THE ROBERT W. WHITAKER ARCHIVE

WHY GOERING? | 2006-07-26

Until Hitler, in the Bunker, appointed Admiral Doenitz as his successor, it was generally assumed that the Number Two Man in the German Reich was Goering and, until 1941. the Number Three Man was Hess.

Hess was a Hero of Peace. He is beyond praise for bailing into Britain after the attack on the USSR. He did not know Churchill was dictator of Britain and Chruchill was a omplete psychopath. He took the chance and he lost.

Meanwhile who the hell was Goering? He was a war hero in his twenties, as Hess was. But did Goering ever DO anything?

COMMENTS (4)

#1 Pain | 2006-07-26 22:38

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I've wondered this myself. Goering was formally the President of Prussia and the Chief of the Airforce.

He also gave a lot of speeches.

This was very important to his party since it was how they kept some kind of direct relationship with the People. Publicity was made by frequent addresses directly from public officials. The architect Speer had designed a huge complex of buildings to replace the burned Reichstag replete with reflecting lake and one of two new central train stations. The centerpiece of the complex was to be the Volkshalle, the world's first fully enclosed colosseum built of sculpted stone and covered by a steel-braced copper dome with an eagle on top. Had it been built, it would still be the world's largest enclosed space. The purpose appears to have been as a forum for rallies and speeches for German leaders to address the German people directly. The speakers would have been a tiny speck, but in the Olympics the Germans were already using large screen technology in their scheduled broadcasts of the 1936 games. The Germans also used radio to broadcast speeches, but they still preferred the emotions that can only appear in live performances.

An interesting aside.

#2 Elizabeth | 2006-07-26 23:31

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I've never heard that Goering did anything productive

or successful during WW II.

He had something to do with planning the invasion of

Britain apparently. (We all know how well that

succeeded!)

#3 Dave | 2006-07-27 16:57

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Yes, Goering did do something. He built himself a palace with public money. That's all you need to know about the problem with dictatorship.

#4 Mark | 2006-07-27 23:26

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I could never forgive Goerring for having Ernst Udet executed -- execution by suicide I believe -- which was a shame considering the genius Udet held as a fighter pilot (#2 German ace vs. Goerring's #30 status).

Actually though, Goerring was loved by the Luftwaffe. When the SS was sent to arrest and execute him for treason, his fellow Luftwaffe pilots and ground crews hid him out, allowing him to surrender to the allies alive. So he must have had some redeeming qualities.