Operation Valkyrie was a plot to overthrow Adolf Hitler and the German government. Over 200 German officers decided to do this to save Germany from total destruction. The officer 's plans included assassinating Hitler in his bunker and using the reserve army to gain control of Berlin and eventually all of Germany. The plan failed after the bomb went off and did not kill Hitler. The plot took place in East Prussia (present-day Poland). The plotters were executed once the coup fell through.
Operation Valkyrie took over two years to plan and involved more than 200 German officers. The plot was planned from 1942-1944 and the main leaders of the plot were Colonel General Beck, General Friedrich Olbricht, Major General Henning Von Tresckow, Lieutenant Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg, and the chief of staff of the reserve army (History.comstaff). All these officers planned this operation to save Germany from total destruction by Hitler. Erwin Rommel, a very respected Field Marshal was linked to the
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There are many reasons and theories as to why the operation failed. The main theory is that one of the 20 officers in the room moved the bomb that Stauffenberg placed next to Hitler further away and behind the leg of the table out of Hitler 's way. Many historians believe the leg of the table absorbed the blast and saved Hitler 's life. Another huge reason is that General Olbricht waited too long to give the reserve army in Berlin orders to arrest all SS and Gestapo personnel (Science ABC). The reason Olbricht waited so long was because he never got an official word that Hitler was dead, only from Stauffenberg. The biggest reason as to why the plan failed was because the venue changed. It was originally supposed to be held in a bunker but was moved to a room with windows to accommodate for the heat( Science ABC). Since Stauffenberg planned to be in a bunker with the explosives he was carrying they did not make a big enough blast to cover for the windows being open (Crime