The attack on Hitler of 20 July 1944: the failure of the plan that would end the war

The most famous attack to Hitler It was that of July 20, 1944known as Valchiria operation and organized by a group of conspirators of conservative political ideology, intending to overturn Nazism and to put an end to the Second World War, which began in 1939. Lieutenant Colonel that day Claus von stuffenberg He placed a bomb at the Lupo lairHitler’s headquarters, in order to kill the dictator and establish a new government. The Führer, however, almost came out unharmed from the explosion and the plan failed. The gestapo and the other Nazi organizations sparked A very hard repression against conspiratorswho were almost all shot or forced to suicide.

Hitler, who in his life broke out at about 40 attacks, committed suicide after nine months and Nazism remained in power until Germany’s unconditional surrender, in May 1945. Variously dedicated to the conspiracy of 20 July historiographic and cinematographic worksincluding the film “Valchiria Operation” of 2008.

German resistance and attempts to kill Hitler

Since the 1930s, some of the exponents of the army, clergy and German citizens had understood the danger and true nature of the Hitlerian regime: among the opponents of Nazism important military commanders appeared, such as Ludwig Beckwhich in 1938 resigned from the army and, together with other officers, He began to plan the reversal of the regime. The military joined some political exponents, including Carl Goerdelerformer mayor of Leipzig. However, the plans were not implemented and the beginning of the Second World War, which in the early days proved victorious for the German armies and increased the prestige of Hitler, seemed to remove any possibility of success from conspiracy.

The situation changed since 1942, when the German army suffered the first military defeats: other characters were added to the conspirators, including the colonel Henning von Tresckowwhich became a sort of leader of the conspiracy.

The conspirators believed it was necessary Eliminate Hitler and the other Nazi leaders (in particular, Heinrich Himmler and Hermann Goering), and then take power e negotiate peace With the enemies: Hitler’s killing was considered indispensable for the success of the plan and in the early months of 1943 they were organized Three different attacksnone of which was successful.

The arrival of Stauffenberg and Piano Valchiria

In the summer of 1943, the lieutenant colonel joined the conspirators Claus von stuffenberga man of Catholic faith and conservative ideology, who had lost a hand and an eye in war. The conspirators decided that if they managed to eliminate Hitler, they would take power through the Piano Valchiriaa project issued by the Nazi government for the mobilization ofterritorial army in case of insurrections of the population. The conspirators planned to mobilize the territorial army, convincing his commander, General Friedrich Fromm, to join the conspiracy, to arrest the leaders of the Nazi organizations. They also established to kill Hitler through The explosion of a bomb with the wolf lairthe headquarters located a Rastenburgin Eastern Prussia (today in Poland).

The plan was as follows: Stauffenberg, who would participate in A meeting with Hitler and other soldiers, would have placed In the room a bag containing the bomband then move away with an excuse and quickly return to Berlin. After the explosionthe other conspirators, warned by their collaborator at the Lupo’s den, they would have implemented the Valchiria Piano. Once the Nazi government is overturned, Carl Goerdeler he would take The position of Chancellor And General Beck that of head of state.

The execution and failure of the plan

Stauffenberg decided to implement the plan on July 20 and reached the wolf lair bringing two bombs with it, which he would have opened with a rudimentary device in time. However, arrived on the spot, he had time to activate Just one of the two bombs And also, due to the heat, the meeting was held in one room with open windows Instead of in a bunker, in which the effect of the explosion would have been stronger.

Stauffenberg managed to also place the bag containing the bomb not far from Hitler, and to leave the meeting with the excuse of having to make a phone call. At 12.42 the bomb broke out: the explosion killed three officers and an stenographer, but he spared Hitlerwhich came out of the room almost unharmed.

Stuffenbergwho thought he had successfully completed the attack, He returned to Berlin with his personal plane e He tried to start the Vallchiria Piano. However General Fromm had been warned that Hitler had survived and refused to join the conspirators: The plan failed and in the span of a few hours the Nazis fully resumed control of the situation.

The consequences of the attack in Hitler

The same evening of July 20 General Fromm had Stauffenberg and other conspirators arrested and shot; Still others committed themselves, like Tresckow, or were forced to suicide, like General Beck. In the following weeks the Gestapo arrested about 5000 people, many of whom involved only indirectly In conspiracy: about 200 of the arrested, including the same from Fromm, were executed after “farce processes” conducted at the notorious Court of the peoplea special court established by the Nazis to judge political crimes. Some conspirators, such as Goerdeler, were killed only after being imprisoned and tortured for months.

Among the people forced to commit suicide because of the attack, Erwin Rommel, the most famous German general, who had not taken part in the conspiracy, but was aware of it, was also aware of it. The failure of the attack meant that Hitler remained in power and that the war continued for another nine months, until the Red Army had Conquered the city of Berlin, in May 1945.

After the collapse of the Nazi regime, books and films were dedicated to the attack of 20 July 1944. One of the best known is “Valchiria operation”, released in theaters in 2008, in which Lieutenant Colonel Stauffenberg is interpreted by Tom Cruise.