There is a history story laying in the mist of 'Blitzed' (this new book by Norman Ohler) that has fascinated me for a number of days, and I'll essay it out for public consumption. It concerns Hitler, and the pace (or lack of pace) of the war, in 1943.
For the German military leadership, by the end of 1942....things had gone sour. The collapse of the African front (major defeat) had occurred. In late November of 1942, the Battle of Stalingrad had occurred, with a massive loss for the German Army. Ohler lays out a great deal of data in this early period of 1943, with military figures realizing that Hitler's directives and the massive scope of the war, has made winning this virtually impossible. In some ways, it's going back to a WW I situation, where victory cannot be a end result.
So Ohler talks about this period of roughly six months in the book, where Hitler is in a declining mental state....tired....run-down....and showing what I'd consider a depressive state of mind.
All of this is leading up to this major meeting in mid-summer, with Italy's Mussolini. What Mussolini wants a peace effort with Russia....to end that war front. The US was moving into Italy, and hour-by-hour, Mussolini could sense that the war was coming to a close.
Some of Hitler's staff were concerned over this meeting, and the Fuhrer's depressive state. So enters the picture of Hitler's personal doctor, who decides at this point.....what the hell, and proceeds to introduce 'Eukodal'.
Eukodal is basically Oxycodon.
In roughly 30 minutes, the delivery of Eukodal had changed the behavior of Hitler, and turned him into a new man. In fact, for this meeting with Mussolini....the chatter went on for three hours, with Hitler dominating almost every single moment. He was pepped-up, full of character, and talking over various future victories. It was like Hitler version 2.0....the hyped-up and full of charisma type....the guy that people hadn't seen in five to ten years.
There's this decision that the doctor had to make....once this was introduced into Hitler, he was permanently attached to the shots and the upswing of behavior. The addiction was set into place.
Had this never occurred? This is a curious matter.
Without the injection, Hitler's meeting with Mussolini would probably have only lasted an hour, and little comfort could have been provided to Mussolini over the future. It's possible that a more depressed and negative Hitler would have finally concluded the unwinnable war by the end of 1943, and given signals to end the war by one way or another.
The introduction of Eukodal? It's a game-changer. As an opiod, it likely changed the extent of the war and gave Hitler fresh enthusiasm to carry on the war for almost two more years. He could show up and show the youthful turbo-charged enthusiasm that he'd delivered throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Everyone could walk out of a meeting with him and feel great things were about to happen, even in the midst of defeat.
All of this....because of the drug Eukodal.
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