JODL, ALFRED

born May 10, 1890, Wrzburg, Ger. died Oct. 16, 1946, Nrnberg German general who, as head of the armed forces operations staff, helped plan and conduct most of Germany's military campaigns during World War II. Primarily a staff officer during and after World War I, Jodl served as head of the department of national defense in the War Ministry from 1935. A competent staff officer and Adolf Hitler's faithful servant to the end, he was named chief of the armed forces operations staff on Aug. 23, 1939, and, with Wilhelm Keitel, became a key figure in Hitler's central military command, directing all of Germany's campaigns except the beginning of the invasion of Russia in June of 1941. On May 7, 1945, he signed the capitulation of the German armed forces to the Western Allies at Reims, Fr. As chief of operations staff he had signed many orders for the shooting of hostages and for other acts contrary to international law. He was executed after trial and conviction for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal at Nrnberg.