alternatehistory.com

I think he is tired (Chapter 1)

Hitler's planning conference for Italy November 1943

Things had been going poorly for Germany for the last two years. From the heights of their drive towards Moscow and the Suez canal they had decended into growing chaos. The western allies were ashore in Italy steadily driving up the boot. The unstoppable tide of the Soviet Red Army was making life for Army Group South a complete nightmare after their failure to overrun the Kursk line over the summer.

The situation in Italy was getting more and more difficult to manage for Hitler. GeneralFeldMarshal Albert Kesselring had been in favor of a long drawn out defense taking advantage of Italy's many river lines and mountainous terrain. He had been running the show in Italy for many months and despite tough losses had inflicted several bloody noses on the western allies despite the inadequacy of his reserves and his lack of armor.


Albert Kesselring conducted a skilled defense in Italy

Also in the theater was GeneralFeldMarshal Erwin Rommel formally of the Africa Corps. He was commanding reserve divisions in Northern Italy to guard against potential landings and to back up Kesselring. The two men had equal rank and equal responsibility which was exactly how they didn't want it to be. They quarreled and brought their problems to Hitler's altar.

Rommel thought that it would be best to abandon Italy up to the Po river and form a solid defense that could end up being screened by the Alps and held with an economy of force.

Kesselring preferred a step by bloody step defense of the entire Italian peninsula using the numerous river lines to delay the allies as long as possible.

The two men had served together throughout the African campaign and relations between them had deteriorated below begrudging respect. Open fued had emerged and it was becomming increasingly clear both to Hitler and the OKW that the two couldn't serve together anymore.


Erwin Rommel was against a drawn out defense in Italy

The schools of thought amongst the General Staff varied into 2 camps.

1. Kesselring allready had a good command in place and was handling the defense compentently. Abandoning Italy had immense political consequences beyond the value of the men employed. Rommel was tired and worn out and refused to stop referring to Hitler as a madman and Keitel and Jodl as assholes. Many officers found him now to be too stubborn, pessimistic and worn out.

2. Reserves were almost non existant and a more drawn out defense of Italy required more men than Germany could spare. Rommel had a tremendous amount of experience fighting in the Italian mountains and could be expected to handle it brilliantly. He was a good propaganda tool as well likely to inspire the men in good defense and insure a relatively good performance from whatever Italian troops might still support Germany

The smart money was on Rommel being given command of the theater and Kesselring to be sent packing (command of the Norway garrison seemed a likely possibility)

Hitler however had other ideas. Rommel was just acting like too much a defeatist for his taste now (his previous brilliance only carried so much weight all these months later) He didn't like the political idea of abandoning Italy and always seemed to get infected by Kesselring's optimisum. His decision was ordained by his make up.


Hitler was forced to end the divided command in Italy in November 1944

The conference was chilly which suited Hitler's needs just fine.

GeneralFeldMarsal Rommel I am disolving your command in Northern Italy and giving the divisions to GeneralFeldMarshal Kesselring to conduct the long defense
(Rommel seethed with anger)
At this time I have no assignment for you. You have fought a long and hard war Feldmarshal and you are tired and your spirits are dangerously low. I am sending you home for a rest cure so that you may regain your energy. When the time is right I will call on you and the situation will be critical and I will need all your talents.

This is a grave folly my fuhrer the defense of Italy so far south isn't in Germany's interest and GeneralFeldMarshal Kesselring isn't the man to carry it out

I have thought about this a long time Rommel and it is what is best. Go home and recover your health.

(Rommel stormed out of the room his eyes red as coals at the loss of honor)

Kesselring would continue to conduct his lengthy, drawn and out and blood filled retreat up the Italian peninsula.

A large clique in the General Staff led by GeneralOberst Jodl was happy to see Rommel go as he had become so confrontational and stubborn. Hitler had considered offering Rommel a post in the Western theater as the commander of the 15th army and inspector for the Atlantic wall. Jodl was able to successfully convince Hitler that Rommel was just too defeatist for such an important task.

The job ended up going to the recently relieved GeneralOberst Hermann Hoth. Hoth was a dynamic and clever Panzer General who had lead the 3rd and later 4th Panzer Armyies in Russia with as much skill as anyone could hope for. He stood only slightly behind Guderian and Balck as the acknowledged Panzer genius of the German army. He reported to Calais and took over the Atlanic Wall project after his rest time at home... energy refreshed and ready to pickup his nom de guerre again Papa Hoth


Hermann Hoth would become the commander of the 15th Army in France and the Low Countries and the inspector for the Atlantic Wall. A longtime Pazer Commander in Russia, he hoped that he could bring his nack for decisively moving large armored formations to the Western Front.

to be continued....

your thoughts?
Top