In July 1944 the most famous and nearly successful plot to kill Hitler occurred. The particpants tried to kill Hitler and then to use a plan code named Valkyrie, to take over the organs of government, including the reserve army, and to arrest the Nazi leadership and sue for peace with the Allies. The leading light was Claus Von Stauffenberg, a conservative but honourable man from an aristocratic background, who had been severely wounded during his time in Africa. He was supported by other army officers, but the more senior German officers were horrified at the idea of mutiny. He was a Roman Catholic from Bavaria, and while he had a lot of the prejudices of the upper classes, he was horrified by Hitler's actions, particularly in regard to the Jews and he was prepared to work with people from the other side of the political divide, such as socialists, to get rid of the Nazis and restore Germany to a civilised state. He and his 3 brothers all joined in the Plot, realising that they had to act before Germany was considered beyond redemption.
On 20 July 1944, after a couple of abortive attempts to kill Hitler, Stauffenberg carried a bomb into the briefing room, where he was due to take part in a conference with Hitler but the briefcase which contained the bomb was moved and the Fuhrer was not seriously injured. His co conspirators were slow to put the Valkyrie plan into action and lost precious time which allowed the Nazis to re group. Stauffenberg and many others were executed, and the War lasted for another year.
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