Evening star., 1945-05-02
Doenitz Is Seen as Hindronce
To HinnnIer Peace Muneuvers
Nozis Believed Split
Into War Group
And Peace Fuction

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 2-Grand Ad
miral Karl Doenitz, ruthles!
fanatic who has assumed com.
mand of the blasted German
Army's ragtag remnants. wa.
seen today as a possible monkey
wrench in the reported peace
maneuvers of Heinrich Himmler
Some statesmen looked on his as.
sumption of power as evidence of 9
split among the remaining top.
ranking Nazis, but it was admitted
that the development was a puzzline
one.
1t apparently came as distinct
surprise to members of the British
cabinet, who were reported to have
conferred with Prime Minister
Churchill until the early hours OF
this morning.
Speculation centered on the posi-
bility that within what remains OF
Germany there may have rised two
distinct parties-a war group, as
represented by Doenitz. and peace
group, as represented by Himmler.
But the consensus was that moth
ing Doenitz could do would ma
terially affect the course of the war
and in some quarters the belief was
expressed that Doenitz's rise to lead
ership might even indirectly hasten
the peace.
If Hitler actually is dead then
Doenitz probably is the leader of the
die-hard Nazis who have nothing
to lose by continuing the hopeless
battle. 1t was Doenitz, when things
looked black for Germany, who
preached the doctrine that no sit
uation is ever hopeless"
There was some feeling here that
he might now attempt last-ditch
U-boat blitz against the British
Isles with whatever strength he
could muster from dying Germany
Has Murderous Nature.
From the welter of interpreta-
tions these points stand out:
l. The NaziS have centered reli-
giouS devotion on Hitler. Whether
Doenitz can command the same fol-
lowing is doubtful. He was virtually
unknown in the days when Hitler
announced to the world the order
of succession in event of his own
death.
2. But Doenitz is murderous
enough to satisfy the most homi-
cidal of Hitlers followers. The So
year-old admiral. although never
an ardent Nazi during the days OF
Hitler's rise, stood by the Fuehrer
steadfastly, and it was Doenitz who
told his wolf-pack U-boat crews
that their duty to the fatherland
was to Kill, kill. kill"
3. Many SIS men and other Nazi
leaders are no more than common
thugs and have been party members
for what they could get out of it
They might continue to fight under
Doenitz because they have nothing
to gain by giving up and may hope
to save their own hides just little
longer.
4. A military man-one of the
stamp of Hermann might
have carried more prestige with the
Nazis than Doenitz, since Germany
is primarily a land power. Doenitz S
assumption of power gives rise to
the theory that U-boats may play
a role in the guerrilla warfare plans
of hideout Nazis.
Has Risen in Two Years.
A British Press Association cor
respondent declared, however, that
the Nazis were disintegrating fast
and that their piecemeal surrender,
which even Doenitz could not stem,
might bring peace into reality
sooner than the maneuvers in
which Himmler has been reported
engaged.
Doenitz has risen within two wears
to a post of highest power in the
Reich.
Brought to the high command on