Times Italy WAS Effective in WWII | Animated History

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ส.ค. 2024
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    Sources:
    Sources:
    Armistice and Civil War -www.historynet.com/italy-a-na...
    Raid on Alexandria - www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obit...
    Commander Borghese - comandosupremo.com/junio-vale...
    The Manned Torpedoes - www.formulapassion.it/worldne...
    El Alamein:
    The Foxes of the Desert, Paul Carell, p. 279, Bantam Books, 1962
    El Alamein: Desert Victory, John Strawson, p. 119, J M Dent & Sons Limited, 1981
    Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein, Niall Barr, p. 360, Random House, 2010
    Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts: Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa, Ian Walker, Crowood, 2012
    • Second Battle of El Al...
    The Folgore:
    www.ansa.it/english/news/polit...
    books.google.co.uk/books?id=k...
    The CSIR - www.unirr.it/storia/c-s-i-r#f...
    Battle of Petrikowka - books.google.co.uk/books?id=_...
    books.google.co.uk/books?id=s...
    The Charge of the Savoia:
    www.luciolami.com/libro_1970_i...
    antoniobassetti.altervista.org...
    The Charge at Keru :
    www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obit...
    www.ft.com/content/5586116c-8...
    Battle of Keren - comandosupremo.com/battle-of-...
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  • @TheArmchairHistorian
    @TheArmchairHistorian  4 ปีที่แล้ว +523

    Get 70% off NordVPN! Only $3.45/mo, plus you get TWO additional months FREE at nordvpn.org/history
    Use codeword: history

    • @hamzadurvesh6388
      @hamzadurvesh6388 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Do Canada even though it wasn't ridiculed

    • @xXxKAMIKAZExXx
      @xXxKAMIKAZExXx 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      Didn’t NordVPN get hacked?

    • @manipei
      @manipei 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Not exactly ridiculed nations but could you do a video on the contribution to the British Army by Indian and Sri Lankan (Ceylon) forces. As colonise these 2 nations supported Britain heavily but haven’t been mentioned too often.

    • @MemorableC
      @MemorableC 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@xXxKAMIKAZExXx and it took them like a year to disclose it

    • @wastedangelematis
      @wastedangelematis 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Tough times fot Nordu V P N

  • @edoardoagosti1969
    @edoardoagosti1969 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4021

    Fun Fact: Guillet died in 2010 at the age of 101. He was and probably will always be the last cavalry commander to live on this planet

    • @lambertoazzi7883
      @lambertoazzi7883 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      th-cam.com/video/Pt7mm1vrC_U/w-d-xo.html

    • @redornament3248
      @redornament3248 4 ปีที่แล้ว +209

      What if we were to colonize other planets and bring our horses with us

    • @nevergonnagiveyouup3705
      @nevergonnagiveyouup3705 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      Yeah, unless a major revolt of tribes unfamiliar with modern tech then technology has made them outdated.

    • @Austin_Schulz
      @Austin_Schulz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      Technically horses aren't the only type of cavalry. Tanks, for inatance, also fall under that category.

    • @antoinelachapelle3405
      @antoinelachapelle3405 4 ปีที่แล้ว +55

      Technically the last Cavalry charge in history was led by US special forces in Afghanistan less than 15 years ago lol

  • @andreataccone2564
    @andreataccone2564 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4082

    everybody laughs until Italy brings out the horses

    • @mobiuscoreindustries
      @mobiuscoreindustries 4 ปีที่แล้ว +209

      to be fair for them it made perfect sense. they where a country lacking a strong industrial support, so motorising their army to the extend their ally germany could was out of the question, and the terrain of itally and their colonies was ill suited for vehicles, all the while horses are both disponible in ample supply, mobile to the extreme and require functionally no supplies to run (as oposed to the gigantic supply lines needed to support motorized troops). it is a less powerfull but more adaptable style of fighting that require less resources made perfect fit for a country that simply didn't have the industrial lift of its allies and oponents.

    • @andreataccone2564
      @andreataccone2564 4 ปีที่แล้ว +91

      @@mobiuscoreindustries i know it made sense, and that just makes me more proud of being a MF Italian.

    • @mobiuscoreindustries
      @mobiuscoreindustries 4 ปีที่แล้ว +97

      @@andreataccone2564 of course, and this does not even sligtly alter the fact that italians had severe balls to do what they did (i mean charging a tank collum with a horse takes a special kind of courage). most of the nations in the second war can't be told to have made "stupid decisions" because most of them made compromises based on what they knew, and we only see some decisions as wrong in hindsight after we forgot the reality of the situation.
      people say the US were stupid with their sherman production being "inferior" to german heavy tanks, forgetting that the shermans performed admirably during the african campains against the panzers, and remain one of the most survivable tanks of the war due to great ergonomics and reliable construction.
      people say that france's decision to not extend the maginau line all the way to belgium was a mistake, forgetting that not only building a fortification line in front of one of a neutral country is *scuffed* at best, but the whole idea of the line was moslty to force any invasion force into neutral territory to gain international support (especially for the US) because everyone at that time expected a repeat of WWI.
      and i could go on and on and on for basically all sides. we like to oversimplify things for the sake of ease of understanding despite the constant reminder that this is a recipie for overconfidence and ultimately catastrophy....
      which looking at this early 2020 look like to be repeating itself once more

    • @andreataccone2564
      @andreataccone2564 4 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      @@mobiuscoreindustries hell yeah my brother, free pizzas for you.

    • @zaikolebolsh5724
      @zaikolebolsh5724 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@mobiuscoreindustries I ever wondered what happened to the horses if they survived an engagement

  • @kittensofdeath4904
    @kittensofdeath4904 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4331

    Italy: *uses cavalry charges against tanks and succeeds*
    Poland: "is it possible to learn this power"

    • @pma281
      @pma281 4 ปีที่แล้ว +433

      Italy: *Not from a Pole*

    • @alexbox8967
      @alexbox8967 4 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      @@pma281 star wars😂😂😂

    • @pma281
      @pma281 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @@alexbox8967 yup man

    • @pma281
      @pma281 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      You got it goddamn right

    • @alexbox8967
      @alexbox8967 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      @@pma281 heheheh
      Love that thing from Star Wars from italy!

  • @NewGuy2534
    @NewGuy2534 4 ปีที่แล้ว +924

    Germans: Calvary cannot stand against tanks.
    Italians: Hold my wine.

    • @saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014
      @saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014 3 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      Germans making fun of Polish Cavalry but admiring Italian Cavalry

    • @thetimoto4648
      @thetimoto4648 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      U mean hold me pasta

    • @gutsjoestar7450
      @gutsjoestar7450 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Tanks is cavarly too, you mean horses

    • @PorWik
      @PorWik 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014 welcome to propaganda

    • @the_jingo
      @the_jingo 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Well they fight Russian ofc they’re gonna win all Russia got are number anyway

  • @micheleturco6430
    @micheleturco6430 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2470

    Immagine chillin on your warship in Alexandria and than hearing the waves speaking Italian

    • @danielemarrocu2717
      @danielemarrocu2717 4 ปีที่แล้ว +81

      or a mandolino playing in background

    • @cageybee7221
      @cageybee7221 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      and you see a diver holding a bomb inbetween three fingers...

    • @MasMaszu2
      @MasMaszu2 3 ปีที่แล้ว +65

      IT WAS THEIR FAULTO, THEY PUTTA PINEAPPLES ON THE PIZZA, MAMMA MIA!

    • @fizzulf8677
      @fizzulf8677 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      I ain't no il duce's son

    • @AlexanderCCXXII
      @AlexanderCCXXII 3 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Imagine capturing some James Bond Laprers in Scubasuits, interrogating them for hours and hearing "Well amigos, this shipa willa blow up in five minues, believa mi or die."

  • @castaingruben
    @castaingruben 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4538

    The Italians made arguably the most important invention in WWII, after the British embargo stopping chocolate imports, the Italians invented Nutella.

    • @hoetistic1650
      @hoetistic1650 4 ปีที่แล้ว +144

      If this is fr then i send healthy vibes to the blockade

    • @weirddudes5543
      @weirddudes5543 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @Stellvia Hoenheim but they can still ingest other pastas, and none of them are either.

    • @cattraknoff
      @cattraknoff 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @@weirddudes5543 Isn't all pasta a kind of spaghet?

    • @dmitriygryaznov9210
      @dmitriygryaznov9210 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      I am not %100 sure what is more important: Nutella or Fanta (invented by Germans for similar reasons).

    • @michelangelobuonarroti4958
      @michelangelobuonarroti4958 4 ปีที่แล้ว +44

      @@cattraknoff spaghetti are a kind of pasta my dude

  • @francopesce1970
    @francopesce1970 4 ปีที่แล้ว +143

    Germany: here, contemplate the Tiger heavy tank!
    Italy: behold my CAVALLO

  • @davidegab4288
    @davidegab4288 4 ปีที่แล้ว +141

    my (Italian) grandfather told me that when we ran out of ammunition and without heavy weapons, the Italians attacked the English tanks by climbing on it and throwing incendiary bottles, discovering the trap door, rather than giving up ... The Italians lacked the means, not courage.
    I speak of the war in North Africa

    • @jackthorton10
      @jackthorton10 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Astonishing… wow 😯

    • @predatxr7624
      @predatxr7624 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The fact your Italian grandfather fought in North Africa and lived to tell the tale is astonishing. Cudos to your family!

    • @Fp15386
      @Fp15386 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I have Italian family though they fled to America to evade concentration camps (they were Jewish Italians) he ended up fighting in the invasion of Sicily and helped translate

    • @asellandrofacchio7263
      @asellandrofacchio7263 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​​@@predatxr7624my grandfather from Molise fought in North Africa too. I still have his bayonet and his flask at home. Mad stuff.

  • @LOBricksAndSecrets
    @LOBricksAndSecrets 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1321

    "Cavalry Charges are not effective in naval combat"
    Atlantis has entered the chat.

    • @Yingyanglord1
      @Yingyanglord1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      I forget what battle bt in real life a knightly caverly charge deafted a fleet for the only time in history when the water froze trapping the fleet

    • @peterd3330
      @peterd3330 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      ​@@Yingyanglord1 Nepolionic, not sure when, i think it was against the Dutch, during one of the multiple wars of the 1st 2nd 3rd etc... coalition.

    • @overphoenix2394
      @overphoenix2394 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Caligula has entered the chat

    • @saidtoshimaru1832
      @saidtoshimaru1832 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      During the british expeditions to the River Plate, in 1806-1807, an english ship got stuck in the muddy basin of the River Plate next to Buenos Aires, and when the water tide receded it was boarded by a cavalry force led by Martin Miguel de Güemes. Yeah, that actually happened.

    • @gabrielvanhelsing9281
      @gabrielvanhelsing9281 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@peterd3330 23. January 1795 128 French Hussars vs a dutch Fleet in the Ice.

  • @Armorius2199
    @Armorius2199 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2721

    Italian general: We need 6 months to prepare for an invasion of Greece.
    Mussolini: I'll give you 2 weeks, we got this, ok;

    • @TheDrumstickEmpire
      @TheDrumstickEmpire 4 ปีที่แล้ว +105

      Proceeds to loose

    • @TheDrumstickEmpire
      @TheDrumstickEmpire 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      John Carbone yeah but he means near on two weeks

    • @ace2578
      @ace2578 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Argyrus 47 that’s so true! Musalini was also very unhelpful to the North African campaign

    • @AndrewKaripis
      @AndrewKaripis 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Legio XXI Rapax So it’s the incompetence of the Germans that had Italians lose to an enemy numerically smaller and outgunned and outdated? Also the Germans did come to Italy’s help but only after 6 months not one and a half month later. So it would be descent to say that that Italians lost to their incompetence and not Germany’s. 1 vs 1 gives you better perspective than 1vs my thugs and me.

    • @AndrewKaripis
      @AndrewKaripis 4 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      @Legio XXI Rapax I am afraid you read somewhere the wrong facts. British troops didnt came to Greece until January 1941. Germans with operation Marita invaded Greece on April 6, 1941. Italian troops were armed better and numerically were double the size of the Greek army. Around half a million italian troops to a quarter million greek. The only thing you can say about the better readiness of the greek army is that it's office have been fighting wars since 1912. So they had much more experience than the italians. Also I will repeat that 1vs 1 is what determines what somebody can do, not 2 by 1. What germans did in one month couldnt the italians do in 6. So again, italians were far more incompetent than the Germans. The only thing that saved Italian troops from being thrown to the sea, is the german invasion.

  • @englishalan222
    @englishalan222 4 ปีที่แล้ว +122

    Admiral Cunningham was so impressed by the courage of the Italian frogmen at Alexandia that he insisted on having the dinner with those who had been captured.

    • @ItaloGallese
      @ItaloGallese 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Alan Moore it was the one area where they were way ahead... set the path for SBS in U.K. and SEALS in US. Unfortunately history books in English lack coverage which is a shame for serious historical knowledge

    • @belladesa91
      @belladesa91 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      History books are biased. British and Americans always appear as the good ones when they got tons of skeletons in the closets..

    • @englishalan222
      @englishalan222 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@belladesa91 Not the history books I read. They tell of the battles that the Italians fought in and emphasis their courage.

    • @englishalan222
      @englishalan222 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@belladesa91 It is a myth that British and American books are biased. I have not noticed any biasedness in 48 years of studying military history.

    • @Argentvs
      @Argentvs 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@englishalan222 Armada "Invincible" defeated by the English myth, never mention the English Armada (114 ships) far worse that was actually destroyed in combat, not by a storm, by only 5 Spanish warships and small merchant ships.

  • @p.f.886
    @p.f.886 4 ปีที่แล้ว +408

    Never forget the sacrifice of El Alamein.
    Honour to Folgore, Ariete, and more.
    *"We must honour the men that were the Lions of the Folgore."* -Winston Churchill
    *"The German soldier has astonished the world; the Italian Bersagliere has astonished the German soldier."* -Erwin Rommel
    *"Mancò la fortuna, non il valore!"* "Luck was missing, not the valor!"

    • @blaulied2480
      @blaulied2480 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Churchill and Rommel never said those words...

    • @p.f.886
      @p.f.886 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      @@blaulied2480 they did

    • @p.f.886
      @p.f.886 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      in El Alamein there is a plaque left in honor of the battle, where this quote from Rommel is written.

    • @blaulied2480
      @blaulied2480 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@p.f.886 but the plaque was placed there after the war by the Italian government, dude

    • @emmedigi89
      @emmedigi89 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Rommel's quote is true. Churchill's quote is just a fake endorsed by extreme-right parties.

  • @erok2038
    @erok2038 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2156

    Imagine being a British tanker getting wrecked by cavalry.

    • @letstryinsertgame5025
      @letstryinsertgame5025 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Image me thinking someone is offending Britain but realising it too late and get bombarded by r/wooshs

    • @harleyokeefe5193
      @harleyokeefe5193 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      david hacckerman lol the salt is real in that comment

    • @Paranomasia12
      @Paranomasia12 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Although the charge did delay the British, I'm not sure that it caused as many casaulties (especially in tanks) as is made out.

    • @parsananmon
      @parsananmon 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@The_Gerry_Man Actually if usa never trade stuff to Uk they would lose ww1 too

    • @AlbertBasedman
      @AlbertBasedman 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Galactic Prince thats indirect help though, on the other hand the lend lease definitely wasnt

  • @SH4D0WdaN0V4
    @SH4D0WdaN0V4 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2764

    I honestly never thought the Italians were bad. It was just they weren’t prepared for war and most of their leadership was quite incompetent.

    • @calvinfernandez1956
      @calvinfernandez1956 4 ปีที่แล้ว +160

      You forgot to mention their outdated armament, planes, ships
      ... In short EVERYTHING.

    • @feden6840
      @feden6840 4 ปีที่แล้ว +404

      @@calvinfernandez1956
      Here you are wrong, the airforce was pretty good, with some of the best airplanes of the axis, the navy was one of the best of the world, with dreadnought Littorio being the biggest ship of the world before Yamato, the only problem was oil and radar

    • @localextremist2839
      @localextremist2839 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@feden6840 what about the zero plane?

    • @feden6840
      @feden6840 4 ปีที่แล้ว +130

      @@localextremist2839
      I said some of the best airplanes, not the best from all the axis, good planes from Gemrnay, Italy and Japan

    • @ungshungammarchang324
      @ungshungammarchang324 4 ปีที่แล้ว +57

      @@calvinfernandez1956 Thats the point they were not PREPARED and still on a WW1 Mobilization Style

  • @undead9999
    @undead9999 4 ปีที่แล้ว +143

    It's all fun and games until you hear "avanti Savoia, carica!" And a madlad with mounted askaris starts gallopping towards your tanks.
    Lt Guillet is the definition of a madlad. We have our very own Lawrence of Arabia. He died in 2010 at 101 years old. Even Death itself was afraid of him.

    • @aldolamberti3855
      @aldolamberti3855 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Sono nativo di Asmara e ho vissuto in Eritrea fino all'età di 19 anni ! Mio Padre fu uno dei poche ''reduci '' di quella ''EPICA '' battaglia : 13000 soldati Italiani guidati dal Generale Carnimeo a fronte dei 50.000 della ''Coalizione Britannica '' guidati dal Gen, William Platt , composta da Inglesi , Indiani di tre ''etnie '' Sudanesi , Francesi della '' francia libera '' , ma solo i ''quadri '' erano Francesi , la truppa era composta da Senegalesi . Resistettero fino alla fine del '41 . E' uscito dalla piazzaforte dopo che il fronte si era letteralmente '' consumato '' con l'ONORE delle Armi , onore che da sempre i cavallereschi Inglesi riservano solo al nemico VALOROSO . Gli Ufficiali Britannici vollero stringere la mano a ognuno di loro ! Sono nato nel dopoguerra ma conosco le gesta di Amedeo Guillet per bocca di mio padre .Avevano posto una taglia su di lui di mille sterline pa averlo vivo o morto . Questo leggendario personaggio he parlava correttamente l'Arabo e pregava indifferentemente secondo il rito Musulmano e Cristiano , avendo v bisogno di denaro per alimentare la sua ''guerra personale '' fatta di ''IMBOSCATE '' , travestito da Arabo andò di persona a ''INCASSARE '' la taglia senza che NESSUNO tra gli Ufficiali Britannici se ne fosse accorto . Alla sua morte , per suo volere la sua salma venne trasferita nel ''CIMITERO degli Eroi '' di Cheren. Sulla sua lapide volle fossero incise queste parole '' L'Italia non potrà mai fare quello che gli Eritrei hanno fatto pen noi '' . Annoto . Mio Padre è escito dalla Piazzaforte con un SACARO morente , volle stringere la mano di Giovani prima di rendere l'anima a Dio , nell'altra stringeva il ''Gagliardetto di combattimento '' Nel ''CIMITERO degli EROI ''di Cheren , giacciono gli uni accanto all'altro 18.000 soldati , 10.000.Italiani metropolitani e 8.000 ASCARI ITALIANI ! Questo è ciò che scrisse di quella battaglia , il Signor Compton Mc Kenzie , corrispondente di guerra della Eastern Epic :'' La battaglia è ancora oggi ricordata come una delle migliori prove di forza della storia militare italiana recente, nonostante il risultato; questo grazie al coraggio dei soldati italiani e degli Àscari e alla strategia militare del generale Carnimeo. Nel resoconto della battaglia dato nella Eastern Epic, Compton Mackenzie scrisse:
      «Cheren è stata una delle più dure battaglie di fanteria mai combattute in questa guerra e ciò per l'ostinazione mostrata dai battaglioni Savoia, dagli Alpini, dai Bersaglieri e dai Granatieri, in una maniera composta e decisa, cosa mai mostrata dai tedeschi in nessuna battaglia recente. Nei primi cinque giorni di battaglia gli italiani hanno contato 5000 soldati colpiti (1135 di questi, mortalmente). Lorenzini questo giovane e coraggioso generale, è stato praticamente decapitato da una serie di colpi sparatigli dall'artiglieria britannica. Egli è stato un grande comandante delle truppe italiane in Eritrea.
      L'infelice propaganda di guerra del tempo ha permesso alla stampa britannica di rappresentare gli italiani come soldatini di ventura; ma se escludiamo la divisione paracadutisti tedesca operante in Italia e i giapponesi attivi in Birmania, nessun esercito nemico col quale le truppe britanniche ed indiane hanno dovuto scontrarsi, ha saputo ingaggiare una battaglia più acre ed efficace di quella dei battaglioni Savoia a Cheren. Oltre ciò, le truppe coloniali italiane, fino al momento di capitolare sulle ultime postazioni, hanno combattuto con valore e coraggio e la loro lealtà in campo è stata testimone della eccellente amministrazione italiana e della valida preparazione militare operata in Eritrea.» !

    • @samuele5802
      @samuele5802 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@aldolamberti3855 le tue parole mi hanno rinfrancato il cuore

    • @aldolamberti3855
      @aldolamberti3855 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@samuele5802 Anche le tue , James Sei una persona profondamente onesta ! Un abbraccio sincero .

    • @samuele5802
      @samuele5802 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@aldolamberti3855 grazie mille 🙏🏻

    • @aldolamberti3855
      @aldolamberti3855 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Anche a te , James . Buona Serata ! @@samuele5802

  • @StrickerRei-Chn
    @StrickerRei-Chn 3 ปีที่แล้ว +317

    If you give Italians proper equipment and commanded by smart commanders, they are just as competent as their axis counterparts.

    • @sapare7838
      @sapare7838 3 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      Humans are humans. Basic nature dictates that we can all fight, we just need the context to do it.

    • @Darthevo99
      @Darthevo99 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      We still have something like 24 on going trial for violation of international rights in Afghanistan, that is what happen when we have equipment and good commanders, we pretty much smash and mowe everything on our path

    • @edoardobrunello535
      @edoardobrunello535 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      They were even better

    • @Marco_Diamanti
      @Marco_Diamanti 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@Darthevo99 Uhm uhm... San Marco Battalion... Uhm uhm...
      Introducing our most hated unit, just a bunch of fascists, incompetent, extremists; did a terrible job defending refugee camps in peace keeping operations, and thats not all!

    • @TeacherP_
      @TeacherP_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's true for any army, though. And what gives the victory to the better army.

  • @Archer89201
    @Archer89201 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2318

    The bravery of Italian soldiers was let down by stupid commanders and inferior weapons

    • @CaptainGrief66
      @CaptainGrief66 4 ปีที่แล้ว +172

      Relatively inferiour, small arms were better than you'd think, tanks were the major let down, Navy and Airforce were absolutely good, most of the time even better than their counterparts.

    • @a2falcone
      @a2falcone 4 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      *less weapons

    • @Torsk1007
      @Torsk1007 4 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      TheOtakuComrade Ehh Navy was good Air Force was ok but it took awhile to become good

    • @warholhille1518
      @warholhille1518 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      hita techi some of there weapons we’re actually pretty good

    • @PickBit
      @PickBit 4 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      @@CaptainGrief66 A pity that they lacked the fuel to function...

  • @tarkusepitaph5549
    @tarkusepitaph5549 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2522

    "Muh Italy bad"
    Bersaglieri, Alpini and Folgore: bruh hold my grappa

    • @TSDamiano
      @TSDamiano 4 ปีที่แล้ว +116

      Grappa per veri uomini

    • @filippob.3644
      @filippob.3644 4 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      Solo per uomini veri

    • @tarkusepitaph5549
      @tarkusepitaph5549 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Wtf

    • @filippob.3644
      @filippob.3644 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Paolo Luckyluke explain yourself

    • @carl9479
      @carl9479 4 ปีที่แล้ว +50

      Arditi...ho detto tutto

  • @ironriderslsm
    @ironriderslsm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +114

    Italy had some underrated moments in WWII.

    • @insomnia35rex48
      @insomnia35rex48 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      So true

    • @FalkyRocket2222
      @FalkyRocket2222 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      pretty much everything good that Italy did in ww2 was so underrated that theyre just unknown by the great majority

  • @Sprottel_SFM
    @Sprottel_SFM 3 ปีที่แล้ว +211

    Americans: "these japanese banzai charges are like nothing youve ever seen."
    British and soviet tankers: "oh you have no idea..."

    • @michaeldepinto3562
      @michaeldepinto3562 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      LOL

    • @donmatteonero3701
      @donmatteonero3701 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Lmao

    • @thegiorgio97
      @thegiorgio97 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      The Italians had an entire battalion called "arditi" that used to banzai Austrian machine gunner position Armed with only knife during ww1.
      There was also a "samurai" in that battalion during the second world War, his name was "Harukichi Shimoi" it's funny to image Italians throwing a flying kick to the soviets.

    • @veyz11
      @veyz11 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      When you hear the sand speaking spaghet... It's done.

  • @benladen4306
    @benladen4306 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1167

    "We cant use horses on water"
    Italians:*make sea horses that are manned by humans*

    • @eugenio5774
      @eugenio5774 4 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      they were actually called "pigs". if you ever go to venice, there's one in the naval museum. it looks so impossibly unwieldy and clumsy to work, and yet....

    • @riograndedosulball248
      @riograndedosulball248 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      *Jet skis and contact mines on lance poles*

    • @occhiodisauron25
      @occhiodisauron25 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ????????

    • @Thomas-fk3xl
      @Thomas-fk3xl 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@eugenio5774 i also saw one in a public park in sicily, i don't remember where though

    • @stefanogalliano8308
      @stefanogalliano8308 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      they removed the explosive warhead from the torpedo and strapped it to the keel of the ships

  • @Lukas-tn3ct
    @Lukas-tn3ct 4 ปีที่แล้ว +730

    "Some of the best in the world yet led by the worst"
    History is strange in the way it works.

    • @tl256
      @tl256 4 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      Thats why Giovanni Messe was successful, a decent general leading decent men.

    • @ArtjomKoslow
      @ArtjomKoslow 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Could be the german Army aswell... The Germans always had very good soldiers but most time awful leadership.

    • @joevenespineli6389
      @joevenespineli6389 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      How about good leaders leading bad soldiers?

    • @joevenespineli6389
      @joevenespineli6389 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @Hoàng Nguyên Ohh good example

    • @wyattcorbin1629
      @wyattcorbin1629 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Artjom Koslow that’s completely wrong. The Germans had a slew of talented generals, from the iconic ones like Rommel and Guderian to the lesser known (though still pretty recognizable to those in the know) like Von Manstein and Kesselring. And, I’m sure it will traumatize you, Hitler’s decision-making, in retrospect, wasn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. Out of all the decisions he made, most people can only point to a couple that were really terrible. The only reason the Germans lost was because they ran into a Soviet juggernaut that was an A+ to their A.

  • @giannizen3775
    @giannizen3775 4 ปีที่แล้ว +195

    Personally I think the best page of history of the Italian armed forces during WWII, was the battle of Culqualber, where 2900 Italians, with neither reinforcements nor resupplies, held off 22500 English soldiers and 100 aircrafts for approximately 4 months, always refusing to surrender. The battle ended after a final bayonet charge, in wich almost all of the soldiers died. 🇮🇹✋🏻 Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culqualber

    • @grantjohnson5785
      @grantjohnson5785 3 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      Heh... "Commonwealth and Ethipian losses are unknown." I'm pretty sure the Brits know, they're just ashamed to say it.

    • @giannizen3775
      @giannizen3775 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@grantjohnson5785 yeah, did you already know about this story?

    • @grantjohnson5785
      @grantjohnson5785 3 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@giannizen3775 Actually, no, to my shame. But you set it up so well that I just had to go and look it up! There is SO much to history in general, military history included, that is just plain forgotten by the majority of people.

    • @giannizen3775
      @giannizen3775 3 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      @@grantjohnson5785 unfortunately history is written by the winners, and we all know they never write anything that can cause them a loss of reputation... As an Italian, is is very sad that we were only remembered as inefficient soldiers, while in reality there were many many occasions were we did incredible things such as this... Trivia, The pass of Culqualber has actually been donated to Italy by Abissinia to commemorate the braveness of those soldiers

    • @isaacharkton6169
      @isaacharkton6169 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@grantjohnson5785 yes I’m sure it’s the Brits who are ashamed, who won the war and African front. Whilst Italy was smacked about, expelled, then forced to surrender
      1,000 casualties to nearly zero , lol

  • @0909095411
    @0909095411 3 ปีที่แล้ว +66

    At the battle of Britain there were Italian planes too... and were very effectives.
    The battle of the Don's river in Russia was the most epic fought by Italians.
    According Arrigo Petacco 100'000 Italians enrolled in the wermacht and fought like "German soldiers". They were effectives with German equipment.
    Italian submarines were very good and some of them got to Japan too during the conflict (there is an interesting story about).
    Anyway...
    It doesn't matter who is better at war... War sucks always.

  • @overomanlord2214
    @overomanlord2214 4 ปีที่แล้ว +448

    As an Italian i really want to thank you for give some justice to our fallen soldiers.

    • @ascaro1885
      @ascaro1885 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      esattamente onore a loro

    • @El.fish.the.chocolate
      @El.fish.the.chocolate 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​@@ascaro1885oh Dio, la leggenda.

    • @Noidonteatbabiesstopasking
      @Noidonteatbabiesstopasking 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      The fallen soldiers who fought for a fascist...

    • @El.fish.the.chocolate
      @El.fish.the.chocolate 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Noidonteatbabiesstopasking he probably meant the resistence soldier Who are basically forget by the history

    • @Nicky-cu5mo
      @Nicky-cu5mo 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Si fra, dopo che a 1:04 dice "si, sono stari efficaci" detto come se non avessero mai fatto niente durante tutta la guerra

  • @RealClutchMcGee
    @RealClutchMcGee 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2752

    Here before it’s demonetized

  • @ManuWentFishin
    @ManuWentFishin 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I'm italian, and my great grandfather fought all the way through Africa as Captain in the 132nd Artillery Regiment, from our colonial wars to El Alamein, where he got captured. On the night of February the 10th 1943, he stole a few cannons from the British, allowing his unit to replace their broken Italian ones. The next day Rommel gave him an Iron Cross 2nd class. He was then captured and held as a POW until 1947.

  • @monkeyman321
    @monkeyman321 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Vivaldi sounding in the background while Italians bravely protect the retreat against overwhelming British forces was EPIC

  • @ilduce6925
    @ilduce6925 4 ปีที่แล้ว +698

    Imagine charging with horses against tanks and actually winning

    • @JB-uy1bw
      @JB-uy1bw 4 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      "Wow that *worked* ?"

    • @iono5556
      @iono5556 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      If you come from italy you can win
      If you come from poland....

    • @insanemaniac9317
      @insanemaniac9317 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      @@iono5556 The polish charge was actually effective because the Poles used AT rifles which can penetrate the panzers of the time and bought the poles enough time to consolidate ay Warsaw.

    • @alexb4316
      @alexb4316 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@iono5556 LOL! Poor Poland.

    • @Paranomasia12
      @Paranomasia12 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I don't think the charge against the tanks worked.

  • @chrisg5219
    @chrisg5219 4 ปีที่แล้ว +421

    Messe is one of the most underrated generals in WW2.

    • @surplus9328
      @surplus9328 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi hunter

    • @taargon9482
      @taargon9482 4 ปีที่แล้ว +45

      Known also for being the only Italian general allowed to command german troops

    • @jclark6749
      @jclark6749 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      messe is not underrated

    • @captainstag8189
      @captainstag8189 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      yeah, he's my top general in HOI4

    • @ByzantineCapitalManagement
      @ByzantineCapitalManagement 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@captainstag8189 and World Conqueror 3

  • @ul-kj6qk
    @ul-kj6qk 3 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    You should also consider that the Italian expeditionary force in Russia was originally intended to be used in the Caucasus. So they were mainly equipped as mountain units: light, portable guns, mules, and basically no anti-tank weapons. Only at the last moment, the German command decided that they should be used instead to protect German flanks in the Ukrainian plains, where their equipment was clearly not optimal.

  • @LM-oh3vw
    @LM-oh3vw 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    Britain: undervalues the Italian army
    Italy: wins the battle
    2021:
    England: undervalues the Italian soccer team
    Italy: beats England
    England *AH S'T! HERE WE GO AGAIN!*

    • @OK-yy6qz
      @OK-yy6qz ปีที่แล้ว

      Britain: proceeds to invade Italy in retaliation

    • @sandycaspillo6731
      @sandycaspillo6731 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Italy: Proceeds to Push the British back to Egypt.

    • @animeXcaso
      @animeXcaso 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Adesso viene il bello...
      ADESSO VIENE IL BELLO...

  • @josejoaquinrondonrubiano4741
    @josejoaquinrondonrubiano4741 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1258

    Should have name it "neo Roman empire prank, gone wrong" so TH-cam doesn't demonetized it

  • @esequieltrindade9244
    @esequieltrindade9244 4 ปีที่แล้ว +249

    i can only hear "AVANTI SAVOIA"

  • @MrKix1
    @MrKix1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    Among the various lesser known episodes, I would also like to mention the battle of Culqualber. When 2900 Italian men, without ammunition, fiercely resisted for over a month the assault of 23000 British supported by a hundred planes. Finally immolating himself in a charge with bayonets. Without ever giving up.

  • @julylost4074
    @julylost4074 3 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    Everybody Gangsta till you hear horses speaking italian coming towards you

  • @Sojju7
    @Sojju7 4 ปีที่แล้ว +612

    Whoa basically Italy invented Navy Seals way before anyone else

    • @dmitriygryaznov9210
      @dmitriygryaznov9210 4 ปีที่แล้ว +78

      In Russia the fact that Italian "frogmen" became the blueprint for naval diversion operatives around the globe is pretty well known. To be fair, had USSR suffered some humiliating defeats from them things may have been different.

    • @jamesmason8436
      @jamesmason8436 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @Legio XXI Rapax LOL!

    • @jamesmason8436
      @jamesmason8436 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @Legio XXI Rapax No, Canadian. But it made me laugh to read 'Italian' and 'Special Forces' in the same sentence.

    • @vonvikken
      @vonvikken 4 ปีที่แล้ว +94

      Michael James Yeah bro, keep on being childish and studying history on Internet memes and you never stop to laugh! 😁

    • @jamesmason8436
      @jamesmason8436 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@vonvikken memes? I know my history. Don't need memes.

  • @LegendaryKazooMann1936
    @LegendaryKazooMann1936 4 ปีที่แล้ว +464

    It's kind of sad that he has to put "EDUCATIONAL CONTENT" in all caps for the title.

    • @albertkandhiwrahaspati948
      @albertkandhiwrahaspati948 4 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      armchair historian team should've added the "GONE SEXUAL" and stuff

    • @dosmastrify
      @dosmastrify 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Don't think that even helped

    • @matrin2
      @matrin2 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      TH-cam is a privately owned platform, it has always been a dictatorship, like every privately owned business.

  • @yeahwhatever3576
    @yeahwhatever3576 3 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    My granddad fought in North Africa. He never had a bad word to say about the Italians

  • @TUDGAF
    @TUDGAF 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    even during the German retreat from Stalingrad, Italians not only held the supply line for Germans, but also inflicted a rather heavy casualties to a already-stronger Red Army with cavalries.

  • @daniel7767
    @daniel7767 4 ปีที่แล้ว +265

    I knew some old boys in my local pub who fought the Italians and the Germans. They both claimed that the Italians fought much harder. The Italian soldier was formidable but was let down by equipment and leadership issues

    • @carta8399
      @carta8399 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @Mock Harris He mentioned one last stand but didn't go on talking about it, it was in AOI, Ethiopia, Prince Amedeo di Savoia resisted the english and they were allowed to go with flags and weapons:
      "On 31 January, the Duke of Aosta reported that the Italian military forces in East Africa were down to 67 operational aircraft with limited fuel stocks. With supplies running low and with no chance of re-supply, the Duke of Aosta opted to concentrate the remaining Italian forces into several strongholds: Gondar, Amba Alagi, Dessie, and Gimma. He himself commanded the 7,000 Italians at the mountain fortress of Amba Alagi. With his water supply compromised, surrounded, and besieged by 9,000 British and Commonwealth troops and more than 20,000 Ethiopian irregulars, the Duke of Aosta surrendered Amba Alagi on 18 May 1941. Due to the gallant resistance of the Italian garrison, the British allowed them to surrender with honours of war."
      en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Amedeo,_Duke_of_Aosta#World_War_II
      from Fuller, J.F.C. (1993). The Second World War, 1939-45 : a strategical and tactical history. New York: Da Capo Press. p. 102.

    • @TheArklyte
      @TheArklyte 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Leadership only. They had brilliant designers and were among the leading technological powers. They lacked industrial capacity and resources. And poor *PARTY* leadership had made it an order of magnitude worse. But if we talk about officer core, it also wasn't as bad as people imagine. There were a lot of great commanders.
      Italy had gotten a reverse of Germany. Germans had a leader, who understood economics, but generals, who believed that USSR will collapse if they take Moscow. Italians had generals, who knew what to do, but a leader, who was borderline mad:(

    • @tyrian_baal
      @tyrian_baal 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Legio XXI Rapax
      Chad Hannibal vs Virgin Rome

    • @gongologiocaggio
      @gongologiocaggio 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @Mock Harris If you want an Italian last stand in North Africa there's the battle of El Guettar in Tunisia in 1943

    • @ravenstrategist1325
      @ravenstrategist1325 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@gongologiocaggio El alamein itself and besides, The Italian armed forces fought bravely and suicidally in many occassions, the problem was a cronic lack of resources, lack of radar and an overall incompetent high command.

  • @ema6233
    @ema6233 4 ปีที่แล้ว +365

    The story of Amedeo Guillet is among the most interesting of ww2. It's like if it came straight out of an adventure book. After the fall of Italian east africa he organized an eritrean rebellion, using their fear of Ethiopian annexation, too keep as many british troops as possible away from north africa, where the core of the conflict was. To strengthen his alliance with locals, he even married the daughter of a tribal chief. When he get sick from malaria and the British get closed to catch him, he disguised himself as a Yemenite, read the quran and learned about islam (he was already proficient in arab) and his trasformation was so good that when allied soldiers found him his servant convinced them that he was just an arab and to stop bothering him as he was praying. He later even get a permit from the governor to travel to Yemen as the son of a camel s breeder. But the yemenites thought that he was a british spy, so they arrested him. But when the Imam learned that Amedeo was an enemy of the UK, which asked the Yemen to extradite him, he set him free and invite him to live in his palace, where he worked as a groom for more then one year. In late 1943 he finally reach back to Italy, hiding in a Red Cross Navy. He later worked for the Italian inteliggence and after the war became a diplomat. While he was working as ambassador in Morocco, in 1972, he saved the life of many other diplomats during an attempted coup, and for saving his ambassador, West Germany granted him the Great Cross with Star and Sash (If I do not mistake). And these are only extracts of his life. It's sad how even in Italy only few knows about him. He died in 2010.

    • @alyssinclair8598
      @alyssinclair8598 4 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      Oki damn this guy sounds impressive. The ability to adapt to different cultures and make friends in them is rare but this shows how usefull it can be

    • @neutronalchemist3241
      @neutronalchemist3241 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      @@alyssinclair8598 To make an historical comparison, I've always been impressed at how, from historical accounts, Scipio Africanus was one of those guys. Everyone he talked with, Iberian tribesmen or African kings, became a friend and an ally. He was even frowned upon in Rome, for all this relationships he had with foreigners.

    • @arnaldoteodorani277
      @arnaldoteodorani277 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Mortato Doesnthaveasurname If you are interested here is Amedeo Guillet’s extended bio: th-cam.com/video/AEbEpFAm1gk/w-d-xo.html

    • @alyssinclair8598
      @alyssinclair8598 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@arnaldoteodorani277 thanks

    • @alyssinclair8598
      @alyssinclair8598 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@neutronalchemist3241 that is a good example. Outside of the obvious Lawrence of arabia tho I can't think of many others

  • @glucausa625
    @glucausa625 4 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    Thank you. I'm proud to have served (many years later in 1993) in the Fologre Paratroopers Brigade. The square in our Camp was called El Alamein. I had the honor and the absolute privilege to have met, and spoken with some of the heroes who had fought in the African desert against overwhelming British forces.
    Like lighting from the sky...
    ...like thunderbolt in a storm
    Come Folgore dal cielo...come Nembo di Tempesta

    • @giovannisantostasi9615
      @giovannisantostasi9615 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Folgore ! Same here, when you serve in that unit there is so much history and lore and pride, it is actually an honor for many Italian people to have served in it and we always consider ourselves Folgore paratroopers for all our lives.

  • @hupaolochang7285
    @hupaolochang7285 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    just for your knownledge,the italian "human torpedoes" were not suicidal devices like japanese "kaiten"
    they were basically something between a seascooter and a minisubmarine,transporting an explosive charge on the front
    once the two-man team got close enough to their target,they detached the charge from their vessel,set the timer,and then get out as quickly as possible
    of course,this involved a lot of training and courage,since the typical targets of these units were capital ships docked in highly guarded areas
    this style of warfare impressed so much the allies,at the point that the u.s. navy recruited some of these naval commandos to fight against japan,only that the war ended before they could be deployed

    • @daless3526
      @daless3526 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      They also had a fast motor boat loaded with explosives on the front of the boat. They pilot the boat towards a ship and jump out with a life raft at the last few seconds.

  • @HerrXenon_
    @HerrXenon_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2762

    Everybody: heavy tanks, long-range planes, well supplied and well equipped infantry
    The italian army: what about...
    *C A V A L R Y* and *H U M A N T O R P E D O E S*

    • @14thbattlegroupcommander
      @14thbattlegroupcommander 4 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      I mean if it aint broken u aint fixin it
      Not like they were the only ones that worked in italy right? Right?!?!

    • @HingerlAlois
      @HingerlAlois 4 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      Germany had several cavalry divisions and relied significantly on horses for its logistics...

    • @HerrXenon_
      @HerrXenon_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      @@HingerlAlois Yes of course, for its logistics as you said! Not for assaluts on enemy armoured divisions!

    • @jakeb3157
      @jakeb3157 4 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      I mean all the axis powers had poorly supplied and equipped infantry late war, but the Italians admittedly were at least poorly equipped as soon as they entered the war

    • @theexam7394
      @theexam7394 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Sorry to say this, but it's cavalry*

  • @mathiass1999
    @mathiass1999 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1462

    I have always thought that the Italians in WW2 were useless.
    I apologize for my utter ignorance.

    • @Ardito3709
      @Ardito3709 4 ปีที่แล้ว +185

      🇮🇹:Apologies accepted.

    • @Scarl3t03
      @Scarl3t03 4 ปีที่แล้ว +219

      Is the propaganda machine to make extreme fun of the losers, if you do some research you could see how the most rediculized countries of the ww2 actually fought well, and lost for other factors.

    • @Ardito3709
      @Ardito3709 4 ปีที่แล้ว +82

      It is also fault of propaganda if we Italians have become the classic stereotype of the classic nation that changes sides during a war.

    • @anto8375
      @anto8375 4 ปีที่แล้ว +74

      @@Ardito3709 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Italy
      Italy is one of the nations with me most higher ratio of victories. Too bad Italy could not afford the resources and the equipments of major forces (Germany, Great Britain, Soviet Union and USA).

    • @occhiodisauron25
      @occhiodisauron25 4 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      you are perfectly right. that was not our war, but the war of the Germans, and of the Japanese, we were pulled into the middle, by a megalomaniac

  • @PickBit
    @PickBit 4 ปีที่แล้ว +930

    Yes it's always easy for British\Americans etc... to laugh about Italian soldiers in WW2 and even call them cowards, but I haven't seen many British cavalry charges in WW2, I haven't seen American troops fight in Russian winter without boots, I don't recall British soldiers having to fight in the desert with a quarter liter worth of water per day (even had freaking canned peaches!!). Who is the real hero? The one who goes in battle confident in his equipment, well supported by armor and powerful artillery and triumphs or the one who stands despite knowing the weapons at his disposal will be largely ineffective, trying to make do and stubbornly refusing to surrender, facing certain defeat?

    • @binaway
      @binaway 4 ปีที่แล้ว +117

      My dad fought t against the Italians in North Africa and certainly certainly didn't call them cowards and did respect their efforts. If you just disregard an enemies abilities you cannot defeat them. Which was probably the problem with many the Italian commanders at the beginning of the war.

    • @simonexd3497
      @simonexd3497 4 ปีที่แล้ว +86

      sadly many people dont give us (the italians) the respect that we should have i mean italy at the time was a very very young unified country with no resorces no colonies and well you know equip. but i must say thoose soldiers were brave may god bless there souls

    • @masneri97
      @masneri97 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Che mona che sei

    • @PickBit
      @PickBit 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      @@masneri97 Ma chi è chel mona che batte la porta e risponde ai commenti urlando!

    • @aleembaksh1880
      @aleembaksh1880 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      @@simonexd3497
      You had colonies (Libya, Eritrea, Somolia and Ethiopia), but your other points are correct.

  • @arielsastre3899
    @arielsastre3899 4 ปีที่แล้ว +467

    Italians are really courageous people. Remember the Romans as their ancestors

    • @MouldMadeMind
      @MouldMadeMind 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Do you know how big rome was?

    • @freedomordeath89
      @freedomordeath89 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      That's so retarded,..."ancestors" dont make you coragous...

    • @crici.k
      @crici.k 3 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      @@freedomordeath89 ok bro non arrabbiarti troppo

    • @freedomordeath89
      @freedomordeath89 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @Eugenio Cavallo Che non sei figo solo perchè i romani abitavano qui. Sono gli individui ad avere meriti. Non è che se nasci in Italia sei "migliore" degli altri. ANZI. Tendenzialmente noi italiani siamo pigri, ladri, bugiardi e invidiosi. Altro che "roman ancestors".

    • @freedomordeath89
      @freedomordeath89 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Eugenio Cavallo E ridaje, sempre a ripetere le stesse cose...ma ti rendi conto che queste supercazzole suio "migliori studiosi" le ripetono SOLO GLI ITALIANI ahahah in pratica ti stai AUTOPROCLAMANDO migliore degli altri solo perchè nel passato abbiamo avuto personaggi importanti COME TUTTI?
      Pensi che in francia , Spagna, CIna etc non abbiano avuto figure del genere?
      No, sei un ignorante del cazzo quindi pensi che l'Italia sia il centro del mondo.
      In realtà siamo lo ZIMBELLO del mondo.
      E comunque non hai risposto alla mia domanda:
      Il fatto che Da VInci sia nato in Italia 500 anni fa...rende l'italiano medio migliore? L'italiano medio disoccupato con reddito di cittadinanza che non ha mai finito la terza media e che vive in una casa popolare a spese dello stato?
      Quella persona è "migliore" perchè Da Vinci è vissuto qui?
      RISPONDI.

  • @fkjl4717
    @fkjl4717 4 ปีที่แล้ว +353

    Real History: Italy defending colonies.
    Hoi 4: Zero supply in Africa.

    • @mercedesSlk666
      @mercedesSlk666 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Fk jl Just puppet Ethiopia instead of annexing it

    • @tjb_6203
      @tjb_6203 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Michele Vogliardi Maybe even return Eritrea

    • @arianas0714
      @arianas0714 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@tjb_6203 Nah, there's a civ there.

    • @SmallPotato2313
      @SmallPotato2313 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@arianas0714 that one civ makes a difference!

    • @Person-ig6yv
      @Person-ig6yv 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Šimon Ťapaj every civ matters

  • @tylerthelen485
    @tylerthelen485 4 ปีที่แล้ว +458

    More comments he gets, the more TH-cam will prioritize the video. We need comments in the thousands!

    • @elhistoriero1227
      @elhistoriero1227 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Me me wants some comments.

    • @nursidan6007
      @nursidan6007 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      No, millions...

    • @captaindonut3580
      @captaindonut3580 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Ok

    • @dubspool
      @dubspool 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Algorithm food

    • @jacookie9707
      @jacookie9707 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I just found out today that replies to comments apply to the overall comment count

  • @MrMenefrego1
    @MrMenefrego1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    *Yes, I would VERY MUCH like to hear more about additional Italian WWII victories and accomplishments; before, during and after their Axis relationship. Thank You!*

  • @matthiuskoenig3378
    @matthiuskoenig3378 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    what about Ariete at Bir el Gubi, where italian tanks smashed the 22nd armoured brigade, causing them to loose half their tanks (Blood, Sweat and Arrogance: The Myths of Churchill's War) somewhere between 40 and 50, inexchange for around 34 tanks.
    the italians were also successful during the greatest after operation cursader, capturing over 1000 british empire (Indian) prisoners during a counter attack.
    the italians also captured Rugbet Al Atasc (along side another 1000 Indians)and replused british armoured counter attacks during the battle of Gazala.

  • @TheMann_YT
    @TheMann_YT 4 ปีที่แล้ว +635

    Literally Everyone: Italy Bad. Meatball Launchers. Pizza Pizza.
    The Armchair Historian: IT'S TIME TO STOP! IT'S TIME TO STOP, OK!?!

    • @mogetius7337
      @mogetius7337 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Actually no. A big thank to the Armchair Historian but most of the italian history fan community cor years ( yust check under some IG posts)

    • @build2270
      @build2270 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      This! THIS IS CANCER

    • @saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014
      @saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      STOP! In the name of love!

    • @andreatrezzi7186
      @andreatrezzi7186 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Barrack Obama Vlogs yeah, but please, add another z, it's mozzarella

    • @ivanbregar1646
      @ivanbregar1646 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Lmao meatball launcher

  • @Orthane
    @Orthane 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1507

    The Italians were some of the best soldiers of the war, up there with Germany easily. The only difference was the Germans actually had an industrial base to support said soldiers, and some of the best leaders in history to command them. The Italians had 1/4 of the industry, and leaders that were put in their positions for political loyalty rather than actual talent.

    • @shadyyy7490
      @shadyyy7490 4 ปีที่แล้ว +159

      Most of the soldiers also had close to zero training. You were a farmer and a month later you are fighting against elite British units. It's a shame that they are ridiculised

    • @leopitrelli
      @leopitrelli 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Holy words my friend, thank you ❤️

    • @paolor2295
      @paolor2295 4 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      I don't know where are you from, but I fully agree with your words. As italian I have to admit that, except for few units like the paratroopers of Folgore, our soldiers might be brave, but with very poor training and equipment, especially compared with Germans or British.

    • @FlexBeanbag
      @FlexBeanbag 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@leopitrelli th-cam.com/video/Bmc9NFfhx74/w-d-xo.html

    • @Domobomb
      @Domobomb 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      The german soldiers were all drugged up and high on crystal meth.

  • @kristoffmcewan
    @kristoffmcewan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +132

    Blood cant lie, Italians have some glorious ancestors called Romans.

    • @belladesa91
      @belladesa91 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      We invented the Western Civilization for a reason with both Roman Empire and Reinassance. With England was Frodo Baggins' Shire during Middle Ages, our 4 Maritime Republics dominated the Mediterranean (and lately circumnavigate the World)

    • @imacolonelinbf2975
      @imacolonelinbf2975 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      romans were germanic

    • @belladesa91
      @belladesa91 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@imacolonelinbf2975 ok weeb

    • @imacolonelinbf2975
      @imacolonelinbf2975 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @King /pol/

    • @belladesa91
      @belladesa91 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@antoshq1985 also ur Empire lasted a mere 100 years while the Roman Empire lasted 10 times much. We are the best. Period

  • @200substigertank2
    @200substigertank2 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Everybody gangsta till Italy starts riding dolphins to war against battleships

  • @cespu_iv4519
    @cespu_iv4519 4 ปีที่แล้ว +705

    The german soldier surprised the world, the italian Bersagliere surprised the german soldier.

    • @normalgentleman106
      @normalgentleman106 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Call of war loading screen

    • @cespu_iv4519
      @cespu_iv4519 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@normalgentleman106 What?

    • @normalgentleman106
      @normalgentleman106 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@cespu_iv4519 what you said is on call of war loading screen

    • @cespu_iv4519
      @cespu_iv4519 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@normalgentleman106 uhm... I don't know that game lol

    • @normalgentleman106
      @normalgentleman106 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@cespu_iv4519 Google it

  • @derpanzermacher9094
    @derpanzermacher9094 4 ปีที่แล้ว +315

    The myth of Polish cavalry charging German Panzers is known by many (even though it never really happened) yet few speak of the actually succesful Italian charges against enemy tanks/strongpoints.

    • @peterlustig6888
      @peterlustig6888 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      It happened. Polish cavalry charged german infantry and continued attacking, when the germans got tank reinforcements.

    • @gutsjoestar7450
      @gutsjoestar7450 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      it happened, and sometimes it was quite succesful, the polish won a minor victory against german tank units;
      a victory that triggered into sending another division anf luftwaffe to annihilate them which they did

    • @AlecuBeldiman68420
      @AlecuBeldiman68420 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      True

    • @kasyfulwarith5983
      @kasyfulwarith5983 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      "the myth?"

  • @breezy5673
    @breezy5673 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Italian army:*charge at tanks with horses*
    Tankers:"Hold up"
    Infantry soldiers:"Jesus Christ it's Jason Bourne"

  • @heneraldodzz4978
    @heneraldodzz4978 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    Everyone is gangsta until Italy brings out the horse's

  • @jacopoarmini7889
    @jacopoarmini7889 4 ปีที่แล้ว +494

    well, we italians are good fighters... Unfortunately we suffer from an endemic strain of inefficent leadership...

    • @martinperini7441
      @martinperini7441 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      You are right.
      For leadership you mean mussolini, the generals or those 2 together?

    • @iketanikoichiro3519
      @iketanikoichiro3519 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      Generals. Mussolini was scared of Hitler and warned about him in 1934 and heavily in 1936? And what do allies do? They put sanctions on him :/

    • @DJC_2003
      @DJC_2003 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Be the general they need then

    • @danishkfd
      @danishkfd 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@martinperini7441 I have heard only 2 generals were kinda good. Meese and badgolio

    • @iandelcid7254
      @iandelcid7254 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      why is this a common threat in the latin countrys

  • @ManofSteel4910
    @ManofSteel4910 4 ปีที่แล้ว +155

    "Let's ruin this guy's livelihood because he wants to educate people instead of calling the boss baby at 3AM."

    • @Asbestos_
      @Asbestos_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      What an underrated comment

    • @gabriel.b9036
      @gabriel.b9036 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I miss when TH-cam cared for small creators and welcomed all kinds of content. Now if you say or do something they don't like they take away lively hood.

  • @pasqualemorrone866
    @pasqualemorrone866 4 ปีที่แล้ว +32

    “Mancò la fortuna,ma non io valore”
    El Alamein,1942

    • @mellilore
      @mellilore 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Smettiamola con questo "Mancò la fortuna" perchè non è vero. Se continuiamo a chiudere gli occhi sulle nostre manchevolezze, non potremo mai risolverle e saremo sempre lo zimbello di chi abita a nord delle Alpi.
      Sarebbe stato un più giusto epitaffio scrivere "Mancò tutto, ma non il valore".

  • @Orthane
    @Orthane 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    USSR: "We have tanks, how can you hope to win?"
    Some Italians: *haha Sabre go swoosh*

  • @adeadpanzer4404
    @adeadpanzer4404 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3050

    “I can take Greece” -A person who couldn’t take Greece

    • @simplymarshal1167
      @simplymarshal1167 4 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      Hans of all the ww2 jokes this was the funniest

    • @mogetius7337
      @mogetius7337 4 ปีที่แล้ว +69

      Ok could you invade greece with 6 divisions while Greece has around 14?

    • @simplymarshal1167
      @simplymarshal1167 4 ปีที่แล้ว +78

      @@mogetius7337 depends on how good those divisions are ...but jokes aside italian divisions during ww2 were just painfully bad

    • @YaBoiVinnyBot
      @YaBoiVinnyBot 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      @@simplymarshal1167 did you even watch the video???

    • @Fruzhin5483
      @Fruzhin5483 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@mogetius7337 I know man, i feel the same way but you must admit it was stupid to invade.

  • @alessandrobenvenuti6551
    @alessandrobenvenuti6551 4 ปีที่แล้ว +310

    Everybody: Heavy tanks, efficient air support, better small guns...
    Italians: Bravery and stubbornness.

    • @frezeryilma5735
      @frezeryilma5735 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Lol... Italians wanting to be the underdogs like they never used mustard gas on Ethiopia

    • @frezeryilma5735
      @frezeryilma5735 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Still, Ethiopia had it worse and the Italians were better at breaking international war laws.

    • @davidemancini905
      @davidemancini905 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @@frezeryilma5735 angry Germans noises

    • @ilvolante6200
      @ilvolante6200 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@frezeryilma5735 Ethiopian broke international law too. The British gave them a banned type of ammos.

    • @frezeryilma5735
      @frezeryilma5735 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ilvolante6200 man, are u really comparing mustard gas bombs to illegal bullets? You must have fallen hard on your head when you were a child 🙄

  • @EstebanMataVargas
    @EstebanMataVargas 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    I´m glad that that Italian cavalry charge is now very well known. For decades the Italian soldier has had to suffer under the false accusation of being a coward.

    • @belladesa91
      @belladesa91 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Let them talk, they won't ever say such a thing in front of a Folgore, Ariete or COMSUBIN military (the latter are the inheritors of X-MAS and they train together with Navy Seals because they're considered professionals by the Americans. Just saying)

    • @EstebanMataVargas
      @EstebanMataVargas 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@belladesa91 I agree with you. They don´t dare to do it.

  • @gimmi7935
    @gimmi7935 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    11:04 "When they have adeguate equipment performed well" This is possible thanks to the principle of grazie al cazzo

  • @ciobrombe825
    @ciobrombe825 4 ปีที่แล้ว +123

    The story of the Regia Marina Decima MAS is unbelievable, everything about them is epic, starting from their motto: Memento Audere Semper.

  • @harrisonofcolorado8886
    @harrisonofcolorado8886 4 ปีที่แล้ว +517

    Everyone: Italy sucked at WW2
    Italy: Well yes but actually no

    • @Reagan1984
      @Reagan1984 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Well yes, but actually yes-

    • @NerdyGam3r
      @NerdyGam3r 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      @@Reagan1984 well no, but actually yes

    • @occhiodisauron25
      @occhiodisauron25 4 ปีที่แล้ว +53

      @@Reagan1984 u.s army vs viet cong : humiliation for you
      u.s. army vs north korean :humiliation for you
      u.s army vs taeban : humiliation for you
      u.s army vs iraqi rebels :humiliation for you
      u.s army vs somali militias (restore hope): humiliation for you
      us. delta force vs iranian force(American Embassy in Iran 1979 hostages):humiliation for you
      I must continue???

    • @Reagan1984
      @Reagan1984 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@occhiodisauron25
      How the hell was the Korean War a humilation? We kicked the North Korean's asses, it wasn't until China came and created a stalemate.

    • @jameswatt1987
      @jameswatt1987 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Mate, don’t take it personally - He has to live with the fact this country was an absolute joke during WW2

  • @lollopollo231
    @lollopollo231 3 ปีที่แล้ว +88

    A cousin of my grandmother was one of the “maiale” divers, he died during the siege of malta. They were so poor that we don’t have any pictures of him, just a rusted pen and a medal. My grandma always had teary eyes when she told us kids the stories about the partisan struggles in the alps and the russian campaign. So many people died, so many families left behind with almost no money. Italians never gave up tho, they never lost hope, not even the women (they were the true backbone of our society during the world wars). I’m a staunch and fierce antifascist, I HATE Mussolini and all those donekeys that made up the ruling class during WW2, but I’ll always have the outmost respect for the italians that died during the struggles, I’m here because of them and also because of my family strongwill. My grandma died november of last year, she remembered EVERY SINGLE THING of the war, she made the solemn pact in front of God that she would teach her grandkids what the war was for common people if she survived. She upholded it 100%.
    Onore ai caduti.

    • @isaacharkton6169
      @isaacharkton6169 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Coward

    • @417Owsy
      @417Owsy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@isaacharkton6169 shut up

    • @isaacharkton6169
      @isaacharkton6169 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@417Owsy cry

    • @417Owsy
      @417Owsy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@isaacharkton6169 waaaa im crying over some random guy on the internet

    • @isaacharkton6169
      @isaacharkton6169 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@417Owsy lol well at least you admit you are

  • @giorgiannicartamancini3917
    @giorgiannicartamancini3917 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Little known fact: some of the regiments shown here are still present nowadays, like the Arditi di Marina (the human torpedoes) which are now an elite special force specialized in hostage situations that can deploy from submarines or the Alpini that are trained to parashute on top of mountains and then come down skiing. The Alpini were actually involved in Afghanistan since their experience with harsh terrain made them excellent scouts. Going way back to the middle ages, Italian mercenaries were famous in all Europe for their proficiency so the myth of Italians not being capable fighters is as true as the one about French cowardice :D

  • @isq2242
    @isq2242 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1016

    History: WWI is the last time Calvary was used in warfare
    Italy: Hold my pizza

    • @australiananarchist480
      @australiananarchist480 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Calvary is a hospital in Canberra.
      And a city in Canada

    • @federicocomodin3699
      @federicocomodin3699 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      100% ACCURATE

    • @screamless
      @screamless 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I'm pretty sure germans also used cavalry when they used blitzkrieg

    • @screamless
      @screamless 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Jure Herman oh thanks for clearing my point i heard somewhere that they used cavalry in the poland invasion but thanks for the information

    • @CMCSS-to3to
      @CMCSS-to3to 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Jure Herman didnt US irregular forces use them along with allied insurgents in the early stages in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan?

  • @tommasoemanueli1785
    @tommasoemanueli1785 4 ปีที่แล้ว +572

    Mancò la fortuna, non il valore.
    Luck was missing, but not the valor.

    • @margheritasicignano6685
      @margheritasicignano6685 4 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      Oltre ai soldi,l'artiglieria e uno stato maggiore competente

    • @maurizioboggian6033
      @maurizioboggian6033 4 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      Vero mancò la fortuna, oltre alla benzina, all'acqua, ai viveri, alle munizioni, all'artiglieria decente, a carri decenti, ad un servizio informazioni adeguato, ad una marina coraggiosa, e soprattutto a dei comandanti di teatro (almeno) decenti!

    • @simonegiannotti7066
      @simonegiannotti7066 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      @@maurizioboggian6033 lo stato maggiore della marina disse al duce di avere nafta per 3 mesi. I convogli subirono perdite umane orripilanti.
      La marina fece quel che si poteva in una situazione impossibile

    • @johnrestucci8269
      @johnrestucci8269 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Parlando di fortuna ! L’Italia è stata sfortunata perche stava sotto una dittatura fascista , e peggio ancora la maggioranza del popolo Italiano aveva creduto alle palle e menzogne del dittatore

    • @chiararuocco2811
      @chiararuocco2811 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@margheritasicignano6685 I fascisti non ci arriveranno mai che il valore personale dei soldati non era né una buona ragione per scatenare una guerra contro il mondo né una garanzia di successo per un piano tanto ridicolo. Sono degli idioti.

  • @francescoprencipe6401
    @francescoprencipe6401 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Thanks for bringing to light the bravery of Italian soldiers. My grandfather was at El Alamein..thanks a lot, really appreciated

  • @historyofitaly4364
    @historyofitaly4364 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Italy fought (and won) 5 wars before… the pacification of Lybia, pacification of Somalia, invasion of Ethiopia, war in Spain, and invasion of Albania. Italy was tired. And despite was not prepared fought very well in many times

  • @raulduke6105
    @raulduke6105 4 ปีที่แล้ว +112

    The most elite unit in WW2 was Italy’s 10 MAS

  • @giubgiubbi3409
    @giubgiubbi3409 4 ปีที่แล้ว +123

    «Carri nemici fatta irruzione sud Divisione Ariete. Con ciò Ariete accerchiata. Trovasi circa 5 chilometri nordovest Bir el Abd. Carri Ariete combattono!»
    (Ultimo comunicato radio dell'Ariete prima della sua distruzione ad El Alamein, ore 15:30 del 4 novembre 1942)
    «Enemy tanks broke south Ariete Division. With this Ariete is surrounded. Is about 5 kilometers northwest Bir el Abd. Ariete tanks fight! "
    (Last radio statement of Ariete Division before its destruction at El Alamein, 3.30 pm on 4 November 1942)

  • @jonathanjonnylightning718
    @jonathanjonnylightning718 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Italy honestly had so many wars from the late 20s and all the 30s. They werent bad they just fought to many wars.

  • @areswalker5647
    @areswalker5647 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Creativity and stubborness: this has always been the secret to italians making other people think "how the hell did they think of that"

  • @grizzy-thekiwi1144
    @grizzy-thekiwi1144 4 ปีที่แล้ว +222

    a cavalry charge on tanks?
    "hey I've seen this before"

    • @cranberrysprite5001
      @cranberrysprite5001 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      The poles be like 🐎🗡

    • @nightcore_musashi403
      @nightcore_musashi403 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      polska

    • @redmask6952
      @redmask6952 4 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      poles cavalry charging on tanks is a myth

    • @Admiral_Jesus
      @Admiral_Jesus 4 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      iirc, the poles launched a cavalry charge against a force made primarily out of infantry to cover the retreat of their own forces, which was only then countered with a german armoured force

    • @jeffbenton6183
      @jeffbenton6183 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      My understanding is that it was a Polish Cavalry unit, but they were equipped with anti-tank rifles and they dismounted prior to engaging German armour.

  • @darklight6013
    @darklight6013 4 ปีที่แล้ว +911

    imagine if Italy had fought alongside the allies ... as certain heroic deeds would have been celebrated far and wide instead of being known only by a few ...

    • @Scarl3t03
      @Scarl3t03 4 ปีที่แล้ว +196

      That's the winners propaganda, make fun of who lose

    • @Hyperversum3
      @Hyperversum3 4 ปีที่แล้ว +102

      Which makes particularly interesting the fact that many actions between 1943-1945 from the remains of the Italian army under the King control are ignored by many.
      And this, as an italian, is particularly sad.
      Italy was a Kingdom with a democratic (not absolute democracy, but who had it back in 1920?) elected Parliament, who was turned into a dictatorship under Mussolini because he was seen as a way to be able to ignore many issues of the period and keep the country above the possible economic crashes and was such supported by the upper industrial class and permitted to obtain power by the government of the period, who later failed at recognizing the issue of what they did and taking control back.
      Essentially, we had no reason on a strategical level to go on a fascist rampage through Europe, but this was a result of an economical elite influecing the politics of the country and then losing control.
      Those who followed the King in the South were those who were, on a technical level, the true patrios, whatever bullshit the fascists may say.
      The Army swore fidelity to the King, not some random self-made dictator that wasn't shot dead only because he was a good tool to opposing the socialists in the country.

    • @sststr
      @sststr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      Italy *did* fight alongside the allies. After the fascists were deposed in 1943, the country switched sides. And they fought quite well all things considered.

    • @sststr
      @sststr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      @Alfa&Omega 00000 And after it surrendered, a lot of Italian soldiers formed up army units that fought alongside the Allies. Call it what you want, that's de fact a side switch.

    • @orsobruno1980
      @orsobruno1980 4 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      @@sststr You don't call it what you want, you call it for what it is. Unconditional surrender is not "de facto" a side switch, it's a surrender. Hard to understand? In no way Italy was treated as a winner, like France. It didn't take part at the peace conference, it lost territories, it had to permantently change the government.
      Comparatively, Japan had a better treatment at the peace table.
      Some soldiers in the South chose to fight alongside the allies because after the armistice, Germans INVADED Italy, in some cases massacrated Italians (read up "Massacre of the Acqui Division), took prisoners and deported them to labor camps.
      What they were supposed to do? "Sure, dear former allies, feel free to storm into our cities, massacre our people, steal our industries, install a loyalist puppet state, send prisoners to fuel your war machine, we don't want you to see us like switching side".

  • @Nathan-ys9vk
    @Nathan-ys9vk 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    There is a tale of which an Italian soldier, with one arm cut off and bleeding, keep fighting the enemies with only one hand

  • @Francescomonti60
    @Francescomonti60 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    I'm happy someone did this I'm tired of seeing everyone hating my country.

    • @corsicanbread7276
      @corsicanbread7276 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      They now know we are fighters

    • @alessandrom7181
      @alessandrom7181 ปีที่แล้ว

      Most of the people hating are stupid teenager trolls who would run away even for a firecracker. They also hate French despite french have a ratio of success in war very high they are trolled just for WW2. Stupid kids.

  • @matertua2272
    @matertua2272 4 ปีที่แล้ว +275

    Armchair Historian: Was Italy ever Effective in WWII? | animated mini documentary
    TH-cam: "nope" * takes down *
    Armchair Historian: Was Italy Ever Effective in WWIl? | Animated Mini-Documentary EDUCATIONAL CONTENT

    • @seneca983
      @seneca983 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Really?

    • @matertua2272
      @matertua2272 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Really.

    • @seneca983
      @seneca983 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@matertua2272: So the video was actually taken down and not e.g. just demonetized?

    • @matertua2272
      @matertua2272 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@seneca983 It was straight up taken down.

  • @willyq25
    @willyq25 4 ปีที่แล้ว +501

    i'd love to see a video on the other minor axis nations, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria

    • @docibal4684
      @docibal4684 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Me too

    • @emeraldspelledwrong1376
      @emeraldspelledwrong1376 4 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      I wouldn't call italy a minor axis nation.

    • @mangoandguavafruitsmoothie4352
      @mangoandguavafruitsmoothie4352 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      They were just concentration camp gaurds and other assorted filth.

    • @joecesa1013
      @joecesa1013 4 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      @@mangoandguavafruitsmoothie4352 your comment doesn't deserve a response, it's beyond foolish. Facts win, flip answers get bird droppings on rotten fruit.

    • @mangoandguavafruitsmoothie4352
      @mangoandguavafruitsmoothie4352 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      blah blah blah prove me wrong

  • @leonardoongaro1893
    @leonardoongaro1893 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    My grandfather was an Alpino of Julia division and his brothers was in the Folgore paratruper’s division in El Alamein, he never cames back😔 . Italia was destinated to lose war, but we never surrend untie the end

  • @derregler7738
    @derregler7738 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Salut to Italy from Germany!
    ✋🇩🇪🤝🏻🇮🇹✋

  • @ilmaio
    @ilmaio 4 ปีที่แล้ว +68

    I am really impressed, that somebody out of Italy is talking about Commander Devil, the regiment Savoia in Russia and the XX Mas (by the way, when the british captured "the italian guy" which was a nobleman, Durand de la Penne, they locked him in the ship, telling him that if the ship would sink, she would have sank together with him. The episode is well known...). Regarding the tactics of the division Folgore: when out of ammo, some paratroopers dug a hole in the sand and waited in the dark holding a magnetic mine, in the hope that the belly of the tank would pass over them, and not the wheels. This is documented. How much courage a man must have to do such a thing? The same tactic was shown in an american movie as performed by US marines against the germans, but as far as I know only the Folgore ever used it, in El Alamein, during the last stand.
    However, it is true that these were exceptions to a generally poor performance. The thing is: troops under dictatorships rarely, ever, fight well. Dictators always remove good officials and replace them with politically obedient amateurs. And as you reported, basically, the Italian army was not equipped to face a technological war against USA and the british empire.
    Italian ships were big and powerful but outgunned and did not have the radar (it means that shells suddenly fall upon you and you don't even know from where).
    Nevertheless, after the war italian forces had to bear an undeserved ridicule, because very often the disaster was no matter of cowardice or stupidity.
    And moreover, it was a war nobody wanted, troops had very poor motivation to wage war to Russia or Greece (why?) and for sure one can't fight WW2 with WW1 equipment, cavalry charges and courage.
    If you like the topic, look also about Federico Vallauri, a pilot of legendary courage that performed several war missions in Africa with his Fiat airplane made of reparations.
    Another example of an italian soldier deserving (at least) respect for his sacrifice.
    Thank you for the video, by the way. You are probably the least "politically correct" TH-cam historian, and this is why your videos are always interesting.

    • @lautaromoyano5692
      @lautaromoyano5692 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      The only think I dissagree is the point that dictatoriships are always bad at making soldiers, you can think of Nazi-Germany and Japan in those years as mostly combat efective armies. I'm from south america and I'm aware that many of the dictatorships we had have been full of loyal soldiers that were effective. Dictatorships are bad at war when those soldiers don't belive in the cause or chance of succes, and after a hard enough adoctrination most people will continue such violence to the death

    • @TomYawns
      @TomYawns 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Italy was the only dicatorship that didn't create an effective combat force: Germany, Japan, and Russia managed to do so. Also, the movie probably showed American soldiers from the Army doing the thing with the mines, all the Marines went to the Pacific theater iirc. Either way, every army had courageous men doing extraordinary acts of valor, and plenty of poor soldiers more interested in surviving than killing. But i respect your comment for helping to fight the meme that is to make fun of Italy's combat prowess.

    • @neutronalchemist3241
      @neutronalchemist3241 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@lautaromoyano5692 Dictatorships tend to create bad armies, because the only danger for the dictator comes from the army, so the dictator tend to fill the army with "yesmen" without initiative (and that excludes japan, since there wasn't a dictator there). That's true, IE, for both Italy and the Soviet Union in WWII. That's partially not true for Germany, but Hitler rose to power only in 1934. In five years he didn't have time to do much damage. Practically all the German high officers in WWII were high officers already in the Weimar Army. The branch that received the more attention from the nazi regime had probably been the Luftwaffe, and infact it had been probably the most disappointing of them (it's often forgotten, but the Luftwaffe already suffered huge losses during the French campaign).

    • @lautaromoyano5692
      @lautaromoyano5692 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I was thinking in more than WWII while talking about dictatorships. The only two problems that I'm aware dictatorships tend to face out of their oun nature are related to the comand chain and morale, but it doesn't mean they don't have some things to compensate: The chain of command tends to be more lineal and strict, so general orders are usually followed step by step. The problem related to this is when the general has a bad plan (usually out of lack of knowledge of the enemy or personal caracteristics of said general, such as excess of confidence). The problem of morale usually is regarding the fact that the soldier may ask "Is it worth to fight for a regime that I can not even change or vote against?", but in the other hand dictatorships tend to adcotrinate their subordinates and to put a high social pressure for not doing such thing (the far right will say "it's for your nation" while the far left will say "it's for the end of capitalism and a new socialist order"). The hability of the regime to do such things is, for how I see, what makes it combat effective or not

    • @historyofitaly4364
      @historyofitaly4364 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@lautaromoyano5692 no bro also Japan wasn’t an effective army because like the italian one was not good equipped

  • @drewanderson2768
    @drewanderson2768 4 ปีที่แล้ว +42

    There’s just something so epic about a cavalry charge winning the day against tanks

  • @ernestomonzani3978
    @ernestomonzani3978 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    The italian bois charging with cavalry
    The british: No, that is not how are you supposed to play the game

  • @fortthetanker6430
    @fortthetanker6430 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Damn Italian Cavalry are badass

  • @gfoog3911
    @gfoog3911 4 ปีที่แล้ว +175

    Who would win?
    A surrounding and massive army with deadly tanks,
    Or a few horsey bois?

    • @EinFelsbrocken
      @EinFelsbrocken 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Legio XXI Rapax Italian and Latin are still REALLY similar. Just google translate a few sentences from english into italian and latin. Youll see what I mean.

    • @pietroponticelli9912
      @pietroponticelli9912 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@EinFelsbrocken google translate with Latin? Are you serious?
      Also, the Romans were a Latin tribe in modern-day Lazio. Therefore not the whole of Italy was Roman. Not even today there is ethnic homogeneity.

    • @intense6984
      @intense6984 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Italy: gg,wp,ez

    • @pietroponticelli9912
      @pietroponticelli9912 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Alfa&Omega 00000 no, the only thing Italian culture has taken from Rome is the public corruption and political intrigues. Rome was Martial, with Mars as the main god, and with a Martial spirit. There is nothing martial about the modern Italian.

    • @pietroponticelli9912
      @pietroponticelli9912 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Alfa&Omega 00000 I suppose you have a point. Still, Roma was pretty much 'war only', at least while it was still Roman. Once the empire started ossifying much of that was lost of course.

  • @eugenioderevell3826
    @eugenioderevell3826 4 ปีที่แล้ว +156

    Its good to see some light throwed to eliminate the unjust stain in our glorious military history

    • @dovahgwyn_
      @dovahgwyn_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      GattoDelPiave Già

    • @andreatrezzi7186
      @andreatrezzi7186 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @Hoàng Nguyên wow! That's surprising! In Italian già has several meaning, in this case it mean "Yes, you're unfortunately right" replying to a comment about ignorance and how it affects communication

    • @matteo4096
      @matteo4096 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Pensate i francesi

    • @user-mj2jm7yl9x
      @user-mj2jm7yl9x 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      *Cough* 1st ethiopan war

    • @eugenioderevell3826
      @eugenioderevell3826 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@user-mj2jm7yl9x because being encircled by a 3 to 1 superior foe because of pressure from the politicians in rome, while also glossing over the fact that we were winning every battle untill adowa can be atributed it as something that can resume our millitary history

  • @veyz11
    @veyz11 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Italy:Hey uk! Know some Italians words? Uk:uhh I don't. Italy:Let me help you. Still Italy:V I N C E R E!

  • @Stormgabbo
    @Stormgabbo 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Il soldato tedesco ha stupito il mondo, il soldato italiano ha stupito il soldato tedesco

  • @kingrhaxos9068
    @kingrhaxos9068 4 ปีที่แล้ว +112

    I mean Italy never largely lost their homeland early in the war, they just hardly could mount an effective long-time invasion because they simply didn't plan for it.
    Italy also had effective mountaineers and an effective naval force in the Mediterranean, both just saw less battle than conscripted infantry.

    • @noone-vv1cp
      @noone-vv1cp 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Romaniaball also it is worth mentioning the fact that Italy was just not prepared for war.

    • @wintersoldier8215
      @wintersoldier8215 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      The Best of the Best that’s correct. Wasn’t supposed to join 1943 but Mussolini surmised as did just about everyone at the time Britain was going to sue for peace.. it really came down to quick grab for spoils that ended up being a long war of attrition which Italy was not ready for what so ever.

    • @user-nn6pw9kb2d
      @user-nn6pw9kb2d 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      That’s literally why everyone calls them terrible.

    • @kevinconrad6156
      @kevinconrad6156 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Their navy would have been a bigger challenge for the British if they had enough oil to power all the ships often. Navy is not of much use when it sits in port because you don't have enough fuel.

    • @wintersoldier8215
      @wintersoldier8215 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Kevin Conrad definitely.. they didn’t even conduct night action training and lacked gunnery training because the fuel was so precious they couldn’t spare it. Really put there ships and sailors at disadvantage especially when going against the most well trained fleet in the world.

  • @ajaxrosso1
    @ajaxrosso1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +71

    As an italian I can say one of the greatest qualities of the Italian is the ability to innovate. And of course extreme passion.

  • @Rennonetus
    @Rennonetus 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    On 20 April 1943, a mixed formation of about thirty between Macchi C.205 and MC202 of the 1st Wing, led by Major Di Bernardo and Captain Nioi, faced an allied hunting group consisting of about sixty Spitfires over the skies of the Sicilian Channel [31]. After a violent fight, the Macchi claimed the killing of seventeen Spitfires, against the loss of only two fighters [32]. According to the phonogram kept between the operational reports of the Air Force of Sicily (message n.1832), "fifteen Spitfires are certainly to be considered shot down, fourteen of which are seen to end up at sea plus one crashed ashore between Capo Bon and Capo Mustafà".
    There is no mention in the British records of such British hunting losses in the events of that day. The Italian losses are confirmed, pilots Andreoli, Fanelli and Borreo, the last one landed off the field in Tunisia while the claims of eleven Italian fighters shot down are not reflected . (From Wikipedia , Italian language)