Hitler issued the Nero Decree, which stated:
I. Hitler’s Order of March 19, 1945
RE: Destruction Measures within Reich Territory
Our nation’s struggle for existence forces us to utilize all means, even within Reich territory, to weaken the fighting power of our enemy and to prevent further advances. Any opportunity to inflict lasting damage on the striking power of the enemy must be taken advantage of. It is a mistake to believe that undestroyed or only temporarily paralyzed traffic, communications, industrial, and supply installations will be useful to us again after the recapture of lost territories. During his retreat, the enemy will leave behind only scorched earth and will abandon all concern for the population.
I therefore command
1. All military traffic, communications, industrial and supply installations as well as objects within Reich territory that might be used by the enemy in the continuation of his fight, either now or later, are to be destroyed.
2. It is the responsibility of the military command posts to execute this order to destroy all military objects, including traffic and communications installations.
The Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense are responsible for destroying the industrial and supply installations, as well as of other objects of valuable; the troops must give the Gauleiters and Commissioners for Reich Defense the assistance they need to carry out this task.
3. This command is to be transmitted to all troop commanders as promptly as possible; orders to the contrary are null and void.
Adolf Hitler
Albert Speer and various officers of the Wehrmacht conspired against its implementation.
Ostensibly a war measure, at this point in the war Hitler was lashing out against the German people themselves, whom he was punishing for, in his mind, having failed him by losing the war, something he now clearly knew had occurred.
Also at this point, internal German attitudes were rapidly changing. While still fighting in the field, German troops were now surrendering in large numbers to the Western Allies, rather than die in the final weeks of the war. German commanders, including some in the SS, were seeking to make back deals with the Western Allies, unsuccessfully, and without Hitler's knowledge. Some were preparing for their own post war futures. Members of the German government and military were starting to conspire to save what they could.
Again, there's a lesson here. Hitler was a populist politician who had risen to power backed by lies. His policies inevitably lead Germany to shame and ruin. Rather than resign when things turned bad, he hung on, supported by fanatic supporters, and in the end sought to destroy the very country he claimed to represent.
All U-boats in the Baltic were transferred to the west.
The British Indian Army took Mandalay.
The USS Franklin was hit by kamikazes and badly damaged.
724 men were killed and 265 wounded. Captain Gehres regarded those who had jumped into the sea during the event as having acted improperly, leading to post incident tension and ultimately his relief. She'd return to service and was ultimately stricken in 1964.
The Soviet Union notified Turkey that their non aggression pact would not be renewed after it expired in November. It demanded territorial concessions from Turkey, which Turkey rejected.
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Labels: 1940s, 1945, Army, Battle of the Visayas, Berlin Germany, Eastern Front, German Luftwaffe, Japan, Operation Victor I, Philippines, U.S. Air Force
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