Hitler shot himself, how did this day playout?

Doug B

Soviet troops were within 500 meters of the Reichstag complex. Hitler was terrified of being taken captive by Stalin. He released his personal staff so they could attempt to flee, ordered that Adm Doenitz be made the next Chancellor, and married Eva Braun. He dined with friends, oversaw the killing of his beloved dogs, then he and Eva both swallowed cyanide. Hitler also shot himself. Officers remaining in the bunker had previously dug a shallow grave, and tried to burn the bodies using gasoline. They did a crappy job.

According to legend, a fragment of Hitler's skull ended up on Stalin's desk, and later in the Soviet archives.

Joe R.

He knew the end of the war was near, and after seeing what happened to Mussolini he didn't want to leave a war trophy for the Russians. Russian forces captured Berlin, US and British forces did not advance that far in to Germany.

As I understand it, he committed suicide with the Walther PPK 7.65mm pistol that he carried--the same model as many German officer's of the time. He was quite ill at the time--even if he had not shot himself it's unlikely he had much longer to live. If only he had put a bullet in his head a few years earlier......

Matt

Hitler shot himself because hes knew the end was near. He mainly had to kill himself because he did not want to fall into the hands of the Russians. He had a poison capsule that he tried on his dog and killed it as well as his wife Eva. The poison however did not work on Adolf so he over dosed on pills, so he would not feel the pain and shot himself in the right temple.
Hope that helps

Joe E

He made the decision along with his wife (married for a day) to kill himself. Some of his top officials stuck by his side, some left. he still had some very strong followers right up to the end like Joseph Goebbels and his wife. They killed themselves as well. There's a great movie called Downfall about the last days of Hitler. It's a German movie. Hope ya don't mind sub titles.

Here's a trailer of the movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp1RXmM1-60&feature=related

VegasYooper

Actually, the Russians were closing in on the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, and were only a few blocks away when Hitler and his new bride Eva Braun killed themselves, rather than be captured. The SS didn't desert him, General Mohnke's SS defended the Chancellery until Hitler was dead.

Helios

Even as delusional as Hitler was, he apparently reached a point where he knew all was lost - the Russians were very close to his bunker, and he was not about to get caught by them.

He had destroyed Germany - that might have been his unconscious plan. He had ordered that everything in Germany would be blown up as the Russians came - and as far as Hitler knew, this had taken place (but lots of Germans disobeyed orders).

Anyway, Hitler and his girlfriend came to the end of their road - the lies ran out - even Hitler could no longer convince himself he had whole phantom armies to throw against the Russians.

He shot himself with a 7.65 Mauser pistol, I think. that would be quite a collector's item. I wonder if it still exists?

John

Actually you just missed a history channel special on this very topic that ended 39 minutes ago. Berlin was surrounded by the russians and the Americans and Hitler shot himself. His guys tried to burn his body. The russians got the remains. They had a forensics guy check the teeth (bridge work) against a known xray and he said it was Hitler.

lone butcher Spartan remembers

I've heard that Russians were close to his bunker and I've also heard that he heard Americans and Canadians outside of his bunker so I'm not sure which is correct.
He was cornered. He used a poison pill on his dog, then had his wife use it. He ingested it and a bunch of other pills and shot himself. His body was burned by his followers but it was a pretty crappy job, the Russians (I think) got his remains and made sure it was him.

Waffen SS didn't desert him, most either made last stands or hid their identities. Some did a good job too, there are still Waffen SS members in hiding. Israeli assassins still take out SS guys to this day.

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