What were the major attempts to assassinate Hitler by foreign intelligence agencies?

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What were the major attempts to assassinate Hitler by foreign intelligence agencies?

There were several major attempts made by foreign intelligence agencies to assassinate Adolf Hitler during his time in power. These attempts were primarily carried out by resistance groups and foreign governments who sought to eliminate Hitler and bring an end to Nazi rule. Here are some of the notable attempts:

1. Operation Foxley (1944): This was a plan devised by the British intelligence agency, MI6, to assassinate Hitler during his visit to the Berghof, his mountain retreat in Bavaria. The plan involved a sniper shooting Hitler as he walked in the gardens. However, the operation was ultimately abandoned due to the high risk involved.

2. Operation Valkyrie (1944): This was one of the most famous attempts on Hitler's life, led by German military officers who were part of the resistance movement. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg planted a bomb in a briefcase during a meeting at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia. The bomb exploded, but Hitler survived with minor injuries due to a heavy table shielded him from the blast. Stauffenberg and several other conspirators were executed soon after.

3. Operation Anthropoid (1942): This was a mission carried out by Czechoslovakian resistance fighters with the support of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). The mission aimed to assassinate Reinhard Heydrich, one of Hitler's top officials and the architect of the Holocaust. Heydrich was killed in an ambush in Prague, but the assassination did not directly target Hitler.

4. Operation Long Jump (1943): This was a planned assassination attempt by the Soviet Union's intelligence agency, the NKVD, during the Tehran Conference. The plan involved a team of Soviet agents infiltrating the conference and killing Hitler, along with other high-ranking Nazi officials. However, the operation was called off due to concerns about the feasibility of the plan.

5. Operation Zeppelin (1943): This was a planned assassination attempt by the United States' Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA. The plan involved dropping a team of OSS agents into Germany to assassinate Hitler. However, the operation was never executed due to logistical challenges and concerns about the agents' safety.

It is important to note that while there were several attempts to assassinate Hitler, none of them were successful in eliminating him. Hitler's survival in these instances was often a result of luck, the failure of the plans, or the actions of his loyal inner circle.