Yet, Max Hastings has been wrong on just about everything he has ever written. Hastings has no Strategic view, let alone a Tactical one. He does not believe Operations even exist. Operation Biting? He is misinformed. As always. Britain did not invent Radar. Germany invented their own Radar that was better than ours. This was the point of Operating Biting. To see how good the German Radar was. After Biting, Britain was shocked how superior it was. Then Britain developed Millimetric Radar.
5:27 MH is quite wrong to say that the Mediterranean and the desert war did not matter much. If the Germans and the Italians had managed to take Alexandria and the Suez canal, a vital transport route of the Empire would have been cut, and the enemy might have gained access to the Middle East. The man is unfortunately prone to exaggeration.
Yes he did not put that forward, when he wrote Operation Pedestal, as to the importance of Malta. The Suez Canal and the oilfields in the Middle East were at stake.
North Africa was somewhat toy theater of war simply because military contingents there had to be necessarily very small - simply because of logistical difficulties. So under no circumstances Hitler wasn't able to send Rommel really more troops.
And there is one more thing. Hitlers capabilities were inexorably less and less as he went to war in Russia. 1941, Operation Barbarossa: the undisputable high point in German might. Th Wehrmacht went in offensive on three strategic directions simultaneously. Ok, the defeat by Moscow. 1942, Germany may concentrate only on one strategic direction, Operation Blue (Fall Blau). The Stalingrad debacle. 1943. Now a grand scale operation even on one strategic direction is impossible, no large penetrations. The goal is to cut off the Kursk salient - yes, with great benefits and thwarting the Soviets any strategic initiative, but no grand goals like taking Moscow or taking Caucasus or Baku oil fields. Again outright failure. Modern Western historians may talk at length that by Prokhorovka SS Panzer Divisions made a death blow to Soviet tanks but the net result is clear: by the end of August Germans lost many vital Ukrainian cities including an ill-famous Kharkov - and this time for good. More to that, the were forced to withdraw to the Dnepr River. So, for Hitler North Afrika was the least of troubles. One may even say that if not the hapless Italian Duche Mussolini Hitler would never send his troups to Africa. Sending Rommel there he and his OKW didn't set him large scale goals altogether. He had instructions only to prevent defeat. Why Rommel? Simply enough. Rommel was a Prima Donna, he didn't get along with his neighbours on the front. And he was a bad team player. But in North Africa Rommel was exactly where he should be. He had under his command troops of a corps size - well under his abilities. He acted alone, he had no annoying superiors or neighbours. It was exactly a war theater for him. And being brilliantly personality he refused to sit still and began active - and initially very successful- actions. But with time it turned out that there are no wonders in this world.
@@colder5465 Of course the armies in the desert war were relatively small, but that does not at all mean that that theatre did not matter much. It was of strategic importance.
6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3
The dropping of paratroopers in Sicily 1943 was also a disaster of epic proportions. But all this looks SO glamorous.
"the crucial role of intelligence and special forces in great power conflict" Special forces aren't crucial in great power wars. The Second Anglo-German war was more of an American-German proxy war than a great power war. Hasting's generation has horrifically mythicized this war.
He worked at Bletchley Park during ww2 as a code breaker. He helped break the German enigma codes by building a 'thinking machine' which is credited as laying the ground work for the earliest computers. He was chemically castrated for being gay later in life and he committed suicide.
Max Hastings, probably the best author and authority for Military books and matters in my view.
Yet, Max Hastings has been wrong on just about everything he has ever written. Hastings has no Strategic view, let alone a Tactical one. He does not believe Operations even exist. Operation Biting? He is misinformed. As always. Britain did not invent Radar. Germany invented their own Radar that was better than ours. This was the point of Operating Biting. To see how good the German Radar was. After Biting, Britain was shocked how superior it was. Then Britain developed Millimetric Radar.
Hastings is a plagiarist
Yeah,he is good,but Beevor is also insane. I like both of them
5:27 MH is quite wrong to say that the Mediterranean and the desert war did not matter much. If the Germans and the Italians had managed to take Alexandria and the Suez canal, a vital transport route of the Empire would have been cut, and the enemy might have gained access to the Middle East. The man is unfortunately prone to exaggeration.
Yes he did not put that forward, when he wrote Operation Pedestal, as to the importance of Malta. The Suez Canal and the oilfields in the Middle East were at stake.
North Africa was somewhat toy theater of war simply because military contingents there had to be necessarily very small - simply because of logistical difficulties. So under no circumstances Hitler wasn't able to send Rommel really more troops.
And there is one more thing. Hitlers capabilities were inexorably less and less as he went to war in Russia. 1941, Operation Barbarossa: the undisputable high point in German might. Th Wehrmacht went in offensive on three strategic directions simultaneously. Ok, the defeat by Moscow. 1942, Germany may concentrate only on one strategic direction, Operation Blue (Fall Blau). The Stalingrad debacle. 1943. Now a grand scale operation even on one strategic direction is impossible, no large penetrations. The goal is to cut off the Kursk salient - yes, with great benefits and thwarting the Soviets any strategic initiative, but no grand goals like taking Moscow or taking Caucasus or Baku oil fields. Again outright failure. Modern Western historians may talk at length that by Prokhorovka SS Panzer Divisions made a death blow to Soviet tanks but the net result is clear: by the end of August Germans lost many vital Ukrainian cities including an ill-famous Kharkov - and this time for good. More to that, the were forced to withdraw to the Dnepr River. So, for Hitler North Afrika was the least of troubles. One may even say that if not the hapless Italian Duche Mussolini Hitler would never send his troups to Africa. Sending Rommel there he and his OKW didn't set him large scale goals altogether. He had instructions only to prevent defeat. Why Rommel? Simply enough. Rommel was a Prima Donna, he didn't get along with his neighbours on the front. And he was a bad team player. But in North Africa Rommel was exactly where he should be. He had under his command troops of a corps size - well under his abilities. He acted alone, he had no annoying superiors or neighbours. It was exactly a war theater for him. And being brilliantly personality he refused to sit still and began active - and initially very successful- actions. But with time it turned out that there are no wonders in this world.
@@colder5465 Of course the armies in the desert war were relatively small, but that does not at all mean that that theatre did not matter much. It was of strategic importance.
The dropping of paratroopers in Sicily 1943 was also a disaster of epic proportions. But all this looks SO glamorous.
US Navy messed up at Sicily. Not the paratroopers. Airborne!
Max's point on the HQ trying to micromanage is spot on. I got into a spot of trouble by calling higher, " combat voyeurs"...in Iraq. Great talk!
Dickie Mountbatten was called the MASTER OF DISASTER😂
He was there😂
Note that this raid took place just two weeks after the British disaster in Singapore.
Ooooh McMillan too. Awesome
He could parachute behind enemy lines on that hanky.
These persons are Unknowingly Defying HISTER
Brilliant
I need an Introductio. As have not seen him before
I think I'm going to take Hastings' advice (1:51) !
Fabulous.
Just heard that the price of icecream dropped 7 pence at Sainsbury's😂
My heroes Lord Lovat and John Frost❤❤
"the crucial role of intelligence and special forces in great power conflict"
Special forces aren't crucial in great power wars. The Second Anglo-German war was more of an American-German proxy war than a great power war. Hasting's generation has horrifically mythicized this war.
The fact that you refer to it in isolation as an "Anglo-German" war shows the world you don't have the faintest idea about what you're talking about.
@@garethhowells5821 Quite the opposite actually.
David Irving best modern historian. 👍
CFR approved means not good. Read David Irving instead.
Irving is a proven liar & Nazi apologist, who are you kiddin?
Are we talking Holocaust denial?
Now, with AI we will win all wars😂😂😂
Who was Allen Turing
An amazing code breaker that movies are made of!
He worked at Bletchley Park during ww2 as a code breaker. He helped break the German enigma codes by building a 'thinking machine' which is credited as laying the ground work for the earliest computers.
He was chemically castrated for being gay later in life and he committed suicide.
Si do politika me akuza cdo dey
Seems to me with this armchair general, success was just a matter of luck and failure was due to incompetence.
Interesting author. Bit of a gasbag, alas. Better in writing than in speech.
The price of glory😂😂
This guy is Stuffy and znot as smart as these 2 think
Unfortunately rather hilarious than serious.
Hastings is such a plagiarist. I don’t know how anyone can take him seriously.
In case you didn't know *'Hitler' is a Fictional Character*
Not according to "big brother".
Grown-up men like to PLAY AT SOLDIERS😂