the Western allied armies landed in northern France in what was the largest operation ever conducted, . Realists in the German army knew defeat was inevitable and some officers plotted to remove Hitler from power. In July 1944 one of them, , planted a at Hitler's military headquarters in (the so-called ), but Hitler narrowly escaped death. He ordered savage reprisals, resulting in the executions of more than 4,900 people (sometimes by starvation in solitary confinement followed by slow ). The main resistance movement was destroyed although smaller isolated groups such as continued to operate.
Defeat and death
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Cover of US newspaper The Stars and Stripes, May 1945
By the end of 1944, the had driven the last German troops from Soviet territory and began charging into Central Europe. The were also rapidly advancing into Germany. The Germans had lost the war from a military perspective, but Hitler allowed no negotiation with the Allied forces, and as a consequence the German military forces continued to fight. Hitler's stubbornness and defiance of military realities also allowed the continued mass killing of Jews and others to continue. He even issued the on , , ordering the destruction of what remained of German industry, communications and transport. However, , who was in charge of that plan, didn't carry it out. (The for postwar Germany, promulgated by the Allies, aimed at a similar deindustrialization.)
In April 1945 Soviet forces were at the . Hitler's closest lieutenants urged him to flee to or Austria to make a last stand in the mountains, but he seemed determined to either live or die in the capital. leader tried on his own to inform the Allies (through the Count ) that Germany was prepared to discuss surrender terms. Meanwhile sent a telegram from Bavaria in which he argued that since Hitler was cut off in Berlin, as Hitler's designated successor he should assume leadership of Germany. Hitler angrily reacted by dismissing both Himmler and Gцring from all their offices and the party and declared them traitors.
After intense , when Soviet troops were spotted within a block or two of the in the city centre, Hitler committed suicide in the on , by means of a self-delivered shot to the head (it is likely he simultaneously bit into a ampoule). Hitler's body and that of (his long-term mistress whom he had married the day before) were put in a bomb crater, partially burned with by Fьhrerbunker aides and hastily buried in the Chancellory garden as Russian shells poured down and Red