The hope remains that the incredulous, the weak and the doubtful people have been converted and will remain that way." Shortly after the Sudeten occupation, Jodl went to a post command and did not become Chief of the Operations Staff in OKW until the end of August, 1939. The genius of the Fuehrer and his determination not to shun even a World War have again won the victory without the use of force. Jodl conferred with the propaganda experts on " imminent common tasks " such as German violations of international law, exploitation of them by the enemy and refutations by the Germans, which " task" Jodl considered " particularly important." on X-1 Day, the day before the attack, and said it must occur at a fixed time in good flying weather. Jodl admits he agreed with OKH that the " incident" to provide German intervention must occur at the latest by 2 p.m. He initialled items 14, 17, 24, 36 and 37 in the Notes. In planning the attack on Czechoslovakia, Jodl was very active according to the Schmundt Notes. Jodl issued supplementary instructions on 11th March, and initialled Hitler's order for the invasion on the same date. His diary for 10th March shows Hitler then ordered the preparation of "Case Otto," and the directive was initialled by Jodl. When Hitler decided " not to tolerate " Schuschnigg's plebiscite, Jodl brought to the conference the " old draft," the existing staff plan. Though he claims that as a soldier he had to obey Hitler, he says that he often tried to obstruct certain measures by delay, which occasionally proved successful as when he resisted Hitler's demand that a directive be issued to lynch allied " terror fliers." Crimes against PeaceĮntries in Jodl's diary of 13th and 14th February, 1938, show Hitler instructed both him and Keitel to keep up military pressure against Austria begun at the Schuschnigg conference by simulating military measures, and that these achieved their purpose. He said that when he signed or initialled orders, memoranda and letters, he did so for Hitler and often in the absence of Keitel. Jodl defends himself on the ground he was a soldier sworn to obedience, and not a politician and that his staff and planning work left him no time for other matters. In the strict military sense, Jodl was the actual planner of the war and responsible in large measure for the strategy and conduct of operations. Although his immediate superior was defendant Keitel, he reported directly to Hitler on operational matters. After a year in command of troops in August, 1939, he returned to become Chief of the Operations Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces. From 1935 to 1938 he was chief of the National Defence Section in the High Command. He was found guilty of all charges and was executed by hanging in October 1946.Nuremberg Trial Judgements: Table of Contents| Hermann Goering| Julius Streicher There were additional charges for unlawful deportation, as he signed an order transferring Danish citizens and Jews to concentration camps. Primarily, the evidence against him related to the documents he had signed – the Commissar Order, and the Commando Order. He was accused of several acts, including conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Last but certainly not least, he signed the “unconditional surrender” documents on 7th May 1945.Īlfred Jodl was then arrested by British troops on 23rd May 1945. In 1941 he signed the Commissar Order allowing Soviet political commissars to be shot, in 1942 he signed the Commando Order, which allowed any Allied commandos, soldiers and combatants, whether in uniform or not, to be shot immediately if found behind German lines. Alfred Jodl held his position as Germany occupied Denmark and Norway.Īlfred Jodl signed several important documents as part of his tenure. The OKW was newly formed, and was the governing body over the normal armed forces. He was then chosen by Hitler to become Chief of Operation Staff of the OKW. He was made a commander of the 44th Division from late 1938 to August 1939, during the period that Austria was being annexed to Germany. In 1939, Alfred Jodl was introduced to Adolf Hitler. He was promoted to the rank of Major, which put him under the command of General Ludwig Beck. In 1918, upon defeat of the German Empire, Jodl continued to serve in the German Army. He was awarded the Iron Cross in both campaigns for his bravery. From 1914 to 1916 he served on the Western Front, and in 1917 he served on the Eastern Front. After graduation, Alfred Jodl went straight into the military, joining the German army as an artillery officer.
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