Himmler's War-ARC Read Online Free PDF

unlikeable, but thoroughly professional. He was bringing order back from the chaos that was the decapitated OKW.
    Himmler bit his lower lip and glared at Varner. “You did extraordinarily well, Colonel Varner. The world still thinks Hitler is recovering from his wounds instead of lying in an ice-filled coffin in his train en route to Berlin. It might have been better if you had notified me first, but you are a soldier and contacting von Rundstedt must have made sense.”
    “It did, sir, and I apologize if I should have done differently.”
    “I’m quite certain he had no way of contacting you, Reichsfuhrer,” von Rundstedt said.
    Himmler blinked and waved his hand dismissively. “No matter. Everything is going well and you are to be commended for your presence of mind in both sealing off the compound and convincing those around that the Fuhrer was alive. Everything is under control and Goebbels is going to end the rumors and formally announce that Hitler is injured. We will announce his demise in the very near future when the time is appropriate. There remains some fear that dissident elements, traitors, remnant Jews, and communists, will attempt to take advantage of any chaos and confusion.
    “However, that is not my main concern. Tell me, Colonel, do you have any idea just how the Americans came to know that the Fuhrer was going to be at that particular place and at that particular time?”
    The question stunned Varner. He had thought the bombing a tragic accident of war, but could it be that it was assassination, and not an accident? “Sir, I have no idea.”
    “You were with von Stauffenberg. Did he say anything suspicious?”
    “No sir. We had just managed lighting our cigarettes, no small feat when our wounds are considered, when the bomber suddenly appeared quite low overhead. We both jumped into a slit trench and tried to make ourselves very small. Otherwise, we had not spoken.”
    Himmler leaned back in his chair. “And how did you know each other?”
    Varner felt himself beginning to sweat. He caught von Rundstedt out of the corner of his eye. The old general was expressionless, a flinty statue.
    “We first met at the hospital. We were both there for therapy on our wounds. Prior to that I did not know him personally, although I had heard of him. Most people in the army had, of course.”
    Himmler nodded and Varner forced himself to exhale. Was it possible that von Stauffenberg had been part of a plot to assassinate Hitler, and, if so, had he somehow managed to carry it out?
    There was a pause as Josepf Goebbels, the clubfooted and diminutive Minister of Information and Propaganda limped in and took a seat. The most important people in the Nazi hierarchy were now together, with the exception of Hermann Goering and Martin Bormann. Varner thought Goering’s absence was particularly curious. It was commonly suspected that the obese air marshal was the heir to Hitler’s Germany, and not Himmler. It was also rumored that he spent most of his time in a narcotic haze.
    Himmler nodded to Goebbels to speak. “Thank you, Reichsfuhrer Himmler,” he said formally. “We are just now announcing confirmation of the rumors that Adolf Hitler was wounded in an air raid. We shall issue medical updates as needed until the Fuhrer recovers enough to be interviewed.”
    Himmler turned towards Varner. “Tell him, Colonel.”
    Varner took a deep breath. “Adolf Hitler is dead. I helped pull his body from the rubble in Rastenberg and planted the tale that he was merely wounded.”
    Goebbels reacted as if he’d been punched in the gut. He paled and hunched over. “God in heaven, no.”
    “There is no God and there is no heaven.” Himmler sneered. “Colonel Varner acted heroically by hiding the fact of Hitler’s death, and may have saved the Reich from forces that wish to destroy it.”
    “I understand,” Goebbels said. Grief was etched on his face. “Thank you, Colonel.”
    Himmler continued. He was clearly in