Military of Nazi Germany

Military of Nazi Germany
Unit name	Military of Nazi Germany
Native name	Wehrmacht
Caption	The Wehrmachtadler, the emblem of the Wehrmacht.
Dates	1935–1945
Disbanded	20 September 1945 (by Allied Control Council proclamation)
Country	Nazi Germany, German Reich
Allegiance	Adolf Hitler
Branch	Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force)
Type	Armed forces
Role	Territorial defense and aggressive warfare
Size	~18.2 million total who served
Command structure	Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW)
Garrison	Zossen, Brandenburg
Battles	* Spanish Civil War * World War II ** Invasion of Poland ** Battle of France ** Operation Barbarossa ** North African campaign ** Battle of the Atlantic ** Eastern Front ** Defeat of Nazi Germany
Notable commanders	Adolf Hitler (Supreme Commander), Werner von Blomberg, Wilhelm Keitel, Alfred Jodl, Heinz Guderian, Erwin Rommel, Karl Dönitz, Hermann Göring

Military of Nazi Germany. The armed forces of Nazi Germany, collectively known as the Wehrmacht, were the primary instrument of Adolf Hitler's aggressive expansionist policies during World War II. Formed in 1935 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the Wehrmacht initially achieved rapid success through the doctrine of Blitzkrieg. Its operations across Europe and North Africa were characterized by tactical innovation but were ultimately inseparable from the regime's ideological goals and criminal conduct.

Formation and early development

The Wehrmacht was officially established on 16 March 1935, when Hitler publicly announced German rearmament, repudiating the military restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles. This formalized the clandestine expansion that had begun under the Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic, guided by figures like Werner von Blomberg and Werner von Fritsch. The Luftwaffe was openly revealed under Hermann Göring, while the Kriegsmarine began a major construction program under Erich Raeder. Early combat experience was gained by the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, testing new tactics and weapons like the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber. This period of rapid militarization, supported by organizations like the Reich Labour Service, fundamentally transformed German society and economy for war.

Organization and structure

The Wehrmacht was divided into three main branches: the Heer (Army), the Kriegsmarine (Navy), and the Luftwaffe (Air Force). Supreme command rested with Hitler as Führer, exercised through the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) led by Wilhelm Keitel and Alfred Jodl. The Heer was organized into powerful, mobile Panzer divisions and motorized infantry, pioneered by officers like Heinz Guderian. The Waffen-SS, under Heinrich Himmler's Schutzstaffel, evolved into a parallel military force ideologically aligned with the Nazi Party. Key supporting institutions included the Abwehr military intelligence under Wilhelm Canaris and the Organisation Todt for engineering projects.

Major campaigns and operations

The Wehrmacht opened World War II with the Invasion of Poland in September 1939, swiftly followed by the Danish campaign and the Norwegian campaign. The decisive Battle of France in 1940 demonstrated the effectiveness of Blitzkrieg. Subsequent major operations included the Battle of Britain, the Balkan Campaign, and the North African campaign led by Erwin Rommel. The pivotal Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, opened the vast and brutal Eastern Front, encompassing battles like the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, and the Battle of Kursk. In the west, the Battle of the Atlantic was fought by the Kriegsmarine's U-boat fleet, while the Luftwaffe faced the Combined Bomber Offensive over Germany.

War crimes and atrocities

The Wehrmacht was deeply complicit in the war crimes and crimes against humanity of the Nazi regime. Its operations, particularly on the Eastern Front, were conducted with explicit criminal orders like the Commissar Order and the Barbarossa decree. Units actively participated in the Holocaust, aiding Einsatzgruppen in mass shootings, and enforced a brutal occupation policy across Poland, the Soviet Union, and Southeastern Europe. The military administration collaborated in the deportation of Jews to Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps. Atrocities included the Massacre of Kalavryta in Greece and the ruthless suppression of the Warsaw Uprising.

Decline and dissolution

Following the catastrophic defeat at Stalingrad and the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Wehrmacht was forced onto a relentless defensive. Major defeats at the Battle of Normandy, the destruction of Army Group Centre, and the relentless advance of the Red Army and Western Allies led to the collapse of the front lines. The failed Ardennes Offensive in late 1944 exhausted final reserves. The final battles occurred during the Battle of Berlin and the Battle of Halbe. After Hitler's suicide and the German Instrument of Surrender signed at Karlshorst, the Wehrmacht was formally dissolved by Allied Control Council Proclamation No. 2 on 20 September 1945.

Legacy and historiography

The legacy of the Wehrmacht has been a major subject of historical debate, evolving from the post-war "clean Wehrmacht" myth to a comprehensive understanding of its criminal involvement. Key works by historians like Omer Bartov, Hannes Heer, and the research of the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt have documented its role in the Holocaust and Generalplan Ost. Its operational history and commanders, such as Erwin Rommel and Heinz Guderian, continue to be studied in military academies, while its defeat is a central theme in analyses of World War II. The Wehrmacht remains a potent symbol of the fusion of professional military with a criminal regime.

Category:Military of Nazi Germany Category:Wehrmacht Category:Disbanded armed forces