Hermann Goering (12 Jan. 1893 - 15 Oct. 1946)
Although sceptical of Hitler’s plans for war, believing his Luftwaffe not to be ready to battle the Royal Air Force of Britain, Goering supported Hitler one-hundred-percent. He commanded the Luftwaffe brilliantly, having great success in Poland and France, where the Luftwaffe was instrumental to the blitzkrieg policy of Hitler. In 1940, in recognition of this, Hitler appointed Goering as Reichsmarschall des Grossdeutschen Reiches (Reich Marshall of the Greater German Reich), granting Goering seniority over every other military field marshals.
Goering’s first defeat came at the hands of the RAF during the Battle of Britain in 1940. However, he was credited with the successful bombing of British cities during the Blitz, therefore he was not too damaged by the defeat.
Goering was against Operation Barbarossa and tried to convince Hitler that war against the Soviet Union was doomed to fail. Despite his protests, Hitler continued his plan, and Goering accepted his role. The Luftwaffe was highly successful at first, as was the Wehrmacht, destroying almost the entire Soviet air force. Soon Goering became bored with commanding the Luftwaffe and embraced new roles such as managing captured resources, which Goering failed at.
The undoing of Goering’s reputation would be caused by the Allied bombing of Germany. He famously stated before the war that not a single bomb would land in Germany, as the Luftwaffe could defend the country. This proved false. In 1945 Goering telegrammed Hitler, who was in Berlin, asking whether instructions from 1941, appointing Goering as Hitler’s deputy and successor, were valid and that if Hitler did not reply by that evening, Goering would assume leadership. This message was intercepted by Bormann, and Hitler issued a telegram stating that Goering had committed high treason. The SS was sent by Bormann to eliminate Goering and his wife, though they ignored the orders and fled with him. He surrendered to American troops in May 1945.
For more information on Hermann Goering:
Frischauer, Willi. The Rise and Fall of Hermann Goering (Montana: Kessinger Publishing), 2010.
Manvell, Roger. Goering (London: Skyhorse), 1962.
Goering’s first defeat came at the hands of the RAF during the Battle of Britain in 1940. However, he was credited with the successful bombing of British cities during the Blitz, therefore he was not too damaged by the defeat.
Goering was against Operation Barbarossa and tried to convince Hitler that war against the Soviet Union was doomed to fail. Despite his protests, Hitler continued his plan, and Goering accepted his role. The Luftwaffe was highly successful at first, as was the Wehrmacht, destroying almost the entire Soviet air force. Soon Goering became bored with commanding the Luftwaffe and embraced new roles such as managing captured resources, which Goering failed at.
The undoing of Goering’s reputation would be caused by the Allied bombing of Germany. He famously stated before the war that not a single bomb would land in Germany, as the Luftwaffe could defend the country. This proved false. In 1945 Goering telegrammed Hitler, who was in Berlin, asking whether instructions from 1941, appointing Goering as Hitler’s deputy and successor, were valid and that if Hitler did not reply by that evening, Goering would assume leadership. This message was intercepted by Bormann, and Hitler issued a telegram stating that Goering had committed high treason. The SS was sent by Bormann to eliminate Goering and his wife, though they ignored the orders and fled with him. He surrendered to American troops in May 1945.
For more information on Hermann Goering:
Frischauer, Willi. The Rise and Fall of Hermann Goering (Montana: Kessinger Publishing), 2010.
Manvell, Roger. Goering (London: Skyhorse), 1962.