Criminal
01-04-2005, 02:21 AM
After the arrest of the socialists the resistance leaders did everything in a harsh. Except the fact that Stauffenberg wanted to save Leber and Reichwein from execution, there was the fact that the allies were close to winning the war. The invasion to Normandy had already taken place, and it was a matter of time when the German army in the west front will collapse. In the east the situation was worst. The German army group center had ceased to exist, and the Russians were moving with no one to stop them. Beck and Treskow said that the Red Army's tanks will arrive to Berlin in 10 days. The conspirators knew that they must kill Hitler and overthrow his regime before the German army will collapse. In such situation, the coup will be worthless, Because it has two purposes: To save Germany, and to prove the world that there are moral Germans by stooping the jew's extermination and the nazi terror in the occupied countries. Both of these purposes will not be actual when Germany will collapse, and the conspirators knew that. They knew that they have to act quickly. Time was running out.
While Stuaffenberg was looking for an opportunity to kill Hitler, his friends weren't sleeping. Beck was released from his deep despair and started to plan the new government. Goerdeler never rested. He was traveling across Germany and the fronts, looking for new allies for the movement, writing plans and forming shadow governments.
Somewhere near the end of June, the shadow government was ready. Beck was supposed to be the head of state, and Goerdeler the prime minister. Another duties were given to important resistance members: The interior to Leber, the education to Popitz, the war to General Olbricht, and the posts to General Fellgiebel. Stauffenberg was appointed to the "secretary of state in the the war council", and Yorck was appointed to the secretary of state in the prime minister's office. The socialist Leuchner was appointed to the important duty of vice chancellor. The commander in chief of the army was supposed to be Field Marshal Witzleben, and the command on the home army was given to General Hoeppner. The conspirators hesitated about their foreign minister: would it be Ulrich von Hassel that had connections in the west? Or it would be count von der Schulenburg that had good connections in Soviet Russia? This problem was never solved.
Meanwhile, two disasters hit the resistance movement. One- the gestapo published an immediate arrest command against Dr. Carl Goerdeler (after he sent a letter to Hitler calling him to stop the oppression of the jews and the churches) and the anti-nazi leader was forced to hide. Two- Field Marshal Rommel was wounded in an air raid and he couldn't use his military force for the revolt. In that way, two important men in coup plans were neutralize. How a revolt can take place without the new prime minister and one of the most important army commanders? The conspirators decided to act anyway.
In 11th and 15th July, Stauffenberg was invited to a military meeting with Hitler. He failed to activate the bomb in these meetings: one time because the S.S commander, Himmler, was not there and Stauffenberg thought that he must be killed with Hitler, and one time because the Fuhrer left the meeting before Stauffenberg could activate the bomb. In 20th July, 1944, Stauffenberg was invited to another meeting with Hitler. In 19th July he confessed before the Catholic bishop of Berlin. In that night he trained in activating the bomb. He, and everyone else, were waiting for tomorrow. The fate of Germany was depended in the actions of one man.
The rest of the story here! (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/1148/july9.html)
While Stuaffenberg was looking for an opportunity to kill Hitler, his friends weren't sleeping. Beck was released from his deep despair and started to plan the new government. Goerdeler never rested. He was traveling across Germany and the fronts, looking for new allies for the movement, writing plans and forming shadow governments.
Somewhere near the end of June, the shadow government was ready. Beck was supposed to be the head of state, and Goerdeler the prime minister. Another duties were given to important resistance members: The interior to Leber, the education to Popitz, the war to General Olbricht, and the posts to General Fellgiebel. Stauffenberg was appointed to the "secretary of state in the the war council", and Yorck was appointed to the secretary of state in the prime minister's office. The socialist Leuchner was appointed to the important duty of vice chancellor. The commander in chief of the army was supposed to be Field Marshal Witzleben, and the command on the home army was given to General Hoeppner. The conspirators hesitated about their foreign minister: would it be Ulrich von Hassel that had connections in the west? Or it would be count von der Schulenburg that had good connections in Soviet Russia? This problem was never solved.
Meanwhile, two disasters hit the resistance movement. One- the gestapo published an immediate arrest command against Dr. Carl Goerdeler (after he sent a letter to Hitler calling him to stop the oppression of the jews and the churches) and the anti-nazi leader was forced to hide. Two- Field Marshal Rommel was wounded in an air raid and he couldn't use his military force for the revolt. In that way, two important men in coup plans were neutralize. How a revolt can take place without the new prime minister and one of the most important army commanders? The conspirators decided to act anyway.
In 11th and 15th July, Stauffenberg was invited to a military meeting with Hitler. He failed to activate the bomb in these meetings: one time because the S.S commander, Himmler, was not there and Stauffenberg thought that he must be killed with Hitler, and one time because the Fuhrer left the meeting before Stauffenberg could activate the bomb. In 20th July, 1944, Stauffenberg was invited to another meeting with Hitler. In 19th July he confessed before the Catholic bishop of Berlin. In that night he trained in activating the bomb. He, and everyone else, were waiting for tomorrow. The fate of Germany was depended in the actions of one man.
The rest of the story here! (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/1148/july9.html)