Instructions to military on future changes in the military after the war in Russia, including a reduction in the army, increases in the air force, and concentrating the navy against Britain and against America "should the case arise"

Image View

Authors

Adolf Hitler (Fuehrer, Reich Chancellor, Supeme Commander of Wehrmacht)

See more details

Adolf Hitler

Austrian nationalized German politician, leader of the National Socialist party and dictator of Germany (1889-1945)

Image of Adolf Hitler
  • Born: 1889-01-01 1889-04-20 (Braunau am Inn) (country: Austria-Hungary; located in the administrative territorial entity: Archduchy of Austria above the Enns; statement is subject of: Adolf-Hitler-Geburtshaus)
  • Died: 1945-04-30 (Berlin Führerbunker) (country: Nazi Germany; located in the administrative territorial entity: Berlin; statement is subject of: death of Adolf Hitler)
  • Country of citizenship: Cisleithania (period: 1889-04-20 through 1918-11-11); First Republic of Austria (period: 1919-01-01 through 1925-04-30); Nazi Germany (end cause: death of Adolf Hitler; period: 1933-01-30 through 1945-04-30); Republic of German-Austria (period: 1918-01-01 through 1919-01-01)
  • Occupation: painter (statement is subject of: paintings by Adolf Hitler); political writer; politician (reason for preferred rank: generally used form); soldier
  • Member of political party: German Workers' Party (period: 1919-09-12 through 1921-07-11); Nazi Party (series ordinal: 556)
  • Member of: Nazi Party
  • Participant in: Aktion T4; Beer Hall Putsch; The Holocaust; ethnic cleansing
  • Significant person: Albert Speer; Benito Mussolini; Eva Braun; Joseph Stalin

Date: 14 July 1941

Defendants: Hermann Wilhelm Goering, Wilhelm Keitel, Erich Raeder

Total Pages: 1

Language of Text: English

Source of Text: Nazi conspiracy and aggression (Office of United States Chief of Counsel for Prosecution of Axis Criminality. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946.)

Evidence Code: C-74

Citation: IMT (page 1247)

HLSL Item No.: 450933

Trial Issues

Conspiracy (and Common plan, in IMT) (IMT, NMT 1, 3, 4) IMT count 1: common plan or conspiracy (IMT) IMT count 2: crimes against peace (wars of aggression) (IMT) Wars of aggression

Document Summary

Staff Evidence Analyses

C-74: Order signed by Hitler for shifts in personnel and material after defect of Russia

COPY
MOST SECRET
[Stamp]
Naval War Staff
Naval War Staff / 1 Div. B No I sp 1289/41 Most Secret, S.O. only
Fuehrer's H.Q., 14 July 1941
The Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
S.O. only
. accesss only through Officer
13 copies 5th copy
OKW/WFSt/Dep.L (II) Org.
No. 441219/41 Most Secret Distribution of the copies :
Copy 1—Naval War Staff Copy 2—Chief of M Wa Wi
905
C-74
Copy 3—Chief of K Copy 4—Chief of A Wa
By virtue of the intentions announced in Directive No. 32, for the further conduct of the War, I lay down the following principles to govern the strength of personnel and of material supplies :
1. In general; The military domination of Europe after the defeat of Russia will enable the strength of the Army to be considerably reduced in the near future. As far as the reduced strength of the Army will allow, the Armoured units will be greatly increased.
Naval armament must be restricted to those measures which have a direct connection with the conduct of the war against England and, should the case arise, against America.
The main effort in armament will be shifted to the Air Force, which must be greatly increased in strength.
% ij: iff iff ifc * *
[signed] Adolf Hitler