In a bold move that would redefine the balance of power in Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler appointed himself as the head of the Armed Forces High Command in February 1938. This calculated maneuver marked a significant milestone in Hitler's consolidation of power, allowing him to bypass the traditional chain of command and concentrate military authority in his own hands.
The appointment was the culmination of a carefully orchestrated crisis that had been brewing for months. Hitler had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the cautious approach of his top military commanders, who he believed were hindering his plans for territorial expansion. The removal of War Minister Werner von Blomberg and Commander-in-Chief Werner von Fritsch, two of the most senior officials in the German military, created a power vacuum that Hitler was quick to exploit.
The crisis began in January 1938, when Hitler learned of a scandal involving War Minister von Blomberg, who had married a woman with a questionable past. Hitler seized the opportunity to remove Blomberg, citing "moral turpitude" as the reason for his dismissal. Shortly after, Commander-in-Chief von Fritsch was accused of homosexuality, a charge that was later found to be false. The ousting of these two senior officials left a void at the top of the military hierarchy, which Hitler was eager to fill.
On February 4, 1938, Hitler announced the creation of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), a new supreme command structure that would oversee all branches of the German military. In a surprise move, he appointed himself as the head of the OKW, effectively becoming the supreme commander of the German Armed Forces. This bold move allowed Hitler to bypass the traditional chain of command, concentrating military power in his own hands and eliminating any potential opposition to his plans.
Hitler's appointment as head of the OKW marked a significant shift in the balance of power in Nazi Germany. The move allowed him to accelerate his aggressive expansionist policies, free from the constraints of the traditional military hierarchy. The German military, now fully under Hitler's control, would go on to play a crucial role in the Nazi regime's military campaigns, including the annexation of Austria, the invasion of Czechoslovakia, and eventually, the devastating war that would engulf Europe.
Hitler's appointment as head of the OKW marked the beginning of a new era of military expansion and aggression. With the German military now fully under his control, Hitler was able to pursue his territorial ambitions unchecked. The stage was set for the Nazi war machine to rumble to life, and the consequences would be devastating.
"I am the supreme judge of the nation's destiny."
Adolf Hitler
Hitler's appointment as head of the OKW marked a significant turning point in the history of Nazi Germany. The move allowed him to consolidate power, accelerate his aggressive expansionist policies, and ultimately, paved the way for the devastating war that would engulf Europe.
By seizing control of the German military, Hitler had effectively eliminated any potential opposition to his plans, allowing him to pursue his territorial ambitions unchecked. The consequences of this move would be far-reaching, shaping the course of European history for generations to come.
In the months leading up to Hitler's appointment as the head of the OKW, Germany was witnessing a significant shift in power dynamics within the military hierarchy. The old guard, comprising of seasoned military commanders like von Blomberg and von Fritsch, was seen as an obstacle to Hitler's aggressive expansionist policies. Hitler's masterstroke was to exploit the situation and capitalize on the crisis to consolidate power.
The crisis itself was a result of Hitler's own making. He had carefully orchestrated the removal of von Blomberg and von Fritsch, using allegations of moral turpitude and homosexuality to justify their dismissal. The subsequent creation of the OKW and Hitler's appointment as its head marked a significant turning point in the history of Nazi Germany.
The implications of this move were far-reaching, paving the way for Hitler to pursue his territorial ambitions unchecked. The German military, now fully under Hitler's control, would go on to play a crucial role in the Nazi regime's military campaigns, including the annexation of Austria and the invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Werner von Blomberg: A Brief Profile
Werner von Blomberg was a German Field Marshal and War Minister of the Third Reich. Born on September 2, 1878, Blomberg was a career military officer who rose through the ranks to become one of the most senior officials in the German military.
Blomberg's association with Hitler dated back to the early 1930s, when he became a vocal supporter of the Nazi regime. His appointment as War Minister in 1933 marked the beginning of a tumultuous period in German politics, as Hitler began to consolidate power and purge the military of its old guard.
Blomberg's downfall came in 1938, when Hitler learned of his marriage to a woman with a questionable past. Hitler seized the opportunity to dismiss Blomberg, citing "moral turpitude" as the reason for his removal.
The Blomberg-Fritsch crisis marked a significant turning point in the history of Nazi Germany, as Hitler consolidated power and eliminated potential opposition to his plans. In many ways, this crisis was a precursor to the Night of the Long Knives, where Hitler purged the SA and eliminated his political rivals.
Both events share common characteristics, including the use of manufactured crises to justify the removal of perceived threats to Hitler's authority. In both cases, Hitler demonstrated his cunning and ruthlessness, using power struggles to eliminate opposition and consolidate power.
However, the Blomberg-Fritsch crisis had far-reaching implications, as it allowed Hitler to assume direct control of the German military. This, in turn, paved the way for the Nazi regime's aggressive expansionist policies, which would ultimately lead to the devastation of World War II.
The geostrategic implications of Hitler's appointment as the head of the OKW were significant, as it allowed Germany to pursue an aggressive expansionist policy in Europe. The annexation of Austria and the invasion of Czechoslovakia were direct consequences of Hitler's consolidation of power.
The OKW would go on to play a crucial role in the Nazi regime's military campaigns, as Hitler sought to create a "Third Reich" that would dominate Europe. The German military's lightning-fast invasions of Poland, Denmark, and Norway in 1939-1940 were facilitated by Hitler's direct control of the OKW.
Hitler's control of the OKW also allowed him to implement his "Blitzkrieg" strategy, which involved rapid advances by armored divisions supported by air power. This strategy would prove devastatingly effective in the early years of World War II, as Hitler's military successfully conquered large swathes of Europe.
Hitler's appointment as the head of the OKW marked a significant ideological shift in Nazi Germany, as the Führer sought to impose his own brand of fascist ideology on the German military. Hitler's worldview was characterized by a strong belief in the importance of military power and the need for Germany to assert its dominance over Europe.
This ideological shift was reflected in the OKW's new organizational structure, which emphasized the importance of ideological indoctrination and political loyalty. Hitler saw the military as a instrument of his ideological vision, rather than a neutral institution dedicated to defending the nation.
The implications of this ideological shift were far-reaching, as the German military became an instrument of Nazi terror and aggression. The OKW's role in the Holocaust, the systematic persecution of Jews and other minority groups, was a direct consequence of Hitler's ideological vision.