Adolf Hitler spent the last few weeks of his life deep underground in a very expensive complex of bunkers built to protect him from Anglo-American air attacks. (See Figure 99.) While entombed, he oscillated between episodes of rage and depression, with occasional bursts of fantastical bravado as he tried to persuade those around him, and maybe even himself, to keep up the useless struggle. On April 28, he had one of the last formal meetings that he would hold as dictator of the German state. He met with Luftwaffe Field Marshal Ritter von Greim. Hitler had just named Greim as the head of the German air force, replacing Hermann Goering who Hitler believed had tried to oust him as head of state. Greim, who remained a true believer to the end and would commit suicide not long after Germany's surrender, listened devotedly as Hitler analyzed the Luftwaffe's performance during the war. According to Greim, Hitler stated that the personnel of the Luftwaffe had fought with greater bravery than other members of the German armed forces, but they had simply been outclassed by the British and Americans. Although, or so Hitler claimed, many senior commanders had tried to hide the truth from him, he eventually realized that German aircraft and supporting technologies were simply not good enough to contend with those of the USAAF and RAF.

Two days later, Hitler shot himself.