084 - Rommel Storms Into North-Africa - WW2 - April 4, 1941

[@WorldWarTwo]

Don't look both ways before crossing the streets, just stay inside. You won't be hit by a car AND not spread a virus. We hope you are doing well despite these trying times. Here at TimeGhost we’re full steam ahead to continue delivering content through the crisis. That’s the little contribution we can make to make it easier for everyone to stay at home. It’s thanks to the financial support from the TimeGhost Army that we can do that. You can join the TGA at www.patreon.com/TimeGhostHistory or at timeghost.tv Cheers, Joram *RULES OF CONDUCT* STAY CIVIL AND POLITE we will delete any comments with personal insults, or attacks. AVOID PARTISAN POLITICS AS FAR AS YOU CAN we reserve the right to cut off vitriolic debates. HATE SPEECH IN ANY DIRECTION will lead to a ban. RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, OR SLAMMING OF MINORITIES will lead to an immediate ban. PARTISAN REVISIONISM, ESPECIALLY HOLOCAUST AND HOLODOMOR DENIAL will lead to an immediate ban.

[@Valdagast]

Presumably the British refused to believe that the Germans were attacking because it was April 1st. "Nah, you're just kidding!"

[@andreikovacs3476]

I love how Indy is neutral enough to not only bash the far-right but also the far-left. Sick of places (*cough* KZbin) banning german songs but allowing the USSR anthem.

[@aryabod1700]

because as the operation Barbarossa goes one, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran happens. as a long time fan of history and your channel i want to point out : IRAN is pronounced like Ee - Run which literally means "Land of Aryans" and Iraq is pronounced Eragh (Q like R in German) which in Persian means "low lands". Thanks for your hardwork and magnifique contetnt. Keep calm and carry on

[@Silverhks]

See, I was going to say you missed a golden opportunity to tie into today with a wash your hands warning

[@marcoAKAjoe]

@@Valdagast lol

[@speedydb55]

"Italian forces have surrendered. This is not an April Fool's joke." "No..no...I totally believe you..."

[@Raskolnikov70]

"The Italians are advancing! They've pushed us back 200km and are fighting like banshees!!!!!" Ya, okay, now you're f**kin' with us.....

[@mutantmacrophage6653]

"Addendum: Blizzard Entertainment will release a Diablo game for the mobile phone. This is also not an April Fool's joke why won't you believe us?"

[@uncle7215]

@@Raskolnikov70 The Italians were capable fighters... Their leadership just sucked.

[@acutechicken5798]

@@uncle7215 And they were not industrialized.

[@uncle7215]

@@acutechicken5798 Yes, that too. As a French guy I get very annoyed when people talk smack about Italian courage. They just ignore the bravery showed by the Italians in WW1. They were like the French in both world wars, lions led by donkeys.

[@treizekhushrenada13]

Hitler: "Don't attack" Rommel: "Sorr...yo...break....up....can't....hea...yo..."

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

@Jim lastname They are the panzer elite, born to compete, never retreat!

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

@Jim lastname And this kids is why you shouldn't fight a war on two fronts

[@russellshaw8479]

"I got sunspot"

[@russellshaw8479]

@Jim lastname hahaha. ;)

[@russellshaw8479]

@Jim lastname Keep your powder dry. From the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas.

[@farzet90]

Others: we cannot advance, the terrain is impassable Rommel: *Fine, I'll do it myself*

[@shanewright2772]

- Rommel advances 20 miles ahead by himself. - The Italian Army surrenders to him.

[@RhelrahneTheIdiot]

That's basically Rommel in a nutshell.

[@jnes624]

so the 'others' forgot the brits did the same thing not long ago?

[@creatoruser736]

"However, Rommel's forward units run out of fuel." Keep that in mind, it'll be a running theme throughout this campaign.

[@SonicsniperV7]

Foreshadowing!

[@attilakatona-bugner1140]

"Forward units" You mean the guys behind his back, right?

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yes, cause they won't be driving.

[@esbenandersen5706]

@@WorldWarTwo God damn it you glorious bastard, that pun had me giggling so hard I lost my breath!

[@jnes624]

and dont forget hes fighting against a skeleton force

[@Voidkitty_]

British Generals: Rommel can't possibly do an major offensive yet Rommel: I'm sorry I can't hear you over the sound of the fastest April Fool's prank ever

[@Nelsonwmj]

Rommel: HAHAHAHHA PANZER GO BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[@samfisher2306]

But Monty still beat Rommel right? Not being sarcastic fyi. Either way, glad the allies won!

[@Raskolnikov70]

"It is easier to seek forgiveness than permission." - Rommel, probably

[@devensega]

Sam Fisher Yeh, he absolutely smashed them.

[@Tepid24]

@@samfisher2306 Which has a lot to do with the rash actions of Rommel. He was by all means focused on the tactical and perhaps operational level, but was clearly promoted past his competence when it came to strategic matters like logistics. The fact that he constantly outran his supply lines makes for a funny line glorifying the tactical success of his Panzer groups, but it also holds the very grim reminder that he was constantly running on fumes, making it inevitable that he would either end up in Alexandria or fail horribly. The second option being the much more likely looking at the resources he had. It's the same problem that they had in France (where it actually ended up working) and that they will have in Russia (where it, again, will end up failing horribly and disastrously).

[@alexandersturnn4530]

"Alright, let's do this! *ERWIIIIINNN...ROOOOOOOMMMMMMEEEELL!!!!"* -General Rommel going on the Offensive in North-Africa, probably

[@Alex-cj1uh]

German High Command: Oh mein God he just ran in!! Let's go, let's go stick to the plan. *Germany invades Yugoslavia, Greece and USSR in the following days*

[@Amusia727]

Nice meme

[@marcosaraiva9205]

He stands alone in wermatch

[@moosemaimer]

"Why do you do this sh#t, Erwin?" "...at least I got schnitzel."

[@greencat-ic6ij]

Romel's last words: "At least I had chicken."

[@mikeymikey4186]

"You can't do an offensive, the terrain is impassable!" Rommel, traveling 20 Km himself: *Observe.*

[@gijstubben9403]

Rommel driving 20 miles into the frontlines just to prove a subordinate wrong might be one of the biggest big d energy move at this moment of the war

[@ilnsert]

Gijs Tubben The absolute mad lad

[@trumpetfoote]

Well, Pervitin and Schnapps will make you do some pretty crazy things I suppose.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Wait until you hear about his 'dash to the wire' later this year. Rommel is just getting started in April.

[@marcoAKAjoe]

Pretty much

[@mnemonija]

Still pale compared to Luddendorf in ww1 who singlehandedly took a Belgian fortress at Liege. He drove ahead of the army as you do, knocked on the door with his saber and asked the boys to come out and surrender.

[@rgm96x49]

Allies: NOOOOOO you can't attack until May! Rommel: hahaha tank goes zoom

[@shrutammukherjee1086]

Make it German High Command

[@KaptenN]

@@shrutammukherjee1086 German High Command was against it. Rommel attack on his own initiative.

[@shrutammukherjee1086]

@@KaptenN that's what I meant

[@KaptenN]

@@shrutammukherjee1086 But wasn't it the British who determined that the Axis couldn't attack before May?

[@shrutammukherjee1086]

@@KaptenN Yea that's true tho.

[@valentinstoyanov304]

"He who defends everything defends nothing". I like it!

[@Raskolnikov70]

Yeah, they totally should have concentrated forces along the Isonzo River, since that's where the attacks always come from.

[@futuredays2471]

@@Raskolnikov70 Soča/Isonzo was in Italy after WW1

[@bojankotur4613]

On the border with Italy, Yugoslavia had Rupnik's line. A series of bunkers and fortifications designed to defend an sttack from Italy.

[@doolittlegeorge]

*He who attacks everything defends everything.* Me.

[@michaelmorrismorris6113]

poland made the same mistake in 1939

[@Brahmdagh]

"Italians want to avoid the battle of the Karen" We shall all avoid such monstrous calamities whenever possible.

[@Tepid24]

The enemy might end up refusing to fight with us until they've spoken to the manager.

[@adamscott7354]

2019-21 became the apex of this battle...

[@VonFreklstein]

​@@Tepid24 god bless you sir

[@victorbruant389]

5:02 "Gondar? Where was Gondar when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondar when our enemies closed in around us!? Where was Gon - No, my Lord Neidell, we are alone."

[@hebl47]

But you'll still help Gondar once the beacons are lit.

[@rgm96x49]

The beacons are lit! Gondar calls for aid!

[@Raskolnikov70]

Change your Facebook profile to one of the "we stand with Gondor" overlays and send thoughts and prayers. Works every time.

[@BrunoDuarte11]

Ahahaa gondar the city of men and the white tree

[@MarvinT0606]

British Forces: "What the bloody hell is that music we're hearing?" Rommel: *OB'S STÜRMT ODER SCHNEIT, OB DIE SONNE UNS LACHT*

[@MarvinT0606]

@@KnightofAges it's calm when one man sings it, but absolutely terrifying when an entire panzer division does, with their tanks rolling in

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

PANZERLIED INTENSIFIÉS ❗❗❗

[@yourstruly4817]

Der Tag glühend heiß, oder eiskalt die Nacht! Verstaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, ja unser Sinn! Es braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin!

[@MarvinT0606]

@@KnightofAges it would have scared the shit out of the British if they sang it while breaking through their lines

[@bernardfinucane2061]

I think you mean AUF uns

[@stevebarrett9357]

"they said" . . . one of those 'theys' was the German high command who told Rommel to wait till May. The thought occurs to me that part of the British complacency about the possibility of a German offense was due to decoded enigma messages which indicated Rommel's orders were to wait.

[@trumpetfoote]

That was my analysis as well.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Makes total sense. Unfortunately it sounds like they were putting too much stock in those decoded messages instead of paying attention to what was happening on the ground. Good intelligence analysts never stop looking for anything they might be missing.

[@arianas0714]

Why the germans just didn't use reverse psychology with their orders? Lmao

[@michaelho9346]

Arianas 07 It never occurred to them that enigma was cracked. A lot of good allied men sacrificed themselves to keep it that way.

[@arianas0714]

@@michaelho9346 K then

[@ffffuchs]

Teleki and Hungary in general was in a difficult situation, which I'm sure you will reflect on later. The governement with Teleki at lead wanted to avoid war as many of them thought Germany will lose in the end, however the military and the general public was heavily germonophile. But the desire to annex Hungarian lands lost in Trianon meant Hungary had to appeal to Germany being the only major power who could deliver. I read somewhere that Teleki's governement rejetced 9 out of ten German requests (such as giving them use of railways in campaign against Poland) but they inevitably had to slowly descend into Germany's hands, which was excarbated by the total economical dependence on Germany. Hungary signed a "treaty of eternal friendship" with Yugoslavia in 1940 december which had multiple reasons - both countries saw each other as some of the last more or less nonaligned nations in the region, through Yugoslavia Hungary wanted to maintain relations with the Allies, plus the Hungarian party wanted to have negotioations about handing back some lands and Yugoslavia was partially open to some minor revisions. However the situation rapidly changed by 1941 April. Teleki understood that with the attack Hungary will become part of the German sphere and consequently end up on the losing side, which according to some Hungarian historians was the ultimate reason for his suicide. At the time many people thought the treaty effectively became void as Yugoslavia switched sides and that Hungary had to join tthe German campaign protect Hungarian minorities, but of course the whole matter is hotly debated even today. As for his anti-semitism, that was sadly a hallmark of Hungarian society of the time. Hungary had a large Jewish population making up 5-6% of the population, the "problem" as seen by Hungarian nationals was that after Trianon there were much less opportunities for the middle class and suddenly Jews became overrepresented in many professions (54.5 percent of physicians, journalists 31.7%, and lawyers 49.2% etc, you get the picture). A further issue was the fact that many leading members of the Hungarian Soviet Republic were Jewish (including Bela Kun, Tibor Szamuely, Jenő Landler etc.), and in the interwar era the soviet republic was villified to no end and made a scapegoat for Trianon. And so the psychology of hate had fertile ground to spring from. The irony about Hungarian antisemitism was that before 1918 many, including Teleki himself were "prosemitic" (if thats a word), seeing Jews as allies in the opposition with other minorities, Teleki himself arguing Hungarian Jews have "lost their Jewish character" and were patriotic Hungarians, since it was thanks to that 5% Jewry that gave Hungarians a slight majority in the kingdom.

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

Well in the age old choice of "death or dishonor" I guess Teleki choose death. Thanks for the context by the way very interesting

[@mnemonija]

And of course, in the aftermath Hungary lost even more territory, and fell under Soviets. The choice was never death or dishonor, death was guaranteed, the only optional thing was dishonor.

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

@@mnemonija Fair point. Honestly all of Eastern Europe got throughly screwed both during WW2 and in the years after it

[@ffffuchs]

@@mnemonija True, but hindsight is 20/20

[@peternemeth4073]

@@mnemonija Territories was stolen from Hungary.

[@thomaslanguell7257]

"I think we may have underestimated this Rommel chap" - British High Command.

[@PalleRasmussen]

And he was nothing special amongst German generals. Merely thinking the way they were all trained to from 12 year old. But he fought the Brits, so we know of him, and only nerds know of the brilliance of Von Balck.

[@russellshaw8479]

@@PalleRasmussen He was very special among German generals. He was a soldiers general. Of all the German generals to choose from, this one I would have followed to storm the very gates if hell.

[@PalleRasmussen]

Dear Russel. Go and read Citino's books, and Muth's "Command Culture", then if you have not revised your position, come back to me.

[@russellshaw8479]

@@PalleRasmussen Thank you. I will consider your suggestion. In the mean time, might I suggest reading his personal works and the writings of those who actually worked directly with the man. You may come back to me when you have finished. :)

[@PalleRasmussen]

@@russellshaw8479 I have, in German. I am a military historian. And I an no more impressed than by so many others. He was good German general, but no better than many others. He was a glory hound however, and he fought the Brits, who glorified him to explain away their own ineptitude. Hence he is the only one known to the majority of westerners, and has a following of fanboys. In order to actually understand the war, one must be objective, and his dash to the wire during Crusader is but the prime example of situations where he lost the overall picture because of a focus on a pure tactical target. Just like his general lack of strategic overview (a common Prussian and German failing, but he was bad at it) He was a fine tactician, but even there he was topped by people like Von Balck. He was a glory hound and master of creating his own brand though. Hence you know him.

[@merdiolu]

28 March 1941 - Vichy France - Xavier Vallat appointed as Commisioner General of Jewish Affairs 29 March 1941 - Berlin -Hitler adresses 350 of German army his generals about inevitability of war with Soviet Union 29th March , off Sicily , Royal Navy submarine HMS Rorqual torpedoes and sinks two Italian tankers 30th March - Mediterranean - British submarine HMS Rorqual torpedoes and sinks Italian submarine Capponi south of Messina Sicily

[@pauleohl]

merdiolu81 : Google is not recognizing the name Xavier Maran. Can you supply a link.

[@merdiolu]

@@pauleohl Sorry , I miswrote , "Xavier Vallat"

[@tommy-er6hh]

well done episode! FYI: If you all are wondering why the Italian East Africa campaign was so important, it was because neutral nations, like the USA, would not allow their ships in the Red sea and Arabian sea until the Italians were defeated there. And Britain needed the neutral shipping to be substituted for Allied shipping, so Allied shipping could then be used in the Med and North Atlantic to replace the many losses.

[@JamesWHurst]

I absolutely *love* your broadcasts here. Your entire presentation -- your style, your content, the vintage setting -- gives us a sense of continuity and I deeply appreciate it. Our family watches these religiously.

[@jessecarozza8134]

"Stronger even than Karen." Nothing is stronger than a Karen and her desire to see the manager.

[@roseyfunkalisious7474]

What about her hair?

[@Raskolnikov70]

Karen's hair would make an SS Obersturmfuerher shudder in fear.

[@roseyfunkalisious7474]

@@Raskolnikov70 would it haunt Goering and himmlers nightmares?

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@roseyfunkalisious7474 If Stalin had 100 Karens with 100 Karen haircuts he would have been standing in Berlin in 1942.

[@roseyfunkalisious7474]

@@Raskolnikov70 I doubt it with Stalin being paranoid they'd be in the gulags before they could speak to you commissar

[@rakaman27]

*Panzerlied starts playing* British general: why do I hear boss music?

[@jessecarozza8134]

The end of Episode 11... when it really was epic boss music... :D Poor Mallard and Hippo teams, though. :(

[@alexamerling79]

Vorwaerts mit unserem Rommel

[@MrDeed121]

Ah,I can't wait for the Invasion of Yugoslavia part,or as our people call it''The April war''.We were really unprepared for that war,but it would be interesting to see how the day to day order of battle with the partisans will unfold.I started following this channel and it's predecessor ''The Great War'' channel because i find it interesting how many facts i did not know about both wars.Keep up the good work Indy and the crew,you're awesome.Greetings from the former Yugoslav state of Montenegro!

[@MrDeed121]

@CipiRipi00 Considering the pandemic ain't goin away soon,I'm looking forward to July xD

[@oneofthetwobucksfansonyout2717]

"A rare state of Confusion existed, caused by an absence of information, hopelessly bad signal communications, and the speed of the German advance" I feel like I've heard that before somewhere.....

[@merdiolu]

30-31 March - Red Sea , Last four remaining Italian destroyers based in Italian East Africa sail away from Italian naval base Massawa (which is about to fall to British advance in East Africa) for a last ditch attack on British harbour Port of Sudan and Aden. One of these destroyers ground herself and scuttled. Other three were sunk by Royal Navy Swordfish and Albacore torpedo bombers (so bye bye Mussolini's East African Squadron) 31 March - Off Crete , Italian submarine Ambra torpedoes and sinks Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Bonadventure 1st April 1941 - London , Commons rule that theaters should remain open up during Blitz (German air raids)

[@ArtoriusRex]

It's very likely that the one which scuttled was the one my grandfather's brother was aboard, he spent the rest of the war as a pow in India. My grandfather who was in the army served also in Africa during the war and he was very lucky as he risked being transferred to the Russian front, instead he went on to be captured in Tunisia by the Americans, and he actually thought about remaining in the US after being released. In the end he got back to convince his family to join him but then he met my grandma and so he remained in italy. They were indeed lucky to survive the hopeless and stupid war mussolini had forced them into.

[@ArtrexisLives]

Woot! The Rommel saga finally begins!

[@willyreeves319]

it began in the mountains of Italy in the last war

[@neilwilson5785]

Watching these videos speaks to me. A huge number of small to medium resistances against the axis made a huge difference. For example, the Loss of Norway reduced the German navy to the extent that they could not invade the UK. The war in Greece and Yugoslavia reduced forces available for Barbarossa. In short, fighting against evil, no matter how small it seems, is a part of a greater success.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

The Axis did not have infinite resources and it became more and more overstretched, although it tried to compensate by in effect looting occupied territory. Even at the height of success, some Germans worried that Germany was "conquering itself to death".

[@merdiolu]

I call it deviations from pre planned written script of Germans or death with a thousand cuts. Next month when Germans won Battle of Crete for example their victory would be a mostly a worthless one since they would be suffering so many paratrooper casaulties , Hitler would forbid any more large scale airborne invasion

[@StrongWisp]

Indy, you’re my spirit animal! I see your face more often than my mum’s. Keep doing the amazing job that you are doing, you and your whole amazing team! May the force be with all of yous!

[@gianniverschueren870]

Bold choice to go with this much colour on a pastel shirt, but I don't hate it. 3/5

[@ryanm7188]

Indy has some phenomenal fashion sense. James Bond-esque

[@gianniverschueren870]

@Zachary Durocher You must not be familiar with my work

[@JLHFans]

props to Pal Teleki, yes, he was an antisemitic indeed, but at that age, more or less everyone in Europe was. He was a famous geologist though, and let more than 100.000 polish people and armymen to find a new home in Hungary after the invasion of Poland.

[@yarpen26]

No, not everyone, more nor less. In Western Europe antisemitic attitudes were preached almost solely by fringe right-wing extremists. It was in the East (primarily Hungary, Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia) that these positions were popularly embraced by mainstream conservatives as well.

[@Medytacjusz]

@@yarpen26 so you're saying after the Dreyfus affair uncovered how deeply antisemitism took root in France, only 40 years later it all became fringe?

[@Dive-Bar-Casanova]

Our tank commander Grandfather rolled across Africa with Monty and again across Europe. He said during the war no one ever heard of Rommel nor the term Desert Fox until after the war. They were simply the Gerrys.

[@lexbronz8032]

Thanks!

[@SaunKrystian]

8:50 Whoa. Nice writing, timing, presentation, and delivery.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks!

[@apmoy70]

This week in the Greco-Italian War: On April 2, ten Italian CANT Z.1007bis medium bombers of 47o Stormo heading to the Greek town of Florina in a bombing mission, were intercepted by eight Greek Gloster Gladiator Mk.II of 21 Squadron. Flight Lieutenant Ioannis Papadimitriou, Flying Officer Ioannis Katsaros and Flight Sergeant Nikolaos Kostorizos share two Italian bombers shot down and one probable. On Thursday, April 3, 1941, a joint tripartite emergency conference was held at Kenali, a railroad station close to the border of Greece with Yugoslavia, to address the military situation some fifty hours before the German invasion. The conference was attended by General Alexandros Papagos (Greek C-in-C of the Land Army and Director of the Operations Staff), Colonel Stylianus Kitrilakis (Director of the Greek 3rd Staff Office-Current Operations), General Radivoje Janković (Yugoslav Chief of Army Operations), and Colonel Miloslav Perišić (Yugoslav Army's liaison with Greek HQ). The British delegation did not actively participate. During the conference Yugoslavia promised to block the Strymon (Struma) valley in case of a German attack across their territory. Moreover, Greece and Yugoslavia agreed to launch a common offensive against the Italians in Albania. General Papagos, rejected again the British proposal of a voluntary withdrawal of Greek fighting forces from Albania and Greek units from the NE border of the country to the Haliacmon line, still believing that ultimately Yugoslavia would put up a strong resistance to the Germans. He was concerned that a Greek retreat from Albania and the abandonment of the second largest Greek city, Salonika, would have had disastrous results on Greek morale. British Gen. Henry Maitland Wilson openly scoffed at Papagos' clinging to his 'doctrine of not yielding an inch of Greek soil to the Italians' (sic). He even called it 'a fetischism' (sic).

[@niksamaletic6875]

The main reason why Yugoslavia was so unprepared and with stupid strategy, was politics. If Yugoslavs accepted the Greek proposal of defending only the south-eastern part of the country and leaving western part defenceless it would stir up the Croats and Slovenes who lived there and "confirm" their beliefs that Yugoslavia was in fact a Greater Serbia - and so the Yugoslav army would only defend Serbian lands and not Croatia or Slovenia. That is the sad reality behind moronic strategy of "defend every centimeter of the country". So stupid.

[@steliospolychronakis8740]

Papagos did well in the Greco-Italian war but ultimately was a victim of his own success. He should have never advanced so deep into Albania. Instead he should have consolidated his defensive lines along the Albanian border and move forces to the north in anticipation of the German offensive. I am not saying that this would have stopped the Germans, but it would have perhaps delayed them, buying time for better defensive action later on with the help of the British.

[@apmoy70]

@@steliospolychronakis8740 The problem was Struma valley, the basin covers 16,000 sq. km and reaches the Aegean Sea, you need hundreds of thousands of troops committed to defend it. Greece just couldn't do it, we simply lacked the manpower. The German plan was simple yet ingenious, you invade Southern Yugoslavia from Bulgaria, crash the Yugoslav defences there, pivot southwards, follow the Strymon (Struma) river, and you're in Salonika in no time

[@jp-sw5gz]

I really enjoy the intro bit of calling a "person of interest" and having a laymans talk about the scenario. It has helped me empathize/sympathize with why some seeming disastrous plans, in hindsight, are carried out. And its funny, for a such a grim topic, the TimeGhost channel is very respectful and thoughtful in how it presents historical events. THANK YOU TimeGhost Team!!!

[@MIMALECKIPL]

Pal Teleki deserves an episode.

[@GhostofRhurValley]

Never realized Rommel had a little shine in his smile .

[@spinach5995]

Teleki is a very interesting figure. Along with István Bethlen and Gyula Gömbös he is the most important prime minister of interwar Hungary. He was an ardent loyalist which soured his relationship with Horthy, a relatively competent politician and also an excellent geographer. The (in)famous Red Map is his work but there's also a volcano in Kenya I think named after him. Today his suicide is why we regard him more of a master of geography and cartography rather than a politician. His death kind of simbolises the beginning of the end of the Horthy regime and the 'Old World'.

[@JuanMatteoReal]

Meanwhile, in a HOI4 save: Kaiser Wilhelm II: I want you to repeat what you've done for the Fatherland in the last war, since you're our only guy who had good relations with the natives and an expert in jungle warfare Lettow von Vorbeck (Or just me basically): Jawohl, we shall fight them once again in jungles *Insert a Vietnam war song here* PS: Hans! Get the flammenwerfer! It's the Tommies!

[@hydrodeath345]

Fortunate Son

[@TTGdvar]

Lmao in my anarchist Spain save Poland joined the greater East Asian co-prosperity sphere when invaded by Soviet Union.

[@JuanMatteoReal]

@@TTGdvar Cursed. That's cursed Just like in a Bokoen's vid where Venezuelan troops defend a small Danish island north of Britain

[@yourstruly4817]

"We won't go quietly. The Afrika Korps can count on that."

[@MarvinT0606]

"Patrolling North Africa almost makes you wish for a Russian Winter"

[@samuelgordino]

@@MarvinT0606 Almost is the right word.

[@jejo874]

@@MarvinT0606 "Degenerates like you belong in a gulag."

[@scottski02]

"Ave. True to Rommel."

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

"Next week, a great many people will die." The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?

[@erictko85]

Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? If you can, good! I was writing to say that I just discovered this series and just realized you are going through the war as they did back in “real time” as it were. This is brilliant! Utterly brilliant. Thank you!

[@WorldWarTwo]

We can sure hear you. And yes we do go through it in real-time, and yes we are indeed _very_ grateful to have you onboard!

[@tonyhayes4980]

Fabulous stuff,keep it up during these weird times ❤️

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks! Stay safe!

[@russellshaw8479]

This episode was way too short and not enough time was given to Rommel. An episode (or two) wouldn't be enough time for this genius. All in all am lovin' this series. Keep up the great work.

[@dougie1943]

Russell Shaw How much time is needed to evaluate Rommel? He was defeated in North Africa and again in Normandy. Hardly noteworthy.

[@russellshaw8479]

@@dougie1943 ...and in the end he committed suicide. Since you are keeping it brief, let me help you out a little.

[@dougie1943]

Russell Shaw Thanks for the help.

[@WorldWarTwo]

We'll get back to Rommel. All the good and the bad.

[@russellshaw8479]

@@WorldWarTwo Thanks for the response. That was unexpected. :)

[@Tyleya]

British Generals: Rommel is not ready for a major offensive Me: Rommel told his own troop to “run your tanks”. I think he’s ready

[@peteranderson037]

8:06 Ah, so that's where all of those SMLE and K98 rifles came from that we found in Iraq. It's nice to finally get an answer on that.

[@Ramzi1944]

When you found them?

[@peteranderson037]

@@Ramzi1944 2005. Some were still in serviceable to excellent condition.

[@brucetucker4847]

Did you come across any StG44s? They still turn up in conflict zones occasionally. Yugoslavia was exporting 7.92mm kurz ammo all through the Cold War.

[@peteranderson037]

@@brucetucker4847 Not personally but they were known to be floating around. I believe a few were brought back to the states but for legal reasons they had to be listed as military property and remain with that unit.

[@Danheron2]

Damn that’s cool I hope you were able to get one

[@indianajones4321]

Rommel in North Africa: Hello there British: General Rommel, you are a bold one

[@BenGrem917]

Love you guys at TimeGhost! Please keep up the amazing and quite remarkable work.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks! Will do!

[@illiteratethug3305]

Your rolled-up sleeve shirts are a comforting sight in these troubling times

[@richardgeering7074]

A friend, who has since died was part of Australian 6th Division. They were to defend Greece. They could see the German tanks lined up to come through. He remembered the Australian troops were under no illusions about what was going to happen and how quickly their defensive lines would break. Their goal was to try and slow down the German advance as much as possible. He was wounded in this advance, next week, and escaped to Egypt.

[@pnutz_2]

10:33 a russian walks into a BAR...

[@slick4401]

Good eye. I think that's a Browning wz.1928, a Polish version of the M1918 BAR. Probably a weapon captured after the fall of Poland.

[@LoneWanderer727]

Can you imagine being a logistics officer during the North Africa campaign? I would hate my job SOOOO much.

[@pnutz_2]

8:08 *Great Britain gains national spirit: Continuation of Politics*

[@alexamerling79]

British: "What is that music we are hearinghearing? It's getting closer." DAK: "Vorwaerts mit unserem Rommel! Vorwaerts mit unserem Rommel!"

[@2Links]

Been waiting for this episode!

[@demonking2621]

So from what I can conclude from watching and learning from these videos is that Heinz Guderian and Erwin Rommel were the '' notorious Bad Boyz " of the German High Command.

[@2000lmk]

One of the best channels on the Tube!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks! Spread the word!

[@gergoantal9558]

Teleki's words in his suicide note feel very powerful even in english

Britain and the empire: "Hands up you shifty little spaghetti eatin Eye-ties". Italy: Oh no...not again. Rommel unt DAK: (clears throat)...He-looo...

[@Carolina-Defense-Force]

High Schools everywhere should show these in class! So much more valuable than all the history books I had combined.. These also show just how far and wide the war really stretched. So many countries, so many campaigns

[@pagodebregaeforro2803]

So ww2 will be a subject of its own in high school now.

[@aditya3864]

@@pagodebregaeforro2803 lmao

[@Eddievargas1]

Nice just found this channel and I’m on year one still but thank you for all the time and effort put into this

[@WorldWarTwo]

You're very welcome! Enjoy the binge!

[@jaydeister9305]

"Thanks! We've been waiting (almost) forever for the next episode!"

[@WorldWarTwo]

How do you know it's worth waiting for?

[@jaydeister9305]

@@WorldWarTwo You folks have been doing a great job so far. The next big (video) events are the germans invading russian, and the pearl harbor attack. My dad was a war 2 marine in the south pacific, and been reading about that stuff since middle school (the pre-internet era).

[@simonkimberly6956]

Excellent way to wake up. Im glad you were able to go home indy!

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

Blitzkrieg ❗: Existes Rommel: I feel like becoming an expert

[@ognjenpetrovic5843]

Tomorrow Krstić and Son bus company starts their journey towards Belgrade.

[@GoranArsic76]

Yeap, I hope Indy will use it as sountrack for that episode 😀.

[@niksamaletic6875]

The most important event of the war! Surely the Indy will not miss it. :)

[@tandemis1]

Ah yes, the famous bus : kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3TSfWaMr9qhd8U

[@zanychelly]

Awesome epidose, thank you guys!

[@WorldWarTwo]

You're welcome! Thanks!

[@bartektrusewicz5718]

as for that quote from John Keegan ( 7:37 ) - look no further than Poland in 1939

[@johanneshstrup4898]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@1987MartinT]

Rommel was a legendary commander. He can be criticised for some things, but he was also rightly feared and respected. A true master of blitzkrieg and fighting with limited resources. A lot of commanders could learn a lot from his aggression, can-do spirit, speed, and ability to do a lot with a little.

[@merdiolu]

Not really , eventually he was a product of artificially created Desert Fox myth during and after the war , all his efforts in desert eventually ended with defeat (one of the largest Axis suffered eventually in Tunisia in 1943) and unlike his post war acolytes tried to spin , it was not a defeat due to impossible odds but because he overreached and over stepped and eventually over extended his forces and his resources available for him to impossible points due to over ambition. As far as I am concerned he and George Armstrong Custer are in same ilk (Custer lost 300 men eventually unlike Rommel who lost 160.000 in eighteen months) Rommel was a great division commander no doubt but he should have been left as a division commander

[@mjbull5156]

@@merdiolu A large part of that is the general strategic overextension by the Axis that Rommel has no control over. His logistical situation was never good, and will get much worse. North Africa ends up being an overromanticized sideshow to what the rest of the war becomes and a considrable drain on Axis resources.

[@merdiolu]

@@mjbull5156 Rommel had considerable control on theater strategy (esp in 1942) The reason his suply situation was never good is because he always over extended his rear lines and pushed his forces too hard with maneuver and went all the way to eastern part of Egypt while he had not taken any orders nor received any logistical resources for that.

[@mjbull5156]

@@merdiolu His supply situation was not good because the Axis forces were not able to develop superiority over the Mediterranean and much of the Italian merchant fleet was sunk trying to supply North Africa. He also had no control over Germany invading the Soviet Union and declaring war on the United States. Perhaps he should have husbanded his forces more cautiously, but Rommel was not in a very tenable position long term in the first place.

[@merdiolu]

@@mjbull5156 "His supply situation was not good because the Axis forces were not able to develop superiority over the Mediterranean and much of the Italian merchant fleet was sunk trying to supply North Africa." - That is actually not true and used only as a suitable excuse for post war Rommel apologists. During entire African Campaign in 1941-1943 , Italian merchant marine actually managed to bring in avarage between 70 -75 percent of supplies needed by Panzer Army (only before big operations like Crusader or Alam El Halfa , that Axis supply figure fell to 60 to 65 percent) Italian shipping difficulties were used as a convenient scapegoat by Germans. And Rommel overextended his forces and logistical capabilities despite rear supply difficulties , over extended logistical route he made longer and longer by his advances and Italian shipping losses that gradually increased. I call it reckless to over extend it your army all the way to 3.000 miles from your nearest deep harbour supply basse (Tripoli) as waste it eventually. A good commander knows his forces limits and capabilities and plans his operations accordingly , not over ambition

[@winstonsamraj]

Today only I found this channel. During this corona time. Hope will watch all your 84 episodes... Please make it twice or more because its corona time might be you have some leisure time... We are in Home for Corona distancing... Love and wishes from TAMIL NADU- INDIA... By the by where and which books you used to refer???

[@lord_of_fhazard]

Yugoslavian officer 1: "Should we concentrate our forces in the south and unite with the Allies instead of trying to defend our extremely long border from all sides with outdated weaponry?" Yugoslavian officer 2: "Nah, it'll be foyne..."

[@Seannery11]

It was the fault of the politicians not the generals. If the army only defended more defensible parts of the country to the south-east (Serbian parts of the country), it wouldn't stay easy with the Slovenes and Croats who lived in western parts of the country.

[@Seannery11]

@@KnightofAges It was a different situation. Serbian army was exhausted and it had around 150.000 men, while yugoslav army could, in theory, muster almost ten times that number. It also had a decent fighter fleet so if they kept all of their forces in Serbia, they would have a decent fighting chance to succeed retreating to Greece and digging in there. I am not telling it would have deffinetely succeeded, but at least it the Yugoslav chances would be better - terrain along the serbo-bulgarian border is defencible if propely defended, even against the bigger force. Serbs proved that when they repelled bulgarian offensive in 1913. I know, different war, different tactics but still. Yugoslav Generals planed to defend the whole border and gradually retreat to Greece, but with weakly defended border with Bulgaria and German encircling tactics they had zero chance. Especially with Croatian deffectors.

[@VersusARCH]

@@KnightofAges That is exactly what was the plan. The divisions defending the Yugoslav Bulgarian border were mostly Serbian and were fully mobilized. But the equipment was not sufficient to parry the German thrust (namely transport, anti-tank, AAA, artillery and armored forces) and with that in mind the forces sent were insufficient to defend even the mountainous terrain for very long. The Yugoslav 3rd army (mostly Serbs and Montenegrins) did conduct a brief abortive offensive into the Italian Albania. But the Germans were simply too strong - and crashed through the former Serbian divisions in a day, cut the Belgrade-Salonika rail line and decided the fate of Yugoslavia. Even if they hadn't Yugoslavia would run out of war materiel in about a month anyway since there was no realistic way for the British to send the required quantity of supplies. My own grandfather, a Yugoslav private of Serbian ethnicity in a supply unit, was captured near the point where the Yugoslav, Greek and Bulgarian borders met. He also mentioned there were some pro-Bulgarian Macedonian paramilitaries who fired on the Yugoslav troops.

[@DG9-q6f]

This prompted me to look up Teleki. His vision for the future of Central and Eastern Europe sounds like outline of reasoning behind European Union becoming a thing.

[@marks_sparks1]

The birth of a legend in his own lifetime : Rommel, you magnificent bastard!

[@quedtion_marks_kirby_modding]

British: The axis can´t do anything in Africa, let´s move our troops to Greece. Rommel: I am going to do what´s call a pro gamer move.

[@ThePinkus]

9:25 Hitler: "This struggle [...] will have to be waged with unprecedented, unmerciful, and unrelenting hardness." Considering the time at which this was written, it has to be intended in the context of the precedent, "merciful" and "restrained", treatment of Poland!?! Just when one thinks he can't go any lower, that's exactly where he intends to go...

[@stevekaczynski3793]

He probably felt he had to be cruel to be kind.

[@yarpen26]

More like in the context of the last few countries that got occupied. Up until now, Poland was the only one in which the SS was let virtually loose upon the local population, while they were heavily restrained in France, the Benelux and Scandinavia for racial reasons. It was a way of telling them that come June the fun would begin all over again.

[@Aeyekay0]

So much is going on and it’s all happening so quickly. Great video

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks!

[@endcensorship874]

I'm so stoked ... I'm finally "caught up" and from now on, I will follow in real time!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Just in time for a very big episode next Saturday

[@BokicaK1]

Actually Yugoslav HG (more precisely, its chief and prime minister Simović) did not want to defend all its borders. Its defense plan (codenamed R-41) was to slow down Axis advance. Integral part of plan would be Yugoslav invasion of (Italian) Albania and keeping road to Greece open. Yugoslav leaders had in mind Salonika front from the Great War. Yugoslav forces will fail everywhere except against Italians in Albania. German onslaught will cut line toward Greece in second or third day of the war and strangle Yugoslav resistance in a week. Historian Jozo Tomašević listed many reasons why Yugoslavs acted poorly against Axis: long borders, obsolete equipment, generals who were defeatists and still in 1918 (some of them like future collaborator Milan Nedić was pro-German and was given task to defend THE MOST IMPORTANT sector against German invasion from Bulgaria) , fifth columns (Volksdeutche, Ustashe), poor economy, ethical divisions...

[@BokicaK1]

Example of fifth column was air force captain Vladimir Kren, who was secret member of Ustasha movement. He defected to Germans with locations of auxiliary airfields. Luftwaffe destroyed many Yugoslav planes on ground.

[@SuperLusername]

6:39 Is this Zagreb's main square? The only way I recognize it is because of the statue, though I think Belgrade main square has a very similar one.

[@robot-he6nq]

4:00 hm, I wonder where I've heard that before.

[@drewmcmillan3462]

Indy, my Dear Friend. I hope you're wholy recovered now, it was very sad to know you were affected by the inglorious Covid 19 virus. Thanks Heavens you're a young strong Man, and looking quite fit to going back into Action Stations. I wish you the best for your future days. Sincerely, Yours, Koneko.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Indy is fully recovered now and filming new episodes in Bavaria! Thanks for your concerns!

[@BrunoDuarte11]

Done keep up the good work and stay safe . P.s -eager to hear the about the rommel saga

[@WorldWarTwo]

You too!

[@Macieks300]

8:22 Is that a mistake? Indy says "from Baghdad" while it shows an arrow from Damascus to Baghdad

[@CarrotConsumer]

Yeah, he meant "to."

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yes thats an error.

[@FlavourlessQuark]

It's a small thing, but I'm a bit confused. At 1:35, you say that Rommel takes Agedabia although the map clearly says Jedabya.

[@Raskolnikov70]

They're filming with WWII-era maps that use the contemporary names. In Libya they go back to Roman times and weren't changed until after independence.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Yes, this is a 1944 map. But sometimes we might use modern names to avoid confusion. Which I guess caused confusion.

[@hackatthekeyboard]

I love the maps so much, but I must say I really wish you folks/Eastory would use a map accurate to relative size as opposed to the mercator projection (since it distorts relative size so thoroughly), especially for these segments that cover the distance travelled by the Nigerian troops across East Africa.

[@jonbaxter2254]

That's exactly what someone playing a prank on April fools WOULD say! Attack!

[@vickicaldwell2091]

Hello, I want to thank you for reminding us that next week many people will be dead or dying due to this week's plans and actions. As a person who has been interested in history all my life; I need to be reminded of the human cost sometimes. I think about countries, plans, actions, and generals. I think about moves and counter moves but I seldom think about the number of lives lost due to these events. Thank you for bringing in the human element-the cost in lives lost. Thank you. Blessings. VC

[@WorldWarTwo]

You're welcome. If there's ever a time in our modern lives when actions and consequences are visible, it is today with the corona virus. But it will take a historian in a few decades to truly see the consequences of our actions today.

[@mutantmacrophage6653]

"Italian forces have surrendered a heavily fortified position without a fight. Blizzard's new Diablo game will be released on mobile phone. This is not an April Fool's joke."

[@randomguy-tg7ok]

Rommel has seen into the future, and has seen glimpses of a specific TV show involving a certain blue steam train.

[@Arashmickey]

And now Erwin the Paranoid Aryanoid has a go at the Msus southern flank, never before has Italy felt so left out.

[@justcallmesteve9123]

Hey, Hungarian here. I would like to add some clarification to the Hungarian part. Pál Teleki wasn't really responsible for anything. The power was basically all in Horthy's hands. You see, Hungary was in a really bad spot in the era. Most Hungarians were still really angry about the taken away lands from the treaty of Trianon, and one of them was Horthy. He wanted to restore the old borders, well, at least to some degree, and as he was an admiral, he was kinda biased and really wanted a coastline. He wanted this restoration made diplomatically, but he knew Hungary wasn't strong enough to demand anything, especially with the tensions rising. For this reason, he decided to lean towards Germany, in hopes for diplomatic help, in exchange for granting that Hungary will remain neutral towards the Axis. Horthy and Teleki agreed, that Hungary shall remain neutral. Hitler saw this as an opportunity to make Horthy an ally, even against his will, if necessary. As Germany was mobilizing, Hitler demanded more commitment from Hungary. As Germany started hostility against Czechoslovakia, Horthy decided to agree, in hopes of getting back some Slovak territory, thus it was decided, that the First Jewish Decision will be put in place. This was a kind of "loophole" to make Hitler agree because it limited Jewish people working in important positions to be below 20%, which was way higher than the actual percentage of Jewish people in those positions. Jews were considered to be those, who themselves and one of their parents, or two of their grandparents were part of the Jewish church. They also gave 5 years for it to reach that point, not telling Hitler, that it was already below 20%. Also, all who served in the Great War, or were in any way a national hero and their descendants were excluded from this law. Horthy also wanted to get the biggest Hungarian group outside of the country, those who were living in Romania connected back to Hungary, turned to Hitler once again, and Hitler demanded more. They then made the Second Jewish Law, decreasing this limit to 6% (close to the actual number) and deeming everyone Jewish, whose parent or two grandparents were Jewish, regardless of one's personal claims. After this, in 1941, Hitler demanded, that Hungary allies Germany, and troops may move trough her Territory. Horthy was invited to Germany, where Hitler made it clear, that Hungary either gives itself up without resistance or be taken by force. Horthy obviously chose to not get invaded. Pál Teleky, who was against the Jewish Laws from the start, but agreed to them to protect Hungarian autonomy, upon hearing that Hungary succumbed to the Reich, committed suicide, as he couldn't bear to be responsible for these events. After all of these Hungary became essentially a puppet state of Germany, but Horthy was allowed to remain in power. That is until towards the end of the war when Horthy saw the opportunity to save his country from total destruction and attempted to jump out and make peace with the Soviets. At this point, Horthy's government was closely monitored by the far-right Nyilaskeresztes-group, so the attempt was discovered, and a coup happened, Putting the completely Nazi-loyal Ferenc Szálasi, head of the Nyilaskeresztes Párt to power. Horthy tried to avoid Szálasi gaining power but failed. They also captured and held hostage Horthy's son, so he wouldn't try to recover the government. In my opinion, Pál Teleki was a good man, not responsible for these crimes against humanity. The question of Mikós Horthy is a much more difficult one to answer, many sources differ on his honest political views. I myself think that Horthy was corrupted in power, and made some terrible decisions, but all he wanted is the betterment of Hungary and its people and did more for them than most politicals do nowadays, and that should not be disregarded. If you are interested in his life and politics, here is his own biography written by himself: www.amazon.com/Life-Hungary-Memoirs-Admiral-Nicholas/dp/4871879135/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=miklos+horthy&qid=1586023952&s=books&sr=1-1

[@TheLocalLt]

HUNter Indy never said Horthy wasn’t responsible for the country’s direction, just that Teleki committed suicide over betraying the 1940 pact with Yugoslavia. However regarding Teleki’s responsibility for the anti Semitic legislation, Horthy specifically turned to Teleki at a time when he knew Hitler was pressuring him to reduce Jewish influence. Previous governments under Horthy had not been nearly as anti-Semitic. Horthy’s #1 motivation throughout this entire process was reversal of the treaty of Trianon, on which he based much of his political legitimacy. Horthy almost never used his powers to interfere in day to day affairs and his main political calling cars was that of Trianon. Thus Horthy was going to do whatever was necessary to achieve these territorial goals, he was therefore one of the first leaders Hitler turned to when looking to expand. Hitler appeased Horthy early and often, ruling in Hungary’s favor in 4 territorial disputes early on in his reorganization of Europe (with Romania, Croatia/Yugoslavia, and two with Slovakia), with each one slowly bringing Hungary more and more into the german sphere of influence.

[@underconstruction6436]

Rommel in April 1941: "I'm gonna do what's called a gamer move"

[@simonrooney7942]

Indy - always great to hear your stories. I assume you have watched Kelly's Heroes and the General ( Carroll O Connor)cheering on Kelly...you have the same passion for the chase. Lovely stuff!

[@moodytayeb7582]

Much love and respect from eritrea

[@nightspawnson-of-luna4936]

8:28 Golden Square... History Civilis: What is this A Crossover Episode?

[@evancrum6811]

Excellent job guys

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks!

[@randombosniancomment4367]

In 2 days it will mark 79 years since German bombardment of Belgrade and begining of invasion of Yugoslavia.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Spoilers!

[@ognjenpetrovic5843]

Where was Gondar when Asmara fell?

[@esmeralda6411]

These videos are simply amazing! I've been following them for quite a while now (already since the videos of The Great War), and I've been wondering if there would be any possibility to slip in some pieces of information about the resistance in the different (occupied) countries in these videos.

[@youngThrashbarg]

Wavell: I got so much stuff on my hands already and Rommel keeps microing.