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===Waffen-SS in combat===

===Waffen-SS in combat===

Himmler had dreams of his own army, which were strenuously opposed by the regular army.  He managed to field three division of the '''Waffen-SS''' on the eastern front in 1941-42; their ferocity impressed Hitler and the SS was allowed to recruit volunteers from neutral and occupied countries.  The Wehrmacht, however, intensely disliked the SS troops, so Himmler had to use his negotiating skills directly with Hitler to remove his SS formations from army control. The compromise was that SS generals took operational orders from the army, and in turn commanded their own SS troops.<ref>Burleigh 438ff</ref> By the end of the war, Himmler's SS supplied 38 Waffen-SS divisions comprising volunteers from the [[Hitler Youth]] and from other countries across Europe; including conscripts from 1943, forward. By the end of the war, the Waffen-SS had organized 38 divisions comprising about 800,000 soldiers; 25% were killed in battle. They were never integrated into the Wehrmacht, and grew to become a "de facto" fourth branch of the German military. However, they were never any real threat to replace the army, given there much smaller percentage of size and the fact they never has independence of operational command. They had a reputation for fanatical loyalty, bravery, brutality, mistreatment and killing of prisoners and civilians, and war crimes.<ref>Wegner (1990); McNab (2009)</ref>

Himmler had dreams of his own army, which were strenuously opposed by the regular army.  He managed to field three division of the '''Waffen-SS''' on the eastern front in 1941-42; their ferocity impressed Hitler and the SS was allowed to recruit volunteers from neutral and occupied countries.  The Wehrmacht, however, intensely disliked the SS troops, so Himmler had to use his negotiating skills directly with Hitler to remove his SS formations from army control. The compromise was that SS generals took operational orders from the army, and in turn commanded their own SS troops.<ref>Burleigh 438ff</ref> By the end of the war, Himmler's SS supplied 38 Waffen-SS divisions comprising volunteers from the [[Hitler Youth]] and from other countries across Europe; including conscripts from 1943, forward. By the end of the war, the Waffen-SS had organized 38 divisions comprising about 800,000 soldiers; 25% were killed in battle. They were never integrated into the Wehrmacht, and grew to become a "de facto" fourth branch of the German military. However, they were never any real threat to replace the army, given their much smaller percentage of size (under 10%) and the fact they never had independence of operational command. They had a reputation for fanatical loyalty, bravery, brutality, mistreatment and killing of prisoners and civilians, and war crimes.<ref>Wegner (1990); McNab (2009)</ref>

In July 1944, after the failed army plot against Hitler's life, Himmler reached the apex of his power. With the added position of Commander in Chief of the German Home Forces, he became on paper at least, the most powerful man in Germany, rivaling in many aspects the power of Hitler.<ref>Padfield (1990)</ref>

In July 1944, after the failed army plot against Hitler's life, Himmler reached the apex of his power. With the added position of Commander in Chief of the German Home Forces, he became on paper at least, the most powerful man in Germany, rivaling in many aspects the power of Hitler.<ref>Padfield (1990)</ref>