... Hitler was assasinated 8 November, 1939

There are many people who have speculated about what would have happened if Hitler had been assassinated 20 July, 1944. And it seems that not a whole lot different would have happened in the long run. However, few people know about let alone speculate about the what ifs involving an earlier assassination attempt against Hitler on 8 November, 1939. That day Hitler left the Bürgerbräukeller in Munich early after making his traditional speech on the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. Hitler's early exit likely saved his life as 13 minutes after his exit a bomb planted by Georg Elser within a pillar only a few feet away from the podium that killed eight people and injured 63.

What if Hitler hadn't left the Bürgerbräukeller early that night, however? What if he had indeed been killed on this day?

To start off with Hitler would have been given a hero's burial, likely in Munich or Linz. Goering would have succeeded Hitler as stipulated by Hitler on September 1 of that year. Plans for the attack on France would have been well under way but would Goring have led them to a similar conquest of France as Hitler actually did? Goring was less than enthusiastic about the war at the beginning and was not confident his Luftwaffe could defeat the Allies. How would he have responded to having the ground and naval forces at his disposal as well? And how would the rest of the Nazi hierarchy take to having Goring as new Fuhrer? Would the Allies have been more willing to come to some sort of negotiated end to the war without requiring the unconditional surrender of Germany? Would events have ever led to an invasion of the Soviet Union, Germany's newfound ally?

I think there are many more interesting things to consider in this what if Hitler was assassinated scenario than the usual one that considers only the 20 July, 1944 attempt.

 

Interesting position indeed.

However the German nation was doomed to war as it would have otherwise collapsed, I guess. The money was used in making tanks and planes not welfare. So I guess even Hermann would be forced to go to war. As well he would be forced to give up Poland if he wanted to even negotiate peace with the Allies and what position would that put him in the eyes of Stalin?? I suppose Göring would have followed the old route leading to trench warfare and as Germany was not prepared for a long war it would be over for Germany by June 1940.

I won´t discuss the relationships between the top nazi hierarchy, I won´t even try....

Interestingly enough the Nov 1939 bomb attack has sometimes been supposed as a planned coup by the nazis themselves to make Hitler look better. I don´t know how true this is as it was planned and done by one person alone and also Oster got "pains" as his own plans were doomed now because Hitler was now under even more efficient protection.

 

Interesting thoughts. Had Germany not invaded Poland in 1939, it may have kept Austria, the Sudenten, the Tsech Republic, Danzig and Memel. However I agree that soon or late the Germans would have used there weapons, either on an offensive in the east (or the west) or as a defensive strategy, (probably in the east, but the west would have to be taken into account too).

 

Interesting question. Goring has always shown a dislike for going to war. It was he who initiated the talks on the Sudeten question with Mussolini. He also attempted to do the same on the Danzig issue but with no success. Hitler wanted war. Now, If Hitler would have been assasinated, I would think that Goring would have tried to negotiate a peace with Chamberlain and then focus his efforts on building up the Wehrmacht for the showdown against the USSR. He may have even solicited help from the Western Allies.

 

Loot from the Cezchoslovakian Republic and Poland would have sustained the nazi government for another year or two, into 1941. Delaying the economic problems would have depended on either negotiating a peace (which would not have solved the long term problems) or conquoring another batch of wealthy nations to loot. But, I'm not sure if Goering or the other senior nazi leaders understood this very well.

Were war with France & Britian to continue Goering did want Holland & Belgium as bases for his short legged Luftwaffe. The bombers & fighters had trouble reaching targets in Britian & beyond eastern France. Conversely Goerings belief in the Luftwaffe may very well have caused his to select an entire different set of plans for Case Yellow. Neither Manstiens plan for attacking thru the Ardennes, or the final Sickle Cut plan existed in the autum of 1939. It is entirely possible Goering would have neglected improving the plans for the ground attack, depending on a grand air battle to defeat the Allies. The likely result of that would have been a indecisive victory leaving the German in possesion of some Belgian & French industrial cities and usefull airfields, and both sides exhausted by battle after a few months.

Alternatly peace may have been negotiated, leaving the new nazi government to wreste with the mysterys of gobal economics, national & internation banking, industrial policy, & dealing with a population that was expecting all of Hitlers promises to be delivered.

 

Firstly, I disagree.
The General Staff had been continually planning such things years before and had one plan for the day Germany was to invade Poland that collapsed for some stupid reason like traffic or something.

Whether they or someone else assassinated Hitler, or he just died choking on a cherry, the German generals had been preparing to not only arrest all the Nazi Party Leaders, but disarm the SS at the same time.

In your scenario, I think the Generals would take immediate action, especially while the Nazis themselves were in a state of shock and confusion and long assuming eachother would be the chosen successor resulting in no clear leadership.

I believe the Generals would step in, order martial law and especially now before the SS got so big, immediately arrest all Nazi Officials and disarm the SS units.

They would open immediate channels to the West asking them to not to try to take advantage of the coup on promises they would return part if not most of Poland and 'influence' the Russians to do so also.

Germans in general did want pre-ww1 borders returned, but they were also dismayed when Hitler's promise that the Allies would back down yet again over Poland back-fired.
Not to mention put Stalin's armies twice as close to Berlin as before.

As for Nazi support.
When Hitler announced the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and ordered a complete 180 in regards to propaganda about who was and who wasn't the great enemy anymore, even those leaning towards the Nazis were still going....'what the hell?'.

It would be worse than Bush all of a sudden hugging that Iranian President and announcing nuclear, economic and military trade deals between present-day USA and Iran. Alot of Germans even Nazis were questioning what the Nazis actually stood for or not with the Nazi-Soviet Pact.
Between this and the paralysis of losing the founder of the movement, hell ya I say the Generals win.

I'd say the Generals would succeed in a coup and the elimination of the Nazi Party.
I don't think they'd voluntarily give up especially former German Poland, but I do think they'd want to make peace with the Allies as long as, again, it wasn't unconditional.

 

This is interesting indeed. Would Hitler be considered a hero aftermhis death? afterall by this time Germany was very different from 1929.......

I would agree with Kai though, I believe that war was inevitable. The Versaille treaty was humiliating and many dispised it, all Germany needed was just an excuse. Even if Hitler was killed, his thoughts and beliefs would not have gone with him as he had many followers not mention Mein Kampf.....

There are many things as to what may have happend, would Germany have gone to war? I think so, but I cant guess as to how, when and why.

 

I know the SS were nowhere near as powerful as they'd become in succeeding years, but I still wonder if this 'internal revolution' might buy some time for either side.

According to Total War and 'War Leaders', Mussolini had convinced the Pope to intervene and talk with the Polish President, but Hitler invaded before the meeting was to take place.

Whether the Poles would agree to return territory to avoid war or not I haven't read as much on the Free Polish historical accounts.

While the German people might have support for the return of pre-WW1 european borders, they(nor the Generals) didn't have that desire for Lebensraum, the conquering of more living space beyond original German borders. This was why Hitler kept demobilising after each victory, he knew he really didn't have as much support of the industrialists nor Germans themselves as his propaganda machine indicated.

Does anyone know of any comments by German General Staff in favour of risking war over how much returned territory?
Could the Danzig Corridor be negotiated?
Were the Generals as anxious for war at this point?

Without the Nazis in power, what would it take to make the German opposition/General Staff and/or people to feel they had regained enough?

Are there any quotes from those who'd have over-thrown Hitler on this issue?