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 

The Blomberg–Fritsch Affair

In December  Göring issued instructions  in line with Hit-
ler’s command at the winter-garden conference  for his air
force to prepare a lightning operation primarily against Czecho-
slovakia.
The alarmed war minister, von Blomberg, circulated an
urgent corrective on December : “I forbid any measure that
might lead headquarters units or troops to conclude that war is
likely before the end of .”
This message highlighted in its way one of the architectural
defects that had developed in Hitler’s military hierarchy 
Göring’s now wholly anomalous position, simultaneously strad-
dling the three highest tiers of the German command structure.
As air-force commander in chief, Göring was subordinate to the
war minister Blomberg (whom Hitler had appointed field mar-
shal on April , , to underscore this), but equal to the army’s
commander in chief, Colonel General von Fritsch. As a Reich