shal Göring, angered by the whole episode, sent for both gener-
als and issued a humiliating reprimand. “The right to confirm
sentences is your most priceless jewel as field commanders,” he
said. “It embraces not only a duty to maintain discipline, but the
duty to care for the men entrusted to your command. You,
Richthofen, deserted three airmen in their hour of need.” For
years afterward, recalled Baron von Hammerstein, Göring could
not put the death of those airmen out of his mind.
He now controlled the world’s most powerful air force,
and was conscious that all Europe trembled at the prospect of
Yellow; but he still hoped for an early end to hostilities. Luf-
thansa chairman Dr. Emil-Georg von Stauss, a non-Nazi whose
opinions Göring valued, persuaded him to receive the Lutheran
bishop of Oslo, Dr. Eivind Berggrav, on January , . The
bishop found him initially standoffish, until he mentioned that
he had just been to Britain and had not found the British nur-
turing any real hatred of Germany so much as a calm determi-
nation to see the thing through.
“The Führer,” interjected Göring, “is quite convinced that
Britain’s only war aim is to smash Germany.”
The bishop shook his head. “If you are right,” pondered
Göring “then there’s no point whatever in this fight. But we’ve
tried negotiating with the British. They won’t meet unless we
agree to preconditions.”
Those conditions, which the bishop had outlined the
restoration of sovereignty to the Poles and Czechs were, the
field marshal added, quite unacceptable. “Poland and Czecho-
slovakia those are our bargaining counters.”
“Which would you rather have,” challenged the bishop.
“Peace, or victory?”
“Peace, no doubt about it!” That was Göring’s spontaneous
answer; then he chuckled and added, “I should very much like