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June 7, 2014
On the 70th anniversary of the Allied landing on Normandy's coast, known as D-Day, which was Friday, June 6, Carolyn looks at the possibility of treason as the reason for the poor Wehrmacht response to the invasion. Highlights include:
- Generals and even Field Marshals serving in Northwest France in anticipation of the 1944 invasion were the same ones who participated in the July 20, 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler;
- Most likely of all to be helping the enemy was Lt. General Hans Spiedel, FM Erwin Rommel's Chief of Staff, who had authority while Rommel was away and was slow to pass on information;
- An unusual number of key leaders were away from their headquarters on June 6, but the weather was thought unfavorable for a landing;
- Hans Spiedel was released by the French after the war and in 1957 was named Commander of the Allied Forces, Central Europe, an important NATO post, held until 1963;
- The last installment of Oblt. Leopold Wenger's letters from the front have been published - comments are welcomre.
Image: Lt. General Hans Spiedel and FM Erwin Rommel, with Gen. Lang between, at Pas-de-Calais in April 1944. Enlarge