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What if he had decided to leave Berlin while the Germans were still defending, and then attempted to get through allied occupied checkpoints disguised as a Hasidic Jew?
20/20 hindsight. Before the Germans were defeated at Stalingrad, Hitler should have pressed for peace.
S.
Pressed for Peace how? What could Hitler possibly offer Stalin that would be better than the total defeat of Nazi Germany and the annexation of vast lands into the Soviet empire?
Argentina couldn't defeat the British military some 60 odd years later over the Falklands, what makes you think the 1950's would be any different.
If Hitler's remains (if you want to believe they are actually his) were not found afterwards and or it became clear another country was offering him sanctuary Britain, USA and Russia at least would have spared that nation nothing in getting him back. The man was literally Public Enemy #1 in 1945 and nothing would have changed until he was found and brought to justice. What country needs that hassle?
The only country powerful enough to withstand any such threat over Hitler would have been Russia. If the world couldn't get the Romanovs out same would have proven so for AH. Once deep into that nation it would have been impossible for any government to get at Hitler. Nor could any nation threaten, bully or even offer to deal with Stalin in order to get him to give up Hitler. This is all moot since Germany pissed off Stalin/Russia and if captured alive Hitler would likely weep to recall the day he was born if held by or in Russia.
I suppose anything is possible, but Hitler face was probably the most recognizable of any Nazi and would have been readily recognizable anywhere in the world having been broadcast and printed across the globe unlike lesser individuals like Eichmann, Himmler, or Rudolf Höss who were able to elude capture for varying periods of time. Hitler would have been the most hunted man in the history.
This is all moot since Germany pissed off Stalin/Russia and if captured alive Hitler would likely weep to recall the day he was born if held by or in Russia.
He wouldn't have cried for long.
Personally a death sentence would have too honorable a death for Hitler, sitting in a Siberian cell for the rest of his miserable life would have been lethally humiliating for someone who felt so entitled to the adoration of his delusions.
Oh I think Stalin would have kept Hitler alive for some time as a captive. The man's mind was twisted and his character unpredictable but imagine he would have derived great pleasure seeing the once high and mighty Führer tortured, beaten and God only knows what else. If the Brun woman was taken as well she likely would have been passed around like a KGB "lumber jack camp toy" after Stalin got tired of her.
Possible? With a little luck, sure. But Adolf Hitler simply would not do such a thing.
Hitler was a gambler. He wanted victory or death. If you follow the various times that Hitler was urged to end the war by various individuals - Rommel, Speer, etc. - the litany was always the same. Here was Hitler's logic key for when to cut a deal:
A) Things are still going good. No deal, for there are gains yet to be made.
B) Things have turned and are now going bad. No deal, for one can only negotiate from a point a strength.
C) After a bad spell, things are good once again. (see A)
D) After a recovery for the better, things are for the worse again (see B)
Basically, Hitler would have only considered peace if he got what he wanted, which was control of the USSR up to the Urals with a beaten and neutralized rump state beyond unable to cause Germany any problems, and a UK that had agreed to end hostilities and accept German domination of the continent.
Given the situation in 1945, there was no chance Hitler was going to survive because he had no interest in surviving a Germany defeat. Hitler had often spoken of suicide as his default if things went bad and were hopeless, and 'bust' was anything short of complete victory. It was the brass ring or Götterdämmerung for Hitler - who was a huge Wagner fan, no surprise.
To flee to Argentina was simply antithetical to the nature of Adolf Hitler.
OK, Hitler escaping is out of the question, but what high ranking Nazis could have made a run to either South America of the Middle East?
I am thinking that Goering was too recognizable in his WWII immense form and that the allies would move heaven and earth to track down Himmler. Goebbel's club foot and well known face would limit his literal and figurative ability to run justice, but what about the others..... ?
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Would it have been possible for Hitler to escape to Argentina?
