Who was Hitler's most useful military subordinate?

Answer 1

I don't think the question has a valid answer. During the 1930s the German military, all branches, developed a highly trained and very talented officer corps. During the early campaigns of the war Hitler let the generals and admirals exercise their command authority. They planned and executed the campaigns and just reported to him how things were going. They were, of course, very successful. As the war went on though Hitler eventually assumed personal command of the fighting forces and insisted on making every tactical, strategic and logistic decision himself. Sometimes he was even personally directing individual platoons on the eastern front. Even if Hitler had been a competent military commander, which he was not, this was far too great a task for one man to perform. As time went on the officers, even the senior generals, were reduced to being little more than messenger boys, conveying the leader's commands to their troops. Naturally in such a role they were utterly useless. Michael Montagne I would agree with previous poster to a point, over all I would think his most useful suborinate from day one was was Jospeh Gobbels. The propganda minister kept the German ideal and message in fron of the entire world until the last days of Berling when he and his family commited sucide in the bunker juts after Hitler and Eva Braum did.Other such as Martin Borman played there part but at best it was a shadowey past diffcult to track and was stated their influnece paled over the years. Admiral Donitz was Hitler's personal pick to take ovver as leader when he ( Hitler) was gone.That in it's self shows a certain amount of power still remaining in Hitler's good will. Most useful? All of them who died. Every last one of them who died for Germany and the West in the snow, dirt, in a bunker or panzer, in the air or at sea as a volunteer in a U-boat or other vessel. Every officer who committed suicide upon hearing of the unconditional surrender in 1945. General Model and many others like him. Among the few survivors we can look to the most decorated for action in combat: Men such as SS leader Sepp Dietrich, ace pilot Rudel, special operations leader Skorzeny, Field Marshal Kesselring ... these are about as "useful" as a military subordinate could ever get! Let's not forget the highly talented Dr. Ley and the civilian counterparts who achieved an incredible armaments production record, even late into 1944! Making the logistics system work is extremely "useful" in a subordinate! It would be much easier to compile a huge list (in any nation) of those who were just not that "useful" in their subordinate role ... or loyal, for that matter, or committed to self-sacrifice on behalf of others.

Answer 2

Rudolf Hess