THIS is among the greatest lectures on World War 2 ever yet, and ever will be. In the first 4 minutes it is very clear. It goes on to be the epitome of excellence.
My grandpa is Harry Gordon Bennett Sr. He was a combat engineer from 1940-1945 in the US Army, he told stories of fighting in France, Italy, and Germany. He told my father mostly stories of building bridges and blowing stuff up. But there were times even then he too was on the frontlines in battle.
Atkinson specifically researched the topic of the American Army in the European Theater, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Northern Europe. He did not go over the Pacific or focus on other Armies of WW2 with the exception of covering the British who fought with Americans in the theaters just described.
an average of day of fighting on eastern front was roughly equivalent to several months of fighting in france or italy to the germans in terms of resources needed. the anti-partisan campaign in belorussia alone involved more german resources than the whole of the italian campaign
He says Antwerp was taken by the British and Canadians, primarily by the British. Then a minute later(44:35) he says 15,000 Canadian soldiers died during the whole of Antwerp Campaign. I'm thinking the Canadians did the heavy lifting on that one.
The British ran out of infantry replacements in the Fall of 1944. They also eventually ran out of Canadians. Only the US Army could still bring in fresh replacements after the Bulge.
Uh ... iirc ... the British were part of taking Antwerp itself - but - the task of clearing the Scheldt Estuary - was assigned to the Canadians - and that is where most of the casualties occurred. .
@@thevillaaston7811 It was the Canadian First Army that was assigned the task - but - it had British and Polish units in it. So - no - it wasn't JUST Canadians. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt .
This was a really good lecture. I've read all three of the trilogy he was talking about and he did a really good job. His trilogy is on the American Army in Europe & North Africa in WWII - that's what it's about. If what someone wants is something on the Eastern Front - there are plenty out there - here's two fo them: The Soviet Role in World War II - Antony Beevor th-cam.com/video/AZErCVlIDJg/w-d-xo.html How the Red Army Defeated Germany: The Three Alibis - Dr. Jonathon House th-cam.com/video/zinPbUZUHDE/w-d-xo.html .
Should be called WWII American Soldiers in Northern Europe. I was expecting an interesting lecture on allied and axis troops in Northern Europe...oh well.
+crosstimbers2 really now, I mentioned I was mislead by the video label and you insult me. I respect the American war efforts but maybe your just an self centered American who thinks the world turns around it. I have watched many war college videos about foreign battles and troops,and I was expecting the same here due to how video was labeled.
+crosstimbers2 oh I read books. I also have talked with persons for hours at a time, who fought in world War 2. I for one like hear more than one opinion. Besides isn't this fellow writing or have written a book? Always good to hear lectures by authors.
+Peorhum Oh well. I saw your comment right as I was starting to watch this video and stopped watching. Much as I appreciate the American soldier's contribution to the war effort during WW2, there's umpteen billion books and documentaries, even hollywood movies and mini-series all about American soldiers during WW2, I don't need to know anymore about them, and probably neither did the attendees at this lecture.
What he said that Regular Army Black soldiers who were NCOs took voluntary reduction in rank to fight in the Infantry during WWII?That sounded insane to me?
I expect most Americans don't realize the extent (27,000,000 deaths) of Soviet casualties and sacrifice in WWII. In the Cold War era, news coverage of the Soviet Union was minimal, including the Eastern Front. American movies portrayed the Western Front. Hopefully, with the fall of the USSR news is more balanced and open. However, I feel that a soldier of any country suffers the trauma and his family the losses from warfare and each soldier should be respected.
Cynthia Leet- Please don't forget that the USSR was a major ally with and colluded with Nazi Germany and participated in the invasion, partition, and rape of Poland. Stalin teed-up Hitler. And Stalin's purges and mass murder of the Red Army officer corps directly contributed to the horrendous casualty count suffered by the Russian people during WWII.
Greg L: Are you Russian? If so, the only reason why your people didn't tuck tail and run is that their officers were waiting to mow them down with machine guns. Stalin killed 30 million people, and the atrocities committed by the Soviets is comparable to the Japanese. The Americans were among the top code breakers, and we didn't steal from the British. Additionally, we helped liberate Northern Africa, Southern France, we led the offensive in the Bulge, we liberated Northern France and Paris, the Netherlands, Italy and Sicily, and the only reason why the Soviets were in Berlin was (at least in part) because of the Anglo-American forces. We could have easily gone in and liberated it. We also had a far more prominent air presence which obviously helped weaken Berlin, making it easy for the Red Army to advance through the city. Don't blame us for taking too much credit while you do the same thing.
Kit Ingoldby Of course the British did so with the help of the Polish Cipher Bureau, who themselves relied on intel provided by a Germany spy collaborating with French intelligence. The Geheimfernschreiber itself was cracked by a Swede reputedly with pen and paper only. German intel was slowly brought down due to **international** efforts whether we care to admit it or not.
And Turing was surely a Briton at heart! /s Seriously though, you should try reading a book on cryptanalysis instead of clinging to pissing matches for the good of Britannia.
Kit- The Brits did nothing to break the Purple code in the Pacific. I see a lot of Commonwealth types here bemoaning Yankee narcissism. Fair enough...but look in the mirror cousins. Then think about throwing stones in glass houses.
What is Northern Europe really? It is Scandinavia, Finland, Baltic States and northwestern part of Russia. France, Benelux-countries and Germany are just Central Europe. Learn some geographic first before giving names for videos.
He is discussing the soldiers in Northern Europe involved in the fight to liberate France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and to conquer Nazi Germany. He is separating them from the soldiers in his previous book about the US soldiers in Italy and Sicily and North Africa.
a lot of butt hurt morons here. don't seem to realize that Rick Atkinson a a scholar on the US Army and he is giving a lecture at the US Army War College.
"No i do not have an [sic] respect for cowards?" So you have no self-respect? :-) Since the title of this video is "WWII Soldiers in Northern Europe," you might consider keeping your unhinged off-topic rants to a minimum.
robsteries,Why should we not be a little full of ourselves? Did we really have to get involved in either ww1 or ww2? During ww2 we could have fought Japan and left Europe to be freed by Russia. We could have chosen not to sell any equipment to Britain or Russia even 100oct av gas.when we did come over did we ask for anything more than land to bury our dead?
sure, ive never read any books or seen any documentaries. the fact of the matter is that the war was not won in italy or france or north africa. the war was won on the eastern front where the germans suffered more than 90% of the losses in terms of men, equipment and morale. all other theatres, apart from the atlantic, had much lower casualties and lower relevance. the americans contributed to a few percent of the losses incurred by the nazis
haha, yeah sure getting poles and british indian army to do the dirty work at cassino must have been really hard compared to going toe to toe with a 100 german divisions at kursk or fighting a whole army group at leningrad. facing couple of division in italy must have been so hard in comparison
I have a hard time finding the words for such a disrespectful accusation of nonsense you have given American WW2 Veterans! Well hopefully you will read and learn, and then know how gravely off the mark you are.
the only major contribution made by allies was done by the british by not surrendering and fighting on and then cracking all of the german cryptography. that was truly a big contribution. again the americans played no part in this apart from stealing all of the work the british did on cryptography after the war and claiming it they did all of it.
Another patronising, arrogant and sanctimonious trans-Atlantic take on affairs which 'big us up'....combined with a ton of facts which smooth the shit and keep it flowing.
no i do not have an respect for cowards. i have respect for people who fought in moscow, leningrad, stalingrad and kursk while your "veterans" relaxed in tunisia and italy.
yeah sure, sun bathing in italy was harder than fighting in the trenches of kursk or leningrad. the only hard bit of fighting in italy was done by poles and brits at cassino, not yanks who spent most of their time running around aimlessly and being target practise for german artillery. but please, continue to think that tom hanks won ww2
+crosstimbers2 you really know nothing about me and others who watch these videos. they are of value to anyone for one. soldiers are nothing special nor more entitled to watch these videos. time to get off your high horse and welcome anyone who wishes to learn more about US military history or military history in general.
you probably think that it were the americans who won against japan when the yanks killed 300000 japanese civilians instead of reality: Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation where red army took out 1.3 million japanese soldiers in a week.
1) lend-lease accounted for no more than 25% of soviet materials 2) USSR produced FAR MORE tanks and planes than usa did during the war 3) lend-lease was the LEAST the americans could do. they spent most of the war cowering in england and letting the russians win the war, stalin wanted a second front in 1942 but the allies were far too scared to commit their troops to a real fight. T34 and IL-2 won the war, not sherman and hurricane
THIS is among the greatest lectures on World War 2 ever yet, and ever will be.
In the first 4 minutes it is very clear. It goes on to be the epitome of excellence.
These are 3 awesome books. Seriously good scholarship beautifully written.
Who the hell would dislike this video upload?
My grandpa is Harry Gordon Bennett Sr. He was a combat engineer from 1940-1945 in the US Army, he told stories of fighting in France, Italy, and Germany. He told my father mostly stories of building bridges and blowing stuff up. But there were times even then he too was on the frontlines in battle.
Great video/talk on World War 2.
To those who say Atkinson didn't cover what they want covered or covered it from a certain perspective;
Write your own book.
Atkinson specifically researched the topic of the American Army in the European Theater, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Northern Europe. He did not go over the Pacific or focus on other Armies of WW2 with the exception of covering the British who fought with Americans in the theaters just described.
an average of day of fighting on eastern front was roughly equivalent to several months of fighting in france or italy to the germans in terms of resources needed. the anti-partisan campaign in belorussia alone involved more german resources than the whole of the italian campaign
He's a good presenter
He says Antwerp was taken by the British and Canadians, primarily by the British. Then a minute later(44:35) he says 15,000 Canadian soldiers died during the whole of Antwerp Campaign. I'm thinking the Canadians did the heavy lifting on that one.
The British ran out of infantry replacements in the Fall of 1944. They also eventually ran out of Canadians. Only the US Army could still bring in fresh replacements after the Bulge.
Uh ... iirc ... the British were part of taking Antwerp itself - but - the task of clearing the Scheldt Estuary - was assigned to the Canadians - and that is where most of the casualties occurred.
.
@@BobSmith-dk8nw
Uh...British forces took part in the clearing of the Scheldt Estuary.
@@thevillaaston7811 It was the Canadian First Army that was assigned the task - but - it had British and Polish units in it. So - no - it wasn't JUST Canadians.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt
.
Most of the 1st Canadian was made up with British units. I believe Royal Marines where heavily involved in the operation.
Awesome insights into both the valor and reprehensible acts of American History during the years, struggles, & Blood of WW2
This was a really good lecture. I've read all three of the trilogy he was talking about and he did a really good job.
His trilogy is on the American Army in Europe & North Africa in WWII - that's what it's about.
If what someone wants is something on the Eastern Front - there are plenty out there - here's two fo them:
The Soviet Role in World War II - Antony Beevor
th-cam.com/video/AZErCVlIDJg/w-d-xo.html
How the Red Army Defeated Germany: The Three Alibis - Dr. Jonathon House
th-cam.com/video/zinPbUZUHDE/w-d-xo.html
.
Should be called WWII American Soldiers in Northern Europe. I was expecting an interesting lecture on allied and axis troops in Northern Europe...oh well.
+Peorhum You mean you expected to have your specific interests catered to like some spoiled kid?
The target audience is the US Army War College.
+crosstimbers2 really now, I mentioned I was mislead by the video label and you insult me. I respect the American war efforts but maybe your just an self centered American who thinks the world turns around it. I have watched many war college videos about foreign battles and troops,and I was expecting the same here due to how video was labeled.
Peorhum
Try something they had before the internet. It is called the library. Read every book on the subject.
+crosstimbers2 oh I read books. I also have talked with persons for hours at a time, who fought in world War 2. I for one like hear more than one opinion. Besides isn't this fellow writing or have written a book? Always good to hear lectures by authors.
+Peorhum Oh well. I saw your comment right as I was starting to watch this video and stopped watching. Much as I appreciate the American soldier's contribution to the war effort during WW2, there's umpteen billion books and documentaries, even hollywood movies and mini-series all about American soldiers during WW2, I don't need to know anymore about them, and probably neither did the attendees at this lecture.
Great talk. Got me tearing up haha
What he said that Regular Army Black soldiers who were NCOs took voluntary reduction in rank to fight in the Infantry during WWII?That sounded insane to me?
I expect most Americans don't realize the extent (27,000,000 deaths) of Soviet casualties and sacrifice in WWII. In the Cold War era, news coverage of the Soviet Union was minimal, including the Eastern Front. American movies portrayed the Western Front. Hopefully, with the fall of the USSR news is more balanced and open. However, I feel that a soldier of any country suffers the trauma and his family the losses from warfare and each soldier should be respected.
Cynthia Leet- Please don't forget that the USSR was a major ally with and colluded with Nazi Germany and participated in the invasion, partition, and rape of Poland. Stalin teed-up Hitler. And Stalin's purges and mass murder of the Red Army officer corps directly contributed to the horrendous casualty count suffered by the Russian people during WWII.
Greg L: Are you Russian? If so, the only reason why your people didn't tuck tail and run is that their officers were waiting to mow them down with machine guns. Stalin killed 30 million people, and the atrocities committed by the Soviets is comparable to the Japanese. The Americans were among the top code breakers, and we didn't steal from the British. Additionally, we helped liberate Northern Africa, Southern France, we led the offensive in the Bulge, we liberated Northern France and Paris, the Netherlands, Italy and Sicily, and the only reason why the Soviets were in Berlin was (at least in part) because of the Anglo-American forces. We could have easily gone in and liberated it. We also had a far more prominent air presence which obviously helped weaken Berlin, making it easy for the Red Army to advance through the city. Don't blame us for taking too much credit while you do the same thing.
Kit Ingoldby
Of course the British did so with the help of the Polish Cipher Bureau, who themselves relied on intel provided by a Germany spy collaborating with French intelligence. The Geheimfernschreiber itself was cracked by a Swede reputedly with pen and paper only. German intel was slowly brought down due to **international** efforts whether we care to admit it or not.
And Turing was surely a Briton at heart! /s
Seriously though, you should try reading a book on cryptanalysis instead of clinging to pissing matches for the good of Britannia.
Kit did you accidently forget the massive contribution of the polish code breakers who made the first major breakthrough of the enigma machine?
Kit- The Brits did nothing to break the Purple code in the Pacific. I see a lot of Commonwealth types here bemoaning Yankee narcissism. Fair enough...but look in the mirror cousins. Then think about throwing stones in glass houses.
Kit- Awww...it's just that you British are so cute and lovable, that's all!
Obviously Greg l is delusional
What is Northern Europe really? It is Scandinavia, Finland, Baltic States and northwestern part of Russia. France, Benelux-countries and Germany are just Central Europe. Learn some geographic first before giving names for videos.
He is discussing the soldiers in Northern Europe involved in the fight to liberate France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and to conquer Nazi Germany. He is separating them from the soldiers in his previous book about the US soldiers in Italy and Sicily and North Africa.
a lot of butt hurt morons here. don't seem to realize that Rick Atkinson a a scholar on the US Army and he is giving a lecture at the US Army War College.
"No i do not have an [sic] respect for cowards?" So you have no self-respect? :-)
Since the title of this video is "WWII Soldiers in Northern Europe," you might consider keeping your unhinged off-topic rants to a minimum.
This is not about soldiers in Northern Europe, this is america, america and about american soldiers, or how americans are full of theirselves... again
robsteries,Why should we not be a little full of ourselves? Did we really have to get involved in either ww1 or ww2? During ww2 we could have fought Japan and left Europe to be freed by Russia. We could have chosen not to sell any equipment to Britain or Russia even 100oct av gas.when we did come over did we ask for anything more than land to bury our dead?
ask for anything ? yes billions in return after the war
Ok, please explain what billions. for lend lease or the marshall plan?
Even napalm was used in Europe. Did he mention that before I fell asleep?
sure, ive never read any books or seen any documentaries. the fact of the matter is that the war was not won in italy or france or north africa. the war was won on the eastern front where the germans suffered more than 90% of the losses in terms of men, equipment and morale. all other theatres, apart from the atlantic, had much lower casualties and lower relevance. the americans contributed to a few percent of the losses incurred by the nazis
haha, yeah sure getting poles and british indian army to do the dirty work at cassino must have been really hard compared to going toe to toe with a 100 german divisions at kursk or fighting a whole army group at leningrad. facing couple of division in italy must have been so hard in comparison
lol, as i said couple of divisions. now compare that to how many german divisions were at kursk. read a book yank
I have a hard time finding the words for such a disrespectful accusation of nonsense you have given American WW2 Veterans!
Well hopefully you will read and learn, and then know how gravely off the mark you are.
I wish my father was here to read who was in the European Campaign could see these remarks being U.S.
i would say it to your face, no problem. my grandfather stormed berlin while your grandfather probably was too busy sitting in a pub in england.
While you sit here, probably never having served in any military, an “expert” in history...right?
Do you always engage in such fact-free rants? Is this a hobby of yours?
the only major contribution made by allies was done by the british by not surrendering and fighting on and then cracking all of the german cryptography. that was truly a big contribution. again the americans played no part in this apart from stealing all of the work the british did on cryptography after the war and claiming it they did all of it.
Another patronising, arrogant and sanctimonious trans-Atlantic take on affairs which 'big us up'....combined with a ton of facts which smooth the shit and keep it flowing.
no i do not have an respect for cowards. i have respect for people who fought in moscow, leningrad, stalingrad and kursk while your "veterans" relaxed in tunisia and italy.
Greg L- My grandfather died fighting in Tunisia you c*cksucker. So, your ancestors fought for Hitler's BFF, Stalin?
Greg L you are a coward and scum, sir
yeah sure, sun bathing in italy was harder than fighting in the trenches of kursk or leningrad. the only hard bit of fighting in italy was done by poles and brits at cassino, not yanks who spent most of their time running around aimlessly and being target practise for german artillery. but please, continue to think that tom hanks won ww2
Meaningless fact-dropping. One more paid lecture.
+SuperLeica1 It was presented to the US Army War College. Are you too dumb to know who the target audience is? It sure is not you.
+crosstimbers2 wow your just into insulting people
Peorhum
Don't be so stupid. These programs are not created for every bored kiddie on the internet.
+crosstimbers2 you really know nothing about me and others who watch these videos. they are of value to anyone for one. soldiers are nothing special nor more entitled to watch these videos. time to get off your high horse and welcome anyone who wishes to learn more about US military history or military history in general.
He's a "war college " scholar. Out.
Providence decrees?
Ha! What a bunch of arseholes.
you probably think that it were the americans who won against japan when the yanks killed 300000 japanese civilians instead of reality: Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation where red army took out 1.3 million japanese soldiers in a week.
Greg L: you are a coward
1) lend-lease accounted for no more than 25% of soviet materials 2) USSR produced FAR MORE tanks and planes than usa did during the war 3) lend-lease was the LEAST the americans could do. they spent most of the war cowering in england and letting the russians win the war, stalin wanted a second front in 1942 but the allies were far too scared to commit their troops to a real fight. T34 and IL-2 won the war, not sherman and hurricane
Greg L
According to German records, two thirds of the air losses were incurred against the western allies.
You can google that.