166 - Nazi General Dies of Heart Attack - WW2 - October 30, 1942

[@WorldWarTwo]

Naval Battles are crucial to the war in the Pacific. Major battles are unfolding several thousands of kilometres away from the imperial nuclei which are waging this conflict. To fight a battle all the way at Guadalcanal requires the ability to bring in everything, from boots to bullets, on a boat that has to traverse the sea for thousands of kilometres. Should the US manage to obtain total naval supremacy over Japan, then the prospect of winning the war for the island nation will be hopeless.

[@barnaclebob1182]

Have you guys considered doing an episode on the domestic situation in Japan during this period? It's not something that is talked about a lot.

[@Wayne.J]

Guys... Mikawa sat this battle out (Chokai and Kinugasa). Distant Cover. DesRon 4 (Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu) of the 2nd Fleet (under Kondo) with flagship light cruiser Yura, AA destroyer Akitsuki and 3 destroyers of DesDiv 2 were the bombardment force this time. They were designated Attack Force 2 Yura was sunk by the planes in the retreat as Indy indicated when they realised the airfield was still in US hands. Attack Force 1 was made up of 3 destroyers which were steaming off Guadalcanal at dawn and well into the morning (Akatsuki, Shiratsuyu and Ikazuchi). They attacked and sank Seminole and YP284 and drove off old DDs Trever and Zane. They were there as counter bombardment when Japanese captured the airfield and expected counter attack by the Marines. The Japanese only needed to temporarily put the airfield out of action, as the Japanese needed it in the afternoon or tomorrow to land their aircraft and then attack the Americans from there. Hence a light cruiser and 4 destroyers was "enough" fire-power for this. 2 heavy cruiser was "too much" firepower

[@Wayne.J]

And US has 2 battleships. Though not in the battle itself. USS Washington under Vice Admiral Willis Lee is 200 miles SW of Task Force 61 acting as a decoy to try and lure an attack onto themselves rather than the carriers. A Japanese plan in reverse if u like. Washington has no air cover but does have AA light cruiser Atlanta as an escort, and a destroyer ring.

[@Wayne.J]

Japanese claims varied depending on who you asked. Combined Fleet intel put the American Fleet at 3 CVs, 1 BB, 8 CCs, 18-20 DDs pre-battle. Combined Fleet HQs after it, had called 4 CVs and 2 BBs sunk on the day of the battle but resubmitted Nagumo number; which was 3 CV and 1 BB with a dragon “cage” mast (ie. an old one), 1 CA, 1 DD and another cruiser sunk. Nagumo and his communication team did a great job on this day on misdirecting, running interference and general disruption of US planes in battle on this day. They were reading all the US planes radio channels with US lax security and general chit chat over it. Nagumo's team had figured out through radio, that they took on Hornet (Blue Base) and Enterprise (Red Base) while the other carrier “was not Saratoga” but Carrier “River Base” (Japanese had no kanji for REAPER which was actually Hornets callsign in this battle, Blue Base being Hornets the old one from last month). Japanese had 2 spotters at the start of the 2nd attack, (one spotter leaving the scene after the first attack and one arriving) tell Nagumo two different stories but both were true. One report was a carrier was immobilised condition (Hornet) near the Vanguard Force and another carrier running away to the SE (Enterprise). The second report later was a carrier sinking (Hornet with huge list) and 2nd carrier afire to SE (after the attack on Enterprise). So it could justifiable that they took on possible 3 carriers maybe 4 were in the area. So it can be seen to be a great victory without knowing who or what they were taking on specifically. The Japanese were convinced they had taken on 4 carriers with one getting away, 2 sunk for sure and a 3rd ablaze after the last attack near 5pm, sinking after dark as the IJN found no trace of any carrier the next morning ala Hiryu at Midway.

[@JoTheSnoop]

Have you considered a special episode about the Merchant Navy? Arctic Convoys, Atlantic Convoys, Australian coastal shipping.

[@Billy-I-Am-Not]

Japanese pilots: "We sank 4 aircraft carriers and 3 battleships!" Japanese high command: "Seems legit"

[@HaloFTW55]

Even if they actually did, the US industry will make good on that in a few short years.

[@jasondouglas6755]

Nimitz said after the battle “ I which I had as many ships as they claim to have sunk”

[@davidwright7193]

@@GaldirEonai the IJA had a good week at Guadalcanal they may not have displaced the US troops but the enemy lost a cruiser and had to withdraw their main force to Truck lagoon after Santa Cruz.

[@Duke_of_Lorraine]

Japanese propaganga : "we sank 4 carriers and 3 battleships" American counter-propaganda : "so bad, my weekly production gone... no wait, my daily production"

[@leeboy26]

Japanese pilots: 'We sank a Dinghy this morning' Head of the IJN: 'A US battleship you say?'

[@joshuaevans4301]

I love the idea of the Americans at Guadalcanal finding the Japanese tactics so confounding and ridiculous that they actually ask them wtf they are doing

[@pluemas]

Sadly there are many accounts of Americans asking Japanese (civilians and military) why they launch suicidal attacks and kill themselves for no possible gain. There's a tragic account of an American officer pleading with Japanese civilians to not kill themselves and that they will be respected and cared for. He then bursts into tears and is heard muttering "WHY do they do this???" When they do kill themselves. It was bizarre behaviour to the yanks and a lack of understanding of the strict culture and death cult of the Japanese lead to the confused despair or cold resentment from Americans. It is probably the only "true" contributing factor (the other factors being propaganda and racism) as to why a lot of the Americans considered japanese "subhuman". Not realising that they would be killed or their family subject to complete social rejection if they did not behave like this.

[@poiuyt975]

@@GaldirEonai Basically the Japanese government told the civilians that the Americans would do to them the same thing that the Japanese were actually doing to all the nations they conquered themselves. Basic projection. Freud works for all cultures and civilisations.

[@fromulus]

@@GaldirEonai it's no different than the German citizens supporting all the nazis did for more than a decade. A vast system of indoctrination, and the time to implement it is all that's required.

[@yourstruly4817]

Japan hasn't ever fought and lost a total war against a Western country before. In the end, the Japanese were rather surprised that the American occupation force didn't behave like the Huns or Mongols

[@W1se0ldg33zer]

Definitely not a good idea to run at them with no cover between you and them. Americans were having to do the same thing too. Only there's the right way to it and a wrong way. The Japanese were like 'screw it - maybe a couple of guys will make it there'. That was basically what they'd do in WW1 - send enough guys at a machine gun nest and hope some made it close enough to take them out.

[@brotlowskyrgseg1018]

"We have received orders for a new attack." "Would this involve a suicidal frontal assault?" "How can you possibly know that? That's classified information!"

[@jamesrogers47]

A Blackadder reference...

[@fabianzimmermann5495]

„It‘s the same plan we used last time. And the 17 times before that.“

[@restropot1305]

Exactly! And that is what is so brilliant about it! It will catch the watchful Yank totally off guard Doing precisely what we've done eighteen times before is exactly the last thing they'll expect us to do this time!

[@hansgruber788]

@@restropot1305 There is however, one small problem... That everyone always gets slaughtered in the first 10 seconds

[@restropot1305]

That's right And General Hyakutake is worried this may be depressing the men a tad So he's looking for a way to cheer them up

[@Dustz92]

I hope that Conrad's painting being visible during Indy's monologue about the Japanese attempting the same plans again and again is intended.

[@pnutz_2]

Conrad has been watching over us all since the start

[@kevinconrad6156]

@@pnutz_2 Yes he has.

[@musicmaster417]

No, there should be a painting of General Luigi Cadorna

[@jeffreygalus5417]

I thought it was Haig

[@rubengutierrez19]

How is your comment 2 days old? Also where is the painting of Conrad Van?

[@gunman47]

12:13 An interesting fact to note this week on October 27 1942 is that the American aircraft carrier *USS Hornet (CV-8)* , which the B-25B Mitchell bombers took off from during the Doolittle Raid on April 18 1942 and is sunk and scuttled by Japanese destroyers as a result of the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, will be the *last American fleet carrier to be sunk by enemy fire to date* (excluding light carriers and escort carriers). Her wreckage was recently discovered a few years ago in January 2019 by an expedition team that was funded by the late Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen.

[@cheriefsadeksadek2108]

Your comments always Add More information and Entertainment to the comment section and you being a member of the patreon army you are amazing

[@gunman47]

@@cheriefsadeksadek2108 Thank you!

[@comsecone]

Wow, learned something. Thanks for the added information.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Is there a carrier that has been sunk by something other than enemy fire? I remember that one came close during the Vietnam war due to a deck incident and the resulting fire but they managed to save it.

[@champagnegascogne9755]

The USS Enterprise CV-6 is now the sole operating carrier in the Pacific, as well as being the orphaned sister of the Yorktown-class.

[@internetquickie]

Even though I've read so much about the WW2 from different books, they were always focused on different theaters of the war. I never realized that El Alamein, Stalingrad, and Guadal Canal were all battles being fought at the same time

[@alexamerling79]

"Every soldier sees himself as a condemned man. The only hope is to be wounded and taken to the rear."- Wilhelm Hoffman, October 28, 1942.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Wonder what they'll be saying once the weather turns colder, say late-January through early February.....

[@kimok4716]

@@Raskolnikov70 By then Stalingrad will have been taken so they will only be celebrating Paulus' genious tactics

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@kimok4716 Of course, I look forward to watching the rose petal parades in Astrakhan in a few months....

[@oldesertguy9616]

I read about a GI that was fighting in the miserable conditions of the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded in the leg and was told to try to get back to an aid station. He fashioned a crutch from a branch and started to hobble off. He then turned and shouted at his fellow troops, who were unwounded but had to stay in their frozen, miserable foxholes, "Clean sheets you bastards! Clean sheets!" He knew he was done with the war.

[@alexamerling79]

@@kimok4716 surely nothing disastrous will happen to the 6th army by then

[@thebigdrew12]

"Stumpy and The Army" sounds like the name of a band that would be interesting to see in concert

[@andyreznick]

Or a movie title for a Tim Conway/Don Knotts film.

[@davidsigalow7349]

"Stumpy" was the Walter Brennan character in "Rio Bravo."

[@Chiller01]

That band would be from Kentucky.

[@yes_head]

Sounds like a fitting name for a blues and R&B group with Indy blowing a mean harmonica up front.

[@davidsigalow7349]

@@yes_head Is it in bad taste to suggest that most of the members would be Great War veterans?

[@excelon13]

Ah I see the Japanese Army received their tactical warfare training from famed Italian general Luigi Cadorna.

[@JHF_Gaming]

Better him than Conrad von Hötzendorf

[@andyreznick]

Good one!

[@davidsigalow7349]

"If first you don't succeed, try again... If second you don't succed, try again... (Repeat eleven times in total.)

[@JHF_Gaming]

@@davidsigalow7349 If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

[@loetzcollector466]

What is crazy to me is the Japanese were the first nation on Earth to learn this lesson in the russo-japanese war.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

I've always loved the picture of the Bofor crew at 13:07. I like to imagine the guy yelling on the left is yelling "Man, these guns are pretty damn awesome!"

[@wh8787]

Whenever I hear about Stalingrad, I can't help but get the impression that a big reason the Red Army won is that they were just more willing to adapt to urban warfare. It was obviously hell for both sides, but I get the impression that it was a hell that the Red Army saw as being to their advantage, but a hell that the Wehrmacht saw as entirely hostile.

[@Rendell001]

Probably because the Germans realised that such warfare is extremely attritional and they couldn't afford to get into that kind of game whilst the Soviets could...

[@angelonunez8555]

The big reason (by far) that the Soviets won is that they were able to continue reinforcing the 62nd Army, because its location on the Volga made it difficult for the Germans to surround Stalingrad. Cities that are cut off from reinforcements and re-supply typically fell fairly quickly.

[@TukozAki]

This and as Rendell001 said, maybe the germans managed to bring in half the required ammunitions for this monstruous battle but I doubt it. Why sending your men take each room after another if you *could* have shelled the buildings to the ground? But the Germans/Nazi suppremacist ideology sure seem to have forbidden their high command to grasp a tenth of the Soviet determination and capabilities.

[@МихаилЧерников-п2т]

@@angelonunez8555 *ahem* Leningrad

[@danielmocsny5066]

@@МихаилЧерников-п2т - Leningrad, like Stalingrad, remained open to resupply over water (or over ice, in the winter). The Germans were not able to completely stop shipment to Leningrad over Lake Ladoga although they did make it hard for the Soviets and supplies were insufficient to prevent mass starvation among civilians. However, enough supplies got through for the Red Army to hold the city.

[@carlford323]

I'll never think of removing a corset the same way again.

[@sirllamaiii9708]

Yeah lol I was caught off guard by that metaphor

[@MisterJackTheAttack]

14:11 If this war was a war of mustache power, Semyon Budyonny would probably win. He can grow better hair on just his upper lip than I can my entire face.

[@nozecone]

If only they could have just put Hitler's moustache and Budyonny's moustache in a ring and let them fight it out ... !

[@podemosurss8316]

He was the perfect weapon for the wrong war. The one which was a war of mustache power was WW1...

[@Arashmickey]

@@podemosurss8316 Budyonny vs Mackensen -Clash- 'Stache of the Titans!

[@nozecone]

@@podemosurss8316 Classic example of fighting the next war with the moustaches of the last war.

[@danielmocsny5066]

Even with my chest hair entering the battle as a reserve I lose the war of hairtrition.

[@mattmckrell5544]

My uncle was a heavy weapons company sergeant in that Americal division unit at this point (he was a regular army soldier assigned to help bring the National Guard unit up to strength). He finished out the war at the top enlisted rank. He didn't talk about the combat, but did have various stories around being a soldier. Great guy; he died in his 90s about 10 years ago.

[@KimmoKM]

>Unfortunately, when it ends, he is driven off and loses a cruiser Consolation prize for Imperial Japanese Army to be sure

[@hannahskipper2764]

Hyakutake: I must continue the strategy that Mr. Luigi taught me at the Academy. Never give up, never change, no matter how many men I lose. I must persist with the same battle plan, time after time after time. It is the only way to victory. Hitler: See? I told you last week. I would personally call Rommel and get him back to the front. Germans in Stalingrad: Yeah, we did it! See, there's the Volga right over there! Victory is ours!! Russians in Stalingrad: Uhh...your feet still look dry to me. Just sayin'.

[@mjbull5156]

The IJN aviators at Santa Cruz report sinking four carriers, which would be quite a feat, as the US only has four operational carriers at the moment. One is attached to the Atlantic fleet, because Ranger was such an unsuccessful design, it is regarded as not even being worth it to send to the Pacific. The Saratoga is under repair. US shipyards will not starting churning out Essex and Independence class carriers until early next year. Aviators on both sides overestimating the ship types they are attacking as well as damage inflicted was a continuous problem for the commanders during the war.

[@Wayne.J]

Japanese claims varied depending on who you asked. Every tier of the Fleet had a go. Post Combined Fleet intel put the American Fleet at 3 CVs, 1 BB, 8 CCs, 18-20 DDs. Combined Fleet HQs had called 4 CVs and 2 BBs sunk on the day of the battle but resubmitted Nagumo / 3rd Fleet's number; which was 3 CV and 1 BB with a dragon “cage” mast (ie. an old one), 1 CA, 1 DD and another cruiser sunk. Nagumo and his communication team did a great job on this day on misdirecting, running interference and general disruption of US planes in battle on this day. They were ready all the US radio channels with lax security and general chit chat over it. Nagumo's team had figured out that they took on Hornet (Blue Base) and Enterprise (Red Base) while the other carrier “was not Saratoga” but Carrier “River Base” (Japanese had no kanji for REAPER which was actually Hornets callsign in this battle, Blue Base being the old one from last month). Japanese pilots claimed also 54 US planes, Nagumo claimed 5 planes were lost to his AA, Abe claimed 10 planes plus all the planes lost aboard the CVs sunk. So it could be seen to be a great victory without knowing who or what they were taking on specifically

[@robertbodell55]

Not just an aviator thing overestimating kills and underestimating losses is endemic to both sides in regards to armour and tanks as well

[@spaceman8935]

USS Essex is commissioned by the end of 1942.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

@@robertbodell55 In WW1, 59 of the Red Baron's 80 confirmed kills can be sourced to known Entente aircraft losses, and this is an unusually high number. Some of the Baron's unconfirmed kills may have been real losses too, but it shows that even confirmed kills may have been over-optimistic.

[@bkjeong4302]

South Dakota in this battle reported shooting down far more Japanese aircraft than all the American AA combined did (most of the aircraft loses at Santa Cruz came from American fighters)

[@Valdagast]

Dammit Japan, von Hötzendorf is not someone to emulate. 14:50 von Mackensen... now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

[@Aakkosti]

Eberhard von Mackensen is the son of WWI field marshal August von Mackensen. No cool hat, though.

[@noobster4779]

Good old prussian military family

[@Valdagast]

@@Aakkosti If you don't get the hat, what's even the point?

[@dylanparnham8559]

Fantastic. One of the best episodes yet. El Alamein was a real chess game.

[@nicholasconder4703]

Basically Montgomery was doing everything he could to keep the initiative while preparing a knock-out blow. Something mentioned here that many people ignore is that El Alamein required Montgomery to continually change his approach based on how Rommel reacted. People always talk about his set-piece battles, but here it also show he could improvise on the fly as well.

[@maxdurk4624]

Tell me about it! I didn't really know much about it, and watching Indy break down the read-and-react battle plans from both sides is extremely riveting.

[@dylanparnham8559]

Yeah, Montgomery seems to be the first Allied general we've seen with the tactical flexibility to conduct modern, mobile warfare. His constant reassessing of the situation whilst pressing the advantage is the first of it's kind I've seen from the allied commanders so far. That's mainly been the realm of the axis tank commanders so far.

[@PMMagro]

Where one side has more pieces and better information on enemy plans...

[@derrickthewhite1]

And where the enemy has to take a bathroom break with the chess clock running... Rommel not being present for the start of the battle sounds like a real stroke of luck for the allies.

[@pnutz_2]

02:00 Stumme lost his monacle as the car drove off, RIP

[@ScooterWeibels]

The Japanese on Guadalcanal sound like a rehash of the Italians at the Isonzo 25 years earlier. Mass charges on well defended positions. I guess generals never learn.

[@Themaxwithnoname]

They did it earlier on Guadalcanal as well, Battle of The Tenaru / Alligator Creek. Japanese soldiers charge into dug in Marine positions on the other side of the creek, marines with water cooled M1917A1's and normal M2 Browning's, and 37mm anti tank guns with canister. Plus mortars and artillery. And in the morning tanks & strafing aircraft. Something like 200 Japanese soldiers are found dead caught on the barbed wire. The other details get worse. Look up General Vandegrift's account commenting upon how much of a disaster it was. The only Japanese survivors were the rear guard, who fled. Everyone else, dead.

[@garcalej]

The moronic ones don’t

[@kemarisite]

Whaddaya mean, it works just fine against the Chinese.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

@@kemarisite That was what I was thinking, but the Chinese had bolt-action rifles and a relative shortage of machine-guns. Only their best units had anything close to American firepower, and Japanese frontal attacks often succeeded in China.

[@francesconicoletti2547]

My guess is that until a country actually starts loosing with mass charges they will keep doing it. For Japan this is that moment. They did not participate in WW1 anywhere where mass chargers were necessary and where they were demonstrated to be a disaster.They won the Russo Japanese War. They have been taking territory throughout the 30’s and 40’s against Chinese, British, Dutch, American forces and they were using close masses attacks. When should they have learned that massed charging was a mistake ? By the end of the war the Japanese were fighting their battles like the Russians at Stalingrad. The difference being of course they were on the wrong end of the battle of attrition.

[@antoncid5044]

It's strange to think the war, which is now hinged on fighting in Stalingrad, El Alamein, and Guadalcanal, started with the fall of Poland and France.

[@pocketmarcy6990]

And Next month it all comes to head

[@angels2online]

@@pocketmarcy6990 I suppose we're about 2 weeks away from Operacia Uran.

[@pocketmarcy6990]

@@angels2online torch kicks off next month too

[@danielmocsny5066]

One could argue that the fighting on Guadalcanal started even earlier with the Japanese invasion of China, but the "official" start of WWII is commonly taken as the German invasion of Poland in September 1939.

[@robertkras5162]

And remember - a year ago few Americans ever heard of Guadalcanal.... indeed a year ago few Americans had even heard of Perl Harbor... I guess Yamato's 6 month window of opportunity after Perl was accurate... still some work to do on Guadalcanal, and it's still a long way to Tokyo.

[@jasondouglas6755]

Enterprise is is the last operational American carrier Enterprise : So it is an even fight

[@mariusionita266]

All cruisers fire at will! Burn their mongrel hides.

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

Ah historical Halo quotes

[@Perkelenaattori]

Let's make sure history never forgets the name.. Enterprise.

[@LordVader1094]

@@forthencholordofadmirals2763 Don't you mean Star Trek?

[@forthencholordofadmirals2763]

@@LordVader1094 no. Halo 3. Elite: Shipmaster! Brute ships staggered line they outnumber us 3 to 1 Shipmaster: then it is an even fight, order all ships to fire at will

[@Spindrift_87]

Farewell, Hornet, youngest sister of a legendary three A more renowned sorority of fighting ships scarcely put to sea Three bombs, two torpedoes, two suicidal enemy plans you withstood Almost back on your feet, despite the loss in steel and blood Another air torpedo hit and your fate was sealed The captain left you last, as further to starboard you heeled Your allies tried to to send you down, with nine more torpedoes and over 400 five-inch rounds Still you clung to the ocean surface, as an enemy fleet did surround Four more torpedoes finally sent you to your watery grave In 2019 that grave was found, still you remain upright, defiant and timelessly brave

[@fezparker2401]

this of course finally forces the british to lend the americans a carrier uss robin

[@f3nn3lgaming]

May she rest defiantly, yet peacefully underneath the waves, secure in the knowledge that her sister led the charge and kept the torch alive.

[@jeffreygalus5417]

🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@828enigma6]

Sounds like the decision to abandon ship was premature.

[@ewok40k]

@@828enigma6 they had to, because IJN surface forces were coming (and indeed they sent the Hornet finally to the bottom with long lances salvo)

[@dfsengineer]

The Hornet will be back in just over a year. The Essex-class carrier Kearsarge (CV-12) currently under construction will shortly be renamed Hornet, and the ship will have a long career in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and will recover the Apollo 11 capsule.

[@grekiki]

Eh don't bother finding a new name for a ship, just reuse the one that was destroyed

[@danielmocsny5066]

The USN should have known that its annoying habit of re-using ship names would complicate Wikipedia searches 80 years later.

[@spaceman8935]

Between the Japanese thinking they've sunk ships they hadn't actually sunk and the US renaming new ships after sunk ships, the Japanese must've been very confused.

[@lylecampbell9036]

That does make Hornet coming back. It still a different ship.

[@pnutz_2]

@@grekiki when you have hundreds of the fuckers it makes sense to reuse some names, unless you want to see people using past and present tense verbs (and perfect, imperfect etc etc) as their ship names

[@mybadluckcharm]

I really like this coverage of the war. I've read about all those battles, but always apart from each other: Pacific War, Desert War, Eastern Front. Guadalcanal, El Alamein and Stalingrad are all considered turning points, but i did not realize they were going on concurrently. Thanks!

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

These episodes always blow my mind at how much shit went down each week of that way.

[@ewok40k]

Shipyard engineer: how many bofors and oerlikons mount on those new BB? USN: YES.

[@srinivasgorur-shandilya1788]

“It is only in Stalingrad that people know what a kilometer is. A kilometer is one thousand meters. It is one hundred thousand centimeters”

[@igorbobrik7625]

14:52, you say that the overwhelm the 257 division while the map shows they engage the 275 division

[@Raskolnikov70]

I think he also called the 64th Soviet division the 74th in there too. Whoops. It gets confusing with all those numbers sometimes.

[@Marcus280898]

Boy I hope somebody got fired for that blunder.

[@casparcoaster1936]

Hey that finale, w/ the impaled quotes and your commentary re: Chui & 62nd realizing they'd (probably) just won by not losing, was great, not overdonel! TGA docs often the most entertaining and illuminating of WW2 docus I've watched in my sweet short life. Much obliged!!!

[@ViridianDelta]

Imagine the men on the ground's relief when they hear the news "The 45th is crossing the river. Our reinforcements are arriving. One last effort, comrades." and then... the calm on the 29th and 30th... And they know at that moment that the Germans are at the end of their strength.

[@maxdurk4624]

I love describing your own life as a sweet short life. Definitely stealing that

[@timrusk5316]

Thanks!

[@cheriefsadeksadek2108]

Im always thrilled the whole week for your episodes at Saturdays Abselutely amazing

[@jonatasarruda2824]

Valeu!

[@podemosurss8316]

0:51 *Luigi Cadorna likes this*

[@drno4837]

thank you for skipping the voice on the other end of the telephone, Indy's comic timing does not need a straight man to explain itself. this is about the most exciting time of the war for the allies and with everything in the balance makes for exciting viewing. Well done for capturing that excitement you all .

[@Dustz92]

Jun'yo being separated from the rest of the carriers makes sense. While carrying as much planes as a fleet carrier, it was about 30% slower than the others at max speed as it was a conversion from a civilian ship. Thus it's better to keep it separated so the fast carriers can move as an unit faster.

[@champagnegascogne9755]

Not gonna lie, I have to commend Junyou for having the guts to attempt in bringing down the Enterprise, despite being a light carrier.

[@noobster4779]

It has also the additional advantage of eather beeing the bait for the enemy or the one carrier left that isnt attakced by the enemy. Eather the light carrier gets attacked by the allies main carrier force or the main carrier fleet. In eather case one carrier group can launch all its planes for a counter attack undisturbed.

[@Dustz92]

@@champagnegascogne9755 I don't think it's fair to call it a light carrier, it carried 40+ planes, as much as most British fleet carriers. The authors of Shattered sword for example consider it a fleet carrier. In other places its classified as light carrier because it had a subpar performance compared to the other ones, but as said the main issue of its class was its low speed, but in combat it could punch way harder than say the Ryujo. Thus it wasn't unreasonable that it could successfully sink the Enterprise.

[@dpeasehead]

@Nano92: The problem is that the amount of separation that the Japanese navy imposed on its naval units left them unable to provide effective mutual support to each other while on the attack, or while being on the defensive. The Japanese were so fearful of the combination of carrier air groups and land based airpower operating out of Henderson Field that they played into American hands by scattering their ships in such small units that they were unable to defend themselves from even small numbers of attacking planes. I believe that if they had been operating as part of larger units that the Japanese cruisers, destroyers, and battlecruisers, as well as the carriers large and small would have been less vulnerable and would probably have survived even repeated air attacks, though not without taking some damage.

[@CongerDerp]

Thanks

[@gardreropa]

Great episode! Loved the end quote! Cheers from Slovenia!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@stanbrekston]

you know, now I've just realized what makes this series so popular, & to continue to grow in popularity. it's because it's a 'talking book'. it's like it's an 'audio/(visual)' book on WW2, (& WW1), history. well done, gentlemen, (& ladies). brilliant.

[@KhabarovVictor]

It looks like the Japanese are eager to get all the trench warfare fun they've missed in the Great War

[@robertkras5162]

their not digging trenches...

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@robertkras5162 Yeah, they're so eager to reenact the Isonzo theater they're not even stopping to dig in, just going straight for the bayonet charge.

[@Casa-de-hongos]

They did not miss the great war. They fought on the side of the entente. Then they were skipped over big time on the peace conferences by their former allies and even denied a mostly symbolic proclamation of racial equality by the US who had intentions to colonize the region themselfes and label asian people as inferior races. This is a big reason for japan aligning with the axis for this war. The US (or President Wilson to be exact) really messed up peace in all theaters after WW1.

[@danielmocsny5066]

In the Great War, all sides used artillery. The Japanese have very little artillery on Guadalcanal because the continued Allied control of Henderson Field hampers the Japanese ability to bring in heavy supplies by slow, fuel-efficient freight ships. Instead the Japanese have to resupply by fast destroyers at night, which guzzle fuel and carry limited loads. Also Guadalcanal has virtually no roads so it would be hard for the Japanese to bring up artillery and ammunition even if they had it.

[@robertkras5162]

@@Casa-de-hongos Wilson pretty much defined the parameters of post WWI peace, and advocated heavily for the League of Nations and nation states in europe. Clearly a flawed man and a racist, at least with respect to African Americans, but I don't buy into US interests in colonization in east asia (or they would have never let Japan self-govern after the second world war) and I can't blame Wilson (again, not on my list of favorite presidents) for the mess left from WWI - most of which was in east-europe and the result of a peace treaty that was imposed on Germany and Russian revolution and Comintern. Also in WWI the Far east was hardly a serious theater for the Germans/Austrians beyond their existing colonial presence (which Japan did help with -but with the desire to make these Japan's own colony). That and German Pacific raiders. Even Africa was more involved in the first world war than the far-east. Japan simply didn't deserve much out of WWI. After WWI the US Senate wanted nothing to do with Wilson's League of Nations, or any foreign entanglements - and that includes the far east.. there was no desire for colonization of the far east, and a general mood for isolationism - so as to not be dragged into any more wars. Indeed the US was working toward Philippine independence almost from the beginning (opposition to taking possession from the Spanish was heavy from the start and only increased after WWI...) throughout the 20's and 30's "nation building" was undertaken in those islands - realizing that any Philippine nation would have to have the capability of defending themselves from the already threatening Japan. What would be the point of the US leaving and the Japanese simply moving in? Philippine independence was long scheduled for, and then granted July 4 1946, despite the war. Given how quickly it fell into dictatorship after that, perhaps that was premature independence.

[@gerardvanwalstijn9077]

Tak!

[@tejesedeny]

Japanese did some brilliant Cadorna tactics at Guadalcanal. :D

[@scottaznavourian3720]

Seems more like Burnside at fredricksburg...but with no one to reel them in

[@rabihrac]

I agree that Pearl Harbour mega episodes are groundbreaking! And this is the first time for me that the suspense of the Pacific War surpasses the suspense of the European War, not to mention the north African war. Oh! And we hear the name of Mackensen (Panzer Corps) who was so famous in the Great War (14:47). Keep up the great work, Indy and crew!

[@peterh5165]

Well done as usual! Thanks for putting video out to the general public.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching!

[@mgway4661]

I’m extremely proud of the Pearl Harbor special you guys made as well 😊 Thankyou guys for all you do

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@RayyMusik]

Very well explained, Sir!

[@JoseJimenez-sh1yi]

I didn't know that the Alamein Guadalcanal and Stalingrad battles happened around the same time.

[@garcalej]

Yup. Exciting times

[@danielmocsny5066]

It seems to be coincidental that the Axis went from advancing everywhere to retreating everywhere almost simultaneously. It also shows how much relatively weaker the Japanese were than the Germans, to be stopped so much more quickly by an America that was not only still barely in the war but was earmarking the bulk of its effort for the European theater.

[@L.P.1987]

​@@danielmocsny5066Weaker in land forces, not naval ones

[@maa324]

Would have loved to see a special episode about the North African battles. Some amazing details that were mentioned in the daily posts on Facebook. I know it was a minor part of the war in some ways, especially compared to the German soviet front, but an entire episode on a pivotal battle for North Africa would be amazing. (I appreciate you have only so much time) Thanks for all the content and loving the details on Facebook daily posts!

[@ryanprosper88]

This is my grown-up version of Saturday morning cartoons

[@robb1068]

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Not the Hornet!! Knew it was coming, but always get bummed when CV-8 is sunk.

[@georgemariatos-metaxas7780]

The way you explained the Nazi officer's death is bloody hilarious

[@aaroncabatingan5238]

Dumb ways to die on the battlefield

[@stevekaczynski3793]

@@aaroncabatingan5238 Later in the war, a German general's staff car will accidentally drive into a unit of British paras near Arnhem and he and his driver will die in a hail of submachine-gun bullets. The general was photographed hanging out of his car, his brains spilling out onto the road.

[@simongleaden2864]

Excellent video. Indy's presentational style is just right and he tells the story very well.

[@rem26439]

And so it begins, Enterprise's solo fight against the Kido Butai...

[@danielmocsny5066]

Not entirely solo, there is still the unsinkable USS Henderson.

[@jacksoncz8536]

Reminds me of Blackadder over the Top, they will never expected it for the 26th time

[@maxscholts8649]

The actions and reactions at El Alamein shows that Rommel has finally met his match with Montgomery. Very well presented TG team!

[@MyILoveMinecraft]

Honestly I wouldn't put Montgomery on to high of a pedastol. He benefited alot from work done beforehand and worsening axis logistics and avaliable recourses

[@noobster4779]

Not really. It shows that the allies have a massive supply advantage that gives them more movemeant do to having no supply harrasment and beeing close to their main base at egypt while the axis forces are streched redicilously far from their supply points in Lybia and also get their supply intercepted regulary. Montgomery simply moves the main point of the attack so often until the german armor cant react anymore do to fuel shortage. Its simply checking each others moves until one side cant move anymore. Doesnt take a genius to do that. The battle was basically won for the allies when the royal airforce sunk the two oil freighters in front of the Lybian cost resulting in the german amor not beeing able to move according to the battles situation. Rommel isnt really outplayed. He simply cant respond to his enemies moves because his foces literally cant move anymore. The only thing he can do is basically pray the italian forces int he south create a miracle and hold their ground while his tanks can only watch. The main commander beeing ill and in germany when the battle started while his deputy dies of a heart attack shortly after the battle started didnt help eather.

[@zeitgeistx5239]

Not really his match per say, British nationalists like to play up his brilliance and also that of Rommel. Rommel was wreck less and several times found his command car behind British lines for example. Montgomery merely played it safe and didn't engage Rommel in maneuver warfare until he was ready with overwhelming numbers and firepower, Monty also planned at great lengths to counter German armored counter attacks to prevent breakthroughs. British nationalists also dont like to point out how bad the army was in terms of securing their codes and you had Rommel reading battlefield orders the same time British generals were reading them. The eventually realized this and tracked down that particular code breaking unit but the damage was done. Plus British divisions were extremely bad at communications and had no situational awareness unlike the Germans.

[@yourstruly4817]

Rommel has met his match with the Allied industrial capacity, not Montgomery

[@chriscox3460]

@@zeitgeistx5239 do you mean the American code that used by the U.S. military attaché in Cairo that was broken and was broardcasting Allied intelligence straight to the Italians which the British pressed and pressed the US to change.but they refused to do until it was absolutely proven to be broken? Also it was Rommel who chose to out run his logistics against orders from German high command taking the front far further east than he could realistically support back in June 1942. Conversely Monty was pragmatic and patient and made sure that his moves when they came would win a battle of attritional warfare that was pretty much guaranteed given the fortification of the front into the relatively narrow gap between El Alamein and the Qattara Depression.

[@RoboticDragon]

Your episodes always shed new light on things I have yet to come across. Thanks so much, I am proud to be a timeghost member.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you so much! Glad to hear this.

[@Loreless]

sharpened spade is an ultimate weapon for the 40k years of the human history.

[@EffequalsMA]

Excellent work, as always. Best part of Saturday morning!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@Soundbrigade]

Aren't there things happening in western USSR as well? As I used to travel a lot to Velikie Luki in 89/90 I am rather interested in the whereabouts of the battle of this small town. And please try to dig up a good story about the hero Matrosov, found as a statue all over Russia. As always - good work and nailbiting history, with nothing but cliffhangers ...

[@gargravarr2]

The battle of Velikiye Luki is part of Operation Mars, which will start in mid-November. Mars is timed to coincide with Uranus to put the Germans under maximum pressure, so the fighting in the South might largely overshadow it, but I'll assume we'll get some info on Velikiye Luki as its situation progresses.

[@Alex-og3ev]

Not yet, it'll begin in late November about a week after Stalingrad counteroffensive

[@Soundbrigade]

@@gargravarr2 I watched some videos from V L and the Mars operation was to start later in November. I am just curious as I have been walking the streets in Velikie Luki many times ....

[@kleinerprinz99]

Considering Soviet Unions hero culture and cult of personas its most likely a fabricated hero like 99% of hero stories. To bolster propganda and ruling ideology of whatever oligarchy is in power at the moment.

[@Soundbrigade]

@@kleinerprinz99 But still it had been VERY interesting to hear the background stories.

[@danielkurtovic9099]

Thanks Indy , just keep going and provide us more episodes. Story continue.

[@rodafowa1279]

It’s time for the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo River, baby.

[@martinkosmicki3921]

I thought I knew WWII until I discovered your KZbin Channel. Love the ebb and flow on your animated maps.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you! Glad you learned something new

[@cobbler9113]

As I learned listening to a WWII podcast recently (We Have Ways by James Holland and Al Murray) the Western Allies had a strategy of "steel not flesh". In North Africa, we are seeing that pay dividends.

[@danielmocsny5066]

One American artillery officer will later say as he unleashes thousands of shells on a German position, "I'm letting the American taxpayer take this hill."

[@ewok40k]

and Japanese on Guadalcanal wnt opposite wway, flesh over steel, with disastrous effect

[@elektrotehnik94]

Damn that's a great quote... "steel not flesh"

[@MrNicoJac]

You still see it today in western militaries. Well, arguably only the US has a real military. But they certainly prefer technology over blood! (in sharp contrast to Russia in Ukraine)

[@georgewilliams8448]

Thank you for another informative and well presented video! I look forward every Saturday morning as I am sure I will be treated to another Ghost Army video!

[@pnutz_2]

17:28 German Divisions: GG EZ it ain't gg until the music plays guys

[@stanbrekston]

I wish I could add something informative to the conversation, but with the brilliant comments I've already read so far, you guys have just about every angle covered. very impressive. well done, guys.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@jonathanmcalroy8640]

What a fucking episode..

[@bearclawthegreat7600]

I love these weekly ones

[@mjbull5156]

Chesty Puller: Why do you keep attacking this strong point in our lines? Japanese soldier: We have a plan... Chesty Puller: It is a terrible plan.

[@SashaFoxfort]

Gosh you make this Stalingrad battle terrific and terrifying story. Very captivating. Great work as always !

[@nicolasbroaddus8819]

My god, Budyonny’s mustache is fucking glorious

[@Raskolnikov70]

This war definitely needs more weaponized facial hair.

[@poiuyt975]

The very reason why The Great War was "better" - everyone had epic mustache. ;-)

[@W1se0ldg33zer]

All he had to do was lay down and face the Germans. Make one heck of a tank trap.

[@CruelDwarf]

@@GaldirEonai Budyonny being old-fashioned is kinda a myth. He was actually pretty progressive in terms of military hardware and equipment and was in favor of automatic weapons, motorization and mobile warfare. His problem was not obsolete views really but simply being not good front/army group level commander. He would be amazing division commander I think, but sadly Soviets never had the luxury of putting people that old and experienced on mere divisions.

[@RaymondCore]

I began growing my mustache during the series on the Great War. I call it my, "Mackensen". I am now the same age as he was in 1917. Now if I could just get a Totenkopf Hussaren hat like Mackensen...

[@davidmicheletti6292]

All you stories are spot on.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Interesting tid-bit to add, in the aftermath of the Battle of Santa Cruz this left the US with only the damaged Enterprise, so HMS Victorious was transferred and renamed USS Robin however still with her Royal Navy crew to sure up the US Pacific fleet for the time being.

[@Philip271828]

Armoured Carriers has a full timeline. Getting her there isn't a quick job. King should be happy to get the loaner he wanted earlier this year.

[@nickdanger3802]

Which aircraft were used by the FAA at that time?

[@nicholasconder4703]

Yes, the US Navy ended up "Robin" a Royal Navy carrier.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@nickdanger3802 I know they had some sea spitfires with them, but not sure what else

[@Philip271828]

@@nickdanger3802 On departure, Victorious had Martlets and Albacores.While at Norfolk, she acquired 21 Avengers. The main American ones, which I'm sure you want to hear about, were the Martlet, Hellcat and Corsair but two of those don't exist yet.

[@McDragoneer]

amazing how the three big turningpoints in the war is happening at the same time, Guadacanal, El Alamein and Stalingrad, crazy month

[@danielmocsny5066]

Also interesting: the Russians take more casualties at Stalingrad than the US takes in the entire war.

[@dnltbrca]

it's amazing to me how the situation on all fronts started turning around the same time:the Eastern front, the Pacific front and the North African front. Does anyone know if there are reasons why this is or if it's just coincidental?

[@noobster4779]

The eastern Front has already been turned aournd for close to a year at this point. It now just becomes increasingly obvious do to germanies increasing problems snowballing into visual change on the map. The german strength from 1942 comes mainly from previously untapped stop gap measures like employing several weak axis allied armies. In reality the soviets are already the stronger force. Germany went from three army groups capable of attack to only one capable of attack in 1942 while it gets boosted with 3 big axis minor armies. The japanease were fucked the moment they lost at Midway, it just takes time to show naval dominance in the pacific but the japanease navy is already in no position to launch major operations anymore. Africa was turned around the moment the first battle of El Alamein failed for the germans. After that it became a simple battle of attrition that the germans could never win under their supply conditions compared to the allied one. In short: The war has already turned a few months ago and considering the eastern front is the most crucial one, close to about 10 months ago. This is only the moment it becomes obvious to everybody.

[@tadeuszgrymula]

@@noobster4779 This kind of rationality usually gets lost in highly mythologized WW2 stories, I commend you for your comment.

[@pocketmarcy6990]

The buffs that the devs gave the allies are finally coming to fruition

[@scottaznavourian3720]

@@noobster4779 the nazis lost in russsia the minute zhukov drove them from Moscow. I'd argue the japaneese lost the minute they bombed pearl harbor. Or maybe even when they invaded China and somehow united a country torn by civil war against them...

[@Ronald98]

@@noobster4779 actually good and informative comment.. good work 👍

[@emperor_sunshine]

Pearl Harbor coverage really WAS legendary. I love you, In-D!

[@stephenroberts4895]

With Enterprise (CV-6) left, she will become to the Japanese a "Grey Ghost" and come to haunt them for months to come.

[@HaloFTW55]

Kyaputen-Dono, haven't we sunken her 6 times by now?

[@wellwell7950]

+ HMS Victorious renamed USS Robin

[@kirbyculp3449]

There is an IJN aviator that twice hit the Enterprise with bombs. IDNR the details but its on YT somewhere.

[@evancrum6811]

A day late here. Outstanding as always

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@kemarisite]

"And loses a cruiser". I don't think this is quite correct. Mikawa's force appears to only have included destroyers. The cruiser Chikuma (a Tone-class cruiser with eight 8" guns forward and extensive float plane facilities aft) was heavily damaged by two 1,000 lb bombs but was not sunk until 1944.

[@DestroyingCrack]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cruiser_Yura

[@kemarisite]

@@DestroyingCrack thank you. The order of battle on navweaps did not indicate damage or loss to Yura.

[@Wayne.J]

@@kemarisite To be fair to you, Mikawa didn't sortie in this battle. Yura as flagship of DesRon 4 was under Rear Admiral Takama Tamotsu. Yura and 5 destroyers were called Attack Force 2. Attack Force 1 of 3 destroyers was off Guadalcanal to suppress the airfield or act as bombardment for IJA (they chased off Trever and Zane, sank Seminole and a yacht). Yura group was to steam south in the afternoon and suppress or Attack any US land or naval counter attack in the evening/night. Both Attack Forces were to bombard the airfield lightly enough so IJN planes could safely land and join in the attack on retreating or counter-attacking US land forces in the afternoon BUT not put the airfield out of commission. This is why Mikawa wasn't needed for this operation. Once it was found the IJA had not captured the airfield, both forces retreated but Yura was hit twice and sunk

[@morgansanderson9923]

The intro to this is basically the same as some from the Great War. So much nostalgia.

[@tommonk7651]

Indy, I don't know whether you have pointed out how vulnerable Japanese planes were at this point in the war. Yes, they were extremely maneuverable and had great range, but they had no armor and no self-sealing fuel tanks. They were flying, highly flammable targets for the American fighters and anti-aircraft fire. They could withstand practically no damage. And the Japanese were losing more experienced pilots and crew at an enormous pace as the war progressed. I don't think the Japanese were able to solve the problems to their air corps or mass produce any changes. And those "banzai" attacks depended solely on their "superior fighting spirit". Maybe that worked in China against relatively poorly armed and unorganized troops, but not against the Americans. It was suicidal and stupid....

[@MRFlackAttack1]

Looking forward to hearing about the Battle of Oivi-Gorari over the next two weeks

[@Italianplayercvu]

Should also be worth mentioning the introduction of the first batches of VT fuses for the american fleet in this days, which dramatically improve efficiency of heavy anti air guns

[@kemarisite]

First production batches were accepted for service in September 1942. First documented use in action (or possibly just first kill) would be January 5, 1943 aboard USS Helena.

[@danielmocsny5066]

Later in the war American forces will experiment with VT fuzes on aerial fragmentation bombs, making them highly effective by bursting above ground and spraying fragments downward over an area of several football fields. However, fear of giving away the technology by letting the enemy capture dud fuzes would limit their use against enemy ground forces until the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944. By then the thinking was that German industry was so overstretched that they wouldn't be able to reverse-engineer a captured VT fuze and get it into production against Allied bomber aircraft.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

Guadalcanal … El Amin …Stalingrad …. We are gonna need a bigger boat … oops …I mean a 30 minute episode.. Thanks Time Ghost History…!

[@Dustz92]

An interesting WW2 movie to watch around this week is "Basilone" (The Pacific 2) (2010) by David Nutter. This second episode of the miniseries covers the action in Guadalcanal during October 1942, mostly centered in three events, the arrival of the Americal division (13 October), the bombardemet of Henderson field by battleships Kongō and Haruna (14 October) and the Battle for Henderson field itself (the action depicted is the one on 24 October). Period covered: 13 October-9 December 1942 Historical accuracy: 5/5 - There is a very serious effort to reproduce the events as they happened. IMDB grade: 8.2/10

[@shawnr771]

Thank you for the lesson.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Glad you learned something new!

[@theprfesssor]

15:20 a pretty interesting photo here That's 2 Russian soldiers one of them is using a MP40 the very famous ( or infamous) sub-machine gun of the Wehrmacht that pretty cool it was caught in picture

[@hellickr.6498]

In my WW2 class in university, my professor used a photo of a German soldier with a PPsh41 to show how insane the battle was..I guess you just used what you could find.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

Scouts (razvedchiki) liked the MP40. It was lighter than the PPSh.

[@huguescahuzac6396]

very interesting and well done series, well documented with moving maps, videos.

[@merdiolu]

Finally an Allied general, Montgomery , remembers and successfully uses "Bite and Hold" tactic developed for attriton warfare of Western Front during World War I , 25 years later during World War II first time in El Alamein , North Africa : Attack and capture a position of enemy defence line (a critical or irritant one) and provoke Germans to an instant counter attack to recover the place and get them open by forcing them to leave their defensive positions in their own counter attack and crush them with defensive firepower and repulse them. Do that constantly over and over and German reserves run out eventually. German operational culture (Mission Oriented Approach) is most effective one in active combat BUT it is also kind of predictable. When enemy makes a penetration , German knee jerk reaction is make an immediate hasty improvised counter attack to drive them off and seal the gap at least , this is set in stone in their operational doctrine. Once Allied military tacticians figure that out , they can figure out their own tactics to counter them and voila. Then it becomes who runs out of manpower and machines and material first and Allies have more. The trick in attrition warfare is increasing enemy casaulties as much as possible using every asset including firepower while keep your own as low as possible though you can not escape casaulties in this kind offensive. In this case better to lose tanks which you can replace easily (tank crews have higher rate of survival also) instead of infantry which is much harder to replace unless you have massive manpower reserves like Soviet Union. Same in Stalingrad. Chuikov and 62nd Soviet Army literally perfected house to house combat and street fight. Move in small detachments equipped for hand to hand combat and explosives , make use of ambushes , fortfied positions that are hard to outflank , snipers , wear , get your frontline as close as to enemy lines so the enemy can not use their superior firepower not to hit friendly units , use high ground for fighting and artillery observing and wear and tear the advancing enemy in every inch of ground in a demoralising time consuming and frustriting slog for the advancing enemy. Sooner or later it would extend whole Battle of Stalingrad to the winter and gaining Soviet time for counter offensive from flanks of Don salient. US Marine tactics in South West Pacific is simpler but also effective. Prepare of defences and defensive lines with an open clear killing ground and let enemy come to you in bamboo spear tactics and slaughter them on open in your own killing zone (like "bite and hold" tactic) with superior firepower. Cruder but no less effective because Japanese ground tactics is clearly insane. Same in Kokoda Track , extend Japanese rear supply lines as much as possible to a breaking point then push them back. No matter how courageous , high morale , motivated Japanese were , without food and against bullets and mortars who were fired on them by men with food , it makes all the difference.

[@cobbler9113]

In regards Montgomery, he's praised for that in North Africa but gets heavily criticised for doing the same thing in Normandy. As you say, he knows he has more men and materials than the Axis so why waste them trying to make a costly breakthrough which is what the Soviets more often than not did?

[@davidwoody5228]

Monty is critiqued in Normandy for his failures to achieve the breakthrough that was needed to expand the lodgment. Whereas in the desert he could afford the luxury of attriting the Axis forces, in Normandy the need was for offensive action to expand the space so more troops could land and more airfields built. The sad fact is that the British never fully mastered the art of combined arms.

[@cobbler9113]

@@davidwoody5228 Indeed he is, but it is also clear that the British and Canadian forces under his command were facing well dug in and very determined German resistance on that eastern side of the landing area. They had to contend with eight Panzer Divisions including SS ones and the Panzer Lehr who were battle hardened and would fight to the last. Had the British broke through there, the way into the heart of France, the Low Countries and even Germany would have been clear which is of course what happened. British air support was every bit as capable and helpful as their American allies and there were few issues with coordination between armour and infantry. While Allied tanks (particularly British ones) come in for heavy criticism compared to German ones as the former often took heavier casualties, this doesn't take into account a couple of factors. The first is that German tanks were incredibly complicated. Tigers and Panthers were pretty much impossible to repair in the field and were unreliable at the best of times. Allied tanks on the other hand were easy to repair by comparison and even if they couldn't, they were far easier to replace than German ones. It was very common for Allied tanks to take heavy damage and be registered as a "loss" in a battle and yet still be repaired and be able to take part in another one shortly after. It also didn't help with the Bocage which both British and American forces had to tackle was very easy to defend. All you needed was the right equipment, discipline and courage and you could defend those positions all day long. Bearing in mind German troops were threatened with execution for abandoning their posts, it's not surprising that it took so long. At the end of the day, the Allies didn't need to throw masses of men and vehicles at the Germans in the same way the Soviets did for example. It's worth remembering that these were mostly civilian armies from democratic countries. There was no way either their governments or peoples would tolerate absurd losses when there was a perfectly viable alternative.

[@merdiolu]

@@cobbler9113 I will explain Normandy Campaign when it is due. Suffice to say. When you face from a shallow bridgehead and recently deploying forces from seaborne transport against entire Panzer Group West (six or seven panzer divisions) deployed in depth , the delays would be unavaoidable.

[@cobbler9113]

@@merdiolu Indeed and I’m sure we’ll come back to this at the time and probably before hand. Despite the criticisms, they managed to achieve their aim of taking Paris in around 90 days. They obviously expected stiff resistance but that the gains would be more gradual and that the Germans would retreat beyond the range of the Allied Naval guns after the landings which they didn’t. I really don’t get that. It just shows it’s not quite as simple as “Allies incompetent” and “Germans good” which gets thrown around a lot.

[@brickproduction1815]

I was at Stalingrad as well and thr fighting is brutal... RO2 memories revived

[@gunman47]

_Queen Six, this is King Six. Enemy tanks sighted leaving the depot. We're commencing our attack. Out._ - British soldier talking into radio This week on October 29 1942, the eighth and ninth missions of the 2005 video game *Call of Duty 2* , *The Diversionary Raid* and *Hold the Line* levels under *Sergeant John Davis* begins near El Alamein in Northern Egypt as part of the Second Battle of El Alamein. In *The Diversionary Raid level* as part of the 7th Armoured Division, you are tasked with destroying enemy hardpoints, destroy enemy supplies and fuel stockpiles, as well as searching for enemy documents. At the end of the level, you will link up with Captain Price. Next in the *Hold the Line level* , you will head to a small town in a Bren Carrier with Captain Price and Private MacGregor and defend its approaches from the Germans who are approaching in multiple directions. German tanks will eventually close in on your position and you will need to call in artillery to destroy them.

[@oldesertguy9616]

I miss that game. When I went to Windows 10 it got all buggy and I gave my copy to my brother to use on his old computer. Great storylines and missions.

[@gunman47]

@@oldesertguy9616 Aye, Call of Duty 2 was good. It's gonna be a busy next few weeks with more and more missions involved, so stay tuned!

[@Ronald98]

god i love that game.. i also loved the part where you had to throw flares at german tanks so the british artillery could destroy them... that was COD in it's peak

[@billymcmedic4221]

6:28 151st brigade mentioned, the DLI strikes forth

[@Kay2kGer]

dying by heart attack in war time in active combat, what a way to go

[@mjbull5156]

He was hanging off a moving vehicle that was under fire, if it is any consolation.

[@abdulmasaiev9024]

WAR IS STRESSFUL, OKAY

[@Rendell001]

Georg Stumme had high blood pressure and a heart condition to begin with, he was also a bit older than most of his peers at that level. He was by all accounts quite an able commander and had plenty of experience in armoured warfare. Interestingly he was the second choice as replacement for Rommel - Heinz Guderian was Rommel's suggestion but Guderian was currently out of favor and Stumme was chosen instead.

[@Kay2kGer]

@@Rendell001 thanks for those informations

[@Rendell001]

@@Kay2kGer It's nice to be able to contribute something to what is a very fine channel.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

The death of Stumme reminds me - late in 1944 or early 1945 Reich radio announced that 120 German generals had been killed in action in the war. That is an approximate figure based on my memory but it was certainly over 100. It obviously did not include generals executed for the July Plot.

[@RamboKingz23]

Tbh, the General who died of a heart attack won't be the first to die from one in the battlefield. Not spoiling anything, but Roosevelt will uhm deal with a devastating blow in a year and a half

[@noobster4779]

It was propably the worst timing imaginable though. The main commander is in ill and currently in germany. The deputy in charge gets a heartattack at the start of the battle. Basically the africa coprs was under the command of a divisonal commander for a short time until Rommel returned

[@RamboKingz23]

@@noobster4779 if bad timing and bad plot was a person, Summe would be the unfortunate person sadly

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@noobster4779 What's the old saying about all combat taking place at night, in the rain, and at the intersection of four separate map grids? The worst losses are usually the result of multiple, cascading failures.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

I believe one of Roosevelt's sons was a US general and died of a heart attack or some acute medical condition.

[@RamboKingz23]

@@stevekaczynski3793 ding ding ding. Correct, but I'm not gonna say when tho

[@dynguskhan]

Man Hyakutaki’s tactics are really bringing me back to the good old great war days 😢

[@dikkekater]

Bodyonny's moustache deserves its own episode

[@nozecone]

Bodyonny to Hitler: You call that a moustache? I'll show you a moustache ... !

[@danielmocsny5066]

I wonder if he called his headquarters the Moustache Lair.

[@davidatherton1780]

Just brilliant in every aspect , factually visually ,historically and educationally and lets not forget entertainingly, cant wait ( even though i know then ending lol as we all do ) but the build up is very well produced, thank you