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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Today in History: the July 20 Plot |
| 2007-07-20 |
| The July 20 Plot of July 20, 1944 was a failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany, and subsequently take power by means of an altered Operation Walküre plan which was supposed to subdue possible unrest. The key role was played by Wehrmacht officer |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #4 The plotters should have known that if they failed to kill Hitler, they would be killed. Almost makes a case for suicide bombing. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-07-20 21:16 |
| #3 I watched about this the other night on the Military Channel (was surfing as it began) A team including a German architect, a ??? and a??? went to the actual site, doing all kinds of studies, then build an exact replica, using bombs of the same size, determining what had really happened, and why Hitler wasn't killed. Seemed, two thing happened. The briefcase was originally set on one side of a table leg close to Hitler. Some general came in, felt the briefcase with his foot, and moved it to the other side of the table leg. It was that table leg that saved Hitler. They showed, if the briefcase had not been moved, Hitler would have indeed been killed. The other thing, they had two bombs, and when setting the detonators, before they second one was completed, someone came in, thus, the second bomb wasn't put in the briefcase. They further showed, if that second bomb had just been placed in the briefcase with the other one, and the briefcase was moved, as it was, it still would have killed Hitler. Was an interesting show -- I knew of the attempt and that was all. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2007-07-20 15:11 |
| #2 I think of this every July 20, but really should do some reading up on earlier, even more intriguing German Army plots to off the Fuhrer, one of which apparently was hatched much earlier, during the appeasement era, with the hopes that the western powers would stand up to Hitler during one of his moves in eastern Europe. Of course instead of that there was spinelessness, and the plotters shrunk back into the shadows. Involved a sabotaged transport aircraft, as I recall. Interesting thing was that it put a very concrete, dramatic edge on the general idea that not confronting Hitler early cost the world millions of needless deaths. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2007-07-20 13:03 |
| #1 I like the Gunter Grass version in his "Dog Years": Hitler's dog sniffs out the bomb under the table and moves away from the Fuhrer. Great book...even if fictional... |
| Posted by: borgboy 2007-07-20 12:55 |