A Strange Campaign: The Battle for Madagascar - 80th Anniversary

A Strange Campaign: The Battle for Madagascar - 80th Anniversary
Our guest for this show is Russell Phillips, a military historian from South Yorkshire, England.
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Russell's previous show on WW2TV • The Lidice Massacre an...
Madagascar provided the stunning backdrop for one of the strangest conflicts of the Second World War - when Britain went head to head against one of its closest allies. When British forces landed on the island in 1942, the enemy they faced wasn't German, Japanese or even Italian, this time the opposing forces were French.
Concerned that Japan might use Madagascar as a strategic base to disrupt the supply line to India, Britain was keen to take control of the island. However, the Vichy forces were keen to defend the French colony and prevent it becoming part of the British Empire.
In today's show Russell will talk about Operation Ironclad seizure of the port of Diego-Suarez (now Antsiranana) near the northern tip of the island, on 5 May 1942.
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[@stevej8005]

Only ever seen Madagascar mentioned as a side-note in a couple of publications, so it was great to have a more detailed view of the operation. Really highlighted that combined operation amphibious landings were still the subject of a steep learning curve for the allies. Thank you to Paul and Russell for bringing some attention to one of the lesser known operations of WW2

[@WW2TV]

Thanks Steve

[@paulcharlesworth319]

My father was part of the landing party with the East Lanc's and was wounded during the battle. He suffered a shrapnel injury to his foot when the vehicle he was in was hit by a hand grenade dropped down by a sniper from a tree into the drivers compartment. This exploded and according to my father only the drivers hands were left on the steering wheel, the rest of him was obliterated. They dived for cover and had to wait until the morning to be rescued. In the mean time his injured foot became infected in the swamp conditions. He was shipped out to Capetown and his foot was saved by the use of maggots to clean the wound, but he lost all his toes on that foot. He returned to the UK on a hospital ship. This video description of the landing has helped me understand what he went through as I was very young when he use to relate this story, usually after I had accidently stood on the said foot and he would cry out in pain. A constant reminder of his military service. Paul. Charlesworth.

[@anselmdanker9519]

Thank you, this was the 1st major offensive operation conducted by the Royal Navy after the incursion by the kido Butai into the Indian Ocean.

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Again I learned of a campaign that is new to me. A great guest and great details. Another great book.

[@TheVigilant109]

Fascinating presentation. Thanks Russell.

[@Chiller01]

Fascinating episode. I knew very little about this campaign. I know I’m a year late but I hope tardy comments still help the channel.

[@marks_sparks1]

Really enlightening presentation by Russell. General WW2 history books I've read in the past breeze over Madagascar invasion and the Vichy Middle East campaign 1941 and certainly don't even give them any credence towards benefitting the successful amphibious and land campaigns 1943 onwards. Today, Russell linked Madagasar with Pas-de-Calais on DDay & the Manhatten Project. Good pub quiz trivia there.

[@KevinJones-yh2jb]

Just watching it now an excellent presentation by Russell, an operation I knew nothing about, yet again WW2TV excelling itself. Paul you are in a top league of WW2 channels thank you 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@patm8622]

Very interesting presentation, remarkable that the British thought they wouldn't face opposition from the French. Many thanks Russell and WW2TV for great content on forgotten battles. #WW2 #Vichy #Madagascar #RN

[@davidlavigne207]

Although I wasn't able to watch the live viewing, I did enjoy the presentation later. I had never heard of this operation or read anything about it in my past. Thank you Russel for introducing many of us to a subject so little studied. I now have another new avenue of history to explore. Wonderful work from a fine historian.

[@avantman42]

Thanks David. It does seem to be largely ignored, but honestly, the whole campaign is fascinating. I really think you'll find your time well rewarded if you read into it.

[@georgecooksey8216]

Learned something new today. Thank you gentlemen for the fine presentation.

[@daddust]

I got his book in a draw he organized! Thx man!

[@RussellPhillips]

You're welcome 🙂

[@scottgrimwood8868]

An excellent presentation. I knew a little of the British operation on Madagascar but now I know a whole lot more. It was very interesting to learn of all the amphibious operation tactics used for the first time during this operation. I hope someone does more research to see if the Madagascar operation influenced the other major invasions in Europe.

[@rich_john]

Fantastic episode....another area of ww2 ive learnt about. 👍👍👍

[@garymiller_85]

I knew that we had launched an invasion of Madagascar, but didn't realise how difficult it was. An enlightening show for me. Thanks.

[@PalleRasmussen]

I know you read comments. And on another video, you revealed you live in Bayeux. You jammy ... That is a very nice place. I was there in 2011 as a Viking reenactor, and I drank my heart full of history and Cidre

[@ssmm2383]

My father, Errol Frank Moore, was a leading telegraphist on HMS Warspite at this time, and he said that Warspite shot the top off a lighthouse at Diego Suarez with a 16” shell, and Madagascar surrendered soon afterwards. Stephen Moore

[@cybertronian2005]

I recall from Anthony Beevor's big Second World War book that this campaign was the only time Japanese provided direct military aid (in this case naval) to the Western Axis

[@guyh9992]

The narrative that Rommel had all the logistics problems in North Africa is so strongly held the inherent riskiness of the extremely long British supply lines to the 8th Army in Egypt via South Atlantic, Cape Town, Indian Ocean and Suez has been overlooked. These were the longest supply lines in history at around 20,000kms. El Alamein might have had a different outcome if the convoys carrying British infantry divisions and Sherman tanks had been disrupted in the second half of 1942 by the Japanese.

[@mathewkelly9968]

All I know about Madagascar is that it was Vichy French , invaded because Japan would use it as a base (unlikely) , Tetrarch where used and it was subject to a Japanese midget submarine attack the same day as Sydney . That's it . Interesting that England could spare ships , men , aircraft and supplies on what is effectively some good old colonialism in this remote corner of the world but nothing for Australia or Singapore (although it had fallen by this stage) . Look forward to finding out more .

[@markgatenby2991]

Australia was well defended, and the ships used here would have been useless in the Pacific.

[@Caratacus1]

No and no. There was no intent to keep the island post-war and it was to be handed straight back to a free France exactly like Indo-China was by the British. Not colonialism at all. You note that there were Japanese submarines active in the Indian Ocean and yet say its use as a base would have been unlikely. Only with hindsight. It was plausible at the time. Then we get some typical whinging about poor Aussies who apparently had it tougher than everyone else. Ah the modern self-absorbed Aussie victim narrative. Utterly sick of it.

[@guyh9992]

It wasn't just colonialism, the British wanted to protect supply lines to the 8th army in Egypt ahead of el Alamein. You are right however that defending Australia was not a priority for the British and that was reflected in the poor relationship with Churchill.

[@puppyflight8303]

this happened at almost the same time as the battle of coral sea so no wonder i never heard this.

[@RussellPhillips]

That may be one of the reasons that the campaign doesn't get a lot of attention.

[@guyh9992]

History had repeated somewhat. The British had been previously surprised at the level of resistance put up by Vichy at Dakar in 1940 and Syria/Lebanon in 1941. De Gaulle had over-estimated his level of support amongst the French at both of those actions as well.

[@COASTER-o2h]

we had a go at the french levant in the same way, for the same sorts of reasons.

[@philbosworth3789]

Its to get some details about this action

[@jagsdomain203]

I really miss being a tour guide. What do you tour? You know anyone in Gettysburg?

[@WW2TV]

I'm a Normandy guide

[@jagsdomain203]

@@WW2TV dream jobs How in the world did you get that job?

[@WW2TV]

@@jagsdomain203 i moved here snd startrf doing it 20 years ago

[@jagsdomain203]

@@WW2TV congrads

[@mathewkelly9968]

18:22 I do love to diss the British i know , but they where ahead of the game espionage and intelligence wise in ww2 . Probably shaved a good year or so off the war which has to be how many countless thousands of lives saved so that's a good thing .

[@WW2TV]

We had our uses that's for sure

[@RussellPhillips]

The British in the Second World War do seem to have had a real talent for deception, espionage, and intelligence.

[@MegaBloggs1]

even more unknown is the torpedo sent into HMS Ramillies in 1944 by a japanese midget submarine

[@wgowshipping]

That was in 1942 during the Madagascar operation.

[@MegaBloggs1]

Not true-if the japanese had thought strategically they would have taken madagascar after ceylon in 1942

[@alanansara2190]

I might have to start a new drinking game!. Take a shot every time someone says "rabbit hole"! Only problem is I'd be drunk by 5pm every day,....