Himmler as German army's supreme commander

How do you think Himmler could have become German's army's supreme commander (Hitler still as Fuehrer and Chancellor).

Isn't it so that Waffen-SS was under Himmler's command only at peacetime.

I think that more natural way to Himmler's supreme command would be to keep Waffen-SS command also at wartime. Then, thanks to Waffen-SS's good success compared to Wehrmacht, Hitler would have appointed Himmler to supreme commander of the whole army.

Do you think Himmler would be bad supreme commander, specifically compared to Hitler. Naturally, best supreme commander would be some experienced Wehrmacht's general.
 
Assuming you mean Himmler as the second highest ranker under Hitler.

No bloody way. The generals of the heer would be in outright revolt. Goering and the Luftwaffe would refuse. The kreigsmarine will break out of its usual we dont really care routine to protest.

Hell even the SS generals would be protesting. No one is dumb enough to let the chicken handler into command, he just had no experience at all.
 
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Himmler did an absymal job as commander of Heeresgruppe Oberrhein and especially as commander of Heeresgruppe Weichsel. He was unused to staff work, uneducated in military terms and technology, had little service, did not command respect and was generally a very lousy General.

If Hitler actually did this ASB move, the war is shortened in Europe by 4-12 months, depending on when he is appointed.
 

Typo

Banned
The only way is for a larger july 20th coup invovling more or most of the army that still gets put down by Himmler.
 
Isn't it so that Waffen-SS was under Himmler's command only at peacetime.

IIRC the W-SS was more or less acting like a contractor for the Wehrmacht: Under their operational command, but responsible itself for organisation, promotions, equipment ...

Having them under an different operational command is not possible (unless you use them only for anti-partisan and security duties). Imagine the Wehrmacht and the W-SS launching speperat offenses at the same time without mutual coordiantion or support. It would be an disaster, an amry as thin stretched as the German can't operate like this.

As for the W-SS beeing some kind of super soldiers: that is a myth (and a myth much more popular in america than in Germany).
The W-SS had a much higher percentage of tank and mechanised units than the Wehrmacht and recived new equipment before them.
But they were not more successful than similar equiped or elite Wehrmacht or Airforce (yes the airforce had a tank division) units.
What they gained in combat efficency through fanatism they lost through the lack of profesional leadership.
They only time they really did better than the Wehrmacht was during the last weeks of the war, when the Wehrmacht suffered a breakdown of leadership and moral.

To help you along with the supreme commander thing: German leadership was a mess with Hitler runing the eastern front through the army high command (OKH, he was Army commander himself since 1941) and the others through the Wehrmacht high command (OKW), while the Airforce and the Navy were more or less independent (although Hitler regulary intervented there too).

Hitler could either make Himmler SC of the Army and give him control over all fronts, make him SC of the Army only in charge of the Eastern front, or create a new Supreme commander of the Wehrmacht in charge of everything (The "Chief of the OKW" was basically Hitlers Chief of Staff and Chief Adivsor).

The last option is unlikely as Goering was very good in defending his "fiefdom".
Anybody ever becoming an strong army or supreme commander is unlikely, without a major breakdown of Hitlers health, as he considered himself an expert and meddled with every thing, regulary giving direct and very specific orders to commanders far down the chain of command.
 
I imagine that if (based on his track record as a military commander) Himmler was made supreme commander, then the war ends quite a bit earlier. He was useless.
 
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