Hitler survived numerous assassination attempts
It is unclear how many times Hitler was assassinated, but it is reasonable to estimate that he survived well over 20 attempts. Hitler was fired multiple times before becoming chancellor. He was shot in a Munich beer hall brawl with political opponents as early as 1921. Later efforts included bomb schemes in 1939 by carpenter Georg Elser, who missed Hitler by 13 minutes, and in 1944 by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. Throughout his career as a politician and as the leader of Germany, Hitler faced assassination attempts. Several attempts on his life were attempted, but he survived them all. Bombs were planted in a number of locations, but they either did not detonate or Hitler modified his plans at the last minute.
Hitler was genuinely injured in an assassination attempt in 1944, which should have killed him. He only survived with impairment to his hearing. Following the attack, Hitler declared himself "invulnerable and immortal." Any assassination attempts on his life by members of his own staff or adversaries were dealt with harshly. One of his most senior Gestapo officials was slain in May 1942 by SOE-trained Czechs. 5,000 people were killed in the ensuing retaliation.
The British established the SOE in 1940 to carry out "any action by way of subversion and sabotage against the enemy overseas" now that much of Europe was under German domination. Despite internal opposition, the SOE began preparing Operation Foxley in 1944. Some claimed that it was preferable to keep Hitler alive since he was making so many mistakes. Nonetheless, a strategy was devised, and SOE began hunting for personnel to carry out the efforts. The Allied victories of 1945 trumped the intended assassination attempt, and SOE redirected its efforts elsewhere. The existence of such a scheme, however, arouses considerable curiosity since, if carried out successfully, it may have altered the course of the war and possibly history.
