039 - The Allied Clusterf**k - The Battle of France - WW2 - May 25 1940

[@WorldWarTwo]

*IMPORTANT UPDATE:* The previous video in this series Ep. 038 detailing the invasion of France is not available on KZbin as they have censored it. You can watch it here: spee.ch/@WorldWarTwo:6/blitzkrieg-in-the-west-ww2-038-may-18 I hope everyone has recovered from last weeks double length episode! We love the reception and had some wonderful comments on it. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to check it out before you watch this video! And I also want to take a moment to remind you to subscribe to our channel and click the notifications bell, as that really helps our channel grow. There's still many people that don't know of our existence, and as the war is really taking off now, we'd like to get everyone on board. Spread the word! Thanks a lot! Cheers, Joram

[@dongochoangkhang]

made a video about the viet minh they are the resistance croup fight against japanese and france in ww2 and lead to august revolution and independence on 2 september 1945

[@Alte.Kameraden]

To be honest, I enjoyed the double length Episode. I grew up with 1-2 hour long TV documentaries. 20-24 minutes was nothing when compared. hehe

[@augurcybernaut4785]

World War Two Time to put some ads on the channel.

[@Alte.Kameraden]

@@augurcybernaut4785 You'd be surprised what can get demonetized. I mean just mentioning that Polish Civilians murdered 1000 German Civilians during the German invasion of 1939 would likely cause a lot of Poles to 'riot' with the 'report' tickets as "offensive" or "Hate Speech" claims. Which WWII Channel did mention in it's Polish Invasion video. I mean for example, this video has made the Allies look considerably more incompetent than any other Documentary I've ever seen about the Invasion of France, because well Indy and his crew seem to care more about authenticity than personal or political agendas which is a breath of fresh air. Sadly this can cause specific parties to well, black list you.

[@thelememonk]

Thank you, Team, great job as always! Regarding the German push of the Army A in Northern France, it's worth to mention the first intentional mass use of psychostimulants in Wehrmacht. While the Allied command couldn't decide what to do next, Guderian's Panzerfahrer were pushing on Pervitin for days and nights.

[@mortenulp7503]

The quote "Anyone who isn't confused really doesn't understand the situation" describes this week really well.

[@generic8891]

Thank goodness, now I don't feel so bad about constantly thinking "hang on, wasn't the thick red line like, 50km south and 200km east maybe 10 seconds ago? What?"

[@garcalej]

Ring Ring Billote: Oui? Weygand: Dude, WHERE'S MY ARMY!?!?!

[@totallynotalpharius2283]

@idoj654123 because he was piss ass drunk. It helps

[@thejeff5010]

@@totallynotalpharius2283 lol that fucking name though.

[@Rikkis309]

I remember seeing this quote in some of these videos, but couldn't find it.. Anyone else remember where it was?

[@ScooterWeibels]

At this point I wouldn't blame the Germans if they have a feeling of invincibility.

[@johncarter449]

yeap

[@Some_Guy_In_Ohio]

Then it might surprise you to find out that one HYPOTHESIS about the reason for the three day stall near Dunkirk is that the Germans were terrified they were being led into a trap. As Indy says during the video, no one is actually sure, although the conventional wisdom when I was in school (late 70's\early 80's) was that the field commander was worried about outpacing their air support, I understand this belief has fallen out of favor since. Let me re-emphasize this is only one reason that has been suggested.

[@peterongan9655]

It's no feeling, they pretty much surprised the allied. Plus the incompetent of France leadership, made it possible.

[@stephenwood6663]

@@Some_Guy_In_Ohio The land around Dunkirk is very swampy - bad tank country. Guderian knew his business, and he was quite aware of what determined infantry were capable of doing to advancing tanks, given the right terrain. If the Allies were going to try to capitalise on German overconfidence, Dunkirk would have been a good place to do it.

[@jonbaxter2254]

They pretty much were until Stalingrad

[@mrb3nz]

it's almost like when you accidentaly leave HOI4 on top speed and take a toilet break

[@Arbiter099]

Eastory's maps look more like HoI 3 to me.

[@nrdhmpste4740]

Or accidentally give the entire army an order, and then have to cancel it, causing all of their previous attacks to be cancelled.

[@dddman6516]

@@nrdhmpste4740 I freaking hate that

[@pawelzybulskij3367]

I've got to think that in HOI4, divisions move faster than in real life. Motorized divisions could move at 10 km/h and they moving 24 hours per day without sleeping or break. It means motorized or panzerdivision on plains could advance at 200 km per day.

[@conversationtosaurusrex]

Dont be a nerd dude.

[@swimming_blerd2180]

"So Weygand then flies on to Calais, but only after eating an omelet at a country inn." You can't make this shit up.

[@lisakeitel3957]

Food is needed.

[@petebrian2841]

This is why Napoleon preferred to fight coalitions.

[@kaczynskis5721]

Indeed. He could often count on Austrians, Prussians and Russians failing to cooperate properly with one another. As the war goes on Hitler will start to have coalition problems of his own.

[@yarpen26]

@@kaczynskis5721Hitler relied on his allies to a far lower degree than Napoleon (a pretty independent belligerent himself). In fact, with the exception of Japan (which did significantly postpone the US-led invasion of Europe), most of his allies were more trouble than worth, especially on the battlefield. With the exception of Finns and, to a smaller degree, Hungarians, all the other Axis "powers" made complete bafoons of themselves on the Eastern Front, and every single one of them was grossly unprepared for war, especially under such extreme conditions. Hitler himself remarked in 1945 that things would have gotten better for Germany had Italy never joined the war. In contrast to that, the Allies of both World Wars were much more evenly matched and even after the US joined the war, it didn't dominate over the UK or the French Free Forces the way the Germans did over the Romanians or Croats.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

All armies are coalitions. The leaders must practice working together to be effective at every level - whether across boundaries of individual units, service branches, or nations.

[@salokin3087]

Didn't expect to see the term "clusterfuck" used, but its quite apt

[@NamFlow]

They could've used fustercluck, as that one doesn't need to be censored ;-)

[@scottklocke891]

Was a highly accurate term😉

[@gintautassickus6390]

But finds it deserted 1 last soldier remaining Who drives him to the post office I think there is a movie about something similar

[@dylans8198]

@MrXenon1989 Boondoggle is what I would've used

[@lsamaknight]

@@NamFlow Or you could just go with the NATO Phoenetic Alphabet Initials. Charlie Foxtrot.

[@TheHybridGamerHQ]

French army: No military command in the most important hours of the war. Germans: "It's free real estate."

[@andrewfavot763]

Idk what's more messed up about this... Me laughing so hard or the joke it's self 😂

[@madogthefirst]

@@andrewfavot763 Probably how true it is.

[@druisteen]

@@madogthefirst The only problem are .. -People always joke about French or France , that's boring ! British were close to colapse after dunkirk . They do not but still joke about French ...80 years after - Sadly , close to be true , French hight rank officer were puppet ! That's not fun if ...not so mutch people die ....

[@druisteen]

@@ciggy_ most french officer feared comunism more than nazism .

[@coulochonou6376]

Its so sad because 3 of my family member have died in 1940 alone, and the politicians did nothing about it. The high command was in shambles but politicians acted like they wanted us to die for nothing and be run over.

[@Ricky-qp9kj]

This has to be one of the most insane offensives ever... seeing france get steamrolled like this after 4 years of watching the stalemate of ww1 is just baffling

[@Dustz92]

Honestly this campaign is Battle of Cannae level. Both fir the tactical level of the Germans and the failure of the French leadership.

[@arianas0714]

@Grayson DuBose Nah, it was Belgium's fault all along.

[@Rushking20]

Ricky without those fresh US troops Germany would of beat them both in ww1 let’s be honest they own Britain and france

[@dpeasehead]

@@Rushking20 It's a bit more complicated than that. In WWI Germany squandered the million or so troops it pulled from the east after Russia's collapse in a series of failed offensives which had been intended to knock Britain and France out of the war before US manpower became the deciding factor. In WWII 85% of German casualties were inflicted on them on the Eastern front by Russians. In both world wars, it took a lot of non American blood and sacrifice to enable the US to be among the victors at a fairly small cost.

[@MistaTofMaine]

@@Rushking20 US wouldn't have gained independence without the French so kind of owed them, USA did puss out few years later when French went for their own revolution.

[@alin_ilies]

You created a very good suspence for dunkirk evacuation

[@jonbaxter2254]

I hope the Brits get away!

[@poseidon6666]

It's not that big of deal, it was made by the film in my opinion

[@SamAronow]

@@poseidon6666 As someone who was in said film, I was stoked because of the pre-existing history.

[@yannlars1736]

@@SamAronow And how happy are you about the result?

[@jonathanramos7893]

If only tom hardy and Gary Oldman can save the day!

[@Bagster321]

You know s**t is bad when World War Two have to swear to describe this week.

[@mountainhobo]

"when World War Two have to swear" -- They don't have to. Adults are sometimes lazy enough to use that as a substitute for a proper literary description, but a use of such a shortcut in a video that could otherwise be shown to kids is not appropriate.

[@rebecca4680]

mountainhobo . Then suggest a better word that’s concise and gets the gravity of the situation across. The current one’s about as accurate as you can get.

[@mountainhobo]

@Rebecca: You really cannot find a word for it without vulgarity? How about "unraveling"? "The current one’s about as accurate as you can get." - It might have such connotations in vernacular, but this is public speech, and I imagine the owners of this channel have ambitions for the distribution of this series going beyond a smoking area in the back of the barracks.

[@kllk12ful]

@@mountainhobo really unraveling is an understatement I agree with using the term cluster F since it's the only term that really fits

[@mountainhobo]

It seems like an understatement because we have become desensitized and used to over the top language. Smokers think it is impossible to live without smoking, but when they quit they discover smells and tastes they forgot.

[@asbestos_remover]

Huntzinger literally cadorna and hotzendorf combined

[@menitobussolini659]

Who are you?I am the real Mussolini!

[@dr.vikyll7466]

@@menitobussolini659 you are weak Mussolini

[@jonsouth1545]

"Huntzinger literally Cadorna and Hotzendorf combined" Rudolfo Graziani "Hold my Beer"

[@asbestos_remover]

@@menitobussolini659 chef boyardee

[@dika2saja]

Finally, worse than italian generals

[@aorum3589]

On this day in 1940, my grandfather's brother who was in the 24e régiment d'infanterie, died near Calais crushed by a german tank. He was only 23 years old.

[@garrisonnichols7372]

Road kill. He got Blitzkrieged real bad. Kinda summarized Franch as a whole in the war.

[@equarg]

Oh God. I am so sorry. I pray the end was quick. 😣 I knew that probably happened, but to confirm it did still makes me cringe. I once saw a magpie hit by a car and half crashed. It’s feet was pointing the wrong way. It was dying slowly and driving the other Magpies insane. I turned my own car around and finished it off quickly with a tire. I still feel bad about it to this day. I hope the magpie forgives me knowing the only reason I did that was to end its suffering 😭. Even as a hunter that was a tough decision.

[@stevejauncey3086]

Respect

[@curium9622]

You brainwashed me, with and every time you say „I am Indy Neidel” I want to complete this sentence with „and this is the Great War.

[@jimmymcgill9986]

Curium 96 T-T miss that so much

[@joffreybaratheon9044]

last week .................

[@primkup]

Well it is the GREAT War for Germans, at least so far.

[@podemosurss8316]

This is the EVEN GREATER War.

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

When you consider how many people died, and how, you have to consider saying "the not-so-great war."

[@Solidoaf]

8 million people on the move.. in less than a month. Such a contrast compared to WW1, where empires and populace exhausted themselves with 4 years of brutal combat. Now in less than a month the spirit of one of those counties is broken. Must be traumatizing

[@Altrantis]

Well, the first time around they had no expectations of the kind of shit they'd go through. This time around, the french population knew exactly the kind of shit that awaited them.

[@coryhall7074]

In the case of France especially it never really recovered from WW1, and the political and military wounds that still scarred it 22 years later led directly to the mistrust, misconduct and paralysis of leadership that doomed them in the fight.

[@cedricg8997]

@Clem Cornpone A big thank you for your comment! Glad to read that.

[@DerDop]

@@coryhall7074 The German population wanted war, the French didn't.

[@coryhall7074]

@@DerDop It was easier to make the German population acquiesce to war, due to revanchement and the psychological preparation that authoritarianism usually entails, but to say that Germany in 1939 went to war with enthusiasm is false. Germany had a burst of enthusiasm after Poland, when a quick victory seemed to dispel the specter of a long and grinding war, like the Great War of a generation prior which the population still keenly felt the effects of, but part of the reason that the Phony War went on for so long was that, after 1914, no one on any side wanted to heedlessly commit themselves to a slaughter unless they had a plan to avoid the previous pattern.

[@cobbler9113]

The title is perhaps too generous to describe the utter shambles of the situation the Allies find themselves in this week.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yes... anything fairer would have resulted in too many *s though...

[@cobbler9113]

@@WorldWarTwo I don't know, I suspect most of the commanders were saying ****** a lot ;)

[@WorldWarTwo]

you better ****ing believe it!

[@OneLeatherBoot]

I've been partial to the term "flustercluck"

[@OneLeatherBoot]

@@NormanMStewart never heard of it before.

[@LesserKnownHistory]

Hotlzendorff: Wow I guess I really will go down as the worst general in history. Huntzinger: Hold my croissant!

[@kaczynskis5721]

No way would Hötzendorf have such self-knowledge.

[@leavemealoneyoutube1707]

Graziani: Am I just a joke to you?

[@alexandervolkov5205]

@@leavemealoneyoutube1707 Luigi Cadorna: “You forgetting somebody?”

[@rocketsniper8726]

Cadorna: hold my raviolli

[@ultramanJR]

You know it's completely disastrous when even the most courteous historian had to drop the F-word to properly describe the situation

[@trippbloodworth4217]

ultramanJR Did anyone really think that French and British high commands could coordinate anything more complicated than a football match? Just 25 years earlier they managed to clusterfuck the deaths of 15 million or more of their soldiers.. Complete idiots.. Including Haig.... When the Germans advanced, the allies didn't have a clue how to counter Tank and mechanized infantry. I guess they had no spies in Germany from 1930-1940? Again, complete idiots..

[@trippbloodworth4217]

Jude Lind Considering I have a Masters in European History and studied in Heidelberg, I would guess that after over four years of incompetent massacre on both sides you could say the allies won. You do realize Jude, no one Won... No one wins wars. If you fought in one, you'd know. Now, don't be a condescending bitch to your elders ever again.

[@trippbloodworth4217]

Jude Lind True.

[@trippbloodworth4217]

Jude Lind The war ended because the United States entered the war, just like WW1. The French were totally defeated and in Britain or in the Vichy government. The Lend Lease program basically funded Russia, and we funded Britain and the remaining French forces. That's why the allies "won". Read more, study more, and know your subject matter before you make comments That question other people's knowledge.

[@scotty1108]

@@trippbloodworth4217 Well said,sir.

[@riyoriyote]

It's interesting that you often see discussion how the halt order was the pivotal blessing to the Allies and all the 'what-ifs' if their leadership hadn't done it, yet it seems more accurate to say that pretty much everything the Allied high command has done every day so far is actually the real blessing, but for the Wehrmacht.

[@mrb3nz]

Hitler is just way overrated. But perhaps it's easier to deal with defeat by calling your enemy a military genius than to admit your total incompetence.

[@minuteman4199]

@@mrb3nz Genius and incompetence are just two ends of a scale. Sometimes genius isn't all that great, except in comparison to the level of incompetence it's being measured against.

[@nacht6747]

Well as you will see probably next week, the halt order can be seen to have been a positive for the Wermacht forces but on hindsight a bad idea if you only look at the surface.

[@DaDunge]

@@mrb3nz Hitler didn't plan any of this. In fact the push west as I recall was done by Rommel in violation of orders he had been given by Hitler.

[@DaDunge]

As for the pause order the idea might have been not to force the forces in Belgium into a last stand. Because considering the sheer number of troops there it may not really have gone all that well, desperation may well have turned them to get their act together. Or it could be a classic Hitler move wanting to change out commanders because he feared they would challenge him if they got to popular.

[@otakunthevegan4206]

That video title tho, really sums up the situation.

[@otakunthevegan4206]

@Clem Cornpone Btw, as a Canadian I want to tell you that Germany treated Italy better then you, our own mother country, treated us. Germany bled out supporting Italy in Africa, in campigns that were to wholly benifit Italy, because Monsters can love other Momsters. Yet our own Mother country sends us to die on rocky French beaches on a one way mission.

[@otakunthevegan4206]

@Clem Cornpone I was really just saying that Germany was nicer to Italy then Britain was to Canada, thats about it. Even the bad guys can care about eachother.

[@otakunthevegan4206]

@Clem Cornpone Also New Zealand and Australia Declared war on Germany even faster then Canada, and Canada declared war on Japan hours before the US and Britain.

[@HoH]

Because there is such an incredible amount of chaos during this time, I am all the more impressive with your narrating skills. The storyline is very clear and easy to follow (surprisingly, considering the clusterf**k).

[@herrakaarme]

The animated maps contribute hugely to the clarity.

[@ellsworth1956]

Unbelievable! The Allies literally had months to sort out chains of commands and battle tactics, They look like rank amateurs.

[@alganhar1]

Maybe you should look into the manner in which the French Political System pretty much pulled the rug out from under their military command. At the end of the day many, even most of the issues suffered by the French epecially during this particular period was thanks to decisions made by french politicians between the wars. The Politicians effectively hamstrung the defence of their nation. Stating that the political infighting in French politics in the 1930's through to 1940 was self destructive and vicious is something of an understatement.

[@ddoumeche]

The french army didn't even train soldiers who were waiting at the border for months, to save ammunitions

[@ddoumeche]

@Martin Casinillo because the generals were idiots with middle age of 70s, reenacting WWI Petain, who seized power, was 80 years old

[@SovietDoge]

It's just like 25 years ago... The French and British have to work together but refuse to do so...

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

I forgot about the German invasion of 1994.

[@bespit6654]

Yeah, funny thing how the bundeswehr screwed up and invaded France in 1994.

[@DaDunge]

@@fuzzydunlop7928 I think he means 25 years before 1940, that is 1915.

[@Solidoaf]

@@DaDunge duh.. that's the joke buddy

[@martinmortyry7444]

Incredible how the Germans were able to organise an invasion so soon after the reunification!

[@Dataism]

Ohh, the French high command , eating omelettes and bickering among eachother while the country is being over run.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Omelet you finish the invasion of France! 😀

[@FakeAssHandsomeMcGee_]

I think it is the French arrogance. Some random French official: Let us stop bickering, we are going to be overruned!!! French High Command: Lmao, you are obviously not French.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

@@FakeAssHandsomeMcGee_ That's just a stereotype. The French isn't more or less arrogant than any other country.

[@johnmeyer4803]

Perhaps a breakfast burrito on the move would have saved France?

[@Dustz92]

Hopefully it was a French Omelette

[@hanspetrich6520]

*sees Title in the KZbin notification* "Ah we finally got to THIS point I've been waiting for"

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Meanwhile in the northern French town of Nouvion local café owner, René Artois, is busy getting ready to open for the day.

[@kaczynskis5721]

The Panzer advance is the least of his worries. Has he got his female staff pregnant? Can he come up with some story the wife will believe?

[@TheCimbrianBull]

@@kaczynskis5721 LMFAO! 😂 🤣 😅

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

And what is a certain reconnaissance lieutenant doing at this moment in time in his little tank?

[@TheCimbrianBull]

@@TheChieftainsHatch He might shoot someone today in his little tank!

[@druisteen]

Some mens are to old for been in the army ...that diddm't make them coward

[@Aviationlord7742]

1:46 soldier wearing shades to block out the allied haters

[@TheCimbrianBull]

LOL! 🤣 😂 😅 It should have been thug life pixelated shades.

[@rabihrac]

Much love & support from Beirut ! And yes, we'll meet again Indy, promise !

[@pppaaaooo13]

Battle for France=Main manu in WW1 Battle for France=Just an appetite in WW2 Let that sink in

[@NikhilSingh-007]

Manu?

[@MasterCivv]

After following the maps of the world war one series, the movement of this week of the german army almost made me jump on the couch... such speed

[@stephenmichalski2643]

LMAO......The greatest WW2 video title in history........frickin HYSTERICAL!

[@my_boi55]

*Matilda Tank appear* : RUN GERMANS RUN *88mm gun appears* Matilda tank: Why Do i hear boss music?

[@johncarter4956]

Somehow I imagined a truck pulling an 88mm gun with "flight of the valkyrie" playing in the background.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

ROFL! 🤣 😂 😅

[@brotlowskyrgseg1018]

@@johncarter4956 That's quite the inaccurate image you have there. Both the 88 and German marching bands relied mainly on horse-drawn logistics.

[@bingobongo1615]

Brotlowsky rgseg Not in the Panzer divisions

[@TheCimbrianBull]

@@brotlowskyrgseg1018 r/wooosh

[@Legitpenguins99]

You really have to respect Zhang Zishong. Sitting 20 miles away commanding soldiers is one thing, but a general fighting on the front lines with his troops in 20th century combat takes alot of balls

[@dcbanacek2]

It says something about the man that the IJA buried him with full honors.

[@kaczynskis5721]

@@dcbanacek2 They knew him and his behaviour fitted their Bushido code. Chinese POWs in their hands were likely to be used for bayonet practice.

[@user-zb9qk3ml9r]

One of the most informative youtube channels out there. I wish I had found it earlier!

[@WorldWarTwo]

@G Thank you! We’re glad you’ve found your way here!

[@IudiciumInfernalum]

The detail on this one is simply amazing. Can't wait to see how the Eastern front will unfold.

[@bobsmoth-iv3sp]

Eastern front is under control . There was an anti aggression pact with the axis and the USSR

[@patrickhutchison6465]

This is one of my favorite episodes of the series so far. You all have done such an incredible job. Keep up the great work.

[@cannonfodder4376]

5:17 that camera pan in into the animated map was just simply masterful, for some reason that really stuck out. But oh boy, the Allied high command. I never thought it would turn into a dark comedy sketch, funny but tragic. Just gets worse and worse and would be lambasted as terrible plot convenience in any serious fiction. Hell the German successes and luck really would stretch any suspension of disbelief. Fantastic episode as always. Will certainly be looking forward to your coverage of the Dunkirk evacuation and the explanations into the German halt. And watching Dunkirk again myself next week.👍

[@audiosurfarchive]

It may have been farcical and bad at the time, but in the long run, Allies won BECAUSE they were exactly that: allies. WW2 is pretty much a living document of how to run a coalition war; see the early failings and further consolidation/compartmentalizing that leads to each Allied power focus on their strength and execute it.. while Axis had many, MANY opportunities to exploit the enemy through their """alliances""" but didnt. Time and again.

[@paillettecnc]

My grandfather was in those masses of people during the exodus. He was seven but he has a very clear and precise memory about it, especially about the Jericho trumpets and the 109 strafings. And one day the Wehrmacht caught their pace, it was over for them and went back where they came from.

[@caeserromero3013]

It seems the fall of France could have been prevented if they'd had a whatsapp group 😂

[@martinrichards8180]

Hey, i just want to mention again how much i love this series and the work you all put into it. keep up the good work!

[@pnutz_2]

*supermarine intensifies* wait that's next week. What's Harry Styles doing this week?

[@danielsilhavy930]

Still in One direction, but once he realised the only one direction around was the german advance to the coast he joined the RAF. i Know because hes my nephew

[@nikolay4101-s7r]

2 long episodes in a row? What is this sorcery? Also just like last week Eastory is just on top of it!

[@johnnyjohnny998]

Can we stop with the *read more* gimmick?

[@HistorySkills]

Brilliant production, as always!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@markrath2471]

Indy, I'm only just now getting into the WWII series and I'm a big fan of the WWI series. Having learned in this episode that the evacuation of France 1940 was the largest migration in Western European History. It's suddenly feeling a lot more real now that Russia has invaded Ukraine 05/18/2022 and over 11 million people have had to flee their homes and seeing it in full color today is just horrific. But these tragedies cannot go ignored and it is awful to see the events of WWII repeated in the 21st century. Thank you for your work.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching with us @Mark Rath. There is certainly some perspective and context to be gained from looking at conflicts of the past

[@AunknownMan]

I couldnt describe it better, best title ever XD What if the Germans got stopped at Amiens... AGAIN?

[@squidfam3927]

Bah, the allies are not messing up! They're obviously following Cadorna's strategy of "outright ignore the enemy offensive while it is happening right in front of them"

[@nomobobby]

Also on the to do list is to find a river worth fighting at least 11 battles for in vain.

[@ISawABear]

1:25 we need MORE map & footage sequences like that!

[@strazty4450]

it's the foxhole guy

[@terrydelahanty2100]

Hey indy, love your channel, I watched a lot of " The Great War" and loved it and sure as hell am loving this

[@sako5751]

Great Video!

[@ryanryckaert9542]

You guys are doing a great service to history by doing this series. Love every minute of it!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Glad you liked it! thanks!

[@frankwitte1022]

When my father wrote in 1988 about his diary notes from 1940 he summarizes this thoughts as: "It is a strange sensation when, after the intensity of those first 10 days of the war and reliving them as I write about them, I try to trace in my memories of the first year of the war. It is as if those first ten days grew an armor on which all subsequent memories and their emotions shattered to pieces. They lay there, either as lost memories, or as stillborn memories devoid of feelings as if this was necessary not to feel in order not to surrender to utter paralysis." His diary notes do contain a final dated episode which must have been around May the 18th or 19th: "I sat next to the Merwede Canal, staring into the water, when two German soldiers approached with their silver-lined collars. They sat down next to me in the grass and asked me what I thought of Germany. I told them I thought invading the Netherlands was terribly unfair. The eldest of the two bent towards me and started explaining how we the Dutch had been so deceived by our government and how even the Queen had fled to London … as if they thought the German Army would never get to London. The youngest then pulled out a booklet itemising his orders and he showed a page where it said: "September 19th, 1940 - Guard duty at Buckingham Palace". I got up and left them … and as I walked away I felt a new hope: if they were stupid enough to believe that, then they would surely not win this war."

[@kaczynskis5721]

Silver-lined collars, they were NCOs, of at least Unteroffizier rank. In hindsight they were stupid to believe they would be pulling guard duty in London but the way things were going in May and June, the sky must have seemed the limit.

[@jakebhenry2228]

Title: Clusterf**k in France Me: Absolutely on point

[@A.F.M.B.1234]

I've been thinking this for a while: Could you have like a tiny timeline on the bottom? Just a Visual Aid to what day of the week/prev week you are talking about, it would be a small (maybe 20-30px) sized bar of some colour, with 7-14 segments (depending on the episode) and a small arrow/triagle showing us what day you are taking about that moment?

[@More_Row]

That would be neat.

[@robertkalinic335]

French high command has left the server.

[@coffeeandchill2788]

I can´t wait to get a job and donate 20 quintillon reichmarks from 1919 to you guys. Its amazing, i started enjoying your videos in 2014 when I was just 13 and when this wonderful travel through history is over I will be 23. You will have accompanied me for 10 bloody years...

[@WorldWarTwo]

I really want you to deliver the 20 quintillon reichmarks to our doorstep now

[@toeray5864]

To quote Vince Lombardi, "What the hell's going on out there???"

[@sirjj3123]

Honestly there would be no better word to describe the current situation than the title of the video.

[@WorldWarTwo]

That's how we felt too...

[@goneutt]

I'm sorta digging this week length focused history approach. Everything else looks at history in much larger chunks.

[@Crimethoughtfull]

Sir Toppam-Hat is going crazy. "You have caused confusion and delay" he bellows at Allied High Command.

[@gunnerjensen5998]

I love the "ALL DURING THIS TIME..." line.

[@freetolook3727]

Caller: "Are you kidding me? You're telling me that Bran Stark is the new king in Game of Thrones?" Indy: "I'm not making it up. Why would I make it up? That's what happened."

[@jamesharmer9293]

That's a very 1940's authentic looking polyester tie that Indy's wearing there! Excellent work guys, this show is amazing...!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you (it's actually an authentic 1940s _silk_ tie ;-)

[@ScooterWeibels]

Did France even have an air force (I know they did but they don't seem to be doing much).

[@pp-wo1sd]

As far as I remember they did have an airforce but it was underfunded , undersupplied and much smaller than the luftwaffe .

[@Akm72]

Yes. They had plenty of planes and airfields, but didn't do a lot of flying (in comparison to the numbers) and their communication links with the army were atrocious.

[@shrillbert]

@@Akm72 Most of which were shot down...by next week, they'll have lost 75% of their fighters against the superior Messerschmitts.

[@Akm72]

@@shrillbert This 1985 article on the French Air Force prior to 1940 is well worth reading ( www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3073707/posts ). As an older article, it may have been superseded by more recently unearthed information, but still worth the time IMO.

[@kaczynskis5721]

@@neues3691 The Dewoitine fighter was roughly on a par with the 109 but there were few of them. The much more numerous Morane was definitely inferior. The French also had American P-36s which scored a disproportionate number of their kills.

[@loubruno797]

The Kent spying story I had never heard of. Thank you for the great research.

[@shrillbert]

Let's stop for a moment and admire how they handled Billotte's death. I like the way they did it by fading the colour from his picture. Keep it up, guys, it won't be the last time you'll have to do it.

[@foutocraite]

2:30 : the best historical side by side doppelgänger.

[@turmunhkganba1705]

The battle of France in this amount of detail is interesting. With Huntziger's folly with abandoning the Maginot Line, I can't wait for this years top 10 dumbest decisions episode

[@AngelovdRuit]

dumb.... or something eIse...Its not the Iast we wiII hear of Huntziger...

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Sorry Indy & Co., I can only give your programs a 9. They're just too short. I LOVED that double episode. But seriously, I deeply appreciate the work you're doing here. I happen to own the "World War 2 Diaries, the war day by day" and your videos add meat & potatoes to the Diaries' appetizer. Thank you.

[@Lukegriz77]

Good to see Tannu Tuva is still independent. No way that will change

[@bathtub_jim7652]

I can't believe I just discovered your videos. I thought I had seen every ww2 documentary on youtube the this magically appears. Absolutely love your presentation and detail. Cheers!

[@turbowolf302]

So, my birthday coincides with this... that's actually kinda badass.

[@aspenlovelock8115]

“Your diamonds just disappeared. I’m so sorry.” “You’re making that up, why do you have a new diamond sword?” “I’m not making it up. No why would I make that up.” “I have camera footage that yo-“ “Ok bye.”

[@genekelly8467]

Very informative...one of the big myths was that French armor was inferior to German-untrue. At Arras, one French Char2B tank knocked out 13 panzers

[@mikhailv67tv]

Well done Indy in making sense of the chaos of the Allies during 1940 in the battle for France.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thx

[@ricklolkema3340]

I'm actually shocked that communications in France where so bad that it actually cost them the war. No wonder the germans were invincible while conquering France.

[@bobsmoth-iv3sp]

Most people do not understand the critical need of communication. How much time and money has been spent on communications along with making and breaking codes etc ?

[@VisualdelightPro]

@@bobsmoth-iv3sp British army ww2 Market Garden failure due to poor Logistics Communications.

[@Gabriel-Kazu]

Wooooohooooo! I absolutely loved your week by week WW1 vids and watched every single one repeatedly. Thought that was the end of the channel. So happy to see you move into the second world war! I look forward to these vids more than i look forward to christmas!

[@AhesTheDre]

Can't wait for a special episode on the French Resistance.

[@kaczynskis5721]

Actually I have a suggestion for one of Indy's phone calls - "Bring two shirts, two pairs of underpants, two pairs of woollen socks; a light sweater, a scarf, a heavy sweater, a woollen blanket, an extra pair of shoes, shoelaces, needles, thread, buttons, safety pins, soap, a canteen, a knife and fork, a torch, a compass, a weapon if possible, and also a sleeping bag if possible. Wear a warm suit, a beret, a raincoat, a good pair of hobnailed boots." A quote from a Resistance pamphlet on what recruits to the Maquis should bring with them. The pamphlet added that this was a serious commitment and they should not expect the Germans to treat them as legitimate combatants if they were captured. It was also probably difficult to obtain all these items in the conditions of occupied or even Vichy France.

[@david-1775]

The gross incompetence of the French High Command is truly amazing. I can't help but feel that German generals had a "Go, go, go" approach while the French had move of a "Hmm, that is bad, we should doing something about that... later today.... well tomorrow is just as good."

[@gunman47]

Sounds like it’s time to rewatch the Dunkirk and Atonement movies again.

[@jakebhenry2228]

Dickson Phua agrees

[@iainsmith6643]

You should also watch the old Dunkirk film with John Mills , Dickie Attenborough et al. Lot's of stiff upper lip. excellent fifties black and white film

[@MarioCalzadaMusic]

This is the craziest project I’ve ever seen

[@badoodadoodadoo7653]

Rotterdam: We surrender! Germany: *I CAN’T HEAR YOU!*

[@timdunbar8469]

Thank you for this. One of the best sum ups of the Battle Of France I have seen. It was indeed a complete cluster f**k.

[@lovethesmellofracefuelinth7374]

This guy is an awesome narrator, and love this channel 👍🏼

[@akillerpacman1709]

*Luftwaffe Stuka: Hey anyone wanna go to the beach next week? I heard Dunkirk is nice this time of year.*

[@gunman47]

Jericho trumpet siren intensifies...

[@williamshortfilm5818]

From the 15 to the 25 of May at Stonne, near Sedan, the City switches hands 17 times. The Germans call it the Verdun of 1940. They lose 24 tanks. Pierre Billote, tank captain, and future general of the Free French Forces and Minister in the IV Republic destroys 13 panzers alone with a chars B1 Bis.

[@williamshortfilm5818]

On the 15 of May at La Horgne, a handfull of North African Cavalry from Algeria and Morroco hold out for a day against 3 of Guderian's Panzer divisions, the 10th, 1st, and 2nd. I just though all of these acts of resistance are worth mentioning.

[@kaczynskis5721]

Pierre Billotte was a son of the army group commander Billotte who died in the car accident.

[@williamshortfilm5818]

@@kaczynskis5721 I did not know ! Thanks !

[@revasgamer7793]

These map animations just keep getting better and better! I love more! Really, thanks for this awesome lectures!

[@zlatko8051]

To Dunkirk we go.

[@merdiolu]

A few details about Arras counter attack. Matilda tanks of 1st British Armored Brigade (74 of them) caused considereable confusion and panic especially among SS Totenkopf regiment troops , several of them were scattered , 25th Panzer Regt. lost several panzers trying to engage Matildas , Rommel for a moment messaged to his superiors that five enemy divisions were attacking him and OKW feared briefly that he was captured. Only strategic positioning of 88 mm flak guns which can be utilised as excellent anti tank guns in multi purpose role , stopped and repulsed British tank attack

[@kaczynskis5721]

Totenkopf took above-average casualties around this time, perhaps a reason why they carried out a massacre of British POWs a few days later.

[@runevverhartvig6340]

Language.

[@petematerazzi01]

Oh, come on - the clusterf**k is the best word for that situation. Commanding such an army and leading to desintegrate it? Hilarious, comparing that Poles, less equipped and in minor numbers lasted 2 weeks longer than French. And they were attacked from two sides.

[@runevverhartvig6340]

petematerazzi01 I agree. My comment was nothing but a humorous addition 😉

[@petematerazzi01]

@@runevverhartvig6340 But U know, how it is. There is always a troll/captain obvious/hater or somebody that kind to reply on it ;-)

[@DaveSCameron]

Behave yourself !

[@Some_Guy_In_Ohio]

Nice pop culture reference, but... yeah, it's called for here IMO :-)

[@hscollier]

You gave this episode the best name possible. The French Army has not recovered from the debacle of this farce.

[@merdiolu]

General Gaston Bilotte was a total failure as 1st French Army Group commander : (from wikipedia) "He failed to co-operate with the British commander, General Lord Gort, and the Belgian commander, King Leopold. By 15 May Billotte's morale was "at rock bottom." After a meeting with Gort on 18 May, he remarked to a British officer: "I'm shattered and I can't do anything against these Panzers." On 20 May the British government, alarmed at the situation, sent the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, General Edmund Ironside, to confer with Gort and Billotte. Ironside later wrote: "I found Billotte and Blanchard all in a state of complete depression. No plan, no thought of a plan. Ready to be slaughtered. Defeated at the head without casualties... I lost my temper and shook Billotte by the button of his tunic. The man is completely beaten." Ironside effectively took over the co-ordinating role from Billotte and organised an unsuccessful attack southwards towards Arras (Battle of Arras) in the hope of checking the German advance. Finally realising the threat posed by the rapid German advance from the Ardennes towards the sea, the French commander-in-chief, General Maxime Weygand, ordered Billotte to withdraw his forces southwards. At a meeting in Ypres on 21 May, Weygand found Billotte depressed and pessimistic, "heavily marked by the fatigues and anxieties of the past two weeks." After leaving this conference, Billotte was severely injured when his staff car was involved in an accident, and died after two days in a coma. The British general Henry Pownall (Gort's Chief of Staff) said: "With all respect, he's no loss to us in this emergency."

[@bensagal-morris8072]

I wonder if the German motto was, “Ahh, France and Britain, my old friends. Have you heard the old Klingon proverb that says, “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” and it is very cold in the English Channel.

[@jasondecharleroy4161]

Oh my goodness! Oswald Mosley looks like Captain Darling!

[@mossyourlocalbleachbottle2098]

HAIL TO MOSLEY

[@marseillais2687]

My grandmother was amongst those who fled. She and her family left Versailles not long after this. She spent the rest of the war living in Vichy France, and moved to America after the war ended.

[@merdiolu]

As for famous Halt Order to panzer divisions on 24th-26th May which became a non sensical myth There are several factors about issue of this order: (this will be a little long) 1) Hitler did not order panzers to stop. Halt Order on 24 May came from directly from Army Group A HQ and its commanders General Gerd Von Rundstedt and General Von Kleist without Hitler's involvement. Reason was simple , panzer units vanguard of German advance had exhausted , suffered heavy losses till so far for two weeks of constant advance and combat and they needed replacements and their supply trains which they neeeded desperately left behind needed to catch them 2) When Hitler arrived to Army Group A HQ , he just confirmed the order same day on afternoon , his reason was again simple. As General Halder Chief of Staff OKW wrote on his diary on 17 May , Hitler was afraid of his own sucess , he and his close circle and his generals just couldn’t believe their sucess so far and how easy it had been. This was the same ground (Benelux Low Countries and Northern France) Germans and Entante died en masse to advance a few miles just 25 years ago and now they captured it just like that. They became wary of their own triumph and suspicous that Allied High Command had something at its sleeve (they had no idea confusion among their French countertparts) For all his talk of being military genius , Hitler had been , as commander in chief actually, indecisive and hesistant , weak as hell , agreeing with last person leaving his presence. He as well as Army Group A commanders were still afraid of a French counter attack from South (which was launched on 26th May but too late) 3) Luftwaffe Commander in Chief Reichsmarshall Goering insisted and get permission to destroy cornered British and French forces on his own due to political reasons of his own (gain prestige over army) not realising this is a mission beyond means of Luftwaffe . When senior Luftwaffe commanders heard this plan they mentioned that Fatty (that is Goering because he was well fat and that was a proper nickname) was over his head. 4) German ground offensive constantly to reduce pocket after Halt Order lifted on 26th May and constant Luftwaffe raids on Dunkirk defies any “Hitler let them go” arguement. German army assumed with Victory disaese over optimism , it would be walkover into Dunk. in any case (they were much more wary of a French counter attack from south over Somme front) but after 48 hour long halt passed British and esp French did a very good rearguard defense at Dunkirk perimeter to stall German advance between 26 May-4 June 1940. During that 48 hours several Channel ports like Boulogne and Calais were also defended fiercely , kept Germans busy. Germans continued to miss chances like this in Eastern Front at Smolensk pocket in 1941 when half of besieged Russians broke away 5) Germans did not realise start of evacuation and extent of evacuation until it was too late on 29th May when Halder wrote on his diary “Brautisch is angry. Lutwaffe is grounded due to bad weather and we can just watch as tens of thousands of enemy troops are evacuated…” Germans had no naval tradition to realise that British with vast naval embark deambark experience could extract any army cornered in coast. Even British did not expect to save that many thanks to temporary ineffectiveness of Luftwaffe over Dunkirk and excellent rearguard defence. 6) Hitler who had been in constant friction in a battle of wills and authority with OKW generals since militarisation of Rhineland in 1936 , wanted to rein them in so that also played a huge role confirming Halt order 7) Panzer divisions indeed needed a rest , refit according to Hitler too as well as Army Group A generals because they needed them to be full operational as soon as possible without delay since they needed to act swiftly to turn south according to Plan Red (Fall Rot) , breakthough French defences on Somme , invade France and conclude the war in a short term victorious campign. Real threat against German strategic position and political economical targets to knock French out of war were on South at Paris not at Dunkirk at North which had been considered besieged and finished , can be swept away by Luftwaffe raids in German over optimism. While French defences were weak at Somme , before reinforcements from French colonies and Italian Alps arrive to fortfy Somme front and cause another trench warfare stamalate like what happenned in 1914 at Marne , Western Front (last thing Hitler and Germans wanted since their economy couldn’t handle another Western Front trench warfare of WWI , they needed a quick decisive tiumph over France to knock her out of war) they felt they needed to break through newly formed and fragile (due to entrapment of 1st French Army group) French defence front along Somme , capture Paris and invade Paris and knock the France out of war quickly. Driving panzer divisions on canal and river filled lowland Flemish (another Aryan race Hitler like to keep content) frontiers at Dunkirk to sweep (according to German ovcer optimism) already defeated remants of enemy trapped would erode panzer divisions there , stall them there and waste precious time. Capturing Dunkirk perimeter would not give them that decisive political victory according to Hitler and OKW. Only capturing Paris and invading France without delay when French defences were still weak at Somme front would do that. And panzer divisions could not be at two places in same time. It is hard to believe that Germans can cock up at the height of their invincible status but just like everyone else they were capable of screwing things up on their own even if in appearence they were all triumphant.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

There is an excellent argument that the real reason that Hitler enforced the halt order was simply to show OKW/OKH who was in charge. (Your point #6 above). Add to that the apparently legitimate threat of the penetration being cut off at the base (Not least due to breathless reporting by Rommel from Arras), and the other items listed start to become a little less relatively significant. However, all of which you wrote, I have little disagreement with.

[@warwatcher91]

Man if you tried to make a movie about the French command situation, no one would believe it.

[@diltonweany7003]

fantastic episode as usual! just a minor point of note, i've heard Claude Auchinleck nicknamed 'the Auk' suggesting that his surname is pronounced Ork-in-leck and not Orsh-in-leck. I may very well be wrong though, just something to maybe double check as we will see plenty of him later in the war. cheers for the amazing work xoxo

[@shrillbert]

It is, indeed, pronounced Auk. It's OK, Indy did this once or twice in TGW too, and was gently reminded...by which I mean bombarded with the right pronunciation in the comments.

[@DaveSCameron]

Americanisms abound :)

[@matthewreinert9358]

Anyone who speaks Chinese wants a word on this. Indy really, really, really, needs to take 2 hours and watch some pinyin pronunciation guides.

[@darylcampbell3244]

Keep up the great work!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks! Will do!

[@sonercan15]

Notification squad is ready for orders Captain Indy!

[@juselara02]

imagine being a 40 year old person from Ypres... Your world was turned upside down two times in your lifetime.