| November 8 |  |
Editor says, what if Johann Georg Elser had lucked out with good weather? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the March 2012 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
| Share this Article on: |  Facebook |  Twitter |
In 1939, during the course of an annual speech at the Bürgerbräukeller beer hall in Munich commemorating the failed putsch of 1923, Führer Adolf Hitler was instantly killed by the explosion of a large bomb placed by Johann Georg Elser in a column behind the speakers podium.
Beer Hall Putsch, ReduxThe Führer's downfall was entirely due to lax security which had been mishandled by local party strongman Christian Weber rather than Reinhard Heydrich. Incredibly Elser had managed to stay inside the Bürgerbräukeller after closing hours each night for over a month, during which time he hollowed out the pillar behind the speaker's rostrum, and placed the bomb inside it.
Of course the assassination occurred at the oddest moment imaginable. Germany had invaded Poland, and although this action had triggered a declaration of war from Britain and France the allied powers had not yet intervened in the fighting in any meaningful or committed way. This was contrary to the Franco-Polish military convention; instead of assistance by the promised full mobilization within three days, the Polish Government had been bitterly disappointed by the Saar Offensive. This half-hearted attempt saw eleven French divisions cautiously advance along a twenty mile line near Saarbrücken against weak German opposition.
As a result of this collective loss of will, opinion in Europe was deeply divided. Either those eleven divisions would rapidly begin advancing, or perhaps members of the Allied Government would reveal their true colours by seeking a negotiated peace.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
© Alternate Historian, 2004-.Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Generals Source: Wikipedia Labels: Valkyrie, Adolf Hitler, Nazi, Germany, World War 2. Editor says, in reality and unbeknownst to Elser, Hitler had cancelled his planned speech at the Bürgerbräukeller because of the war, but then changed his mind, and agreed to attend the anniversary after all. This was on the condition that he could return to Berlin that same night. Since fog prevented a flight back to Berlin, Hitler decided to take the train, which meant finishing his speech earlier than expected. On November 8, 1939, the bomb exploded at 21:20, exactly as Elser had planned, but Hitler had already left the room thirteen minutes earlier. Eight people died and sixty-three were injured, sixteen of them seriously, and Elser's plot to assassinate Hitler had failed.
~ French army was not capable of major offensive action [complex set of reasons having to do with their mobilization system]. However odds are decent that the successor [legally Hess but realism says Goring] agrees to a cease fire and a peace conference.
~ It may have been a very unlucky day had it succeeded. The is evidence of British intelligence involvement and agents crossing the frontier to make the arrangements. Elser was not treated badly but put to work as the skilled man he was.
The argument is that as top nazis scambled for the top jobs as people moved up, the danger was technically efficient people would take over the army. war effort, navy and air force - particularly the air forces.
Would they have been able to make peace with Goring or hess or do the same factors apply in the 14 identifiable peace attempts between Sept. 1939 and August 1940?
Churchill on becoming Prime Minister is said to have ordered on no account was any assination attempt to assassinate Hitler to be made, as Corporal Schuckgruber was our best ally.
~ It'd be tricky to see whether Germany destabilized or solidified around Hitler as a martyr. Either way, if the war ended sooner and saner, the Germans would have a very powerful USSR to face shortly down the road.
~ Hitler was one incredibly lucky SOB...there were lots of assassination attempts and plots, many of which failed due to nothing but the fickle finger of Fate.
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
