Chapter 172 Chapter 28 The Army’s Explosion Plan (3)

On June 3, Goebbels quit smoking. Three days later, he got drunk. On the 7th, he assured his press officer that this was a real invasion.At noon on the same day, according to former ambassador Hassell's diary, he addressed a group of senior officials and industrialists, saying that "the day will come when the 'Great Powers' will sit together, 'shake hands,' and ask each other wisely: "Well, how did this happen? '" This remark surprised everyone present. Here, Goebbels was merely conveying the views of his master.On the 10th, he tried his best to persuade Hitler that Germany's hope lies in "resisting invasion and shedding blood at all costs."At that point, West will be eager to seek forgiveness.

Hitler still believed that D-Day was a trick.Therefore, he did not take decisive action to remove this bridgehead.Moreover, by denying field commanders freedom of action, he deprived them of their last chance to take the initiative.This campaign has been lost.By this point, the Allies had clearly achieved absolute air superiority over France.Hitler asked Goering, whom he had praised a few days earlier, bitterly, whether the air force he was boasting about had really been insured "one for one" to the West. In desperation, the Führer began the attack on London with V-1 rockets two days early on June 12.However, the soldiers at the launch site only fired 10 missiles, 4 exploded immediately, 2 disappeared, and the remaining 4 only destroyed a railway bridge.After this fiasco, Goering reminded Hitler that this was Milch's business and had nothing to do with him.Two days later, in a second launch, they fired a total of 244 rockets and turned London into a sea of ​​flames.This time, the Marshal hurriedly claimed his credit.

All of this had no effect on the situation in Normandy.In less than 10 days, the Allied forces landed with 1 million people and 500,000 tons of military materials.Due to the seriousness of the situation, Hitler hurried westward on June 17 to a village north of Soissons.Here, for the first time since D-Day, he met with Rundstedt and Rommel. "He looked pale and sleep-deprived," recalled General Hans Speidel, "playing nervously with his spectacles and the few colored pencils he held between his fingers.  … Then he said aloud, yes He was unhappy with the Allied success in Normandy. He tried to hold his generals accountable for it."

It is Rommel, not Rundstedt, who bears the burden of refuting this.He pointed out "with ruthless candor" that it was hopeless to fight against the overwhelming superiority of the coalition forces in sea, land and air.There is only one chance: to abandon the suicidal policy of fighting for every inch of land, let the German army retreat immediately, reorganize all armored forces, and fight a decisive battle outside the range of the enemy's naval artillery.Hitler assured his generals that his new bazooka "will make the British willing to make peace".This was a topic that pained both Runsted and Rommel.Because they had asked to use these rockets to bombard the ports in southern England that provided supplies for the invasion, but Hitler refused, on the grounds that all rockets must be concentrated on a politically significant target.

However, the two field marshals only criticized the air force: how can the ground forces win without even the minimum air support?Hitler's answer was that "hordes of fighter jets" would sweep the skies of British and American aircraft.What he didn't explain was that, despite Milch's vehement objections, the jets being produced were really hybrids of fighters and bombers, ineffective at either mission. The drone of planes approaching from a distance forced them to turn into a very cleverly built reinforced concrete bunker.The change of location made Rommel even more agitated.He said that the West would inevitably crush the Normandy defenses and drive straight into the German mainland.Hitler pursed his lips and listened without saying a word.Rommel further predicted that the Eastern Front would also collapse and the Empire would be isolated politically.Therefore, he urgently called for an end to the war. "You don't need to worry about the future course of the war," Hitler said sharply. "Pay attention to your own line of defense that has been invaded."

During breaks, they have lunch.There is only one plate of food for lunch.Before Hitler ate, two SS soldiers standing behind him tasted the meal.This, Spieidel said, was evidence that Hitler did not trust the military.Just after the meeting, a V-1 rocket flying to London turned around strangely, landed on the bunker and exploded.Hitler was unhurt and hurried back to his hideout in Obersalzburg.When he returned, he announced very angrily: "Rommel has been scared out of his wits and has become a pessimist. In the current situation, only optimists will make a difference. " Within two days, he received another disappointing call from another pessimist.Runsted explained that the American forces had broken through the defenses and were advancing across the Cotentin peninsula.German forces must withdraw urgently from Cherbourg or risk being cut off. "Cherbourg must be held at all costs," replied the Führer.He then instructed that the defenders must hold out until the last minute, and if they were unable to hold on, they could retreat in order to avoid being captured.This is wise.

His compromise did not mean that his resolve had weakened,--despite the depressing news from his powerful ally Japan. In the battle in the Philippine Sea, Japan suffered a fatal blow, losing 3 heavy cruisers and 475 aircraft.In the case of being besieged on all sides, Hitler still showed no fear, and behaved calmly, which surprised his left and right.It would also be untrue to say that he had turned a deaf ear to criticism. At a meeting held on the evening of June 23, Hitler had ridiculed Finland over its surrender to Russia.This made General Dieter furious and punched the table. "My Führer, now I must speak to you like a Bavarian!" he shouted in dialect.He accused Hitler of speaking unfairly.To everyone's astonishment, Hitler told Dieter that Dieter was absolutely right.He bid farewell to him warmly, and said to the crowd: "Gentlemen, I hope all my generals are like him."

Hitler admired Admiral Dönitz from the first day of his appointment as Minister of the Navy, as he had for Dieter.Dönitz had opposed Hitler's proposal very frankly and strongly.From then on, Hitler treated him politely and listened to him with confidence.During this troubling period, the Führer listened to criticism even from his youngest secretary.One day, while the Führer was looking at photographs of the air raids, Traudl Junger could not help saying that photographs could never reflect the real pain in reality.He should go out, at least once, to see how the people "warmed their hands on the charred rafters, as all their belongings were reduced to smoke."Hitler was not angry at all. "I know everything about it." He said with a sigh. "I'm going to change all that, though. I've built a lot of new planes. Before long, this nightmare will all be over!"

There is a group of people whose opinions he will never listen to.They were army commanders in Normandy.As a result, the situation in Normandy became hopeless. On June 26, Cherbourg fell into American hands.The Germans could no longer take the initiative.There are two main reasons for this: first, Hitler was always afraid that the main invasion would take place in Calais; read them.Since the Germans were now fighting a war of attrition with passive resistance, the Third Reich was facing a catastrophe. In the café of the Pradahof Hotel (just above the Berghof), the Fuehrer was assuring nearly a hundred representatives of the arms industry that private property was sacrosanct and free enterprise would be preserved.The Führer seemed a little flustered and restless.Towards the end of his speech, the Führer assured the businessmen that he would once again express his gratitude to them once peace had been restored.However, due to the sparse applause, Hitler ended his speech with a threat: "If the war is lost, there is no doubt that private business in Germany will not survive." Listeners needn't worry about switching to a peaceful economy, either. "At that time, what everyone has to consider is how to complete the transition from this world to another, whether he will solve it by himself, or let others hang him, or whether he will starve to death or serve hard labor in Siberia—— These are some of the questions that you will have as individuals.”

Three days later, Hitler summoned Rundstedt and Rommel to the Berghof.Rommel proposed to fight a rearguard battle along the Seine, withdraw troops from southern France, and establish a front along the Seine all the way to Switzerland.Hitler didn't think about it at all.On the contrary, he was optimistic and said that he would counterattack again.A total retreat is impossible, not even making some tactical adjustments to the front. He said to himself that the war would be won because he had a miraculous new weapon.This monologue, in the ears of Lunstead's chief of staff, "is completely wrong." After undertaking the bold and tenacious but futile resistance obligation, the two field marshals left the meeting, feeling dissatisfied.Keitel was as dejected as they were, and admitted to Rommel resignedly, "I also know there is no way."

In less than two days, Hitler's counterattack was defeated.Runsted then warned Keitel that this could be a sign of failure. "So what do we do?" Keitel asked. "What to do? Make peace, you fools!" shouted Rundstadt. "What else can you do?" Keitel reported to Hitler (who happened to be talking to Field Marshal Gunnt von Kruger at the time).Hitler acted on impulse.He put Kruger in charge of the Western Front, wrote a polite and appropriate letter to Rundstadt, and relieved him of his duties.