Chapter 195 Chapter Thirty-One Five Minutes After Midnight, or "The Captain Sinks with the Ship" (7)

In San Francisco, meetings to create a United Nations organization are underway.A Reuters reporter was told that Himmler had offered to surrender Germany unconditionally.Because his cables to Reuters were not checked, a communiqué was sent around the world.A Deutsche News Agency reporter living on the upper floor of the bunker heard the BBC broadcast at 9 o'clock in the evening on the 28th and told Hitler the news.After reading the telegram, he showed no expression at all, as if resigned to the fate of the doomsday.He called Goebbels and Bormann. The three negotiated in a locked room. All day long, Bowman cursed loudly, accusing everyone of treachery. An hour ago, he also called Dönitz and said: "Loyalty seems to have been replaced by treason." Eva Braun's brother-in-law is one of the objects of serious suspicion.Otto Hermann Fegelein, Himmler's liaison officer in the bunker, had been arrested by the Gestapo at his home in the city.Because he was wearing plain clothes, with jewelry and a lot of cash on him, including Swiss francs, the Gestapo believed that he intended to flee to a neutral country.After he was brought back to the bunker, his prestige had been wiped out; it was Eva who came forward to save him.Her reason was that his wife, her sister, was about to have a baby.Hitler only reprimanded him for being cowardly and incompetent, tore off his epaulettes and Knight's Cross, and locked him in a nearby room as punishment.However, the BBC broadcast convinced the Führer that Fegelein's flight was linked to the betrayal of his master Himmler.Fegelein must have traveled to Switzerland for the peace talks.In just one hour, he was court-martialed, found guilty and sentenced to death.This time, although Eva's eyes were red from crying, she did not defend him.She learns that some of the jewelry in the suitcase is hers—and that he, too, has betrayed her sister.Fegelein appears to be leaving Berlin with the charming wife of a Hungarian diplomat.

When Wendelin arrived to attend the evening meeting, the bunker was already in chaos.He gave Hitler the latest news of the Russian advance.All weapons, food and munitions depots are in enemy hands or under artillery fire.In two days, his troops would be out of ammunition and food, unable to fight any more. "As a soldier, I suggest taking the risk of breaking out immediately." Before Hitler made a statement, he explained his breakout plan in detail.Pure hysteria!cried Goebbels.From a military standpoint, Krebs said, it's doable. "Of course," he added quickly, "this must be decided by the Führer." Hitler said nothing.So what if the breakout is really successful?he asked later. "This is nothing more than rushing out of the tiger's den and into the dragon pool. As the head of state, can I just sleep in the field or in a certain farm, waiting for the end?"

He left the meeting room and went to visit the injured Graham.Hannah Reich was there.Sitting pale on the edge of Graham's bed, he told them about Himmler's betrayal. "Our only hope is Wink," he said, "and to get him in, we have to cover him with all the planes." He ordered Lech to fly Gram to Lechling Field, where he organized fleet.Only under the cover of the air force can Wink come in. "That's the first reason you were asked to leave the bunker. The second is that Himmler must be stopped." His lips and hands trembled, and so did his voice. "A traitor cannot succeed me as the head of state. You must go out and not let him do this." Graham reluctantly put on his clothes.Letch, in tears, asked permission to stay.Hitler refused. "God bless you."

Mrs. Goebbels gave Reich two letters addressed to her son.She took off a diamond ring and asked her to wear it as a souvenir.Eva also handed her a letter to her sister, Mrs. Figelein.Later, Reich could not help sneaking at it: the letter, she thought, was "so vulgar, so pretentious, so full of poor girlishness," and she tore it up. Graham and Reich boarded the armored vehicle and headed to the Brandenburg Gate, where an "Arado" 96 trainer plane was hidden.Along the way, many buildings burst into flames, turning the night into daylight, and the dense sound of small arms was heard endlessly.She steered the small plane onto the east-to-west boulevard and took off amidst the fire.When flying as high as the roof, the Russian searchlights caught the little "Arado".All of a sudden the anti-aircraft machine guns rattled and feathered it.She hit full steam ahead and got out of this maelstrom—and down there was Berlin, Berlin in flames.She flew north.