Rommel

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While watching a show concerning an assassination attempt on Hitler, one thing that was discussed was Rommel having privy to the assassination attempt. But, my understanding is, Rommel did not tell anyone about the conspiracy. As a result, of Rommel not telling anyone, he was given the option to either commit suicide (maintain his military honors and family would be safe etc) or live and go through a public trial etc. Rommel chose the first option. What are your thoughts on Rommel not telling Hitler and/or his decision to commit suicide rather than face a public trial?

For me it makes me wonder whether Rommel, a great commander, began having second thoughts about Hitler and Hitler's actions during the war. Did Rommel begin to see the more sinister (don't know what other word to use) side of Hitler and he didn't like it? Was he trying to preserve the people under his command since it seemed Germany was going to lose the war? Sometime I wish I can go back in time and ask various questions and find out.

As for Rommel deciding to kill himself, I really don't know. I haven't made a decision on that yet. Maybe I would have knowing what would probably happen to me and my family, despite not participating in the attempt.
 
After Hittler's assasination attempt everybody knew that the ones who were involved were to pay dearly (not only them but their families also)
Rommel was given this opportunity as a public trial of him wasnt sthing that Hitler wanted ,especially during that stage of the war.
Rommel knew that he couldnt escape alive from this situation so he decide to choose the suicide option to spare at least his family.
Have in mind that Rommel fought mainly in Afrika a theater of war which was a side show for the majority of the time and that Hitler had little to say or tried to
intervene as it was the usual case in Eastern front.
All Rommel's misfortunes there were primarily credited to Italians or so Rommel thought.
Rommel started to realise the situation and started to see Hilter's catastrophic hand on the waging of war after the invasion.
By then it was too late altough he tried to persuade him by sending some memos,the most famous of all the one that for the first time
political action is mentioned.
 
"[T]he most famous of all the one that for the first time political action is mentioned."

What memo was that?
 
A report of Rommel to Feldmarchal Von Kluge , that was forwarded by Feldmarchal Von Kluge to Hitler at 21st July 1944 which was ending with the remark that political action should
be made due to the huge difficulties of the war and in order to save Germany from total destruction.
Von Kluge was agreeing with the whole report and it stated clearly to Hitler.
Later on also Kluge was dead.
 
What do you think about the main guy in the plot. The guy who set teh explosives, Stauffenberg? He was executed almost immediately by fromm(?)? Stauffenberg family was not executed. What difference do you see between Rommel and Stauffenberg? Basically, Rommel's family probably would have been killed or hurt really bad. Why do you think that Stauffenberg family was untouched, but Rommel's may have been harmed? Do you think it was due to Rommel's rank?
 
I m not too familiar with Stauffenberg but judging from his failed attempt it seems that he didnt posses the special wheight of
Rommel and this is why almost nobody sided with him after the failed attempt.
And also this is why more or less he was condemned by the majority of the soldiers-officers during that time.
Rommel case was totally different,he was owing a part of his fame to the propaganda machine and it would have been
a disaster for Hitler to send him on trial, the 3rd Reich hero who doesnt believe anymore to final victory,a castastrophe for Germany's war effort and morale.
Maybe he was just gambling trying to force Rommel to commit suicide in order to save the game who knows....
 
The attempt was actually close to working, but according to the documentary I watched, once he was in the room with Hitler he placed the bomb close to Hitler. However, the plan was to place it closer, but he couldn't get closer so he did what he could. The other problem occurred when someone for whatever reason pushed the brief case containing the explosives under the table. The leg of the table stopped the blast from doing as much damage as it would have been if it was placed in a different spot. The bomb killed some and wounded others. The documentary demonstrated that if the brief case wouldn't have been moved it probably would have been successful. So, Stauffenberg did what he was suppose to due, but other events intervened.

Nobody really had time to side with him. The Fromm guy actually had him killed shortly after it was determined that the attempt failed. It was said that Fromme was in on it, but he did not want to get caught so he had Stauffenberg and others killed before they could implicate him.

I think you are right about Rommel. Rommel had more weight than Stauffenberg and would have been able to stir the pot to a larger degree than Stauffenberg would ever had.
 
Rommel died for his people. He was a Honorable officer and a great commander. To bad it was war that made him great. But it was his beliefs that made him greater. 5000 peoples were killed for the failed attempt on hitlers life. dam it.
 
I'm not sure what the last sentence of your comment pertains too. I know that other people were killed due to the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler. It was an unfortunate event to happen. Unfortunately, someone(s) are punished when there is an assassination attempt or an actua assassination of a leader of a country. However, in some occasions way too many people are punished or teh punishment is too severe.

I choose to discuss Rommel because of his position and was curious how other people felt about what happened to him; particularly his decision not to say anything. Rommel was a great commander and had the respect of many. He had great weight with people, the public. I just wonder what would have occurred if it was brought out by him or someone speaking to the public about the assassination attempt and Rommel's possible association with the attempt.
 
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