AH Discussion: Rommel and and the 1938 Coup

AH Discussion: Rommel and the 1938 Coup

So, let us discuss Erwin Rommel a little, if we may.

There have been several threads either about Rommel or threads where Rommel came up. Be he suggested as Hitler's Sucessor, be against the Final Solution, have his abilities have been inflated, having him arrest Hitler in 1944, and etc., etc., etc.

So my questions deal with his allegiance. Was Rommel patriotic enough to turn against Hitler? At what point would this turn come?

My big one is if that the Munich Accords failed would Rommel, who was then the commander of the FührerBegleitbataillon, Hitler's personal protection battalion, join the potential coup if Hitler attempted to go to war? He would be in a very critical position in the coup. If he supported Hitler, he could be Hitler's savior and destroy the coup. If he turned against the Fuhrer, the coup would probably succeed with Rommel turning over Hitler on a silver platter.

I do not know of any evidence that would support Rommel's sentiments in any direction at this time in history. Yes, later he would probably do so but what in 1938?

So, what would Rommel do?
 
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Japhy

Banned
Even in 1944 in spite of everything he could and was at times swayed by his Fuhrer. In 1938 in the short time either before or after war starts? I think he's going to stand by ol' Adolf. From what I recall 1938 is just about the height of his love of the Third Reich's leadership.

I don't think that in and of itself will crush a coup though, it just means that Erwin being killed in whatever explosion is used won't be a problem for the Putchists. If not killed he probably gets arrested with everyone else in any coup, though as an Army officer as opposed to one of the SS, he has a better chance of getting out eventually.
 
I do not know of any evidence that would support Rommel's sentiments in any direction at this time in history. Yes, later he would probably do so but what in 1938?

So, what would Rommel do?

He served under several different German governments over the years from pre-WW1 to 1944. If he thought Hitler was leading Germany to a war they would lose and an occupation by the U.S./U.K./France he would be deeply unhappy, but he wouldn't pull a Brutus. The government making bad foreign policy decisions (even if that meant they would fight another major war against other western powers and lose) was not going to get him to commit high treason against the government in my view.

All the historical sources and Rommel's writings point to two things occuring that managed to convice him to try to plan ways to save Germany from what he viewed as the enemy inside Germany (Hitler, Himmler, etc) and the main enemy ouside Germany (Stalin).

1. After coming back from Africa he found out Himmler was committing crimes against humanity in Europe and by early 1944 he recieved intelligence that Hitler was in on it.

2. Rommel considered Stalin as evil as Himmler and viewed a Soviet take over of Germany something a thousand times worse then being occupied by America and the Brits. He believed it really might be the end of Germany if that happened. By mid to late 1943 he was seeing the writing on the wall that unless things were turned around that just might happen.

Both factors one and two came into play in his decision. But, knowing the man from reading his many writings and interviews with those who knew him I think factor one was slightly more important to him to take the massive step for an apolitical soldier to commit treason. To Rommel by the Nazi Party committing mass murderer against innocent civilians on a massive scale and that made their regime enemies to Germany and humanity itself and therefore needed to be removed from power, but not by Stalin who he viewed as just as bad.

So, no I don't see Rommel in 1938 committing treason to try to stop another war. Deciding to do so even in early 1944 was hard enough for him as it went against everything he believed as a soldier. Making that decision was also extremely hard on him emotionally and failing at it was even worse. By the late summer of 1944 one can tell from his writings that he was emotionally a broken man. He failed to save his country from its internal and external enemies and believed the end of his homeland was coming. One doesn't even have to look at his writings, just the pictures of him from that time period like this one a week before his forced suicide.

74320592.jpg


The same man yet not the same man who fought in North Africa.

Rommel_in_Africa1941-2.jpg
 
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In 1938 Rommel was a minor officer whose greatest promotions, ones he would likely have not received under the old order, were due to Hitler's patronage so the likelihood of Rommel turning on Hitler at this time seem quite low.
 
Rommel at that point considered himself bound to his oath, and was directly serving the commander in chief... if Beck or Braustich ordered him to arrest Hitler, he would refuse
 
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