Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-3786-ps.06 Last-Modified: 1999/11/26 The Fuehrer: Hausser is a shrewd fellow. He gives the impression of a shrew-mouse. Jodl: A terribly sarcastic, witty man. At least that's what he was. The Fuehrer: He has the features of a fox. Guderian: He has a good wit. [Page 691] Keitel: He is very qulck-witted. The Fuehrer: With his sly little eyes. Only I am not quite sure whether he has suffered through the last serious injury. Fegelein:No he has not suffered, this was tested. The Reichsf Lfehrer said he does not quite trust the story. He says if he comes with a succession down there, and he does something which does not fit who's mind is not quite in order this would be most embarrassing for him [sic]. The Reichsfuehrer is so smart he would not have suggested it if he did not know exactly that it would be possible, because he makes a fool of himself and the Reichsfuehrer is very sensitive in such matters. The Fuehrer: We all are. Fegelein:But. of course the Reichsfuehrer is always being subjected to criticism. The Fuehrer: When something goes wrong. Goering: like to ask that the relief of Student takes place in such a manner that it does not look as if he was a failure; because he has not failed in a single point, nowhere, this I wish to emphasize. but he accomplished all his tasks very well, even though there was not much going on. He carried out the flooding etc. I should like to arrange it so that I require him urgently for the parachute army and make the request. The Fuehrer: Hausser has also the following philosophy: He says as a soldier I am almost 65 years, the highest ahievement I can accomplish is that I shall die in battle. The Fuehrer: I do not want that at all. Fegelein: pushing. The Fuehrer: This is no philosophy at all. Guderian: very well. This will not necessarily have to come to pass. He is a happy man. Fegelein: he gives his last regardless of anything. He walks through artillery fire and when his aides flung themselves to the ground, he says: why are you so sensitive? The Fuehrer: I would lie down, too. I had only one general who did not lie down. But he did not hear it. [Page 692] Jodl: heless I would suggest it. This a little weak, Christiansen too is not exactly a born army leader. Goering: That I admit. Jodl: Up there it is rather thin as far as command is concerned. The Fuehrer: Allright. . . Jodl: I believe that this is the most practical way. Thus the Reichsfuehrer will get his staff in the East. Guderian: This is especially important: at present the staff of the Reichsfuehrer is a miserable improvisation with which he cannot achieve anything. The communication service does not function, it is bad. They cannot go on like that. Something must be sent there immediately. Keitel: Entirely adapted to his personality. The Fuehrer: Well, it shall be done thus: Hausser remains here, Blaskowitz there. Fegelein: My Fuehrer, I have here something which requires immediate decision. I have just checked. Out there in the barracks of the Leibstandarte there are 6,000 men for the 1st panzereorps. It will yet take some time for the moment. I request that 4,000 to 5,000 of these men with the best officers are placed behind Schoerner. It does not matter during the next fortnight whether they are in the barracks or on the streets. The Fuehrer: We are not going to do that: because they have to be trained. When the Leibstandarte is pulled out, they must move in immediately. Fegelein:They are trained. The Fuehrer: I will not be able to assemble them any more at that time. This corps has not much time. Take the cavalrymen, they are 1,500 men. You can add a few "Volkssturm" men. Fegelein: Shall I bring the commander here? The Fuehrer: Just as you like, I, for my part, see no need talking to him. Fegelein: Well, they are not to be taken away then. The Fuehrer: No. v. Below: Then the ammunition allotment. [Page 693] The Fuehrer: Yes, the business about the ammunition allotment. He says: with eight or five rounds for heavy field howitzers he cannot fight a defensive. Jodl: This is the calculation by the Quartermaster General and he added: this will become still worse. The Fuehrer: But he cannot fight a defensive in such critical places. Jodl: I assume that it was figured out that way. The Fuehrer: If one has a large front line sector with quiet sections, it might be possible. But if one has the bad luck- Jodl: This is prorated for the entire western front for every artillery piece. The Fuehrer: Quite. But if one has the bad luck to be in a sector which gets a constant boxing and he receives his 5 rounds of ammunition, he cannot possibly manage, because on a single day of defense he needs 500 to 600 rounds. In the first World War during large defensive battles we used up to 500 to 600 rounds with a small battery. Guderian: This calculation goes for the entire front. The Fuehrer: For that very reason. If one has a large sector, it is better. Jodl: This is ordered for the entire western front. The Fuehrer: Now he is doubly unlucky. All others have divisions while he on the Rhine has only a medley of troops which have no artillery at all. Consequently his allotment is very small because he has the artillery only where there is shooting and where emergency exists. He has no other artillery, only Russian cannons etc. There is no shooting elsewhere. For instance he has 100 field howitzers, they are in the midst of constant heavy fighting. If he can fire 500 rounds per day with 100 field howitzers it will not be of much use in a heavy battle. This has to be taken in consideration when he gets a larger sector, that this will be balanced. Jodl: No, this is for the entire front. The Fuehrer: In the world war in normal times in 1915/16 we had an ammunition supply which was atrocious. Guderian: I to 2 rounds per gun per day. [Page 694] The Fuehrer: Frequently the regiment begged all day long for retaliation fire. Then, regularly towards the evening, six rounds were approved, 4 with time fuse and two with percussion fuse. This was the entire artillery support of an infantry regiment. They came usually after the others had ceased tiring and upon that they started again. We became raving mad and said: if only we had not started with those 6 rounds. But I must say: when there were attacks during heavy fighting there was unlimited ammunition. Then they fired all the barrels could shoot. Guderian: This is not the case at present. The Fuehrer: Normally there was an enormous restriction. But when an attack was imminent or actually started, they really blasted away. I know, on 9 May the battery of Major Parzival fired 5,000 rounds. They fired away, the whole day long, full blast, that is to say more than 1,000 shells per barrel. Jodl: In Italy all quiet, .,.now and fog. The last remainders of the 29th armored infantry division are now withdrawn and the last parts of the 4th parachute division have gone into the line. The 1st and 4th parachute divisions are now combined under the Ist parachute corps. The Fuehrer: I don't know, do you think that the English still regard the whole Russian development with honest enthusiasm? Jodl: No, definitely not. The plans were indeed entirely different. This will perhaps be realized in its full extent only later. Goering: That we stop them there and in the meantime let the Russians conquer all of Germany, that is definitely not according to their plans. If things continue like that we shall receive a telegram in a few days. It is not so that we do not let them advance one step and, according to the opinion of the enemy, hold like mad in the West and the Russian penetrates more and more into Germany and practically has all of Germany. The Fuehrer: In that way the National Committee, the organization of the traitors, could flave a certain impor- [Page 695] tance. If the Russians really proclaim a national government. then the English will naturally get frightened. Jodl: Those have always regarded them with suspicion. The Fuehrer: I have ordered that something is to be played into their hands now, namely the report that those set up an army of 200,000 of our men, under the leadership of German officers, completely infected by communism, which they intend to send into battle. I ordered that this report be played into the hands of the British. I gave it to the Foreign Minister. That is something which will have an effect on them, just like you prick a shoemaker's awl into something. Goering: Those entered the war so that we should not get to the East but not that the East come to the Atlantic. The Fuehrer: That is quite clear. That is something abnormal. English papers are already writing bitterly: What is the sense of that war" Goering: On the other hand I read in the "Braunen Blaettern" a report, they could support the Russians with their air force. Because they could reach with their heavy bombers those territories to which the Russians would have come, even though it would have been a long flight. But the report comes from an absurd source. The Fuehrer: They cannot give them tactical support. If we ourselves do not know where the Russians are and where we are, how could they know? Jodl: 31 trains of the 356th division departed with speed 8. The Fuehrer: I have a disagreeable duty yet to perform today. I have to "hypnotize" Quisling today, or I let him come tomorrow at three o'clock. Below, try to find out whether this is possible. I want to have a short talk with the Foreign Minister, as to whether Quisling can be received at 3 o'clock; whether that is at all possible; whether he will wait till the end of our state of war. It is an awful affair. He is completely out of his head, the people have driven him crazy. [Page 696] Jodl: The cleaning up near Travik is finished. The 104th is being brought up here. It is impossible to get through here. He f urther asks that the bridgehead near Visegrad be eliminated. I have no objections to this. Since we no longer intend to attack in that direction, it is no longer important. He requests to withdraw behind the river Drina because they can thus save forces and can spread out more. The Fuehrer: Yes. Jodl: The 22nd is fighting in this direction and has now reached the Drina. The bridge there is out. They are moving north on the western bank. Here in this district there is a considerable lessening of tension through the moving away of Partisans in connection with the fights of the Jetnicks. Communication with PlevIja is re-established. The situation here has thus improved. First elements of the 297th division have reached Brod. Supply situation has again improved because the 8-ton bridge was completed yesterday the 25th. Communication is thus re-established. A hospital convoy has been attacked on the road by fighter planes here, 10 dead and 7 more wounded. The Syrmish Front was ciuiet. Commando activity of our own. About two divisions can be assembled here by the 1st February, 3 or 4 divisions by 6th February. The Fuehrer: In other words, it can't be done before then. Guderian: If there is no crisis, mein Fuehrer, it is better to wait. The Fuehrer: Absolutely. I will not give myself away in advance, but preparations will be made quite secretly and then suddenly the matter will be tackled from both sides concentrically. Jodl: Whether the 233rd Schuetzen division is completely lost is not certain, but it must be assumed. Again, several attacks against the Fischer group which have been repulsed. The territory round Virovitica was quiet. A new movement is intended toward the south to be done [Page 697] by the Cossacks who as a matter of fact are doing very well. The Fuehrer: The Cossacks are good. But why must they wear German uniforms? Why not have the beautiful Cossack uniforms? Jodl: Most of them have Cossack uniforms. Guderian: Red fur caps. The Fuehrer: They still have them? Jodl: Yes, they have red trousers with silver stripes. The Fuehrer: Really it is wonderful that Cossacks are marching with us! Burgdorf:General von Pannwitz, the commander of the Cossack division, always visits his troops in a Cossack uniform. I have seen a photograph of him; he looks quite savage with his crooked sword dangling in the scabbard hanging down in front. Jodl: They have been recruited as national troops. They now also have their reinforcements because their families were with them. I don't know where they are now. They were in East Prussia before. Guderian: They left there long ago. They reached some place or other. Goering: They were in Belgrad. Jodl: They have their children there.
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