Blunders of WWII: Hitler's Luftwaffe

At the beginning of the war, the Luftwaffe was the most modern air force in  the world.  They had investing many resources, and because of the Treaty of Versailles, all of the planes were newly built and modern, rather than old relics.  However, they failed their country on several occasions.  The fist major failure was their inability to annihilate the British and Allies at Dunkirk.  Much of the expeditionary force was able to make it back to England.  During the Battle of Britain, again the Luftwaffe failed to control the Royal Air Force, and consequently the invasion of England could not take place.  The industrial machine of Germany was not on a war footing.  Consequently resources were often scarce, and shared with other branches of the military.  Even within the Luftwaffe there was competition for resources.  ground troops, including parachute and anti aircraft guns too at least ten percent of the resources.  Consequently there were never enough resources.  This was especially felt in Russia.  After the invasion of Russia, the German resources were spread more and more thinly.  And when the Russians pushed the Germans back, the Russian industrial complex was out of reach of German bombers.  A great lack of the Luftwaffe was a good long-range bomber as the relied on dive bombing.  This lack crippled them in the end.  Experienced air pilots also became more scarce.  German pilots flew sortie after sortie until they were shot down.  Replacements lacked resources for training.  Consequently, as the war continued, the German pilots had less experience and training.  This became even more acute after an Allied bomber attack on German fuel supplies.  There was not fuel to spare for training.
The one think which could have evened the field for the Luftwaffe was the development of the jet.  The Germans had developed jet planes, which could fly 100 mph faster than any planes on the allied side.  However, Hitler wanted these planes to be fighter bombers, which delayed production, and so they had hardly no effect on the war.

Great Blunders of WWII: The Pilot Who Bombed London

The first bombing of London was a mistake, but it would trigger policy on both sides which would result in the loss of millions of civilians.  At the beginning of the war, the mass bombing of cities was a great fear, and both sides avoided it, although they prepared for it.  The built air raid shelters, issued gas masks and prepared defenses.  The initial policies held that aircraft would only bomb military targets.
However the Nazis did bomb Warsaw, after the Poles declared that they would defend the city to the last.  The city was surrendered after all utilities were destroyed.  The British bombers, after finding their planes were more readily shot down during the day, began bombing at night.  Navigation issues lead to bombs missing military sites and causing civilian casualties.
Another Nazi attack against a city was that of Rotterdam in Holland.  This bombing took place after the surrender was too slow.
However, full scale bombing on both sides did not take place until after an accidental bombing in London.  Both sides had escalated bombing against targets closer and closer to population centers.
Early in August of 1940 that Luftwaffe was commanded to go after the British RAF.  This would take German planes over population centers.  Hitler ordered there there should be no terror bombing.  This was a period of intense air battles.  Germans had strength in numbers, while the British were closer to home and able to stay over the battle area longer.  The German's changed tactics by having bombers attack at night.  They were hoping to stretch the British air defenses.  However, the germans had problems with night navigation.  Some of the planes became confused.  At least one dropped its bombs anyway, hitting civilians in London.  Nine civilians were killed.
The British retaliated, and then things escalated from there.  Berlin was an immediate target for the RAF.  Before the end of the war there were fire bombings of major population centers.

Documentary Review: Great Blunders of WWII: Hitlers's Declaration of War on the United States

Adolf Hitler was persuaded by Japan to declare war on the United States after Pearl Harbor.  However there was no reason to have done so according to treaty.  The Germans has pledged to defend Japan if Japan were attacked.  That was not the case here.  However Hitler was quick to declare war against the United States.  Perhaps Hitler was hoping Japan would tie the Soviets down in the West.  This did not happen.  By doing so, United States entered the war in Europe.  Winston Churchill had been negotiating for this for some time, as England could not win the war on her own.  Hitler  with his declaration resolved this problem for Churchill.  The United States put is industrial might, as well as armed forces to defeating Germany and Japan.

Great Blunders of WWII: Death at Stalingrad 9

Stalingrad become Hitler's greatest blunder, after he took more and more control of the military.  the initial drive into Russia went well, but fell short at the gates of Moscow.  Hitler sacked his commander in chief, and took over that roll himself.  The next year, the Hitler offensive headed south, to the oilfields and Stalingrad.  The move south was divided in two group, Group A and Group B.  The initial offensive was to Stalingrad, and then Army Group A to the south.  When the Russians withdrew rather than facing the onslaught, Hitler took even more control.  The effort, with the armor was focused on the move south.  They were able to take the first goals, but the Russians destroyed many of the oilfields in the area.  however, without most of their armor, Hitler ordered a move against Stalingrad.  Without the tanks, progress was slow.  The move south eventually stalled as the supply lines were too long, and they were far away from their air support.
In Stalingrad, the germans defended the city at all costs.  A counterattack finally surrounded the forces there.  However Hitler ordered them to remain, with the goal of their being resupplied from the air.  It was impossible to get adequate supplies.  Hitler put his efforts into a rescue effort to resupply.  However the Russians kept up their offensive against Army Group B.  The relief operation stalled before they could reach them; however the commander thought they could break out and meet the relief operation.  However they followed Hitler's original orders to stay put.  However shortly the Russian efforts took the airfields supplying Stalingrad, and the desperate measure to drop supplies form the air proved inadequate.  What became known as the Stalingrad Pocket was doomed. Almost one hundred thousand were killed.  They finally surrendered, and another almost one hundred thousand were marched into Russia.  Only about five thousand would ever return.
Stalingrad was a major turning point on the Eastern Front.  The Russians would be on the offensive from this point on.

Documentary Review: World War II in Colour: Victory in Europe: Episode 12

As the end of the war approached, the question was which of the Allies was going to claim which territory.  Stalin continued to push for a bigger piece of the pie.  The Nazis faced enemies on three sides, the Russians in the East, the United States and Britain on the West and South.  The Third Reich which was suppose to last a 1000 years was crumbling after five.  As the American finally made it across the Rhine, and moved towards Berlin, they too came across horrendous conditions in the concentrations camps, and piles of bodies who had been systematically killed.  Tough fighting faced the Allies, as well as huge gains, one day 350,000 nazi soldiers were surrendered.  The Russians approached Berlin.  The Battle for Berlin was terrible.  And even after Adolf Hitler and his new wife Eva Braun suicided, the battle in Berlin continued.  In the South the Italians relinquished and surrendered, and finally the Germans did the same.  First to Montgomery, who said he could only accept the surrender of those in front of him.  The surrender of the entire German force would have to include a wider audience.  Victory in Europe Day is May 8, 1945.  The country was split between the Allies, and even though Berlin was within the Russian sector, it too was split.  The other task after the war was to separate the war criminals.  To the Nuremberg Trials was given this task.  Some were sentenced to 10 years in prison, and other hung.  Many more committed suicide to avoid the fate of hanging.

WWII in Colour: Number 6: The Mediterranean and North Africa

Mussolini hoped to rebuild a new Roman Empire, and his goal was to control the Mediterranean Sea and make it Italy's Sea.  He had big dreams but time and time again his soldiers did not prove up to the task.  He first wanted to establish North  Africa as Italy.  He already controlled Libya and Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia) however his forces invading Egypt proved to be a mistake.  Not only did they not gain new territory, when the British counter attacked, they pushed the Italians almost out of Libya.  The British would also invade Abyssinia, and although it would take more than a year, eventually the Italians were kicked out.
The Germans were forced to enter the fray to bolster Mussolini, and moved troops from other theaters.  However, General Erwin Rommel would mount another counter offensive going the other way.  Time and again he would out flank the British and drive them back.  So it was that the British were driven back to Egypt.  However the tide would turn again.  With the Americans entering the conflict, the Americans were able to for a new front, to the west of the Germans, invading across Morocco and Algeria.  The British were able to again push Rommel back.  Rommel was relocated to Germany.  In the meantime Hitler would start a pattern which would become frequent.  He left men in a theater too long, until most were captures.
The Italians also had designs on Albania and Greece.  They were able to conquer Albania, but the Greeks refused to surrender.  Again the Italians faces stiff opposition.  German troops were eventually brought in.  The Island of Crete played a vital role, and came under heavy bombardment  from German planes.  Italy had six large Battle Ships to help in control of the Mediterranean.  Four were knocked out by torpedoes launched from planes from an aircraft carrier.  Another would succumb in surface to surface sea battle.  In the end, the Italians proved more of a liability than an asset to Hitler.

World War II In Colour 3: Britain at Bay

This is the story of the battle of Britain in this continuing documentary of WWII using colorized film from the war as well as maps and narration.  This battle Winston Churchill predicted would be Britain's finest hour.  The British defenses were stretched thin after the forced retreat from Dunkirk.  They also had to leave much material behind, and so their men where mostly armed with rifles.  However the established a home guard with over a half million volunteers.
Without the use of radar it would have been their last hour.  The radar gave the Britons just enough advantage so they could meet the threat from the Luftwaffe, German's air force.  The normal German tactic of Blitzkrieg was not helpful here.  It was impossible to get his tanks and troops across the English Channel unless he controlled the waterway, or at least had air superiority.  He was unable to establish either, and the possibility of invasion did not present itself so he had to look elsewhere.

WWII in Colour 1: The Gathering Storm

This is a very good documentary using colorized film from WWII.  It also uses maps and explains very well the process of this war.  It explain that WWII starts with the Treaty of Versailles, and only 20 years after the treaty, Germany is ripe for dictatorial leadership and find this in Adolf Hitler.  the treaty set Germany up for economic depression due to the  steep reparations required.  Economic downturn is bad for the current leaders.   Other countries are in the same boat, Spain and Italy as well as Japan.  We have Benito Mussolini in Italy and Francisco Franco in Spain.  This film also shows the first steps, and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain hoping beyond hope he had achieved peace, but being fooled badly.  The Germans under Hitler have an expansionist mindset, and start with lands that were part of Germany before the treaty of Versailles.  They reoccupy the Rhineland, and move into German areas controlled by the French since the treaty.  Nobody does anything.  The next step is to annex Austria, which is set to have election, but the Germans move in before the election.  Then he moves to repatriate parts of Czechoslovakia, where many German speaking people live, who became part of Czechoslovakia when the country was formed.  This is where Chamberlain was part of the negotiation, and basically told Hitler he could have the country for a guarantee of peace.  Russia seeing the German expansion have two choices, align with Britain and France, or with Germany.  They choose the latter, and have already made agreements of how to split up Poland.

Documentary Review: Nazi's Mega Weapons: Hitler's Battleships

Bismarck

Tirpitz

   Although Hitler had planned to build bigger and bigger Battleships, he actually only finished two large Battleships; the Bismarck, completed in 1940 and its sister, Tirpitz, finished the following year 1941.  Too Adolf Hitler these Battleships were propaganda pieces.  To the commander of the Navy, Admiral Erich Raeder, these Battleships afforded an opportunity to disrupt the British line of supply.  On the maiden voyage for the Bismarck, the British were determined to sink her.  The British feet set out to track her down, and finally did so, and engaged her in battle.  The British lost HMS Hood a battle cruiser, and a Battleship, HMS Wales was badly damaged.  The British continued to press, this time attacking with biplane torpedo planes, which were flying off an improvised aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal.  One of the torpedoes scored a hit at the aft of the Bismarck, flooding the steering house and causing the rudder to lock in place, and forcing the Bismarck into a tight circle.  The boat should have been able to correct for this using the propellers, however a design flaw had the propellers too close together so this was not possible.  After this the Bismarck was a sitting duck.  Two British ships came in for the kill, and the Bismarck was sunk 27 May, 1941.
Of course Hitler was furious.  His propaganda weapon was destroyed.  He would not let the other ship, Tirpitz, to engage in similar combat, and he scrubbed future Battleship projects, moving the material and men to construction of submarines.
The Tirpitz was sent North to Norway, where it was anchored in a fjord surrounded by high mountains and in deep water.  Defensive placements where scattered among the hills, along with fog making canisters.  They idea was if the ship could not be seen, it could not be sunk.  Antiaircraft placement in the tops of the mountains were not hampered by the smoke being made below them.  The Tirpitz itself also had antiaircraft guns.  Torpedo netting was placed around the ship, thwarting any effort by submarines or torpedo planes.  The British attacked with planes flying from Russia carrying Tall Boy bombs.  These bombs could penetrate a ship's deck.  The British attacked, and did score a successful strike with one of these bombs.  However, the Tirpitz was not sunk.  However it was no longer sea worth because of the damage.  It was taken a short distance away, where it became the northern anchor of the Atlantic Wall which ran from Norway to Spain.  The ship was propped up with sandbags.
Still the large ship was a tempting target for the British, and although no threat, the British did not know this.  Having moved closer to England, the ship could be reached with long range bombers.  Again it was attacked with Tall Boy bombs.  This time 5-6 of the bombs struck the vessel and it was sunk.  The sand bags did not help as the vessel rolled the opposite way.  Of the 2000 men on board, two thirds were lost.  Some were rescued from inside the vessel when the thick hull was finally welded away.
Thus was the end of Adolf Hitler's large Battleships.

Documentary: Nazi Mega Weapons: The SS

Heinrich Himmler

This is perhaps the most terrifying movie of this series.  Here we have the essence of the Nazi Party.  Heinrich Himmler and a few men started out as Hitler's body guards.  This was a true evil sect.  SS stands for Schultstaffel, or Protection Squadron.  They were given charge of establishing the concentration camps.  The first camp in Dachau would become a model for many to follow.  It was a training camp.  Here members of the SS were trained in torture and in control.  This camp mostly housed political prisoners.  This camp did not have a gas chamber, but a firing range where many were shot.

In the early days of Nazi power there was a larger rival group to the SS.  However Himmler was against this group, and eventually convinced Hitler eye were rivals to his power.  The leaders of this group were shot and executed.  The SS was entwined with the police.

With free reign the SS became more deadly and dangerous.  The had their own cathedral for planning and religious rites.  They had their own ideas in which the German people were to be worshipped instead of God.  Himmler took over a castle, Wewelsberg, where his concepts of racial purity could be taught.  This would include elimination of "sub humans."  They believed in sterilization and execution of those unfit, and polygamy to propagate the race.  One goal was to eliminate Christianity.  

The SS recruited elite soldiers. Requirements including no glasses and be five feet eleven.  SS units were some of they best.  They were also involved in spying, local affairs, concentration camps, removal and relocation of people, including Jews, homosexuals and other undesirables.

A strange aspect of SS was a construction project.  Project Reise or Giant was seven underground structures connected by tunnels.  Their exact purpose is not known, but likely underground factories.  They were not finished.  However they have many self defense features, such as a grenade chute and gun windows.

In the end Himmler was captured, and killed himself while being interrogated.  Many other SS members were tried and executed.

Documentary: Nazi Mega Weapons Season 2: The Wolf's Lair

This is the continuing PBS series which looks at some of the Nazi mega weapons.  This episode deals with Hitler's shelters.  It also looks at the attack on Hitler in his lair.  Hitler fancied himself a military leader, and wanted to be close to the action.  This served him well inFrance as he made a shelter close to the front, and was able to monitor and direct.  The success of the Germans convinced Hitler this was good strategy.  He even went so far as to make bomb shelters for his trains, covered man made tunnels, which were rarely used.  They were rounded so bombs would bounce off.  Mussolini and Hitler held a meeting in one such structure, it's only use.  This were a waste of manpower and resources.  Hitler's Lair was as far to the west in Germany (Prussia) as Hitler could get. From this location Hitler was to monitor the invasion of Russia.  However he was hampered by distance.  The Nazis were on the verge of taking Moscow.  However Hitler order the troops to take Leningrad first, which proved to be a costly mistake.  He also ordered attacks and other strategies, without having enough information.

Claus von Stauffenberg

Tremendous amounts of concrete were used to build the lair, where Hitler Had a large personal complex, but it was mostly cement and buffer.  The living space was very small.  These enclosed rooms were a hazard,and disgruntled Germans used them to attack Hitler.  In an enclosed space, a small bomb could do great damage as the force would be concentrated.  Colonel Claus von Straffenberg attempted such a move, however the meeting to which he was invited was not held in a bunker, but an outlying building, which was not made of concrete.  However the detonator had already been triggered.  The bomb did not kill Hitler as the force of the blast was not contained.   Several other officers were killed.  For his roll Stauffenberg was executed without trial.  

Hitler's Lair was abandoned when the Russians advanced taking over the area.

Hitler's last bunker was the one in Berlin.  Again this was a massive undertaking.  The bunker was built underground in the center of the city.  In the end the Russians did not have to attack it as Hitler suicided.

Documentary Review: Nazi Mega Weapons: V-2 Rocket Bases (2013)

This is a PBS series aired in 2013.  It described the roll of Wernher von Braun in the development of the rocket.  His initial goal was to build a rocket to assist men to get to the moon.  However his ideas were taken by the Nazis in a different direction.  A secret experimental base was established.  Then followed many failed experiments.  There were no computer generated rehearsal at this time, just trial and error, and poor visual of the results.  They finally had some positive results after a couple years, and Hitler wanted the rockets to start rolling out.  However the Allies had discovered the base, and bombing raids left this facility vulnerable.  An alternative was found in Germany.  Close enough to England for the rockets to hit, but this was an abandoned mine, so the facility would be underground.  By this time the Nazi labor resources were limited, so the construction and assembly of the rockets fell to forced labor.  The rockets still had problems.  80 percent of them would launch correctly, but then would go off in strange directions.  von Braun needed more information about the cause of the problem.  However watching the rockets in flight was very difficulty.  He finally risked his own life to get a better look, and realized the hulls of the rockets were buckling from the forces of supersonic speed.  He had to reinforce the hull.  Also the production method had caused some damage to the hull and this was changed.  
A special roof was on the launch facility, with a domed roof off of which most bombs would bounce off.  However larger bunker busting bombs were used against this facility and the launch site was no longer adequate.  Finally it was determined mobile launchers would be used.  It was only late in the war that the V-2 was finally used against England.  It had a very destructive effect.  However it was already too little too late.  Had the V-2 been in operation just six months earlier, it may have stopped D-day.  As it was, the Allies were already threatening any spot from which the rockets could be launched against England.  In all about 3000 such rockets were launched against England and Belgium.  They resulted in loss of life of about 6000 people, about two per rocket.  At a cost of billions of dollars, the program did not prove effective in terms of economic success.  Had Hitler used this money for conventional weapons, the result of the war may have been different.  However he was looking for a super weapon.
After the war, von Braun and 100 V-2 rockets were shipped to the United States.  In the States von Braun was able to work on his original goal, of landing a man on the moon.  He was instrumental in helping the U.S. land someone on the moon.

Documentary: Nazi Mega Weapons: Atlantic Wall

The first section of the Atlantic Wall was built as an offensive weapon; across the channel from England, where the large canon could reach England, and did in fact destroy homes and kill people.  However when the war shifted to Russia, Hitler forgot the Atlantic coast for a time.  When the United States joined the war theAtlantic coast now seemed vulnerable.  In earnest Hitler began construction of a 3000 mile wall.  Many of the first large emplacements were essentially battleships on land with large canon turrets set in concrete.  However the Germans were running out of resources.  Only half of the wall was completed.  General Rommel took charge, any many more defensive measures were added, machine gun pill boxes, mines and obstacles were added.  hitler assumed the attack would occur at a hardened port, where earlier raids had taken place. However these raids taught the Allies that these areas were too heavily fortified.

On D-day the defenses were formidable, but fell in about three hours.  The Germans were spread too thin, and their ammunition was depleted after three hours.  Even so 10,000 allies lost their lives.

Documentary Review: Hitler's Death: The Final Report: Operation Myth

This documentary is based on interviews conducted by the Russians of those closest to Hitler.  This included his valet and his chauffeur.  The interviews included torture, and every means to make sure the story being told was true.  It included stories before the actual suicide, and instructions to burn his body so it could not be abused by the Russians or put on display.
In the end the Russians made a propaganda film showing that Hitler murdered Eva Braun and then couldn't shoot himself so also took a cyanide capsule.  The driver was accused of shooting him in the head to give a more heroic interpretation to his death.
The conclusion however was that Hitler died in the bunker with his new wife.  Their bodies were then burned.  Hitler's skull was collected in a couple of pieces.

Hitler's Hidden Drug Habit: Secret History

This documentary is more a treatise and the relationship between Dr. Theodor Morell and Adolf Hitler.  Dr. Morell became the personal physician to Hitler after he treated his stomach ailments which had long bothered Hitler.  Much of the information is from Morell's diary and other documents.  Morell was often in photographs with Hitler, often at his side.  He gave hitler many medicines, through injection and pill over the next few years to treat several different issues from stomach issues, nasal issues, anxiety, inability to sleep and what appears to be Parkinson's towards the end.  There is also indication that Hitler had a bad heart towards the end of the war, but the heart was fine a few years earlier.  It also mentions that Dr. Morell gave Hitler methamphetamine during the last stages of the war to help with anxiety issues.  This would have been a major dosage, and there were at lease nine injections.  Morell was in the Fuhrer bunker with HItler towards the end of the war, but was allowed to leave just a few days before the reported death of Hitler.  He was able to escape war-torn Berlin, but died a couple years after the war.

Newscast: Hidden Nazi bunker discovered deep in Argentinian jungle

The Bunker is identified as being nazi because of the china discovered their with the German label as well as German coins.  This story adds more credence to the documentary about Hitler being seen in Argentina.

Documentary Review: Revealed: Hitler in Argentina

Here is testimony from several persons that Hitler was seen in Argentina after WWII.  It also gives a connection with a couple who ran a hotel in Argentina.  I loved listening to the Argentine Spanish in this short piece.  It again makes a compelling case that Hitler survived the war.

Documentary Review: Did Hitler Really Die by Suicide?

This documentary is sort of interesting.  It does not document that people saw Hitler in Argentina.  Instead it tries to focus on the story of Hitler's suicide and debunk the traditional story.  They examine the skull which was gathered by the Russians and said to be Hitler's.  Turns out that through DNA and visual review the skull is determined to be that of a woman.  The bones were gathered only after the body of Hitler had been burned.  Maybe the bones could have been those of his mistress?  The skull did have a bullet hole in it.
Also they try to debunk the stories of the eye witnesses who say they heard a gun shot.  There was a generator next to the room where the suicide took place, and the other rooms where people would have been were on a different level.  They contend no one could have heard a shot.
If you care to watch the movie and draw your own conclusion.  If Hitler lived, this would be terrible news.  You hope he got something for the evil he inflicted upon the world.

Documentary Review: Hitler's Family: In the Shadow of the Dictator (2006)

This is an interesting documentary, because generally not much is known about Hitler's family.  This was by design.  Hitler for the most part wanted the public to only see him.  I had heard rumors Hitler was part Jewish.  However such is not the case.  However, Hitler worried someone might discover he had Jewish blood.  This was on of his greatest fears.  However, there was mental illness in Hitler's family.  His second cousin became a victim of Hitler's euthanasia program for person with mental illness.  His younger sister, Paula, wanted to marry a doctor who was on of those charged with killing mentally ill patients.  Rather than allow the marriage, Hitler had the doctor shipped to the Easter Front where he was captured and died as a POW.  Hitler had three nephews.  Of one he was proud.  Heinz served in the war, and went missing in Russia.  His nephew William (both Heinz and William were from his brother Alois, by two different wives; he was married to both at the same time.) was in England before the war, but returned to Germany to take part in the advantages of your uncle being dictator.  He was an uncouth youth, who used vulgar language with women.  He didn't like work, but threatened his uncle to expose the family secrets if he wasn't provided for.  His uncle complied.  Hitler must of thought William had information about Jewish heritage, but William was talking about the bigamy of his father.  His half-sister Angela used the influence afforded by her relationship to take over the properties of others, who then had to flea.  Another nephew fled with his mother to the United States before the war.  He was used in anti Hitler propaganda, and joined the military.  However, after the war the name Hitler was not an advantage, so he changed his name several times, and his children keep their identity hidden.  Lastly Hitler's niece, Geli, under the control of her uncle (and a rumored incestuous affair) committed suicide.  The suicide was blamed on Hitler.  However there is no real evidence of an illicit relationship.
Quite the family.

Secrets of the Third Reich: Hitler's Madness

This documentary form the Smithsonian Channel looks at the question, Was Hitler Mad?  After WWI Hitler was hospitalized with temporary blindness due to mustard gas.  He was also at a hospital that also treated battle fatigue and venereal diseases.  From this incident there is the hint that Hitler may have been treat for both.  However the official record indicates his treatment was limited to gas poisoning.  Hitler may have had battle fatigue as a result.
However, Hitler did have other ailments during the war.  A noted one was flatulence.  This may have been because of Hitler's vegetarian diet.  His doctor, Theodor Morell prescribed aggressive medication for treatment, which included arsenic.  Morell had his own health issues with obesity and poor hygiene.  However Hitler trusted him.  He also provided methamphetamine to Hitler.  During the war, a form of methamphetamine was often given to Nazi soldiers so they could fight longer and have less fear.  At one time Hitler had sinus infection, and this was treated with an inhaler which included cocaine.  Hitler enjoyed this treatment.
Towards the end of the war, this is a film of Hitler honoring troops.  Parts of the film were hidden because Hitler had obvious signs of Parkinson's.  His hand was shaking and he kept it behind his back.
The conclusion is that Hitler was not mad.  His decisions could not be blamed on a mental illness; but on his own ideas.