Hitler disapproved of the military personnel 's freedom to smoke , and during World War II he said on March 2 , 1942 , `` it was a mistake , traceable to the army leadership at the time , at the beginning of the war '' . Hitler disapproved of the military personnel 's freedom to smoke , and during World War II he said on 2 March 1942 , `` it was a mistake , traceable to the army leadership at the time , at the beginning of the war '' .