This video was demonetized by TH-cam after manual review without any explanation as to why. The conclusion we must assume is that TH-cam clearly doesn’t want to promote videos talking about military history or events like the Hunger Winter (is TH-cam Denialist?). For this reason, I am 100% reliant on my Patreons for support, who really are allowing videos like this to be made. Thank you! All questions are from Patreons donating $5 or more on my Patreon - www.patreon.com/TIKhistory Please consider supporting me and allow this channel to continue. Dutch strikes gripped the country in response to Arnhem being evacuated. This was the excuse used by the Germans to cut food and supplies to the Netherlands. The Hunger Winter was the result. It seems that some blame the Allies for not advancing into the Netherlands quicker to relieve them from the hunger. But Allied strategy was focused on knocking the Germans out of the war, which would then solve the starvation issue by itself. Was this a right strategy? Could the Allies have done more to help the Dutch? And I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the board front vs narrow front strategy, and whether you think either was right or wrong. There are clearly flaws to both. But which was the better strategy? And, once again, who’s really to blame for how Market Garden turned out? Let me know in the comments! *Selected Bibliography / Sources* (I have more books on the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden, but these were the most relevant to this particular discussion) Beevor, A. “Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges.” Penguin Books, 2018. Ambrose, S. "Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest." Simon & Schuster, Kindle 2001. Citino, R. “The Wehrmacht's Last Stand: The German Campaigns of 1944-1945.” University of Kansas, 2017. Eisenhower, D. "Crusade in Europe." Doubleday, Kindle 1948. Hunt, V. "Blood in the Forest: The End of the Second World War in the Courland Pocket." Helion & Company, 2017. Middlebrook, M. “Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle, 17-29 September.” 2009. Montgomery, B. "The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Montgomery." Pan & Sword Military, 2014. Neillands, R. “The Battle for the Rhine 1944.” Kindle, 2014. Internet sources - www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/RepPegasus.htm www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/depth_aftermath.htm Full list of all my WW2 and related books can be found here docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/114GiK85MPs0v4GKm0izPj3DL2CrlJUdAantx5GQUKn8/edit?usp=sharing Thanks for watching! Bye for now!
Thanks! Pinned now. And next week, no idea. I'm trying to figure out if I can do the first Courland video next week, but I'm not sure I can. It's close, but probably not quite that close. But we'll see...
Dad was wounded by shellfire near to Elst on 15/10/44. He was attached to 130 brigade, 43rd Wessex Div. He’s 98 this year and still remembers a lot about his time.
Thanks, a very informative video. I will show this to friend of mine who's a 97 year old Arnhem veteran who's attending the 75th anniversary at this moment. Respects to them all.
Montgomery actually had an alternative plan to Market Garden on the 9th/10th September. This was for a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected this alternative proposal and decided on Market Garden instead. Montgomery had zero jurisdiction to decide airborne operations. Brereton and Eisenhower had the say so.
Great video thank you - too often the Hunger Winter is overlooked - some of my cousins were born with holes in their hearts attributed to the malnutrition suffered by their mother as a child during that winter in Amsterdam. Her family survived by eating tulip bulbs. The stakes for a successful outcome of Market Garden were so high for everyone.
It would be great to see a piece on the 15,000 deserters spoken of in this video. It would also be interesting to see a piece on the German ports that held out for long periods of time. Thank you.
An interesting read for that: historywithatwist.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/how-u-s-deserters-sowed-terror-in-world-war-ii-paris/ (dunno how accurate the source is though)
ur2c8...Probably because that was a rare or non existent problem; severely punished when it did occur! May be best if you were to keep your Leftist, anti-American Bullsh!+ out of what was an honest discussion?!
@Robert Dougherty @ur2c8 Or maybe one could support his controversial claims with facts/historical evidence and the other with counterarguing instead of dismissing it as "leftist antiamerican bullshit", if it is supposed to be a honest discussion.
What a treat to have you continue your Arnhem documentary a bit! And BTW, if you look at detailed maps of the scheldt. It looks a bit suicidal to attack there frontally. Maybe that's a good reason why they didn't want to do it.
There is a man I know in Canberra Australia who has a "post Arnhem" story of his own. Jumped into Arnhem but failed to escape. Wounded and taken as a PoW, he tried to escape twice and ended up in a camp in Poland. Was freed by the Russians and, seeing he was able to drive, impressed him into their transport corp. In December in 1945, still driving for the Russians, he heard the war was over. News apparently travels very slowly in the Russian army it seems.
A camp in Poland in 1944? There was no Poland in 1944. Poland reemerged as a country in 1945 - a Soviet satelite state this time round. During WW2 Germans occupied Poland, German government was the government in Warsaw or Cracow.
@@wr7503 Well then he probably meant, "a camp which was in the geographical area which was called poland before and after the war as well as by many people during the war while it was under german control." The people in the camp at the time probably said it was in poland too because they were not going to let the germans tell them it was now germany.
@@macmcleod1188 There hasn't been a real Poland for centuries if not longer. What you're calling Poland, post WWII Poland, was as much of an artificial state as the post WWII Poland. One thing you can say for sure, the "occupied" are now the "occupiers." Most of present day Poland is really occupied 🇩🇪 Germany.
Great job on this. When I read or hear the value of Market Garden questioned, part of my answer is that at least it spared the southern Netherlands from the Hunger Winter.
Great episode, greatly appreciated. I knew an old boy Fred Bennett (from Chichester) who had fought at Arnheim. He was in the main town & hidden by, in his own words "2 lovely girls...who hid me until the Dutch Resistance got me out". Fred was one of those who crossed the Rhine.
The delivery of food to the civilians in Holland began WAYYYY before the timeline you stated TIK, the prince of the Netherlands pleaded with IKE to come to an agreement with the German commander Johannes Blaskowitz, for a ceasefire to allow air drops of food. The USA name of the plan was called ‘operation chowhound’ the Brit’s/Canadians named their half of the operation, which name escapes me right now. However, the Prince of Holland managed to contact both Churchill AND FDR, to get an OK for the operation, and in return, got the cooperation of German forces under the command of Blaskowitz like I said earlier. Now, this occurred DURING HEAVY combat operations, and Blaskowitz agreed to a specific flight path where allied planes were not to be fired upon, as long as the allied food planes remained in this very specific air corridor, they would be safe from German anti aircraft fire, and fighter attacks. And true to his word (Blaskowitz) NO allied planes were lost to enemy fire during this humanitarian operation which delivered AT LEAST 11,000 tons of food. Only 3 planes were lost due to operational accidents..... IN ADDITION, because the air drops were still not sufficient to feed so many people? The Germans also allowed a convoy of 200 allied trucks (lorries) to deliver food behind German lines..... This cooperation from Blaskowitz likely had an effect on his acquittal on all 4 charges after the war at Nuremberg..... however, he committed suicide nonetheless in 1948 by throwing himself off a balcony on the way to the trial. Why he did this? Who knows, like I said, he would go on to be acquitted of the 4 charges in the High Command trial, after his death.....however, I HAVE read that he was possibly implicated in some war crimes, executions, civilian retaliatory measures against partisan attacks on the eastern front earlier in the war, this is likely his rationale for killing himself..... But yeah, I just thought I’d correct your timeline for the famine relief operations in Holland towards the end of the conflict. Other than that? Cheers, all the other info and opinions you presented sounded correct based on my own individual research and knowledge about operation market garden and it’s aftermath. Well done, and keep up the good work TIK! Cheers!
@Scott Natale I think you're searching for the name of operation Manna? Perfect name, in my opinion as they really where a godsend for the people living in the large cities of North and South-Holland. The area's more in the east / north had distinct advantage as being surrounded by more rural area's.
Blaskowitz is such an interesting figure - I wish he wrote a memoir before he offed himself.... or a fucking suicide note so we'd know why he did it. He's probably my 'favorite' German officer of the war, just because he disproves the lame "if I opposed the Nazis I would've been killed!" excuse many German officers used after the war - Blaskowitz opposed the Nazis directly several times.
The what happened after market garden question remembered me of the fight for S-Hertogenbosch, that would make a cool mini battlestrom video in the future
Nice you finally learned the Zuiderzee is actually the IJsselmeer (since the ‘30) . I also noticed there was another big battle going on in the Netherlands. That was the allied offensive to the Maas, the battle at Overloon and Roermond, in the same period (October November 1944). Good video though. Thumbs up and go on :)
I just watched/listened to this discussion. About 6 times already. Thanks for the info, very good. Love your technique of giving us facts when you know them and when opinions are given , you are clear that is IS an opinion. I just got a copy of the 1974 "The World At War" video(s) and have watched episode 19, Pincers. It starts with Operation Market-Garden, with interviews with General Horrocks and others. It really helps understand the whole situation coming from the horses-mouth. Again thank you for your knowledge and your time in making these vids.
Thankyou for sharing you very informative video ! - My father fought for Caen -Eindhoven -Nijmagen - Dad has spoke of the war & Dad knew so much about things you know he had to be there ? - He was the most honest person I ever knew - So I never doubted any thing he told me ? But when Dad got started to get poorly - He agreed that when he came out of hospital - He would sit down with me and talk about his war years & After the war when he signed up for the British Control Commision - Andvlet me tape - His conversation ! - Joining the Control Commision I Think I was my Dads way to make amends for the destruction ! He had caused while fighting axis forces - That wonderful opportunity was snatched away from us ? - Because Dad never came home from hospital ? Many thanks SB British Isles
Thanks for this, I too have wondered what happened after the Paras surrendered. It seems too much of history is dominated by glorious battles, won or lost, and not enough on what happened next.
As always your videos on Arnhem was very interesting. I once left another comment regarding this battle. My father took part in the fighting as a member of 3 Para. He was wounded and captured by the German Paras and, after spending time in their hospital he, and several others from 1st Airborne Div. were being moved back to a POW camp when for some reason they were forced to divert and the only place that could hold them for a time was Belson. Also, after the war my father, while still in the army, happened to meet up with one of the guys that had the task of burying the bodies at Belson with bulldozers. So, just one of the untold tales of somebody that fought in this battle.
My father fought at Arnhem, he swam the Rhine to escape from the encirclement at Oosterbeek. He made his way back to Britain and was returned to his unit (Royal Artillery) with whom he fought till the end of the war. He was a good man but suffered with what we now now as PTSD. On his way out of Arnhem he was in a house that was strafed, he couldn't sleep inside for months afterwards. I wish I knew more about his experiences but he couldn't or wouldn't talk about. Even watching the Alan Ladd film about the battle which used to be shown every year gave him nightmares.
Although I know quit a bit about the battle of Arnhem it is always good to see your step-by-step map TIK. The battle comes alive and one can suddenly grasp how it unfolds. Good video again TIK, but I know that you know there has being much more fighting on 'The Island' between sept '44 and april '45. (Remember Dick Winters battle at the Dike at Driel/Heteren). The whole episode is worthwhile a separate video. As a matter of fact a Dutch director Bram van Workum is preparing to shoot a movie called Betuwe '44. TIK, although I am not able to patron support you yet (credit card issues) I would like to invite you to come to my hometown Arnhem and I will guide you, drive you around, feed you and make sure you get a decent bed to sleep in.
In the movie "A Bridge Too Far" we last see the man with the umbrella mortally wounded after the final surrender in Arnhem. So I'm surprised to learn he not only lived, but managed to getaway with a decent number of his comrades.
Digby Tatham_Warter was portrayed as a bit of a pratt in the film. He was one of the bravest, and would use his military rational to inflict without flinching. After the war he moved to kenya where he was one of the first to open a bloodles safari where folk could actually study the animals. He died in 1993.
Howdy! Excellent conclusion video, but I'd love to hear more about what happens next. Perhaps a video on the engagements during the last months of 1944 between the end of Market Garden and the start of Wacht am Rhein; the fighting in and around Aachen in November and other occurrences leading up to the Ardennes counteroffensive?
Imagine trying to get across the southern Netherlands later on in worse weather and with tougher German defences. Market Garden got to Nijmegen (where the British and Canadian advance into Germany in 1945 kicked off from) in less than 3 days. I suspect it would have taken far longer and with considerable killed and wounded in, say, November.
My recently deceased friend served as a sapper in 1st SAS and told me whilst we were in Arnhem that he and three or four others had joined the Americans and dropped just outside Nijmegen to assist in removing demolitions on the bridge. He could name all the other sappers and recounted his actions with clarity I can find no official record of SAS involvement.
@Cloud Burst 117 It was the Belgian SAS who was in the Arnhem area as pre-Ops-recon for the operation Market. All revealed in the book "Belgian SAS at Arnhem". arjanatwork3@gmail.com
Couple of points. The German 363.Volksgrenadier-Division is located in the wrong place on the video map. It was not attached to II.SS-Panzerkorps in the Arnhem area (with 10.SS-Panzer, 9.Panzer and 116.Panzer-Divisions), it was subordinated to the newly arrived XII.SS-Armeekorps based in Ede, which controlled the newly reformed 363.Volksgrenadier-Division (an army infantry division reorganised with less manpower but more automatic weapons) from Germany, and the in situ Division von Tettau that controlled various training units under German Armed Forces Netherlands during the Airborne battle. 363.Volksgrenadier-Division, having arrived in Ede by train, was deployed across the Rijn to the west of Opheusden, and it was units from this Division that attacked the US 101st Airborne in the Opheusden area, while faint attacks like Oelker's SS training unit (from the SS NCO school) crossed in the Doorwerth area (between Renkum and Driel on the map) as described in the video. These feint attacks were to draw attention away from attacks by II.SS-Panzerkorps in the east that were hoped to retake the Nijmegen bridges. It was even hoped that if all these attacks succeeded, they would link up and clear all Allied forces on the 'island' between Arnhem and Nijmegen. It all came to nought because Allied units on the island were too strong. To avoid any confusion, the 9.Panzer-Division in this video is the army unit relocated to Holland from Aachen along with 116.Panzer-Division, and not its SS counterpart the 9.SS-Panzer-Division, which had been in the process of entraining for Siegen in Germany to be refitted when the Airborne attack took place. After the Airborne battle was over, it completed its move to Germany, leaving its sister division the 10.SS-Panzer-Division in Holland. The second point was that while the Germans controlled the civilian Dutch telephone system, there was another telephone system in the Province of Gelderland that the Germans were completely unaware of. This was an advanced internal network belonging to the PGEM electricity company that used communications cables on the electrical transmission lines running across the province. Since the southern half of Gelderland was in Allied hands and the northern part still in German hands, the Dutch resistance had a secure means of communication across the frontlines the Germans didn't even know existed. Interesting sidebar - one of the switchboards for this system was in a PGEM office building that had been occupied by the SD (the SS Security Service) in Arnhem. The Dutch resistence had to pose as PGEM workers (those with the necessary knowledge worked for the company anyway) to gain access to the building for 'regular maintenance' of 'essential equipment' in order to make their calls to Allied held Nijmegen.
A friend of mine, of the local branch of the Airborne Forces Association, now passed of course managed to evade capture for a period, then was captured. He once again managed to jump off the transport and made it back to the allied lines with assistance from the Dutch underground. After a brief spot of leave, which he cut short, he was unitless. As the Rhine Crossing was being finalised he asked to be sent to an Airborne Battery for the Rhine Crossing. I asked him why he wanted to switch Divisions, I got a typical Para response, "we never quite managed it at Arnhem, so I wanted to make up for that, and get the job done." Airborne, a breed of their very own. Trooper Bear
48 stars is correct for 1944 and up until July 4, 1959 when a star for Alaska was added. (49 stars) Another star was added July 4, 1960 recognizing the statehood of Hawaii. Alaska became a state Jan 3, 1959 and Hawaii August 21, 1959. Nothing to do with the 1960 election. I had to look up the exact dates, but recalled 50 states having been achieved before the 1960 election. Very interesting video. Thanks. My father in law was Dutch and served in the Dutch merchant marine. Was in at least one convoy to Murmansk. He wound up working for the New York Dutch Naval attache's office. His relatives were very bitter about the Nazis when I met some of them as late as the 1970's.
The 49 star flag - 7x7 stars - was used for only one year. A few Hawaiians fly it as a cheeky way to thumb their nose at the other 49 states. BTW, that's why the old TV series (and the recent remake) "Hawaii Five-O" got their name - Hawaii was the 50th state to be admitted to the Union.
Good topic. One suggestion for improving it would be to have the place names in the narrative on the map (some were some weren't) and to have the map coincide with the narration more closely. I was having a bit of difficulty trying to follow a detailed narrative and visualize the detailed geography at a fast pace. I have a pretty good general geographical knowledge of the area but not enough to follow the narrative as well as I would have liked as it was being given. Take care. Doug
Hi, This video which acts as a nice conclusion to the battles of Arnhem. The Battle of the Scheldt by 1st Canadian Army is often forgotten in the North-West Europe campaign. For historians 70 years removed, it is hard to imagine how difficult the canal crossings were, or the flooded fields to cross, and the pillboxes dominating the passageways to overcome. The German army deliberately flooded the fields which ensured allied soldier could not dig in nor find cover. To add to the general misery of the situation was the cold as this operation was conducted in October and November. Thank you for this video and mentioning this campaign.
There are one or two documentaries on TH-cam, but yes, it is often overlooked. Monty's diffidence caused a lot of problems at the front and he almost got fired for it.
The valor of the Canadian divisions during 1944 cannot be exaggerated. They took on the dirty high casualty work at Caen and at the Schedlt. Other than elite (airborne, ranger, amour units) Canadians were the arguably best infantry troops under Ikes command that year. As for Monty, I had always been under the impression he was avoiding casualties as much as possible at this point. Given the truly dire British manpower shortages on western front at this time , a far less mobilized america that had fought for two less years , and not been blitzed, cant be too dismissive.
Little correction: The Dutch "Zuiderzee" had been renamed "IJsselmeer" by this time, due to the completion of the "Afsluitdijk". Zee = sea and meer = lake. Because it was no longer in direct contact with the "Waddenzee" and/or the "Northsea", it turned from a sea into a lake, now named after the IJssel river (a side branch of the Rhine), that flows into this lake.
@@TheImperatorKnight Sorry, I always watch your videos at double speed and that part, though I was specifically listening for it, must have slipped through...
@@mahlapropyzm9180 I wouldn't know why anyone would want to destroy it. There wasn't any fighting near it. Besides, it would take some substantial efford to blow it up or dig a hole in, as it is much more sturdy than a bridge.
Good video. Couple of picks; A "Räumungkommando" is not about repossession but about clearing out an area of all possible valuables. its pronounced as "roymung" as it has an umlaut on the A. The town of "Ede" is pronounced as "Ayduh". "Zuiderzee" is pronounced as "Zowderzay". Good call on the "Seine..!! "Waho Mohammed" ..!!
Interesting. Thanks for doing this video. As a Market Garden aficiconado, I've never understood why it took so long for the Allies to liberate The Netherlands after the Operation.
I think they look great, but I also think TIK should review his symbol for 1st Canadian Army at 8:54. It appears to show the 1st Canadian Armoured Infantry Division, which didn't exist. Harry Crerar's mug shot is correct.
@@TheImperatorKnight Oh man, imagine a WW2 military tactical card game. Kind of like the tabletop wargames, but with rules abstracted to the level of a card game.
Shelt campaign - I suggest reference to the memoir of the 52nd lowland division, it was trained for years as a mountain division for a campaign in Norway (that never happened), then had its heavy weapons removed to make it air portable to support the Arnhem operation and then finally went in to action in Flushing, flat land below sea level.
"An army fights on its stomach" - Napoleon; someone who had a problem with supplies. Monty seems to have never really studied logistics. One point I think everyone forgets is there is a tendency for offensives to out run their supplies and grind to a halt. If the defenders can still retreat they can wiggle off the hook and reset themselves.
Montgomery was a master of logistics and supply. He was more savvy than any other commander in that aspect of war. He was simply told by SHAEF intel at the end of the second week in September 1944 that the Germans in front of him were down on their knees. That's why he immediately decided on a quick advance.
I just watched this video with the intent of finding context for a memoir I am reading written by a member of A Company of the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, Private Donald R. Burgett. He jumped into Normandy and survived as an active member of the 101st through to the end of the war. His account of A Company's experience on the Island post Market Garden was complementary to the Band of Brothers Easy Company story but different and more harrowing. Your video, concentrates on the eastern end of the Island and does not fully address their defense of the western end around Opheusden against the entire 363d Volksgrenadier Division. So I recommend Burgett's memoir, which I have in three short volumes, Currahee, The Road to Arnhem and Seven Roads to Hell. I believe the memoir was originally published in the 60s and proclaims Burgett as the first enlisted man to write a history of the American Airborne. I am finding Burgett's memoir as riveting as Ambrose's Band of Brothers and related publications that added to Easy Company's history.
I also have his Arnhem and Bastogne volumes and found Don Burgett a reliable witness to events he was involved in, and I would say it's more reliable than some of Ambrose's work. Episode 4: Replacements of Band of Brothers is somewhat compromised in conflating two different actions at Opwetten and Nuenen into one battle. Episode 5: Crossroads is much better, thanks to Winters' detailed account of the 5 October action practically writing the script for them. My own research into the German units involved was greatly helped by his testimony that clearly shows he knows the difference between a Tiger II and a Panther tank when he sees them (they have very similar profiles), and helped identify the German units, because he described a "Royal Tiger" leading a column of Panthers at Opheusden. This also lent credibility to his later account of meeting a Tiger II face to face at Noville near Bastogne, when most historians doubt the vehicles were even used in the sector. Evidence the schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 were in the Bastogne area are substantiated by a Tiger I wreck outside the town that had belonged to Panzer Kompanie 'Hummel' at Arnhem and then subsequently incorporated into s.Pz.Abt.506 as their 4.Kompanie for the Ardennes offensive, so I have no doubt Don was on the money. The Germans apparently used this tactic of having the heavy Tigers spearhead attacks by columns of divisional medium tanks on more than one occasion and this happened near Arnhem in support of the October 1944 attack by 363.Volksgrenadier-Division as well as the first attacks and by-passing of Bastogne at Noville in December by 2.Panzer-Division. There's also a video on TH-cam of Don travelling to the Nijmegen 'island' with author Mark Bando to locate the famous orchard rest area in which Don participated in the battle with a battalion of 363.VGD that had penetrated the American lines and established a position nearby, so I'm across most of the locations described in Don's books and the Easy Company stories as well.
Could you make a video about the German panzerturm or tank turrets that were used as static emplacements in the Atlantic wall and on the eastern front thanks its one of those topics that very few information is available online
Hello tik . I was wondering if you may be able to point me in the right direction on some research . My grandads brother was in the oxford and Buckinghamshire regiment and was in the first air drop of Parachuter's that came in an hour after the gliders landed at what is now known as Pegasus bridge . he died there and we thought for years he had died almost immediately on landing . it was only many years later , when my grandad went to France on one of the d-day anniversary's to find his head stone , did we find out he died on d-day + 9 and from speaking to a veteran who was there and knew Stanley , that they had been repulsing a German armoured assault on the right of the bridge when a stug assault gun crashed though a bush on the road where he and a friend where sat in a fox hole , turned towards them and blew them both up . I want to know more about what the paras did after the orne bridge when fighting purely as infantry . Thanks for your efforts and please concentrate on ww2 , it is the biggest event in human history after all . Martin
Thanks for a Great video My father Fred Pearce was a sergeant in 1st Airborne Ox & Bucks defence platoon in trenches surrounding the 1st Airborne HQ at the Hartenstein hotel He was shot in the leg & taken prisoner of war for nine months until the end of the war He never spoke a word about Arnhem for 46 years except he once said he & other paras ate raw eggs from a farm when trying to evade capture from the Germans I have his name on a one page list of sergeants taken pow signed by Colonel Warrack & the date is 6 days after the official end of the battle Although you say fighting did continue for some time After dad died in 1990 I did lots of research & assumed the 6 days was because they hid from the Germans in the countryside I have learned so much from TIK history and amazed that on two occasions the Germans were ready to wipe all of Ist Airborne out completely because they refused to stop fighting but on the second occasion the poles were landing Thank you for an amazing video
My mother suffered, but survived the 1944 Dutch Hunger Winter in Rotterdam, and distinctly remembers eating Swedish White bread and butter dropped by the English at the end of the Hunger Winter. She said it was an unforgettable delight !
This explains a lot about the characters in the film "Kelly's Heroes" which, although a comedy - had to be based on tale tales from the ETO in 44/45. Roving gangs of Allied soldiers et al.
Thanks for posting. A very thorough and informative presentation about the aftermath of operation Market Garden. I did learn a lot. I may well be wrong but I think that the mad colonel of Arhem's name is pronounced "doebee" like toby is, but with a D. I stand to be corrected.
The Battle of Walcheren Island is well worth studying as it presented a number of novel difficulties for the attacking troops. It also featured the British 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, famous for having been trained in mountain warfare and airborne warfare, but finally sent to fight below sea level on the flooded polders around the Scheldt estuary.
There is a few bits I'd add. Digby Tatham -Water was my great uncle and part of the story is that whilst he was waiting to organise the escape he was going around with a local and pretended to be defe and dum!
Thank you for this video brother man.... didn’t know the Germans had frogmen... also not to nit pick a quality video I can’t remember the time stamp but I believe I saw a mistake when you were covering the escape in which Easy Co. assisted in... you had Easy Company 3 battalion 506th 101 the correct identifier should be Easy Company 2 Battalion 506th 101st.... if I am mistaken I apologize.... again amazing video
Great video! You may want to do a video on the battles of hells highway and overloon in fall 1944. Lots of amazing history that is not known by most historians or history enthusiasts
Just recently went to the Overloon museum. Very nice place! Though I wish their presentation on the battle of Overloon and the surrounding areas was a little more thorough. Still well worth visiting!
Beware of "Brother Ambrose". His books were written solely with profit in mind. Historically accurate facts were often sacrificed for sake of a good story - making the task of HBO mini-series writers easier. Check out "The Road to Arnhem" by Donald R. Burgett for an accurate description from an enlisted paratrooper's (A Company 506 PIR - 101st ABD) point of view.
I do not at the moment. I'm working my way through the North African Campaign so I can go through Italy then Normandy, and then reach Falaise. Is a long-term strategy for the channel, but I hope it will pay off in the end.
My surveying teacher from trent polytechnic 1982 was captured at Arnhem. He maintains he was the only man shot in rhe arse whilst advancing. He was sent to a pow camp and the germans had less food than they had and let him just walk out of the gates. After two days of no food he was forced to walk back in, get fed and wait to be liberated. Nobody cares by that time apparently but anly a month before the fighting was so bitter. I wish i could remember his name. A huge scotsman, probably and sadly passed by now.
Another really interesting video, were the Deserters ever punished? I'm amazed at the number of Deserters and the selling of military fuel. I can understand stealing food, but abandoning your fellow soldiers and actively denying desperately needed military resources from reaching your side must be as bad as spying behind enemy lines. Did any of them get punished, even executed?
Private Eddie Slovak was the only US Army soldier executed in WW2 for desertion. The rest who were charged were courts martialed for various offenses and punished.
@@Idahoguy10157 - thank you for that, I guess after the experiences of the First World War, attitudes where very different about executing men in combat zones. I think if I'd seen my comrades killed at Arnhem and then heard about deserters making money from our supplies, I don't think I'd have been as forgiving.
John Doe .... Courts did order executions for desertions. Executions had to be approved by Eisenhower which he’d overturned. Slovak was repeatedly warned by Officers to change his defense and refused too. He was a victim of himself.
Slovak brought it upon himself. He wrote a letter stating his plans to dessert and that he had no intention of fighting and would rather be in jail. He was given numerous opportunities to recant but refused to do so. Yes he was made an example.
Dear TIK - Thanks very much indeed. As inciteful and detailed, but also entertaining as ever. I had no idea the post-M.G. events were so convoluted and interesting, but the brutality against the Dutch was a sad shock to hear. Thanks again, Monty
The point of the thrust northward would be to not just get the Scheldt area but to also put the port of Rotterdam in play, plus the German units in Holland. IMHO Market Garden was the best move to make given the logistical situation. It put two major ports within reach and would directly threaten the Ruhr.
3:57 'reduced to the size of kampfgruppe'. What does this actually mean, since as I understand it, a kampfgruppe is an improvisational unit made up from whatever was in the area? Can't the size vary immensly as a result or is my understanding of the formation wrong?
I think that Montgomery, having failed to convince Ike of the merits of his single thrust plan, decided to take it on on his own, and force the issue, although Ike wrote later that he would not have allowed Monty to push on alone, and Antwerp was top priority.
Montys single thrust plan did still include US 1st and 3rd armies sticking alongside his 21st Army group. So even though it was a, single thrust it would still have been hundreds of miles wide involving 4 armies. Montgomery just didn't want to waste men and resources in the Lorraine, Alsace and southern Germany. He, rightly, wanted a single very powerful thrust in northern Germany, firstly against the Ruhr area and then to Berlin. Southern Germany was a side issue to him. Germanys strength was in the north.
Monty's purpose for Market Garden was an allied spearhead all the way to Berlin and an end to the war by Christmas as crazy as that sounds. When Monty didn't get approval from Eisenhower, he threw a fit and Market Garden was the consolation prize. There was no consideration made in regards to the German controlled Scheldt estuary or all the islands along the way. Given the allied supply problems, it's so obvious the Scheldt should have been the objective and the opening up of the port of Antwerp.
Actually Montgomery had an alternative plan for Market Garden, which was a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected it and chose Market Garden instead. Eisenhowers broad front strategy was a disaster. It prolonged the war by months and caused the failures in the Lorraine, Hurtgen Forest, Operation Queen and the retreat in the Ardennes.
My grandmother who lives near Apeldoorn still remembers people coming and asking for food. They walked days to get a bag of potato's. My grandmother's parents had a farm so they werent lacking food. They gave these poor people pancakes with bacon and allowed them to sleep in the barn underneath horse blankets. Next morning they were gone, along with the blankets. They had thrown up all over the place. They werent used to proper food. My grandma is 85.
Hey TIK, i just had a quick question for you. I'm writing a term paper for my history class on German night fighters of WWII. I was wondering if you have any books you can recommend for some sources on this topic. Thank you very much!
I would like to add the Canadian offensive in the Spring of 1945 that liberated the east of the Netherlands. Prior to that the allies cleared the south of the Netherlands.
It wasnt just the Canadians that took Antwerp. My Uncle. Badged Essex but with No4 Commando was awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross for his actions at Walcheren!
Just got done watching Operation Biting, Any plans for more Battlestorm about the smaller engagements of WWII (ones that can be compressed into a single video) such as Bloody Gulch, Brécourt Manor, or Operation Chariot? Also, I remember you saying you were planning on doing videos about the Holocaust and Holodmor, will that be happening in the foreseeable future? Also, 6th :)
There's a few small operations within both Courland and Stalingrad - the next Battlestorms. After that, who knows!? And, while I do intend to cover the Holocaust and Holodomor, this video has confirmed that I won't be able to monetize such videos (see pinned comment). I also suspect that TH-cam doesn't really promote demonetized videos which is discouraging. So yes I will do them (probably after Courland), but right now I'm a bit disheartened by TH-cam's anti-history stance.
@@TheImperatorKnight >TH-cam is run by assholes News at 11 Also, I noticed you mentioned in the video that Jews hiding in Arnhem at the time of battle were caught in mop-up. Any idea as to their ultimate fate? I imagine that if they weren't killed on the spot, most would've been sent to Westerbork transit camp, although the last transports to Auschwitz had left on September 3rd, (Anne Frank was on this one iirc), 14 days prior to the launch of Operation Market Garden (iirc all future planned transports to Auschwitz were suspended specifically in response to Operation Market Garden because the Wehrmacht didn't need trains of Jews clogging up the rail lines when the Allies were threatening to completely overrun the Netherlands).
The Duch Railways went on strike on September 17th in support of Market Garden. The German Railways (DRB) took the service over but only to supply their own troops and bring V2's to The Hague and bring all the looted factories and the railwayssystem itself to Germany.
My Dad’s unit was attached to a British unit in North Africa or Anzio. He said their rations were horrible. He spoke of a fish paste, that was particularly horrible.
The Germans took some 260 civilians as hostages in Finnish Lapland, but they later released the prisoners unharmed. Although the Germans' delaying scorched earth and land mine strategies devastated Finnish Lapland, military impacts were relatively limited. Interestingly, at that time, it was said that the Sami people had Asian blood. Recent genetic studies have indicated that the "Nganassan" autosomic component now makes up more than 25% in the Sami.
As far as I know, Hitler ordered his troops to stay in their "fortress" to force the allies into a bloody and long battle however the allies were not interested so they let some troops in a siege
It held out until the end of the war. The Germans had a significant forces in Dunkirk and were able to even counter attack the allies there late in the war. Check out Operation Blulcher: The Last German Attack in France, April 1945 th-cam.com/video/FXqg-6YKU7Q/w-d-xo.html
This video answered my question as the film ABTF seemed to indicate a complete failure and subsequent withdrawal. Not surprised as to the treatment of the Dutch population. British citizenry on the Channel Islands (Jersey et al) were subjected to the same treatment. Had it not been for the Intl. Red Cross provisioning two shipments of food during that 44-45 winter the outcome would have been catastrophic. After Liberation the British found the Germans had squirreled away 5 years supply of food and sundries, once they were cut off from resupply with the fall of western France coast. Narragansett Bay.
Could you discuss the German withdrawal from Warsaw in Jan ‘45? It never gets discussed? I never see maps or find a clue abou5 how they managed to slip away or what they left behind.
I was just wondering where did you get the map that you used in the first part of the video that you also used in your marked garden series? Did you make it yourself or did you buy it/download it? Wanted to use it for a miniature game campaign if it is possible to get.
possibly the worst actor I have ever seen. Though he plays an incompetent historical figure, a Roman Emperor, he plays it so poorly. Accompanying this farce of acting are an overabundance of meaningless, posed shots of Roman soldiers shuffling around. None of the people in the background or at the edge have any part in the story other than their costumed presence. The story-telling of this chaotic, yet fascinating period of Roman history is really poor, stuttering and entirely to British. There is some sort of strange obsession the British have with producing Roman historical epics where all the leading parts are by obsessively British personalities and dialogue. The actual history here drips out, loops around itself, and is presented with very poor coherence. The cast is huge but the production values and staging are so stiff, so boring it is truly hard to find the words for how bad it is. I cannot say more than this, unless you are desperate or an an absolute historical fanatic, you will not enjoy this stiff, slow, boring "narrative drama". It is done up like a really bad "Discovery" or "History Chanel" docu-drama for a dead weekend.
The whole Sheldt situation was a cockup, everyone at the top knew it and no one wanted the blame. The only ones who had a clue as to its importance was the German command.
But the Scheldt suceeded. In fact it was the only allied compaign of autumn 1944 to actually achieve its objectives, whereas the Lorraine, Hurtgen, Operation Queen etc all failed and with higher casualties.
If anyone wants to read about the escape of the paras from Arnhem, the book called The grey goose of Arnhem by Leo Heaps is recommended, it jumps around but gives a great view of how the escape happened from the soldiers there
From Monty, The Field Marshall by Nigel Hamilton: General Student, in a statement after the war,considered the ‘Market Garden’ Operation to have been proved to be a great success. At one stroke it brought the British 2nd Army into the possession of the vital bridges and valuable territory. The conquest of the Nijmegen area meant the creation of a good jumping board for the offensive which contributed to the end of the war.
He said nothing like that the Germans couldn't believe the planner Montgomery was so daft - their words.One 64 mile road you can't turn around on is the idea of an idiot
Johnny Burns have them remove your ankle monitor so you can enter the library where they may read a book for you.The have audio books for the blind or the less eveolved such as yourself
Sorry if this is answered in your Kurland documentary, but you mention Dutch workers being taken into Soviet captivity. Were they treated as PoWs? When were they released back to the Netherlands?
This video was demonetized by TH-cam after manual review without any explanation as to why. The conclusion we must assume is that TH-cam clearly doesn’t want to promote videos talking about military history or events like the Hunger Winter (is TH-cam Denialist?). For this reason, I am 100% reliant on my Patreons for support, who really are allowing videos like this to be made. Thank you! All questions are from Patreons donating $5 or more on my Patreon - www.patreon.com/TIKhistory Please consider supporting me and allow this channel to continue.
Dutch strikes gripped the country in response to Arnhem being evacuated. This was the excuse used by the Germans to cut food and supplies to the Netherlands. The Hunger Winter was the result. It seems that some blame the Allies for not advancing into the Netherlands quicker to relieve them from the hunger. But Allied strategy was focused on knocking the Germans out of the war, which would then solve the starvation issue by itself. Was this a right strategy? Could the Allies have done more to help the Dutch?
And I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the board front vs narrow front strategy, and whether you think either was right or wrong. There are clearly flaws to both. But which was the better strategy? And, once again, who’s really to blame for how Market Garden turned out? Let me know in the comments!
*Selected Bibliography / Sources*
(I have more books on the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden, but these were the most relevant to this particular discussion)
Beevor, A. “Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges.” Penguin Books, 2018.
Ambrose, S. "Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest." Simon & Schuster, Kindle 2001.
Citino, R. “The Wehrmacht's Last Stand: The German Campaigns of 1944-1945.” University of Kansas, 2017.
Eisenhower, D. "Crusade in Europe." Doubleday, Kindle 1948.
Hunt, V. "Blood in the Forest: The End of the Second World War in the Courland Pocket." Helion & Company, 2017.
Middlebrook, M. “Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle, 17-29 September.” 2009.
Montgomery, B. "The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Montgomery." Pan & Sword Military, 2014.
Neillands, R. “The Battle for the Rhine 1944.” Kindle, 2014.
Internet sources -
www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/RepPegasus.htm
www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/depth_aftermath.htm
Full list of all my WW2 and related books can be found here docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/114GiK85MPs0v4GKm0izPj3DL2CrlJUdAantx5GQUKn8/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks for watching! Bye for now!
Not pinned
And what is next weeks video
Thanks! Pinned now. And next week, no idea. I'm trying to figure out if I can do the first Courland video next week, but I'm not sure I can. It's close, but probably not quite that close. But we'll see...
Sad to see TH-cam being a jerk again, they never cease to amaze
TH-cam should be ashamed of themselves, this is happening more and more often to excellent channels.
Dad was wounded by shellfire near to Elst on 15/10/44. He was attached to 130 brigade, 43rd Wessex Div. He’s 98 this year and still remembers a lot about his time.
May God bless Dad!!
Thank him please for his actions! We Dutch are grateful to all Allies.
Thanks, a very informative video. I will show this to friend of mine who's a 97 year old Arnhem veteran who's attending the 75th anniversary at this moment.
Respects to them all.
Montgomery actually had an alternative plan to Market Garden on the 9th/10th September. This was for a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected this alternative proposal and decided on Market Garden instead.
Montgomery had zero jurisdiction to decide airborne operations. Brereton and Eisenhower had the say so.
And that would be due to the flooded Schweldt would have drowned too many para's
Excellent summary. I have often wondered what the aftermath was. Thank you.
Awesome video. I have heard a lot about Market Garden, but very little about what happened afterwards, so this video was really interesting.
Great video thank you - too often the Hunger Winter is overlooked - some of my cousins were born with holes in their hearts attributed to the malnutrition suffered by their mother as a child during that winter in Amsterdam. Her family survived by eating tulip bulbs. The stakes for a successful outcome of Market Garden were so high for everyone.
Thankfully my family either had farmer friends or owned a bakery, so they themselves didn't suffer as much as many others.
It was very bad. In the month of February 1945 around 1500 people died of starvation in the city of The Hague.
It would be great to see a piece on the 15,000 deserters spoken of in this video. It would also be interesting to see a piece on the German ports that held out for long periods of time. Thank you.
Dunkerque never surrenderd till May ´45.
I never heard about that many deserters from the US Army in 44! Could be an interesting topic in itself!!!
An interesting read for that: historywithatwist.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/how-u-s-deserters-sowed-terror-in-world-war-ii-paris/ (dunno how accurate the source is though)
Yes! Fifteen thousand American deserters is what most “popped” out at me from this video. I had never heard anything remotely like this before!
He failed to mention the rapes and the murders committed by US troops against French civilians.
ur2c8...Probably because that was a rare or non existent problem; severely punished when it did occur! May be best if you were to keep your Leftist, anti-American Bullsh!+ out of what was an honest discussion?!
@Robert Dougherty @ur2c8 Or maybe one could support his controversial claims with facts/historical evidence and the other with counterarguing instead of dismissing it as "leftist antiamerican bullshit", if it is supposed to be a honest discussion.
What a treat to have you continue your Arnhem documentary a bit!
And BTW, if you look at detailed maps of the scheldt. It looks a bit suicidal to attack there frontally. Maybe that's a good reason why they didn't want to do it.
Very well presented and thought-provoking video. Thank you.
There is a man I know in Canberra Australia who has a "post Arnhem" story of his own. Jumped into Arnhem but failed to escape. Wounded and taken as a PoW, he tried to escape twice and ended up in a camp in Poland. Was freed by the Russians and, seeing he was able to drive, impressed him into their transport corp. In December in 1945, still driving for the Russians, he heard the war was over. News apparently travels very slowly in the Russian army it seems.
Nice one. Thanks for sharing. 👍
so many personal stories to be told. Thank You, sir @@dermotrooney9584
A camp in Poland in 1944? There was no Poland in 1944. Poland reemerged as a country in 1945 - a Soviet satelite state this time round. During WW2 Germans occupied Poland, German government was the government in Warsaw or Cracow.
@@wr7503 Well then he probably meant, "a camp which was in the geographical area which was called poland before and after the war as well as by many people during the war while it was under german control." The people in the camp at the time probably said it was in poland too because they were not going to let the germans tell them it was now germany.
@@macmcleod1188 There hasn't been a real Poland for centuries if not longer. What you're calling Poland, post WWII Poland, was as much of an artificial state as the post WWII Poland. One thing you can say for sure, the "occupied" are now the "occupiers." Most of present day Poland is really occupied 🇩🇪 Germany.
On behalf of a Dutchman thank you so much for sharing this. After this The German high command punished the Dutch hard.
No worries, Market Garden is one of my favourite battles, and the causes and effects of it are really interesting. Once day I hope to visit the area.
I always found the info about this to be scarce, thank u. The channel is growing healthy!
Great job on this. When I read or hear the value of Market Garden questioned, part of my answer is that at least it spared the southern Netherlands from the Hunger Winter.
Oh boy, I love Monday’s now, thanks TIK
Happy to make Mondays that little bit better :)
Thank you for highlighting this front after the big operation
No worries, I really enjoy talking about Operation Market Garden :)
Thanks TIK for this vides. I'd wondered about this question myself for quite some time.
Great episode, greatly appreciated. I knew an old boy Fred Bennett (from Chichester) who had fought at Arnheim. He was in the main town & hidden by, in his own words "2 lovely girls...who hid me until the Dutch Resistance got me out". Fred was one of those who crossed the Rhine.
The delivery of food to the civilians in Holland began WAYYYY before the timeline you stated TIK, the prince of the Netherlands pleaded with IKE to come to an agreement with the German commander Johannes Blaskowitz, for a ceasefire to allow air drops of food.
The USA name of the plan was called ‘operation chowhound’ the Brit’s/Canadians named their half of the operation, which name escapes me right now.
However, the Prince of Holland managed to contact both Churchill AND FDR, to get an OK for the operation, and in return, got the cooperation of German forces under the command of Blaskowitz like I said earlier. Now, this occurred DURING HEAVY combat operations, and Blaskowitz agreed to a specific flight path where allied planes were not to be fired upon, as long as the allied food planes remained in this very specific air corridor, they would be safe from German anti aircraft fire, and fighter attacks.
And true to his word (Blaskowitz) NO allied planes were lost to enemy fire during this humanitarian operation which delivered AT LEAST 11,000 tons of food. Only 3 planes were lost due to operational accidents.....
IN ADDITION, because the air drops were still not sufficient to feed so many people? The Germans also allowed a convoy of 200 allied trucks (lorries) to deliver food behind German lines.....
This cooperation from Blaskowitz likely had an effect on his acquittal on all 4 charges after the war at Nuremberg..... however, he committed suicide nonetheless in 1948 by throwing himself off a balcony on the way to the trial.
Why he did this? Who knows, like I said, he would go on to be acquitted of the 4 charges in the High Command trial, after his death.....however, I HAVE read that he was possibly implicated in some war crimes, executions, civilian retaliatory measures against partisan attacks on the eastern front earlier in the war, this is likely his rationale for killing himself.....
But yeah, I just thought I’d correct your timeline for the famine relief operations in Holland towards the end of the conflict.
Other than that? Cheers, all the other info and opinions you presented sounded correct based on my own individual research and knowledge about operation market garden and it’s aftermath.
Well done, and keep up the good work TIK! Cheers!
Nice one. Thanks for sharing. 👍
@Scott Natale I think you're searching for the name of operation Manna? Perfect name, in my opinion as they really where a godsend for the people living in the large cities of North and South-Holland. The area's more in the east / north had distinct advantage as being surrounded by more rural area's.
Blaskowitz is such an interesting figure - I wish he wrote a memoir before he offed himself.... or a fucking suicide note so we'd know why he did it. He's probably my 'favorite' German officer of the war, just because he disproves the lame "if I opposed the Nazis I would've been killed!" excuse many German officers used after the war - Blaskowitz opposed the Nazis directly several times.
@емза братот "most" - nein
The what happened after market garden question remembered me of the fight for S-Hertogenbosch, that would make a cool mini battlestrom video in the future
Nice you finally learned the Zuiderzee is actually the IJsselmeer (since the ‘30) . I also noticed there was another big battle going on in the Netherlands. That was the allied offensive to the Maas, the battle at Overloon and Roermond, in the same period (October November 1944). Good video though. Thumbs up and go on :)
10.26 'fortress' garrisons in the ports meant supplies had to be driven by truck from the Normandy beaches. Red Ball Express
I just watched/listened to this discussion. About 6 times already. Thanks for the info, very good. Love your technique of giving us facts when you know them and when opinions are given , you are clear that is IS an opinion. I just got a copy of the 1974 "The World At War" video(s) and have watched episode 19, Pincers. It starts with Operation Market-Garden, with interviews with General Horrocks and others. It really helps understand the whole situation coming from the horses-mouth. Again thank you for your knowledge and your time in making these vids.
Awesome TIK. Brilliant video. Love these off the main battles analysis.
I'd love to see TIK cover the Battles surrounding the capture of Walcheren Island.
Thankyou for sharing you very informative video ! - My father fought for Caen -Eindhoven -Nijmagen - Dad has spoke of the war & Dad knew so much about things you know he had to be there ? - He was the most honest person I ever knew - So I never doubted any thing he told me ?
But when Dad got started to get poorly - He agreed that when he came out of hospital - He would sit down with me and talk about his war years & After the war when he signed up for the British Control Commision - Andvlet me tape - His conversation ! - Joining the Control Commision I Think I was my Dads way to make amends for the destruction ! He had caused while fighting axis forces - That wonderful opportunity was snatched away from us ? - Because Dad never came home from hospital ?
Many thanks SB British Isles
this is such good shit, I watch all the WW2 docus, this is the most intellectural and historical stimulation, many tanx!!!!
Very interesting video, i hadn't heard about german frogmen, especially not of a mission to blow up the nijmegen bridge.
Thanks for this, I too have wondered what happened after the Paras surrendered.
It seems too much of history is dominated by glorious battles, won or lost, and not enough on what happened next.
As always your videos on Arnhem was very interesting. I once left another comment regarding this battle. My father took part in the fighting as a member of 3 Para. He was wounded and captured by the German Paras and, after spending time in their hospital he, and several others from 1st Airborne Div. were being moved back to a POW camp when for some reason they were forced to divert and the only place that could hold them for a time was Belson. Also, after the war my father, while still in the army, happened to meet up with one of the guys that had the task of burying the bodies at Belson with bulldozers. So, just one of the untold tales of somebody that fought in this battle.
My father fought at Arnhem, he swam the Rhine to escape from the encirclement at Oosterbeek. He made his way back to Britain and was returned to his unit (Royal Artillery) with whom he fought till the end of the war. He was a good man but suffered with what we now now as PTSD. On his way out of Arnhem he was in a house that was strafed, he couldn't sleep inside for months afterwards. I wish I knew more about his experiences but he couldn't or wouldn't talk about. Even watching the Alan Ladd film about the battle which used to be shown every year gave him nightmares.
Although I know quit a bit about the battle of Arnhem it is always good to see your step-by-step map TIK. The battle comes alive and one can suddenly grasp how it unfolds. Good video again TIK, but I know that you know there has being much more fighting on 'The Island' between sept '44 and april '45. (Remember Dick Winters battle at the Dike at Driel/Heteren). The whole episode is worthwhile a separate video. As a matter of fact a Dutch director Bram van Workum is preparing to shoot a movie called Betuwe '44. TIK, although I am not able to patron support you yet (credit card issues) I would like to invite you to come to my hometown Arnhem and I will guide you, drive you around, feed you and make sure you get a decent bed to sleep in.
TIK on tour. That would be great.
In the movie "A Bridge Too Far" we last see the man with the umbrella mortally wounded after the final surrender in Arnhem. So I'm surprised to learn he not only lived, but managed to getaway with a decent number of his comrades.
If you believe that film, you'll probably be in for a lot more surprises, tbf.
Digby Tatham_Warter was portrayed as a bit of a pratt in the film. He was one of the bravest, and would use his military rational to inflict without flinching. After the war he moved to kenya where he was one of the first to open a bloodles safari where folk could actually study the animals. He died in 1993.
Howdy!
Excellent conclusion video, but I'd love to hear more about what happens next.
Perhaps a video on the engagements during the last months of 1944 between the end of Market Garden and the start of Wacht am Rhein; the fighting in and around Aachen in November and other occurrences leading up to the Ardennes counteroffensive?
Imagine trying to get across the southern Netherlands later on in worse weather and with tougher German defences. Market Garden got to Nijmegen (where the British and Canadian advance into Germany in 1945 kicked off from) in less than 3 days.
I suspect it would have taken far longer and with considerable killed and wounded in, say, November.
My recently deceased friend served as a sapper in 1st SAS and told me whilst we were in Arnhem that he and three or four others had joined the Americans and dropped just outside Nijmegen to assist in removing demolitions on the bridge. He could name all the other sappers and recounted his actions with clarity I can find no official record of SAS involvement.
@Cloud Burst 117 It was the Belgian SAS who was in the Arnhem area as pre-Ops-recon for the operation Market. All revealed in the book "Belgian SAS at Arnhem". arjanatwork3@gmail.com
lol what a crock of lies
Couple of points. The German 363.Volksgrenadier-Division is located in the wrong place on the video map. It was not attached to II.SS-Panzerkorps in the Arnhem area (with 10.SS-Panzer, 9.Panzer and 116.Panzer-Divisions), it was subordinated to the newly arrived XII.SS-Armeekorps based in Ede, which controlled the newly reformed 363.Volksgrenadier-Division (an army infantry division reorganised with less manpower but more automatic weapons) from Germany, and the in situ Division von Tettau that controlled various training units under German Armed Forces Netherlands during the Airborne battle.
363.Volksgrenadier-Division, having arrived in Ede by train, was deployed across the Rijn to the west of Opheusden, and it was units from this Division that attacked the US 101st Airborne in the Opheusden area, while faint attacks like Oelker's SS training unit (from the SS NCO school) crossed in the Doorwerth area (between Renkum and Driel on the map) as described in the video. These feint attacks were to draw attention away from attacks by II.SS-Panzerkorps in the east that were hoped to retake the Nijmegen bridges. It was even hoped that if all these attacks succeeded, they would link up and clear all Allied forces on the 'island' between Arnhem and Nijmegen. It all came to nought because Allied units on the island were too strong.
To avoid any confusion, the 9.Panzer-Division in this video is the army unit relocated to Holland from Aachen along with 116.Panzer-Division, and not its SS counterpart the 9.SS-Panzer-Division, which had been in the process of entraining for Siegen in Germany to be refitted when the Airborne attack took place. After the Airborne battle was over, it completed its move to Germany, leaving its sister division the 10.SS-Panzer-Division in Holland.
The second point was that while the Germans controlled the civilian Dutch telephone system, there was another telephone system in the Province of Gelderland that the Germans were completely unaware of. This was an advanced internal network belonging to the PGEM electricity company that used communications cables on the electrical transmission lines running across the province. Since the southern half of Gelderland was in Allied hands and the northern part still in German hands, the Dutch resistance had a secure means of communication across the frontlines the Germans didn't even know existed.
Interesting sidebar - one of the switchboards for this system was in a PGEM office building that had been occupied by the SD (the SS Security Service) in Arnhem. The Dutch resistence had to pose as PGEM workers (those with the necessary knowledge worked for the company anyway) to gain access to the building for 'regular maintenance' of 'essential equipment' in order to make their calls to Allied held Nijmegen.
A friend of mine, of the local branch of the Airborne Forces Association, now passed of course managed to evade capture for a period, then was captured. He once again managed to jump off the transport and made it back to the allied lines with assistance from the Dutch underground. After a brief spot of leave, which he cut short, he was unitless. As the Rhine Crossing was being finalised he asked to be sent to an Airborne Battery for the Rhine Crossing. I asked him why he wanted to switch Divisions, I got a typical Para response, "we never quite managed it at Arnhem, so I wanted to make up for that, and get the job done." Airborne, a breed of their very own.
Trooper Bear
Excellent video. One 'pick'; the U.S. flag you're using has 50 stars; it should only have 48, as the 50 star flag was adopted after the 1960 election.
Wow, thank you! I would never have realised that, so thanks for pointing it out
48 stars is correct for 1944 and up until July 4, 1959 when a star for Alaska was added. (49 stars) Another star was added July 4, 1960 recognizing the statehood of Hawaii. Alaska became a state Jan 3, 1959 and Hawaii August 21, 1959. Nothing to do with the 1960 election. I had to look up the exact dates, but recalled 50 states having been achieved before the 1960 election.
Very interesting video. Thanks. My father in law was Dutch and served in the Dutch merchant marine. Was in at least one convoy to Murmansk. He wound up working for the New York Dutch Naval attache's office. His relatives were very bitter about the Nazis when I met some of them as late as the 1970's.
The 49 star flag - 7x7 stars - was used for only one year.
A few Hawaiians fly it as a cheeky way to thumb their nose at the other 49 states.
BTW, that's why the old TV series (and the recent remake) "Hawaii Five-O" got their name - Hawaii was the 50th state to be admitted to the Union.
@@TheImperatorKnight literally unwatchable
The 50-star flag was formally adopted July 4, 1960. The election was November 8, 1960
An excellent appreciation worthy of the best.
Pretty unknown part of history. Great vid!
Yes, a lot of the Market Garden books don't really mention it, and the details are sparse. It's a shame.
Western front is always always a major success with no drawbacks whatsoever in those books. Wonder why, hmm
Good topic. One suggestion for improving it would be to have the place names in the narrative on the map (some were some weren't) and to have the map coincide with the narration more closely. I was having a bit of difficulty trying to follow a detailed narrative and visualize the detailed geography at a fast pace. I have a pretty good general geographical knowledge of the area but not enough to follow the narrative as well as I would have liked as it was being given. Take care. Doug
Hi,
This video which acts as a nice conclusion to the battles of Arnhem. The Battle of the Scheldt by 1st Canadian Army is often forgotten in the North-West Europe campaign. For historians 70 years removed, it is hard to imagine how difficult the canal crossings were, or the flooded fields to cross, and the pillboxes dominating the passageways to overcome. The German army deliberately flooded the fields which ensured allied soldier could not dig in nor find cover. To add to the general misery of the situation was the cold as this operation was conducted in October and November. Thank you for this video and mentioning this campaign.
There are one or two documentaries on TH-cam, but yes, it is often overlooked. Monty's diffidence caused a lot of problems at the front and he almost got fired for it.
The valor of the Canadian divisions during 1944 cannot be exaggerated. They took on the dirty high casualty work at Caen and at the Schedlt. Other than elite (airborne, ranger, amour units) Canadians were the arguably best infantry troops under Ikes command that year. As for Monty, I had always been under the impression he was avoiding casualties as much as possible at this point. Given the truly dire British manpower shortages on western front at this time , a far less mobilized america that had fought for two less years , and not been blitzed, cant be too dismissive.
Very good documentary ,
Little correction:
The Dutch "Zuiderzee" had been renamed "IJsselmeer" by this time, due to the completion of the "Afsluitdijk".
Zee = sea and meer = lake. Because it was no longer in direct contact with the "Waddenzee" and/or the "Northsea", it turned from a sea into a lake, now named after the IJssel river (a side branch of the Rhine), that flows into this lake.
Correction? Yeah, keep watching the video. You'll understand when you see it
Bram van den Heuvel he points this out in the video
@@TheImperatorKnight Sorry, I always watch your videos at double speed and that part, though I was specifically listening for it, must have slipped through...
It is surprising that the Aflsuitdijk went unmolested, I would have thought both sides might be tempted to destroy it.
@@mahlapropyzm9180 I wouldn't know why anyone would want to destroy it. There wasn't any fighting near it.
Besides, it would take some substantial efford to blow it up or dig a hole in, as it is much more sturdy than a bridge.
Good video. Couple of picks; A "Räumungkommando" is not about repossession but about clearing out an area of all possible valuables. its pronounced as "roymung" as it has an umlaut on the A. The town of "Ede" is pronounced as "Ayduh". "Zuiderzee" is pronounced as "Zowderzay". Good call on the "Seine..!! "Waho Mohammed" ..!!
Interesting. Thanks for doing this video. As a Market Garden aficiconado, I've never understood why it took so long for the Allies to liberate The Netherlands after the Operation.
Really great as ever cheers Lewis.. 👍
This division symbols could be a in a card game
You mean like Magic or Pokemon? That's an interesting thought...
@@TheImperatorKnight I was thinking on something like a quartet. A new Pokemon or magic the gathering would be a bit too much ^^'
I think they look great, but I also think TIK should review his symbol for 1st Canadian Army at 8:54. It appears to show the 1st Canadian Armoured Infantry Division, which didn't exist. Harry Crerar's mug shot is correct.
@@TheImperatorKnight Oh man, imagine a WW2 military tactical card game.
Kind of like the tabletop wargames, but with rules abstracted to the level of a card game.
Go fish
Shelt campaign - I suggest reference to the memoir of the 52nd lowland division, it was trained for years as a mountain division for a campaign in Norway (that never happened), then had its heavy weapons removed to make it air portable to support the Arnhem operation and then finally went in to action in Flushing, flat land below sea level.
"An army fights on its stomach" - Napoleon; someone who had a problem with supplies. Monty seems to have never really studied logistics.
One point I think everyone forgets is there is a tendency for offensives to out run their supplies and grind to a halt. If the defenders can still retreat they can wiggle off the hook and reset themselves.
Montgomery was a master of logistics and supply. He was more savvy than any other commander in that aspect of war.
He was simply told by SHAEF intel at the end of the second week in September 1944 that the Germans in front of him were down on their knees. That's why he immediately decided on a quick advance.
I just watched this video with the intent of finding context for a memoir I am reading written by a member of A Company of the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, Private Donald R. Burgett. He jumped into Normandy and survived as an active member of the 101st through to the end of the war. His account of A Company's experience on the Island post Market Garden was complementary to the Band of Brothers Easy Company story but different and more harrowing. Your video, concentrates on the eastern end of the Island and does not fully address their defense of the western end around Opheusden against the entire 363d Volksgrenadier Division. So I recommend Burgett's memoir, which I have in three short volumes, Currahee, The Road to Arnhem and Seven Roads to Hell. I believe the memoir was originally published in the 60s and proclaims Burgett as the first enlisted man to write a history of the American Airborne. I am finding Burgett's memoir as riveting as Ambrose's Band of Brothers and related publications that added to Easy Company's history.
I also have his Arnhem and Bastogne volumes and found Don Burgett a reliable witness to events he was involved in, and I would say it's more reliable than some of Ambrose's work. Episode 4: Replacements of Band of Brothers is somewhat compromised in conflating two different actions at Opwetten and Nuenen into one battle. Episode 5: Crossroads is much better, thanks to Winters' detailed account of the 5 October action practically writing the script for them.
My own research into the German units involved was greatly helped by his testimony that clearly shows he knows the difference between a Tiger II and a Panther tank when he sees them (they have very similar profiles), and helped identify the German units, because he described a "Royal Tiger" leading a column of Panthers at Opheusden. This also lent credibility to his later account of meeting a Tiger II face to face at Noville near Bastogne, when most historians doubt the vehicles were even used in the sector. Evidence the schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 were in the Bastogne area are substantiated by a Tiger I wreck outside the town that had belonged to Panzer Kompanie 'Hummel' at Arnhem and then subsequently incorporated into s.Pz.Abt.506 as their 4.Kompanie for the Ardennes offensive, so I have no doubt Don was on the money.
The Germans apparently used this tactic of having the heavy Tigers spearhead attacks by columns of divisional medium tanks on more than one occasion and this happened near Arnhem in support of the October 1944 attack by 363.Volksgrenadier-Division as well as the first attacks and by-passing of Bastogne at Noville in December by 2.Panzer-Division.
There's also a video on TH-cam of Don travelling to the Nijmegen 'island' with author Mark Bando to locate the famous orchard rest area in which Don participated in the battle with a battalion of 363.VGD that had penetrated the American lines and established a position nearby, so I'm across most of the locations described in Don's books and the Easy Company stories as well.
Could you make a video about the German panzerturm or tank turrets that were used as static emplacements in the Atlantic wall and on the eastern front thanks its one of those topics that very few information is available online
Great video, thank u sir!
Glad you enjoyed it Jake!
Hello tik . I was wondering if you may be able to point me in the right direction on some research .
My grandads brother was in the oxford and Buckinghamshire regiment and was in the first air drop of Parachuter's that came in an hour after the gliders landed at what is now known as Pegasus bridge . he died there and we thought for years he had died almost immediately on landing . it was only many years later , when my grandad went to France on one of the d-day anniversary's to find his head stone , did we find out he died on d-day + 9 and from speaking to a veteran who was there and knew Stanley , that they had been repulsing a German armoured assault on the right of the bridge when a stug assault gun crashed though a bush on the road where he and a friend where sat in a fox hole , turned towards them and blew them both up . I want to know more about what the paras did after the orne bridge when fighting purely as infantry .
Thanks for your efforts and please concentrate on ww2 , it is the biggest event in human history after all .
Martin
Thanks for a Great video
My father Fred Pearce was a sergeant in 1st Airborne Ox & Bucks defence platoon in trenches surrounding the 1st Airborne HQ at the Hartenstein hotel
He was shot in the leg & taken prisoner of war for nine months until the end of the war
He never spoke a word about Arnhem for 46 years except he once said he & other paras ate raw eggs from a farm when trying to evade capture from the Germans
I have his name on a one page list of sergeants taken pow signed by Colonel Warrack & the date is 6 days after the official end of the battle
Although you say fighting did continue for some time
After dad died in 1990 I did lots of research & assumed the 6 days was because they hid from the Germans in the countryside
I have learned so much from TIK history and amazed that on two occasions the Germans were ready to wipe all of Ist Airborne out completely because they refused to stop fighting but on the second occasion the poles were landing
Thank you for an amazing video
My mother suffered, but survived the 1944 Dutch Hunger Winter in Rotterdam, and distinctly remembers eating Swedish White bread and butter dropped by the English at the end of the Hunger Winter. She said it was an unforgettable delight !
This explains a lot about the characters in the film "Kelly's Heroes" which, although a comedy - had to be based on tale tales from the ETO in 44/45. Roving gangs of Allied soldiers et al.
Thanks for posting.
A very thorough and informative presentation about the aftermath of operation Market Garden.
I did learn a lot.
I may well be wrong but I think that the mad colonel of Arhem's name is pronounced "doebee" like toby is, but with a D.
I stand to be corrected.
The Battle of Walcheren Island is well worth studying as it presented a number of novel difficulties for the attacking troops. It also featured the British 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, famous for having been trained in mountain warfare and airborne warfare, but finally sent to fight below sea level on the flooded polders around the Scheldt estuary.
ur2c8 I agree, but there isn't much info about it. My Uncle took part and was awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross.
So good, once again thanks for your online scholarship
There is a few bits I'd add. Digby Tatham -Water was my great uncle and part of the story is that whilst he was waiting to organise the escape he was going around with a local and pretended to be defe and dum!
Thank you for this video brother man.... didn’t know the Germans had frogmen... also not to nit pick a quality video I can’t remember the time stamp but I believe I saw a mistake when you were covering the escape in which Easy Co. assisted in... you had Easy Company 3 battalion 506th 101 the correct identifier should be Easy Company 2 Battalion 506th 101st.... if I am mistaken I apologize.... again amazing video
Great video! You may want to do a video on the battles of hells highway and overloon in fall 1944. Lots of amazing history that is not known by most historians or history enthusiasts
Just recently went to the Overloon museum. Very nice place! Though I wish their presentation on the battle of Overloon and the surrounding areas was a little more thorough. Still well worth visiting!
What a fubar! I did not know the whole picture and now I know a little more. Thank you.
Beware of "Brother Ambrose". His books were written solely with profit in mind. Historically accurate facts were often sacrificed for sake of a good story - making the task of HBO mini-series writers easier. Check out "The Road to Arnhem" by Donald R. Burgett for an accurate description from an enlisted paratrooper's (A Company 506 PIR - 101st ABD) point of view.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
You wrote the book on getting things wrong - you embellishments are all over the comment sections
Yes- a populist author of no real historical merit.
Tik, do you have a video on the falaise pocket-gap?
I do not at the moment. I'm working my way through the North African Campaign so I can go through Italy then Normandy, and then reach Falaise. Is a long-term strategy for the channel, but I hope it will pay off in the end.
11.10 How many civilian cars were there by that time?
My surveying teacher from trent polytechnic 1982 was captured at Arnhem. He maintains he was the only man shot in rhe arse whilst advancing. He was sent to a pow camp and the germans had less food than they had and let him just walk out of the gates. After two days of no food he was forced to walk back in, get fed and wait to be liberated. Nobody cares by that time apparently but anly a month before the fighting was so bitter. I wish i could remember his name. A huge scotsman, probably and sadly passed by now.
Another really interesting video, were the Deserters ever punished?
I'm amazed at the number of Deserters and the selling of military fuel. I can understand stealing food, but abandoning your fellow soldiers and actively denying desperately needed military resources from reaching your side must be as bad as spying behind enemy lines. Did any of them get punished, even executed?
Private Eddie Slovak was the only US Army soldier executed in WW2 for desertion. The rest who were charged were courts martialed for various offenses and punished.
@@Idahoguy10157 - thank you for that, I guess after the experiences of the First World War, attitudes where very different about executing men in combat zones. I think if I'd seen my comrades killed at Arnhem and then heard about deserters making money from our supplies, I don't think I'd have been as forgiving.
John Doe .... Courts did order executions for desertions. Executions had to be approved by Eisenhower which he’d overturned. Slovak was repeatedly warned by Officers to change his defense and refused too. He was a victim of himself.
Slovak brought it upon himself. He wrote a letter stating his plans to dessert and that he had no intention of fighting and would rather be in jail. He was given numerous opportunities to recant but refused to do so. Yes he was made an example.
Dear TIK - Thanks very much indeed. As inciteful and detailed, but also entertaining as ever. I had no idea the post-M.G. events were so convoluted and interesting, but the brutality against the Dutch was a sad shock to hear. Thanks again, Monty
Thank you for sharing
The point of the thrust northward would be to not just get the Scheldt area but to also put the port of Rotterdam in play, plus the German units in Holland. IMHO Market Garden was the best move to make given the logistical situation. It put two major ports within reach and would directly threaten the Ruhr.
3:57 'reduced to the size of kampfgruppe'. What does this actually mean, since as I understand it, a kampfgruppe is an improvisational unit made up from whatever was in the area? Can't the size vary immensly as a result or is my understanding of the formation wrong?
Yes but generally smaller than the thing it used to be. 🖖
Kampfgruppe is appropriately 130 effectives.
That 19 minute mark series of photos during the Hunger Winter, wow. Sharp, painful. The image of the starving/crying infant...
TIK do you ever read the war diary's of the units that were there ?
I think that Montgomery, having failed to convince Ike of the merits of his single thrust plan, decided to take it on on his own, and force the issue, although Ike wrote later that he would not have allowed Monty to push on alone, and Antwerp was top priority.
Montys single thrust plan did still include US 1st and 3rd armies sticking alongside his 21st Army group. So even though it was a, single thrust it would still have been hundreds of miles wide involving 4 armies. Montgomery just didn't want to waste men and resources in the Lorraine, Alsace and southern Germany. He, rightly, wanted a single very powerful thrust in northern Germany, firstly against the Ruhr area and then to Berlin.
Southern Germany was a side issue to him. Germanys strength was in the north.
A good question - and a good answer. :-D
Realy interesting video once again, though the Zuiderzee incident did take all the credibility out of the video ofcourse
Of course haha
What's a Zoiderzee? :)
(congrats on some of the pronounciations by the way... but that 'ui' sound will ever elude you English types :) ).
Monty's purpose for Market Garden was an allied spearhead all the way to Berlin and an end to the war by Christmas as crazy as that sounds. When Monty didn't get approval from Eisenhower, he threw a fit and Market Garden was the consolation prize. There was no consideration made in regards to the German controlled Scheldt estuary or all the islands along the way. Given the allied supply problems, it's so obvious the Scheldt should have been the objective and the opening up of the port of Antwerp.
Actually Montgomery had an alternative plan for Market Garden, which was a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected it and chose Market Garden instead.
Eisenhowers broad front strategy was a disaster. It prolonged the war by months and caused the failures in the Lorraine, Hurtgen Forest, Operation Queen and the retreat in the Ardennes.
My grandmother who lives near Apeldoorn still remembers people coming and asking for food. They walked days to get a bag of potato's. My grandmother's parents had a farm so they werent lacking food.
They gave these poor people pancakes with bacon and allowed them to sleep in the barn underneath horse blankets.
Next morning they were gone, along with the blankets. They had thrown up all over the place. They werent used to proper food.
My grandma is 85.
Hey TIK, i just had a quick question for you. I'm writing a term paper for my history class on German night fighters of WWII. I was wondering if you have any books you can recommend for some sources on this topic. Thank you very much!
I would like to add the Canadian offensive in the Spring of 1945 that liberated the east of the Netherlands.
Prior to that the allies cleared the south of the Netherlands.
very good video
It wasnt just the Canadians that took Antwerp. My Uncle. Badged Essex but with No4 Commando was awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross for his actions at Walcheren!
One more question! Where were allied planes during MG couldnt they support Brits at Arnhem?
Where were the Allied planes during MG, they were there supporting the ground troops including the 1st airborne div.
Just got done watching Operation Biting, Any plans for more Battlestorm about the smaller engagements of WWII (ones that can be compressed into a single video) such as Bloody Gulch, Brécourt Manor, or Operation Chariot?
Also, I remember you saying you were planning on doing videos about the Holocaust and Holodmor, will that be happening in the foreseeable future?
Also, 6th :)
There's a few small operations within both Courland and Stalingrad - the next Battlestorms. After that, who knows!?
And, while I do intend to cover the Holocaust and Holodomor, this video has confirmed that I won't be able to monetize such videos (see pinned comment). I also suspect that TH-cam doesn't really promote demonetized videos which is discouraging. So yes I will do them (probably after Courland), but right now I'm a bit disheartened by TH-cam's anti-history stance.
@@TheImperatorKnight
>TH-cam is run by assholes
News at 11
Also, I noticed you mentioned in the video that Jews hiding in Arnhem at the time of battle were caught in mop-up. Any idea as to their ultimate fate? I imagine that if they weren't killed on the spot, most would've been sent to Westerbork transit camp, although the last transports to Auschwitz had left on September 3rd, (Anne Frank was on this one iirc), 14 days prior to the launch of Operation Market Garden (iirc all future planned transports to Auschwitz were suspended specifically in response to Operation Market Garden because the Wehrmacht didn't need trains of Jews clogging up the rail lines when the Allies were threatening to completely overrun the Netherlands).
@@TheImperatorKnight I dont see a pinned comment
The Duch Railways went on strike on September 17th in support of Market Garden. The German Railways (DRB) took the service over but only to supply their own troops and bring V2's to The Hague and bring all the looted factories and the railwayssystem itself to Germany.
My Dad’s unit was attached to a British unit in North Africa or Anzio. He said their rations were horrible. He spoke of a fish paste, that was particularly horrible.
Missing Jerrie cans As I understand it. The US made little effort to collect and return empty cans for reuse.
This was pretty dark. The retaliation against the Dutch civilians was just like how the Germans treated the Slavs in Eastern Europe.
Bad lottery ticket due to geography. In remote areas, people were able to flee the battle or the authorities evacuated them.
Definitely, in the east the population fared worst considering its basically a war of annihilation there
@@Schmusekatze42 you might want to read about the Hunger Winter. Tens of thousands and perhaps a hundred thousand dutch died of starvation.
The Germans took some 260 civilians as hostages in Finnish Lapland, but they later released the prisoners unharmed. Although the Germans' delaying scorched earth and land mine strategies devastated Finnish Lapland, military impacts were relatively limited.
Interestingly, at that time, it was said that the Sami people had Asian blood. Recent genetic studies have indicated that the "Nganassan" autosomic component now makes up more than 25% in the Sami.
The are alot of stories of American soldiers looting civilian houses in Belgium and The Netherlands
How long did the Germans hold Dunkirk in 1944? Is there a lot written about it?
The irony
As far as I know, Hitler ordered his troops to stay in their "fortress" to force the allies into a bloody and long battle however the allies were not interested so they let some troops in a siege
It held out until the end of the war. The Germans had a significant forces in Dunkirk and were able to even counter attack the allies there late in the war. Check out Operation Blulcher: The Last German Attack in France, April 1945 th-cam.com/video/FXqg-6YKU7Q/w-d-xo.html
@@scottperry7311 That is fascinating, thank you for the info
This video answered my question as the film ABTF seemed to indicate a complete failure and subsequent withdrawal. Not surprised as to the treatment of the Dutch population. British citizenry on the Channel Islands (Jersey et al) were subjected to the same treatment. Had it not been for the Intl. Red Cross provisioning two shipments of food during that 44-45 winter the outcome would have been catastrophic. After Liberation the British found the Germans had squirreled away 5 years supply of food and sundries, once they were cut off from resupply with the fall of western France coast. Narragansett Bay.
Could you discuss the German withdrawal from Warsaw in Jan ‘45? It never gets discussed? I never see maps or find a clue abou5 how they managed to slip away or what they left behind.
I was just wondering where did you get the map that you used in the first part of the video that you also used in your marked garden series? Did you make it yourself or did you buy it/download it? Wanted to use it for a miniature game campaign if it is possible to get.
possibly the worst actor I have ever seen. Though he plays an incompetent historical figure, a Roman Emperor, he plays it so poorly. Accompanying this farce of acting are an overabundance of meaningless, posed shots of Roman soldiers shuffling around. None of the people in the background or at the edge have any part in the story other than their costumed presence. The story-telling of this chaotic, yet fascinating period of Roman history is really poor, stuttering and entirely to British. There is some sort of strange obsession the British have with producing Roman historical epics where all the leading parts are by obsessively British personalities and dialogue. The actual history here drips out, loops around itself, and is presented with very poor coherence. The cast is huge but the production values and staging are so stiff, so boring it is truly hard to find the words for how bad it is. I cannot say more than this, unless you are desperate or an an absolute historical fanatic, you will not enjoy this stiff, slow, boring "narrative drama". It is done up like a really bad "Discovery" or "History Chanel" docu-drama for a dead weekend.
@@TRUECRISTIANJESUS The fuck? did you reply to the wrong comment or something??
The whole Sheldt situation was a cockup, everyone at the top knew it and no one wanted the blame.
The only ones who had a clue as to its importance was the German command.
But the Scheldt suceeded. In fact it was the only allied compaign of autumn 1944 to actually achieve its objectives, whereas the Lorraine, Hurtgen, Operation Queen etc all failed and with higher casualties.
If anyone wants to read about the escape of the paras from Arnhem, the book called The grey goose of Arnhem by Leo Heaps is recommended, it jumps around but gives a great view of how the escape happened from the soldiers there
From Monty, The Field Marshall by Nigel Hamilton:
General Student, in a statement after the war,considered the ‘Market Garden’ Operation to have been proved to be a great success. At one stroke it brought the British 2nd Army into the possession of the vital bridges and valuable territory. The conquest of the Nijmegen area meant the creation of a good jumping board for the offensive which contributed to the end of the war.
He said nothing like that the Germans couldn't believe the planner Montgomery was so daft - their words.One 64 mile road you can't turn around on is the idea of an idiot
Big Woody
Rambo how was the therapy today? Do you go everyday or just some days of the week?
Johnny Burns have them remove your ankle monitor so you can enter the library where they may read a book for you.The have audio books for the blind or the less eveolved such as yourself
Most interesting.
Sorry if this is answered in your Kurland documentary, but you mention Dutch workers being taken into Soviet captivity. Were they treated as PoWs? When were they released back to the Netherlands?
Kuhlfurst “Soviet captivity” means The Gulags. Basically concentration camps where people worked till they died.