HERMANN GÖRING
Many books and articles have been written about Hermann Göring, but a lingering doubt hangs over most of them due to his expansive characterisation of events. Such behaviour seems to have been ingrained in his nature. Outwardly, he was a gregarious public figure, but, behind the scenes, Göring was secretive and tried to manipulate information about himself. He was much more concerned about how he and his actions appeared to others than with the actual facts.
Moving beyond the personal mythology that Hermann Göring cultivated during his lifetime, official German sources and many of his comrades credited him with being a skilled, tenacious and bold pilot in World War I. An example of his combat prowess – and how the story was distorted – is seen in reports of a harrowing encounter he survived over Combles, France on the late afternoon of Thursday, 2 November 1916.