WI: Von Reichenau made head of OKH

After Hitler sacked Von Brauchisch in the winter of 1941 he tried to appoint Reichenau as chief of the OKH and thus the eastern front. Reichenau was a thoroughly committed Nazi on the order of Model or Schorner but had proved a decent field commander in Poland, France, and Barbarossa.

The general staff on the whole rejected him for being too political and presented Hitler with a united front against the appointment. Hitler then more or less abolished the post and made himself chief of the eastern front with all the disasterous consequences of letting a rank amature run multiple army groups.

What if the general staff was less objective to him or was willing to see him as an alternative to Hitler himself. What would the effects have been of having a semi competent voice in the room who Hitler trusted and was also competent with military strategy?
 
This could feasibly create a better organized German strategy for the Eastern Front.

Question is: does this prevent his death in late 1941? or was it early 1942?

If he's commander of the OKH, but then dies, Hitler could then replace him without taking the post himself, theoretically. Unless of course Hitler is crazy enough to still pull a Nicholas II and take over.

As a committed Nazi, wouldn't von Reichenau still follow Hitler's total war/don't retreat orders nevertheless, or would he find a way to get around those?

Its hard to figure. Hitler personally admired and liked Reichenau... I could see him yeilding to his advice like he did with nazi generals that he liked (Model, Schorner, Rundelic, Hube etc) Perhaps he would be able to make their 1942 offensive have much more modest objectives and block the influence of Jodl and Keitel who were complete morons
 
Its hard to say, but I'd think the first changes would take place (if he lived longer) around the Moscow Offensive in late 1941, not that an actual victory can be achieved there.

Lacking details, all I can think of is the Sixth Army retreating rather than being destroyed at Stalingrad, giving German more men, resources and time on the Ukranian front.

Now, since you would know, how did Reichenau get with von Manstein, the man in charge of the Southern Armies at the time (IIRC)?

OPS, you just saved 6th army and 300 000 men, but what happens to the rest of army group south? IIRC they were pretty much saved by the soviets not using their armies to push onwards from Stalingrad instead of besieging the germans
 
Its hard to say, but I'd think the first changes would take place (if he lived longer) around the Moscow Offensive in late 1941, not that an actual victory can be achieved there.

Lacking details, all I can think of is the Sixth Army retreating rather than being destroyed at Stalingrad, giving German more men, resources and time on the Ukranian front.

Now, since you would know, how did Reichenau get with von Manstein, the man in charge of the Southern Armies at the time (IIRC)?

They served together in Poland... Manstein as chief of staff to army group south in Poland and Reichenau commanded the 10th army (this would become 6th army) Manstein didn't record any negative comments about Reichenau that I am aware of at that time... (Manstein only seemed to complain about Heinrici and Bock being incompetent back then)

The general staff on the whole (of which Manstein was a long time part when he was quartermaster general) disapproved of Reichenau for being "too political".... nothing about his field command prior to Barbarossa drew any complaints that I am aware of (neither Runstead nor Bock made any special complaints about his commands). He of course passed the Reichenau order for conduct in Russia which led to a lot of non combatants and prisoners being shot (Manstein did enforce these rules and purjured the living hell out of himself at Nuremberg to say he didn't)

When Reichenau took over Army Group South Manstein commanded the 11th army which was a subordinate formation in the Crimea. From everything I have read Manstein didn't really interact with him... the 11th army was run very independantly since the main body of the army was hundreds of miles away to try to exert command influence... basically Manstein ran it as his own little fiefdom. OKH more or less commanded the 11th army directly since it was in the middle of nowhere relative to the front

With our winter 1941 opening for OKH chief neither Manstein nor Rommel would be a likely choice because they were not senior enough... both at that point were not yet Field Marshal. I think Manstein was GeneralOberst and Rommel was still GeneralDerPanzertruppen.

The most likely choices would be Reichenau but assuming he still dies right away... I would think next in line would be Hans Von Kluge...(less of a hardcore Nazi than Reichenau but probably not as gifted a military commander at least in Guderian and Manstein's eyes)
 
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OPS, you just saved 6th army and 300 000 men, but what happens to the rest of army group south? IIRC they were pretty much saved by the soviets not using their armies to push onwards from Stalingrad instead of besieging the germans

Army Group South was saved by SS General Paul Hauser and Field Marshal Von Manstein... the Soviets advanced far and wide past Stalingrad all the way to Kharkov. Manstein and Hauser faught a skilled battle of riposte "the mircale of the donets" and smashed the Russians who had overextended themselves. It was the last great feat of German arms in offensive warfare
 
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