And clouded judgments of leaders
Hitler developed some sort of private armies long before his Chancellorship. He gained support of Captain Ernst Rohm’s Brown-Shirts (Storm Troopers) and also formed his own Protection Squadron SS (SchutzStaffel)
72 years ago, on 20 July 1944, an assassination attempt was made on the life of German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler that he narrowly escaped. It was beyond the expectation of people around the globe that the man who was considered a messiah and saviour of the Germans, and people used to worship him; was under attack in one of the safest and most secure bunkers in Germany. He is remembered as the most influential as well as controversial man in history. The early years of Hitler’s power were perhaps of a dramatic change in the lives of the German people. He came to power democratically on 30 January 1933 and relentlessly followed his political bible i.e. his book “Mein Kampf”. Under his leadership Germany soon recovered from the shackles of the Great Depression and began to rearm itself thus violating the vicious Treaty of Versailles.
The assassination attempt was not a cause but it was an effect inflicted by the military top-brass. The plan was well-articulated and thoroughly studied. It was a result of Hitler’s continuous meddling in military operations and command and control of the entire German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht).
Hitler developed some sort of private armies long before his Chancellorship. He gained support of Captain Ernst Rohm’s Brown-Shirts (Storm Troopers) and also formed his own Protection Squadron SS (SchutzStaffel). The SS also comprised many sub-organisations. A branch of the SS was given a military role and named as Waffen-SS. These organisations coupled with Gestapo and Kripo left behind the German military in its power and influence. The parallel armies of Hitler soon resulted in a sense of frustration in the military, his interventions in purely military affairs and the subsequent defeats led some generals to begin contemplating about Hitler’s removal. He was also used to dismissing his generals for taking a defensive manoeuvre and translated their tactical actions as a sign of weakness and vulnerability.
Hitler became the Clausewitzian centre of gravity in Germany and the excess of power entirely clouded his judgment. He overturned almost every decision of the German military high command (OKW) and his actions led to a series of German defeats on every battlefield. Hitler abandoned the Battle of Britain and moved towards the Soviet Union. The Eastern Front was growing worse after the Battle of Stalingrad. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s “Afrika Korps” was defeated in the North African Campaign. Italy was invaded by General George Patton and Mussolini was removed from power by the Italian King. The Allied landings at Normandy, France, after the D-Day on 6 June 1944 opened a passage for the Allies to race towards Berlin.
The German military also showed some exceptional and implausible military victories in the history of warfare. The use of Blitzkrieg tactics on an operational level resulted in swift and decisive victories. The German air force and navy choked the English Channel and deprived Britain of its foreign trade. The military conquests in Poland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Greece, Yugoslavia and The Soviet Union are unprecedented. Hitler’s wrong political decisions were making it impossible for the military to withhold conquered territories. The military was pretty annoyed at the decisions taken by Hitler who was actually pushing Germany to the verge of collapse. Perhaps he was not able to differentiate between military and political objectives.
Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben and Admiral Wilhelm Canaris were among the top conspirators and were eventually executed or committed suicide under pressure. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was the man responsible for placing the bomb in the conference room near Hitler. Operation Valkyrie was the code name to overthrow Hitler and National Socialist Germans Workers Party out of power and to seize control of Berlin.
The concentration of power in some specific hands clearly obscures the judgment of leaders. The fierce feudal and industrial giants have been dominating and controlling the “Police Culture” in Pakistan and are significantly endangering the National Security
Rommel, Hitler’s most brilliant General was among the conspirators. BS Liddell Hart’s book “The Rommel Papers” (1953) unveiled first-hand accounts of Rommel’s motivation to bring down Hitler. He was convinced that Germany was losing the war and it was the time for peace negotiations with the Allied Powers. The 20 July Plot and the planned Operation Valkyrie can be best understood in the words of Sun Tzu when he says in his book “The Art of War” about emptiness (dissatisfaction) and fullness (satisfaction) among the ranks. It is very much important to differentiate between military and political objectives to ensure sustainable victory.
Historical incidents have always been taken as a precedent in the lives of the nations and states. In the contemporary world, the US, NATO and ISAF forces have somehow failed to achieve both political and military objectives in Afghanistan. The situation in Afghanistan has a trickledown effect on Pakistan and the ongoing successful military operations in the North-West are likely to be affected. It puts heavy pressure on the political leadership of Pakistan to make certain of guarding the national objectives. The effective political presence in the volatile region can assure political stability flanked by the military being there.
The concentration of power in some specific hands clearly obscures the judgment of leaders. The fierce feudal and industrial giants have been dominating and controlling the “Police Culture” in Pakistan and are significantly endangering the National Security. This particular culture is contributing in the nourishment of criminals and perhaps “Private-Armies”. The corruption-terrorism nexus perhaps can only be destroyed by eliminating the “political umbrella” being provided to those practices. At the same time it is very much important for the civil government to ensure the component of “satisfaction” among the military ranks and need to eradicate those elements and hurdles which have been repeatedly pointed out by the establishment for the fulfillment of the National Action Plan in its true sense.
