noffsinger Chapter 338 The Last Madness (7)
Chapter 338 The Last Madness (7)
When Keitel and Jodl arrived at the Führer's underground quarters, the Führer had just taken a few pills with the help of his mistress, and his pale, haggard face had become unnaturally thin. Before the two could speak to the Führer, a staff officer rushed over and handed Jodl a copy of the latest battle report. Apparently, on the Western Front, the Soviet army had finally broken through Neuenhagen, less than 30 kilometers from Berlin. Meanwhile, the British army had also broken through Birkenwerder in the northwest and entered the western suburbs of Berlin. The US military had already occupied the Berlin Palace and was pressing towards the city, while to the south, the flower-growing troops had reached Teltow. It could be said that the entire city of Berlin was completely surrounded.
Jodl didn't dare tell the Führer about the battle report, but the old man was clearly aware of it. At this moment, he appeared very calm. He asked softly, "My Chief of the General Staff, what time is it now?"
Jodl quickly checked his pocket watch and said, "Your Excellency, it is now 23:13 PM."
The old man nodded and said, "It's already late. I'm very sorry to ask you to come here. But you see how I'm doing now. There are some things I still need you to do."
The old man raised his hand to stop Eva Braun from speaking, and said to her affectionately, "My dear, tomorrow is your birthday. Every year I spend it with you in Wolfsburg. This year, I have to let you spend it here. But I still want to give you a beautiful birthday." At this point, he turned to Jodl and said, "Chief of the General Staff, I'm sorry to arrange for you to get the things you need for your birthday. But you also know that you are the only ones I can trust now, so I can only tell you to do it. Keitel, you stay, I have some things for you to do."
The Führer seemed to have thought of something and ordered again: "Mr. Jodl, I think tomorrow should be a lively day. You should call all those old comrades. I haven't seen them for a while. Think back to the days when we fought for Germany together and built the powerful Third Reich. We conquered all of Europe and the world was under our feet."
He became excited again and shouted hysterically: "Damn the Soviet Union, damn Stalin, damn Churchill, Roosevelt, they destroyed everything! The great German army will never let you go, and my people will tear you to pieces in the end!"
"Damn you Japanese, those East Asian monkeys, Hirohito, are you a fool? Why did you launch a surprise attack on the Americans?! Why didn't you follow our plan and attack the Soviet Union from both east and west?! You pigs, fools! Fools!!"
"Cough, cough, cough." He coughed excitedly. Eva Braun quickly leaned over to his side, gently soothing his breath, trying to calm him down as much as possible. The Führer also realized that he had become a little arrogant again, and under Eva Braun's caress, he slowly regained his composure. He waved to Jodl, indicating that he should handle it. Keitel seemed to realize something and hinted at Jodl with his eyes, indicating that he should leave.
After Jodel left, the calm old man grasped Eva's hand with deep affection and said tenderly, "Dear Braun, you have been with me since you were 17 years old and have always worked hard. I think it's time to give you a decent wedding and a title."
He turned to Keitel and said, "Keitel, you have a strong will and loyal beliefs. I choose you as my successor, and I believe I have made the right choice!"
"Tomorrow, after I marry Braun, I will leave here and this world. We are already prepared. Please stop trying to persuade me to flee Berlin. I will never leave the place where I have fought all my life, and I will never accept humiliation from the enemy!"
"After we die, you will be responsible for making proper arrangements for us. It would be best if our bodies were burned and buried in a secret location."
"Keitel, after I die, you arrange for Goering to negotiate surrender with the Allies on behalf of the Third Reich. Isn't that what he really wants to do? Let him do it. Germany can surrender, but our party, my faith, must continue. You are my designated successor, and I hope you live well. After the war, find a place to hide and pass on our flame!"
On the morning of May 1947, 5, the sky was clear, a rare ray of sunlight piercing through the gray fog of war. Eva Braun, dressed in a wedding dress, leaned against the Führer as she slowly emerged from the bunker. The sunlight shone on her face, making her look exceptionally beautiful.
A group of high-ranking generals and important figures of the German Third Reich appeared here. Strangely enough, Allied and Soviet aircraft did not appear in the sky, which gave the Third Reich the opportunity to hold this final wedding.
The Führer and Eva Braun each accepted the blessings of the crowd, though many of them were clearly mechanical and self-serving. Some, like Göring, had been summoned unexpectedly, fearing the Führer would use this opportunity to eliminate them. However, perhaps because dying men speak kindly, the old man, with a rare smile on his face, spoke cordially with everyone, and calmly accepted the blessings bestowed upon him and Eva Braun.
The birthday cake was slowly wheeled over. Despite the tight schedule and the lack of supplies, Jodl personally found the chef and meticulously prepared the cake overnight. Although Keitel hadn't informed him of the Führer's impending suicide, he was clever enough to realize it. Therefore, he went all out to prepare this final feast for the Führer, including all the food and decorations, which he arranged overnight, even completing personally.
The wedding and birthday party took place outdoors for over an hour, marking a rare gathering of the Führer and other high-ranking officials above ground in over a month. The Führer and his companions, still eager to continue, were interrupted by the appearance of Allied fighter planes, forcing them to return to the bunker.
After the Führer and his companions left, Keitel arranged for him to remain with Eva Braun. After 11 p.m. that evening, they drank a poisoned wedding wine, both of which resulted in their deaths. Following the Führer's death, Keitel personally directed the Führer's Guard to carry the bodies of the Führer and his wife to the ground, douse them in gasoline, and set them ablaze. They were then secretly deposited at a designated location.
Most of the German high-ranking officers who had received the news huddled in the bunker's command center conference room, awaiting Keitel's final report and discussing the next steps. The German high-ranking officers were now divided into two factions. One faction believed that there was no need to continue fighting and suggested negotiating with the Allies and surrendering with honor. However, they were well aware of the Soviets' deep hatred for them, and most believed that even if they surrendered, they would only surrender to the Allies, and many even hoped that the Allies would protect their lives.