All,
I am busy reading ‘Hitler’s spy chief’ by Richard Bassett.
I think there is plenty of evidence that Canaris tried his level best in establishing peace feelers towards the UK. As he was an ardent anti-communist probably also helped.
It has some interesting aspects:
Did ‘C’ (Menzies) meet in Algiers or Spain in December ’42?
Did Churchill actively approve of the peace initiatives or even order these?
Was Giraud’s ‘escape’ orchestrated by Canaris as a token of goodwill?
Did UK provide listening equipment to Finland, well knowing that any information on USSR gleaned would be given to Abwehr?
The ‘rumour’ was that 42/43 was very close to a peace/armistice between UK and Germany, closer even than 1940/41.
Some of these peace initiatives might (according to Bassett) have been sanctioned and encouraged by Hitler.
It is all good read and can be rather speculative, BUT: could some of it be true?
Let us look at the beginning of 1943. Stalingrad is settled, but Manstein makes a comeback and captures Kharkov and surrounding again.
Germany was not finished (but hurting).
UK was not in a great shape either and just maybe, Churchill could look at an armistice?
What Churchill (and Menzies) feared was a separate peace between Germany and USSR (along the lines of we will give you everything back, except Ukraine). Whether that was realistic or not is a good question.
USSR was also hurting badly.
It all comes down to:
Could canaris have established such strong peace initiatives that would end up in:
Option 1: Peace/armistice between Germany and UK
Option 2: Peace/armistice between Germany and USSR
What would US have said to this?
Comments?
I am busy reading ‘Hitler’s spy chief’ by Richard Bassett.
I think there is plenty of evidence that Canaris tried his level best in establishing peace feelers towards the UK. As he was an ardent anti-communist probably also helped.
It has some interesting aspects:
Did ‘C’ (Menzies) meet in Algiers or Spain in December ’42?
Did Churchill actively approve of the peace initiatives or even order these?
Was Giraud’s ‘escape’ orchestrated by Canaris as a token of goodwill?
Did UK provide listening equipment to Finland, well knowing that any information on USSR gleaned would be given to Abwehr?
The ‘rumour’ was that 42/43 was very close to a peace/armistice between UK and Germany, closer even than 1940/41.
Some of these peace initiatives might (according to Bassett) have been sanctioned and encouraged by Hitler.
It is all good read and can be rather speculative, BUT: could some of it be true?
Let us look at the beginning of 1943. Stalingrad is settled, but Manstein makes a comeback and captures Kharkov and surrounding again.
Germany was not finished (but hurting).
UK was not in a great shape either and just maybe, Churchill could look at an armistice?
What Churchill (and Menzies) feared was a separate peace between Germany and USSR (along the lines of we will give you everything back, except Ukraine). Whether that was realistic or not is a good question.
USSR was also hurting badly.
It all comes down to:
Could canaris have established such strong peace initiatives that would end up in:
Option 1: Peace/armistice between Germany and UK
Option 2: Peace/armistice between Germany and USSR
What would US have said to this?
Comments?