Hermann Goering

Hermann Goering (center) with Hitler (left), 1936.

Hermann Goering was the head of the Luftwaffe in Germany during World War II. He was also a leading Nazi, with a close relationship with Hitler throughout the war.

He was with Hitler and the Nazi party through the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. Before and during the war, he was rewarded with command of the Luftwaffe. He made several mistakes that contributed to the defeat of Germany. The first was telling Hitler that he could bomb the United Kingdom into submission during the Battle of Britain. The second was shifting the focus of the attacks from airbases to terror bombings of the cities.

Another huge mistake was guaranteeing Hitler that the Luftwaffe could resupply 6th Army in Stalingrad through the winter of 1942-43. In reality, he could only deliver a fraction of the supplies needed, and the Soviets were able to overrun the pocket by February.

Following the war, he was captured and convicted of war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials. He killed himself with cyanide before his death sentence could be carried out.