The July Bomb Plot, 1944

What was the July bomb plot?

The July bomb plot was an attempt by the German military to assassinate Hitler by planting a bomb in a leather bag on 20th July, 1944. It was called 'Operation Valkyrie'.

Who was involved in the July bomb plot?

The assassination group consisted of 3 key members:

• ❖ General Ludwig Beck.
• ❖ Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
• ❖ Dr Carl Goerdeler, an anti-Nazi politician.

What was the plan for the July bomb plot?

The plan was to kill Hitler with a bomb, it would be left in a leather bag under a table inside Hitler's headquarters in East Berlin. Once Hitler was dead, the army would take control of Berlin and make Carl Goerdeler chancellor.

Why did the July bomb plot fail?

The plot failed because someone moved the briefcase that contained the bomb further away from Hitler. The bomb exploded, killing 4 people, and Hitler survived with minor injuries.

What happened to those involved in the July bomb plot?

There were 4 main results:

• ❖ General Ludwig Beck attempted to commit suicide, failed and was shot.
• ❖ Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was shot.
• ❖ Dr Carl Goerdeler was hanged.
• ❖ Himmler was tasked with finding all those involved. In total 7,000 people were arrested, and 6,000 of them executed.