OKH

OKH. The Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) was the German Army High Command during the Third Reich era. It functioned as the supreme command authority for the Heer, the ground forces of the Wehrmacht, from 1935 until the end of the Second World War. While nominally subordinate to the overarching Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) led by Wilhelm Keitel, the OKH held primary responsibility for planning and executing major land campaigns, particularly on the decisive Eastern Front against the Soviet Union.

History

The OKH was established in 1935 following the official re-formation of the German armed forces under the Nazi Party regime, succeeding the older Truppenamt of the Reichswehr. Its creation was part of Adolf Hitler's broader military reorganization, which also saw the founding of the Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) for the Kriegsmarine and the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) for the Luftwaffe. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 with the Invasion of Poland saw the OKH direct its first major campaigns. Following the successful Battle of France in 1940, the OKH's focus shifted to planning Operation Barbarossa, the massive invasion of the Soviet Union launched in June 1941. As the war progressed, Hitler increasingly centralized strategic control, often bypassing the OKH in favor of direct orders through the OKW, especially concerning theaters like North Africa and the Western Front after the Normandy landings.

Organization

The organizational structure of the OKH was complex and evolved throughout the war. At its apex was the Chief of the General Staff, who oversaw the critical operational planning departments. Key components included the General Staff operations division, led by the Chief of Operations, and various specialized inspectorates for branches like the Panzer troops and artillery. The OKH was divided into a "Field Army" staff, which moved with the main theater of operations, and a "Home Army" staff, responsible for training, recruitment, and logistics within Germany. This separation became more pronounced after the failure at the Battle of Moscow, with the field staff dedicated almost exclusively to the Eastern Front. The OKH also maintained direct command over several Army Group headquarters, such as Army Group Centre and Army Group South, which controlled the individual field armies in combat.

Role in World War II

The OKH played the central role in directing Germany's land war, with its influence greatest on the Eastern Front. It was responsible for developing the operational plans for pivotal campaigns including Operation Barbarossa, Case Blue, and the Battle of Kursk. The OKH coordinated the movements of millions of soldiers across vast territories, from the Arctic Ocean to the Caucasus Mountains. However, its authority was consistently undermined by Hitler's direct intervention in tactical decisions, a conflict exemplified by the dismissal of senior commanders like Fedor von Bock and Heinz Guderian. Following the Battle of Stalingrad and the failed Kursk offensive, the OKH was largely relegated to a defensive, reactionary role, managing the series of retreats and desperate battles that characterized the later stages of the war on the Eastern Front, while the OKW managed other theaters.

Leadership

Leadership of the OKH was marked by significant turnover and conflict with Hitler. The first Commander-in-Chief of the Army under the new structure was Werner von Fritsch, who was dismissed in 1938 during the Blomberg–Fritsch affair. He was succeeded by Walther von Brauchitsch, who led the army through the early victories and into Operation Barbarossa before being dismissed after the failure at the Battle of Moscow in December 1941. Hitler then assumed the role of Commander-in-Chief himself, a move that solidified his direct control over army operations. The most influential military figure within the OKH was its long-serving Chief of the General Staff, Franz Halder, who held the position from 1938 until his own dismissal in 1942 following disagreements over the Battle of Stalingrad. He was succeeded by Kurt Zeitzler and later by Heinz Guderian and Hans Krebs in the war's final months.

Post-war dissolution

The OKH ceased to exist with the German Instrument of Surrender in May 1945 and the subsequent collapse of the Third Reich. Its headquarters were dissolved, and its functions were terminated by the victorious Allied powers. Key members of the OKH, including Franz Halder and Kurt Zeitzler, were interrogated by Allied intelligence and later appeared as witnesses during the Nuremberg trials. The organization itself was not tried as a criminal entity, unlike the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), but its role in facilitating a war of aggression and its complicity in war crimes on the Eastern Front were extensively documented. The complete dissolution of the OKH, along with the entire Wehrmacht structure, was a foundational step in the post-war occupation and the eventual re-establishment of new military institutions in West Germany and East Germany.

Category:Military of Nazi Germany Category:German Army Category:World War II command and control