219 - Allies Launch new Phase in Pacific War - WW2 - November 5, 1943

[@WorldWarTwo]

Join the TimeGhost Army: bit.ly/WW2_219_PI Führer Directive 51 this week once again emphasizes the strategic risk to Nazi Germany posed by a potential landing by the Allies. We discussed this landing at length in an hour long panel while we visited Normandy. Check that video out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXXWZIhjrtuJhK8

[@caryblack5985]

As of November 1, 1943 the Germans had 1,353,270 deaths on the Eastern Front and approx. 4,500,000 wounded. In the month of November the Germans would have an additional 67,363 deaths and approx. 190,000 wounded.

[@USSChicago-pl2fq]

Thank you for mentioning the 1st Czechoslovak Infantry Brigade

[@caryblack5985]

@@mattep74 Of course. It varies considerably and some wounded may be out for a few days or less and some for months or permanently. But for the most part it means you will be short handed for a certain amount of time.

[@dans.5745]

Could you please discuss Führer Directive 51, paragraph 3, specifically this part: "...particularly at places from which we shall launch our long-range war against England. For those are the very points at which the enemy must and will attack; there--unless all indications are misleading--will be fought the decisive invasion battle." This begs the question, Did the Allies have access to these words through Ultra or other means? Paragraph 3 really highlights the significance of the Pais de Calais area as the future home for V-1 & V-2 sites. It implies that Hitler considers this as key terrain to be held at all costs. Did the Allied deception operation (Bodyguard) play as key a role as it was thought at the time. Or did Hitler's determination to defend Calais vs Normandy play a bigger role for the future success of Overlord? Also, this language would make it clear to the British about the future use of the "Vengeance" weapons, and hint at their overall importance.

[@dans.5745]

@*Uncle Joe* Joe, I feel for you (& everyone else down-under). At least on the Eastern US, I am only about 6-7 hours off. However, I am never in a position to watch these live.

[@ErikHare]

One way that this series has changed my perspective on WWII is that only by hearing news week by week can anyone appreciate what a horrible long slog the Solomons Canpaign really was

[@Raskolnikov70]

Sadly there was no way to avoid it. As long as the Japanese held Rabaul they could potentially attack Australia, and they had to be safeguarded first before any serious attempt to push into the main Japanese defensive areas could begin.

[@konstantinriumin2657]

Yeah, it's quite something - two major powers fight for over a year for control of some jungle-covered islands

[@rodafowa1279]

I hope it changed the perception of the Australian contribution for some. Here in the US, the Pacific War is mainly looked at as the US fighting Japan alone. The reality was much different, of course, with several other nations pitching in. The Aussies, whose doorstep this was all taking place, fought like hell, and really showed their prowess in the Solomons.

[@FalconAnno75]

And to me how consistently the Germans lost ground in the east after Stalingrad. Relentless offensive(s) by the USSR in the southern half of the eastern front.

[@haldorasgirson9463]

Basically we were figuring out how this South Pacific island fighting thing worked. It was a continual learning experience as evidenced by the mounting battle casualties. Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa. The Japanese learned too.

[@thanos_6.0]

"They do not have the numbers or firepower to stop the soviets." This perfectly sums up the German situation on every front since early 1943.

[@caryblack5985]

As of November 1, 1943 the Germans had 1,353,270 deaths on the Eastern Front and approx. 4,500,000 wounded. In the month of November the Germans would have an additional 67,363 deaths and approx. 190,000 wounded

[@Ronald98]

@@caryblack5985 Germany has already lost the eastern front...

[@prize9550]

@@captainhurricane5705 Germany

[@ElDesperado7]

@@prize9550 Germs

[@watershipdowneyjr]

@@ElDesperado7 G

[@eleanorkett1129]

Love Indy’s dramatization of the Atlantic Wall.

[@serdradion4010]

Barbara line is more actual now. Like in the Italian canzone.

[@gunman47]

Another side note this week on November 4 1943 is that German prisoner of war (POW) Johannes Kunze is beaten to death by fellow prisoners after he was discovered to be a spy for the American guards. He was accidentally discovered due to a change of a new American doctor on duty who did not know that he was a spy and had passed on an incriminating note to another POW. Five POWs would be charged for Kunze’s murder. Interestingly, the case would be prosecuted by Leon Jaworski, who would later become the special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal in 1973.

[@Zen-sx5io]

RIP Johannes Kunze.

[@pauleohl]

Can there be any excuse for an American doctor having anything to do with German POWs other than healing the sick?

[@donjones4719]

Where was the POW camp? Was it a special one for SS troops, etc? And what sentence did the convicted POWs get? An interesting story, you made me curious.

[@theoneandonlysoslappy]

@@donjones4719 Oklahoma. Regular Wehrmacht. All five found guilty of murder and hanged.

[@johkupohkuxd1697]

Damn those Nazi scum. RIP Hans.

[@philiphied]

"And then we came upon a place I've never heard of before that day, an old monastery from Roman times stood atop a steep hill as if a great Shephard to the local villages in the surrounding lowlands They called it...Monte Cassino."

[@jliller]

Mile after mile our march carries on No army may stop our approach Fight side by side Many nations unite At the shadow of Monte Cassino We fight and die together As we head for the valley of death Destiny calls We'll not surrender or fail

[@chazzerman286]

Empress Augusta Bay is incredible to read about because it starts off as a masterful display of US radar-directed gunnery and quickly devolves into a series of collisions, dud shells and the occasional friendly fire incident.

[@obsidianjane4413]

No plan survives contact with Murphy.

[@mjbull5156]

Almost all surface naval actions tend to devolve into confusion, especially when forces engage at night, even with radar.

[@SRW_]

Just like modern day

[@seanbryan4833]

The US attack was not well executed. The cruisers opened fire as the destroyers were launching their torpedoes, letting the Japanese know they were under attack so they changed course and avoided all the torpedoes. In later attacks, with the benefit of the lessons learned, the guns would only open fire once the first torpedoes started hitting, to devastating effect.

[@robertkras5162]

The USN getting the advantage over the IJN in night fighting... isn't this the first time?

[@RollTide1987]

We're getting closer and closer to one of the first real blood baths of the the U.S.'s war in the Pacific - the Battle of Tarawa. It's going to be interesting to watch the fighting in the Pacific escalate on this channel in the coming weeks and months.

[@obsidianjane4413]

Spoilers!!!!! ;P

[@jerrycoob4750]

Ngl, when I saw that title I actually thought to myself: "Tarawa _already?"_ Time sure is flying this year, huh?

[@RolfYeager]

You’re crazy, it would probably take a million men a thousand years to ever take that island

[@Unknowngfyjoh]

Which is ironic cause the Pacific Theater has been one-sided since mid-1942.

[@George-vf7ss]

My dad was on the 1st wave going into Tarawa. He was pinned down and was afraid he was not doing his duty or being chicken. He looked over and Colonel Shoup, who became a Medal of Honor winner and 22nd Commander of the Marine Corps was doing the same thing, hiding behind some woden crates. He was at Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Siapan. Took alot to scare that guy.

[@andrewdixon3960]

My grandfather was an AA gunner on the USS Montpelier at the Battle of Empress Agusta Bay. Part of Merrill's task force.

[@matheusamaral623]

It's nice to have a coverage on the events following the battle of Kursk on the eastern front in detail. Most of the documentaries, books and etc just jump from this to the offensive that led to the battle of Berlin, like nothing important in between happened. Great work as always from Indy and crew

[@caryblack5985]

If you are interested in a detailed operational discussion of the fighting in the Ukraine described here get Prit Buttar Retribution Soviet Reconquest of Central Ukraine.

[@matheusamaral623]

@@caryblack5985 thanks a lot!

[@tomuschrysos]

You could argue these years are the toughest ones. Armies increasing in size, production ramping up.

[@griffn14]

During the Battle of Kiev, Luftwaffe pilot Emil Lang set an all-time world record of 18 aerial victories claimed from four combat missions in one day on 3 November 1943, flying in his Focke Wulf FW-190.

[@robertkras5162]

Pretty impressive in total - even more so for one day! I'll bet he dreamed of arial combat for nights to come.

[@griffn14]

@@robertkras5162 Yeah, quite a feat. Movie like fighter pilot performance there.

[@thestonedabbot9551]

Best to take those stats with a pinch of salt tbh, the Luftwaffe were very fond of exaggerating their kills

[@_ArsNova]

The only real “Ghost of Kiev”.

[@huyhoangtahuu9733]

@@Inquisitor6321 "The soviet air force suck " Second highest ace count in the war ; powerful air craft like La-5 , La-7 , Yak 3 ( which the Luftwaffe forbid engaging under 4000m ) , IL 2 ; ... The Soviet might not have the strongest air force but to call it suck is just wrong especially consider the average Soviet pilot is better than their German counter part due to how the Soviet used their ace ( German aces are constantly on mission until they die while Soviet/Allies aces are often rotate back to train new pilots which is why German ace have a high kill record)

[@terryp3034]

This week at a time retelling has been eye opening. I appreciate finally why it took the push in the Pacific so long to get going. And the rapid reversal of fortune triggered by the Axis surrender at Stalingrad is mind blowing. At this juncture it is clear Germany cannot win. And yet, so many deaths are ahead.

[@desmondd1984]

The psychology of it is fascinating. So many continued to fight and die, fanatically, for years on end, for war aims that were obviously futile.

[@quinnpittman2477]

300 plus guns per kilometer?? Have we seen that kind of concentration since WWI? This was an action packed episode as always. Thanks folks!

[@pauleohl]

That would be 1 artillery piece every 10 feet, They must have been staggered to make room for the men to work and to store shells.

[@donjones4719]

The Russian put great emphasis on the power of artillery, then and now. Now, unfortunately, because they've used it to good effect in Ukraine. They lost at maneuver warfare / combined arms warfare but are using artillery effectively. All the more effective because their other "strength" is utter ruthlessness in the use of artillery.

[@Franfran2424]

@@pauleohl The artillery wasn't along the 6km line... It was over the opposite side of the river, they mean the ammount of guns aimed around the perimeter of the bridgehead

[@gunman47]

A side note this week on November 2 1943 is that Chinese-born resistance fighter *Lim Bo Seng* will arrive in Japanese occupied Malaya via Dutch submarine O 24 as part of the Sino-British guerrilla task force Force 136 under the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Under Operation Gustavus, he was to assist in setting up an espionage network in Malaya and Singapore in order to aid the British to recapture both territories in Operation Zipper. However, he would eventually be betrayed and captured by the Japanese and would die in prison on 29 June 1944 without ever revealing any details on Force 136 despite Japanese torture.

[@Zen-sx5io]

RIP Lim Bo Seng.

[@sealove79able]

What happened to a poisonous pill?

[@gunman47]

@@sealove79able That’s actually a pretty good question, as far as I’m aware, they did not seem to be issued any poisonous or cyanide pills like high ranking Germans did. I could be wrong about this though.

[@sealove79able]

Thank you.@@gunman47

[@tkengathegrateful4844]

A brave and patriotic man. I'm glad you told us about him.

[@tinkmarshino]

Indy, you are really a talented fellow. I started to follow you from WW1 because my grandfather fought in it and when I had come home from vietnam he and my father (WW2) and myself would sit at times drink a beer and swap stories. I really hate war... But you tell it in such a way that it is not blood, guts and chaos.. But thought and strategy .. I thank you for that.. Well done son!

[@coltseavers6298]

Thank you very much for putting that min-map in the bottom corner of the Eastern front battle maps. It really helps give the viewer a much better, overall picture of what is going on the entire front. I now noticed that the Northern front has not changed much. I was wondering about that.

[@caryblack5985]

There will be a big offensive coming in the Leningrad area starting Dec 1943/Jan 1944.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

The Northern Front was always the one least prioritized by both sides. From the STAVKA perspective the Center was the most important, which was why throughout 1942 they maintained large reserves there to protect Moscow and why they launched Operation Mars in the winter. It was only the success of Operation Uranus and the followup success against Armygroup South that caused the Soviets to switch their main focus to the South. So south first, center second, north, meh. It was only in 1944, when the disasters in the south had shifted so much German mobile forces to the south that the opportunity for a successful offensive in the north and center arose and that the gravity of Soviet operations shifted northwards.

[@donjones4719]

The addition of a larger scale map for orientation was suggested in the Comments a week or two ago. Credit to Indy and crew for recognizing a good idea and acting on it. And my thanks to the now-forgotten person who made the Comment.

[@benismann]

coz north is just unimportant, simply put. South has a lot of resources, center is generally a big threat to moscow itself (and to a lot of other places since it's kinda in the middle) and north is just... north

[@mjbull5156]

Hitler's directive to concentrate on the Western Front must have done wonders for the morale of the units steadily retreating in the East.

[@sithtrooper1948]

*Hans running after the heavy panzers that are withdrawing* “COME BACK!! DON’T LEAVE US! WE NEED YOU DAMN IT!!”

[@sidgarrett7247]

Military units at brigade and below seldom know what other units are doing or even where the other units are. The soldier knows his squad, and some of the platoon, but exactly where the other companies are, he seldom knows. From experience, U.S. Army Cavalry and later Infantry. Retired.

[@nickgooderham2389]

This week, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division arrives in Italy on November 5th, and the Canadians will now form their own corps. The 1st and 5th divisions will now fall under the control of the 1st Canadian Corps. 5th Armour will replace the British 7th Armoured Division (the Desert Rats) withdrawn to back Britain. The Canadians will inherit 7th Division's well used tanks and equipment much of which has been in service since the North African campaign. It will take several weeks to get the equipment back into fighting shape and months before the new type III and V Shermans arrive. General Guy Simmonds takes command of 5th Armour while 2nd Infantry Brigade Brigadier (now major-general) Chris Vokes will take command of 1st Infantry Division. 5th Armour is actually the second Canadian armoured formation to arrive in Italy, as Canada had sent the the 1st Armoured Brigade to Sicily to support the 1st Infantry Division and they continued on to the Italian campaign. This brigade consists of 3 tank regiments including the 14th Calgary, veterans of the Dieppe raid. Although originally intended to support the Canadians they are often attached to British units. The two Canadian "heavy divisions" (numbering about 25,000 personnel each) plus 1st Corps troops and the 1st Armoured Brigade bring the total number of Canadian soldiers in Italy to over 70,000.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

Not a smart move on Canada's sake, as it split their army up. What's the point in forming a Canadian Army command when you place half of your forces in a different theater? After Sicily 1st Canadian Division should have returned to the UK, mission accomplished, combat experience gained. And it's not like the Italian command needed more armor, if anything the theater was horrible tank country.

[@nickgooderham2389]

@@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623 Canadian army commander Andy McNaughton would have agreed with you, but (spoiler) he is replaced in December. The 5th Armoured Division will replaced by the 1st Polish Armoured Division and a Scottish infantry division will also be added. The Czech's will provide an armoured brigade as well. With more Canadian troops arriving in Britain and additions by other nations the First Canadian Army will swell to over 400,000.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

@@nickgooderham2389 It's still only half a Canadian Army. And the Poles and Scots could have gone to Italy instead. Which would have had the advantage of uniting all Polish forces in one theater as well. As for McNaughton's replacement, Crerar, I hear that Monty despised him. And that he liked II Corps commander, Simmonds. Who had served under Monty in Italy. If you weren't part of Monty's 8th Army boys network you weren't on his trust list. Anyway, much love to the Canadians, who liberated most of my country, the Netherlands. Including the Poles that fought with them.

[@Cyberfender1]

Canadians. Well done. Remember your tough, proud efforts from Ww2. Use it to fuel you fight against the communists and Globalist. Get your guns back!

[@McTeerZor]

In the coming weeks. The corps will shift northeast, towards the Adriatic coast. And an awfully bloody Christmas.

[@ReformationHomested]

My wife’s grandpa served as a medic in the Buckeye Battalion (part of the 129th infantry) and made it to shore on Bougainville in the first day. The only time he ever talked about it was the last time he ever talked about it but he did earn a bronze star. He saw some of the horrors of that battle and had to decide who and who not to treat.

[@BlackBanditXX]

The Mighty Monty sends her regards, Tojo! (The USS Montpelier (CL-57) - named for the capital of Vermont - was the flagship of TF-39 during this period. Some time around her deployment to this theater in Feb of '43, she became known as 'The Mighty Monty'.)

[@bobharvey6957]

Really appreciate the mini map of the ussr in the corner, it really helps to understand where we are

[@petergray7576]

10:39 the T-34 "recovery" vehicle is literally just a former tank with its turret removed. Older T-34s underwent a crude conversion, and weren't fitted with cranes or winches one would normally find on ARVs.

[@lukum55]

Otherwise yes but both the recovery vehicle and the tank its towing are KV-1s

[@petergray7576]

@@lukum55 Oops. Jumped the gun on that. First time seeing a KV-1 used like that.

[@RodolfoGaming]

19:00 - Indy turns into a spartan for a split second here. That face and that look and especially that line, very well done whoever had the idea of this outro, superb coverage as always|

[@AtamiskxIx]

Wonderful job once again team! I must say, the addition of the mini map in the corner is a great idea, the eastern front can be tricky to keep up with sometimes and I personally appreciate it. Thank you all again for what yall do!

[@marcelomarques8664]

Could you mention the Brazilian participation on Italy's campaign? Make me proud, besides any circumstances, the Brazilian blood helped Europe liberation. Great work!!!

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

And this brazilian veterans led to the dictatorial leader being outset

[@tommy-er6hh]

I do not think they are in battle yet, probably still en route or refitting in Italy. BTW, why don't you want to be proud of the Brazil Navy and Air force in the Battle of the Atlantic?

[@extrahistory8956]

They will be involved in 1944, so a year from now.

[@oceanhome2023]

Rabaul remains the BEST Diving spot in the world, the water clarity is amazing. ! I am sad that I aged out of Diving

[@alansewell7810]

Another well-told video that sheds light on a lesser-known episode in the war. I'd never heard of the the battles for Bougainville and Empress Augusta Bay. General Vandergrift sounds like one of our best generals to buffalo the Japanese about where he was going to land, thereby preventing thousands of American casualties. Likewise the admirals who won the naval battles around the islands, inflicting highly disproportionate losses on the Japanese. The Japanese never liked to retreat, and abandoning Rabaul must have been an utmost humiliation.

[@ariochiv]

I really liked the way the naval battle was depicted. Very cool graphics.

[@joebudi5136]

",,,,oh yeah! If." Well done Indy!

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

A wonderful video introduced with informative coverage of pacific ocean war during WW2

[@RedLogicYT]

Hey hope everyone is having a great day! Thanks for the new video and all your staff's hard work :)

[@Kay2kGer]

my grandpa told me recently, that one of his uncles served in monte casino. another one was in deyansk. it adds a little bit of more interesest, when you have some additional connection to this kind of operations and battles.

[@Spiderfisch]

If the Atlantic wall will be as impressive as the Panther line the Allies have nothing to fear

[@Ronald98]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@extrahistory8956]

Oh yeah, remember when that was a thing?

[@richardbierig7798]

Is the quote at 12:59 correctly attributed to Rick Atkinson’s, The Day of Battle? I recall the book but do not recall much detail about Soviet operations on the eastern front. Just checking! Keep up the great work! Love what you’re doing

[@Southsideindy]

I just re watched this and NO! It's from Prit Buttar. I don't know how that happened in the editing process, but it did. Sorry for that, but good eye.

[@jasonmussett2129]

I' ve gotta lay down, breathless narration😀😀😀

[@williamdonnelly224]

Thanks!

[@necromorph1109]

Thank you for these video guys . I look forward to it more than any actual show .

[@McRocket]

7:47 - Thank you! ☮

[@seanbryan4833]

The carrier pilots attacking the IJN cruisers at Rabaul had specific instructions not to try to sink any particular vessel, but rather to try to damage as many of them as possible, so that the Japanese were compelled to withdraw them from the area, eliminating the threat that cruiser force posed to the landing forces.

[@ISawABear]

4:44 i think the wording was a bit vague but i take it it was 100 *American planes* attacking the *Japanese ships*

[@barrygray3615]

I took it the opposite, Japanese planes attacking US ships.

[@TheNoobYouHATE]

My neighbor Clarke just died. He served as an anti-aircraft gunner aboard the U.S.S. Princeton and several different destroyers in the Pacific. God rest his soul, and God bless the US Navy.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Tin-can sailors are a different breed for sure. Bet he was an interesting dude to talk to.

[@jorgemartinpaez4376]

GRACIAS to your neighbor! AA gunner aboard USS PRINCETON, CVL,_ awesome! and was a tin can sailor! awesome! Our lady star of the ocean sea, pray for him, God bless the USN!

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

Great job Indy & team.

[@edwardlozano8807]

Not related to any of the actions of the war, but November 5, 1943 was the day that my Dad was born. He would have turned 79 today and would have gotten a kick out of learning about all the stuff that was going on in the first part of his life!

[@hannahskipper2764]

Japanese: Shit, damn, that's a lot of firepower we just got hit with. Germans in Russia: Shit, damn, that's a lot of firepower we just got hit with. Hitler: Shit, damn, I need an Atlantic Wall asap!

[@Arashmickey]

They say they're the Solomons islands, but nobody told me they're so mountainous. They should call them the Multimons islands.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

Germany's ability to create defensive lines in a relatively short time was impressive. It's bunker building capabilities deserve a whole special onto itself. I hear there was a complete underground city being built in Western Poland that never saw service. That's a massive investment of resources in a time where defensive lines in the East, West and Italy were being built.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Those same skills are why the Allied strategic bombing campaign was never successful at doing major damage to Germany's infrastructure and industry. As soon as they destroyed something, the Germans rebuilt it under tons of concrete.

[@Zen-sx5io]

I'm sure this channel did a video on German bunker building already.

[@dehaifu68]

But are those defensive lines useful? Clearly they couldn't stop Russians in the east because they had too many guns. In the west though, Allies had enough planes so it's hard to stop landing.

[@cass7448]

@@Raskolnikov70 Those rebuilding efforts represent resources that could have been spent elsewhere though.

[@doolittlegeorge]

@@dehaifu68 they were totally worthless and left the vast North German Plain open to attack. There is a kind of point in World War 2 where one wonders if Hitler isnt in fact playing for wholesale annihilation of Germany as some type of *"political thing"* (Germans inbred cosmopolitan and weak, slav peasant class innumerable hard working and strong) but leaving that aspect aside make no mistake the Sturm 44 Assault Rifle is heading to the East not West which completes the outfitting of wholly mechanized German Infantry and maintains operational flexibility against still continued Russian Red Army frontal assaults. The failure of the anglo/american/Canadian militaries to retake Crete in 1943 is to me one of the great fantastical blunders by Western Allied High Command and Churchill in particular who in righting his *"History of World War 2"* which makes for an interesting read *NEVER ONCE ADMITS TO MAKING A MISTAKE* which is pretty pathetic. Anyhow I think it's beyond a mistake but a *MASSIVE BLUNDER* in failing to start imagining the post World War 2 order as clearly a *MILITARY NOT JUST POLITICAL OR HISTORICAL MATTER.* Two Empires one British *BUT THE OTHER FRENCH* are clearly in grave danger here and may offer insight into this yeah I absolutely agree really and truly "crazy thoughts from Hitler" stuff. Anyhow the odd nature of the Italian Campaign would not be responded to with silence by those who fought it in the USA post World War 2 and would become an interesting political fight in a USA never once having had a standing Army or even Navy for that matter in its History for anything other than *"Banana Wars"* of the 1920s. Great news for the Dole Fruit Company tho!

[@DaveSCameron]

Thanks again for your work and efforts uploading these for us all.

[@Dustz92]

Movie recommendation for this week: "Прорыв (Breakthrough)" (1970), by Yuri Ozerov. The second film of the Освобождение (Liberation) film series. The full film can be watched in KZbin in the Mosfilm channel. The first one covered the Battle of Kursk, and this follows up with the Battle of the Dnieper that we've seen the last few months, culminating with the Kiev Operation that starts this week. As the first one, it has an almost documentary feel, with all the major involved characters showing up. Period covered: 19 July 1943-1 January 1944 Historical accuracy: 4/5 - Quite accurate but here and there some things that are not true are depicted. IMBD grade: 7.6/10

[@Dustz92]

Full film: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWOYc56modF7mZI

[@McSpanklez]

I kind of hope you guys cover a little more of the Pacific side of things on the next episode (:

[@Giveme1goodreason]

They cover it as it happens. So if they’ve not covered it much, it’s because there’s not much to cover. It’s based on what’s happening not what people wanna hear.

[@derrickthewhite1]

@@Giveme1goodreason They hinted there will be some more mid-pacific action next week.

[@benismann]

@@Giveme1goodreason well except china. But that's also coz of lack of sources and stuff

[@nickinthefield4202]

Indy is such a natural and talented presenter, not to mention his amazing Historical knowledge! Please keep up up the good work! 👏👏

[@woohu2u2]

My father was a pilot on the Princeton and flew many missions in that area.

[@HikaruGunner]

The way Indy narrated the directive number 51 left me pumped for the next months lol

[@whywhat9018]

Out of any theatre of war in WW2. The Asia-Pacific campaigns is the one that interests me the most. Mostly because my great grandfather Joseph fought in Burma.

[@porksterbob]

Burma was mentioned. The Chinese 38th division isn't fighting in changde. They are on the India Burma border

[@extrahistory8956]

After the stalemate in late 1942 and most of 1943, it's gonna be interesting to see the Chinese and Burma campaigns roar back to life in 1944.

[@Onthejazz247]

I really like the weeks like this with so much action in the Pacific. As an American, it's obviously the front I take the most interest in as it the front where the US was really the prime player (and where a few relatives served), so these are great.

[@Warmaker01]

I've said it many times before, even when this series was in 1942, that it was in the German people's best interest to sue for peace back then. The spear was blunted and the costs rising in astronomical numbers in casualties. The strategic situation in general was getting worse in the Eastern Front and out in North Africa. It's clear their enemies were getting stronger and stronger. Again, it's 1942. If not 1942 than early 1943 with the loss of Sixth Army at Stalingrad and all Axis forces in North Africa, that basically happened back to back. If not after those early losses, then for sure the failure of their Kursk offensive and the successful Allied landings in Sicily, rolling up into Italy, and collapsing Mussolini's government. They should have sued for peace, it was in the best interest of the German people to do so. Of course, that wasn't going to happen. Their leaders in charge have done heinous things and they know they'll have to answer for it. They won't surrender, so many Germans, both civilian and military, will die in 1944-1945. The losses you see Germany incur here in 1942-1943? They'll get a lot worse in 1944-1945. We haven't seen the devastation yet. As for the Pacific, it's the big surprise that the US sent in 14k Marines against a large garrison of 40k Soldiers. Usually in the general rule of war, offensively you want a 3:1 numerical advantage. But air and naval arm were in heavy favor of the Allies. The Carrier Raid against Rabaul ordered by Halsey? He had skin in that game. His son was an officer aboard one of the Carriers he ordered to attack. Of note, when you're looking at the US Navy's presence for Bougainville and the 2 Carrier raid despite it being November 1943, you're probably wondering, "Where's all the ships the Americans had before as with Guadalcanal and earlier in the Solomons?" The answer is simple. While Bougainville campaign was going on, a massive invasion fleet with a lot of troops is preparing for operations in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands of the Central Pacific. If you thought the USN was really strong in earlier phases of the Pacific War, well buddy... You ain't seen nothing yet.

[@Dustz92]

They mentioned a couple of weeks ago that this is the reason why the Japanese had moved most of their ships to the central Pacific as well. And now they've brought them back to the Salomons just in time for the Gilbert's campaign to start...

[@Thechezbailey]

Any attempt by the nazis to sue for peace would have been seen for what it was: an excuse to regroup and a sign of weakness from the people who consider any Treaty just "a piece of paper."

[@mn_rifleman]

Getting ahead here but happy birthday Devil Dogs 🍻

[@Jay-ho9io]

Semper Fi. 👍🏼

[@1Dropboys]

I love you guys so much, thank you for all you do

[@evancrum6811]

Thanks as always

[@Amp497]

Your creativity in pronunciation never ceases to amaze and amuse me.

[@alexhussinger3550]

Its interesting how important Aircraft Carriers were to the Pacific War in 1942 and 1944, but how little they wind up doing by comparison in 1943.

[@Dustz92]

The Americans managed to get most of theirs destroyed by the end of Guadalcanal while the Japanese managed to get almost all of their pilots killed... So both took 1943 as a year to refit their carrier forces (and yet you see here the Americans sending carriers and the Japanese pilots both to their probable doom).

[@jliller]

The problem was a simple shortage of carriers on the American side and trained pilots on the Japanese side. By the end of 1942, all the US has in the Pacific is basically Enterprise and Saratoga. Saratoga is being repaired from a second submarine torpedoing and the Enterprise from her damage at Santa Cruz (and needing some upgrades after being busy all year long). The Essex and Independence class carriers are just coming into service during 1943 and its a slow process getting them and their new air groups ready. Meanwhile the Japanese have a temporary advantage in carriers over the USN at the end of 1942, but their air groups were gutted by losses. Then the rebuilt air groups are deployed to Rabaul where they are gutted again, and they'll never remotely recover the pilot quality they've lost.

[@indianajones4321]

This channel is so good

[@merdiolu]

BATTLE OF ATLANTIC (30 October - 5 November 1943) , German U-Boat Losses off Gibraltar , Mediterranean Sea and South Atlantic Owing to the heavy Allied air cover provided to the KM-MK convoys proceeding between the British Isles and the Mediterranean from Straits of Gibraltar and off coast of Portugal, the Germans had not conducted group operations against them since June 1942. With the arrival in France of new Luftwaffe aircraft (JU-88s, HE-177s, JU-290s, BV-222s) and the loss of all but one U-tanker, Admiral Dönitz and U-Boat Control deployed Wolfpack group Schill 1 against this convoy route. The group had what was considered to be the advantage of being close to French bases, thus reducing the need for refueling and profiting from the convoy-spotting by the Luftwaffe. To avoid detection before its first strike, Schill 1 was deliberately kept small. It was composed initially of only eight boats, including the flak boats U-211, U-441, and U-953. Early in the deployment, unidentified Allied aircraft hit and severely damaged the U-441, commanded by Klaus Hartmann. Unable to make necessary repairs, Hartmann aborted to France. The seven remaining boats of Schill 1 deployed west of Portugal to intercept the northbound convoy MKS 28, which was merged with the northbound convoy Sierra Leone 138, altogether sixty merchant ships. The two convoys were protected by Royal Navy Escort Group 39, comprised of ten warships: two destroyers (HMS Whitehall, HMS Wrestler), three sloops (HMS Hastings, HMS Rochester, HMS Scarborough), a frigate (HMS Tavy), three corvettes, and, for protection against German aircraft, the antiaircraft light cruiser HMS Alynbank. A Luftwaffe BV-222 aircraft found and reported this large formation on October 27 but lost it over the next two days. However, Heinz Franke in U-262 located and tracked the convoy on October 29 and 30 and brought up other boats, including Ritterkreuz holder Peter Cremer in U-333. Franke and Cremer attacked and both claimed a “destroyer” sunk, but neither claim has been confirmed. In addition, Franke claimed that he sank a 7,000-ton freighter, which proved to be the 3,000-ton Norwegian Hallfried, only the third freighter to be sunk by U-boats in the whole of the North Atlantic in the month of October. During the action on October 31, two of Royal Navy escorts, the destroyer HMS Whitehall and the corvette HMS Geranium, found a U-Boat , one of the Schill 1 boats , by sonar and sank her by Hedgehog depth charge mortar and depth charges. The victim was the U-306, commanded by Claus von Trotha. The British confirmed the kill by fishing out “splintered woodwork’ of the type known to be used in the interior of TypeVII submarines. No survivors or bodies were found from U-306 and the kill was shared between HMS Whitehall and HMS Geranium. In order to maintain group Schill 1 at a strength of eight boats, U-boat Control directed two Type VII submarines newly sailed from France to replace the lost U-306 and the aborting flak boat, U-441. The group, which still included the flak boats U-211 and U-953, then then redeployed to intercept a KMS convoy southbound to Gibraltar. Luftwaffe aircraft scouted for the convoy on November 2, 3, and 4, but they had no luck. However, on the night of November 4, Ritterkreuz holder Peter Cremer in U-333 got a hydrophone contact and surfaced in “thick” fog. Suddenly, he wrote, “distorted by the shifting veil of the fog, disjointed , and growing to gigantic size, hulls, masts and funnels came into view.” But before he could prepare and send a contact report, a “destroyer” loomed out of the fog, bearing down on U-333. Cremer shot a T-5 at the “destroyer” by eye and dived to 590 feet, but the torpedo missed or malfunctioned and the “destroyer” pounded U-333 with “a rain of depth charges.” The U-333 survived, but Cremer remained submerged during the daylight hours, delaying his contact report for about eighteen hours. U-boat Control was furious. Not only had Cremer delayed his contact report, the diarist logged, but also he had failed to include a location. His lapses were “incomprehensible,” the diarist admonished. Because of the delay, operations against this convoy could not be mounted. On the afternoon of October 31, a British surface-ship patrol detected Claus-Peter Carlsen in U-732 at the western mouth of the Gibraltar Strait. Big Royal Navy anti submnarine trawler HMS Imperialist, commanded by A.R.F. Pelling, sailed to the location of contact , located her by sonar , attacked, dropping ten depth charges. These exploded directly below the keel of U-732 and blew her to the surface. Before Carlsen could get the boat under water again, HMS Imperialist opened fire with her main gun and scored several hits. When U-boat dived, HMS Imperialist dropped twenty-eight more depth charges that drove U-732 to the bottom, where Carlsen lay doggo for about six hours. After dark, Carlsen surfaced to escape at full speed on the diesels. However U-732 was badly damaged by depth charge attack and taking water. One hour later an unidentified British aircraft got U-732 on radar and flashed an alarm. Unable or unwilling to dive again, Carlsen gave orders to scuttle. As the men were jumping overboard, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Douglas, commanded by K.H.J.L. Phibbs arrived to the location , attacked, dropping ten depth charges close to the sinking U-boat. After U-732 went down to the bottom of sea , HMS Douglas rescued eight Germans; another destroyer HMS Witherington picked up another ten. A Red Cross ship found Carlsen, bringing the number of survivors to nineteen. • Only a few hours later, in the early minutes of November 1, a Leigh Light-equipped Wellington bomber of RAF Coastal Command Squadron 179, piloted by Arthur H. Ellis, found Hans-Joachim Klaus in U-340 also at the mouth of Gibraltar Strait. Ellis attacked, dropping six depth charges, but an engine malfunctioned, forcing the Wellington to abort. Later in the day another British surface patrol located U-340 with sonar. Three Royal Navy warships, the destroyers HMS Active and HMS Witherington and the sloop HMS Fleetwood, arrived to the contact location pounded U- boat with depth charges that fatally damaged U-340. Still later that day, Klaus , surfaced his damaged U-Boat , elected to scuttle her close to shore so the Germans could swim to Spanish soil. After the forty-eight Germans had been in the water about four hours, a Spanish fishing trawler came along and picked them up. The Germans celebrated their rescue, but, as it turned out, prematurely. Then Royal Navy sloop HMS Fleetwood came up and captured all the Germans. Apparently some of the sixty-seven Germans captured from U-732 and U-340 talked freely during interrogations by their captors in RN intelligence. From them Royal Navy Admiralty obtained detailed information about the T-5 Wren (or GNAT) “antidestroyer” homing torpedo, the ineffective Wanze and the new Naxos radar detectors, the Aphrodite radar decoy, and the quad 20mm and twin 20mm flak guns. Hitler's U-Boat War - Clay Blair Jr

[@merdiolu]

One of the four U-boats sailed to West Africa or to the Indian Ocean in September and October , was sank early in her patrol. • Wilhelm Rollmann, who won a Ritterkreuz on U-34 in 1940, embarked for the Far East in the new IXD2 U-cruiser U-848. On November 2, he sank the lone 4,600-ton British freighter Baron Semple. This sinking alerted U.S. Army and Navy ASW aircraft on Ascension Island. These included, notably, a detachment of four B-24 Liberator bombers of U.S. Navy Squadron VB 107 from Natal, Brazil. While out searching about three hundred miles southwest of Ascension on November 5, the crew of a Navy B-24 piloted by Charles A. Baldwin found U-848 on the surface and flashed a contact report. In two runs into massive flak, Baldwin dropped twelve depth charges and severely damaged the U-boat, which remained on the surface, trailing “a great amount” of fuel oil. Circling beyond flak range, Baldwin homed in two other Navy B-24s. These were piloted by William R. Ford (who had sunk U-164 earlier in the year) and by William E. Hill Supported by Baldwin, who strafed the boat, Ford made two runs into heavy flak. He dropped twelve depth charges, but both salvos fell short and he returned to Ascension. Also supported by Baldwin, who made another strafing run, Hill attacked the U-boat from behind, but Rollmann’s gunners shot out one of Hill’s engines, forcing him too to return to Ascension. Baldwin continued to circle the damaged U-boat beyond flak range. Four hours after his crew had first spotted U-848, Baldwin homed in Ford’s B-24, returning from Ascension with the same crew but a new pilot, Samuel K. Taylor. At about the same time, three Army Air Forces B-25 bombers arrived from Ascension. These dropped 500-pound general-purpose bombs from 1,500 feet, but not surprisingly, the attacks were ineffective. Taylor made two runs, dropping twelve depth charges. On this second attack, Taylor’s aircrew performed with consummate skill. The depth charges fell close and “the enemy U-Boat broke in half and sank.” Taylor’s crew counted “twenty-five or thirty” survivors from sinking U-848 in the water and dropped three life rafts, but only one German, chief boatswain Hans Schade, survived. A month later, on December 3, the American cruiser Marblehead rescued Schade from a raft, but he was delirious and died two days later in a hospital in Recife, Brazil, where he was buried with appropriate military ceremony. Hitler's U-Boat War - Clay Blair Jr

[@paultyson4389]

Clearly "happy times" are a very distant memory for U-boat crews.

[@serdradion4010]

Eventually they have stopped sinking ships with the AA flak, that's an improvement. Sub comm Claus Von Trotha that got killed was the son of an infantry General. Denitz also lost his son in the sub sunken.

[@andrewgrandfield7214]

18:27 Strong finish

[@shawnr771]

Thank you for the lesson.

[@Lifeskillsish]

It really seems hard to fathom the axis leadership having a hope in hell of turning things around at this point.

[@mschf981]

It's funny that now that the germans lack the manpower and resources to stop their ennemies, they figure out that the best action possible is to build maginot lines everywhere. Old ideas are hard to kill

[@m1t2a1]

I learned how to pronounce Bougainville by watching Black Sheep Squadron in the mid 70s. Fiction based on reality. Cool Corsairs. Real ones at that. Close enough.

[@shaider1982]

6:07 talk about some foreshadowing

[@APPFILM]

Watching from Indonesia 🇮🇩🤗

[@kennethfox1586]

You bring History to life

[@sandylukemarsden7160]

Excellent content! Thanks peopl....

[@gianniverschueren870]

Lovely use of the pastels here. Not something you see a lot on ties. 4.5/5

[@soyentak5076]

Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita would have the last laugh. His descendants would forge an Empire, and be the greatest house in the Inner Sphere.

[@extrahistory8956]

At 7:49, nice to see the return of the Chinese front. It had been quite quiet since April.

[@porksterbob]

And Burma. The Chinese 38th division is fighting in Burma

[@extrahistory8956]

@@porksterbob Lol, I got confused for a second. Indy was first talking about Japanese progress in the Changde province, then he mentioned the 38th Division, yet the map was still fixated on China, not Burma.

[@kf7mjf]

The maniacal conclusion almost sounds like how I picture Hitler writing his directive.

[@Levman74]

Directive 51 stinks of desperation

[@GlennDavey]

0:05 Already feel like I'm spending a fortune to watch this. How about these production values?

[@FatManWalking18]

heard Indy over at the Operations Room coverage of the Ardennes Campaign

[@Southsideindy]

You did!

[@michaelmorford3932]

Bull Hallsey taking huge risks? That's unheard of! 🤣😇

[@bcvetkov8534]

Crimea being cut off is such a big deal. The Soviets might be able to liberate Sevastopol in a few weeks time. I wonder what the Germans on the now isolated peninsula are thinking to themselves?

[@Raskolnikov70]

"Good thing I took swimming lessons in high school..."

[@ericcarlson3746]

on last week's episode wasnt one of the German generals planning an evacuation? ooops too late. amazing how fast we moved from defending that land on the east side of the Kerch Strait to being trapped

[@Fractured_Unity]

@@ericcarlson3746 He was planning an evacuation and was told not to by H. Typical

[@janiceduke1205]

'Hitler made only one big mistake when he built his Atlantic Wall,” the paratroopers liked to say. “He forgot to put a roof on it.' Frederick the Great’s military maxim holds, “He who defends everything defends nothing.” This maxim was unknown to-or at least disregarded by-Hitler, whose goal was to so completely seal off his western coastal flank that the Allies would be dissuaded from attempting an invasion.

[@alanfinch8763]

The speed of movement is amazing during such a massive scale war.

[@matthewishunting]

Great video as always: I don't like the fake phone call intros. My brain gets mad trying to fill in the lack of verbal ques. Maybe a mumble sound effect with tonal inflections would help. I love this channel and Indy tho :D

[@evancrum6811]

Pretty incredible what the US Navy did to the Japanese and how the Japanese became very cautious

[@tremor3258]

We've really reached the point where the R&D budget advantage of the Allied economies is starting to pay off in huge dividends.

[@hallamhal]

Shame Indy wasn't wearing a tie this week 😕 ...Or if he was, I couldn't see it...

[@DarrylMiglio]

(Another) Great conclusion

[@edopronk1303]

Did I miss something? Cutting off Crimea in one day? It felt so little attention in contrast to Kiev. Was there last time much happening there?

[@dans.5745]

I noticed the same thing. It was out of the blue...

[@caryblack5985]

If you look at last weeks episode the Soviets were advancing in that area. The German resistance had completely collapsed and the Soviets quickly advanced to cut off Crimea.

[@dans.5745]

@@caryblack5985 I guess I missed its mention last week. I try to follow them, sometimes I am on the road listening (not watching).😃

[@serdradion4010]

Hardly in just one day. It was an fast forward presentation.

[@reddeaddude2187]

A video that is 19:39 long. I see what you did there. It all comes full circle.

[@cliffordcasnermillar4976]

When will you discuss the planning for the opening of the Central Pacific drive in Adm. Nimitz’s theatre? The offensive itself begins in two weeks.

[@Southsideindy]

It'll get plenty, I mean plenty, of coverage over the last six weeks of the year.

[@SoloChinchilla]

Awesome!

[@ashlati4616]

Cool. Now our Pacific battles come together like dueling lightsabers

[@LoneWanderer727]

I'm catching up on this series aggressively. Almost as aggressively as the Soviets on the Eastern front. But I'm paying more attention to the fine details than anyone else who's making decisions right now ....or at least I hope I am 😅

[@theupsetter1969]

Ooooh it's getting exciting, I can't wait to see how it ends,😀 No spoilers!

[@Shaterrer]

In case of Soviet Union it's not liberating, it's recapturing.

[@beachboy0505]

9:11 Excellent video 📹 'Dunkirk was a long time ago' Even resting' British infantry units can defeat elite German army units. 2 years is a long time.

[@eluc_s2510]

At 16:20 the minimap doesnt seem to be updated (Kherson oblast still controlled by the Axis)

[@stevebarrett9357]

Couple of things this time around. The thought occurred to me that Indy seems to savor saying "Smiling Albert Kesselring" almost as much as when he'd say "Conrad von Hötzendorf" although probably for different reasons. Looking at the Red Army pushing towards the Dnepr, I wondered where they were a year ago, so I looked up episode 167 (Nov. 6th) and saw the Germans trying to push the Red Army into the Volga at Stalingrad. Things have certainly turned around for both sides in the last 12 months.

[@israelforreal]

Lived , dreamed , and loved. So many condemned to certain death.

[@thepetrologist]

I would like to know more about carriers coming online for US and Japan and shifting balance of naval power.

[@caryblack5985]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_carriers_of_World_War_II

[@doomer704]

Military History not Visualized made good video about that go check em