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An emphasis on the rationalisations and conjectures for this brief 8 weeks, but pivotal event, deciding the military defeat of the Third Reich by the Red Army, in the SUMMER of 1943. |
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Keitel accepted Hitler's directive for [[Operation Citadel]] in 1943, despite strong opposition from several field officers who argued that neither the troops nor the new tanks on which Hitler staked his hopes for victory were ready.
Nevertheless, rationalizations and copius conjectures will continue to muddy or "inspire" historical perspectives, even the mere suggestion, that the decisive and pivotal event of WWII was the military defeat of the Third Reich at its most powerful assembly of military might, by the Red Army in a brief summer(not winter) 8 week period, ending late in August 1943. The primary records of Field Marshal W.Keitel like other commanders from this period need scrutiny by critically aware readers to avoid one line "expert" accounts such as passing off the Third Reich's military defeat on the battle field as merely "Hitler's" fault.
Keitel played an important role in foiling the [[July 20 plot]] in 1944. Keitel then sat on the Army "[[Court of honour]]" that handed over many officers who were involved, including Field Marshal [[Erwin von Witzleben]], to [[Roland Freisler]]'s notorious [[Volksgerichtshof|People's Court]].
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