Oberkommando der Wehrmacht: The German Wehrmacht High Command
An Overview of the OKW
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), or Wehrmacht High Command, was a centralized military command organization established in Nazi Germany. Its primary responsibility was to exercise command and control over the three branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), and Luftwaffe (Air Force).
Role and Structure
The OKW was formed on February 4, 1938, following the dismissal of War Minister Werner von Blomberg and Commander-in-Chief of the Army Werner von Fritsch. Adolf Hitler assumed direct control of the military and established the OKW as a coordinating and planning body. It was structured as follows:
- Chief of the OKW: Wilhelm Keitel (1938-1945)
- Operations Staff: Alfred Jodl (1939-1945)
- Intelligence Staff: Wilhelm Canaris (1935-1944)
- Economics Staff: Georg Thomas (1939-1945)
Key Functions
The OKW's primary functions included:
- Planning and coordinating military operations
- Developing and implementing strategic plans
- Managing personnel and logistics
- Conducting intelligence gathering and analysis
- Liaison with other government ministries
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