Military Briefing
And for those of you who may be wondering what Adolph thinks of the current situation....
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Date: December 28, 1944
Location: Kransberg Castle, Germany
Time: 8:00 a.m. [German time]
It was a sober group that gathered for the 8 o’clock military briefing that morning. General von Rundstedt was bracing himself for the inevitable explosion from the Fuehrer when he heard the bad news that was coming. Air Marshall Hermann Goering was also bracing himself for the tongue lashing he knew was coming with the loss of the majority of the Luftwaffe’s forces over Belgium.
At 8 o’clock precisely the Fuehrer entered the map room and the briefing began. For the next half hour von Rundstedt detailed the destruction of the 5th and 6th Panzer armies. He concluded this somber part of the briefing with, “My Fuehrer, in my opinion we cannot hold the territory gained in the offensive. We must order an immediate retreat.” Von Rundstedt waited for the inevitable outburst that all troops were to stand fast. What happened next came as a complete surprise. “Very well, general order an immediate retreat of all available forces,” Adolph Hitler declared with a tired but calm voice. General von Rundstedt blinked but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and simply said, “Yes, my Fuehrer!”
Hitler continued, “However, our troops are not to simply withdraw to their pre-offensive start lines. They are to withdraw behind the Rhine, all of them. Do you understand me general?” Von Rundstedt nodded, dumbfounded that Hitler was being so…reasonable. Hitler continued, “Once all troops are withdrawn behind the Wall of the Rhine I want every, and I do mean every bridge on the Rhine destroyed! We will turn the Rhine into an impregnable moat which the western Allies will break against like waves on the sea! And as they attempt to do so we shall bombard them with gas and use our remaining bombers to harass them with our surviving jets escorting those bombers.”
Goering knew such raids would not be able to keep the Allies busy that long. But every little bit helped. At least it would give him time to finalize his escape plans. The Fuehrer continued, “I have already spoken with Dr. Von Braun and he assures me that 4 more of the newest V2s of the type that rid us of the American general Eisenhower will be ready in another day or so. Then we shall show the Allies the meaning of true warfare.”
He then turned his attention eastward, “What about the situation on the Vistula?” “The Russian forces have withdrawn 5 and in some cases at least 10 miles back from the Vistula, my Fuehrer,” Colonel General Joseph Harpe replied. “They are equipping themselves and will doubtless return within a week at the most. And we believe they will also be equipped with chemical weapons.” “Then we shall be ready,” Hitler declared. “Has the chemical warfare equipment been distributed to the troops on the Vistula?” Harpe said, “Yes, my Fuehrer, it has been fully distributed by now.” “Good!” Hitler declared. “As the Russians return we will subject them to fire by both regular artillery and chemical weapons. Like the Rhine the Vistula will become a gigantic barrier barring the way for the Russian hordes to enter the Fatherland!” Hitler considered his words for a moment then spoke again. “Gentlemen, you know I served the Fatherland during the first Great War. One of the reasons that war was so horrific was because of the trench warfare that raged for almost four solid years. It is time for us to return to those tactics. We must rob the Allies of their mobility, we must turn the Rhine and the Vistula into two gigantic trenches which will hold our enemies and force them to accept a war of attrition. They will no more have the stomach for such a slaughter then their predecessors did in 1917. We can still force a favorable outcome to this war if we stand fast!”
The Fuehrer finished his discourse leaving his generals as usual baffled and wondering. General Von Rundstedt however, quickly affirmed the Fuehrer’s orders. After another hour of briefing Hitler left the briefing room and stopped Goering in the hallway. “I want to thank you for your suggesting your Luftwaffe doctor see me, Herr Goering. Over the last few days he has done wonders! I had not realized that traitorous Dr. Morell was actually poisoning me with some of his concoctions! How could I have been such a fool?” Goering smiled and thought back to when he had first introduced Hitler to his own new personal physician. The doctor had first asked the Fuehrer about his symptoms and then asked to examine him. Hitler was always antsy around doctors but considering what the doctor had done for Goering who definitely looked slimmer and fitter now then he had for years, Hitler agreed.
After the examination the Luftwaffe doctor had asked the prescriptions Hitler was taking. When Hitler detailed the medications Dr. Morell had prescribed the look of horror on the doctor’s face was evident. Hitler was told in no uncertain terms that some of these prescriptions were toxic and would slowly kill him over time. The Fuehrer suddenly became very agitated. The doctor had then prescribed a more sensible regimen of medicines including vitamins to supplement the Fuehrer’s diet and less toxic remedies for his other ailments. The Fuehrer had shortly after his first meeting with the good doctor appointed him as his personal physician and ordered the arrest of Dr. Morell on charges of treason. Dr. Morell was now awaiting trial before a People’s Court for attempting to poison the Fuehrer.
“Again, my compliments, Herr Goering, if it had not been for you who knows what that quack might have done to me,” Hitler declared. Goering nodded accepting the praise from his Fuehrer. Hitler did seem calmer and more relaxed in recent days. Hopefully that would make him less paranoid and allow Goering to complete his plans for escape. Goering knew the Ardennes Offensive had only given Germany some extra time. He was now fully committed with the death of his beloved Luftwaffe to his escape plan. He just needed the time to get the last parts of the plan ready.