Page 35 - All About History - Issue 186-19

The Last Days Of Hitler

victories at Rossbach and Leuten back in the time that the war was lost, and that he would stay
Victorious
18th century. Except there would be no Leuthen in the city and kill himself at the end. Russian soldiers
miracle. Hitler was reduced to moving imaginary With Berlin surrounded, Hitler’s ability to direct raise the Soviet
divisions, corps and armies around the map in his what remained of the Wehrmacht was severely flag above the
underground briefing room. Standing hunched curtailed. Even within the city itself his influence ruins of Berlin
over the map table during the morning of 22 April was waning, and his last significant military act
he could be heard endlessly muttering Steiner’s was to appoint General Helmuth Weidling on 23
name as he repeatedly called for updates as to April to lead the defence of Berlin. The same day,
the progress of the illusory attack. By the time the Hitler got a telegram from Goering saying that if
afternoon conference got underway it was clear to he didn’t receive a reply from his Führer by 10pm
a frantic Hans Krebs that Steiner hadn’t launched that same night he would assume he had lost
the anticipated offensive, and the fawning Krebs freedom of action and Goering would take over as
had no option but to tell Hitler. Brilliantly captured head of state. Convinced by Bormann that this was
by the actor Bruno Ganz in the 2004 film a power grab, Hitler disavowed his former friend,
Downfall, Hitler exploded into a tirade of abuse, sacking him from all his positions and threatening
blaming everyone for failing him, pouring out his him with arrest and execution for treason.
scorn and loathing for his generals in particular. Two days later the American and Soviet
After a three-hour marathon of venom that left forces met for the first time on the banks of
everyone within earshot drained and exhausted, the River Elbe at Torgau – Nazi Germany had
Hitler broke down, admitting for the very first been cut in two.

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