German Strategy and Capacity to Resist Report by J.I.C.

3 8. Apart from the momentum of the war machine and the personal interests involved there can be only two major reasons for Germany continuing the struggle. First, the Nazi leaders, who will never be prepared to accept unconditional surrender, may hope that by desperate resistance through the winter they may sow dissension and increase war weariness among the Allies, so making possible some sort of compromise peace. Second, such men as Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels and Bormann, who now hold all the power in Germany, believe fanatically that Germany can only survive as a great Power if she holds fast to the Nazi creed of never admitting defeat.