"If you want my own plain opinion about Keitel's orders, I will tell you. They were the orders of a stupid follower of Hitler. I myself paid very little attention to them and I think any attempt to justify his orders would be a mistake on the part of those of us who are steeped in military tradition and good conduct. I trust you will not quote me on these observations. I knew Keitel fairly well and I think that he is a decent person. It was simply that Hitler wanted a weak general in that powerful position in order to be able to have complete control of him. If I had held Keitel's position under Hitler, I wouldn't have lasted two weeks."
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Executed peoplePeople indicted for war crimesPeople of Nazi GermanyMilitary leaders from GermanyMilitary leaders of World War II
Original Language: English
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Sources
Ewald von Kleist, to Leon Goldensohn, June 12, 1946
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Keitel
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