What if... Italy had found the Oil under Libya?

What many problems ?


And, about sources : the article in Der Spiegel is quoting what Ruge was saying, and as Ruge is not a neutral person .....


Shortly after the war (september 1945) Lucie Rommel denied categorically that her husband was involved in the 20 july . A few years later,at the start of the Cold War, for obvious reasons, some people in Germany started the Rommel myth, and Ruge and Speidel used this Rommel myth for their career , that's why Ruge edited his diaries to transform Rommel in an opponent of Hitler,and to protect Speidel : if it had been known that Speidel betrayed Rommel to save his own neck, Speidel could forget his career . The same for Ruge : if in 1955 his opinions about the Jews had become public, it was over and out for Ruge . Both had a lot to hide .

 

The following is from "Rommel : a reappraisal " (P 138)

"Much of the legend of Rommel's involvement (in the 20 july ) stems from his post war hagiography,linked to 2 of his closest staff officers and confidantes:

Speidel and Ruge.Both had their own agendas to pursue that make their claims regarding Rommel's complicity in the 20 july bomb plot suspect . "

What were now their agendas ?

As every one knows/should know, the future generals of the Bundeswehr had first to be vetted, cleaned by a control commission (personalgutachterausschus für die Streitkräfte ) composed of 20 retired military and 38 politicians, of whom also members of the SPD : one of them was the widow of Julius Leber, union leader murdered by the nazis .

As ALL those future generals had something to hide, there was a danger . But, there was one exception : the "friends" of Rommel would not be annoyed, it would be politically suicide to attack the Rommel myth .

That's why Speidel and Ruge used the dead Rommel to become the chiefs of the Bundeswehr ,they were also supported by the US .

Otherwise, how to explain that someone who never commanded a unit during the war (Speidel)become the number 2 of Nato : commander of Centag?

How to explain that someone who had a less than mediocre career in the KM (Ruge ) became the new chief of the KM .

How to explain that someone as Heusinger (of whom the CIA said that he could be considered as a war criminal ,and never left his comfortable office in Berlin) became the new chief of the Bundeswehr ?

Of course, to be able to parade as the sympathizers of Rommel, one had to create the Rommel myth and remove things that could compromise other members of the gang . That meant : editing diaries (if needed Ruge could ask the help from an expert : Halder ) .

I am sure that every one will be eager to read the following dissertation (more than 700 pages ) :

Von der Wehrmacht zur Bundeswehr: personelle kontinuität und diskontinuität beim aufbau der deutschen streitkräfte :1955-1966 .

I am also certain that one will object that the author of "Rommel : an appraisal " is biased .