Cooper, Matthew, _The German Army 1933-1945: Its Political and Military Failure_, 1990, p. 556. In 1944, the only serving field-marshal who seemed prepared to act against Hitler was Rommel. After his unhappy experiance of the Fu"hrer's interference during the North African campaign, and on his return to Europe in March 1943, where he came to the conclusion that total victory was now beyond Germany's grasp, Rommel became incresingly disillusioned. The conspirators went to work on him at the end of 1943, after he had become commander of Army Group B in the west, and by March 1944 it seemed as if Rommel was set against Hitler. However, he differed from the conspirators by believing that it was foolish to do away with Hitler, fearing that the Fu"hrer's aura and also his political aides would remain strong after his death; instead argued that, once it was clear that the Allies had secured a foothold on the Continent, the soldiers in the west should negotiate a surrender and allow an immediate Allied occupation which would keep the Soviets out of Germany. Such was his plan, and he described the attempt of 20 July as 'stupid'. How Rommel would have acted, however, is pure speculation, for, on 17 July, he sufered severe wounds from an air attack and was invalided home. After the Bomb Plot, evidence was gathered that revealed his links with the conspirators, and Hitler ordered his death; on 14 October, two generals arrived at Rommel's home, took him away in their car, and gave him poison with which to kill himself. To avoid difficulties for his family, the Field-Marshal did as he was requested. For propaganda reasons the real cause of his death was kept secret, and the German nation, told that he had finally succumbed to his wounds, was treated to the spectacle of his state funeral.
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