A Secret Cabal in the CIA

I am simply reluctant to apply 'groupings' and to trust seemingly obvious connections, especially in intelligence, it gets very complicated

I agree to a extent. I think this is the main fallacy of many "NWO" conspiracy theorists who put an emphasis on things such as the Council on Foreign Relations, Bildeberg, and the Trilateral Commission. Large groups of people rarely can agree on simple issues, much less a vast conspiracy. That being said, I believe there exists rogues and cliques of people in these kinds of groups, especially in the various intelligence communities who are driven by the end of all ends, power and money, to collaborate together. This "Knights Templar", which seems to have been incubated in the "Georgetown Set" and wartime and birthed in the CIA's operations in Guatemala, seems to be just such a group. You can trace it through Guatemala, Cuba, the JFK hit, possibly RFK and MLK, Operation Gladio, Vietnam and the heroin trade, Nugan Hand bank, and finally, BCCI, Iran-Contra, and the current world stage. I think a good analogy would be a snowball rolling down a hill, gathering snow and growing larger and larger and more out of control.

Interesting angle on Philby being a spy... I think everything there merits a closer look.

I haven't but it sounds very interesting, as do the Circle, I don't know much about them at all. You have piqued my curiousity though, thank you.

My research actually started out looking at Synarchy in the WWII years, which led me to Le Cercle, and its impact on the establishment on the EU and globalization movement. This led me into the more "underground" aspects of the Cold War, such as Bay of Pigs, JFK, the heroin trade, and later Iran Contra, and BCCI. Le Cercle seems to act as an "umbrella" over many of these things. You should check out the 1001 Club, thats a mind trip!

Fascinating on the origins of the OSS. What do you think of Angelton's connections to Mossad? Furthermore, could you elaborate on the CIA and Standard Oil?

Thanks for the highly informative reply!

Originally posted by Someone336
What do you think of Angelton's connections to Mossad?

That actually makes perfect sense and fills in a gap for me. Victor Rothschild met regularly with Angleton from the end of the war through to the Wilson affair, I think that Victor was responsible for some of the stirring that led to the planned coup perched as he was between government, Angleton and Peter Wright (who admitted to being part of the planned coup in Spy Catcher, which Victor helped him get published). Victor is also confirmed by at least two sources as running Mossad agents for MI6 upto at least 1960. Makes sense of his closeness to Angleton even after the Philby affair, if Angleton was doing the same for the CIA.

Originally posted by Someone336
Furthermore, could you elaborate on the CIA and Standard Oil?

Off the top of my head I am struggling for anything firm, and I can't remember where I read it. I'll have a little dig and see what I can come up with.

Originally posted by Someone336
Time magazine wrote a large expose on the BCCI bank – the international bank that was essential in October Surprise, Iran-Contra, and possibly 9/11. It had this to say:

But B.C.C.I. is more than just a criminal bank. From interviews with sources close to B.C.C.I., TIME has pieced together a portrait of a clandestine division of the bank called the "black network," which functions as a global intelligence operation and a Mafia-like enforcement squad.

But the CIA may have used B.C.C.I. as more than an undercover banker: U.S. agents collaborated with the black network in several operations, according to a B.C.C.I. black-network "officer" who is now a secret U.S. government witness. Sources have told investigators that B.C.C.I. worked closely with Israel's spy agencies and other Western intelligence groups as well, especially in arms deals. The bank also maintained cozy relationships with international terrorists, say investigators who discovered suspected terrorist accounts for Libya, Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization in B.C.C.I.'s London offices.

One of the main source of funding for black opps at the highest level has been private individuals. Utterly trace or audit trail foof. As a former DCI stated if you really want to keep something secret, apply the rule NOP, nothing on paper.

www.time.com...

What might be this “black network” be? Here is a possible theory to its origin, indicating a hidden cabal sitting atop the early CIA.

I came across this at www.isgp.eu... :

In his 1977 book 'The Night Watch', former CIA officer David Atlee Phillips wrote on page 123 (according to Lobster): "...that small circle of well-bred, highly educated adventurers who were known to some in the CIA as the 'Knights Templars' - Allen Dulles, Frank Wisner, Kermit Roosevelt, Tracey Barnes, Dick Bissell, and kindred spirits. Other CIA veterans have confirmed the existence of similar associations within the agency, with names like the "Century group" and the "Gold Key group".

Here is a little on each of the names mentioned as being members of the “Knights Templar”:

Allen Dulles: Served under William Donovan in the OSS, in charge of providing assistance to resistance groups in occupied France. Worked closely with the founding of the CIA, and initiated Operation Paperclip. In 1953, he became CIA director, and MK-ULTRA was established under his reign. Established Operation Mockingbird, which was used to “influence domestic and foreign media” in the early 1950s. Mockingbird would be involved in the CIA project PBSUCCESS, which overthrow the President Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán in Guatemala in 1954. After Castro overthrew Batista, Dulles created Operation 40, which was overseen by Richard Nixon. Members include E. Howard Hunt, Barry Seal, and Frank Sturgis, and later Ted Shackley I believe this group conducted the JFK assassination. Dulles sat on the board of United Fruit, which was closely connected to the Cuban cause. In the same year as PBSUCCESS, Dulles created Operation Ajax, which overthrew Iranian prime minister Mohammed Mosaddeq after he nationalized Iranian oil. After Bay of Pigs, Dulles and Richard Bissell were forced to resign by John F. Kennedy. After the assassination, Lyndon Johnson placed Dulles on the Warren Commission.

www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk...
en.wikipedia.org...
en.wikipedia.org...

(con't)

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


Here is something I've been pondering, that you might find interesting:

The creation of the west German intelligence force BND was established by Reinhard Gehlen, at the urging of Konrad Adenauer. The two were said to have been introduced by Hans Globke, who had written the Nuremberg Laws, which revoked the citizenship of German Jews. Helping Globke during this time period of drafting these law was Adolf Eichmann, the "architect" of the Holocaust.

Born in Solingen, Germany, Adolf Eichmann was the son of a businessman and industrialist, Adolf Karl Eichmann, and Maria née Schefferling. [3] In 1914, his family moved to Linz, Austria, after his mother died. During the First World War, Eichmann's father served in the Austro-Hungarian Army. At the war's conclusion, Eichmann's father returned to the family and had a business in Linz. Eichmann left high school (Realschule) without having graduated and began training to become a mechanic, which he also discontinued. In 1923 he started working in the mining company of his father, from 1925 to 1927 he worked as a salesclerk for the Oberösterreichische Elektrobau AG and then until spring 1933 Eichmann worked as district agent for the Vacuum Oil Company AG, a subsidiary of Standard Oil. In July 1933 he moved back to Germany. [4]

wapedia.mobi...

The CIA would later remove all mentions of Globke from Eichmann's memoirs, presumably in an attempt to protect Adenauer. However, it may seem that Gehlen and Adenauer knew each other before this introduction: both were members of Le Cercle, perhaps even founding members:

We briefly discussed the history of some of the key players in Le Cercle: Jean Violet and Antoine Pinay, the official founders; and their patron, Otto von Habsburg; how Violet and Pinay recruited individuals like Jean Monnet, Konrad Adenauer and Robert Schuman, and influenced the early history of the European Union. We also discussed how an agent of both Monnet and Violet recruited a well-connected member of British and American intelligence, Brian Crozier, and made him head of their Cercle in 1980. We also discussed the anti-communist and pro-Europe activities of its key members.

and

"Gehlen, who was always interested in the undertaking [of the Pinay Circle], its figures, its personalities and its results, succeeded in recruiting Violet [the Circle founder and Otto von Habsburg- and SDECE agent] as a special agent and granted him 6000 DM a month for many years. He also claimed that this sum had been agreed with the former head of the SDECE, General Jacquier because Violet is also receiving the same sum from the SDECE."

www.isgp.eu...

So is there a possibility that the BND is the creation not of Gehlen, his organization, and Adenauer, but also Le Cercle, and thus, a web of big business and intelligence agencies?

The two might even possibly go further back: Adenauer was suspected, but not proven, to be part of the 1944 failed bomb plot attempt to assassinate Hitler. From wikipedia:

In 1942, he was approached by Colonel Henning von Tresckow, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and General Adolf Heusinger to participate in an assassination attempt on German dictator Adolf Hitler. His role was minor. When the plot culminated in the failed bomb plot of July 20, 1944, Gehlen's role was covered up and he escaped Hitler's brutal retaliation against the conspirators[2].

What do you think?

Originally posted by Someone336
The CIA would later remove all mentions of Globke from Eichmann's memoirs, presumably in an attempt to protect Adenauer. However, it may seem that Gehlen and Adenauer knew each other before this introduction: both were members of Le Cercle, perhaps even founding members:

A couple of links about Globke that you might find interesting...

www.spiritone.com...

www.guardian.co.uk...

As I understand it, Eichmann was questioned by Israeli intelligence for days, producing severla hundred pages of transcript. Only a small proportion of those interviews were passed into the official record. There were many reasons why Eichmann was rushed through to the chop, Globke's status as a CIA asset being only one of them.

I recently picked up Lord Russell of Liverpool's book on the Eichmann trial, but haven't as yet read it, so I am not sure what mention is made of Globke, I shall have a look though.

Much is made of Gehlen but essentially, in the long run he is less important than he is give credit for. Strictly speaking he wasn't a 'Nazi' certainly not in the way popular culture would have it. He was a strategic and tactical intelligence specialist, not secret intelligence. When he surrendered to the US, he took with him the assurance that he would turn over Nazi military plans...not secret intelligence operatives...that information the British obtained via the capture/surrender of Walter Schellenberg...Gehlen was strictly Eastern Armies. He was hugely ambitious but nor necessarily political. The US considered him highly important only because those factions which supported the creation of the CIA were fearful of socialism/communism and its spread. The Gehlen organisation cannot really be considered though, relative to its expenditure a success for the US, though it was a success for European powers.

Cookson's book on the Gehlen organisation is worth getting if you can get hold of it, I think it has been out of print since the seventies (my copy is shedding its pages sadly). Cookson worked for British SIS during the war, so his insight is useful (practically all ex-SIS men from WW2 seem to have switched to writing of the war...or so it seems). I find it interesting that Roert Wistrich (a ww2 historian) in his book the 'Whos Who of Nazi Germany' fails to list Gehlen...as do a number of publications. But he isn't alone, a numer of highly notable (and controversial) characters seem to have left by the back door.

Originally posted by Someone336
So is there a possibility that the BND is the creation not of Gehlen, his organization, and Adenauer, but also Le Cercle, and thus, a web of big business and intelligence agencies?

Have you seen any of the threads by counterterrorist, he presents some excellent material...crosses over in several places with what you are looking at...you may find it useful. My knowledge I am afraid is somewhat narrow in scope...but I would say that Gehlen is only a minion. He was kept because he had information that they wanted and he was wise enough to hide it well enough that they had to keep him around. Shrewd man, not all were so lucky, there was much 'bumping off' around the end of the war.

Originally posted by Someone336
The two might even possibly go further back: Adenauer was suspected, but not proven, to be part of the 1944 failed bomb plot attempt to assassinate Hitler. From wikipedia:

In 1942, he was approached by Colonel Henning von Tresckow, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and General Adolf Heusinger to participate in an assassination attempt on German dictator Adolf Hitler. His role was minor. When the plot culminated in the failed bomb plot of July 20, 1944, Gehlen's role was covered up and he escaped Hitler's brutal retaliation against the conspirators[2].

What do you think?

How interested in the July 1944 plot are you? That is quite a rabbit hole if you want to start looking. Happy to explain (sadly I could talk about this for hours, takes all-sorts as they say). Basically, the central plot was run by idealists, loyal to their country and wanting rid of Hitler because they saw it as the only way to forge peace...around that you have British SIS pushing one agenda via Himmler and Canaris, and the OSS pushing another via yet another group, possibly also under Himmler (he loved to hedge his bets). I can let you have more information on that if you'd find it helpful. I am at work right now and without my books though.

I agree that Gehlen's role is largely exaggerated, but given his ties to Le Cercle, as well as to J. Peter Grace (of Iran-Contra fame) and Dimitri von Mohrenschildt (brother of George de Mohrenschildt of JFK assassination fame, who also worked the Grace family) though Radio Free Europe, I believe he is a very important figure. I also read that Joseph Retinger, who was crucial in the CIA's funding of the United Europe idea, as well as founding Bildeberg with Prince Bernard of the Netherlands (who worked for I.G. Farben's N.W.7) was also connected to Radio Free Europe, but I can't seem to pin that down. Gehlen surrounded himself with people connected to the unification of Europe.

I've found Counterterrorist's posts, and find them very informative, dovetailing much of mine own research. I u2ued him over a week ago relating to some of this stuff, but he's yet to have responded.

I would love some more info on the bomb plot; I'm unfortunately not very knowledgeable about it, but find it fascinating none-the-less. I've often wondered if Himmler had more roles in such things that is generally recorded in history books.

Originally posted by Someone336
I agree that Gehlen's role is largely exaggerated, but given his ties to Le Cercle, as well as to J. Peter Grace (of Iran-Contra fame) and Dimitri von Mohrenschildt (brother of George de Mohrenschildt of JFK assassination fame, who also worked the Grace family) though Radio Free Europe, I believe he is a very important figure.

It is certainly not that he wasn't important simply that he was only a cog. Gehlen made himself valuable by stashing all his records in the Bavarian mountains, nobody gave two hoots about gold and hidden treasure at the end of the war, everyone was really hunting for paper trails. Gehlen survived the general high level culling for the same reason everyone else who survived did, sufficient bargaining power. Plus he was infinitely wise enough to surrender to the US and not the British.

I know nothing about Grace, other than the names crops up with frequency I have never looked in that direction. I remember a member called Golddragnet posted something about them though...I'll see if I can dig it out.

I've skimmed a couple of books and I am struggling to find anything on Radio Free Europe. I expected to find something in reference to Gehlen but no such luck, however, in the acknowledgements of 'Gehlen: Spy of the Century' by EH Cookridge it does thank a 'Mr David Gitlin, assistant director, and Mr R Rockingham Gill of Radio Free Europe' (p23). No reference in the main body though of it at all. Curious!!

There is considerable reference to Adenauer, I will have a skim through that and see if there is anything that may be of interest to you.

The de Mohrenschildt's testimony for the Warren Commission is worth a read if you have time...it is very long and highly detailed, almost bizarrely so...

www.jfk-assassination.de...

George's uncle (Reinhold von Mohrenschildt) was heavily involved in Generalplan Ost, he was a high ranking SS officer (I can't remember is exact designation off the top of my head). Of those that were directly involved in the orchestration and execution of Generalplan Ost, von Mohrenschildt not only survived (no other ranking SS officers who had active knowledge did) but he escaped all prosecution too...but then who was left to testify against him!

Originally posted by Someone336
I also read that Joseph Retinger, who was crucial in the CIA's funding of the United Europe idea, as well as founding Bildeberg with Prince Bernard of the Netherlands (who worked for I.G. Farben's N.W.7) was also connected to Radio Free Europe, but I can't seem to pin that down. Gehlen surrounded himself with people connected to the unification of Europe.

Again you know more than I do.

I have a theory, all my own, that Kennedy was killed because of the 'Ich bin Berliner' speech. It put a lot of noses out of joint, while Gehlen was committed to a united europe there are many who wished to keep the division in place as long as possible.

Are you familiar with the Morgenthau plan? It was his intention to reduce Germany to the economic position of a '18th century agricultural state'. This, obviously, caused great concern amongst those with investments in Germany, Nazi or otherwise, which is why 'paperclip' happened. They may not have been able to protect their capital investments, but in the closing days there was an all out war to protect the intellectual holdings. Additional, there was a meeting held in Strasbourg in 1944 at the 'Red House', which delivered instructions to those assembled (bankers, brokers etc) from Himmler to dissolve whatever assets they could and invest that money in agriculture. The Morganthau Plan was not a matter of public record, someone at a high level had passed that information to Himmler. Of even greater interest, Strasbourg had up to that time enjoyed a certain degree of neutrality. At the time of that meeting, for the first time in the war, Churchill personally ordered that the area around the Red House be bombed.

Originally posted by Someone336
I've found Counterterrorist's posts, and find them very informative, dovetailing much of mine own research. I u2ued him over a week ago relating to some of this stuff, but he's yet to have responded.

I don't think he has been on in a while, but I am in touch with him so I will have a wee word.

Originally posted by Someone336
I would love some more info on the bomb plot; I'm unfortunately not very knowledgeable about it, but find it fascinating none-the-less. I've often wondered if Himmler had more roles in such things that is generally recorded in history books.

I'm going to save this for another post, I've run out of steam and time.

[edit on 6-12-2008 by KilgoreTrout]

I know nothing about Grace, other than the names crops up with frequency I have never looked in that direction. I remember a member called Golddragnet posted something about them though...I'll see if I can dig it out.

Grace is a fascinating individual, with a set of curious connections to Nazis. He comes from the Grace family that owns the chemical conglomerate W.R. Grace. George Mohrenschildt actually worked for this company, which is an extremely curious note. Peter Grace was also a close friend of Frederick Flick, of I.G. Farben. Allegedly, W.R. Grace was also involved in hiding of Colonel Brite in Bolivia, and when the CIA was smuggling Klaus Barbie out of Germany, they sent him to hide with this same Colonel Brite. Peter Grace himself was a participant with the OSS in Operation Paperclip.

In the 1950s, Peter Grace became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and also the director of Citibank. Being a devote Catholic, he became the head of the American Order of the Sovereign Knights of Malta. He would later head a company called the AmeriCares. It seems that the AmeriCares, which was based in Central and South America, was one of the channels the CIA used to smuggle arms and funds to the Contra rebels. There are allegations that the Knights of Malta were deeply involved in this.

FROM 86-91 MUCH OF AMERICARES AID GOES TO CENTRAL AMERICA AND USSR BLOC
COUNTRIES SUCH AS AFGHANISTAN, ETHIOPIA, ARMENIA AND POLAND. AID GIVEN TO
NICARAGUA AFTER CHAMORRO WON THE 90 ELECTION. KNIGHTS OF MALTA
DISTRIBUTED AID. KNIGHTS, AMERICARES PARTNER IN MOST OF WORLD. KNIGHTS
POWERFUL VATICAN ORDER WITH EXTENSIVE AND CLOSE TIES TO INTEL ORGS IN WEST
EUROPE AND U.S. IN 84 AMERICARES EVACUATED MUJAHEDDEN TO WALTER REED
HOSPITAL IN D.C. PROVIDES MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO 57 CLINICS IN AFGHANISTAN. IN
CENTRAL AMERICA KNIGHTS OF MALTA DISTRIBUTE MUCH OF AMERICARES AID. ROBERTO
ALEJOS ARZU, A WEALTHY GUATEMALAN WORKS WITH AMERICARES. AMERICARES AID
DISTRIBUTED ALSO BY AIR COMMANDOS OF HARRY ADERHOLT. ALEJOS' PLANTATION
SERVED AS CIA TRG BASE FOR BAY OF PIGS INVASION. SANDINISTAS ACCUSE
AMERICARES OF BEING A CIA FRONT. VILLAGE VOICE 1/8/91 22-31

www.pinknoiz.com...

Peter Grace was also a member of the 1001 Club, which in appearance looks like a division of the World Wildlife Fund, but in reality may be much more. It was founded by Prince Bernard of the Netherlands (I.G. Farben, Bilderberg), and counts in its membership Agha Hasan Abedi (founder of the BCCI bank), Salem Bin Laden (brother of Osama, involved in BCCI, invested in George Bush's Arbusto Energy with James R. Bath, who was also involved in BCCI), and Nelson Hunt. Nelson's father, H.L. Hunt, was a large oil man in Dallas during the JFK administration, and a member of the "Suite GF Group", which my evidence suggests funded the assassination and cover-up through Permindex (Permindex's founder, L.M. Bloomfield, was also a member of the 1001 Club). Hunt was also a close partner of Clint Murchinson (in addition to working for W.R. Grace, Mohrenschildt also did work for Murchinson in Haiti, which was later discovered to be CIA intel gathering), who was tied to the Gambino Crime family, who I mentioned in an earlier post. Nelson hunt sat on the Council for National Policy with J. Peter Grace and Oliver North.

In 1967, Nelson Bunker Hunt provided Cameron Townsend, founder of the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and the Wycliffe Bible Translators, property in Dallas for a new international translation center. Thy Will Be Done, by Gerard Colby and Charlotte Dennett, documents the business and political connections between Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Rockefeller family, and the CIA. The result of the dealings was the genocide of indigenous tribes in the Amazon basin, although Cam Townsend denied the deaths.

www.isgp.eu...

The 1001 Club and Le Cercle seem to work closely together, and there are some people, such as David Rockefeller, who belong to both groups.

George's uncle (Reinhold von Mohrenschildt) was heavily involved in Generalplan Ost, he was a high ranking SS officer (I can't remember is exact designation off the top of my head). Of those that were directly involved in the orchestration and execution of Generalplan Ost, von Mohrenschildt not only survived (no other ranking SS officers who had active knowledge did) but he escaped all prosecution too...but then who was left to testify against him!

Interesting. I know Mohrenschildt's cousin, the Baron Maydell, worked for the Abwehr, and according to some, directly under Gehlen.

Here's some links that mention Radio Free Europe, which was founded by John Foster Dulles:

www.mosquitonet.com...
www.nationmaster.com...

I'll have to dig up my sources for Gehlen's role in the operation.

Hadn't heard of the Morgenthau plan, but its quite interesting, especially its connections to Paperclip, as you say. Much of my research into JFK revolved around people involved in Paperclip, which happens at pretty much every turn.

Originally posted by Someone336
I would love some more info on the bomb plot; I'm unfortunately not very knowledgeable about it, but find it fascinating none-the-less. I've often wondered if Himmler had more roles in such things that is generally recorded in history books.

Himmler is strangely fascinating, incredibly little to like about him though, he seems to have been a singularly self-serving yet weak-willed individual, incredibly fastidious and personally ambitious, pumped full of his own self-importance but completely intimidated by Hitler. Like the majority of the Nazi leadership he was a hypocrite too, soon corrupted by the trappings of power, living several lives behind the veil of the Nazi propaganda machine.

Himmler’s was at the centre of the Keppler Circle or ‘Himmler’s Circle of Friends’, friends he had acquired not long after the creation of the Hitler’s bodyguard, the SS Leibenstandarten. These ‘friends’ included Wilhelm Keppler (of IG Farben, later appointed to the Reichstag as a Minister without Portfolio/Financial Expert until replaced by Hajlmar Schacht), Kurt von Schroeder, Emil Meyer (ITT and AEG), Frederick Flick (IG Farben) and Schacht (President Reichsbank). The group expanded as Hitler became more powerful, it funded party rallies, campaigns and the judicious use of the Freikorp/SA. Because of the absence of anti-trust laws in Nazi Germany, banks were permitted to sit on the board of companies that they handled investments in. The dramatic recovery that the Nazis exerted on the socio-economic conditions of Germany led to overseas investment into Germany, most of it channelled via the Keppler Circle. Due to the considered surety of Germany’s ability to become the leading economy in Europe and their declared intention to annex Eastern Europe and thus control the ‘World Island’ in terms of trade meant that money poured into Germany.

Hence we see, General Motors, Standard Oil, Texas Oil Company, Ford Motor Company etc etc all investing in Germany and entering into patent agreements.

Himmler was to all intents and purposes the protector cum servant of these men. He was paid generously by them, Himmler by the close of the war would have been worth several million based on these payments alone. Almost without exception those connected to the Keppler Circle benefitted directly and indirectly from the use of concentration camp and other forms of forced labour. IG Farben in particular was able to establish a market lead, or rather the subsidaries that it was broken back up into with barely a blip in operations were able to, due to the use of human guinea pigs.

His rise to power was very swift, as it was for many at that time. The very nature of Hitler’s Germany and the basis of the Fuehrerprinzip of leadership, was that bright young things could make a name for themselves. And very many did, though not quite the name that Himmler achieved. Gradually, Himmler took over control of the policing of Germany and the occupied territories. He received rapid promotion and reams of titles. He exploited every opportunity to obtain further powers. He was head of the SS, the SD, the RSHA and the SIPO, he oversaw the Concentration Camp system, Aktion Reinhard and Generalplan Ost, as well as the offices of Racial Hygeine that perpetrated euthanasia on a mass scale in Germany from 1935 to 1939 and from 1939 onwards were deployed in Poland, and so on and so forth. Following the failure of the July 1944 General’s plot, he assumed control of the Abwehr too. He had effective control over Germany, the annexed and occupied territories and Military Intelligence. Of course by 1944 there was little doubt in anyone’s mind that Germany was finished. Though the stream of peace offers from Germany had been steady since the start of the war, it now became a flood, everyone with something to bargain with attempted to throw in the towel.

Himmler had started to put out peace feelers to the Allies as early as 1942. Mostly via his banking contacts, later through similar contacts in Sweden via Walter Schellenberg, and through Switzerland to Allen Dulles via Karl Wolff (Operation Sunrise). The role of Himmler in the General’s Plot is much debated, circumstantially though, it is clear that he knew about the plans well before they were executed on 20 July 1944.

Claus von Staffenberg would not have achieved the position whereby he was able to plant the bomb had it not been for Himmler’s intervention. Von Stauffenberg was opposed vehemently to Hitler and had been reported for his out-spokenness on the matter numerous times. He was known to be mentally unbalanced and disturbed as a result of the injuries he had incurred in active service, prone to fits of temper. Yet despite all this Himmler personally authorised an appointment that would place him in physical contact with Hitler.

Himmler attended all meetings of the General Staff at the Wolf’s Lair unless otherwise detained. In the period leading up to the bombing Himmler though at his house close to the Lair and not engaged in any other activity at that time, did not attend these meetings, but sought Hitler at other times, avoiding the Lair only at those times when von Stauffenberg was scheduled to attend. As the plan was that von Stauffenberg take out Hitler, Goering and Himmler in a single attack the original date was put back and put back until the 20 July when it was agreed that they could wait no longer. Following the explosion, Himmler was on the scene almost immediately.

Initial reports to reach Berlin, based on communications from von Stauffenberg as he fled in panic from the scene, indicated that Hitler was dead. Himmler delayed contacting Berlin and prevented news of Hitler’s survival leaving the Lair for as long as possible. Had those responsible for the take over of Berlin been more determined, then the coup could have been a success given Himmler’s hesitation and the extra time he permitted them. As it was, those assigned to take of the Ministries were less than resolute in their determination and quickly buckled under pressure.

The official interpretation of Himmler’s actions is that he backed the Generals plot from behind the scenes in order the place himself in control of Germany, in Hitler’s place, and sue for peace. The Generals having got rid of one despot would be unlikely to have supported a replacement by another from that inner circle and Himmler was almost universally loathed by the Wehrmacht as was the SS in general. In any event, no matter his involvement, Himmler ensured that all trace of dissension were wiped out in the subsequent cull, just as he had with the Roehm Purge.

Later a number of bankers and industrialists were arrested for their involvement in the General’s Plot, there is little evidence though that they did anything other than turn a blind eye. They were able to emerge from the war liberated by the US from a concentration camp, not captured by the Soviets on suspicion of war mongering. This stance was barely questioned, though some served considerable prison terms, most were still able to continue their careers at a time when Germany began to emerge as a leading economic power. And, unlike those that did their dirty work for them, all escapes the hangman. Their co-investors in Britain, the US, Sweden and Switzerland (amongst others) incurred very little penalties, some lost money, but those who were shrewd enough had ensured that they had cloaked these investments. Some of these investors had continued to receive dividends through this means, since their own countries had joined the war.

Originally posted by Someone336
I'll have to dig up my sources for Gehlen's role in the operation.

Don't worry about sources, I am convinced I have read something somewhere about it, but can't put my finger on it. I suspect it may have been in David Irving's book on the Hungarian uprising.

Thank you for the additional information on Grace, most interesting. I will keep a keen eye out for his name in future.

What do you know about the Bank of International Settlements? I think that you may find, that in terms of the inter-war period, it would fill in a gap or two for you, background at least. Additionally, the Paris Peace Conference (Versailles) is worthy of a look. It demonstrates how much of the groundwork for ensuring a continuation of hostilities in Europe was acheived.

What's the name of the company in London that handles worldwide gold settlements? And who owns it?