Valkyrie

Valkyrie: The Plot to Kill Hitler by Philipp Von Boeselager Alfred A. Knoff 3/16/09 This novel is about one of the many attempts to assassinate/kill Hitler the chancellor of Germany during World War II. It starts off with the last survivor of the plot. His name is Philipp Von Boeselager. He begins talking about his family life and childhood growing up with his brother and their combat training they received at a young age. He then talks his life in school and his teachers influence on hm. He talks about his teacher who was a priest when he was in school. He then talks about his journey becoming a cavalryman in the German army along with his brother who later dies fighting on the Russian front. Later Philipp and his brother along with some of the friends witness the atrocities Germany is committing and decide to do something about it. They make their decisions and decide that Hitler must die no matter what the cost. One of the main ideas discussed in this book are the ideas of the Nazi and Christianity. Through the first few chapters of the book Philipp contemplates whether the Nazi ideology is believable or not. His teacher in school tells his students that their ideology is false. One day he and his brother Goerg were detained by two German officials and locked in a garage. They were later freed when the chancellor left. This experience influenced them later on in life in many ways. He later begins to disagree with their ideas. Another idea discussed is the power of determination and perseverance in the face of overwhelming danger. In the book Philipp and his gang of cohorts start OPERATION VALKYRIE. They have the operation planned out. Throughout the plan, the course changes constantly because people around them are dying. So the conspirators decide it’s now or never. They first few attempts, such as bombing the plane Hitler was in failed. However, they decide they are going to bomb the safe house and headquarters where Hitler was staying. Practically everyone died except for Hitler. Hitler received some bruised ribs and a perforated eardrum. Many of the conspirators had not realized that Hitler was not dead. Some of the people who knew he was alive still continued on with OPERATION VALKYRIE. Requisition Verb Demand the use or supply by official order and for military or public use. (Freiherr, Fehrenbach, and Fehrenbach p. 1) Cantoned Noun A small territorial district. (Freiherr, Fehrenbach, and Fehrenbach p.35) Imperturbably Adjective Not easily excited, calm. (Freiherr, Fehrenbach, and Fehrenbach p.39) What I found most important with this book was the author’s ability to keep faith and persevere through thick and thin. “The days went on without any contact with our division. It was as if we had been transported to the age of the Thirty Years’ War.” (Freiherr, Fehrenbach, and Fehrenbach p.39) I think the authors’ main purpose in writing this novel is to inform the reader than with perseverance and knowing the right people anything humanly possible or impossible can happen especially if it is a good cause. Also, I think the authors’ are trying to tell the reader that if you see something that is wrong and purely evil don’t for someone else to fix the problem DO IT YOUR SELF! The book ends with pretty much everyone who helped Phillip dying. One of the men who helped Phillip was at his home in the woods eating dinner. He was hit by a random mortar shell and was killed. Most of his men were put on trial, sentenced to execution, and were killed. The ending was not very effective. The ending was not very effective. It portrayed the operation as if it were a mass failure and made Phillip look like a depressed old fart that never accomplished anything when he did. Overall the book was excellent except for the ending.