Episode from decisionmaking before the attack on France 1940

julian · Post by **julian** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 3:12 am

An excerpt from Befehl im Widerstreit, Adolf Heusinger Rainer Wunderlich Verlag 1950 pp 81-83

A conversation between the chefadjudant of Hitler, the first general staff officer of the Wehrmachtführungsamt and the first general staff officer of the Operationabteilung of the OKH in the Bendlerstrasse in february 1940 :

" First general staff officer Wehrmachtführungsstab : Anyway I am glad you succeeded in bringing Manstein to the Führer.
How was the impression ?

Chefadjudant: The Führer said: 'Certainly a particularly clever head with high operational aptitude
but I do not trust him.' One can therefore at the moment not yet think of a replacement of Keitel by Manstein. We will have to wait.

First general staff officer Operationsabteilung: But we must not lose sight of the question. Personal dislikes must stand back when everything is at stake. In the last war Ludendorff was also fetched too late. And I would know no other than Manstein who could face up to the immense tasks of this second world war. Keitel certainly is not. We must prepare the ground further. About what did Hitler talk with Manstein ?

Chefadjudant: Actually only on the offensive in the west. Hitler has been busy for weeks with the positioning of the forces. He tends to abandon the Schlieffenplan and shift the focal point to the Armygroup von Rundstedt. However he shrinks from fixing this idea definitively. Now he has found with Manstein the same opinion and he is very reassured. He has this morning developed his new plan to the commander in chief of the army and the chief of staff.

First general staff officer Operationsabteilung: The chief of the general staff came back very satisfied and said :' Now the thing gets a face'. The idea to advance from the Eiffel to the coast , brings a great line into the operation. It is however so bold that nobody had the courage to express it. We have already doctored it for weeks. Hopefully one will now hold fast to this decision. How is Hitler's relation to Brauchitsch now?

Chefadjudant: The break from november has been makeshiftly repaired. But the Führer will never forgive his utterances at that time about the discipline. The objections of the commander in chief were also not very adroit.

First general staff officer of the Operationabteilung : But still urgent and necessary. We can consider us lucky that particularly in this exceptionally cold winter it did not come to an offensive. Whether he sees that afterwards ?

Chefadjudant : To himself he maybe admits that, to the exterior never. Napoleon would not have done either.

First general staff officer of the Wehrmachtführungsstab : Na, na, you cannot compare Hitler with Napoleon. There is still a small difference.

Chefadjudant : Why do you not want to appreciate the man ? He has shown enough evidence of his abilities. And he is also the commander, you will all experience that !

First general staff officer Operationsabteilung : That will have to show itself. The true commander is not only characterised by the planning of great operations. It is in the crisises that he proves himself. "
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