Warlord Chieftain Göring

Author: Wang Jianji
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: World War II was the largest conflict in human history. In this war between the fascist axis powers and the anti-fascist alliance, the number of troops and weaponry deployed, the vast scope of the battlefields, the novelty of combat styles, the scale of losses, and the profound impact were unprecedented. Although nearly 50 years have passed since the end of the war, it still attracts numerous military strategists and historians from China and abroad with its grandeur, depth, and richness, compelling them to explore and write about it. World War II provided countless soldiers with opportunities to showcase their talents and demonstrate their abilities, giving rise to a generation of outstanding generals. Among the anti-fascist camp, a group of brilliant generals with remarkable achievements emerged, their names etched in history for their glorious deeds. The "Illustrated Series on International Figures of World War II" consists of 15 volumes, featuring 15 renowned figures, covering the key political and military representatives of both sides involved in World War II. It includes books written by the popular international affairs expert and best-selling author Jie Lifu, such as "The Three of World War II" and "The Three of World War II," as well as those compiled by other military historians on famous generals of World War II. Hermann G?ring was born on January 12, 1893, in Márkalypalace in Rosenheim, Bavaria, Germany. Young G?ring initially received a home education, which was common among wealthy German families at the time. In 1905, at the age of 12, G?ring was sent to a boarding school in Ansbach. In 1910, G?ring graduated from the Karlsruhe Military Academy with honors and continued his studies at the Reichswehr Military Academy, known as the "West Point of Germany." In March 1912, G?ring officially enlisted in the army. In August 1914, World War I broke out. At the age of just over 20, Lieutenant G?ring was assigned as a platoon leader in the 112th Baden Infantry Regiment stationed near Mühldorf, France. In 1914, he became a lieutenant in the army. In 1918, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and became a flight commander. In 1922, he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party) and soon became the leader of the Sturmabteilung (SA), one of Hitler's earliest companions and a key figure in the Nazi Party. In 1932, he became the President of the Reichstag. After Hitler came to power in 1933, G?ring successively served as Minister without Portfolio, Minister of Aviation, and Prime Minister of Prussia Minister of the Interior, overseeing the expansion of the fascist army, the development of the secret police (Gestapo), and the establishment of concentration camps. In 1933, he conspired with Goebbels and others in the Reichstag fire plot. In 1935, he was promoted to Field Marshal of the Luftwaffe. From 1936, he became the full-time executive of the Four-Year Plan, gaining control over the nation's economy and accelerating the development of aggressive military capabilities. In the run-up to World War II, he was designated by Hitler as his successor. During the war, he commanded the Luftwaffe and was also responsible for mobilization efforts and the formulation of racial persecution plans against the Jews. In 1940, he was appointed head of the Economic Staff Office. That same year, in July, he was granted the title of German Field Marshal. On the night of April 29, 1945, a unit of the SS broke into G?ring's villa in Salzburg and arrested the Reichsmarshall. After a series of transfers, G?ring finally fell into the hands of the American forces. On November 20, 1945, the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal began its trial of G?ring. In the death sentence against G?ring, the court stated: "G?ring was one of the planners of World War II and the second most important figure after Hitler, embodying all the criminal activities of the defendants." On the night of October 15, 1946, just 75 minutes before his execution by hanging, G?ring miraculously took poison in the heavily guarded death cell, escaping justice.