Alfred Jodl

Alfred Jodl (1890-1946) was Chief of the Operations Staff of the Nazi Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), the military office through which Adolf Hitler exerted control. He had been a senior staff officer since approximately 1935, and was involved in the planning of the German operation to annex Czechoslovakia, as well as operations after the outbreak of overt war. He was hanged by order of the Trial of the Major War Criminals by the International Military Tribunal, although the verdict was somewhat controversial.

Jodl's basic defense at the Tribunal was that he was a loyal soldier following Hitler's orders, but the defense of obedience to superior orders, without mitigating circumstances, had been rejected in the trial Charter. Nevertheless, Jodl did not abandon his professionalism, and would argue with Hitler, as opposed to his passive nominal supervisor, Wilhelm Keitel.

He told other officers, after Hitler became Chancellor, that Hitler had come to power through lawful means, so to defy him would be to defy President Paul von Hindenberg. After victories in Poland and France, he increasingly thought highly of Hitler's abilities, although his opinion changed, not totally, after the Battle of Stalingrad.

Beginning the staff role

As a colonel, Jodl was head of the Operations staff under Hit;er's one and only War Minister, Werner von Blomberg, beginning in 1935.

Disputes with Hitler

Albert Speer said that while Jodl rarely contradicted Speer directly, he could, diplomatically, convince Hitler to modify or reverse a position.

The Tribunal

According to the prison psychologist, G.M. Gilbert, Jodl lost his composure and became red with rage, as generals testified against OKW and the General Staff.

Then those general who are squealing on us as witnesses to save their damn necks ought to see they are just as much criminals as we are and just as liable to hang! They needn't think they can buy themselves off by testifying against us and saying they were only little clerks!

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