Adolf Number Two

Hitler's Operations Chief Back

Last March General Adolf Heusinger took over supreme command of the German Wehrmacht. The last Adolf to occupy this postion was Adolf Hitler (of whom most History students should have heard.)

On August 2nd, 1945. Britain, the Soviet Union and the U.S.A. decreed at the Potsdam Conference that "all German land, naval and air forces ... including the General Staff . . . shall be completely and finally abolished Less than twelve years later, one of the most prominent members of the Nazi General Staff was installed in his new post as chief of all West German land, naval and air forces.

From the time that Hitler successfully seized power, Heusinger hitched himself to his star. In his autobiography in 1950 he does not spare criticism of his former master: but only for strategical mistakes. His opinion of the treatment of conquered peoples was that it was foolish since it alienated people who might have been won over to support of the Nazi cause. He seems a fitting successor to his former chief (Based on an article in Democratic German Report)