadler, Generaloberst. Kriegstagebuch ed. Hans-Adolf Jacobsen, 3 vol (Stuttgart, 1962).
Picker, Henry, ed. Percy Ernst SchrammHitlers Tischgespäche im Führerhauptquartier, 1941-42 (Stuttgart, 1963).
Schramm, Percy Ernst., ed. Kriegstagebuch des OKW iv: 1944-45 (Frankfurt-on Main, 1961), pt. 2.
Wistrich, Robert. Who's who in Nazi Germany (Macmillan Publ., New York, 1982).
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