...In January 1942, Hoepner asked the new leader of Army Group Center, Kluge, for permission to withdraw his scattered troops, despite Hitler's orders for steadfastness. Kluge promised to discuss the matter with the Führer and told Hoepner to prepare for withdrawal. Anticipating approval and anxious to take no more risks, Hoepner ordered his troops to withdraw on January 8, 1942. Concerned about how Hitler would react, Kluge quickly informed him of Hoepner's intention, which infuriated Hitler. Hoepner justified his decision to Field Marshal Kluge, saying, "Field Marshal, I have duties that rank higher than those to you or to the Führer. These are obligations to the soldiers entrusted to me." Hoepner was dismissed from military service by Hitler the same day for "cowardice and disobedience." This cost him all medals and honours, his pension and the right to wear a uniform. Hoepner took this decision to court and won a victory. He got his pension back because the judges could not be dismissed by Hitler at the time. On June 6, 1944, US, British and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in France under the code name "Overlord". After the German conquest of France in 1940, opening a second front in Western Europe was one of the major goals of Allied strategy in World War II. At the time, many German officers held two fundamental beliefs: Germany was being led to disaster and Hitler's overthrow was necessary. On July 20, 1944, Stauffenberg placed one of two bombs in a briefcase under the desk in Hitler's conference room in the Wolf's Lair. However, he failed to arm the second bomb in time and after Stauffenberg left the room, the briefcase was accidentally pushed behind the heavy table leg. It detonated but did not kill Hitler. But the conspirators did not know all this at first. An ally at Hitler's headquarters cut off all outside communications as Stauffenberg was on his way back to Berlin to coordinate the implementation of his plan, codenamed "Operation Valkyrie." At first the plan seemed to be going smoothly as the reserve army took over. However, delays, misunderstandings, confusion and poor communication derailed the plan. Eventually it became public that Hitler had survived and the plan quickly unraveled. In the days that followed, Hitler ordered a hunt for possible conspirators that lasted for months. Hoepner was designated as "Supreme Commander on the Home Front" if the plan succeeded. He was arrested in his home by the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police, in the early morning of July 21 and subsequently tortured. He rejected the suggestion that he commit suicide and demanded a trial. Hoepner was brought before the Nazi People's Court. The trial was presided over by Roland Freisler, a fanatical Nazi judge. Like other defendants, including Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben, Hoepner was verbally attacked and humiliated during the trial by being forced to wear ill-fitting clothing and not allowed to use his false teeth. As part of the Nazis' collective punishment, Hoepner's wife, daughter, son, brother and sister were also arrested. The women were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, and the son was taken to Buchenwald. Erich Hoepner was 57 years old when Freisler sentenced him to death by hanging on August 8, 1944. On Hitler's explicit instructions, the verdict was carried out that same day on the execution ground in Plötzensee Prison. After the failed assassination attempt, Hitler had ordered that the condemned be "hanged like cattle." Hoepner was hanged with a meat hook and a thin hemp rope that people who did not work in the prison called piano wire. In some cases, this barbaric method of execution resulted in a death struggle lasting over 20 minutes. Disclaimer: All opinions and comments below are those of members of the public and do not reflect the views of World History Channel. We do not tolerate the promotion of violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, nationality, religion, gender and sexual orientation. World History has the right to review and delete comments if they are deemed inappropriate. ► CLICK SUBSCRIBE to see more interesting videos: / @worldhistoryvideosde #worldwar #ww2 #history #worldhistory #holocaust