July , Göring’s factories produced one thousand fighter
planes for the first time. The post-Udet era was beginning.
Citadel, the biggest, bloodiest tank battle in history, began in
Russia on July , . The initial euphoria was soon forgotten as
news came on the ninth that the Allies had invaded Sicily. In
East Prussia the Reichsmarschall clung to the long-distance tele-
phone, roasting his generals in Rome. “Long talk with
Reichsmarschall this evening,” wrote Richthofen on the tenth.
“He seems frightfully agitated.” The next day: “Angry phone
call from the Reichsmarschall this evening... I calmed him
down. Swears furiously at our fighter pilots, who are not, in fact,
to blame this time. Soothed him with our own bomber successes.
All our bombers out attacking shipping south of Syracuse [in
Sicily] tonight.”
On July , Hitler decided to abandon Citadel. Göring told
Milch that day that reinforcing Richthofen would now have top
priority. Hitler sent air-force officers Below and Bodenschatz
down to Italy to report. “Bodenschatz,” wrote Richthofen after
lunching with the general, “informs me of fundamental deci-
sions on the prosecution of the war in the east and in the Medi-
terranean. And,” he added gloomily, “they don’t appear to have
been taken at all voluntarily.”
The political importance was that if Sicily was overrun, It-
aly would probably defect from the alliance, bringing British
and American troops not to mention their bomber squadrons
currently based in North Africa to the very frontiers of the
Reich. Hitler conferred with Rommel about this on the eight-
eenth. “In the east,” recorded Rommel, “the Russians are on the
attack.... The Führer,” he added, “is probably going down to
meet the Duce.”
Göring accompanied Hitler, the latter literally bent double