The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-08-05
TODAY and TOMORROW
Hitler's Plan And Purpose
By. WAITER LIPPMANN -

Hitlers Plan
The energy with which Hitler and
the Nazi chieftains are reacting
cannot, think, be explained ex-
cept. on the theory that they are
putting into effect a carefully con
sidered plan. Undoubtedly there
were many signs Of panic in Goer
ing's first broadcast after the
bomb was exploded. Goering is a
warm-blooded rutfian. But Hitler
and Himmler are. to use Hitler's
own favorite adjective, ice-c o ! d.
devils. They are not acting like
men who think Of themselves as
doomed, and are merely preparing
to sell their lives as dearly as pos
sible. They are acting like men
who feel they still have something
to live for and believe that they
can still accomplish it.
Not desperation, but conviction
based on a well-laid plan, must
think be the reason why their
conduct in the face of military dis
| aster and internal disintegration is
still so purposeful, 50 concrete,
and so bold. When men in a very
tight place act with such practical
decision, it is an almost certain
sign that they are prepared for it.
The contrast between Hitlers be-
havior and Mussolini's year ago
| is striking: Mussolini was the truly
beaten man, his energies paralyz-
ed because in his Utmost soul all
hope was gone. Hitler and Him.
rnler show neither the listlessness
of despair nor the aimlessness of
the deperate. We must assume
that they still have a plan and a
purpose.
What plan and what purpose?
They are, let US always remember,
deeply conscious Of 1918 and deter.
mined to profit by it. In 1910 the
German Army, when it knew 1t
was defeated, succeeded in making
the German civilian authorities at
home assume the onus of capitula.
ton, and by this means the high
command fastened upon the home
front the responsibility for the de-
feat. The German generals were
preparing to repeat this maneu'
yer, which would have meant fix
= ing the blame for VIVA tbs happen.
ing and what will happen upon thu
Nazis who this time are in absolute
; control of the home front.
1t is against this, I believe, tina
Hitler has prepared himself and il
now reacting. He may have SOM
hope that by fighting on, by vari
Gus trick devices and by bloody re
sistance, he can last until winter
: and perhaps tire out the Allies an
. divide them. But these hopes ar
probably secondary consideration
: as compared with making sure ths
= in the eyes OF his followers in Gel
many, not he but some one els
is the scapegoat for the defeS'
In the past few weeks the corps c
officers which is recruited from tn
y hereditary nobility have been eles
- ted as the new scapegoats. A
~ whatever risk to the morale an
= fighting capacity of the armies Hi
has sought to make sure that whe
the Nazi 60 underground after tn
= defeat, they will have the nece
sary explanations and accusation
:. with which to operate their psop'
ganda and conspiracies. II the Ma
; movement is to live on unde
ground, and exploit to its own &C
vantage the inevitable suffering ar
Illustration OF the German natio
= it is absolutely essential that
" should have an alibi for the defea
= If this is correct, then we mu
It assume that well-worked-our pla
h exists by which the Nazis will
l. underground. When they do, II
IS remnants Of the officers corps w
n also 60 underground, and the a
y tive survivors who are not no
a Nazis will, when they have be-
r deprived Of their conspicuous lea
2 ers, impoverished by the loss
their hereditary estates, disgrace
by the Nazis' charges, and gene
ally Inundated by the defeat, fir
l. their way back to a place in Il
:. underground movement.
# Old conspirators like Hitler krO
e all the tricks of conducting an u
j. derground movement, and one
is the greatest difficulties the Britt!
ID and the American leaders face
t. occupying Germany is that mo-
IN among them has experience, n
r few much knowledge, Of unde
E, ground politics, and of how to d
tect it, and how to deal with