The Town of Zwolle is forever in debt to him. The local football club teams fans unfurled a banner with his name and kind words for him. The Dutch have a love affair with Canada, and this is one reason why.
Nice words...as a french canadian veteran i had the honnor 15 years ago to drink and eat with him in traditionnal troops diner before Christmas break....i'm sure you allready know that but it was a pleasure for him to do that!! I can say from all my brother in arms that it still will be a pleasure to do it again for you and allways be! R22R je me souviens!😏
When Leo was injured the second time he didn't just 'refuse' to get shipped back. He literally went AWOL, hid out in some locals house to heal up, and then returned when he was better. The army, instead of reprimanding him, put him back in the fight. I guess they knew they had a good thing. Why this bit wasn't added in the video I'll never know but there you have it.
You're right! Actually it was in a farm, after he stole a jeep that was near his window, in a familly he met in Holland not long before during the War. He stayed there fo 28 days in convalescence, before returning to his battalion. Then he liberated Zwolle by himself, saving many civilian lives and a pretty city (which was the main reason he did this instead of reporting back the positions to bombard as he was ordered to)...
@@LoveCats9220 You're right. And it could be 28 days or 10 or... we don't have any specific information on the exact length of his stay with this Dutch family after escaping from hospital, at least not to my knowledge - I said 28 days only to have seen it in a few other TH-camsque videos (we'd have to check the records of the hospital in question if not the army reports in this sense). If you have more information, please give the source or link, thanks! That said, *it would make more sense if he escaped after 28 days,* rather than the next day considering such an accident (my bad, this is not a Rambo movie lol - it's better), I'd agree with you. Anyway, no matter how long the stay, this story is pretty cool 🙂. A man who goes AWOL, not to go back home, or to flee a war and his battalion, but for the complete opposite!
If it makes you feel better, he WAS born in the States to two Canadian parents when they were away at work. They meant to come back to Canada before his birth, but that didn’t quite happen. So he TECHNICALLY is American, if only because he lived the first few weeks of his life there.
@@olivierdubreuil-gagnon2201 - How does that make you feel better? The fact is he never held dual citizenship. I guess his parents CHOSE not to be American!?!
Much love back the other way! Any "real" Canadian realizes that every American soldier who dies for their country ALSO dies for our country, IMHO. And my young daughter is growing up in a pretty free and prosperous nation because of "your guys" as well as "our guys" ❤
Here in Ottawa 🇨🇦 we have the Tulip Festival every spring... millions and millions of tulips all over the city, a lot of them sent from Holland as appreciation, plus their queen stayed in Ottawa during the war, think she had a kid here.
Before half a year ago, only the Dutch and French Canadians like myself knew Léo Major's story so the english world had no idea and the British even tried to hide the story (probably was that british general who got offended by Léo)
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 No they can"t and won't, make a movie about a heroic French Canadian. So self absorbed are Americans that there is no audience for that. There really is no cure for stupid!
@@xanbex8324 Well, there is also the problem that if a movie was made about him, no one would believe it. History has completely outdone fiction in this case.
After the inland port of Antwerp was captured, the British forces stopped there instead of advancing the extra 25 kms to close off the land connection to the North Sea. The Germans took advantage of this brain fart and poured troops in, to deny the Allies sending supplies down river. The Canadians were tasked with crowbarring the Germans out, costing them over 5,000 casualties. Leo was not impressed with Montgomery's leadership.
*3rd most, sorry, He had the most of anyone in the British Empire (ie the commonwealth), only 2 better were the Red Baron himself with 80 victories and a Frenchman, Rene Fonck, with 75. However, many seem to disregard that it was also a Canadian, Roy Brown, who is officially credited with shooting down the Red Baron
@@carolfortin1457 Yeah ive heard about him. He was badass too. I know someone whose relative met him. He made a stop in my small town during the war when he was discharged, he was basically touring around and being paid to make speeches and get folks to join the war. He stopped in my friends relatives restaurant and they had a conversation with him.
Went to school with Billy Bishop Jr. My sister and I went to Owen Sound for a holiday trip. There is a museum onBilly Bishop there It wasn’t open but when we explained that we went to School with the grandson named after him, she invited us in for a private tour. I learned things that I would never have known from the experience.
Don’t know if you’re going to read or see this but may I suggest you reacting to the world war 1 most successful sniper on either side. His name is Frances Pegahmagabow and is a First Nations Canadian hero.
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 Didn't change the fact that Québec is IN Canada. People don't really look from what province he came from anyway.. So only the nationality is mentioned. if you mess with Québec other province or Territory is messing with Canada. Et oui je viens de dire que Québecois n'est pas une nationalité au même tritre que Ontarien ou Montréalais. 😐
For the Korean hill fight, they say Leo's squad of 18 men held off against Divisions of Chinese attackers. It is estimated that they held off against 10,000 attackers over 3 days.
Almost as if, 'Big Boss' was inspired by a real soldier, after all! Makes me wonder who, 'The Boss' may have been based on. Big Boss had to have learned his tricks somewhere, right?!
Thank you so much for presenting the story of Leo Major in such a respectful manner. It is wonderful to see that you respected his heroic achievements rather than laughing at the dialogue and insinuating the story was bs. An old saying about Canada: In peace we always say sorry....In war they always say sorry. Vimy Ridge is a prime example of how, in war, we don't back down. Hope you find the following interesting. One of the main streets in ZWOLLE is named 'Leo Major' to honour his bravery and accomplishments. To this day, the school children of The Netherlands are given a day off from school so they can go to the various cemeteries where Canadians are buried and tend to each one and place flowers. In doing so, it is the people of The Netherlands' way of thanking Canada for the sacrifice made in order to liberate the country. For the four years of the war, the Dutch royal family resided in Ottawa, Canada's capital, as guests of the people of Canada. During that time, in 1943, Canada declared the four-room suite of Ottawa Civic Hospital international territory so that Crown Princess Juliana of The Netherlands could give birth to Princess Margriet, ensuring the new princess would only have Dutch citizenship, which was passed through her parents. She was the first and only royal to be born in Canada. Both Crown Princess Julianna and Princess Margriet went on to be successive Queens of The Netherlands. Each year, as a thank you for providing a safe haven to their royal family and arranging for the unique birth, as well as liberating The Netherlands, The Netherlands donates 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada to be planted in Ottawa, with some directed to be planted on the grounds of the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Canada and The Netherlands maintain a special bond that will never be broken.
I served under gen Dextraze who was Leo Major's CO in Korea and with some of his friends. And I bet mom have family ties with Leo's killed friend. His history is little known here in Québec.
Just a fun fact that month long battle where he captured those prisoners but refused the medal the Canadians suffered 6000 casualties there which is why Leo thought the general was incompetent
Leo never told his wife and kids about anything he did in the war. They only found out when the town of Zwolle brought them over for a parade honouring him, many years later. He remained an ordinary working man, of gentle temperament. His sons said that he was the kind of man that you instantly respected and whose advice you would follow. Not talking about what you had done in the war was quite common among Canadians. Both my parents were in the Canadian Air Force during WW2, one a bomber pilot, the other a flight controller. Yet they never talked about the war when I was a kid. I researched Leo's story pretty thoroughly, especially consulting French journalists who were suspicious of it and found to their surprise that almost everything said about him was true. This documentary is accurate in most details, except that the story of his refusing the first medal because he didn't like Montgomery is not true. He didn't get the medal because of a mixup, and never said anything about it. The refusal part was a story that others speculated on and which later was repeated as fact. The key to Leo's character is that he grew up in poverty, his dad having run off, and was something of a runt who was repeatedly bullied in childhood. But as a teenager, he learned that bullies could be defeated through bluff, misdirection and confusion. You can see that he used this insight to advantage in combat. He had a low opinion of braggarts (something he shared with most Canadians), and never felt the need to exploit his military accomplishments. His sons remarked, after his death, that he was kind and loving, and never raised a hand or even his voice to them, but that it never occurred to them to disobey him, nor did any friend or neighbour doubt his judgment or reject his advice. Soldiers who served under him said that they trusted him implicitly and would never think twice about doing anything he asked of them. He was, a cool dude.
A story I read was that he returned to the town with his wife for something like the 50th anniversary of VE day. Initially his wife wasn't sure what all the fuss was about since he had told her little of the detail of what he had accomplished.
I believe this was misreported, Majors very much lived out of the spotlight after the war, he hated it. I do believe other members of his unit were told stories tho and even they didn’t know everything he had done there
Ordinary men do extraordinary feats when faced with overwhelming odds, Just the fact that most of the boys, and yes I mean boys some as young as fourteen lied so they could fight were volunteers! That fact alone makes them heroes in my book. 😎😎
5:15 Actually, he fled from the hospital because he didn't want to be sent back home. After stealing a jeep that was near his window, he drove to a Dutch family he encountered sooner and stayed there during 28 days to heal his injuries, then joined back his battalion and liberated Zwole. He was supposed to scout in order to report back those positions to get bombarded by the Canadians (and if possible make contact with the resistance), but one of the reasons he liberated it by himself (apart his friend who got killed - and that's what he reported), is for the fact the city was filled with people as well as beautiful architecture, thus he didn't want the carnage, death and demolition a bombardment would have made...
I can't get over he was on his feet after 28 days. I broke and dislocated one of my ankles and it was months before I was up and walking without a cane. I suppose he was younger though and probably made of rubber.
@@drippythoughtsicle1537 ribs heal faster than ankles. And after 28 days, the pain is much more bearable (if it's still there). What baffles me is in regard to his injuries on the back... It looks like no vertebrae got crunched (which can lead to chronicle paralysis, if not seriously impede on movements).
Yup with is bow and sword i think...imagin a two mans army!😉 As a french canadian veteran i will keep my Léo but yes mad Jack was a badass too like so many others!
There was another video I saw about him on FaceBook animated like this one but it went into a little better detail fighting the Chinese, it's a lot more bad ass than this video makes it seem. This version had some tidbits that the other one didn't tho.
i dont think people ever realize how many shots it takes to overheat a mortar barrel, to warp an entire mortar group's barrels they must have fired a ridiculous shit ton of shells, easily over 10,000 in a single hour
That's just on the one hill that Leo Major was in control of. Another hill held by Canadians was all but overrun with hand to hand fighting and the guy in charge of that one called the Kiwi artillery support down on his own position not once, but three times during the night. The Battle of Kapyong.
@@brustar5152 i mean commonwealth countries never let someone have their spots without a fight thats just a fact ask the kiwis, the aussies, the canucks, answers and results are always the same
That was just one part of the Netherlands he occupied. Canada also cleared the rest of it out. You can see that right here on TH-cam called: CBC CANADA LIBERATION OF THE NETHERLANDS
In Montreal there is a statue of Norman Bethune at the Guy-Concordia metro station, a communist who helped Mao,the monstrous dictator, but no statue of this guy..... In Korea, him and 18 guys from the 22nd Regiment from Quebec City took a hill from the Chinese (previously held by Americans) and slaughtered 1000s of Chinese. 18 guys did something an infantry division of Yanks could not do!!! Canadian are nice my ass... at least not French Canadians it seems! These guys were tough bastards when called to action. And yet no statue, no road, no park, nothing but a tiny grave in Point-Claire, Quebec for Mr. Major. Shame on Montreal, shame of Quebec and shame on Canada.
If Leo had been American, Hollywood would have gone berserk with the usual hero hysteria and utter distortion of the facts (eg: Audie Murphy) In America script writers know better than historians, eh? Instead, like the Brits, Aussies and the NZs, he was welcomed home quietly and Canadian life went on without the Hollywood hype and 💩 My father, a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, won the Distinguished Flying Cross. We didn't know until he passed away. That's the Commonwealth way.
@@LauchlinM. The problem with winning the VC is , you need a certain amount of witnesses , and at lest 1 or 2 officers, I know , its Bull Shit, but true..and they have to like you..lol. I have a feeling the officers didn't like Leo to much with his Rambo attitude..lol
The true north strong and free produced some real bad asses, check out Tommy Prince, and Francis Pegamagabo. And remember the Canadian Forces hold the record fore longest sniper kill today. We still produce some bad asses from our true north strong and free. It must be something in the water 😉
Love hearing about history, both war and other things, this guy was crazy good at his job, and legit was a nice enough person in the long run to turn in tens of men or more at a time, and fought to keep them all alive. But also in the interest of history, I only became aware of this video about a year ago. Obviously I'm a big Conan fan as I've mention some stuff tied to it before, but this is what got me really into it again, and that's the history of how the character was nearly destroyed, how his creator was massively lied about, and how these pre history barbarian stories continue to shape modern fantasy. th-cam.com/video/JfOdQfcFY-8/w-d-xo.html
How could is CO agree with this... "All right Leo, you can go on rampage all night long single handedly capture this city, while the unit will stay put and patiently wait for you to bring back ten's of prisoners."
@@michelbrisebois4317 I'm just surprised nobody reported that. I can't imagine how was the camp for the Canadian Forces but someone must have notice him coming back with prisoners at gunpoint on several occasions. Someone must have handled the prisoners, they could not have made that much prisoners in some random night.
@@jonathanmichaud6800 Oh, they knew all about it but only AFTER the fact and only after he proved to them the Germans had abandoned the city by having the Dutch resistance show up and confirm he'd done it alone. Had the Dutch themselves not been privy to his badassery, Canadian generals (mostly English heredity) would likely have downgraded his accomplishment to warrant him being given a punishment for using too much ammunition. My father was over there and took part in the liberation of Holland with the GGHG's as a troop sgt tank commander and he said they all laughed mightily when word got around through the ranks Leo had told his CO he was refusing the medal because of Montgomery being a moron having wasted many Canadian lives through his bad decisions.
My guess is that since there was absolutely no reactions to the activities of Leo Major is that both of you had watched this video at least one or twice, and were not impressed. Likewise, you two dorks should expect that none of your viewers would be impressed. Come on guys... why don't you do a reaction to scateboarders or garderners.
The Town of Zwolle is forever in debt to him. The local football club teams fans unfurled a banner with his name and kind words for him. The Dutch have a love affair with Canada, and this is one reason why.
Nice words...as a french canadian veteran i had the honnor 15 years ago to drink and eat with him in traditionnal troops diner before Christmas break....i'm sure you allready know that but it was a pleasure for him to do that!! I can say from all my brother in arms that it still will be a pleasure to do it again for you and allways be! R22R je me souviens!😏
@@jean-rochdion4898 The mythical Van Doos!
@@HawkFest yes, a beaver right here!! lol i know it's sound weird!! hahaha
@@jean-rochdion4898 force et courage l'ami !
19 French Canadian vs 14 000 Chinese troops for 3 days
:)
This guy was real John wick
Ryan Metzelar no Rambo
@@primestopper126 He's from Quebec, so we always called him Rambaux in school.
X-9000 he said my John wick
When Leo was injured the second time he didn't just 'refuse' to get shipped back. He literally went AWOL, hid out in some locals house to heal up, and then returned when he was better. The army, instead of reprimanding him, put him back in the fight. I guess they knew they had a good thing. Why this bit wasn't added in the video I'll never know but there you have it.
You're right! Actually it was in a farm, after he stole a jeep that was near his window, in a familly he met in Holland not long before during the War. He stayed there fo 28 days in convalescence, before returning to his battalion. Then he liberated Zwolle by himself, saving many civilian lives and a pretty city (which was the main reason he did this instead of reporting back the positions to bombard as he was ordered to)...
My understanding is that he went AWOL from the hospital, to visit a girlfriend in Belgium and heal up there... then back to his unit, of course...
@@HawkFestYes, he went AWOL on the 28th day because he’d heard that he was going to be shipped home on Day 30
@@LoveCats9220 You're right. And it could be 28 days or 10 or... we don't have any specific information on the exact length of his stay with this Dutch family after escaping from hospital, at least not to my knowledge - I said 28 days only to have seen it in a few other TH-camsque videos (we'd have to check the records of the hospital in question if not the army reports in this sense). If you have more information, please give the source or link, thanks!
That said, *it would make more sense if he escaped after 28 days,* rather than the next day considering such an accident (my bad, this is not a Rambo movie lol - it's better), I'd agree with you.
Anyway, no matter how long the stay, this story is pretty cool 🙂. A man who goes AWOL, not to go back home, or to flee a war and his battalion, but for the complete opposite!
If he weren’t Canadian there would be movies about this dude
If he weren't a Quebecker he would have 3 Victoria cross
@@steelwater3947 probably true unfortunately!
100% correct sir
@@steelwater3947 Vrai!
Rambo + Solid Snake = Leo Major
Not even Hollywood can top this guy.
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 Yes Hollywood is B>S> Major was the real deal...a real French Canadian Hero.
What I thought Roy Benavidez was Rambo
Stop the steal
Much love to our Canadian friends from America! Leo Major was one hell of a soldier and an even better man. Glad to have you guys as allies.
If it makes you feel better, he WAS born in the States to two Canadian parents when they were away at work. They meant to come back to Canada before his birth, but that didn’t quite happen. So he TECHNICALLY is American, if only because he lived the first few weeks of his life there.
@@olivierdubreuil-gagnon2201 - How does that make you feel better? The fact is he never held dual citizenship. I guess his parents CHOSE not to be American!?!
Much love back the other way! Any "real" Canadian realizes that every American soldier who dies for their country ALSO dies for our country, IMHO.
And my young daughter is growing up in a pretty free and prosperous nation because of "your guys" as well as "our guys" ❤
And they don't teach us Leo Major in our history in Quebec. He's literally the biggest badass of all times.
a moi dans mon cour dhistoire en secondaire 2 il ns en ont parlé...
thats because he went back to Quebec and never talked about any of his exploits, he wanted to be left alone
@@xGoodOldSmurfehx I've asked a miltary I know from Major's regiment and they don't even teach them about him.
Believe it or not there are 5 or 6 canadian soldiers that did simalar things in WW1 and WW2.
@@jason8897386 I believe you
the town in holland celbrate leo major every year since then with a parade
The trick to Canadians at war, give them a hockey stick and tell them that the other guys have the puck.
Tell them someone is torturing maple syrup and u will regret it.
Just say a person stole 10 million pounds of maple syrup
Don't tell them our secrets. Then they will start looking for counter measures. Now back to practicing tossing grenade with a lacrosse stick.
lmao
lol
Rambo: "They drew first blood"
Leo Major: "Hold my beer"
No no use you’re brain it would be maple syrup
@@thomasfabian1928 beer and maple syrup
Maybe his greatest achievement was NOT bragging about his heroics and giving the 'F O' to the very over rated Montgomery!
Indeed
one of his sons said if he was American there would be movies about him
There should be movies about him. And dozens of other men who know one has ever heard of but did incredible things in defense of our freedom.
@@nickvandergragt5996 Lets get Ryan Reynolds on backing this. He has more than enough power in Hollywood
The only way it would be made in Hollywood would be if they suddenly made Major a heroic American.
I'm gonna make a film about this guy, may be in 2 years, fingers crossed!
@@PianoMoverSmith1 Gerard Butler would be dope to play his role
Here in Ottawa 🇨🇦 we have the Tulip Festival every spring... millions and millions of tulips all over the city, a lot of them sent from Holland as appreciation, plus their queen stayed in Ottawa during the war, think she had a kid here.
Before half a year ago, only the Dutch and French Canadians like myself knew Léo Major's story so the english world had no idea and the British even tried to hide the story (probably was that british general who got offended by Léo)
On connaît en France aussi
Bin ouais, ya des documentaires francophones de Léo Major
Fuck Montgomery
I'm a Canadian, and it sucks not to learn such heroism about our soliders, whether their either French ot English.
@@vothbetilia4862 You know the reason they don't teach us about the french heroes though, right?
He's called the French Canadian Rambo.
The pirate lion of Québec
Chuck Norris....as nothing seems to stop him.
Which is a shame since Hollywood can't top that guy.
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 No they can"t and won't, make a movie about a heroic French Canadian. So self absorbed are Americans that there is no audience for that. There really is no cure for stupid!
@@xanbex8324 Well, there is also the problem that if a movie was made about him, no one would believe it. History has completely outdone fiction in this case.
After the inland port of Antwerp was captured, the British forces stopped there instead of advancing the extra 25 kms to close off the land connection to the North Sea.
The Germans took advantage of this brain fart and poured troops in, to deny the Allies sending supplies down river. The Canadians were tasked with crowbarring the Germans out, costing them over 5,000 casualties. Leo was not impressed with Montgomery's leadership.
Yeah you don’t mess with us Canadians when it comes to war lol
Im glad canadians are usually nice
They are russians but nice
@@walnut6684 so basically if the quiet kid would be a country?
@@mrredacted85 fucken eh.....That's Canadian for yes ;p
🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
The guy story sounds like he was playing battlefield ww2 single player campaign.
Just wait till he plays multiplayer.
No, no battlefield is just a knock off haha
@@PotatocannonLol
k
Haha good one
He was a man with balls of steel!
I'm Canadian and my father lost a leg to a land mine fighting in Holland. He had many French Canadian friends in the army maybe he knew Leo?
I had no idea Rambo was based on a Canadian.
Some nights, Chuck Norris check under his bed for Léo Major.
Leo Major is a beast. So is Billy Bishop. Another great canadian warrior. Shot down 72 Axis planes in WW1. More than any other allied pilot.
*3rd most, sorry, He had the most of anyone in the British Empire (ie the commonwealth), only 2 better were the Red Baron himself with 80 victories and a Frenchman, Rene Fonck, with 75. However, many seem to disregard that it was also a Canadian, Roy Brown, who is officially credited with shooting down the Red Baron
Do not forget Georges Beurling, great pilot of WWII 31 approved victories of Verdun Montréal.
@@carolfortin1457 Yeah ive heard about him. He was badass too. I know someone whose relative met him. He made a stop in my small town during the war when he was discharged, he was basically touring around and being paid to make speeches and get folks to join the war. He stopped in my friends relatives restaurant and they had a conversation with him.
Went to school with Billy Bishop Jr. My sister and I went to Owen Sound for a holiday trip. There is a museum onBilly Bishop there It wasn’t open but when we explained that we went to School with the grandson named after him, she invited us in for a private tour. I learned things that I would never have known from the experience.
A true Canadian hero 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Don’t know if you’re going to read or see this but may I suggest you reacting to the world war 1 most successful sniper on either side. His name is Frances Pegahmagabow and is a First Nations Canadian hero.
John Wick and Rambo both wear Leo Majors pajamas...
Moral of the story:
Don't mess with Canada !
Quebec*
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 where is Quebec?
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 he was American, you know that right lol. Born in Massachusetts. Don't believe me, do a search
@@wasupfool5692 Being born in America was probably the only american thing he had. He was raised in Quebec and that's what matters.
@@marc-etiennemercier6584 Didn't change the fact that Québec is IN Canada. People don't really look from what province he came from anyway.. So only the nationality is mentioned. if you mess with Québec other province or Territory is messing with Canada. Et oui je viens de dire que Québecois n'est pas une nationalité au même tritre que Ontarien ou Montréalais. 😐
It is very sad to see that everybody from else everywhere know his story more than us all here in his original country
He escaped the hospital with his broken body and went to a girlfriends farm house to recuperate, returned to duty after 28 days...
For the Korean hill fight, they say Leo's squad of 18 men held off against Divisions of Chinese attackers. It is estimated that they held off against 10,000 attackers over 3 days.
He's the perfect example of not giving a fuck.
Hes pretty much the greatest soldier thats ever lived.
Almost as if, 'Big Boss' was inspired by a real soldier, after all! Makes me wonder who, 'The Boss' may have been based on. Big Boss had to have learned his tricks somewhere, right?!
Thank you so much for presenting the story of Leo Major in such a respectful manner. It is wonderful to see that you respected his heroic achievements rather than laughing at the dialogue and insinuating the story was bs. An old saying about Canada: In peace we always say sorry....In war they always say sorry. Vimy Ridge is a prime example of how, in war, we don't back down.
Hope you find the following interesting.
One of the main streets in ZWOLLE is named 'Leo Major' to honour his bravery and accomplishments. To this day, the school children of The Netherlands are given a day off from school so they can go to the various cemeteries where Canadians are buried and tend to each one and place flowers. In doing so, it is the people of The Netherlands' way of thanking Canada for the sacrifice made in order to liberate the country.
For the four years of the war, the Dutch royal family resided in Ottawa, Canada's capital, as guests of the people of Canada. During that time, in 1943, Canada declared the four-room suite of Ottawa Civic Hospital international territory so that Crown Princess Juliana of The Netherlands could give birth to Princess Margriet, ensuring the new princess would only have Dutch citizenship, which was passed through her parents. She was the first and only royal to be born in Canada. Both Crown Princess Julianna and Princess Margriet went on to be successive Queens of The Netherlands. Each year, as a thank you for providing a safe haven to their royal family and arranging for the unique birth, as well as liberating The Netherlands, The Netherlands donates 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada to be planted in Ottawa, with some directed to be planted on the grounds of the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Canada and The Netherlands maintain a special bond that will never be broken.
I served under gen Dextraze who was Leo Major's CO in Korea and with some of his friends. And I bet mom have family ties with Leo's killed friend. His history is little known here in Québec.
Leo Major is the dude that u play as in literally every fps game.
You might want to check out the "Highway of Heroes " videos . They show how Canadians greet their soldiers on their final journey home.
Just a fun fact that month long battle where he captured those prisoners but refused the medal the Canadians suffered 6000 casualties there which is why Leo thought the general was incompetent
Leo never told his wife and kids about anything he did in the war. They only found out when the town of Zwolle brought them over for a parade honouring him, many years later. He remained an ordinary working man, of gentle temperament. His sons said that he was the kind of man that you instantly respected and whose advice you would follow.
Not talking about what you had done in the war was quite common among Canadians. Both my parents were in the Canadian Air Force during WW2, one a bomber pilot, the other a flight controller. Yet they never talked about the war when I was a kid.
I researched Leo's story pretty thoroughly, especially consulting French journalists who were suspicious of it and found to their surprise that almost everything said about him was true. This documentary is accurate in most details, except that the story of his refusing the first medal because he didn't like Montgomery is not true. He didn't get the medal because of a mixup, and never said anything about it. The refusal part was a story that others speculated on and which later was repeated as fact.
The key to Leo's character is that he grew up in poverty, his dad having run off, and was something of a runt who was repeatedly bullied in childhood. But as a teenager, he learned that bullies could be defeated through bluff, misdirection and confusion. You can see that he used this insight to advantage in combat. He had a low opinion of braggarts (something he shared with most Canadians), and never felt the need to exploit his military accomplishments. His sons remarked, after his death, that he was kind and loving, and never raised a hand or even his voice to them, but that it never occurred to them to disobey him, nor did any friend or neighbour doubt his judgment or reject his advice. Soldiers who served under him said that they trusted him implicitly and would never think twice about doing anything he asked of them. He was, a cool dude.
Leo Major: Rambo? Never heard of her.
A story I read was that he returned to the town with his wife for something like the 50th anniversary of VE day. Initially his wife wasn't sure what all the fuss was about since he had told her little of the detail of what he had accomplished.
I believe this was misreported, Majors very much lived out of the spotlight after the war, he hated it. I do believe other members of his unit were told stories tho and even they didn’t know everything he had done there
@@AL-fl4jk There are videos of him and his wife in the town for VE day.
@@AL-fl4jk both are right.
Leo Majorlaan and Billy Bishop are the best of what Canada has to offer!!!
And Georges Beurling.
@@carolfortin1457 Yes He's a beast. Ace Buzz.
Its a travesty Leo was not awarded the Victoria Cross!
MegaWolfgang He wasn’t well liked by the British officers and he was French Canadian it was rare for them to receive a VC
@@patrickols what I came here to say and a big part of turned down the first one
Had he died, he may have been awarded the VC. Many more posthumous VCs than live awards.
Snubbing Monte cost him his VC, being from Quebec had nothing to do with it!
Ordinary men do extraordinary feats when faced with overwhelming odds, Just the fact that most of the boys, and yes I mean boys some as young as fourteen lied so they could fight were volunteers! That fact alone makes them heroes in my book. 😎😎
My grandfather pencilled 16 to an 18
leo major is basically "BigBoss"
That's quite a "productive night". I'm usually happy if I get a few loads of laundry done on the weekend.
5:15 Actually, he fled from the hospital because he didn't want to be sent back home. After stealing a jeep that was near his window, he drove to a Dutch family he encountered sooner and stayed there during 28 days to heal his injuries, then joined back his battalion and liberated Zwole. He was supposed to scout in order to report back those positions to get bombarded by the Canadians (and if possible make contact with the resistance), but one of the reasons he liberated it by himself (apart his friend who got killed - and that's what he reported), is for the fact the city was filled with people as well as beautiful architecture, thus he didn't want the carnage, death and demolition a bombardment would have made...
I can't get over he was on his feet after 28 days. I broke and dislocated one of my ankles and it was months before I was up and walking without a cane. I suppose he was younger though and probably made of rubber.
@@drippythoughtsicle1537 ribs heal faster than ankles. And after 28 days, the pain is much more bearable (if it's still there). What baffles me is in regard to his injuries on the back... It looks like no vertebrae got crunched (which can lead to chronicle paralysis, if not seriously impede on movements).
Have ya'll heard of mad Jack? That was one badass brit
Yup with is bow and sword i think...imagin a two mans army!😉
As a french canadian veteran i will keep my Léo but yes mad Jack was a badass too like so many others!
Chief Run on grass but we’re talking Leo not Jake .......
and this is why I love Canada
Movie needs to be made about this.
Politics
@@PotatocannonLol Not even close. Politics and cinema industry are 2 things.
There was another video I saw about him on FaceBook animated like this one but it went into a little better detail fighting the Chinese, it's a lot more bad ass than this video makes it seem. This version had some tidbits that the other one didn't tho.
Leo was a true Rambo , check out one of the greatest fighter pilots of WW@ George Buerling , top of the top aces
i dont think people ever realize how many shots it takes to overheat a mortar barrel, to warp an entire mortar group's barrels they must have fired a ridiculous shit ton of shells, easily over 10,000 in a single hour
More like 6,000 they kept them firing for 3 days
That's just on the one hill that Leo Major was in control of. Another hill held by Canadians was all but overrun with hand to hand fighting and the guy in charge of that one called the Kiwi artillery support down on his own position not once, but three times during the night. The Battle of Kapyong.
@@brustar5152 i mean commonwealth countries never let someone have their spots without a fight thats just a fact
ask the kiwis, the aussies, the canucks, answers and results are always the same
Not the entire story. Google it. More to it.
It's too much for most to handle already it's okay
That was just one part of the Netherlands he occupied. Canada also cleared the rest of it out. You can see that right here on TH-cam called: CBC CANADA LIBERATION OF THE NETHERLANDS
🍁 LEGEND. Why hasn't a movie been made about this guy?
Politics manily
@@PotatocannonLol Money not politics.
Should be a 2 season mini series.
5 one hour long episodes for his feats in WW2 and 5 one hour long episodes for his feats in the Korean War.
Chuck Norris and Hollywood don't want people to know that there is someone Chuck Norris does actually fear
@@TitaniusAnglesmith14 Lol!
i just dont understand how you can top his accomplishments like literally
And this is just the highlight reel...
@@PotatocannonLol yeah, imagine whats unheard
HITLER LEARNS ABOUT LEO: pisses pants
This is what we call a one man army.
Apparently, Sylvester Stallone read about Leo Major, and he based his character “ Rambo “ on him.
before hitting play i am guessing this video is about Leo Majors
Canadian Badassery: Level Infinite
Rambo might as well be known as the American Léo Major
In Montreal there is a statue of Norman Bethune at the Guy-Concordia metro station, a communist who helped Mao,the monstrous dictator, but no statue of this guy..... In Korea, him and 18 guys from the 22nd Regiment from Quebec City took a hill from the Chinese (previously held by Americans) and slaughtered 1000s of Chinese. 18 guys did something an infantry division of Yanks could not do!!!
Canadian are nice my ass... at least not French Canadians it seems! These guys were tough bastards when called to action.
And yet no statue, no road, no park, nothing but a tiny grave in Point-Claire, Quebec for Mr. Major. Shame on Montreal, shame of Quebec and shame on Canada.
Canada Post issued a stamp commemorating his heroism 🇨🇦
there should be a Real movie made about this guy the true Rambo and snake Plisken!
Where is his movie
Those graphics folks ought to know only the SS wore camouflage in WWII.
merry christmas from new york
Merry Christmas from us in the Uk 🎄
If Leo had been American, Hollywood would have gone berserk with the usual hero hysteria and utter distortion of the facts (eg: Audie Murphy) In America script writers know better than historians, eh? Instead, like the Brits, Aussies and the NZs, he was welcomed home quietly and Canadian life went on without the Hollywood hype and 💩 My father, a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, won the Distinguished Flying Cross. We didn't know until he passed away. That's the Commonwealth way.
Where is this movie!!!! Some director /producer must do it. Hmm who would play Leo? Keanu Reeves seems a good choice lol ;)
Check out his interview with SRC in 1995.
Wouldnt you think he'ed be awarded the VC, come on
I'd say that Field Marshal Montgomery had a hand in that.
@@LauchlinM. The problem with winning the VC is , you need a certain amount of witnesses , and at lest 1 or 2 officers, I know , its Bull Shit, but true..and they have to like you..lol. I have a feeling the officers didn't like Leo to much with his Rambo attitude..lol
He wasn’t well liked by the British officers, also he was French Canadian and not many of them received a VC back in those days
That medal is often given postmortem for self sacrifice
The true north strong and free produced some real bad asses, check out Tommy Prince, and Francis Pegamagabo. And remember the Canadian Forces hold the record fore longest sniper kill today. We still produce some bad asses from our true north strong and free. It must be something in the water 😉
Love hearing about history, both war and other things, this guy was crazy good at his job, and legit was a nice enough person in the long run to turn in tens of men or more at a time, and fought to keep them all alive.
But also in the interest of history, I only became aware of this video about a year ago. Obviously I'm a big Conan fan as I've mention some stuff tied to it before, but this is what got me really into it again, and that's the history of how the character was nearly destroyed, how his creator was massively lied about, and how these pre history barbarian stories continue to shape modern fantasy. th-cam.com/video/JfOdQfcFY-8/w-d-xo.html
Canadian Big Boss?
Moral of the story:
Never pissed or stand in the way of a Quebec warrior!
Canadians are always sorry, Leo wasn't 😉
Nice one boys
Why no V.C. ?
It's léo ( french) mâjor(french)
Depuis quand un accent sur le "a"? Les majuscules, svp par respect.
Canadians. We are friendly. Until we aren't.
3:47
You can actually just shout a loud commandment to a German soldier in German and they’ll listen
Especially when they have a gun in their face.
balls of 3 kg each 😳
There's a reason Canada has never lost a war.
Canadian Chuck Norris
It's just demoman
How could is CO agree with this... "All right Leo, you can go on rampage all night long single handedly capture this city, while the unit will stay put and patiently wait for you to bring back ten's of prisoners."
He did not agree, he had no clues of what would happen.
@@michelbrisebois4317 I'm just surprised nobody reported that. I can't imagine how was the camp for the Canadian Forces but someone must have notice him coming back with prisoners at gunpoint on several occasions. Someone must have handled the prisoners, they could not have made that much prisoners in some random night.
@@jonathanmichaud6800 Oh, they knew all about it but only AFTER the fact and only after he proved to them the Germans had abandoned the city by having the Dutch resistance show up and confirm he'd done it alone. Had the Dutch themselves not been privy to his badassery, Canadian generals (mostly English heredity) would likely have downgraded his accomplishment to warrant him being given a punishment for using too much ammunition. My father was over there and took part in the liberation of Holland with the GGHG's as a troop sgt tank commander and he said they all laughed mightily when word got around through the ranks Leo had told his CO he was refusing the medal because of Montgomery being a moron having wasted many Canadian lives through his bad decisions.
Since you are English you must have see fred dibnah brave man
his wife never know. they was 18 or 19 up the hill again 14000 Chinese je me souvien
"large dutch town of zwolle"
It's like a 20 minute walk from one end to the other and it's bigger now then it was in the war.
Thats a large town. Not city size.
I wish the narrator would try to pronounce his name correctly.
He escape hospital
please do reaction on : RYTHMIND | Grand Beatbox Battle Loopstation Champion 2019 Compilation
please,please,please....
Check out George: th-cam.com/video/CovyvNAZ9VY/w-d-xo.html
Not french canadien but Québécois!
Bite me.
Ever asked him? I bet he would have kicked your ass for such a statement.
Dont piss off a french canadian
Solid Snake 🐍
My guess is that since there was absolutely no reactions to the activities of Leo Major is that both of you had watched this video at least one or twice, and were not impressed. Likewise, you two dorks should expect that none of your viewers would be impressed. Come on guys... why don't you do a reaction to scateboarders or garderners.
😑👎
ZOMBIEJUNK19 no you
I bet you wanted them to react to fortnite
Your channel consists with fortnite content, this explains alot, no wonder you don't know badasserry.
Nah don't be mad they ain't reacting to fortnite kid xd
Its so funny, people think they know canada, we’re all nice
Go to war, we’re fierce
It's the "anger of a gentle man," writ large.