Battlefield S2/E4 - The Battle for Italy
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NBC Universal
Directed by Dave Flitton, Andy Aitken, James Wignall
Produced by Dave Flitton (series prod.), David McWhinnie, Ken Maliphant, David Rozalla
Written by Dave Flitton, Andy Aitken, James Wignall
Narrated by Jonathan Booth
Music by David Galbraith
Distributed by Public Broadcasting Service
Release date(s) 1996
Running time 6 116-minute episodes
Country USA
Language English
I've watched this entire series repeatedly, for years now... it has no equal.
I feel the same way.
Simply the best.
Try a book
@@ccdc7058 oh boy, maybe it will have a few maps in it to lighten up the BORING
Yes.
One of the best documentary series ever made! Just facts. 90% of what is being produced today are just over dramatized crap.
sorry but you are wrong. this whole series is so inaccurate and full of BS one would swear the Brits won the war on their own. World at War narrated by Olivier is far more truthful and accurate than this Brit propaganda.
I don't think you are watching the same series I am. He constantly talks about lend lease and more of the episodes are about the Eastern front than any other theater - even this episode has two separate sections on Kursk, both of which emphasise the Wehrmacht's real focus. World at War is very much of its time. A lot of its assumptions and assertions were based on inaccurate or incomplete information as the Cold War was still on, and sucked up to the Americans for the same reason.
Bro it's not even history
@@tannerdenny5430 meaning what?
@@DN-cz7rp it's both, sometimes they are very accurate, but whenever British forces are involved they do tend to blow smoke, calling the bren the best light machine gun of the war is...wow
I love his voice .used to watch these shows with my dad as a teenager. We both love history
Tim Pigott-Smith was my favorite narrator, may he RIP.
Today narrators sound like loud WWF commentators after 50 coffees.
ME TOO MELISSA
We love you Melisa :)
I know it sounds weird but I used to watch these to help me relax and go to sleep
The battlefield series is impossibly great.
Along with the World at War, easily the greatest historical series on WWII.
World at War yes. This one no - inaccurate untruthful brit propaganda.
...care to back that up with actual sources?
@@LoneKharnivore "the bren was best light machine gun of the war" I actually hurt myself laughing
@@lekebbles1392 What was better?
I think that there should be a series like this but on ww1 because I mean if it wasn’t for ww1 there would be no tanks u boats airplanes that had machine guns firing through the propellers and there would have been no Lawrence of Arabia the Red Baron no Stalin and no Lenin and also no hitler and also no Poland no Czechoslovakia for hitler to invade
From this episode one can conclude that General Mark Clark was a well decorated screw-up.
@@alanlashbrook6442 Watch your tongue.
Almost all of military records from this campaign were burned. Big cover up.
baddoggie101 LoL so it seems!
Alan Lashbrook moron, Monty was one of the best in WW2.
Terri Morgeson what? Please provide source for such a claim
My late father an infantryman with the U.S.Fifth Army arriving in Italy June 1944.He fought in the Italian Campaign North of Rome.He helped liberate towns in Central and Northern Italy.He was a P.O.W. for three months in early 1944.He was liberated by the Italian Resistance.When the Germans surrendered in May 1945 ,he was in the Italian Alps on the Austrian border.
That screaming noise of the Nebelwerfers gives me the creeps
Tim piggot smith had the best voice for narration I’ve ever heard
Peter Thomas, the narrator of Forensic Files, was awesome too.
Yep, it's definitely not Luga on the mic.
@@TDL-xg5nn Peter Thomas’ voice gave me nightmares for years in a way that no other narrator in a crime series ever has. Which proves that he did his job superbly. Definitely one of the best.
So glad you are doing this, keeping this series alive.
*When The Tigers Broke Free* by *Pink Floyd* was about Anzio... A spine chilling piece!!
By far the most watchable documentary to this topic!! Forget all the history channel U.S. crap...
Yes facts, not opinions.
these documentaries are heavily biased too...
Stefano Grimaldi There are no far reaching opinions, in this series.
They omit facts, for example: the allied war crimes against the italian population, the fact that Hitler set Rome as a free city from preventing his destruction, the role of the Italian navy, that was still intact in July 1943 but didn't engage in the battle, the fact that Polish and French divisions were ILLIGAL under international war laws because France and Poland signed the armistice.... and many other aspects. Of course there are no opinions, but the viewer forms his own opinion based on the facts that are presented to him. THE ALLIED WERE NOT LIBERATORS, THEY WERE BARBARIC AND BRUTAL OCCUPYING TROOPS.
Troll.
1:02:09 anyone else catch Montgomery winking? After he says "he'd proven himself one of the most able commanders of the war" lol
Dear History chan: This is what a well made history documentary that doesn't treat you like you dropped out of 8 grade looks like.
If I were an Italian on the front lines in Russia, I would have been thinking, "WTF am I doing here?"
I'm sure they were. See the movie "Attack and Retreat" - if you can find it.
if I had been a newzelanders on the italian soil, I would have been asked myself "WTF am I doing here?" at least in Russia Italians lost their lives to defend Europe from communism, along with thier comrades. not as the americans, who helped them.
That was exactly what they were thinking. There's a famous book in Italy called "Il sergente sulla neve" (The sergeant on the snow) written by an ex soldier sent in Russia and then returned. There is an incredibly touching chapter about the "Battle of Nikolajewka", that was the final battle that the surrounded Italian divisions had to fight just to litterally have a chance of returning. They had almost no weapons and ammos and they mass charged russian positions because the only choice was: "fight and have a chance to live or be captured/die frozen". The writer tells that during the "battle" (it wasn't even a real battle, it was like 10000 desperates trying to break through this village) he stopped in a russian house because he was hungry as hell. As he entered he saw 15ish russians eating on a long table and a woman serving them food. He had the gun and the italian uniform. They all stared at him in silence for many seconds, then he made a gesture to make them understand that he was only hungry. In complete silence, the russian woman gave him a bowl of soup and he went away.
The Allies were very merciful but the Soviet Union was a completely different, I rather be invaded by the Allies than the Red army
Yes, "mercifully" the allies preferred to commit their war crimes from the air. Not drawing an equivalence between the two, but reading up on the legend of "Pippo" the plane tells a lot about the mental state of he Italian civilians in Fascist territory during the war - basically, it was a plane with a distinctive buzz that flew over at the same time daily and sometimes dropped bombs. Parents used to tell their children things like "if you don't behave, Pippo will come and take you away forever!" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippo_(airplane) The Allied bombing antics became a bit of folklore that the Fascist Italians used for propaganda purposes. According to historian and veteran Paul Fussell - the liberation of France often involved Allied troops sweeping through villages, towns, and cities that had been leveled by Allied bombing and the reception was not always the one we see in the movies. I suppose if the choice is between German massacre or death by American bombers I'd choose the 'quick' death, but then again slowly dying under rubble isn't necessarily quick and to the sufferer the suffering is always relatively awful. The point is being a civilian in World War 2 fucking sucked depending basically on Nationality.
I've watched this stoned and also whilst going to bed, the narration is on point man. it's like a bedtime story, turn my TV screen off and off to sleep Should've just said adult bedtime story lmao😂
Thank you for these battlefield videos. I have been watching them and learning a lot.
Good to hear, if we don't know our history then our lives are a mystery 🇬🇧🇺🇸👍😉
These are the best documentaries about WW2. I love all the historical real footage. It's also great to watch when you want to relax and maybe catch a quick sleep. But it's also great to learn every detail of WW2.
Mark Clark, what a waste of an Army uniform. How he escaped court-martial has always been a deep mystery to me.
I cannot help but think that the average Allied general in WW2 would today be employed as a middle-manager in some large company or corporation. They had all the qualities for success therein: ineptitude, low intelligence, a lack of imagination and more than happy to sacrifice the poor souls obliged to work under them for a chance of glory and to look good in the eyes of their boss. Image if the likes of Rommel had been in Clark's shoes, especially bearing in mind the resources that Clark had. Rommel would have ignored Rome and cut clear across Italy, leaving the Axis forces encircled, fighting on two fronts and doomed. Actually, I retract any inference that Clark would only make an average middle-manager. Today, he would no doubt be a successful politician. Regarding the bombing of the abbey at Monte Cassino: one might have thought that by this stage the Allies would have realised that reducing a large structure or town to rubble only gives the advantage to the defenders... but apparently not.
@@robinross7025 LOL!!! Well said!
He very nearly was for his conduct at the Battle of Rapido River.
Why FDR didn't call for Clark to be brought before a court-martial and busted out of the Army is beyond me.
I believe if you look up the word incompetent you’ll find his name in caps.
Like this series, the way they use real video instead of recreations or CG crap.
well the problem is most of the scenes don't match the narration. and their episodes on the pacific battles are even worse. with every battle they show scenes of Iwo Jima. they must think everyone is too ignorant too know the difference. well maybe they're right. for most.
@@DN-cz7rp pretty sure there isnt actual footage for most military battles and events in the war... video wasn't everywhere like now. They're just trying to give accurate enough footage to give people the correct idea of what it looked like while we fill in the gaps
The one weakness of the German paratroops was their parachutes couldn't be steered unlike the parachutes that Allied paratroopers used.
Yeah, they had the worst parachutes. They couldn’t drop with their arms. They were dropped in their own containers that then had to be found. They dropped from lower heights, which just about made injuries even between types.
@@br0k3nman In Crete, many of the fallschirmjäger landed on rocky ground which made those problems even worse. Knowing this, and also that the British and the Greeks knew they were coming weeks in advance, one can say that their victory there was a real military exploit.
Clark was more than incompetent, letting his troops sit at Anzio for a full week, after having made a virtually uncontested landing. Giving the Germans more than enough time to encircle the beachhead. Making Anzio a problem, where it had meant to be a solution. Having said that, where was allied air power, when the Luftwaffe came in? And as for Alexander, he took far too long to realize that Clark was incapable, and also to act on it. Tragic circumstances, that led to thousands of allied lives unnecessarily lost.
he was no Patton
I think it's because of what happened to him at Salerno. They stuck their neck out and almost lost it. And they probably assumed (incorrectly) that it could happened at Anzio as well. Instead they wasted a great opportunity to cause chaos behind the german lines.
They landed a Corp to do an army's job. Not pushing out was the right descision
@@SleepySoviet Actually, only two divisions were in the initial landing, and even if they had pushed on they could have been cut off. And you're right, general John P. Lucas said the exact same thing as you. But the landing did achieve something that would matter in the long run. The German high command had plans to transfer five of Kesselring's best divisions to North-West Europe, but that plan was scrapped, and they were sendt to deal with the landing instead.
Clark really had nothing to do with the decisions as to how to fight at Anzio, but where I seriously fault him was on moving to capture Rome (totally meaningless) when he could've help encircle the Germans that'd been fighting at Cassino. Inexcusable... and funny that his parade was rained out the very next day at Normandy.
It is interesting to note how a well trained army can hold off a numerically superior force in terrain perfect for the defender; perhaps, the ruggedness of the Italian peninsular is the key to the origin of the Roman empire.
Not really, the Romans didnt really defend much until the very end.
The key to the roman empires success was that for the time it was the center of the world.
Love this. Thank you for sharing history!
I'm looking at this campaign from the strategic and tactical viewpoint, very good defensive tactics from the Germans
Defensive tactics always score well but they, never the less, are an acknowledgement of defeat.
"Defense is the stronger form, with the weaker objective. Offense is the weaker form, with the stronger objective."
@@larryflorida5705 I didn't understand. Could you please explain more?
Thanks for taking the time to upload these, much appreciated.
individual Italians stood up and fought bravely.
Thier equipment was not very good, but read von lucks and rommels accounts of the desert war. They heap praise on the Italian infantry who fought and won with the Africa corps. They were a big part of it.
Its refreshing to hear the likes of Alexander and other leaders learnt the lessons of WW1 and showed leadership surpassing their contemporaries and valued the lives of their men
Americans are quick to point out that British Commanders were cautious. It’s easy for them to judge like that when they didn’t experience the loss of entire towns and villages of men in The Great War, something British Commanders were trying very hard to avoid.
that awkward moment when you are Italian at Stalinguard and her your nation have Change side. xD
Also happened to the Italians fighting with the Japanese
Stalingrad ended while the North African campaign was still underway.
My grandfather was drafted in the Italian army in 1941 and took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia, then after it was conquered had to fight partisans for over 2 years and when Mussolini was overthrown and the new government sued for peace with the Allies, the Germans in the area who clearly outnumbered the Italians showed up and disarmed them right away and offered those who wanted to keep on fighting on their side to be recruited, the others (including my grandfather) would be sent to POW camps.
@@MB-fo2sk so he no doubt took part in various types of atrocities?
@@cinnaminson0653 He never talked about it in detail but he sure saw some rough things. He wasn't a supporter of Mussolini at all he actually was a communist.
I remember this series used to be on the military channel. When I was 9 or 10 I found them boring, partly because I was spoiled by history channel's Dogfights. Now I can't get enought of this historical gold. I miss the real military channel. At least these are still around.
My Grandfather landed on the Anzio beachhead as a Canadian member of The First Special Service Force. He was at the Mussolini Canal, Monte La Difensa,The Gustav line and the drive to Rome etc. He was attached to Gen Mark Clarke's 5th American Army.
Clark should have been tried in 1944.
I love old HC Battlefield series ! So informative and detailed ! Hope they will make colored ones oneday !
I suppose they're using the film footage as it was seen at the time.
The “Apocalypse” World War and WW2 series have done exactly that. I think French TV made them but they cover everything and are truly extraordinary. So much footage that has never been seen before and all colorized.
Funny that when describing weapons they go into length about the Gewehr43, which by it's name didn't come out till '43, and was only used by elite troops, the majority of German infantry troops still used the bolt action Mauser, the M1 Garrand wasn't even hinted at even though it was the best infantry level rifle of the war (I guess with the Bazooka and Thompson was considered enough weaponry praise).
you are right. think of the poor marines on Guadalcanal they were using the springfield. altho. they loved it. didn't get the m1 till toward the end of the Guadalcanal fight.
1:34:19 the Hermann Goering panzer was the first German unit to counterattack the Allied landing in Sicily, but it was stopped by naval fire. But the very first to attack the Allied beach-head were the much maligned Italian armoured units who almost reached the sea.
just found out my great grandpa was part of the polish division that stormed monte casino.
Cool, my grandad was at Cassino too.
Polish soldiers were very brave during the course of that battle. The Limeys hid in their bunkers as usual. Fact: The Americans were tougher combatants than the Brits. And something of interest to Poles. Napoleon Bonaparte's finest security corp consisted of Poles, Italians and German soldiers.
@Leigh Brooks nope, read a book millennial ignoramus.
@Leigh Brooks Learn orthography, revise your written expression. You're a seventies keyboard warrior. I have nothing further to discuss with you. This is an order, read a book and desist from writing drivel.
@Leigh Brooks Idiot. I am done with you, you are beneath me. So stop messaging me and get back on your medications.
Nice vid....thx It never did rain today were i live ...so thanks for that also x
Where's mine? Lol
Clark should have been court martialed for disobeying orders. Choosing to go for Rome was for his personal glory. By allowing the Germans to retreat up the Liri Valley, he ensured that there would be plenty of survivors to continue killing allied troops for another year. He had already established his incompetence by nor seizing high ground and expanding the holdings around Anzio while there was light resistance. In terrain that is ideal for defence, he should have acquired as much of it as possible while it was there for the taking. It is OK to say "The allies took Rome", but never honor him by saying "Clark took Rome."
My father fought at Monte Casino and was very bitter about Clark hurrying to Rome. I would like to read a comparative biography of Clark and Kesselring - a greedy, foolish amateur vs a crafty professional - it seems at first sight - but not being a history buff ... Though I would add that I salute the bravery of those men who endured the most horrifying conditions to push back this evil. And especially those men who gave their lives.
Terry Hale You' right about Clark and Rome but the fiasco at Anzio was not it the responsability if general Lucas that was fired because of ...not advancing on Rome from Anzio while he could still do it?
Stephen Quirke Terrible to think his behaviour prevented the encirclement of a great deal of the Gustav line and the shortening of the italian campaign. And perhaps my uncle Emile from the FTA artillery of the French Expeditionary Corps would not have been killed for the liberation of Sienna...
It seems like the Texas veterans have a collective hatred of him for his rush to take Rome.
NO, That SOB should have been shot for send troops across the Rapido in broad daylight and getting the 36 Div massacred because he wanted more light for a photo-OP.
Italy was indeed the soft under belly of Europe. On 10 July 1943 Western forces invaded Sicily and two days later Hitler summoned Kluge and Manstein to his headquarters. The threat of further Allied landings in Italy or possibly Greece, France made Hitler believe it was essential to move forces from Kursk to other fronts and to discontinue the offensive at Kursk, Russia. On 21 July Hitler authorized the dispatch of 6 German Divisions to reinforce Italy while Rommel was sent to Thessaloniki to organize a new army group in the Balkans. On the 25 July Mussolinis regime collapsed in Italy forcing Hitler to re-activate the planning of Operation Alarich, after sending more reinforcements. Kesselring was told to prepare the withdrawal of German force's from Sicily, Sardinia and Southern Italy. A total of 17 German Division's were involved in the invasion of Italy and 23 German Divisions were sent to reinforce the Balkans and France. Germany's Military had 961,000 personnel in Italy by May 1944 , military personnel that would have been sent to the Eastern Front !
Marty Robinson, indeed Germany wasted many men and resources in the west that could have been used against the Soviet Union, while Soviets could 100% focus on Germany. Not exactly ideal when you are already outnumbered.
soft underbelly? you are joking or dumber Churchill.
I don't know that Italy had wanted to be involved in another world war. The German army took over when Italians started surrendering without a fight. Italy thought they didn't get anything out of world war one, so that left the door open for Mussolini. that didn't last long. The Italian people had no stomach for war. I can't say that I blame them.
John Adams indeed! Between that, throwing Benito out, and maybe having the pope, they weren’t really punished for WWII compared to Germany.
@@jarogniewtheconqueror2804 Hitler's fault for not having learned the lesson of not fighting a two-front war. Going east before defeating Britain was a massive mistake.
In the campaign of capture and conquest of Italy the participation of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force
Watch these shows all the time I am a honorable discharge veteran
Great documentary :)
My father fought with the 2nd N. Z in casino.He was wounded but he lost 2 brothers to American bombing. As would say if the pom.s bomb the German's take cover, if the German's bomb the Pom's take cover but if the Yank's bomb everyone take's cover. True but sad.
Go KIWIS...We all know that story....but I'll be nice here🍁
The slowness of General Alexander's advance through Italy and the build up of forces to attack the formidable German Gustav line was not due to any fault on Akexander's part. General Alexander was in the words of Omar Bradley the most experienced allied commander in WW2, he had commanded troops from France in both World Wars, in Burma against the Japanese, on the North-West frontier of India, and had even commanded German troops in the Baltic states fighting the Bolsheviks in 1919 ! The slow build up was due to lack of shipping - everything supplied to the allies in Italy had to come in by sea - and the fact that the Americans wanted to build up the air forces in Italy, resulting in less supplies reaching Alex's Fifteenth Army than would normally had been the case. On top of this, his best troops were being taken back to Britain for the coming invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Alexander was literally forced to fight the Italian campaign with one arm tied behind his back for the whole of it's duration as other theatres became more important to the allies than his. After the invasion of France, his situation got even worse due to the priority given to the two invasion areas in Northern and Southern France. That so much was actually achieved in Italy despite the drawbacks beyond his control was due to Alexander's excellent command and control, and although he wasn't a brilliant tactician, his men loved him and he was highly respected by his American partners.
Battlefield: Simply the best war documentary out there.. amazing work
As Napoleon said, never invade Italy from the south but from the north! I am British, Yes Field Martial Montgomery was a cautious guy but you have to realise the British manpower pool was very limited and we had to avoid high casualties. Monty was very good at the set piece battle though. As for Gen. Clark if Gen. Macarthur had been in command he would have had his arse sent home to the US in disgrace. As Macarthur said only the worst commanders attack head on. What Clark did with the US36th division was stupidity and needlessly cost 1000s of lives. However i think the whole grand strategy was floored in Italy, its mountainous, a narrow peninsula that is highly favourable to the defender. If only we had hopped all the way up the coast bypassing the interior, the Germans would have had to retreat northwards to the Po river by mid 44. There was a chance a concerted offensive by the Allies could have occupied both Austria , Western Czechoslovakia and maybe part of Hungary. Instead time and many Allied soldiers lives were wasted grinding up the tough old gut of Italy, leaving the Russians to occupy the Balkans and south central Europe.
MacArthur was the most egotistical, pompous, and insubordinate ass in the history of the US military. Thank God Truman fired him. As for "Monty" - set piece battle - he was an incompetent "market garden" a set piece battle and a complete failure.
But thuh alps tho. I ain't got no donkey to ride on. And I don't think my tanks can ride on donkeys either, although I personally haven't tried (yet).
Do you know why the new Italian navy has glass-bottom boats? So they can see the old Italian navy.
I would suggest you go back on your medication. Death threats over a joke? Seriously, friend, seek medical help if you haven't.
fkafka64 Yeah right,like anyone is going to let you get away with that..lol
this joke is fuckin cruel, the Italians get nothing but hate!
anadryantontine When cowards are called on their insults, they always say they were just joking.
…you guys are WAY too sensitive, it's a very commonly told joke. And seriously, you're defending Mussolini's rubber ducky bathtub navy?
Enjoying this documentary very much. It’s well done and narrated easy to follow. I’ve had an interest in this part of Italy advance. My great uncle was KIA near mt. Porchia Italy about January 3, 1944. Pvt. Everett H. Glenn from Missouri. Worked and researched some of his records and death.
Bless em' all M8 ☮.
Brilliant, thank you 🙏
thanks for posting.. I started watching this series but couldn't find any more than the first season. cheers! Its a great detailed series with the fine details of war. Maybe the Americans will satch these and see that they were not the only ones in the war. Polland, New Zealand, Canada, France, Australia all played huge parts in winning. Maybe someone should make a movie about that!
very inaccurate and slanted doc
Russ Hamilton left off Russia and China.
You're in luck Russie boy. Most Americans under 25 years old today don't even know there was a war well enough who fought or who won.
And South Africa which was never mentioned. My grandfather who lived in South Africa fought in North Africa and Italy as a Sapper.
Why doesn't anyone mention the Poles? They fought like lions and suffered heavy casualties, and it was them that captured Monty Cassino, captured Ancona, and were the spearhead for the battle of Bologna on 9th April 1945 and helped to capture that too, While waiting to launch the attack on Bologna they were bombed by the American airforce - 38 killed and 188 badly injured, but still launched the attach two and a half hours later.
It was either them or the Gurkha's that took the back way, probably a couple Km up a cliff they left undefended. So I'd say that on many occasions the poles were as if not more "Fanatic" than Die Schultz Staffe
No brother, you didn't do shit. Poles played a lead role in Italy. It's just that victors write history, and since Poland became a Soviet communist puppet state after the war, the contribution of Polish soldiers in the East was unknown to the allies, and that of the soldiers in the west was intentionally forgotten, because they were denied existence to pacify Stalin. That's why Chinese, Iranians and Czechs participated in the Allied victory parade, but not a single Pole.
they were great but you have to read a lot of books about this war to really have a knowledge of even the most rudimentary.
1:46:00
Hi! I live in the UK and the Poles who flew with the RAF are well remembered. You just see what you want to see.
An elegant documentary series for a more civilized age.
My great grandfather was out in Italy during WW2 he was in Kings Dragoon Guards he was in Horse Troop patrolling on horseback for Germans in mountains.
My grandfather was part of the US invasion force in Italy and actually walked around the catacombs after the invasion was secured
26:28 RIP that child
Gen Clark was a failure
Sounds like it,how many dam bad moves before he's replaced?
that's why he was fired
An excellentat documentary. A bit disappointed in the lack of detail around the chaos in leadership teams, not only Clark, but forging cooperation amongst services as well as always in turmoil. Eisenhower is never mentioned. Great omission. Great footage though. Casualties do not get enough attention. Huge sacrifices by all nations. Rick Atkinson writes the best accounts of this war, in 3 volumes. Addresses issues of egos, personalities, disorganization, and production as critical factors.
Great documentary!
I love this series but how can they not mention the M1 Garand when talking about weapons. Come on now, the Enfield was a great bolt action rifle but for WW2 I think the Garand was the best overall rifle.
you are right. but this doc. stinks
Bit of a British bias no doubt about it
More than a "bit" sometimes on the verge of brit history re write propaganda. lol. Sometimes their brit history doesnt even remotely resemble the actual documented events, after action reports, division reports, division war diarys, personal eyewitness, etc, etc. "We must be very vigilant and very careful NOT to try and take more credit than is do us, where credit is do to others" Winston Churchill, January, 1945 in front of a recorded & filmed parliament speech. (After monty tried to take credit for winning the Battle of the bulge when he was hardly even involved.) Old Winston obviously knew what he was talking about. 😁👍 The brits should be fawning over Winston not monty. If not for winston they would be speaking german today. But unfortunately, most are too ignorant of TRUE history , to even realize that. Churchills stuborn determination and refusal to appease hitler single handedly saved the british people from a psychotic, at a time when the royals were trying to go behind his back and make a peace deal with hitler just to save their station. But because of enigma, which churchill very wisely NEVER shared its very existence with anyone, not even with the royals, Winston knew exactly they were doing, they didnt. 😂 Winston Churchill was a very smart fella, & master politician. The right man, in the right place, at the right time. He saved Britain.
@@riftraft2015 really? Any other Brit leader would've just thrown himself at Hitler's feet, right? Or was it his sound military mind, proven with actions like the Dardanelles campaign, that saved Britain? Maybe it was the constant antagonizing and lying to Stalin while the Red Army was destroying the bulk of the Werhmacht? Good old Winston is easily the most overrated leader of the XX century.
Jak rycerze spod pól Grunwaldu...stanęli wierni Polsce!!!Chwała bohaterom!!!
Such an epic documentary.
Been learning alot since 2014 on these videos🙏🙏
THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,INTERNET HISTORY IS MOSTY BULLSHIT
There's a great deal of grief thrown at Gen. Clark, most of it rightly so, but if Gen. Patton hadn't slapped those infirmed soldiers he would have been in command, he was full of Ego B.S also, but he was a much better soldier and general, and things may have been totally different, also the chiefs of staff never wanted the Italian campaign to start with, and preparations were well into the landings for Normandy, sad but Italy was really just a side show to occupy as many Germans as possible, the longer Clark took the less German soldiers would be available for France.
Patton was a Nazi.
Italy was Churchill's shit idea. he wanted brit influence in the Med. after the war. didn't work anyway. he thought he was a strategist - he was an idiot
This music rocks so fucking hard. My god. Where can I download this dope ass soundtrack
"nice intro" I'll go with that. CCR "Green River" with Vietnam War overlay is *WAYYYY* better.
Great documentary 👍
Foarte interesant!!Multumesc!!
I fall asleep to these wtf
Hold up- how are you going to talk about the weapons used by the allies and not bring up the Garand? It was the most advanced battle rifle in common usage during the war. They even cover the gewher 41 and 43 lol. Whatever....
Nicely done
Wished my wife loved history and war docs as much as us.. She always said it made her feel like she was in school and made her tired. Dont change Melisa, your awesome
We feel for you mon...Prerequisite...🥂 history, sports, camping, food, travel & a smile.🍀
41:19 look sharp everybody we are being filmed for a future documentary 41:33 ooops
From what I understand of Italian soldiers during world war 2, they were given the shit end of the stick... Quite literally... Italians were good men led by assholes and incompetent fools. Under German command they became one hell of a fighting force despite the fact that they were unfortunate enough to be given shitty weapons and equipment. The Africa Corps itself utilized the Italian soldiers that had not surrendered to their best possible capabilities regardless of their losses and terrible equipment. Italians also fought on the Eastern front alongside Hungarians and Romanians. Italian small arms(rifle and smg) were relatively good despite being a bit underwhelming. Their artillery, anti tank weapons, lighter vehicles(armored cars, motorcycles,etc) and aircraft were actually more than decent. Everything else is relatively shitty in comparison to the other nations though. Their soldiers were brave as any should be but they were often led by idiots.
+Ride the Tiger Which makes you wonder why Mussolini didn't attempt something of a purge to remove the incompetent officers
The Italian Navy is strong and rather capable, the sailors are competent and well equipped. The Italian leaders are the complete opposite of how I just described the Navy.
Italy wasn't prepared at all to go to war.
@@Crosmando because he was even more incompetent?
Excellent WW2 documentary series.
Hannibal knew not to attack Italy from the South
I always watch documents like this, get to the end and go "wow that was a great movie!" and then I remember that this shit actually happened! WWII was the greatest epic of all human time. The best part is we can actually watch video of the war, read about the tactics; people;weapons and actually talk to survivers! And morons continually say, "Ah, its just history. Who cares?" WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU?! This conflict created hundreds if not thousands of technologies and inventions, created or reignighted all modern conflicts and affected everynperson on the planet!
***** You are aware the word "great" has more than one definition, right? You seem to be starting an argument based on the most out-of-context definition possible. But then, judging purely by your hammer and sickle pic, you're either a troll or a dolt.
true. but what's your point?
...does anyone say "who cares about WW2?" In my experience it's recognised by literally everyone as a pivotal moment. What most people miss is that it was just a continuation of WW1. The actual conflict was 1914-1945.
Even if Germany hadn't attacked Russia, Stalin had plans to crush Germany after Germany conquered Europe so that he could just step in and take all of Europe. He was hoping that Germany would just do the work for him.
Stalin can't day that over a huge area.
Britain vs Germany was just a civil war among capitalists to him. Let them destroy each other then step in.
Give me more fanfiction, please. Add even more orientalism next time if you can.
Tremendous!
Anyone know, where can i get music from this series?
I love the way war doco's bring out all the wierdos. No need to get all hot and bothered. It was ages ago. heh
In the passage of time it was just the blink of the eye. You must be young.
James Horsey Walsh Those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it.
The thing is you see. These people we vote into power do not remember the past. They can't even seem to have learned from mistakes make 10 bloody years ago. Yeah I may be young (44) but there are not a lot of people actually alive who were of fighting age in the last world war. It doesn't matter if you get hot and bothered because NOBODY CARES. Why give yourself high blood pressure for that eh? hahah
too true ha ha ha
nasty joke: The Italian Battle-Flag is a white eagle. Set on a white background. :-)
Great program
If Germany did not invade Soviet Union, the allies landing on continent would be impossible.
For sure!
@@pearly872 Yeah. He would probably take Poland and settle score with France and call it a campaign. He would still go to East though, but would send economic, diplomatic and industrial experts instead of the Wehrmacht and SS.
@Red Spinifex A France invasion in 1942 would've been a bloodbath for the western allies even if 70% of the Wehrmacht was busy in Soviet Union. Wehrmacht (Heer) was in its prime from Balkans 1941 to Fall Blau 1942. Imagine allies trying to land on Normandy in 1942! Even Bulge went for 40 days which cost many allies soldiers and finally ending with an allied victory in January 1945. Hurtgen was another example which was a German defensive victory that went for 5 months and ended in Feb 1945 just 2 months before allies official victory over Germany.
NO THE USSR is were the war went sour for Germany
true
You make some very valid points. However it is very doubtfull that India could have been used as a base for the US/Canadian coalition. Britains surender would have either entailed a certain degree of colabaration analog to the Vichi French colonies in Syria, North Africa and the far East or a promise of Independence to India (from the Germans) if they kicked the British out and remained neutral. The Indians were ready for Independence at the time. Quite a few Indian POWs actually changed sides and fought for the Japanese in Burma. The Japanese might never of bombed pearl Harbour as they now would be able to get raw materials and oil from either willing/ or impotant British colonies. The British navy, still the largest in the world would probably have made its escape to Canada thus aiding the protection of the American continent. But in the long term. Time and industrial capacity would favor the Axis powers. I do however concede your point landing whole armies from Europe or through Alaska into Canada/USA sems a daunting prospect but what about landing troops in some South American pro Nazi area as a first stage in the conquest of the America`s?? Or taking i.e New foundland as a first stage, at a time where the Axis production of war material far outstreched the U.S. Again however that would probably have been one hell of a fight.
If UK and USSR had been defeated there would have been no war with the USA, they would most likely have nogotiated a peace since they would have nowhere to land forces and been up to a alliance with more manpower and more industrial capacity. Also doubt hitler had any interest in actually taking over the USA and Japan would probably have been happy with just the pacific islands to get the US out of their sphere of influence.
Yes, the battle of Stalingrad is when Hitler lost his momentum
NO ONCE GERMANY DECLARED WAR ON AMERICA THEY WERE DOOMED ACTUALLY ONCE FDR SIGNED LEND LEASE ACT IN MARCH 1941. GERMANY WAS FINISHED. TONS AND TONS OF AMERICAN SUPPLIES FROM OUR HUGE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL MIGHT WENT TO SAVING MOTHER RUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN PLUS OUR 4 ENGINE BOMBERS B 17 AND B 24 COMPLETELY FLATTENED GERMAN WAR FACTORIES AND RAILYARDS AND OIL SUPPLIES DON'T FORGET RUSSIA DIDN'T HAVE A 4 ENGINE BOMBER AND BRITAIN ONLY HAD ONE 4 ENGINE BOMBER THE LANCASTER. STRATEGIC BOMBING CAMPAIGN BY U.S, B 17s AND B 24s LIMITED GERMAN TANK PRODUCTION AND AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION AND KILLED THIER OIL PRODUCTION AND RAILYARDS. SO LIKE HISTORY TELLS US ONCE HITLER DECLARED WAR ON AMERICA HITLER WAS DONE. FDR THE GREAT DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT YOU'RE A GENIUS WITH LEND LEASE ACT
1:33:45 So it was not poor General Joseph Lucas' decision to secure the beach-head that led to the loss of the advantage of surprise, but on General Mark Clark's orders.
I noticed that too. I been swearing at the wrong guy. even Churchill blamed Lucas at the time, calling him a beached whale. Clark was a putz. He F'd up Anzio and Monte Cassino.
Every time "virtually" sounds take a shot. (I know this isn't the best episode to say this :D)
Mark Clark was a disgrace.
weirdshibainu history of the mortetonhampstead railway
Thanks to the USSR, the allies only met the ghost of the once mighty Wehrmacht. Had they fought the Wehrmacht of 1940, they would have been surely thrown back into the sea.
Bu those guys were already veterans of other German Campaigns.
For sure.
Nevertheless the depeleted German forces made them pay a very heavy price.
Thanks to the allied bombers. The German defense industry was never able to reach its pre 1942 industrial output making it easier for the Russians to advance in the east.
"dave"....you are stupid aren't you?
yo yall dis be some GOOD STUFF
Italian Partisians fought on both sides. Some were helping the Allies, and some (including Italian military units) still remained loyal to Axis Powers to the end. My Great uncle fought and died in Italy. He was Company 85-G, 10th Mountain Division. There was a story I heard from Mountain Div. Veterans about a company cook who lead partisians on successful mountain raids against the Germans. Another interesting little known story is of the 10th Mountain Mounted Recon. This was a small horse mounted unit that participated in the last American calvary pistol charge in history. (This is after the one in the Phillipenes that is more widely known)
It's a blasphemy, Partisans were self organized forces aganist nazi fascists fighting well over the front, in nazi occupied territory, in loose coordination with allied.There was a co-belligerent italian corp fighting with allies and Fascists RSI forces de facto under nazi command but any of them of course cannot be defined "partisans".
That's what I meant, that there were still Italian Fascist units fighting along side the Nazis against the allies by their own choice, even as late as the Gothic Line. I would consider them Italian Insurgents. If you want to define "Partisans" as those fighting against the Nazis only, then ok. I have also been told stories of some of these insurgents acting as double agents, feeding info to the Allies and Nazis at the same time.
Nattleby History is not "talks" so Partisans were exclusively italians patriots fighting against nazi fascists forces, Co-belligerents under allied control aren't not partisans. Refusing to enlist in fascists units means death by hanging or deportation in death camp. Very few italians fought with nazis. It was a bitter bloody civil war inside an invaded homeland.
@@patsematary When the Canadian Corps came back into the front, to then be the vanguard that busted the Gustav Line. The Canadian Corps Commander, Lt. Gen. Guy Simmonds, after receiving multiple reports from his 1st Cdn Inf Div, & the 5th Cdn Armoured Div, FCHQ Commanders, that after allowing innocent, multiple Italian civilians to freely roam back and forth, through the lines, to shag a sheep...they would then mysteriously find themselves coming under major artillery bombardments from heavy Axis batteries on the formally 'hidden' Canadian positions...resulting in the deaths of too many young Canadian kids, who were killed by the betrayal of smiling cunts on donkeys. The result that was incurred, was a directive from Canadian Corps, Commander, Simmonds,'' That if any puny grinning Italian fucker was seen within 2 miles of the frontline they were to be shot dead on sight''....Viva!
WW2 Summed up. The US had twice Germanys population and 4 times its manufacturing capacity . Russia had twice Germany's population and equal production capacity. Britain and Germany were about equal. Germany was basically fighting 6 other Germanys that's why they lost. How Germany lasted as long as it did is the real story of WW2.
A true testament to their superlative soldiering skills, indeed.
Germany and Japan had to fight a quick war or the industrial might of the US alone would crush them, not to mention the other nations.
The western allies need to understand that the war against them in Africa, Italy and Greece had been for Germany only a sideshow. The real war was in Russia for us. There nearly 75 % of the Wehrmacht faught. You still can recon it in the terminolgie you gave the WW I. You still call it the Great War in England and France. Not so for us Germans. The Great War for us was WWII.
Manche von uns wissen das schon, Kumpel. Bis zu 90% der deutschen Verluste waren im Osten. Nur Kinder und blöden Amis glauben, dass der Krieg im Westen gewonnen war.
No, it was called the Great War by the generation who lived through it. It is referred to as World War I, or the 1914-18 War, in England.
Thanks Andy for letting me kmow this.
Ja. Hab ich auch nie bezweifelt, dass das von uns manche wissen. Bleibt nur die Frage, wer unter "uns" zu verstehen ist.
Fengris Naja, ich bin Inselaffe. Und hierzulande wissen viele schon, dass der Krieg gegen die Sowjets für euch am schlimmsten war.
Such a brutal and under-appreciated campaign. Fighting a campaign in Italy was hell, then you had the entrenched Germans and their various lines of fortifications. The terrain of Italy was arguably the most challenging of the entire war, it was tailor made for great defensive fighters like the Germans. I wish the campaign in Italy was more widely known and covered, but it was overshadowed D-Day and the deterioration of German fortunes on the Eastern Front.
The first unit into Rome was not anyone from the valley, it was the First Special Service Force from Anzio.
too many movies
@@DN-cz7rp You drunk again?... never f with a Murray...he's right.
My Grandfather served in The First Special Service Force.
Germany should have made better friends, aligning with someone because of their ideology (fascism) and not because of their military strength was one of the reasons for their failure. Italy was good for nothing, they did more harm to Germany than any good.....
Kailas Nair No shit, since about half the country was against Hitler's regime...
The minor axis members, like Romania and Hungary were good allies who provided resources and support against the Russians
you're talking about Hitler you idiot
That's actually archaic bullshit that has been reassessed by historians. They suffered from bad PR after the war, and that's pretty much it. They actually were the MOST helpful of Germany's allies - fighting with them on every front, from Russia to Africa. Why did they have to go to Russia? To help Germany, and while the Hungarians and Romanians caved the Italians held out for a week during Little Saturn and Uranus, despite their lack of anti-tank weapons. Unlike the German Sixth army, they broke out and returned to tell the tale. Yet, they were always the scapegoat for German failures and always the units meant to fight as diversions and rear-guards for their German "allies." It wasn't a week after the ceasefire that Germans began massacring their Italian "comrades". ITALY didn't need Germany's bullshit - not the other way around. Germany screwed Germany, and took Italy down with it.
It takes two to make an alliance. An alliance based only on military strength would not last for either side.
Typical American bravado, one victory and he thinks he's a bloody genius. Clark showed time and again tactical incompetency and arrogance.
oh fuck you bitch.
thechipmunck9769 ur not my type.
Well, they inherited from the Brits, haven't you heard of Montgomery?
Rafael Oda hahahahahahahahahaha, really? Monty was a fricking genius tactically
Simon Smith Like in operation "Market Garden" i sep. 1944?
Churchill's comments on General Lucas were unjust, but it's also true that Lucas lacked initiative.
I watch these knowing for a fact me and my my gpa used to watch them together at his house and he was there talking about his buddies
If the German morale was high in Italy, it was because the one US general they feared, Patton, had been relieved of command, for slapping a cowardly soldier in Sicily. (Actually he did this at least twice, but previous incidents had been covered up by Eisenhower.) With Patton in charge Italy could have been conquered much more quickly (3-4 weeks).
Patton was a fucking idiot. His strategy was to go all in straight regardless of casualties. No one fears him
You are thinking too much of the movie Patton than any reality. Patton's self promotion never really reached actual performance on the ground and he was relieved because Ike doubted his stability, and only used him in wide open flat combat where air superiority and massive numbers could make a big difference.
zacharycat Boom! You hit the nail the nail on the head right there! Patton was an incredible general who truly represented the values of America and mirrored the pride of Americans in every battle he fought. He also recognized and respected the potential and genius of his opponents such as Rommel who he almost "idolized" in a sense and took many valuable lessons from during battles with them throughout the war. He even read Rommel's book "The Tank in Attack" during his fight in North Africa against the DAK or Afrika Corps. He was by NO means an idiot, and despite the fact that he did a few things to mar his popularity and was not quite as affected by casualty rates as his fellow general Omar Bradley, his service record is exceptional and he remains to this day one of the most effective and successful generals in American history. People who try to talk down on him do so without any knowledge of his history and upbringing. Bravo
***** Save your breath you propagandist windbag lol. Nothing you said above has any truth behind it and you yourself probably likely know it. Go somewhere else, you're arguing with people that know the truth and you WILL NOT WIN. xD
***** I refuse to argue with an idiot. Spew your ignorant bias all you want. Nobody cares.
So sick to read blames and laughs on Italian army everywhere on youtube. Even on the page of our national anthem. Guys grow up, italians had won WW1 defeating an Empire, and they were at war since 20 years when they entered WW2, they fought with courage though with scarce and older equipments and vehicles, compared to the other armies. Withdrawal of 1943 was a political decision, don't spit ever more over the memory of italian soldiers.
have you ever heard of operation harpoon, a naval battle in 1942
ArgoAndronicus the inscription at El Alamein reads Mancò la fortuna, non il valore (A lack of fortune, not of valour)
Breda Jake What do you mean?
the thing is Italian though they could make an empire in north Africa and destroy the royal navy witch was the strongest in the world in that time, I think italian were the Germans little bitch that would do anything that the Germans said. if you can see in the video Italians tactics were poor and with poor equipment but the Germans had great tactics witch could beat the shit of the allies, Italy should have prepared for war instead of being too confident and start a war with country's like Britain that was 3 times stronger. also me Mussolini was a dick. I really like Italy specially Milan I've been there a couple of times.
Enzo Lucas The Germans with great tactics?! Lmao Yeah i saw how Barbarossa ended... And Italy wasn't under German orders go to study some history and stop listen Goebbels propaganda.
The narrator in this and every other documentary in the series refers to the German army as the wehrmacht, whereas it was (and still is I believe) called Der Heer. The wehrmacht was the 'armed forces'
the wehrmacht "defense force" was combined with the heer under Kietel. Von Brauchitsch commanded the heer thru most of the war.
No mention of allied war crimes against villagers, rape, pillage and murder of women children and old man,
They raped the old mans? Ewwwwwww
I am american and sadly your right.
Dom Degood Pretty sure the series never spoke about rape and pillaging on either side. Even in the Battle of Stalingrad
Also the carpet bombing of civilians.
Dom Degood It's War, there are no saints. However, in the choose between the USA and Nazi Germany, I'd go USA any day.
Don't say stupid shit like that. Learn more about military history, read more about the war, and you'll learn differently. The Folgore division in Africa, the Alpini in Russia, the RSI heroes of the civil war in 44-45. Just a few examples. Stop offending the memory of the fallen, no matter what their uniform was.