Colin’s Comments (group member since Dec 16, 2012)

Colin’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

I also met and spoke with Col. John Frost, and got to know James Gavin as a result, which led me to Matthew Ridgeway, James Doolittle, Curtis Lemay, and many others.

Canaris had been in contact with the Allies through the Swiss since 1942, leaking information about mass murder (being a staunch anti Nazi, and also details about Heydrich's schedule in Prague), and this served Himmler as well, wanting to save his own neck. Himmler knew Canaris was held in high regard by Dulles, MI6 and others, hence his hoping to ride the fair wind into a comfortable surrender, and he was not alone. Goering also had his own ideas about escaping the Soviets and any severe punishment knowing the war was lost. Walter Schellenberg was a fanatical Nazi and mass murderer, never trust his writing.

Welcome Megan, hope you liked my book and the book by my good friend Adam Makos.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: ""A Bridge Too Far" is a classic book and I think one that many in the group would have in their favourite section as well."

Having read the book, and seeing the film in a theater when it came out started me on the road to contacting German vets, starting with Wilhelm Bittrich.

In answering your questions, Wolff was not going to talk about his relationships, and I did not press the issue. Wolff said that Himmler's unrealistic views on race and the war unsettled the majority of the Waffen SS officers who received their orders. Many of these men were PhDs and MDs, or lawyers, yet still professional soldiers. They understood the backlash and self -destructive policies would come back to haunt them. Wolff said that Himmler was the ultimate Hitler loyalist and bureaucrat, yet not adept at understanding military necessity. This opinion was shared by many I interviewed. Regarding Canaris, Himmler and he hated each other, I see not reason why Himmler would protect Canaris, after he learned that Canaris said that "Himmler looks like a bookworm yet lacking the intellect to open one."

I knew and interviewed Col. Aaron Bank, and he had a lot of experience with these teams.

Kate wrote: "I never liked the 'hero' generals and commanders that chase glory, publicity and get by on political connections... those go along to get along kiss up guys, with the swagger...show me the quiet gu..."

I spent a day and later had telephone interviews with Matt Ridgeway, good man. He, Reagan, Kohl and Steinhoff were together, excellent day indeed.

Richard Overy is solid, always good info and reliable.

Himmler was by all accounts from my interviews with those who knew him, an insane narcissist who believed in reincarnation, that he was in fact the reincarnation of Otto the Great, and many other revelations. Not a single senior officer I interviewed had a good thing to say about him, although Leon Degrelle said that he "was very efficient and unyielding in his determination."

Welcome, you came to the right place. FYI Alec Baldwin playing James Doolittle (who I knew well) is akin to Seth Rogan playing Stalin. Will never work.

4ZZZ wrote: "Just finished Chapter 10 "Endlösung". What a slog! The racial policies of the Nazi's was discussed heavily and with that Himmler as the driver. Specific reference is made to the eastern territories..."

I agree with the assessment of the Raschers. Wolff admitted that his career was in Himmler's hands, unlike Heydrich who was Himmler's biggest fear despite being his superior. Heydrich had files on everyone, even Himmler and Hitler, and was not opposed to using blackmail to get what he wanted. Wolff told me of a meeting he had with Gestapo chief Heinrich Mueller, where Mueller said: "We do what we must at Himmler's discretion, but I find his leadership somewhat lacking. He does not want to get his hands dirty, but has no issue with ordering others to do the most insane things, contrary to logic."

I interviewed Karl Wolff, so I have his story first hand. Other SS generals and senior officers knew of this story, if not the particulars of the executions. I have no reason to doubt Wolff's testimony. Hans Baur also witnessed Himmler become weak and ill during the period when he and Hitler watched the Ploetzensee films.

Ironically, Himmler and Goebbels were very impressed with the approaches to eugenics, sterilization and targeted abortion as proposed by Margaret Sanger.

Agreed, I saw a massive attrition rate due to these problems during my various training schools.

Chesty was a legend, I knew his widow, shame about his son.

I knew Karl Wolff, one of my best interviews. He was one of the first snapped up by Dulles and the CIA after the war. In my interviews with many senior Waffen SS officers, you have to reflect back upon the Jan. 20, 1942 Wannsee Conference. The greatest attribute of this meeting, besides setting the standard for industrialized murder, was the extreme need for secrecy and "need to know." People will find it hard to believe, but Himmler and Heydrich has a list of senior SS officers who were not on that need to know list. Otto Kumm and Wilhelm Bittrich among others were on that list. The information regarding the established death camps (not the concentration camps, let's not confuse the two) was so tightly restricted, and the vetting process so severe, some of these men learned about the events second hand, or by accident. A few were on board and did not care, others were horrified at the concept, and three SS generals eagerly joined Stauffenberg's plot to remove Hitler. In fact, Kumm established a safe zone for those he assumed would be targeted, and he even protected a Mischling (partial Jew) enlisted man whom he knew was in his company.

Jonny wrote: "I'm currently getting to grips properly with The Battle of the Atlantic: How the Allies Won the War. I'm fascinated by, and agree with, Mr Dimbleby's thesis and look forward to his ..."

I knew Otto very well indeed, in fact he and other U-Boat commanders were very gracious with their time during the many interviews.

Kumm and most of the others did believe in National German superiority and expansion into the east as a bulwark against communism. However, it must be remembered that several of the higher ranking SS officers were not indicted for any war crimes due to the fact that they were on the record as not supporting mass murder, and a few even voiced their opposition without any fear of reprisals. Several SS generals even joined the several plots to kill Hitler. They may not have been angels (Max Wuenche was one of the more frightening people I interviewed) most of them did not condone murder. One great example is Rudolf Muhlenkamp, commanding the 5th SS Wiking during the 1944 General Warsaw Uprising, who convinced Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski to have those men captured in uniform sent to traditional POW camps. Journalist and author Rita Cosby's father was one of those fortunate enough to have been in uniform and saved by Muhlenkamp's insistence that Geneva 1929 be upheld. Wilhelm Bittrich made a statement to over a dozen high ranking SS officers in Vinnitza in 1942 that "Heinrich (Himmler) was a fool with his policies, and things will go very badly for us if we don't change our ways." Just saying that the men involved were individuals, and not all were on board with the genocide. Kumm, Bittrich, Mohnke, Muhlenkamp, Degrelle and others saw the dangers of alienating the large pro-German populations they encountered who were anti-Stalin, as well as any post war review of the violations of the laws of war (I wrote a book on this); hence the Freiwilligen units being created. Karl Wolff told me that; "Himmler and I were sitting with Hitler and Goebbels one evening, and he stated that he was uncertain if he could trust his senior officers in the east to follow their orders on this matter (mass killing). Hitler said, 'I do no care really, as long as they win battles and conquer territory. The rest will work itself out in time.'"

Many navy Crosses were upgraded to the Medal of Honor upon more investigation, especially among marines. My old CO was one of these. See our book Noble Warrior.

I interviewed over a dozen SS generals, mostly Waffen SS, and there were some great differences between the early Allgemeine SS party members and the Waffen SS officers and most of the men. Kumm, Mohnke, and Bittrich among others argued with Himmler and were openly against his policies when they became aware. This is especially true of Kumm who, upon learning of the death camps, and saw a train being used to transport Jews instead of war supplies and troops, made a personal visit to see Hans Hausser, who also argued against the policy. Can't broad brush all because of others. Kumm openly defied a destruction order while in the Ukraine, and took the civilians to safe havens, during an orchestrated cease fire.