We have a sub-series in which we answer your questions about World War Two and the production and team and general! They are called 'Out of the Foxholes' and we've already done seven of them. If you have an interesting question you want us to answer, you can submit it here: community.timeghost.tv/c/Out-of-the-Foxholes-Qs Cheers, Joram *RULES OF CONDUCT* STAY CIVIL AND POLITE we will delete any comments with personal insults, or attacks. AVOID PARTISAN POLITICS AS FAR AS YOU CAN we reserve the right to cut off vitriolic debates. HATE SPEECH IN ANY DIRECTION will lead to a ban. RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, OR SLAMMING OF MINORITIES will lead to an immediate ban. PARTISAN REVISIONISM, ESPECIALLY HOLOCAUST AND HOLODOMOR DENIAL will lead to an immediate ban.
The italian objective of the Spring offensive was to retake North Epirus, cross the greek-albanian borders and capture the greek city of Ioannina (the smallest distance between the city and the borders is aboit 42 km). Gains: 1 Hill
The Nigerian aspect of the war is one of the reasons why I love this channel. I never even knew there were Nigerian participation at all. Makes me wonder just how much was left out of the mainstream!
In 2014, I met one of the Nigerian Veterans from this war. He was my patient, and at 95yrs old, was one of the most pleasant people I ever met. He told me, "the secret to a long life is ensuring you do right by others, both in private and publicly".
My great uncle fought in this war. my grandmother told me they were paying equivalent to a farmers one years wage to fight in the war. When i told my history teachers in school they said i was lying. History is best learned at home
Dear @World War Two, I am half Bulgarian, and half Nigerian, and I find it very interesting that you jumped from Bulgaria to Nigerian on some of the most untold and important topics in history for me. :) Thank you.
Hello I am from Burma and have never heard about that before. Can you please give me some information about when (before or after Japanese occupation) or where (which regions were they assigned to) or something. It's really interesting to know. thank you!
@leonardimas1 they were not cowards but their population is too low to fight both the Japanese and the Germans. And their raw materials were limited. The colonies provided cheap source of men and material for the war
Thanks so much for the amazing story of the Nigerians - something I had never heard of. Even the wikipedia pages just say things like "During the East African Campaign, the 12th African Division attacked from Kenya into Italian Somaliland and then advanced into Ethiopia." No hint that this was *the fastest advance in history* and a story no-one else seems to have ever told.
Not much really is mentioned about Africa below the Sahara desert during WW II. In Africa most of French Western Africa remained loyal to Vichy. However, French Equatorial Africa supported de Gaulle and his free french forces. This was largely because of Félix Éboué, who was originally from French Guiana in South America. Before the start of the war, he had been appointed has Governor of Chad. Read this on him - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Félix_Éboué The UK. sent 90.000 African soldiers to fight in the jungles of Burma. Many came from the African gold coast and Kenya. They fought bravely but it seems the UK. shortchanged them financially after the war ended. Watch this - th-cam.com/video/DWIHOIZVZtE/w-d-xo.html
One hypothesis supported by some historians about how the Nigerian troops advanced so quickly in Ethiopia, is because Mussolini thought emails from a Nigerian prince were legit.
@@stc3145 The lease part of lend lease eplains, it was not free only ment to be paid later. Although I am pretty sure The US did erase a part of the Allied debt after the war.
Saw a portrait at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, of a Nigerian pilot who sponsored himself from Nigeria to Great Britain in order to fight for the British. When the war was over, a policy was made to abolish racial discrimination in recruitment, but in reality, there was an official consensus to deny Blacks such as that pilot enlisting into the Royal Air Force.
THE LORD BE WITH YOU CHILD OF GOD I DON'T KNOW YOU IN PERSON BUT GOD KNOWS YOU MORE,GOD SHOWED ME A REVELATION WHEN I WAS ON YOUR PROFILE TO SEE THINGS AROUND YOU.MY DEAR,I SAW GOD'S FAVOR,SUCCESS,JOY,BREAKTHROUGH.BEHIND THAT,I SAW MORE SPIRITUAL ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMIES,WORKING ON HOLDING SUCH BLESSINGS,CAUSING YOU SET BACK,BUT MY DEAR YOU ARE LIFTED ABOVE ANY SPIRITUAL TOWER.SO THE LORD INSTRUCT ME TO TELL YOU TO SOW A SEED INTO A MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME.(ORPHANAGE) AND YOU SHOULD NOT LET ANY ONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR SEED SOWING,BECAUSE IS A CONVENANT SEED BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THE LORD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU BEFORE THE END OF ( 2) TWO DAYS TO SOW A SEED INTO GODSTIME MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME (ORPHANAGE ) SOMEWHERE IN NIGERIA EDO STATE TO BRING SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN SOWING.(DEU.28:15)CONTACT THE M.D OF THE FOUNDATION ON WHATSAPP OR CALL HIM :(+2348073880701) DONT JOKE WITH THIS PROPHECY,BLESS YOU......
My great grandfather fought in hill 731 in the albanian front,unfortunately he died when i was 2 years old but my father and grandfather passed onto me many stories of his struggle in the war. In hill 731 the close combat became so fierce that blades became dull from the blood so they were fighting with their punches, shovels, the back of their guns as they run out of ammo, some people were biting other soldiers in their neck to kill them or gouging their eyes out. My grandfather had a hand-crafted one handed mace that we have donated in our local history museum thats dedicated to the war history of Greece since 1821. He also fought later in the battle for Crete.Unfortunately my great grandfather's struggles didnt finish after the war since he was forced to fight in the Greek civil war that followed.
THE LORD BE WITH YOU CHILD OF GOD I DON'T KNOW YOU IN PERSON BUT GOD KNOWS YOU MORE,GOD SHOWED ME A REVELATION WHEN I WAS ON YOUR PROFILE TO SEE THINGS AROUND YOU.MY DEAR,I SAW GOD'S FAVOR,SUCCESS,JOY,BREAKTHROUGH.BEHIND THAT,I SAW MORE SPIRITUAL ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMIES,WORKING ON HOLDING SUCH BLESSINGS,CAUSING YOU SET BACK,BUT MY DEAR YOU ARE LIFTED ABOVE ANY SPIRITUAL TOWER.SO THE LORD INSTRUCT ME TO TELL YOU TO SOW A SEED INTO A MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME.(ORPHANAGE) AND YOU SHOULD NOT LET ANY ONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR SEED SOWING,BECAUSE IS A CONVENANT SEED BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THE LORD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU BEFORE THE END OF ( 2) TWO DAYS TO SOW A SEED INTO GODSTIME MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME (ORPHANAGE ) SOMEWHERE IN NIGERIA EDO STATE TO BRING SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN SOWING.(DEU.28:15)CONTACT THE M.D OF THE FOUNDATION ON WHATSAPP OR CALL HIM :(+2348073880701) DONT JOKE WITH THIS PROPHECY,BLESS YOU......
As a Nigerian never have I heard or thought during my school days that Nigeria participated in the second world war it is in our history. I guess now my school days has just began.
As bad as it is, the Nigerian government removed history classes from the school curriculum. It's now worse. I am sure you were part of those taught under a system left by the British. There is no way the British colonialists would allow this part of Nigeria history be taught to young Nigerians.
This is why you guys will always be one of my favourite history TH-cam channels. I’ve done quite my fair share of reading on WW2 and was disappointed that countries like Nigeria’s participation was so over looked and rarely know. At the start of your WW2 week by week series I wondered if you would do the same thing everyone did but no, you delivered, making you guys number 1 on my list of WW2 channels.
Without doubt this is the most informative series I have ever come across. As an ex solder who has served in Egypt, Libya, West Germany, Singapore and Malaya in the 50/60's I have taken a keen interest in the 39/45 war by reading many books , watching videos and films. i thought I had a good knowledge! I am learning! Many thanks! Keep up the good work!
Imagine how confusing it was So some austrian guy in control of germany declares war on poland so you as a Nigerian are sent to east Africa to fight the Italians
This just shows how we Africans didn't have any demand in our own history. Why we needed to fight battles that is not our battles? We always been used by the others and die for them instead of our people
@@mattkeita3448 Oh, please cut the constant I am victim bullshit. Anyone fighting in the war had no choice. 18 year olds boys or even in the case of Germany 14 year old boys had to go fight in the war for a dictator, Russian soldiers who took one step back were shot because of Stalin another dictator.
@@alastair9446 The Russians were fight for Russia, the Germans were fighting for Germany. The country of Nigeria did not exist in 1941 so the "Nigerians" at the time were fighting for the British Empire. The Empire that exploited them and denied them basic rights and benefits that Germans and Russians had in their respective countries.
This channel has a way of bringing in people from all over the world- I thought I knew a lot about WW2 but that Nigerian advance- truly magnificent. Kudos, Time Ghost.
The entire Italian Greek war is a WWI styled clusterfuck. I still remember the words of Italian veterans I used to know and how they despised that senseless war...
I am So SO glad that these forgotten colonial troops are getting some attention now ! West Africans were among the toughest fighters who don't get enough credit for their contribution !
I'd assume in their own history writing they give their efforts the due credit. Europeans tend to concentrate on what's going on in Europe (even just their corner of Europe), Americans on the events the Americans participated in, etc.
I have a feeling that much of what they did in WWII was deliberately ignored or removed from the history books afterwards because of the colonial struggles in Africa. Britain was still trying to hold on to what was left of its empire and I can see why they'd want to avoid showing that those countries were capable of handling their own s**t just fine without British soldiers to "protect" them.
@@Raskolnikov70 no it's just british people like hearing about british history. Why would a white man want to hear about a black man's history. Do you think muslims in iran learn about the battle of hastings or the Ulster plantation. There nothing racist or sinister going on, if you want to hear about your history, research it yourself or pay/support someone who does
@@kondwanimututa2302 I'm not suggesting it's racist or sinister. What I am saying is that governments like to use history in their schools as a way to push a particular viewpoint or an idea of who they are as a nation. Look into Japan's denial of WWII war crimes or the United States' omission of a large part of its colonial history. Or how Turkey treats the Armenian genocide, or how the Soviet Union treated their treatment of the Tartars or Ukranians. These types of things happen everywhere, at least at the primary school and high-school level, and the decisions about what the curriculum aren't being made by the students based on their interests. They're being made by school boards and educators with their own set of biases and desire to push a certain narrative about their own nations. What do you think British schoolchildren were being taught about (to name one example) the Mau Mau rebellion while it was going on? That their brave soldiers were fighting for empire and glory and all that, or that the rebellion was directly instigated by British economic policies during WWII that led to the destruction of local economies and the famines that followed? All governments put a shine on their own actions, in order to justify their policies and decisions.
@@Raskolnikov70 Perhaps, but the colony system started to collapse gradually after the WW2. When the colonies gained independence, there was still loads and loads of WW2 veterans, politicians, and civilians who saw it alive. They would have had plenty of time to study it and write the experiences down. At that point there would have been no British, or other, oversight present anymore. Not to mention after the WW2, there would have been a lot of more objective studies available also in Europe and the USA, despite the Cold War, to be used as references by the locals.
This week in the Greco-Italian War, is marked by the opening of the major Italian Spring Offensive, the last attempt to defeat the Greek forces that had advanced deep into Albanian territory: The offensive, codenamed 'Operation Spring', concentrated along the 32 km-long (20 mi) central sector, against which the Italians threw the entire 11. Army (Gen. Carlo Geloso). At the central 5 km-long (3 mi) frontline, the Italians deployed VIII. Army Corps (Corps Gen. Gastone Gambara) consisted of five front-line divisions, plus two battalions of blackshirt troops. Behind it, Army Corps 'Ciamuria' (Corps Gen. Carlo Rossi) deployed four divisions. At Tepelenë, 29th Infantry Division 'Piemonte', and 131st Armoured Division 'Centaur' acted as reserve forces. Additional fifteen battalions of infantry, alpini and blackshirt troops of IV. Army Corps (Corps Gen. Camillo Mercalli), were deployed between the rivers Vjosë and Seman. The Italian plan anticipated that VIII. Army Corps was to make a thrust across Desnices valley, seize Këlcyrë (Klisura), drive on along the line Këlcyrë - Përmet, invade Greece, take the Greek town of Κonitsa, and eventually Ioannina, the capital of Greek Epirus region. The Greeks deployed XI Infantry Division (Μaj. Gen. Christos Zygouris) with eight battalions, opposite the Italian IV. Army Corps, and I (Maj. Gen. Vassilios Vrachnos), VI (Maj. Gen. Nikolaos Markou), ΧVII (Col. Socrates Demaratos), XV (Maj. Gen. Panaghiotis Spiliotopoulos) infantry divisions with nineteen battalions, opposite the Italian VIII. Army Corps. The 14,000 Thessalians of I Infantry Division that held the line Trebeshinë - Këlcyrë in particular, would absorb intense pressure. The Italian attack began at 0600 hours on Sunday, March 9, with Mussolini closely observant. Within the next two-three hours, tens of thousands of artillery shells hit the Greek positions. 190 planes also pounded the Greek entrenchments. At 0800 hours, the Italians launched a primary attack and at 0900 hours the main effort began against hills 731 and 717. Hill 731, was strategically located 20 km (12.5 mi) N of Këlcyrë (Klisura) at the feet of Trebeshinë mountain, and stood at the heart of the Greek defensive line. Both 717 and 731 were defended by the troops of II/5 btn under the Gold Cross of Valour recipient, Maj. Dimitrios Kasslas. Despite the intense Greek artillery fire, the first Italian troops (elements from 59th Infantry Division 'Cagliari' under the overall command of Div. Gen. Paolo Angioy) managed to reach the steep slopes of both hills, but the Greeks counter-attacked the oncoming Italians with fixed bayonets under the cover of dense smoke, and toppled them. By late afternoon, the Italians had launched four attacks against Hill 731, all repulsed by the Greek defenders. Μaj. Kasslas was able to re-establish communication with the higher echelon of command only at 1930 hours. Col. Themistocles Ketseas' order was a simple one: 'You shall hold your positions to the last man.' Hill 717 ('731's watch-dog' according to a Greek officer), was eventually captured and held firmly by the Italians, despite a series of repeated Greek efforts to retake it. A new Italian attack was launched against hills 1308 and 1030, to no avail. At the same time, a diversionary Italian assault on hills 709 and 710 was repulsed by the Greeks. The attack launched by elements from 38th Infantry Division 'Puglie' (Div. Gen. Alberto D'Apone) against Hill 1110 (Mali Spandarit) was also checked. The attack launched by the Italian 2nd Infantry Division 'Sforzesca' (Div. Gen. A. Ollearo) against Qafa e Mezhgoranit, was successful. The Italians took the ridge and the town of Mezhgoran, fortified it, and turned it into a forward base of operations and supply. On Monday, March 10, the Italian attack began at 0645 hours with tens of thousands of artillery shells hitting the Greek positions. At 0850 hours the Italians attempted to break the Greek defence line again at Hill 1308 while simultaneously assaulting Hill 731. The Greeks held their positions. Further to the N, the Italian 11th Alpini Regiment (Col. Giuseppe Zappini) from 5th Alpini Division 'Pusteria' (Div. Gen. Giovanni Esposito) attacked and seized a portion of Hill 1110 (Mali Spandarit) defended by elements from the Greek XI division (Μaj. Gen. Christos Zygouris). The Thessalonians of 13th Infantry Regiment (Col. Vassilios Kampanis) from XI division, were ordered to counter-attack immediately; the men fixed bayonets, rushed headlong into the Italians and toppled them, the battlefield was left strewn with alpini killed and wounded. Gen. Vrachnos in his 'Order of the Day' statement, demonstrated the high morale of the Greek defenders in the initial stages of the Italian offensive: 'Fighters of I Division! Before your relentless heroism all enemy efforts have been crushed. Before your iron lines three fresh enemy divisions have been beaten off inside two days. I'm so proud to say I lead Warriors!' On the contrary, the Italian morale had plummeted. Corps Gen. Camillo Mercalli, CO of IV. Army Corps, reported on the condition of the Italian army: 'On the 9th and 10th of this month (March) I saw units -even whole battalions, for hours and hours, even for days, despite the most violent and heavy continuous shooting by our artillery and infantry, advance only a few metres forward and then pin themselves to the ground. One infantry regiment preferred to remain all day under the deadly fire of the enemy's mortars and suffer great losses, rather than make that step forward which not only would have ensured the occupation of its objective, but would also have saved it from such painful and unnecessary sacrifices. One tends to think that there is no will there, or even worse, no heart! I cannot believe it! I do not want to believe it!' (End of Part 1)
(Part 2) On Tuesday, March 11, at 0430 hours, two Italian blackshirt battalions, VII. CC.NN. Assault Battalion 'Pavia', and LIII. CC.NN. Assault Battalion 'Padova', from CC.NN. 26. 'Alberto da Giussano' Legion, advanced through the Prroi Math defile in an attempt to outflank the defenders on 731. Their advance was accidentally detected by the Greeks, who sounded the alarm. Greek troops on the surrounding hills started shooting at the blackshirts, trapping them between deadly fire coming from the Greek positions. 250 blackshirts were killed or wounded and 501 became prisoner despite a diversionary desperate attack launched at 0945 hours to rescue them. During the night of March 11-12, the severely mauled Italian 38th Infantry Division 'Puglie' (Div. Gen. Alberto D'Apone), was replaced by 47th Infantry Division 'Bari' and blackshirt battalions. Mussolini asked Supreme Commander Cavallero's opinion on the initial results of the offensive; 'mediocre' replied Cavallero. 'Zero' said Mussolini. A large and massive Italian artillery bombardment intended to pulverise both the Greeks and their defences followed, against hills 731, 709, 710, 1060. At 0530 hours, on Wednesday, March 12, elements from the Italian 47th Infantry Division 'Bari' (Div. Gen. Matteo Negro) launched attacks οn hills 709, 710, 1030 and 731. All were repulsed by the Greek defenders. A hastily organised Greek two-company raiding force, raided the town of Mezhgoran, an Italian forward operating base, and took 235 Italians prisoner (12 officers). Early in the morning, the Italians concentrated their main effort on 731. They failed again. At Hill 1308, after a two-hour Italian artillery barrage, the attacking battalions of the Italian 140th Infantry Regiment from 'Bari' division, reached the steep slopes. The Greeks counter-attacked and a savage hand-to-hand combat began. Men on both sides were locked together and fought tooth and nail. Every weapon at hand was used, including bayonets, pistols, and rocks. Some used their bare hands or even their teeth. Col. Luigi Biasucci, the Italian regiment's CO was mortally wounded while fighting at the head of his unit. The Greek General HQ decided to relieve the exhausted divisions of B' Corps by the end of March, especially I division, because of the battered condition of its troops. XVII Infantry Division (Col. Socrates Demaratos) was ordered to replace I division by March 23. During the night of March 12-13, the Greek II/5 Btn (Maj. Dimitrios Kasslas) that had dug-in at 731, was relieved and replaced by III/19 Btn (Cpt. Panaghiotis Koutrides), as the 19th Infantry Regiment (Col. Panaghiotis Balis) had responsibility for the subsector. Maj. Kasslas' new mission was to reorganize what was left of the depleted and worn out II/5 Battalion. II/5 had taken more casualties inside four days, than every other Greek unit in the same subsector (586 KIA and WIA). On Thursday, March 13, after a two-hour Italian artillery barrage, the Italian attacks were almost entirely concentrated on 731. Now, the III/19's turn had arrived to defend the rocky hill. A series of attacks on it, were once again repulsed by the Greeks. The engagement reached its peak when the Greek 9th Coy of III/19 Btn under 1st Lt (Reservist) Isaac Lavrentides, charged into the oncoming attacking Italians with fixed bayonets and toppled them. On Friday, March 14, the Italians again assaulted Hill 731. The Greek III/19 btn, led by its CO Cpt. Panaghiotis Koutrides himself, charged into the oncoming attacking Italians with fixed bayonets. The Italians suffered serious casualties, dozens became prisoner. Cpt. Koutrides was wounded. On Saturday, March 15, the Italian Supreme Command Cavallero, ordered a series of night assaults. The ferocity of an ambitious Italian effort, shocked the Greek defenders at 731, so much so that the Greek lines almost collapsed. At 2000 hours, the CO of the Greek 19th Infantry Regiment Col. Panaghiotis Balis to rally his troops, brought the regimental colour, raised it on top, ordered the buglers to sound the 'Attention!' and stood still under the flag, while the battle was raging. The defenders on the hill through their tear-dimmed eyes, saw the colour unfold and took heart. The Italians were repulsed. Generals Ugo Cavallero (Chief of the Italian Supreme Command), Gastone Gambara (CO of VIII. Army Corps), and Carlo Geloso (CO of 11. Army) met on March 16, assessed the tactical situation and decided to temporarily suspend all ground operations until March 19. For three days, both sides engaged in limited patrol actions and some artillery dueling. [Photo of an actual Italian effort against Hill 731; the hill on the right, is 717] i.imgur.com/DUz63Di.gif
The "Ciamuria" unit refers to a zone in northwest Greece with numerous ethnic Albanians, and it suggests the Italians were trying to play the Albanian card. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameria
The name / surname of one of the greek commanders " Socrates Demaratos " that is mentioned is.... Odd. We all know socrates, and " Demaratos " was the name of the Spartan general who served under Xerxes in the greco -persian wars. The bulling that this guy should have suffered in his schooling years from his history teachers , i can only imagine it.
@@MrMortadelas the coat of arms in the second part is exactly that. When they sing..." Six days if rain there is no surrender there is no retreat" it is exactly that battle.
The western world find it hard to acknowledge the contribution of the Nigerian amy in the second world war. I have never heard of this before. Thanks for educating us about our history that was left behind in history of the second world war. Nigeria has always at the forefront of international peacekeeping, because world peace is a global responsibility.
Mussolini vastly overstated Italy's military build up and resources. Not exactly on point, but I recall that at one point before the war, when Mussolini was bragging about military prowess, he reviewed the Italian air force. It consisted of reviewing the air fleet in base on the ground. Then he and the press would drive to another base and repeat. then repeat at another base. Planes flew to the next site while the media was on the road. Same planes every time.
@@Ingulf_The_Mad The attack on York was a bit like the attack on USS Cole in 2000. It shows that a local command with resources in their disposal can be creative with an asymmetric attack. Individual commanders weren't necessarily incompetent but Mussolini's reach exceeded his grasp. Or at least he didn't develop the resources to hold on to the New Roman Empire. This is my impression but I'll defer to experts.
Unfortunately, that is far from true. The Italian soldier did fight bravely. It's main problem (other than poor equipment) was in its leadership. Under German leadership, the Italian soldiers were impressive. Rommel wrote after the 2nd battle of El Alamien, "The German soldier has impressed the world, however the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier." They were not just words. Rommel wrote often in his diary about the skill, daring, and persistence of his Italian soldiers.
Large parts of the British mainland were bombed this week, including Clydebank and Hull, two important port cities for the British supply. There's still an old cinema in the city of Hull that is bombed out, it was destroyed by a parachute land mine (1600 lb bomb) around March/April 1941. I used to drive past it to work everyday.
I visited a house in Jos, plateau state Nigeria and I saw a house with an old grave on it. The man buried there was a world War 2 veteran. So proud of him.
Loved this. I work at a boarding school with 20-30 Nigeria high schoolers yearly. A few other Africans also. I will definitely tell them I learned a little about their great troops. Hopefully they have some stories to tell me.
NO ONE gives more information then you in any videos. It’s amazing how you even identify the garrisons and who’s fighting on the line. Your awesome love the videos and just the whole theme.
It’s so funny everyone forgot about our effort in the war ,my dad told me then they had to contribute almost half of their wages to the British for ammunition etc ....it’s so funny Nigeria wasn’t even till today tempered for this ,but when it comes to bad stuff oh yes then they remember Nigeria is a country , shame shame
I was born in Italy and my parents are one Italian and one Nigerian, I saw this in the recommended and I was really curious about it! but when I didn't understand where the story started tho. Once I realised what this channel was I literally binge watched all the 80 videos in the last 3 days and I finally arrived here. this has in short time became by far my favourite channel I'm gonna soon support on Patreon as well!
A bit of a lull on the fronts. but at home the Japanese seem to be planing something new though... a lot of naval training and building activity going on.
I wish the Italians did the same with Europe, defend Europe from Africa with all those illegal immigrants coming to Europe. But it makes you think if the Italians are so bad why are Africans trying to get to Italy and to be ruled by Italians I think they wish the Italians were back in Africa.
@@fulviusinfabula I live in Africa too busy patrolling the borders here trying stop everyone from running away from this shit hole to go live under their former colonial masters. I mean really, we get rid of our colonial masters and now everyone wants to leave and live under them again.
My guess is that the phone call was someone saying that the Austrian-Hungarians were the best strategists in history under Hötzendorf Conrad Von Hötzendorf jokes never get old
Nope. Its about the fastest Military Advance in History, which he later reveals to be the Nigerians. Not Napoleon, not the Germans and not the Ottomans.
Indiana Jones first thing I think of when I hear Conrad von Hotzendorf is how incompetent he was how much Indy roasted his ugly ass in the Great War series
@@KnightofAges True, but there wasn't much sense in establishing those complex fortifications when motorized transport existed. One breakthrough anywhere along the line and you've suddenly got enemy troops 100km behind you tearing up your logistics infrastructure. A similar breakthrough in WWI couldn't move faster than the speed of a walking man and could be easily countered by reserve troops before it got too deep into your rear areas.
I'm Nigerian My Grand dad was a Burma boy in WW2, they were always posted to the most difficult parts of the war but somehow nothing was ever written about it in western media atleast they were also denied promotions and benefits after retirement, no tmre ignition nothing at all till this day. They were sent to the jungles were the mosquitoes and the terrain was too tough for the whites and the Asians most of the whites died of malaria, food poisoning and other things even before any gun was fired and the Asian soldiers used to be scared of the Nigerians/Africans because they were bigger than them in size and it took the Africans just 2 men and some minutes to chop a tree work that'd take the Asians much longer and when going up trails it was the Africans who carried all the luggage, equipments everything yet the other few non Africans with them would be the ones falling and they'd also have to carry them on their backs along with the luggages. I intend to sue can anyone help me with Proper party (I'm thinking Britain) and which court will have jurisdiction over such matter (International court or a court in Britain?) I will be suing for the benefits denied my grand dad and the men of the 82nd (West Africa) Division
With no apology, colonialists are evil. From invading empires and kingdoms and stealing resources as well as priceless cultural artifacts. A country like France is still living off its west Africa colonies like a leech. France should naturally be a 3rd world country if not for Africa. Some day their thievery will come to an end and the world will see France for what it truly is.
I am reminded of a line from David Lynch's film "Dune" : "I see plans within plans..." So many gears turning. To the Time Ghost Team, another great episode, thank you and keep up the good work!
Mussolini taking control of the army and the Italians using tactics of Luigi Cadorna from the Battle of the Isonzo River(pick any one you want) what could possibly go wrong. Looks like a recipe for great success/sarc.
7:44 normally you'd expect some droll joke about kenyans being the long distance champs, but congrats to the nigerians on such an impressive manoeuvre. It's always great to see a minor power that usually is lucky to get more than a paragraph in their school textbooks showing up in this series
@@cosmicwakes6443: "Top athletes are a small subset of a population" If the top athletes of some population are better long-distance runners than the top athletes of some other population, then ceteris paribus I'd also expect that whole population to be better at long-distance running than the other population on average (though that's still uncertain, of course).
@@KnightofAges Then the Britons could have fought the war all alone. F_ck Britain, master of deceit. The mess they left in Nigeria is still boiling over.
Nigerians were called brave as Lions, and hard as nails. By the way this quote was given to them when fighting the Japanese in 1944,by their British Commander !
*_SIDES AT PRESENT:_* *_World War Two_* *Allies:* _Albanian resistance,_ Australia+, Bahrain-, Belgium*+, Canada, Chechnya-Ingushetia^, China^^, Czechoslovakia*, _Danish resistance, Estonian resistance’, Ethiopian Arbegnoch,_ Free France+’’, Greece, Iceland~’’’, _Latvian resistance’,_ Luxembourg*, Nepal, Netherlands*+, New Zealand+, Norway*+, Oman-, Poland*, South Africa, United Kingdom+ *Axis:* Germany+, Italy+, Japan+^^^, Manchukuo~, Mengkukuo~, _Ngolok Tibetans^^^^,_ Reorganized ROC~, Slovakia~, USSR’’’’, Vichy France+’’ *3rd Parties:* Denmark’’’’’, _Lithuanian resistance’_, Thailand^^^^^ _Italics:_ Non-state forces ~puppet *occupied with a government-in-exile & resistance movement. +Includes the country’s colonies, overseas territories, or reichskommissariats -self-governing protectorate or territory ‘The official governments of the Baltic States reluctantly accepted the USSR’s ultimatums, resulting in their occupation & the installation of new Soviet friendly regimes. This led to the creation of irregular national resistance movements, though it would take time before they became formal organizations. As the Estonian & Latvian resistance forces are fighting the USSR-who is a co-belligerent of Germany at this time-they are listed with the Allies. Although the exact date that Polish & Lithuanian resistance forces began fighting each other for control of the land around Vilnius/Wilno is unknown, they do so throughout the war as well as fight Germany & the USSR. For this reason, I’m placing the Lithuanian resistance in the 3rd Parties list. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* After Operation Barbarossa, I will reassign them based on the new front between Germany & the USSR. ‘’When newly appointed Prime Minister Philippe Pétaind announced his intentions to seek an armistice with the Axis powers, General Charles de Gaulle established a government-in-exile that would continue the war on the Allied side. French colonies had to decide whether to remain loyal to the Vichy Regime or join the Free French. Chad under Governor Félix Éboué was the first to join De Gaulle & *_SPOILER WARNING:_* soon all of French Equatorial Africa was in Free French hands, with its capital Brazzaville serving as headquarters for the movement. By late 1943, all French oversea possessions except in Indochina were controlled by Free France. Although the French government in Vichy is officially neutral, I have placed them with the Axis. The main reason being that Allied forces would continue to attack & occupy the territory it claimed throughout the war. At the same time, the Vichy government collaborated with Germany by providing war materials, allowing them use of their territory for strategic operations, & in implementing the Holocaust. ‘’’Although the Icelandic government issued a formal protest, the British invasion was not contested because Iceland lacked a military to fight back with & so told its people to treat the occupiers as guests. Even to this day, the "Lovely War" is controversial. Many Icelanders view the Allied occupation very negatively for the loss of their country’s sovereignty & for foreign troops fraternizing with local women. Others point to economic & infrastructural benefits the happened during the war. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* Iceland’s occupation is transferred to the Neutral USA on July 7th, 1941. At that point, I will take Iceland off the overview until Pearl Harbor. ’’’’I have the USSR on the Axis side because both Germany & them are currently at war with Poland(The Soviets invaded on September 17, 1939), divided Poland between themselves pre-invasion, are working together to end the Polish resistance, & are trading war materials. This is all detailed in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the German-Soviet Frontier Treaty, the German-Soviet Credit Agreement, & the German-Soviet Commercial Agreement. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* After Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, I will move them to the 3rd parties list(See my policy on country placement below) & then move them to the Allies after the signing of the Sikorski-Mayski agreement in July 1941 between the Polish government-in-exile & the USSR. ‘’’’’In the 2nd week of April, both Germany & the United Kingdom invaded & occupied parts of Danish territory(Germany occupied Denmark proper & the United Kingdom occupied the Faroe Islands) to “guarantee their independence & neutrality.” Everyday life went on mostly as before with Local authorities in both areas cooperating with the occupiers. Hitler hoped that Denmark would be “a model protectorate” that would aide his larger goals. Despite this, the Danish national government resisted calls by Germany for legal discrimination against Jewish Danes, the death penalty, & German military courts to have jurisdiction over Danish citizens. The Danish colony of Greenland(being de facto independent at the time) asked the neutral USA to protect them from invasion by the warring powers. Throughout this time, Denmark remained officially neutral despite having Axis & Allied forces on its soil. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* On August 29, 1943, after refusing to submit to any further German demands, the Danish government was dissolved & the German military took direct control of the country. At that point, I’ll take Denmark off the 3rd parties list & replace the Danish resistance with Denmark(with an occupied disclaimer). ^The Provisional Popular Revolutionary Government of Chechnya-Ingushetia is currently engaged in a guerrilla war against the USSR for independence. Since I have the Soviets in the Axis for reasons stated above, I‘m placing Chechnya-Ingushetia with the Allies *_SPOILER WARNING:_* until Operation Barbarossa, when I will move them to the Axis. ^^The Kuomintang & Communist Parties have signed a truce to fight the Japanese as part of the Second United Front lead by Chiang Kai-shek, but coordination is minimal & both deeply mistrust the other. ^^^I’ve combined the European & Asian wars at this point because Japan has now officially joined a military alliance with Germany & Italy in the form of the Tripartite Pact & is occupying Northern French Indochina, which is land the Free French government recognizes as its own. Despite the government in Vichy agreeing to the occupation after months of pressure, impatient Japanese forces rushed across the border & clashed with their Vichy French counterparts in the first few days. Since the fighting stopped before this week’s post, Vichy France & Japan are listed together as part of the Axis. ^^^^The Ngolok rebellions were a brutal ethnic conflict fought in Qinghai/Amdo between Ngolok Tibetans & the Hui dominated Ma clique who were loyal to the Kuomintang government of China. Despite having a common enemy in the Kuomintang, the Ngolok Tibetans & Japan were only co-belligerents as they didn’t have a formal alliance & didn’t coordinate in military planning. ^^^^^After a few months of border skirmishes, full on war broke out between Vichy controlled French Indochina & Thailand on January 5th, 1941. Despite only fighting against Vichy forces, I’m placing Thailand in the 3rd parties list. The reason for this is since I placed Free France with the Allies & Vichy France in the Axis for reasons stated above & As both claim to be the legitimate government of France, they both claim to be the rightful owners of the disputed lands in Indochina, thus both would regard Thailand as a belligerent because Thailand is trying to take back land that it lost to France previously. An armistice was proclaimed on January 28th & *_SPOILER WARNING:_* Peace treaty signed on May 9th. *_MY POLICY ON COUNTRY PLACEMENT_* If a country declares war on or attacks another country & at least one of them is already involved in World War II, I’ll list the other as a part of the opposing faction. That is why the events of the Winter War are included in the main World War II list & the events of the War of ‘41(Ecuador vs. Peru) will not be. The countries listed in the factions above are comprised of both official members & co-belligerents. The terms “Allies” & “Axis” are used for both kinds of belligerents as a convenient way to distill the world war & it’s adjoining conflicts, with disclaimers used to elaborate on some of the more complicated situations. If a country or resistance movement is at war with at least one country form both factions, I’ll add them to the 3rd parties list with a disclaimer. The 3rd Parties list is not a faction, but a collection of warring parties who act independently of one another. I have to consolidate factions along co-belligerency or else the number of factions will balloon out of control. Finally, each post only represents the factions as they were 79 years ago to the day. Many countries will join, leave, or switch sides before the war ends for various reasons & I strongly encourage you to look into the situation of each country for yourself.
@Marcus Bierman Respect for doing all this. One question I do have is why isn’t Bulgaria included? Despite the fact that they have not declared war or attacked any nation yet, Bulgaria is technically occupied by Germany for the attack on Greece
Don't really agree on your position about Vichy France. If you consider selling materials to Germany a reason to be in Axis side, you need to include Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden etc. As for German forces using France territory, what can Vichy do about it? 100% agree on the Holocaust part.
@@joshuacondell1686 says who? Stalin? Current Russian propaganda? Also, this isnt about "friendship" - its an alliance. I doubt the Germans considered Italians and Japanese as their "friends" either.
Nigerian and other African troops were led by colonial officers in the East African campaign against the Italians. Those officers included men from Zimbabwe and South Africa. One was grandfather of Geoff brakspear whose story will appear soon in the journal heritage of Zimbabwe number 38. The Nigerians fought well and so did the Italians
Yes, but it makes such a great story having Africa beat Europe people love that stuff. Please don't mention the Italians fought well you destroying the mood we only want to hear how Italy got humiliated.
I am so glad that you are covering the frequently overlooked, but extremely fascinating, campaign in East Africa. Hope you get around to covering the events in Madagascar, Iraq and Syria as well, three other forgotten campaigns of WW2. I would really like to see how the events unfolded as the British army ended up fighting the Vichy French.
Nigerian 1: We have no business being here in this war because we're a colony of a European power fighting in another colony of another European power. Nigerian 2: Ya but don't we grow some rubber back home? Nigerian 1: ? Nigerian 2: I'm suggesting that we burn some of it, maybe set a few world records along the way.
When the supply situation in just North Africa is as crazy as it is, I am surprised the Nigerians were able to go as far as they did. I would think the supply situation would be worse down there.
That was when the Nigerian government was less corrupt and their military was actually no jokes they even defeated the USA backed forces in countries like Sierra Leone to grant the party they supported victory.
@@cybertronian2005 The Nigerian intervention in Sierra Leone was years after Nigeria's independence, if you were referring to the video topic then yes Nigeria was still a British colony but it's Military was made up of it's indigenous people, Europe was stretched out so much during the war that colonial powers had African men fight alongside them in the war.
Not even in our history books - both in Nigeria and in the UK - have such awesome Nigerian participation in the www2... Thanks a lot! The French govt do honor the Africans especially those from Senegal and Mali and even paid their families money.
The return of the one, the only, the great Indy Nidel (hope that's how you spell it). Thinking you couldn't top the very excellent series on the First world War and here you go again, upping the ante. Superb work!
While it’s not a big event overall I’m sad you missed out the Clydebank Blitz on the 13th and 14 of March 1941, it was the biggest loss of life for Scottish civilians with 1200 dead and 1000 serious injuries, plus the sinking of ORP Poirun by a “lucky” bomb that went down the funnel and blew open a hole in the bottom of the boat. Shrapnel from a German bomb also resulted in the local library losing their copy of Mein Kampf (this is true, they still have the book and the bomb fragment).
I don't think they're intentionally skipping over stuff like that. It's just that they have a limited amount of time, don't want to stretch these episodes out too long by loading them up with details that are interesting but didn't really have much of an effect on the outcomes of the war. Oddly enough the comments section of the videos has become a great source for all of the information they don't get to, and I appreciate everyone that takes the time to expand on the basic narrative :)
In Trafalgar square where the war heroes were honoured by nations, they didn't give Nigeria an individual mural like they did other commonwealth countries that participated. They put Nigeria in the categories of others.
@@WorldWarTwo But that's not a good enough reason why many are just learning about this now. Because they were later deployed to East Africa doesn't shouldn't influence how the different aspects of the WW2 story is told. We shouldn't pretend as if we all don't know why. The lions just need to start telling it's own story. Great video though.
That is a quite brainwashed comment. Who is not expected to be good? It seem you are letting all those negative media propaganda get to you. If there is one bad news in a day, there are correspondingly 99 good news as well. People, especially those in the West live off bad news from less developed part of the world because they have billion dollar industries built around these skirmishes, from selling weapons to raising donation from their citizens for some poor kids in Africa even though most of the money will end up in the pocket of westerners behind "false" aids.
That your comment is even more de-meaning. As a Nigerian myself, it hurts to read that comment. Is this bad? It's like the mind of most of our people have been taken over.
@@RUTHLESSambition5 I hope these five videos help: th-cam.com/video/BREOezfAJSU/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/DWIHOIZVZtE/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/hQjfY5ALBVA/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/_vwufzLrRPI/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/bZlJCRR1OME/w-d-xo.html And this one might also be of interest : th-cam.com/video/yEtDLBGGQeQ/w-d-xo.html The truth cannot be hidden forever. Share. Stay safe and stay healthy.
why the hell am i only now finding this channel. i thought it was only the great war channel. god damn it now im watching every video on this channel while im in isolation
Turkish President Ismet Inonu's (he was from my hometown Malatya by the way) reply to Hitler was basically if push comes to shove we will defend ourselves to whatever party attacks us type. In his letter Inonu as Indy said , reminded their mutual wartime cooperation and cameradie between two countries (when Nazi Germany had been Imperial Germany and Turkish Republic used to be Ottoman Empire) during The Great War 25 years ago with Hitler etc...for a long time then concluded that whoever invades Turkish territory (Germans , Italians , Russians , Allies etc) , against that party , Turkey will defend itself with utmost effort....Turkish neutrality was on Germany's favor for the time being , Hitler had no time or extra resources to waste by invading Turkey also along with Balkans since timetable of Operation Barbarossa (Adolf's pet project) was already delayed for six weeks due to Operartion Marita , invasion of Greece and dangerously shifted to next winter. Besides Turkey was a net chrome (a vital mineral for German war economy) and grain exporter for Germans , that trade was worth not to distrupt for a military campaign
In case of success in Caucasus campaign, Germans would attack in Turkey and Azerbaitzan with Georgia and Armenia, while a simultaneous attack might be conducted in Thrace and Minor Asia with a reorganised "greek" army.
Bread rationing was introduced for many Turkish citizens, especially city dwellers, in 1942. They may not have been delighted to know grain was being exported to Germany but the press was censored in Turkey in WW2 and so they may not have known this.
@@KnightofAges Actually Turkish Secret Service with President Inonu's orders shafting Germans , picking up all the money and weapons Germans trying to smuggle indiscreetly over Turkish railways to Iraq and Iraqi rebels and putting older worn out weapons left over from Germans over 25 years ago and counterfeit banknotes in shipments. Iraqi Rebels when driven to Berlin in May 1941 , blamed directly German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop who had no idea of what they were talking about.
@@KnightofAges We shall see in May 1941 when so called Iraq "patriots" flee the country to the bosom of first Iran then Syria , then corrupt Turkey then virtuous Italy then last of all to freedom loving Third Reich Germany , then I can remind you your own words...Speaking corruption , tell Goring not to steal too much artwork this week from Paris..."Highest Juror in the Reich" as he calls himself might find himself in trouble for that in future...
The title was clickbait to be honest, I thought this was gonna be only about the activities of the Nigerian regiment, still an interesting story though.
We have a sub-series in which we answer your questions about World War Two and the production and team and general! They are called 'Out of the Foxholes' and we've already done seven of them. If you have an interesting question you want us to answer, you can submit it here: community.timeghost.tv/c/Out-of-the-Foxholes-Qs
Cheers,
Joram
*RULES OF CONDUCT*
STAY CIVIL AND POLITE we will delete any comments with personal insults, or attacks.
AVOID PARTISAN POLITICS AS FAR AS YOU CAN we reserve the right to cut off vitriolic debates.
HATE SPEECH IN ANY DIRECTION will lead to a ban.
RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, OR SLAMMING OF MINORITIES will lead to an immediate ban.
PARTISAN REVISIONISM, ESPECIALLY HOLOCAUST AND HOLODOMOR DENIAL will lead to an immediate ban.
Hello
The italian objective of the Spring offensive was to retake North Epirus, cross the greek-albanian borders and capture the greek city of Ioannina (the smallest distance between the city and the borders is aboit 42 km).
Gains: 1 Hill
Hey Indy. Why do your eyes always look sad?
You put the date as 1941. ;-) ;-) ;-)
I like the fake phonecalls at the beginning (: very tastefully done, nice little touch
The Nigerian aspect of the war is one of the reasons why I love this channel. I never even knew there were Nigerian participation at all. Makes me wonder just how much was left out of the mainstream!
Damn near all British and French colonies/mandates/protectorates participated in the war.
@@markhenley3097 RSAAF participated in the Battle of Britain I think.
Nigeria gained independence from GB in 1960.
Time life books to talk to different kinds of old people museums ask questions online
I was going to be rude
In 2014, I met one of the Nigerian Veterans from this war. He was my patient, and at 95yrs old, was one of the most pleasant people I ever met. He told me, "the secret to a long life is ensuring you do right by others, both in private and publicly".
100% agree. Integrity is vital.
"The answer to everything is work and love." -Anton Chekov
A heavy conscience is little more than a noose. Integrity and dignity are the way to live.
@@Giveme1goodreason Thank you for this.
Godspeed to that man.
My great uncle fought in this war. my grandmother told me they were paying equivalent to a farmers one years wage to fight in the war.
When i told my history teachers in school they said i was lying. History is best learned at home
Italian soldier : Ethiopia is OURS FOREVER
Nigerian soldier: hold my jollof rice for a minute
BOSS MAN that made my day. Thank you.
Hold my jollof 😂👏
😂😂😂😂
Exactly!
👏
Dear @World War Two,
I am half Bulgarian, and half Nigerian, and I find it very interesting that you jumped from Bulgaria to Nigerian on some of the most untold and important topics in history for me. :)
Thank you.
What's your instagram
Half Nigerian half Bulgarian
That's interesting
ur the main character
I knew Nigerians fought in Burma, but never heard to our exploits in other theatres of WW2. Kudos to this channel for your unbiased work.
Yeah, some of them were buried at the Kohima war cemetery at Kohima, Nagaland India.
Hello I am from Burma and have never heard about that before. Can you please give me some information about when (before or after Japanese occupation) or where (which regions were they assigned to) or something. It's really interesting to know. thank you!
@@swun3367 Sagaing region, they fought in Kohima, (India) near Myanmar border, then in Moulmien (Mawlamyin), Mawlaik. etc...
@@maiholiaw4927 thank you.
@leonardimas1 they were not cowards but their population is too low to fight both the Japanese and the Germans. And their raw materials were limited. The colonies provided cheap source of men and material for the war
*Italians unable to advance in Greece.*
Mussolini: "FINE, I'LL DO IT MYSELF."
where did he get the gauntlet from?
He got it from Ethiopia
I mean he got the hair...
i un-clicked my like because it had 69 likes
@nikolai bahtin True, Thanos failed in the end.
Thanks so much for the amazing story of the Nigerians - something I had never heard of. Even the wikipedia pages just say things like "During the East African Campaign, the 12th African Division attacked from Kenya into Italian Somaliland and then advanced into Ethiopia." No hint that this was *the fastest advance in history* and a story no-one else seems to have ever told.
Not much really is mentioned about Africa below the Sahara desert during WW II. In Africa most of French Western Africa remained loyal to Vichy. However, French Equatorial Africa supported de Gaulle and his free french forces. This was largely because of Félix Éboué, who was originally from French Guiana in South America. Before the start of the war, he had been appointed has Governor of Chad. Read this on him - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Félix_Éboué
The UK. sent 90.000 African soldiers to fight in the jungles of Burma. Many came from the African gold coast and Kenya. They fought bravely but it seems the UK. shortchanged them financially after the war ended. Watch this - th-cam.com/video/DWIHOIZVZtE/w-d-xo.html
People like you are why I can't stand this channel ...
Hazard McGee dumbass
@@KingofEuropa07 then go somewhere else and stop whining...
@@badrobotNG why
the title made me giggle. W H Y A R E Y O U R U N N I N G
hahahahah *that* should had been the title
u monster
THATS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING LOL
Italians: AAAaaaaAAAAAAAAAA
Vinny Booboo You don't know the meme?
One hypothesis supported by some historians about how the Nigerian troops advanced so quickly in Ethiopia, is because Mussolini thought emails from a Nigerian prince were legit.
They're not? I've send him all my money I want it back
This is satire
There's just one thing wrong with your statement
They didn't have Email back then
Only land-line phones and Tell a graph . . . -
@@gafeleon9032 if you state it's satire the joke is ruined
@@justinbeath5169 that's why I hid it behind the "read more" thingy
!:- )
And to think of that lend lease, Britain wouldn't be able to finish paying it back until Dec 2006!
nuttyjawa Only 14 years ago. I was at school at the time which now makes me feel quite old 😄
Wasnt lend lease supposed to be Free? Are you sure its not the WW1 loans that was paid back in 2006?
@@stc3145 Negative. lend Lease was still a loan.
Compound interest is a bitch, indeed.
@@stc3145 The lease part of lend lease eplains, it was not free only ment to be paid later. Although I am pretty sure The US did erase a part of the Allied debt after the war.
Today, my nation enters the second world war. Great job guys. Thanks for all you do for this channel. Love from Nigeria
Saw a portrait at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester, of a Nigerian pilot who sponsored himself from Nigeria to Great Britain in order to fight for the British. When the war was over, a policy was made to abolish racial discrimination in recruitment, but in reality, there was an official consensus to deny Blacks such as that pilot enlisting into the Royal Air Force.
Royal West African Front my great granddaddy served 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬
My uncle did too, East Africa and Burma.
Mine served in burma
If you dont mind my asking, are you Nigerian?
@@cosnniran yes
THE LORD BE WITH YOU CHILD OF GOD I DON'T KNOW YOU IN PERSON BUT GOD KNOWS YOU MORE,GOD SHOWED ME A REVELATION WHEN I WAS ON YOUR PROFILE TO SEE THINGS AROUND YOU.MY DEAR,I SAW GOD'S FAVOR,SUCCESS,JOY,BREAKTHROUGH.BEHIND THAT,I SAW MORE SPIRITUAL ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMIES,WORKING ON HOLDING SUCH BLESSINGS,CAUSING YOU SET BACK,BUT MY DEAR YOU ARE LIFTED ABOVE ANY SPIRITUAL TOWER.SO THE LORD INSTRUCT ME TO TELL YOU TO SOW A SEED INTO A MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME.(ORPHANAGE) AND YOU SHOULD NOT LET ANY ONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR SEED SOWING,BECAUSE IS A CONVENANT SEED BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THE LORD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU BEFORE THE END OF ( 2) TWO DAYS TO SOW A SEED INTO GODSTIME MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME (ORPHANAGE ) SOMEWHERE IN NIGERIA EDO STATE TO BRING SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN SOWING.(DEU.28:15)CONTACT THE M.D OF THE FOUNDATION ON WHATSAPP OR CALL HIM :(+2348073880701)
DONT JOKE WITH THIS PROPHECY,BLESS YOU......
My great grandfather fought in hill 731 in the albanian front,unfortunately he died when i was 2 years old but my father and grandfather passed onto me many stories of his struggle in the war. In hill 731 the close combat became so fierce that blades became dull from the blood so they were fighting with their punches, shovels, the back of their guns as they run out of ammo, some people were biting other soldiers in their neck to kill them or gouging their eyes out. My grandfather had a hand-crafted one handed mace that we have donated in our local history museum thats dedicated to the war history of Greece since 1821. He also fought later in the battle for Crete.Unfortunately my great grandfather's struggles didnt finish after the war since he was forced to fight in the Greek civil war that followed.
Could you believe 90% of Nigerians don’t know about this 😳😶
K Moses lol nobody gives a fuck in general
Even you. not until u find out now
More than 90% bro.
Prince David Jimoh-Ailoje : Sorry my brother, I actually met 90% of educated Nigerians.
99.9999%
Germany, we are the best at blitzkrieg! Nigerians: Observe.
THE LORD BE WITH YOU CHILD OF GOD I DON'T KNOW YOU IN PERSON BUT GOD KNOWS YOU MORE,GOD SHOWED ME A REVELATION WHEN I WAS ON YOUR PROFILE TO SEE THINGS AROUND YOU.MY DEAR,I SAW GOD'S FAVOR,SUCCESS,JOY,BREAKTHROUGH.BEHIND THAT,I SAW MORE SPIRITUAL ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMIES,WORKING ON HOLDING SUCH BLESSINGS,CAUSING YOU SET BACK,BUT MY DEAR YOU ARE LIFTED ABOVE ANY SPIRITUAL TOWER.SO THE LORD INSTRUCT ME TO TELL YOU TO SOW A SEED INTO A MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME.(ORPHANAGE) AND YOU SHOULD NOT LET ANY ONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR SEED SOWING,BECAUSE IS A CONVENANT SEED BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. THE LORD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU BEFORE THE END OF ( 2) TWO DAYS TO SOW A SEED INTO GODSTIME MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME (ORPHANAGE ) SOMEWHERE IN NIGERIA EDO STATE TO BRING SPIRITUAL AND DIVINE BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN SOWING.(DEU.28:15)CONTACT THE M.D OF THE FOUNDATION ON WHATSAPP OR CALL HIM :(+2348073880701)
DONT JOKE WITH THIS PROPHECY,BLESS YOU......
As a Nigerian never have I heard or thought during my school days that Nigeria participated in the second world war it is in our history. I guess now my school days has just began.
They did a damn good job
My grandfather fought in ww2..he was d first npector of police from the east
Ibadan became as large as it is because of returning soldiers. Very little is known about the wars but many know about Naijas participation
It's not taught in Ghana either, however we are aware it happened. We all know there were ex-service men who served in WW2
As bad as it is, the Nigerian government removed history classes from the school curriculum. It's now worse. I am sure you were part of those taught under a system left by the British. There is no way the British colonialists would allow this part of Nigeria history be taught to young Nigerians.
Thank you so much. Very few people knew about Nigeria’s role in WW2. Good work.
This is why you guys will always be one of my favourite history TH-cam channels. I’ve done quite my fair share of reading on WW2 and was disappointed that countries like Nigeria’s participation was so over looked and rarely know. At the start of your WW2 week by week series I wondered if you would do the same thing everyone did but no, you delivered, making you guys number 1 on my list of WW2 channels.
Without doubt this is the most informative series I have ever come across. As an ex solder who has served in Egypt, Libya, West Germany, Singapore and Malaya in the 50/60's I have taken a keen interest in the 39/45 war by reading many books , watching videos and films. i thought I had a good knowledge! I am learning! Many thanks! Keep up the good work!
Imagine how confusing it was
So some austrian guy in control of germany declares war on poland so you as a Nigerian are sent to east Africa to fight the Italians
This just shows how we Africans didn't have any demand in our own history. Why we needed to fight battles that is not our battles? We always been used by the others and die for them instead of our people
@@mattkeita3448 Oh, please cut the constant I am victim bullshit. Anyone fighting in the war had no choice. 18 year olds boys or even in the case of Germany 14 year old boys had to go fight in the war for a dictator, Russian soldiers who took one step back were shot because of Stalin another dictator.
@Rick K you have not futbol history 😂😂👍
@@alastair9446 The Russians were fight for Russia, the Germans were fighting for Germany. The country of Nigeria did not exist in 1941 so the "Nigerians" at the time were fighting for the British Empire. The Empire that exploited them and denied them basic rights and benefits that Germans and Russians had in their respective countries.
@@motss5651 that's what is said but what it really is some poor people being brainwashed or coerced by a bunch of elites to fight for their sake
This channel has a way of bringing in people from all over the world- I thought I knew a lot about WW2 but that Nigerian advance- truly magnificent. Kudos, Time Ghost.
Geez, that Italian offensive sounded so much like a WW1 offensive that I had to check to make sure I wasn't watching The Great War.
Nice
It had some modest success but was basically a Cadorna-style meatgrinder.
Mussolini showed up in Albania just to make sure his generals were doing the same thing they tried in WWI instead of something that might have worked.
He picked up the phone expecting Hitler, but it was Cadorna telling him to suicide charge the Isonzo
The entire Italian Greek war is a WWI styled clusterfuck.
I still remember the words of Italian veterans I used to know and how they despised that senseless war...
I am So SO glad that these forgotten colonial troops are getting some attention now ! West Africans were among the toughest fighters who don't get enough credit for their contribution !
I'd assume in their own history writing they give their efforts the due credit. Europeans tend to concentrate on what's going on in Europe (even just their corner of Europe), Americans on the events the Americans participated in, etc.
I have a feeling that much of what they did in WWII was deliberately ignored or removed from the history books afterwards because of the colonial struggles in Africa. Britain was still trying to hold on to what was left of its empire and I can see why they'd want to avoid showing that those countries were capable of handling their own s**t just fine without British soldiers to "protect" them.
@@Raskolnikov70 no it's just british people like hearing about british history. Why would a white man want to hear about a black man's history. Do you think muslims in iran learn about the battle of hastings or the Ulster plantation. There nothing racist or sinister going on, if you want to hear about your history, research it yourself or pay/support someone who does
@@kondwanimututa2302 I'm not suggesting it's racist or sinister. What I am saying is that governments like to use history in their schools as a way to push a particular viewpoint or an idea of who they are as a nation. Look into Japan's denial of WWII war crimes or the United States' omission of a large part of its colonial history. Or how Turkey treats the Armenian genocide, or how the Soviet Union treated their treatment of the Tartars or Ukranians. These types of things happen everywhere, at least at the primary school and high-school level, and the decisions about what the curriculum aren't being made by the students based on their interests. They're being made by school boards and educators with their own set of biases and desire to push a certain narrative about their own nations.
What do you think British schoolchildren were being taught about (to name one example) the Mau Mau rebellion while it was going on? That their brave soldiers were fighting for empire and glory and all that, or that the rebellion was directly instigated by British economic policies during WWII that led to the destruction of local economies and the famines that followed? All governments put a shine on their own actions, in order to justify their policies and decisions.
@@Raskolnikov70 Perhaps, but the colony system started to collapse gradually after the WW2. When the colonies gained independence, there was still loads and loads of WW2 veterans, politicians, and civilians who saw it alive. They would have had plenty of time to study it and write the experiences down. At that point there would have been no British, or other, oversight present anymore. Not to mention after the WW2, there would have been a lot of more objective studies available also in Europe and the USA, despite the Cold War, to be used as references by the locals.
Love hearing about my Nigerian people’s accomplishments 💚 thank you for this
This week in the Greco-Italian War, is marked by the opening of the major Italian Spring Offensive, the last attempt to defeat the Greek forces that had advanced deep into Albanian territory:
The offensive, codenamed 'Operation Spring', concentrated along the 32 km-long (20 mi) central sector, against which the Italians threw the entire 11. Army (Gen. Carlo Geloso). At the central 5 km-long (3 mi) frontline, the Italians deployed VIII. Army Corps (Corps Gen. Gastone Gambara) consisted of five front-line divisions, plus two battalions of blackshirt troops. Behind it, Army Corps 'Ciamuria' (Corps Gen. Carlo Rossi) deployed four divisions. At Tepelenë, 29th Infantry Division 'Piemonte', and 131st Armoured Division 'Centaur' acted as reserve forces. Additional fifteen battalions of infantry, alpini and blackshirt troops of IV. Army Corps (Corps Gen. Camillo Mercalli), were deployed between the rivers Vjosë and Seman. The Italian plan anticipated that VIII. Army Corps was to make a thrust across Desnices valley, seize Këlcyrë (Klisura), drive on along the line Këlcyrë - Përmet, invade Greece, take the Greek town of Κonitsa, and eventually Ioannina, the capital of Greek Epirus region.
The Greeks deployed XI Infantry Division (Μaj. Gen. Christos Zygouris) with eight battalions, opposite the Italian IV. Army Corps, and I (Maj. Gen. Vassilios Vrachnos), VI (Maj. Gen. Nikolaos Markou), ΧVII (Col. Socrates Demaratos), XV (Maj. Gen. Panaghiotis Spiliotopoulos) infantry divisions with nineteen battalions, opposite the Italian VIII. Army Corps. The 14,000 Thessalians of I Infantry Division that held the line Trebeshinë - Këlcyrë in particular, would absorb intense pressure.
The Italian attack began at 0600 hours on Sunday, March 9, with Mussolini closely observant. Within the next two-three hours, tens of thousands of artillery shells hit the Greek positions. 190 planes also pounded the Greek entrenchments.
At 0800 hours, the Italians launched a primary attack and at 0900 hours the main effort began against hills 731 and 717. Hill 731, was strategically located 20 km (12.5 mi) N of Këlcyrë (Klisura) at the feet of Trebeshinë mountain, and stood at the heart of the Greek defensive line. Both 717 and 731 were defended by the troops of II/5 btn under the Gold Cross of Valour recipient, Maj. Dimitrios Kasslas.
Despite the intense Greek artillery fire, the first Italian troops (elements from 59th Infantry Division 'Cagliari' under the overall command of Div. Gen. Paolo Angioy) managed to reach the steep slopes of both hills, but the Greeks counter-attacked the oncoming Italians with fixed bayonets under the cover of dense smoke, and toppled them.
By late afternoon, the Italians had launched four attacks against Hill 731, all repulsed by the Greek defenders. Μaj. Kasslas was able to re-establish communication with the higher echelon of command only at 1930 hours. Col. Themistocles Ketseas' order was a simple one: 'You shall hold your positions to the last man.'
Hill 717 ('731's watch-dog' according to a Greek officer), was eventually captured and held firmly by the Italians, despite a series of repeated Greek efforts to retake it.
A new Italian attack was launched against hills 1308 and 1030, to no avail. At the same time, a diversionary Italian assault on hills 709 and 710 was repulsed by the Greeks.
The attack launched by elements from 38th Infantry Division 'Puglie' (Div. Gen. Alberto D'Apone) against Hill 1110 (Mali Spandarit) was also checked.
The attack launched by the Italian 2nd Infantry Division 'Sforzesca' (Div. Gen. A. Ollearo) against Qafa e Mezhgoranit, was successful. The Italians took the ridge and the town of Mezhgoran, fortified it, and turned it into a forward base of operations and supply.
On Monday, March 10, the Italian attack began at 0645 hours with tens of thousands of artillery shells hitting the Greek positions.
At 0850 hours the Italians attempted to break the Greek defence line again at Hill 1308 while simultaneously assaulting Hill 731. The Greeks held their positions.
Further to the N, the Italian 11th Alpini Regiment (Col. Giuseppe Zappini) from 5th Alpini Division 'Pusteria' (Div. Gen. Giovanni Esposito) attacked and seized a portion of Hill 1110 (Mali Spandarit) defended by elements from the Greek XI division (Μaj. Gen. Christos Zygouris). The Thessalonians of 13th Infantry Regiment (Col. Vassilios Kampanis) from XI division, were ordered to counter-attack immediately; the men fixed bayonets, rushed headlong into the Italians and toppled them, the battlefield was left strewn with alpini killed and wounded.
Gen. Vrachnos in his 'Order of the Day' statement, demonstrated the high morale of the Greek defenders in the initial stages of the Italian offensive:
'Fighters of I Division!
Before your relentless heroism all enemy efforts have been crushed.
Before your iron lines three fresh enemy divisions have been beaten off inside two days.
I'm so proud to say I lead Warriors!'
On the contrary, the Italian morale had plummeted. Corps Gen. Camillo Mercalli, CO of IV. Army Corps, reported on the condition of the Italian army:
'On the 9th and 10th of this month (March) I saw units -even whole battalions, for hours and hours, even for days, despite the most violent and heavy continuous shooting by our artillery and infantry, advance only a few metres forward and then pin themselves to the ground. One infantry regiment preferred to remain all day under the deadly fire of the enemy's mortars and suffer great losses, rather than make that step forward which not only would have ensured the occupation of its objective, but would also have saved it from such painful and unnecessary sacrifices. One tends to think that there is no will there, or even worse, no heart! I cannot believe it! I do not want to believe it!'
(End of Part 1)
(Part 2)
On Tuesday, March 11, at 0430 hours, two Italian blackshirt battalions, VII. CC.NN. Assault Battalion 'Pavia', and LIII. CC.NN. Assault Battalion 'Padova', from CC.NN. 26. 'Alberto da Giussano' Legion, advanced through the Prroi Math defile in an attempt to outflank the defenders on 731. Their advance was accidentally detected by the Greeks, who sounded the alarm. Greek troops on the surrounding hills started shooting at the blackshirts, trapping them between deadly fire coming from the Greek positions.
250 blackshirts were killed or wounded and 501 became prisoner despite a diversionary desperate attack launched at 0945 hours to rescue them.
During the night of March 11-12, the severely mauled Italian 38th Infantry Division 'Puglie' (Div. Gen. Alberto D'Apone), was replaced by 47th Infantry Division 'Bari' and blackshirt battalions. Mussolini asked Supreme Commander Cavallero's opinion on the initial results of the offensive; 'mediocre' replied Cavallero. 'Zero' said Mussolini.
A large and massive Italian artillery bombardment intended to pulverise both the Greeks and their defences followed, against hills 731, 709, 710, 1060.
At 0530 hours, on Wednesday, March 12, elements from the Italian 47th Infantry Division 'Bari' (Div. Gen. Matteo Negro) launched attacks οn hills 709, 710, 1030 and 731. All were repulsed by the Greek defenders.
A hastily organised Greek two-company raiding force, raided the town of Mezhgoran, an Italian forward operating base, and took 235 Italians prisoner (12 officers).
Early in the morning, the Italians concentrated their main effort on 731. They failed again.
At Hill 1308, after a two-hour Italian artillery barrage, the attacking battalions of the Italian 140th Infantry Regiment from 'Bari' division, reached the steep slopes. The Greeks counter-attacked and a savage hand-to-hand combat began. Men on both sides were locked together and fought tooth and nail. Every weapon at hand was used, including bayonets, pistols, and rocks. Some used their bare hands or even their teeth. Col. Luigi Biasucci, the Italian regiment's CO was mortally wounded while fighting at the head of his unit.
The Greek General HQ decided to relieve the exhausted divisions of B' Corps by the end of March, especially I division, because of the battered condition of its troops. XVII Infantry Division (Col. Socrates Demaratos) was ordered to replace I division by March 23.
During the night of March 12-13, the Greek II/5 Btn (Maj. Dimitrios Kasslas) that had dug-in at 731, was relieved and replaced by III/19 Btn (Cpt. Panaghiotis Koutrides), as the 19th Infantry Regiment (Col. Panaghiotis Balis) had responsibility for the subsector. Maj. Kasslas' new mission was to reorganize what was left of the depleted and worn out II/5 Battalion. II/5 had taken more casualties inside four days, than every other Greek unit in the same subsector (586 KIA and WIA).
On Thursday, March 13, after a two-hour Italian artillery barrage, the Italian attacks were almost entirely concentrated on 731. Now, the III/19's turn had arrived to defend the rocky hill. A series of attacks on it, were once again repulsed by the Greeks. The engagement reached its peak when the Greek 9th Coy of III/19 Btn under 1st Lt (Reservist) Isaac Lavrentides, charged into the oncoming attacking Italians with fixed bayonets and toppled them.
On Friday, March 14, the Italians again assaulted Hill 731. The Greek III/19 btn, led by its CO Cpt. Panaghiotis Koutrides himself, charged into the oncoming attacking Italians with fixed bayonets. The Italians suffered serious casualties, dozens became prisoner. Cpt. Koutrides was wounded.
On Saturday, March 15, the Italian Supreme Command Cavallero, ordered a series of night assaults. The ferocity of an ambitious Italian effort, shocked the Greek defenders at 731, so much so that the Greek lines almost collapsed. At 2000 hours, the CO of the Greek 19th Infantry Regiment Col. Panaghiotis Balis to rally his troops, brought the regimental colour, raised it on top, ordered the buglers to sound the 'Attention!' and stood still under the flag, while the battle was raging. The defenders on the hill through their tear-dimmed eyes, saw the colour unfold and took heart. The Italians were repulsed.
Generals Ugo Cavallero (Chief of the Italian Supreme Command), Gastone Gambara (CO of VIII. Army Corps), and Carlo Geloso (CO of 11. Army) met on March 16, assessed the tactical situation and decided to temporarily suspend all ground operations until March 19. For three days, both sides engaged in limited patrol actions and some artillery dueling.
[Photo of an actual Italian effort against Hill 731; the hill on the right, is 717] i.imgur.com/DUz63Di.gif
Hill 731 would make a great Sabaton song.
The "Ciamuria" unit refers to a zone in northwest Greece with numerous ethnic Albanians, and it suggests the Italians were trying to play the Albanian card.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chameria
The name / surname of one of the greek commanders " Socrates Demaratos " that is mentioned is.... Odd. We all know socrates, and " Demaratos " was the name of the Spartan general who served under Xerxes in the greco -persian wars. The bulling that this guy should have suffered in his schooling years from his history teachers , i can only imagine it.
@@MrMortadelas the coat of arms in the second part is exactly that. When they sing..." Six days if rain there is no surrender there is no retreat" it is exactly that battle.
The western world find it hard to acknowledge the contribution of the Nigerian amy in the second world war. I have never heard of this before. Thanks for educating us about our history that was left behind in history of the second world war. Nigeria has always at the forefront of international peacekeeping, because world peace is a global responsibility.
THANK YOU
But sadly, the same military with the aid of the government perpetrate violence against the masses.
We can see that the Italian army was never really equipped to fight a real war .. as soon as they face true resistance they fell apart ..
Well said !
Mussolini vastly overstated Italy's military build up and resources. Not exactly on point, but I recall that at one point before the war, when Mussolini was bragging about military prowess, he reviewed the Italian air force. It consisted of reviewing the air fleet in base on the ground. Then he and the press would drive to another base and repeat. then repeat at another base. Planes flew to the next site while the media was on the road. Same planes every time.
Waiting for the next episode and the fate of HMS York, speaking of italians and their incompetence. I bet there will be no mention of it.
@@Ingulf_The_Mad The attack on York was a bit like the attack on USS Cole in 2000. It shows that a local command with resources in their disposal can be creative with an asymmetric attack. Individual commanders weren't necessarily incompetent but Mussolini's reach exceeded his grasp. Or at least he didn't develop the resources to hold on to the New Roman Empire. This is my impression but I'll defer to experts.
Unfortunately, that is far from true. The Italian soldier did fight bravely. It's main problem (other than poor equipment) was in its leadership. Under German leadership, the Italian soldiers were impressive. Rommel wrote after the 2nd battle of El Alamien, "The German soldier has impressed the world, however the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier." They were not just words. Rommel wrote often in his diary about the skill, daring, and persistence of his Italian soldiers.
Large parts of the British mainland were bombed this week, including Clydebank and Hull, two important port cities for the British supply. There's still an old cinema in the city of Hull that is bombed out, it was destroyed by a parachute land mine (1600 lb bomb) around March/April 1941. I used to drive past it to work everyday.
I visited a house in Jos, plateau state Nigeria and I saw a house with an old grave on it. The man buried there was a world War 2 veteran. So proud of him.
Indy from WW1: The war keeps growing
We could hear this statement again and again, and steel be good
And you will probably hear this at least a few more times!
And how about "this is modern war". Miss that
Nigerian chads showing everyone how its done
My grand father fought for the Italian somali land.Gave me his uniform when he died in 1995 I still have it.
That's really cool!
Cegesh
Fuck you,my grandfather kick the British out of somalia.
Loved this. I work at a boarding school with 20-30 Nigeria high schoolers yearly. A few other Africans also. I will definitely tell them I learned a little about their great troops. Hopefully they have some stories to tell me.
NO ONE gives more information then you in any videos. It’s amazing how you even identify the garrisons and who’s fighting on the line. Your awesome love the videos and just the whole theme.
It’s so funny everyone forgot about our effort in the war ,my dad told me then they had to contribute almost half of their wages to the British for ammunition etc ....it’s so funny Nigeria wasn’t even till today tempered for this ,but when it comes to bad stuff oh yes then they remember Nigeria is a country , shame shame
Hill 731 is modern day Thermopylae. After so much bombing the hill lost 5 meters in height. Now it’s hill 726.
Italians: retreat after being defeated
Nigerians: why are you running? Why are you running?
I was born in Italy and my parents are one Italian and one Nigerian, I saw this in the recommended and I was really curious about it! but when I didn't understand where the story started tho. Once I realised what this channel was I literally binge watched all the 80 videos in the last 3 days and I finally arrived here. this has in short time became by far my favourite channel I'm gonna soon support on Patreon as well!
Been a while since we heard of anything in the east. How's the Pacific/China/Japan doing?
A bit of a lull on the fronts. but at home the Japanese seem to be planing something new though... a lot of naval training and building activity going on.
@@WorldWarTwo spoilers!
I got $100 dollars that says the Japanese are done with this war.
@@bryanl.morrison552 The Japanese surely are too busy with China to get involved with this European war.
World War Two
Including some stuff that shouldn’t be built, though everyone else is building similar ships that shouldn’t be built.
I love the Nigerian angle. More on that please i gotta share this with friends.
Africans defending africa.from italians ..keep it up.
Italy had enough fun in Africa. Africa became boring to them.
I wish the Italians did the same with Europe, defend Europe from Africa with all those illegal immigrants coming to Europe. But it makes you think if the Italians are so bad why are Africans trying to get to Italy and to be ruled by Italians I think they wish the Italians were back in Africa.
@@alastair9446 well,if you are so clever come here in Italy and patrol the borders..
@@fulviusinfabula I live in Africa too busy patrolling the borders here trying stop everyone from running away from this shit hole to go live under their former colonial masters. I mean really, we get rid of our colonial masters and now everyone wants to leave and live under them again.
@@clitoralrosary9474 now African have fun in Italy! 😂👊
My guess is that the phone call was someone saying that the Austrian-Hungarians were the best strategists in history under Hötzendorf
Conrad Von Hötzendorf jokes never get old
Nope. Its about the fastest Military Advance in History, which he later reveals to be the Nigerians. Not Napoleon, not the Germans and not the Ottomans.
Neither do the soldiers under his command
@@gafeleon9032 oooooohhh brutal. LOLed
Indiana Jones first thing I think of when I hear Conrad von Hotzendorf is how incompetent he was how much Indy roasted his ugly ass in the Great War series
Really great!!! Feels good to be a Nigerian
Amazing to compare the Nigerian advance in this war to the sluggishness of the last. Motorised transport has had such a huge impact.
@@KnightofAges True, but there wasn't much sense in establishing those complex fortifications when motorized transport existed. One breakthrough anywhere along the line and you've suddenly got enemy troops 100km behind you tearing up your logistics infrastructure. A similar breakthrough in WWI couldn't move faster than the speed of a walking man and could be easily countered by reserve troops before it got too deep into your rear areas.
@@Raskolnikov70 One factor in the defeat of 1940 was psychological - Germans breaking through to places where they had been stopped in 1914-18.
I'm Nigerian My Grand dad was a Burma boy in WW2, they were always posted to the most difficult parts of the war but somehow nothing was ever written about it in western media atleast they were also denied promotions and benefits after retirement, no tmre ignition nothing at all till this day.
They were sent to the jungles were the mosquitoes and the terrain was too tough for the whites and the Asians most of the whites died of malaria, food poisoning and other things even before any gun was fired and the Asian soldiers used to be scared of the Nigerians/Africans because they were bigger than them in size and it took the Africans just 2 men and some minutes to chop a tree work that'd take the Asians much longer and when going up trails it was the Africans who carried all the luggage, equipments everything yet the other few non Africans with them would be the ones falling and they'd also have to carry them on their backs along with the luggages.
I intend to sue can anyone help me with Proper party (I'm thinking Britain) and which court will have jurisdiction over such matter (International court or a court in Britain?) I will be suing for the benefits denied my grand dad and the men of the 82nd (West Africa) Division
Nice bro my great grand dad was Senegalese he fought at the battle of France in 1940
With no apology, colonialists are evil. From invading empires and kingdoms and stealing resources as well as priceless cultural artifacts. A country like France is still living off its west Africa colonies like a leech. France should naturally be a 3rd world country if not for Africa. Some day their thievery will come to an end and the world will see France for what it truly is.
I am reminded of a line from David Lynch's film "Dune" : "I see plans within plans..." So many gears turning.
To the Time Ghost Team, another great episode, thank you and keep up the good work!
Thanks
Carving a path stretching 900+ kilometers through Italian East Africa? Damn the Nigerians are kicking ass!
Pedro Duarte even the tribal Ethiopian Troops with spears were kicking the Italians ass. Which why the Italians needed to use mustard gas on civilians
Well, they are fighting over a desert. Not much there.
@@alastair9446 I wish you told George W. Bush deserts are overrated territories. 😒
Mussolini taking control of the army and the Italians using tactics of Luigi Cadorna from the Battle of the Isonzo River(pick any one you want) what could possibly go wrong. Looks like a recipe for great success/sarc.
I can't be the only one who automatically assumed he was going to say Luigi Cordona right after he said Italian Chief of Staff?
Today's tie has a retro element to it, with the added width making it stand out a little more. 3/5
Wanted to hear more about the Nigerians and there involvement.🤔
you're the first youtuber I've seen cover the east african campaign of the war
Plenty more where that came from!
7:44 normally you'd expect some droll joke about kenyans being the long distance champs, but congrats to the nigerians on such an impressive manoeuvre. It's always great to see a minor power that usually is lucky to get more than a paragraph in their school textbooks showing up in this series
@@cosmicwakes6443 Clearly you do not understand jokes
@@cosmicwakes6443 good troll but look out for rule 1 of this channel's comments
Cool Runnings: Pasta Edition
@@cosmicwakes6443: "Top athletes are a small subset of a population"
If the top athletes of some population are better long-distance runners than the top athletes of some other population, then ceteris paribus I'd also expect that whole population to be better at long-distance running than the other population on average (though that's still uncertain, of course).
@@KnightofAges Then the Britons could have fought the war all alone. F_ck Britain, master of deceit. The mess they left in Nigeria is still boiling over.
Nigerians were called brave as Lions, and hard as nails.
By the way this quote was given to them when fighting the Japanese in 1944,by their British Commander !
*_SIDES AT PRESENT:_*
*_World War Two_*
*Allies:* _Albanian resistance,_ Australia+, Bahrain-, Belgium*+, Canada, Chechnya-Ingushetia^, China^^, Czechoslovakia*, _Danish resistance, Estonian resistance’, Ethiopian Arbegnoch,_ Free France+’’, Greece, Iceland~’’’, _Latvian resistance’,_ Luxembourg*, Nepal, Netherlands*+, New Zealand+, Norway*+, Oman-, Poland*, South Africa, United Kingdom+
*Axis:* Germany+, Italy+, Japan+^^^, Manchukuo~, Mengkukuo~, _Ngolok Tibetans^^^^,_ Reorganized ROC~, Slovakia~, USSR’’’’, Vichy France+’’
*3rd Parties:* Denmark’’’’’, _Lithuanian resistance’_, Thailand^^^^^
_Italics:_ Non-state forces
~puppet
*occupied with a government-in-exile & resistance movement.
+Includes the country’s colonies, overseas territories, or reichskommissariats
-self-governing protectorate or territory
‘The official governments of the Baltic States reluctantly accepted the USSR’s ultimatums, resulting in their occupation & the installation of new Soviet friendly regimes. This led to the creation of irregular national resistance movements, though it would take time before they became formal organizations. As the Estonian & Latvian resistance forces are fighting the USSR-who is a co-belligerent of Germany at this time-they are listed with the Allies. Although the exact date that Polish & Lithuanian resistance forces began fighting each other for control of the land around Vilnius/Wilno is unknown, they do so throughout the war as well as fight Germany & the USSR. For this reason, I’m placing the Lithuanian resistance in the 3rd Parties list. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* After Operation Barbarossa, I will reassign them based on the new front between Germany & the USSR.
‘’When newly appointed Prime Minister Philippe Pétaind announced his intentions to seek an armistice with the Axis powers, General Charles de Gaulle established a government-in-exile that would continue the war on the Allied side. French colonies had to decide whether to remain loyal to the Vichy Regime or join the Free French. Chad under Governor Félix Éboué was the first to join De Gaulle & *_SPOILER WARNING:_* soon all of French Equatorial Africa was in Free French hands, with its capital Brazzaville serving as headquarters for the movement. By late 1943, all French oversea possessions except in Indochina were controlled by Free France. Although the French government in Vichy is officially neutral, I have placed them with the Axis. The main reason being that Allied forces would continue to attack & occupy the territory it claimed throughout the war. At the same time, the Vichy government collaborated with Germany by providing war materials, allowing them use of their territory for strategic operations, & in implementing the Holocaust.
‘’’Although the Icelandic government issued a formal protest, the British invasion was not contested because Iceland lacked a military to fight back with & so told its people to treat the occupiers as guests. Even to this day, the "Lovely War" is controversial. Many Icelanders view the Allied occupation very negatively for the loss of their country’s sovereignty & for foreign troops fraternizing with local women. Others point to economic & infrastructural benefits the happened during the war. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* Iceland’s occupation is transferred to the Neutral USA on July 7th, 1941. At that point, I will take Iceland off the overview until Pearl Harbor.
’’’’I have the USSR on the Axis side because both Germany & them are currently at war with Poland(The Soviets invaded on September 17, 1939), divided Poland between themselves pre-invasion, are working together to end the Polish resistance, & are trading war materials. This is all detailed in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the German-Soviet Frontier Treaty, the German-Soviet Credit Agreement, & the German-Soviet Commercial Agreement. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* After Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, I will move them to the 3rd parties list(See my policy on country placement below) & then move them to the Allies after the signing of the Sikorski-Mayski agreement in July 1941 between the Polish government-in-exile & the USSR.
‘’’’’In the 2nd week of April, both Germany & the United Kingdom invaded & occupied parts of Danish territory(Germany occupied Denmark proper & the United Kingdom occupied the Faroe Islands) to “guarantee their independence & neutrality.” Everyday life went on mostly as before with Local authorities in both areas cooperating with the occupiers. Hitler hoped that Denmark would be “a model protectorate” that would aide his larger goals. Despite this, the Danish national government resisted calls by Germany for legal discrimination against Jewish Danes, the death penalty, & German military courts to have jurisdiction over Danish citizens. The Danish colony of Greenland(being de facto independent at the time) asked the neutral USA to protect them from invasion by the warring powers. Throughout this time, Denmark remained officially neutral despite having Axis & Allied forces on its soil. *_SPOILER WARNING:_* On August 29, 1943, after refusing to submit to any further German demands, the Danish government was dissolved & the German military took direct control of the country. At that point, I’ll take Denmark off the 3rd parties list & replace the Danish resistance with Denmark(with an occupied disclaimer).
^The Provisional Popular Revolutionary Government of Chechnya-Ingushetia is currently engaged in a guerrilla war against the USSR for independence. Since I have the Soviets in the Axis for reasons stated above, I‘m placing Chechnya-Ingushetia with the Allies *_SPOILER WARNING:_* until Operation Barbarossa, when I will move them to the Axis.
^^The Kuomintang & Communist Parties have signed a truce to fight the Japanese as part of the Second United Front lead by Chiang Kai-shek, but coordination is minimal & both deeply mistrust the other.
^^^I’ve combined the European & Asian wars at this point because Japan has now officially joined a military alliance with Germany & Italy in the form of the Tripartite Pact & is occupying Northern French Indochina, which is land the Free French government recognizes as its own. Despite the government in Vichy agreeing to the occupation after months of pressure, impatient Japanese forces rushed across the border & clashed with their Vichy French counterparts in the first few days. Since the fighting stopped before this week’s post, Vichy France & Japan are listed together as part of the Axis.
^^^^The Ngolok rebellions were a brutal ethnic conflict fought in Qinghai/Amdo between Ngolok Tibetans & the Hui dominated Ma clique who were loyal to the Kuomintang government of China. Despite having a common enemy in the Kuomintang, the Ngolok Tibetans & Japan were only co-belligerents as they didn’t have a formal alliance & didn’t coordinate in military planning.
^^^^^After a few months of border skirmishes, full on war broke out between Vichy controlled French Indochina & Thailand on January 5th, 1941. Despite only fighting against Vichy forces, I’m placing Thailand in the 3rd parties list. The reason for this is since I placed Free France with the Allies & Vichy France in the Axis for reasons stated above & As both claim to be the legitimate government of France, they both claim to be the rightful owners of the disputed lands in Indochina, thus both would regard Thailand as a belligerent because Thailand is trying to take back land that it lost to France previously. An armistice was proclaimed on January 28th & *_SPOILER WARNING:_* Peace treaty signed on May 9th.
*_MY POLICY ON COUNTRY PLACEMENT_*
If a country declares war on or attacks another country & at least one of them is already involved in World War II, I’ll list the other as a part of the opposing faction. That is why the events of the Winter War are included in the main World War II list & the events of the War of ‘41(Ecuador vs. Peru) will not be. The countries listed in the factions above are comprised of both official members & co-belligerents. The terms “Allies” & “Axis” are used for both kinds of belligerents as a convenient way to distill the world war & it’s adjoining conflicts, with disclaimers used to elaborate on some of the more complicated situations. If a country or resistance movement is at war with at least one country form both factions, I’ll add them to the 3rd parties list with a disclaimer. The 3rd Parties list is not a faction, but a collection of warring parties who act independently of one another. I have to consolidate factions along co-belligerency or else the number of factions will balloon out of control. Finally, each post only represents the factions as they were 79 years ago to the day. Many countries will join, leave, or switch sides before the war ends for various reasons & I strongly encourage you to look into the situation of each country for yourself.
Respect, you should hope no Russian will see your comment, they will probably go crazy over it.
@Marcus Bierman Respect for doing all this. One question I do have is why isn’t Bulgaria included? Despite the fact that they have not declared war or attacked any nation yet, Bulgaria is technically occupied by Germany for the attack on Greece
Don't really agree on your position about Vichy France. If you consider selling materials to Germany a reason to be in Axis side, you need to include Switzerland, Portugal, Sweden etc. As for German forces using France territory, what can Vichy do about it?
100% agree on the Holocaust part.
"Germany & them are currently at war with Poland" - shouldn't you update this?
@@joshuacondell1686 says who? Stalin? Current Russian propaganda? Also, this isnt about "friendship" - its an alliance. I doubt the Germans considered Italians and Japanese as their "friends" either.
Nigerian and other African troops were led by colonial officers in the East African campaign against the Italians. Those officers included men from Zimbabwe and South Africa. One was grandfather of Geoff brakspear whose story will appear soon in the journal heritage of Zimbabwe number 38. The Nigerians fought well and so did the Italians
Yes, but it makes such a great story having Africa beat Europe people love that stuff. Please don't mention the Italians fought well you destroying the mood we only want to hear how Italy got humiliated.
I am so glad that you are covering the frequently overlooked, but extremely fascinating, campaign in East Africa. Hope you get around to covering the events in Madagascar, Iraq and Syria as well, three other forgotten campaigns of WW2. I would really like to see how the events unfolded as the British army ended up fighting the Vichy French.
Worry not, every theatre of war will be covered!
This here is some dope history, homie.
I had never heard about the Nigerian regiment would love to hear more.
Nigerian 1: We have no business being here in this war because we're a colony of a European power fighting in another colony of another European power.
Nigerian 2: Ya but don't we grow some rubber back home?
Nigerian 1: ?
Nigerian 2: I'm suggesting that we burn some of it, maybe set a few world records along the way.
That's a stupid move you reduce the supply of it until the price is right and keep the cash flowing.
. . .
No comment.
You are right brother💯
When the supply situation in just North Africa is as crazy as it is, I am surprised the Nigerians were able to go as far as they did. I would think the supply situation would be worse down there.
I am wondering about how much access to fresh water there was in that region.
That was when the Nigerian government was less corrupt and their military was actually no jokes they even defeated the USA backed forces in countries like Sierra Leone to grant the party they supported victory.
this is when Nigeria was a British colony lol
@@cybertronian2005 The Nigerian intervention in Sierra Leone was years after Nigeria's independence, if you were referring to the video topic then yes Nigeria was still a British colony but it's Military was made up of it's indigenous people, Europe was stretched out so much during the war that colonial powers had African men fight alongside them in the war.
German OKW: We're advancing too quickly, we should slow down and reorganize.
Nigerians: SpeeEEeeEEEEeed
My grand father told me how he fought for the Ethiopian army, he was then Nigeria army during world war 2
I am still amazed at how well you put these videos together. I love your channel.
Wow, I am proud of my country men .
Not even in our history books - both in Nigeria and in the UK - have such awesome Nigerian participation in the www2... Thanks a lot!
The French govt do honor the Africans especially those from Senegal and Mali and even paid their families money.
You're welcome!
I love how you keep moving the bell around. And the entire series.
I'm telling you, the other end of that phone line, every week, is Colin Farrel in a telephone box.
Telling you mate.
Great to watch while quarantined
Am proud to be Nigerian
The return of the one, the only, the great Indy Nidel (hope that's how you spell it). Thinking you couldn't top the very excellent series on the First world War and here you go again, upping the ante. Superb work!
Thank you! We're glad you liked it. It's "the great Indy Neidell" for future reference
@@WorldWarTwo Note taken, kind sir!
On an off topic question, who built you models (the Lancaster, The HE-177 and HE-111 and the 2 Spits) or are they diecast?
Airfix, perhaps?
Spartacus did!
My grandpa fought in WWII for Nigeria.
Thanks for this video. It is very educating. Sad the Nigerians are not mentioned by the Brits or yanks.
Any chance we could get a follow up on the Nigerians in 1943 or 1944
While it’s not a big event overall I’m sad you missed out the Clydebank Blitz on the 13th and 14 of March 1941, it was the biggest loss of life for Scottish civilians with 1200 dead and 1000 serious injuries, plus the sinking of ORP Poirun by a “lucky” bomb that went down the funnel and blew open a hole in the bottom of the boat. Shrapnel from a German bomb also resulted in the local library losing their copy of Mein Kampf (this is true, they still have the book and the bomb fragment).
I don't think they're intentionally skipping over stuff like that. It's just that they have a limited amount of time, don't want to stretch these episodes out too long by loading them up with details that are interesting but didn't really have much of an effect on the outcomes of the war. Oddly enough the comments section of the videos has become a great source for all of the information they don't get to, and I appreciate everyone that takes the time to expand on the basic narrative :)
You just hung up the phone? No goodbye no nothing? Savage
Would it be possible to name more Bulgarian locations? 'South of Sofia' is a bit too vague and it gets really confusing at times.
In Trafalgar square where the war heroes were honoured by nations, they didn't give Nigeria an individual mural like they did other commonwealth countries that participated. They put Nigeria in the categories of others.
Why are we only just hearing about these Nigerian units? Thanks for this.
Because Africans don't get credits for anything. They only get exploited and blamed for everything
They hadn't seen any action in the war until they were deployed in East Africa. The simple truth.
@@WorldWarTwo But that's not a good enough reason why many are just learning about this now. Because they were later deployed to East Africa doesn't shouldn't influence how the different aspects of the WW2 story is told. We shouldn't pretend as if we all don't know why. The lions just need to start telling it's own story. Great video though.
good stuff...may the effort of all the fallen heroes never be forgotten
See? We Nigerians can be good too
That is a quite brainwashed comment. Who is not expected to be good? It seem you are letting all those negative media propaganda get to you. If there is one bad news in a day, there are correspondingly 99 good news as well. People, especially those in the West live off bad news from less developed part of the world because they have billion dollar industries built around these skirmishes, from selling weapons to raising donation from their citizens for some poor kids in Africa even though most of the money will end up in the pocket of westerners behind "false" aids.
Every one do it fine against Mussolini.
That your comment is even more de-meaning. As a Nigerian myself, it hurts to read that comment. Is this bad? It's like the mind of most of our people have been taken over.
I made my kids sit down and watch this... Great Work
Thanks!
@@WorldWarTwo Do you have any more videos on African Armies?? Very hard to find good non bias videos.
@@RUTHLESSambition5 I hope these five videos help:
th-cam.com/video/BREOezfAJSU/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/DWIHOIZVZtE/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/hQjfY5ALBVA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/_vwufzLrRPI/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/bZlJCRR1OME/w-d-xo.html
And this one might also be of interest : th-cam.com/video/yEtDLBGGQeQ/w-d-xo.html
The truth cannot be hidden forever. Share. Stay safe and stay healthy.
Indy, manners please! Say goodbye when the call ends!
Or at least "over and out" if it's a radio-telephone.
why the hell am i only now finding this channel. i thought it was only the great war channel. god damn it now im watching every video on this channel while im in isolation
Turkish President Ismet Inonu's (he was from my hometown Malatya by the way) reply to Hitler was basically if push comes to shove we will defend ourselves to whatever party attacks us type. In his letter Inonu as Indy said , reminded their mutual wartime cooperation and cameradie between two countries (when Nazi Germany had been Imperial Germany and Turkish Republic used to be Ottoman Empire) during The Great War 25 years ago with Hitler etc...for a long time then concluded that whoever invades Turkish territory (Germans , Italians , Russians , Allies etc) , against that party , Turkey will defend itself with utmost effort....Turkish neutrality was on Germany's favor for the time being , Hitler had no time or extra resources to waste by invading Turkey also along with Balkans since timetable of Operation Barbarossa (Adolf's pet project) was already delayed for six weeks due to Operartion Marita , invasion of Greece and dangerously shifted to next winter. Besides Turkey was a net chrome (a vital mineral for German war economy) and grain exporter for Germans , that trade was worth not to distrupt for a military campaign
In case of success in Caucasus campaign, Germans would attack in Turkey and Azerbaitzan with Georgia and Armenia, while a simultaneous attack might be conducted in Thrace and Minor Asia with a reorganised "greek" army.
Bread rationing was introduced for many Turkish citizens, especially city dwellers, in 1942. They may not have been delighted to know grain was being exported to Germany but the press was censored in Turkey in WW2 and so they may not have known this.
@@KnightofAges www.google.gr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=katohika.gr/ellada/sxedio-tou-xitler-na-eisvallei-ellines-stin-tourkia-gia-na-apeleutherosei-ponto-konstantinoupoli-kai-mikra-asia/&ved=2ahUKEwjTl8SlxJroAhXSfZoKHabZDW4QFjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw0CyiYHZBtQAOc3cTSuNcoY&cshid=1584208701272
@@KnightofAges Actually Turkish Secret Service with President Inonu's orders shafting Germans , picking up all the money and weapons Germans trying to smuggle indiscreetly over Turkish railways to Iraq and Iraqi rebels and putting older worn out weapons left over from Germans over 25 years ago and counterfeit banknotes in shipments. Iraqi Rebels when driven to Berlin in May 1941 , blamed directly German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop who had no idea of what they were talking about.
@@KnightofAges We shall see in May 1941 when so called Iraq "patriots" flee the country to the bosom of first Iran then Syria , then corrupt Turkey then virtuous Italy then last of all to freedom loving Third Reich Germany , then I can remind you your own words...Speaking corruption , tell Goring not to steal too much artwork this week from Paris..."Highest Juror in the Reich" as he calls himself might find himself in trouble for that in future...
One more fantastic historylesson from you
Thank you
"...like Cheetahs hunt a bull" doesn't make a lot of sense but nice video.
Now that Mussolini is directing things personally, the Greeks don't stand a chance!
Patrolling the Isonzo almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter.
I love this channel but ill miss it when it’s gone 3-4 years later
Naija no dey carry last 🇳🇬🇳🇬
Thank you for this. This is amazing. I wish there was more information about Nigeria's (Sub-saharan Africas) contributions to the war
The title was clickbait to be honest, I thought this was gonna be only about the activities of the Nigerian regiment, still an interesting story though.
Very much click bait
Not really. It is the most interesting part of the story and the video deserved to have a title around that..
Another great episode. Thanks!
Cheers!
Nigerian military have always been good on ground.
With this coronavirus going around I guess I'm hunkering down and binge watching Indy for awhile.
Better safe than sorry ;)
Every 100 years a plague comes to earth
@@WorldWarTwo After Pearl harbor which place would you be guys visiting? It could be difficult due to the virus and it sucks.
In The Great War, I was rooting for the Germans to win. Now I’m all pro Allies, Go Churchill!!
Alec Avdakov. Why do you persist in choosing losers?