213 - Red Army Reaches the Dnieper - WW2 - September 24, 1943

[@WorldWarTwo]

As the Red Army reaches the Dnieper, it raises the question of the importance of rivers in this war. With lightning fast advances bridges are often captured intact, but at battled like Stalingrad rivers have played a defining role.

[@andmos1001]

We see how rivers, even a small one, can be used as a natural obstacle in the Ukraine war in real time. Never underestimate rivers

[@caryblack5985]

If you are interested in a detailed operational history of the fighting in Ukraine in WWII read Prit Buttar's trilogy on this action. What is discussed here is in his second book Retribution.

[@jaredcore8888]

Y'all need to hire Lazerpig. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXq9Z4N8jrqAa9E

[@comiwolfsbrother7310]

Why you removed Soviet flag?

[@bigpoppa1234]

@@comiwolfsbrother7310 I think it's meant to be justified that this set is supposedly a type of British command center, but you'd think 30 million dead would warrant their flag being in the shot.

[@Dreadhead02productions]

Landing on the wrong beach is a proud tradition of Australian amphibious operations.

[@3_am___]

Australians are like, hardcore man, always got some suicidal mission, so much respect for them in both wars

[@petergray7576]

@Badatallthis Stuff It wasn't a screw up per se:Allied intelligence overlooked a strong transverse current off Utah Beach, and the landing craft ended up half a mile from their objective. The quote is from Major General Theodore Roosevelt Jr

[@stevenaudet]

The emus remember!!! ✊

[@Raskolnikov70]

Australian maps are printed upside-down. Their commanders keep forgetting to rotate them before planning their operations.

[@CONNELL19511216]

Congratulations - it takes effort to f*ck up consistently!

[@tsaoh5572]

Sidenote on foreign workers brought in by Speer: My grandfather, from the Netherlands, told me about how Dutch men would exchange tips and information on how to most effectively and unnoticeably sabotage parts they worked on in factories. He said they must have sent tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of defective bolts, joints, screws, etc. The unreliability of brand new German war equipment probably has a lot to do with this as well.

[@michaelstein8366]

One favorite trick (regarding Panther slave laborers) was for them to cut off teeth from the wheel sprockets and then glue them back on. This made them appear okay. But as soon as the tank entered battle, the teeth would fall off.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

As the saying goes, you pay minimum wage, you get minimum performance.

[@connordunworley1118]

Whaaaaaat? Your saying forced labor tends to be unreliable? Too bad the Germans didn’t know...

[@sebastiangundolf6740]

Heard the same from political prisoners in the concentration camps who were forced to assemble grenades, etc.

[@alexandrekuritza5685]

based grandpa

[@Phoenix-ej2sh]

5:43 - can we just take a moment to appreciate the consistent badassery of the Australian soldiers in both world wars?

[@ThePheonixSoldier]

Yes

[@viktoreek5201]

Yes

[@pattygman4675]

You can always depend on Australian soldiers in a fight, I also believe that on at least one occasion, a US general insisted that Australian forces take part, or the battle would not go ahead. Could be myth though.

[@3_am___]

Gimme enough aussies, and il conquer the world

[@Unknowngfyjoh]

I think Canada was the best army in WW1 per Capita

[@MichaelMyers87]

The Eastern Front of WW2 is so utterly massive, both in terms of the number of soldiers fighting, and the absurd size in terms of square miles/kilometers. It dwarfs any other theater of war in all of history, if you combine the number of soldiers and land area. For example Genghis Khan developed one of the largest Empires in history, but the number of soldiers fighting in Genghis Khan's conquests, is no where near the number of soldiers that fought in the Eastern Front.

[@oLii96x]

And at the same time, the fighting in the Pacific happens only at a level of a few thousands or hundred soldiers on each side, creating a huge bottleneck.

[@urdnotwrex6969]

also same number of nazis were defeated on whole western front as were defeated just in stalingrad.

[@rikterandersson3568]

It is insane that every figure, every number, is a person. An ENTIRE life. Seeing, feeling and experiencing the world just like one self. It is insane how much a death of a relative or close one affects us. Now you have life after life after life after life... all experiencing these horrors.

[@Chris-wy9sp]

Thanks for pointing this out. It's easy to forget the individual due to the sheer scale of this conflict. So many lives were cut short, so many stories were ended prematurely, never to be told.

[@RESIST_DIGITAL_ID_UK]

Not only that but the ideological significance behind it is also massive. It’s literally a fight between the far right and the far left. Two political and ideological extremes at war.

[@MK-yz2pr]

You know, you've just made a huge impact on me with "For what?" at 18:32. I mean, it's not like I never asked the same question myself, but there is something "special" in how you delivered it (that single piano note is on point). What an absurd tragedy a WW2 (or any war tbh) was...

[@gunman47]

A sidenote this week on September 20 1943 is that the British *de Havilland Vampire* jet fighter will make its first flight in the skies. However, it would only enter operational service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1946, months after the war ended. It would go to serve for many years in several post war conflicts such as the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960 and the Suez Crisis in 1956.

[@Jakob_DK]

And it puts nazi “super” weapons into perspective. UK also had jets but did not need to press them into service.

[@jeopardy4100]

I actually saw a Vampire still flying in NATO North Sea operations in 1972

[@Jakob_DK]

@@jeopardy4100 That is cool

[@oasis1282]

Love that jet

[@mannyfernandez1713]

To the guy/gal who is/was in charge of the map scale in this, past and future episodes, you’re a boss and an MVP on a REGIMENT full of MVPs

[@WorldWarTwo]

Many thanks on behalf of the map guys Daniel and Sietse!

[@rumrunner8019]

You know, the Germany's "great idea" of invading the USSR was a lot like my "great idea" of making money driving for Uber Eats: both turned into a tragedy of fuel shortages, horrible weather, conflicting orders, unexpected hostility from the inhabitance of our respective destinations, and both ended when we finally gave up and went home only to discover that home was A LOT further away then we had realized.

[@Raskolnikov70]

"All combat takes place at night, in the rain, at the junction of four map grids." - Murphy's Laws of Combat Same applies to food delivery. Nothing like putting yourself through college by delivering pizzas during football season in winter in Minnesota.....

[@garcalej]

“Traitors to the bottom-line will be shot and then given one-star reviews.” -Supreme Uberleiter Travis Kalanick at the 5th annual shareholder meeting.

[@lightfeather9953]

Most govt experts of other countries thought they would succeed actually. It's easy to just point to the problems in hindsight and sound insightful.

[@maxdurk4624]

These last two weeks have really felt like the beginning of the end for the Axis. The emotions I feel watching this show right now mirrors a lot of the ones I had seeing the Great War videos at this time in 1918. Crazy to think that there is still nearly two years left.

[@tigertank06]

It’s crazy at how everything collapsed after Kursk for the Germans. Smh.

[@thepurrfectionist365]

Summer/Autumn of 1943 was the last chance for the Axis powers to achieve a stalemate with the Allies. The road to Berlin and the sail towards Tokyo were running on full cylinders by Winter season.

[@astrobullivant5908]

@El Gato, You have to account for the dramatic improvement of the Allie’s’ respective militaries. The Allies improved a lot. Also, since Gunnerside, the race to build nuclear weapons has been going on.

[@Darwinek]

What do you mean "two years"? The war in Europe will be over by Christmas.

[@eleanorkett1129]

The Axis forces both East and West are now in full retreat. Just two years ago, the Germans thought they had it all.

[@stephengraham1153]

Napoleon thought the same. They never learn.

[@Zen-sx5io]

@@stephengraham1153Always taking, but never consolidating.

[@bobbybroadway9513]

Of all the admirable aspects of your show, which are many and diverse, the one that amazes me most is the "moving map of military units". Is there an episode somewhere which I haven't seen that explains the mysterious mechanism by which you guys are not only able to research the specific positions, motions, and relocations of so many and so complicated an organization of historical events while, at the same time, having enough time week by week to actually then transfer such knowledge to your wonderful moving map? Today's episode seemed so unusually complex to me, I just had to ask. How many people are involved? How long does it take?

[@timamberg7061]

I can recommend the channel eastory, he is the guy (I think) who makes the animated maps for channel. Great content, you will have a blast.

[@andresmartinezramos7513]

@@timamberg7061 Eastory is indeed the map-maker/animator

[@WorldWarTwo]

All our maps are based on digitized military situation maps of that time, while information from books fills any gaps the maps might leave. Most of it is freely available online, you just need to know where to look and how to puzzle it together. This is a one-man job done by me (Sietse) and takes about two full work days, and sometimes more - like with this episode. With my research notes, Daniel animates the movement and adds the effects which you get to see in the episode. He also spends about two full work days on this. Altogether, I'd say about half of the post-production work goes into the maps, so I'm glad to hear it's being recognized! Thank you for asking! -Sietse

[@bobbybroadway9513]

@@WorldWarTwo Thanks a million for your quick reply! Believe me, we're ALL amazed by the life you two bring to the great, ever changing battlefields of this monumental war.

[@Franfran2424]

As much as I love indys narration, Spartacus seriousness about serious issues, and the good edition of the video (historical photos, video cuts), the maps are why I fell in love with the channel, ever since they did something with the eastory guy iirc.

[@gunman47]

_Our troops invaded Salerno a week ago. The Germans struck back hard. The 82nd is dropping in to assist. Our assignment is to recapture the town of Altavilla. If we fail, the Germans could push us right back into the sea._ - Private Derrick Warren This week on September 18 1943, the first mission of the 2007 video game *Call of Duty: Roads to Victory* , the *Altavilla level* under *Private Derrick Warren* begins near Altavilla in Italy. In this level, you will need to flank and clear German positions in the town, destroy artillery positions, as well as spot enemy tanks in order to call in an artillery strike. This level is mainly intended partly as a tutorial or introductory level for the rest of the game.

[@nunya5132]

Is this the one on the PSP? If so I remember playing it a LONG time ago

[@gunman47]

@@nunya5132 Yup, that is correct. This title was only released on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) back in 2007.

[@Lematth88]

This week in French politics. The 21st, Giraud arrives in Corsica. The Italian and the French now accepts the final plan of action: to pursue the German from the South toward Bastia with most of the Italian troops, the French commando and the resistance fighters, and a pincer movement coming from Ajaccio, with the 4th DMM and the Italian division Cremonia, going by the north toward Bastia. The 22nd, Sartène is liberated by the commandos and the Italian division Friuli, the 23rd the Allies reach Porto-Vecchio. The 4th DMM, from Ajaccio, passes by Corte to cut the German retreat by taking the Col de Santo Stefano (in the north of Corsica). The 24th, Sotta and Bonifacio are liberated. The good progress of the operation and coordination between heteroclites troops is unexpected by the CFLN and both the French and Italian Commanders.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

One part of the war I know absolutely NOTHING about.

[@ericcarlson3746]

IMHO Corsica and Sardinia woul have made freat bases for advancing into South France (a year earlier) or landing in north Italy...

[@gianniverschueren870]

Solid looking tie, but the muted colours do rather disappear into the rest of the ensemble. 3/5

[@mrb3nz]

I have to say, I'm very impressed by the pronounciation of Ukrainian and Russian names, great work as always!

[@putlerkaputt9201]

september 2022 dnieper is important again as russians can't escape it through antonivka bridge

[@AndrewVasirov]

I was here when he pronounced Stavka as "Shtavka." As of today, Russian troops across the Dnieper can be supplied by helicopters and small boats if need be. Sun Tzu says "When you surround an army, leave an outlet free." so, "When a foe is cornered, they must fight for their lives and will do so with the energy of final fear." This is why the battle of Mariupol took this long btw. The enemy simply had nothing to do except fight or hide in the Azovstal complexes. Of course, according to Clausewitz, you need to destroy the enemy army in order to declare total victory. Even though Russia suffered losses in its offensive towards Kiev and while defending in the recent Kharkov offensive, it still managed to withdraw. So far the Ukrainian forces failed to destroy the Russian units in Kherson area and the recent partial mobilization and referenda might turn the war in Russia's favour again.

[@yes_head]

Yeah, although a lot of the town and village names sound to me like some variation on "Rshvshv". 😆

[@ethanwake7759]

@@AndrewVasirov With two weeks of training and equipped with sub-sub standard equipments? It’s more meat for the Ukrainian meat grinder

[@Franfran2424]

They literally called to arms people with previous military experience... Two weeks my ass.

[@sammyboi2951]

Oh wow would you look at that? German infantry struggling with Soviet armor? They propably have realized at last what the Hungarians, the Romanians and the Italians had to face and now there was no one else to blame.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Seems like the infantry is doing fine with it, it's the horse-drawn support units that are getting hammered because they're so slow.

[@theog8891]

I was about to point out the same thing: "German infantry struggling and refusing prolonged resistance against soviet armor? Huh, I thought that only the "lesser" axis soldiers had this "inferior" issue". This should silence all idiots and drive home the idea that unsupported/exhausted/battered units lacking ammo/supplies/ heavy weaponry could stop concentrated attacks with armor support solely because they are of a certain nationality.

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

German infantry (along with just about everything else) was also less capable than the formations fielded in 1941. By late 1943 the veterans of the invasion of France or Operation Barbarossa were in large measure already buried beneath Ukrainian fields. The troops that replaced them went to the front with far less training and experience.

[@peterh5165]

Good video! Love your animated maps that show troop movements: some of the best that I have seen. Thanks for making these videos, and special thanks for making the videos available to everyone: not everyone can afford subscription services.

[@joaobaptista320]

A tip: in the future, consider putting a legend with the hours/days in the map. When the map advances slowly, it's hard to keep track of when exactly did it happen

[@wikingagresor]

When you guys are doing zooming in on the animated maps, some scale would be great to see the vastness of terrain covered by troops.

[@amsfountain8792]

Those maps are wonderful. They make following the narration so much easier.

[@Valdagast]

The Chieftain had some harsh words to say about maintenance on the Panther.

[@yatsumleung8618]

Rushed into service and frequently sabotaged during manufacturing, otherwise the ultimate production Panzer with high firepower, protection and mobility at only marginal increase in costs compared to the Panzer 4.

[@demrandom]

@@yatsumleung8618 And with "marginal increase in cost" you mean "more then twice it's cost",yes? converted into USD, a pz4 h was stated to cost about 50-60k, like the M4 sherman 75mm (and 40k more compared to the similarly equipped T34/76). The panther cost 200k, and the tiger 1 300k. That's not cost efficient at all.

[@657449]

The foreign and camp workers were obviously not going to do a great job in manufacturing parts. Adjust their gauges to pass a product out of specifications and also the gauges of the German oversees and the part has a shorter lifespan. A handful of sand in the transmission oil wears it out quickly.

[@Valdagast]

@@yatsumleung8618 From what the Chieftain, the German engineers made design choices that made the tank slightly better but that also made it extremely difficult to serve. Unlike the Sherman where everything was made with durability and ease of maintenance in mind.

[@guyyefet5804]

@@demrandom you have to consider that gear costs are reduced over time when manufacturing efficiency and scale increase. the cost projection about new tanks might have been more optimistic in the long run. and anyway, I think that at that time in 43, the Germans desperately needed a new tank, no matter the cost and platform maturity.

[@sse_weston4138]

Also at sea this week, on the 23rd, the prison ship Donizetti is attacked and sunk by HMS Eclipse in the Adriatic. Donizetti was carrying Italian POWs when lost, and of the overall 2,055 people aboard, there are no survivors.

[@stevebarrett9357]

Your mention of German morale collapsing reminded me of a passage from Heinz Guderian's Panzer Leader. This quote concerns a time around the beginning of October, 1941, getting into the 4th month of war. "For the first time during this exacting campaign Colonel Eberbach gave the impression of being exhausted, and the exhaustion that was now noticeable was less physical than spiritual." Soviet Russia was to be taken in 2 to 3 months, but the Soviets wouldn''t quit and kept coming up with more troops and equipment to oppose the Germans. Now, two years later, the German's last hurrah (Kursk) had failed and the Germans are once again in full retreat. It's small wonder that there is a morale problem in the Heer. It's been brewing for two years.

[@yurinalysis8034]

That's why Heinz Guderian was against the Operation Citadel, because the German Army have been fighting on the Eastern Front for 2 years and they lost a lot of men, tanks, artillery and other materials. Guderian wanted the whole German Army in the Eastern Front to regroup especially the Army Group South and form a defensive line in order hold the Soviet advance. But as we know Hitler was against this he want to attack at Kursk in summer 1943 and then it was a disaster for the German Army.

[@ronalddunne3413]

@@yurinalysis8034 Hitler was, in many respects- fortunately for the Allies- his own worst enemy.

[@huntermad5668]

@@ronalddunne3413 Hitler didn't want Citadel. The generals wanted it through some questioned it when it was delayed so much like Manstein. That is why he stated the op churn his stomach.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

It was about this time that there was a significant uptick in the number of German soldiers executed for desertion and cowardice, especially on the Eastern Front.

[@Franfran2424]

I hate the "hitler caused the German defeat by overcomitting in " No. Citadel/Kursk had to happen because they had been on the defensive since stalingrad, with horrible consequences. The soviets grew stronger faster than the germans, the germans didn't have the benefit of time and waiting defensively. Mannstein retroactively blamed every thing to go wrong on hitler.

[@timp9974]

Thanks!

[@jaxwagen4238]

Italian Puppet? I haven't seen the new Pinocchio movie yet

[@amcalabrese1]

Italian puppet? Has Meloni been declared the winner in the Italian election?

[@philliparthur8672]

I had to jump ahead but I'm almost caught up. I'm on episode 204 and really enjoying your show and keep up the good work.

[@Bagster321]

I am sadly on ep 131 as well as the B2W:Zeitgeist series. I have heaps to catch up on

[@sergioguzman6722]

¡Gracias!

[@guillaumedeschamps1087]

Another excellent episode. The Tide Turns! Still wondering if backing the project in the 41/42/43/44 Division tier counts as being an officer in the Time Ghost Army.

[@hannahskipper2764]

Another fabulous episode, Indy! Thank you for the experience.

[@abdzaytoon3211]

Landing on the wrong beach is the most Australian thing I ever heard in my life after the emu war lol.

[@korbell1089]

Americans don't talk about Vietnam, Australians don't talk about emus!😅😂

[@kenoliver8913]

Of course they landed on the wrong beach on 25 april 1915 too. So up to this date the Australian Army had made two opposed amphibious landings - both at the wrong beach. Whatever their fighting qualities they needed to brush up their navigation.

[@jakehaywood7557]

Hi , I've a reasonably large question. Have timeghost (Indy, Sparty and such) been in contact with Al Murray and James Holland of the We Have Ways podcast? I'm sure Al and Jim would have a great chat with the WW2 team, and get the word out about this phenomenal series TL,DR: WW2+We Have Ways would be awesome!

[@Xylo58]

My favourite KZbin channel by far. I recall reading the memoirs of a German soldier whose division was retreating towards the Dniepr south of Kiev. It was a slaughter. It’s at this point that the common soldier knew the war was lost and yet they fought on bravely against incredible odds. How they managed to last almost 2 more years is unimaginable.

[@revanofkorriban1505]

You are referring to Blood Red Snow?

[@michaelochido3244]

I just read..The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sager.....on catastrophic German retreat on Eastern Front

[@Warmaker01]

Arandelle seems a lot further south than I imagined. I thought it'd be somewhere snowy, more Frozen.

[@pnutz_2]

15:00 who would have thought that moustachio's tactic of pitting people against each other would lead to ze germans undermining their own war effort in furtherment of ideological goals

[@jerrycoob4750]

Think of it... The Soviets already at the Dnieper! Finally, the Axis spearheads are going to be getting a taste of their own medicine for a LONG time. Timeghost, keep up the damn good work.

[@ypaulbrown]

always fantastic content.......cheers from Florida, Paul

[@PhillyPhanVinny]

This was a very impressive map episode this week with so many moving units. Question on that. I would know how to go about getting the info on where each individual US, British or Canadian division is on each day of WW2 since all those divisions each have their own official history recorded of what they were doing each day in the war that can be found online easily. But for German and Soviet divisions (as well as Japanese and Chinese) I would think that would be pretty hard to find out where each is each individual unit is on individual days of WW2. Can you guys share how you find the info out of where each unit is for non-western armies at specific periods of WW2?

[@rags417]

Try a bit of intensive goggling. I know that her in Australia most military records from WWI and WII are now part of the public domain. I looked up the movements of my wife's grandfather in Egypt and Gallipoli in WWI and it was very interesting seeing what the local ADC or junior scribe thought was important on each day. Where a military historian might mention a particular battle or world event that junior scribe would be diligently recording water reservoirs dug or number of men off with illness or disease. Do your research, I am certain that pretty much every combatant nation of WWII has released all this data to the public.

[@jtgd]

It mirrors Barbarossa

[@lynn0MA]

I think day to day movements and battles are taken from commanders daily diaries which are archived in military history of each country. This info was probably made available after 1989 with Soviet collapse. A lot of western researchers rushed to Moscow when the archives were opened - for a brief time.

[@korbell1089]

@@lynn0MA I remember when the archives were opened and they were a treasure trove of information but once a few warts were discovered, (koff) Katyn Forests (koff) they pretty much shut them back down.

[@caryblack5985]

@@korbell1089 The Katyn forest massacre was well known from the 1940s on. Russia turned over many of the documents concerning this massacre to the Polsih government .

[@robertjarman3703]

I´m sure that Steiner will counterattack. I´m sure of it buddies. He will be here any day. Any day. Somewhere on the Dnipro with two thousand tanks and big guns... Right?

[@CrazyYurie]

This will be funnier when we start actually hearing his name in these episodes.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Last I heard Steiner was still conducting operations against Apple trying to get them to re-install headphone jacks on the iPhone. He'll be back soon enough.

[@BestUsernameForMe]

Your work is excellent. May I suggest on the Eastern front you add one second of map animation to zoom in to the section of the front being displayed.

[@PPKwazz999]

I love the little calls you do at the very start and the backstory right before your intro every time. Legendary

[@ПавелИванов-ь8р]

Brilliant animation, thanks a lot!

[@edh6841]

Your graphics man is AWESOME, just like the rest of the team. You guys rock!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you, Ed. We are glad that you are enjoying our content.

[@TSmith-yy3cc]

Outstanding as always!

[@PaulThronson]

Great video as usual

[@nickgooderham2389]

Also this week an RCAF home defence squadron engages the enemy on both sides of the Atlantic. On the 19th, three VLR B-24 Liberators from No. 10 Squadron leave Reykjavik bound for their home base at Gander Nfld. They had provided air escort for HMS Renown, bringing Winston Churchill home from the Quadrant conference at Quebec. On the return trip, two of the Liberators provide air cover to westbound convoy ONS 18. At about 500 miles south of Iceland, Liberator A/10 spots U-341 on the surface and makes an attack run. The first pass is too high, but the U-boat remains on the surface to fight it out, firing back with its anti aircraft gun. On its second pass the B-24 straddles the the uboat with six depth charges blowing the uboat's bow out of the water. One more pass dropping 4 more and U-341 goes to the bottom with all hands. A few days later, on the 22nd, ONS 18 reaches the Canadian theater of operations and No 10 Squadron B-24s are again over the convoy this time flying the 800 miles from Gander. Riding in one of the liberators is RCAF Inspector General, Air Vice Marshal A.E. Godfrey. There are no passenger seats on this flight, so Godfrey rides as the waist gunner. He's a fighter 'ace' from the first world war, having downed 14 enemy aircraft on the Western Front, so should be able to handle the gun. On the flight back to base the crew sight U-422 and make an attack run, giving Godfrey the opportunity to become the highest ranking officer in the RCAF to open fire directly on the enemy in the war. They engage the u-boat on the surface, exchanging fire for nearly 30 minutes before it dives. The Liberator drops two homing torpedoes but they fail to home in on the target and U-422 makes its escape. During the 22nd and 23rd, No.10 Squadron aircraft engage at least five u-boats including U-377 that was also attacked using the new air dropped homing torpedo to no effect, but machine gun fire severely wounds the u-boats commander causing U-377 to break off its attack on the convoy. They must rendezvous with a hospital ship to tend to their wounded.

[@merdiolu]

I would write that but could not due to time constraints and busy schedule but you went first

[@Raskolnikov70]

That shows exactly why the Germans lost the Battle of the Atlantic. Once the Allies were able to provide adequate air cover for their ships, the U-boat fleet couldn't operate without taking unsustainable losses.

[@ToddSauve]

@@Raskolnikov70 And the German's 4 rotor Enigma machine's code had been cracked, showing the Allies exactly where they could find all of their U boats in the north Atlantic, Mediterranean and everywhere else for that matter. It was so bad by May of 1943 that the Nazis withdrew almost everything and the Allies never lost the upper hand from then on.

[@dpeasehead]

@Nick Gooderham: One doesn't hear much about the use of homing torpedoes AGAINST U-boats during the battle of the Atlantic. If they functioned and guided properly, it appears that no slow moving submerged submarine stood a chance.

[@mrlodwick]

Just love the channel, the host the info and the facts. Thank you so much- no need for TV in my life. Tim UK.

[@michaelstein8366]

One of the reasons why the Panthers were so unreliable is because they were sabotaged by slave laborers. One favorite trick was for them to cut off teeth from the wheel sprockets and then glue them back on. This made them appear okay. But as soon as the tank entered battle, the teeth would fall off.

[@caryblack5985]

The main problem was with engine fires on the Panther. This was caused by inferior metal and rubber connections in the fuel lines. This was because the Germans had less and less of materials , metals and other raw materials needed to make the safest and most durable parts.

[@americanpatriot2422]

Great video!

[@petetirp9776]

Just want to say that you consistently introduce well- researched gems that bring history to life.

[@nygarmik]

The allies are already near Napoli? That was fast, I expect them to reach Rome in the end of 1943!

[@ahmadqadi175]

At this rate they'll surely secure italy by spring of 44.

[@ericcarlson3746]

weird isn't it---- took another 9 months... the "soft underbelly"

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

They put this puppet Italian government in films. Always interesting to watch them. Always very dark. @15:00, you are talking about Speer and its funny that I just bought on an unopened Laserdisc set, the 1982 TV miniseries from his biography, Inside The Third Reich, played by Rutger Hauer.

[@georgewilliams8448]

Thank you for another excellent video.

[@trevorkrause7220]

It seems to be standard operational tactics for the Australian Army to always invade by landing on the wrong beaches when opposed by any entrenched enemy forces. No doubt this greatly confuses the defensive forces and comp!icates their immediate response to the Australian Army Forces landing where both they and the invading forces did not expect the actual landings to be. This reputation that the Australian and New Zealand Armies had was probably why there were no major units of such landing on the beaches during D-day.

[@JonnoHR31]

Aussie soldier 1: Are you sure this is the right beach? Aussie soldier 2: She be right mate, just get er done!

[@Raskolnikov70]

All maps made in Austrailia are printed upside down for obvious reasons. The Aussie leaders forgot to rotate them before attacking.

[@stuartmcpherson1921]

Only 2. First was actually on the correct beach. Second was due to US mistake.

[@Giveme1goodreason]

You can’t know what I’m doing, if I don’t. The art of deception is easier to master if you just don’t even do what you actually planned, and wait till we stun the world and land where we mean to!

[@trevorkrause7220]

@@stuartmcpherson1921 It is always someone else's mistake, someone who is definitely not then sitting there on the wrong beach, under heavy fire, with buggerall options but to just grin and bear it.

[@gawdsuniverse3282]

When the 20th Australian brigade asks for reinforcements MacArthur refuses, this is a constant theme for MacArthur throughout the war with Australian forces asking for aid he refuses, despite the realities on the ground.

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

[@docteurlowbat]

Fun fact : the "Repubblica Sociale Italiana" or RSI was also called "Repubblica di Salò". In french "Salò" has the same pronunciation as "salaud" wich mean "bastard" ... so RSI = "Bastards Republic" 😎 So true, isn't it ?

[@KlausVonKuste]

About that, the official name "Italian Social Republic" was decreted only in November. The initial temporary name was "National Republican State". About Salò, the town in Garda Lake, it until today misconcepted as the capital because news agencies were lokated there, in reality the capital is de jure still Rome, in fact follow the position of the government and with the various ministeries on various northern italian locations.

[@indianajones4321]

Dang Indy’s phone connection 😂

[@hilariousname6826]

There's a war on - what can you expect?

[@vinnieg6161]

11:42 Look at that guy standing top pff

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Hi Indy Another busy week. Finally axis losing. Still there is hope. Waiting for D -Day special. Thanks.

[@iwitnessedit6713]

Just saw Sabaton live for the first time, thank you for supporting them!

[@nicholaskonetski1586]

Hey Indy, just a random show suggestion (for aesthetics, because the content is muy perfecto)…each show starts with a black screen and then immediately the sound of a phone ringing. Then we see you answering the phone and [insert your usual weekly phone dialogue here]. Just a thought. No need to change though since I’ve enjoyed and been watching since that haunting/mildly depressing intro to the Great War! Thanks for all you do!

[@samuelgirard1407]

One of the things that caused problems with the Panthers was that originally it was planned to be 35 tons. So the engines were originally designed for a tank of that weight. But after the plans moved forward, they were ordered to increase the amount to 42 tons in order to improve the frontal armor. This put more strain on the transmission, which is what led to some of the early engine problems with them.

[@michaelsalmon9832]

The Taman Peninsula, Russia, 1943 - The Retreat: “Hänschen klein, ging allein, in die weite Welt hinein….”

[@cheesedetectiverook5950]

More info for the landing at Scarlet Beach. As Indy and the team have already covered what happened in the initial landings I'll try to fill up what happens in the next day and forward. Once the Australian 20th Brigade managed to secure a beachhead in up north, they commenced an advance southwards to Finschhafen, which was about 9km (5.6 miles) south of the landing beach, and this advance would be led by the 2/15th inf. Bn. The battalion will lead this advance all the way to the Bumi river, which currently had strong Japanese positions in the southern bank. They, the 2/15th, would try to outflank these positions by sending in some forces westward by travelling through some steep and rough terrain. After finding a suitable place for them to cross the river, the 2/15th started advancing again, but they were later engaged by the Japanese naval infantry not long after. Despite the casualties stacking, the 2/15th eventually managed to edtablish their position in the Bumi river. There, they would finally be able to flank the Japanese positions by advancing across a steep slope. Fighting was so intense that the close quarters engagement resulted in 9 Australian casualties, 3 killed and 6 wounded while 52 Japanese soldiers were killed. My great grandfather told me one thing about his time experience during the fighting in the Bumi River. The Japanese soldiers constantly screamed and yelled at them in English. Some sentences were easily understood, such as "Come over here!", but they screamed other English words as well that were most likely botched due to their accents. Nevertheless, this initial fighting for the Bumi river will secure the 2/15th and 2/13th inf. Bns. a direct path to Finschhafen.

[@Raskolnikov70]

I shouldn't laugh at such a serious event, but your story about how the Japanese soldiers botched their attempt at demoralizing the Aussies is pretty funny. I have this mental image of them sitting in a trench laughing and going "wait - what did he just say????" and laughing some more.

[@cheesedetectiverook5950]

@@Raskolnikov70 It was less of a demoralising tactic and more of a taunt than anything. And to be fair, the experience that the Chocos had with the same tactic used by the Japanese earlier in the Kokoda track and Milne Bay that they managed to tell to their 2 AIF counterparts probably gave the rest of I corps a heads up on just "how bad of a sport" the Japanese were. Something that the 8th Division couldn't share with the rest after Singapore

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@cheesedetectiverook5950 It could have also been a clumsy but serious attempt to mislead them into thinking the Japanese forces were friendlies and draw them into an ambush. I don't know of any IRL incidents where that was successful, but I did read an alternate history novel about the Japanese invasion (and American reconquest) of Hawaii. During the battle for Oahu, the Japanese used a lot of native English speakers/collaborators in order to mislead the invading American forces and do stuff like infiltrate their lines or stop artillery fire because they made them think they were shelling frendlies. Obviously not a tactic that would work IRL if they didn't have convincing English speakers to pull it off.

[@cheesedetectiverook5950]

@@Raskolnikov70 I highly doubt that, tbh. The Japanese were pretty open about their views on the average Australian soldier. And the Army knew this much. Hence why the 2 AIF was really short on mercy and patience regarding the Japanese after the Kokoda track. From the mutilated bodies of both Natives and fellow servicemen found, the Japanese made it clear how they wanted to act towards the Diggers

[@Giveme1goodreason]

So this is exactly what my great uncle would have been doing had he lived through North African Pvt Arthur Bauer 2/15 battalion, 20th brigade, 9th division, 2nd AIF. Service number: QX574 Notable battles: Siege of Tobruk First Battle of El Alamein 11/8/1942 dead/ PoW.

[@Dustz92]

12:49 Who else to send but the VDV?

[@VladVlad-ul1io]

Judging by the views, the regular weekly series are more watched that the other secondary series.

[@caryblack5985]

Yes the specials get less views and the War Against Humanity is tough to watch.

[@Giveme1goodreason]

ANZAC soldiers: what would dad do in this situation? ANZAC soldiers: I’ve got it!!!! Proceeds to land on the wrong beach and have to fight through a slaughter. Their dads: maybe our grand kids will get it right.

[@anthonyforbes9657]

Great job

[@beachboy0505]

8:29 The German / Nazis rely on horse 🐎 transport. But the Russians/ Soviets are given plentiful trucks 🚚 from the USA 🇺🇸. That's the difference.

[@matthewmayton1845]

I have to do this: Wehrmacht on the run, Wehrmacht on the run And Stalin's men and Uncle Sam we chasing everyone With the Wehrmacht on the run, Wehrmacht on the run

[@bobbyb373]

Brilliant episode with some fantastic maps, as always. Staggering how badly things are going for the Axis powers on all fronts now, and how rapidly they are losing territory

[@MichaelMyers87]

Its kind've crazy that despite all the setbacks for the Axis at this point of the war, that they still manage to last for about 2 more years, until September 2nd 1945.

[@michelarsenault4088]

dude! spoilers! Way to ruin it, i thought the nazis were going to win (This is a Joke, I am not a nazi)

[@rumrunner8019]

I just don't understand how anyone with half a brain in Berlin could look at the situation at this point and think "yep, we can still win."

[@modest_spice6083]

Or maybe its logistics catching up. The Red Army for example has already reached the environs of Berlin, but with its spearhead unprotected from the north and the south, they had to secure those areas first for several weeks before moving to Berlin proper. The Allies met the same fate for example, when after the landings of Normandy they struggled to pour in supplies and equipment because they haven't captured a major port that can supply more than 1 million frontline troops, so they had to veer north to the Netherlands to capture the port of Antwerp, the only remaining major port facing the Atlantic, before crossing the Rhine. The Wehrmacht is already a dying force yes, but pushing on without reason will make the Allies and the Red Army like what happened to the Axis during Barbarossa, overextended, understrength, and undersupplied. If any, this proves that the entirety of the Allied armies put broad strategies to mind, unlike the strategic ineptitude of the Wehrmacht.

[@TheStephaneAdam]

@@rumrunner8019 It was more "what happens after we lose the war?" A lot of German commanders already felt the wind turning a year ago. Problem is, you may decide when to roll the dice when you start a fight but you don't get to decide when and how it ends. Russia and the Western allies were not going to settle for a Versaille Treaty this time.

[@rumrunner8019]

@@TheStephaneAdam I think that at this point the Germans could still have offered a surrender to the Western allies in exchange for not having a Soviet occupation. The allies would have accepted that as long as the Nazis stepped down.

[@donramonramirez5141]

Muy bien presentado y desarrollado 👋👋👋🇦🇷

[@seanshannon907]

Sept 1942 and 1943...such a difference in one year...

[@Quickshot0]

Losing Sardinia and Corsica seems like it could be a pretty dangerous loss. For one it massively increases the scope of what allied planes can cover in the region with fighter cover, as well as just being able to reach various places much more quickly. As well as denying the axis forces control of much of that area of the sea. Really with sufficient stationed planes you could possibly make the seas not all that dangerous till pretty close to the coast. And this also means that they now have sufficiently large launch platforms for landing operations across much of Italy and Southern France far more easily then before, if the allied forces ever chose to do so of course. No such plans exist at the moment obviously, but they may start reconsidering now that a good place to launch from is available.

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

Look up Operation Strangle, to be based out of Corsica. Kind of a spoiler...

[@Quickshot0]

@@mikhailiagacesa3406 I see, guess it really was an obvious strategic move to make.

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

@@Quickshot0 Mussolini missed it early in the war; but, well, you know...

[@edwardgray4693]

If i remember my history correctly Heinrici was ordered to raze smolensk as his forces retreated through it but he did not pass on that order and so the city was not destroyed. Something that got him in no small amount of trouble

[@caryblack5985]

Can you give a source?

[@ericcarlson3746]

"Later in 1943 he refused to obey an order to destroy the city of Smolensk by fire before the German army's retreat, and he was temporarily dismissed from his post as commander. " wikipedia FWIW. in any event he wasn't prosecuted by the allies and lived to 1971

[@philippos5547]

The Dnejpr, the amount of war and desolation this river has seen. So sad that 80 years later there are tanks crossing the river again.

[@Irdanwen]

I love to keep up with this series, but I have not understood a single one of the introductory phone calls.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Nice video. I don't blame most Italians from not joining Mussolini's new government since he did screw things up and also most Italians hated the Germans anyway. Nice video.

[@kereckelizabeth3625]

I always have to watch these episodes 2X. First is a generalized viewing, on the video release day. Then a more detailed one, a few days later - when I really process all the infos. Too much going on.

[@jasonmussett2129]

It's amazing how things change in the East. Thanks Indy and co for this brilliant series.😀😀😀

[@NightStalkerSoC]

I started watching the channel regularly a month or so before barbarossa... And here we are today.

[@r_rumenov]

Ukraine 1943: nazis being pushed back to the west, where they came from. Ukraine 2022: nazis being pushed back to the east, where they came from. We never learn, do we? Thanks for all you do guys, you're the light in the dark.

[@Franfran2424]

Ukronazis are still easy of the dnieper, not yet pushed back. I'm sure Zelensky guards with a totenkampf sticker manufactured by R3ICH company featuring 1st SS division shield don't know any better, they can't help but show the nací patches

[@r_rumenov]

@@Franfran2424 You guys aren't even entering anymore. Ctrl-Z

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Fantastic introduced

[@shhhvcnear]

Indy starts having telephone troubles and his solution is to mash the disconnect button? (:

[@MCorpReview]

Great points 😢why panzer quality declined

[@robertm.8653]

ANZAC be like: " Aww crikey, here we go again..."

[@Giveme1goodreason]

ANZAC soldiers: what would dad do in this situation? ANZAC soldiers: I’ve got it!!!! Proceeds to land on the wrong beach and have to fight through a slaughter. Their dads: maybe our grand kids will get it right.

[@MrKeepnit100]

Hey man you doing anything for October 1?

[@istvanszoke381]

How did the soviets supplied millions of soldiers, thousands of tanks, tens of thousands of trucks, thousands of planes with food, ammo, fuel and spare parts on country twice scorched earthed is a question that makes me wondering a lot.

[@sigurdueland5194]

If I remember correctly the Panther Tank also had seriously problem with it’s gearbox.

[@caryblack5985]

They also had problems with engine fires due to fuel leaks.

[@supa3ek]

Started this series a few weeks ago. I thought it was finished....but.........dam.....now we have to wait each week 🥲🥲

[@danielnavarro537]

Two years ago was the Axis’s string of major victories. The Axis forces invaded the USSR, pushed back the British and her commonwealth in North Africa, and relentlessly pushing the Allies out of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. But now, they are on the defensive. In the USSR, where the Axis cross the river and achieved their greatest encirclement in 1941, are now on the retreat and on the defensive. In the Mediterranean, the Axis forces have lost all of their territory captured in 1942. And lastly, the Allies were pushing hard against determined resistance in the South Pacific. But the Axis knows they cannot turn the tide. It seems all the Axis are doing is retreating. The only question is, how long should they retreat? I cannot believe though. In two years, the Axis’s victories have been reversed and are now their greatest defeats yet. What does this mean for the remainder of the war? I do not know. But all I know is many more will perished. Godspeed to those who died.

[@edopronk1303]

With this speed in the USSR, I am wondering that (spoiler) it still will take 2 years. Although, now I think of it, 1,5 years is more to the truth, and exhausted USSR troops are mentioned, as well as muddy roads and winter is coming. Curious if the USSR has a winter offensive as last years, after this big summer offensive.

[@Franfran2424]

I mean, there's still half of ukraine, all of Poland, all of the Baltics, fighting on Moldova and some on Romania, brutal fighting in Hungary, and the push into Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Eastern Germany. As the German supply lines grew shorter, everything became easier for them in that aspect, even if they were undermanned, undertrained, and demoralised.

[@Franfran2424]

Oh, and the war against Finland and Crimea as well.

[@AbbeyRoadkill1]

I'd love to see a special episode that focused only on New Guinea- perhaps one that tells the story of the war from the perspective of Papuans. It's a very little talked about part of the war.

[@odysseusrex5908]

Why did Clark relieve Dawley of command of 6th corps? Where, physically, was Badoglio during this period? With the Germans in actual Physical control of Italy north of the Allied advance, and Mussolini having been proclaimed leader again, Badoglio cannot have been actually trying to govern from Rome. Surely, at some point, he must have been evacuated to Allied held territory.

[@merdiolu]

Both Clark and Dawley screwed up IV US Corps landinds at Salerno. On 13th September during big German attack on Salerno beachead , only two German regiment sized battlegroups infltrated the gap in Sele rive that seperated British and American beacheads and then hit overextended American left flank , wiped out two infantry battalions of 36th US Division and came 1.5 mile close to landing beaches on 13th September. Clark (he and VI US Corps commander Ernest Dawley were mostly responsible for this crisis) ordered all landings halted and even instructed preparing to evacuate VI US Corps beachead and land it to X British Corps sector further north where things were more or less under control. But when US Task Force commander Admiral Hewitt along with Royal Navy Task Force commander Commodore Oliver and X British Corps commander General Richard McCreery commanding British beachead at north , all objected to this defeatist attitute , he changed his mind and ordered the defence of US bridgehead. Thankfully heavy US artillery fire and a hastily thrown up anti tank screen and a provisional US infantry group made up rear area personel , held German advance and next day under heavy naval bombartment from task force warships ashore , Germans pulled back. Paratroopers of 504th Parachute Regiment played little role handling this crisis. However this close call to total rout , also finished IV US Corps commander General Ernest Dawley's active service career. It was he along with Clark who insisted not to use naval bombartment on the day of landing "to achieve suprise" (as if German air recon did not spot 200 ships approaching Gulf of Salerno) therefore caused heavy casaulties during IV Corps landings on 9th September , and now with a total uninspired leadership and mistakes in deployments , not linking the gap between beacheads , overextending the left flank and making it vulnerable , Dawley put his entire corps into mortal danger that was narrowly avoided. Throughout German attack Dawley in panic constantly said both his subordinates and superiors same quote : "Only thing I have is prayer !" His British allies were not trusting his performance either. Before Avalanche landings started , during final briefings aboard headquarters ship USS Anchon , X British Corps commander General Richard McCreery remarked to his chief of staff that Ernest Dawley reminded him a ventriloquist dummy , observing that Dawley constantly was shaking and bowing his head in agreement and repreating whatever Clark and his staff said without adding anything. When Eisenhower visited Dawley in VI Corps HQ at Pasteum on 17th September after crisis was way over and 5th US Army linked up with 8th Army and was breaking out of Salerno bridgehead , he treated IV Corps commander with utter contempt and inquired "How the hell did you put your troops into this mess ?" General Harold Alexander 15th Army Group commander accompanying Eisenhower , noticed another unfortunate telltale : Since they entered his tent , Dawley's hands were shaking. I think we can say Dawley is Lloyd Fredendall 2.0. With insistance of Clark (who was also halfway responsible for the close call on 13th) , he was relieved from his command within two weeks and sent back to States and General Lucas took command of VI Corps.

[@ericcarlson3746]

"On 8 September 1943, the armistice document was published by the Allies in the Badoglio Proclamation, before Badoglio could communicate news of the switch to the Italian armed forces. The units of the Italian Royal Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force were generally surprised by the switch and unprepared for German actions to disarm them. In the early hours of the following day, 9 September 1943, Badoglio, King Victor Emmanuel, some military ministers, and the Chief of the General Staff escaped to Pescara and Brindisi seeking Allied protection.[" "The city of Brindisi was the provisional government seat of the Kingdom of Italy from September 1943 to February 1944. " wikipedia

[@davethompson3326]

Nice to see the poor Romanians getting some love for a good fight, not carrying the can for the Germans yet again.

[@merdiolu]

Eighth Army Advance in Italy Now let's see what Eighth Army had been doing in this critical period. On 16th September our patrols linked with Fifth Army and by this time enemy has swung back its southern flank. Undoubtly that threat from south to its flanks must at least have a psyhcological reaction on German High Command (and indeed Lidell Hart remarked that Kesselring wanted to avoid outflanking from rear by Eighth Army) and possibly have them convinced to abandon to destroy Salerno beachead held by Fifth Army or at least give them a pretty good excuse. But at the other hand , our pressure was never very heavy and enemy was pulling back as quickly as they could. It must be remembered that the situation in Salerno was at hand before we established our pressure on enemy southern flank In considering this problem , the effect of landings on Taranto (Operation Slapstick) must not be forgotten. We were bringing resources in good pace on the front and organised enemy resistance was negligible. I feel that the situation in here must have been equally distressing , if not more so for Germans. We were patting ourselves at back saying at the time "We have done again" Now I realise how irritating this attitute must have been for Americans and General Clark. On 16th , the patrols from 1st Airborne Division from Taranto made contact with 1st Canadian Division. These patrols could work at least 40 miles off the port unmolested which shows the situation at eastern corner of Italy. I thereforee still ask myself "Wouldn't it be better concentrated wentering Italy via Adriatic ports after establishing our first bridgehead on toe of Italy in sufficient strength to command Straits of Messina ?" Though to carry out such a plan it would have been necessary : (1) To make that decision in mid-August , (2) To have given us enough shipping and landing craft which were made available at an earlier date. After a great effort by Signals to establish communications , we finally achieved the desirable objective of uniting Tacitcal , Rear and Main Headquarters of Eighth Army in same area at a few miles of Pizzo. It wasn't until 19th September that advanced elements of 5th British Division and 1st Canadian Division reached Auletta and Potenza respectively. To indicate the enemy resistance we encountered at that time , in the whole area bounded by Taranto - Bari - Foggia and Potenza , there were only about 9.000 German troops of 1st German Parachute Division. Having reached Auletta - Potenza line , Eighth Army had to more or less turn itself inside out. We have advanced more than 300 miles and were mainly being maintained by a single road from Calabria. It was a most uneconomical and wasteful effort to be struck with a single supply line like that. It was now became necessary to switch our supply base to the Adriatic ports and understandably that would take a lot of time and effort. We also had to regropup or forces , to carry out future missions assigned to us by 15th Army Group to operate eastern side of Italy. On 24th September , there was no further need for us to keep forces at Auletta area , so the Army Commander , Montgomery , gave us his orders for next phase of the campaign. Now I will describe I visit I made with Army Commander , Montgomery at Taranto on 22nd September. After breakfast we left Pizzo airfield and landed on Taranto ,and we were met there by General Allfrey , commander of 5th British Corps and General Mason-Macfarlane , head of our military mission (our liason) to Italian goverment and local Italian Army commander (no names given) of the area. Army commander shook hands with Italian general , he said he welcomed his cooperation , give his firsat instructions. All Italian commanders must obey his orders , Italian troops must stand where they were. He was arranging a British and Italian staff to form a mission to handle problems with five Italian divisions that defected to us in the Southern Italy. All requests for assistance and material must be instantly obeyed. Italian general agreed and concurred all that but then he asked when they would fight with Germans and march towards enemy , that was Italians greatest desire he said , fighting Germans. Montgomery set that aside by saying that common Allied cause can be served best by doing what he said. Later a more active role would be alloted. Later we drove to the headquarters of 5th British Corps where Army Commander adressed a gathering of officers. They were mostly new to his command and got an injection of Montgomery rocket and seemed to like it. Besides 1st Airborne Division , 78th British Divison , known as "Battleaxe Division" was also ordered from Sicily to be deployed to Italy and some advanced elements of this divisioın landed on Bari on 22nd and 23rd September securing this valuable port. The whole division would be concentrated in this area. Behind it , 8th Indian Division was expected to arrive from Egypt. Army commander , Montgomery explained on the map how he intended to switch his supply base on Adriatic and also axis of his main thrust. Time would be required in order to maintainance and build up to organise our full blooded attack north of Bari. In the meantime 5th Corps would stage a very active patrolling to find of enemy strength and positions. After lunch , we flew back to our headquarters. It gave me quite a thrill to fly over these great Italian cities whose capture had been made possible by our Eighth Army. Here was more to show our efforts than the leagues of desert sands in North Africa Operation Victory - Memoirs of Brigadier Francis De Guingand , Eighth Army Chief of Staff

[@korbell1089]

"We are having trouble with our forced laborers and prisoners working in our factories but not to worry, we are teaching them origami so we will plenty of tanks soon!" ~Albert Speer possibly

[@garcalej]

“Sure, Why not? You know for every thousand you make, heaven will grant you one wish.” -General Tojo on the phone with Hitler, likely, before hanging up and crying.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

SPOILER At Nuremberg a whip made of metal wires will be introduced into the prosecution evidence against Speer. Items like that were used to keep forced labourers in line.