Eighty-five years ago today, one of the most important directives in world history was issued. On 31 July 1941, Hermann Göring – a powerful senior member of the Nazi regime – wrote a letter to SS Gruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, the chief of the security police and security service. In it, Göring directed Heydrich with ‘making all necessary preparations’ and ‘promptly’ submitting a