Chapter 188 Chapter Thirty "This Time, We Must Not Surrender Five Minutes Before Midnight" (5)

Despite the collapse at the front, Hitler did his best to instil hope of last-minute miracles.He pointed to cracks in the foundations his enemies had laid in Yalta for a "brave new Europe."This is not subjective speculation.The "Big Three" were relatively harmonious when the plan was drafted, but they were embroiled in disputes when it was implemented.A meeting of their representatives in Moscow to form a new Polish government has reached an impasse.On the one hand, Molotov declared that the government in Lublin was truly representative of the Polish people; on the other, Afriel Harriman and the British ambassador argued that a more representative government must be created so that Poles are also included.

This conflict is nothing more than a prelude to a deeper schism.For months, General Karl Wolf—formerly Himmler's personal aide-de-camp and now head of the SS in Italy—had been working through an agent of Allen Dulles, the Swiss representative of the U.S. Strategic Intelligence Service, to Negotiate with the Americans.The Führer had vaguely promised him to discuss the matter, but Wolff took it upon himself to suggest that the German troops stationed in Italy should surrender.Then, he secretly met with two Allied generals in Ascona, Switzerland, to discuss how to finish the matter without telling Hitler.

From the very beginning, the Allies informed Stalin of the Battle of Sunrise; from the very beginning, he pressed for a representative to take an active part in the negotiations.The Allies reasoned that under such circumstances Wolf would never come to negotiate, but this only increased Stalin's suspicions.When he learned of the meeting at Ascona, he reacted violently.He accused the allies of having an affair with Germany "without knowing the Soviet Union, which bore the brunt of the war against Germany", and called the matter "not a misunderstanding, but something worse".

At the end of March, Stalin accused that because of the Ascona meeting, the Germans felt that it would be okay to transfer three divisions from Italy to the Eastern Front.He further complained that the agreement reached at Yalta to attack Hitler simultaneously from east, west and south was not followed by the Allies in Italy.Roosevelt explained this, but the result was an indignant telegram from Stalin, publicly accusing the Allies of playing tricks of deceit.This angered President Roosevelt. On April 5, he sent one of his most aggressive and angry telegrams to Stalin: "Frankly, I cannot but feel resentment at your informants, whoever they may be, for so viciously misinterpreting the The behavior of myself and my loyal subordinates." Stalin hastily replied that he had never doubted Roosevelt's integrity and reliability.But it was a tough apology; he added that the Ascona meeting should have been attended by the Soviets.He described his view as "the only correct view".

The details of the discord in the Allied camps were unknown to Hitler, except that they existed and he foresaw them.It held out the glimmer of hope that a miracle would happen.He listened with gusto when Goebbels read him Kaliler's account of the years of the Seven Years' War: In Prussia, Frederick the Great was morose because of the prospect of defeat.He announced that if the situation of the war could not be changed before February 15, he would commit suicide by taking poison. "Brave King," wrote Khalil, "stay a little longer, for your days of torment are soon past. The sun of your good fortune has stood behind the clouds, and will soon rise to shine upon the on you." On February 12, the Tsar's wife died.Things took a turn for the worse and took an incredible turn.

"After hearing this touching story," Goebbels later said to Schwering von Krossig, "tears appeared in the eyes of the Führer." The two astrologers in Mly's research department.Both predicted victories before 1941, followed by a series of defeats, culminating in catastrophe—in mid-to-early April 1945.But by the second half of April there will be temporary victories, followed by a lull and peace in August.Germany will suffer until 1948, and after 1948 will make a comeback. The naturally suspicious Goebbels had no objection to grasping at straws.This historical precedent impressed him deeply, so he told this story again when he inspected General Busey's headquarters near the Oder River on April 12.An officer asked harshly: "Well, when will the Tsar's wife die this time?" "I don't know, but fate holds various possibilities," replied Goebbels.After speaking, he took advantage of the gradually darkening sky to return to Berlin.

Across the Atlantic, in Georgia's hot springs, Franklin D. Roosevelt murmured, "I have a headache," and then fell unconscious. Two hours and 20 minutes later, he passed away.Goebbels received the news as soon as he returned to his office. "This is the turning point!" he cried.Then, he asked in disbelief: "Is this really true?" When he called the head of state, more than 10 people bent over and surrounded him. "My Führer," he said, "I congratulate you! Roosevelt is dead. The stars say the second half of April is our turning point." It was a miracle!He listened to Hitler and said Truman might be milder than Roosevelt.Now, anything can happen.Goebbels hung up the phone, his eyes glowing, and he delivered an impassioned speech as if the war was almost over.

Ribbentrop did not have his enthusiasm!The next morning, April 13, he returned from a short inspection with Hitler in a bad mood. "The Führer has ascended to the seventh heaven!" he said to his staff.That scoundrel Goebbels had convinced the Führer that Roosevelt's death was the turning point. "What nonsense, what a crime! How can Roosevelt's death effect any change in our favor?" Regarding Truman, Goebbels wanted the press to comment objectively and vaguely; not to say anything that would anger the new president; to hide the joy of Roosevelt's death.By the afternoon, however, the propaganda minister's excitement began to wane.When General Busey called to ask if Roosevelt's death was what he had hinted at the other day, Goebbels replied half-heartedly, "Oh, we don't know. We'll have to see." Reports from the front indicated that the U.S. The change of president did not affect the enemy's military operations in the slightest.Later in the day, Goebbels admitted to the staff, "Maybe fate has been too cruel to us again and fooled us. Maybe we are unhatched chickens."

Hitler gave the exact opposite impression.He called a special meeting and revealed a bizarre strategy to save Berlin: to form a strong defensive core of German troops retreating towards Berlin, and to attract Russian troops.This relieved the pressure on other troops, allowing them to attack the Bolsheviks from the periphery.The decisive battle will be won in Berlin, he told a skeptical audience.In order to inspire the soldiers, he will also stay in the city.Several people advised him to go to Berchtesgaden, but he dismissed it.As Commander-in-Chief of the German Armed Forces and leader of the German people, he was obliged to remain in the capital.He drew up an eight-page circular—the last document he would write for the troops—and handed it to Goebbels.Even the Minister of Propaganda found its fierce rhetoric ridiculous.He started to revise it with a green pencil, but couldn't make it better, so he had to throw it in the wastebasket.After a while, he picked it up again and changed a few words. On the 15th, Goebbels distributed it at the front without even reading the final draft.It said that if all the soldiers on the Eastern Front did their part, the final assault in Asia would fail.Because fate has eradicated Roosevelt, the biggest war criminal in history, the war will definitely have a decisive turning point.

Incredibly, many soldiers were inspired by Hitler and moved by his words.Even the majority of citizens still trust him, despite the bombardment of the West and the shrinking size of the Empire.To the average German, the Führer was more than a man; he was a supernatural phenomenon.They believed him to be invincible; many believed the widespread myth that a house with his picture on its wall would survive any bomb. His narrow escape on July 20 just proved that he was indestructible; it lifted their spirits and raised their hopes more than slogans like "Hitler is victory." In private, the creator of the slogan has lost heart.Goebbels was bleak and was preparing for the end: burning documents and personal mementos.He was hesitant to burn a large photograph of his lover Lida Baalova - signed by her. "Oh, what a pretty woman!" he said.After looking at the picture for a long time, he tore it into pieces and threw it into the fire.

The next day, Germany suffered two major blows: one was the surrender of all German troops from the western front—the Ruhr theater; Gap, only 45 miles from the Führer's bunker.While Hitler was still talking about victory, he was actually planning for the worst.He entrusted a visiting party official with two tasks: first, to transfer Germany's gold reserves to a salt mine in Thuringia;This package contains the oral materials written by Hitler, which is his will to Germany and the whole world. (*The party official hid the document in the basement of a bank in Bad Gastein. Later, the official was arrested and imprisoned for war crimes. Fearing that the will would aggravate his crime, he called It was destroyed by a lawyer friend of his. The lawyer photocopied it before destroying it. In 1959, this document was made public. Because Bowman was appointed as the executor of this will, the title of this document is "Adolf "Hitler's Political Last Words, Hitler-Bormann Papers".) At this point it was time for Superman to show his skills - later in the day, Hitler put a Superman in command of all jet fighters.His name was Hans Ulrich Rudel, and he was already a legend.He sank a battleship with a "Stuka" dive bombing and destroyed 500 Red Army tanks.He lost a leg in a plane crash a few months ago, but is now walking and ready to fight more.Göring's chief of staff was appalled by the choice, since Rudel knew nothing about jets, but Hitler just wouldn't listen. "Rudell's a nice guy," he said.Everyone in the Air Force is nothing more than actors and clowns. Rudel himself strongly objected to this, because he himself still wanted to fly.He frankly declined the offer, making many excuses.He told Hitler that it was only a matter of time before Russia joined forces with the Allies.This would split Germany into two regions, making it impossible to fight with jets.Why didn't you Hitler make a truce with the West in order to win in the East? "Easy to say," Hitler said with a sleepy smile.He has tried to make peace since 1943, but the allies have insisted on unconditional surrender.Therefore, we must do everything we can to overcome this crisis so that our decisive weapon will bring us victory. " It was past midnight when Rudel was sent away.When he hopped into the living room, the room was already full of people congratulating the head of state on his 56th birthday. In Gerhardt's sanatorium, Himmler was also preparing for his birthday.However, this is far from a festive day.He was sad and nervous, and he kept fiddling with the ring.Like Hitler, his body seemed to be on the verge of collapse.There is good reason for this.His office is a haunt for ideas.Some of his men, with his begrudging support, were negotiating secretly in Sweden; and General Wolff of the SS, despite Himmler's explicit order to cease all activity, was still negotiating with the Allies in Switzerland. How much Hitler knew about this kind of action, Himmler had no idea, so he was in constant fear.Over the past few days, people have been urging him to take big decisions. Everyone seemed to want something from him.Kestein and Schulenburg wanted him to launch a coup to overthrow Hitler.Earlier in the day, Count Schwerin von Klocht had asked him to persuade Hitler to ask the Pope to mediate peace negotiations with the Allies.Himmler could only say that the Führer had a different idea. "But he won't say what his thinking is." The earl was furious: "Then, no matter what method you use, you have to get rid of the head of state." "Everything is over! As long as the Führer is alive, it is impossible to properly end the war!" Hearing this, Himmler was so frightened that he looked left and right, making the count wonder if he had "instantly gone mad."Himmler went into a fit of hysteria and repeated that he would not do a single thing.In order to escape, he fled to a nursing home, only to encounter more problems.Kestein had just landed at Tamberhof Airport, accompanied by a representative of the World Jewish Congress.His name is Norbert Masur, and he replaced Stotts at the last minute.That's not counting.Bernadotte was still waiting for him in Berlin and asked him to go back and meet again.All of Himmler's problems seemed crowded together. Himmler had completely lost his courage and began to look for excuses, but the excuses he found were weak.How could he meet two people at the same time?Can neither of these meetings be postponed?Finally, in desperation, he asked Schulenburg to negotiate with Masur.Schulenburg agreed.Since it was past midnight, everyone celebrated the Führer's birthday with champagne.