Battle of Kasserine Pass 1943 / Part 1 - Tunisian Front

The Battle of Kasserine Pass was a culmination of the events that began a hundred kilometers away on both ends of North Africa. British victory at the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt and Operation Torch in Morocco and Algeria set off a chain of events that would end in Tunisia.
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Battle of Kasserine Pass - Part 2: • Battle of Kasserine Pa...
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[@Crusty_Camper]

In 1973 I assisted in mine clearance in this area of Tunisia. There were still large numbers of anti tank and anti personnel mines from this period. We certainly did not clear 100% and it is probably still quite dangerous away from the roads and pathways.

[@MrNicoJac]

Did you clear only the areas around the roads and pathways then? Or did you sorta form a line abreast and went over as much of the by-hiker accessible areas as possible? Curious how these... 'operations'(?) actually work/get done :)

[@Crusty_Camper]

@@MrNicoJac That's a good question and the answer is, all of the above plus more. We started by having any wartime maps from all the forces involved but as you can imagine, they were incomplete and over the decades mines had moved ( or been moved ) and had been cooking daily in the desert and freezing on many nights. The terrain is partly rocky, which made searching fairly quick, but a lot was scrub, soil, etc. The roads had been cleared right after the war but large areas were still dangerous and locals were wary of using them for grazing animals. It was done partly for training and partly to maintain good relations between nations. Areas marked on the maps had to be completely searched but it's not done in line as any incident could injure several people. The metal detector kind of device was used mostly but there was the threat of low-metal content mines, so other methods had to be used too. And you would be surprised how many coke can pulls, bits of metalised cigarette packet paper and similar debris you find giving false signals, even in the middle of nowhere. The most difficult were areas where some mines had detonated as they scattered small bits of metal over a wide area. Places where the fighting took place also left a lot of metal in the ground. Military tacticians suggested where other danger areas might be, in other words where THEY would set mines if they were involved in the action. They were very accurate, as you might guess. Another issue was some anti-tank mines had been booby-trapped with anti-personnel mines underneath, so it was a case of working carefully. Hope that helps, and thanks for your interest.

[@jpmtlhead39]

Some years ago, i read in a war magazine (british), dont recall the name, and they estimated, that, in beteween Egipt, Líbia and Tunísia, they were abaut 30 million mines, still operational, and no body knows, where they are. The maps, are long gone.

[@Crusty_Camper]

@@jpmtlhead39 There certainly are a lot of mines still around. The very worst is the disputed area where Morocco and Western Sahara meet.

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@Crusty_Camper iam Just tell wath read. But i apreciate your comment. All the Best.

[@marklivingstone3710]

If there are any positives about Kasserine, it woke the Americans up to the fact this wasn’t going to be easy, it removed Fredenthal and it gave Patton the opportunity to show he knew what he was doing.

[@iangrantham8300]

Only problem is that in spite of his popularity in the USA..Patton was totally an incompentent ninkingpoop!

[@marklivingstone3710]

His victories in North Africa, Sicily and France, his ability to motivate and lead and his success compared to any other allied General speak for themselves. He was no Saint, he never claimed he was. He was eccentric and difficult to control but, at least he achieved victories, maintained discipline, and practiced what he preached, he never asked his Army to do something that he wasn’t prepared to lead them. It speaks for itself that when the story broke that he had been removed from command for disciplining a soldier, the German high command dismissed the story as propaganda because they did not believe the Allied high command could be stupid enough to remove one of their best Generals over something they considered trivial. If Generals like Eisenhower, Smith, Bradley and Montgomery had not constrained him, WW2 might well have finished at the Russian border. You may not like the man but to try and denigrate him is churlish. (PS, I’m not an American either).

[@olgagaming5544]

@@marklivingstone3710 Dude, did the Germans even knew about Patton? I think they neglected him tbh and didnt pay much attention

[@CrossOfBayonne]

@@iangrantham8300 He even slapped of his soldiers for being shell-shocked once

[@yannichudziak9942]

@@marklivingstone3710 this story seems to be a legend created afterwards. When people tried to check this in the German archives there was no details about this and when asked German officers noted that his name was not flagged up or given much thought when this supposedly happened. There is some details that they were aware of his name when he was playing ghost army commander but that was mainly because the radio traffic was on purpose less secure than normal. But again…this was as a footnote and not because he was ‘feared’ at the time. Keep in mind that the allies had won the secret war and were able to control most of information from spies and other misdirections, almost all spies in the UK were caught and most of them were turned.

[@tiptoptechno]

Another excellent addition to the channels growing catalogue. Keep up the great work and I look forward to the next part of this series.

[@richardhertz1989]

An excellent history lesson , well produced with relevant film footage . Good job

[@nottelling9472]

My grandfather was a member of the 168th's Anti-Tank company at Faid Pass. This is were the Germans started the attack. He was captured and spent the war in Stalag Luft 3B. If you read Col. Drake's report on it, Drake mentions that Eisenhower had inspected the troops a few hours before the Germans attacked. The report is well worth the read.

[@markcantemail8018]

Not Telling . Do you have any Idea why He was in Luft 3b ? I know you will not tell , it goes without saying . It might be important besides being your Grandad and his service . Was Stalag Luft 3B for Fliers ?

[@nottelling9472]

@@markcantemail8018 He was a corporal. It was camp IIIB. But not Luft IIIB. Your right. Luft camps were for fliers. Sorry for the mistake.I have one of the post cards he sent from Germany. It has an Absender: section with his name. A line that reads Gefangenennummer: VII A110029. Another line reads Lager-Bezeichnung: IIIB200882/255. Last line is M. Stammlager IIIB|255. I'm pretty sure it was located near the town of Furstenberg Germany.

[@markcantemail8018]

@@nottelling9472 Thank you No need to be sorry . The only Mistake would be if I did not ask the Question . I am far from an expert and asked so I could understand . That is Quite a detailed momento that you have there . I would bet that having it makes You proud of your Grandfather . There are many things to be learned from it . We had POW camps in our County in Western New York . I passed thru the Location while getting my morning Coffee Today . In 1944-45 it held German Prisoners . My Father was a Child then and told Stories of standing outside of the Wire and listening to the Kriegies Sing . That Winter was a rough one and the Prisoners earned pay Shoveling out Downtown after a Big Snow Storm . The Kriegies were appreciated after that especially . I will look on a Map someday for Furstenberg , the Memory of your Grand father will Live on in that small Act .

[@nottelling9472]

@@markcantemail8018 Thanks for asking. It's important to me to be accurate. It's easy for history to be lost on little mistakes like that. There's a book called: Life Behind Barbed Wire: The Secret WW II Photographs of Angelo M. Spinelli. He was in camp IIIB. He was captured near Faid Pass. Bribed guards for a camera and film. Took hundreds of photos. It's a fascinating read.

[@markcantemail8018]

@@nottelling9472 I found a Map showing Camps 111b was shown north of Berlin . Thank you again for the Info .

[@richardglady3009]

Great video. Graphics really help. Thank you.

[@mchrome3366]

The most detailed video I’ve come across about these battles. Thanks

[@FromtheBattlefields]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@OneLeatherBoot]

The "World War 2" channel run by the Time Ghost team runs a week by week series. Stalingrad has just fallen, so they've just closed out Jan 31st '43 and Kasserine Pass is on it's way. Check them out.

[@RaysRailVideos]

Only recently found your channel and wow love it very well put together, new sub here deffo, looking forward to watching more

[@FromtheBattlefields]

Thank you!!!

[@kensellers4082]

Yes, your programs are very informative and very interesting.

[@paulroberts3639]

So wonderfully detailed

[@peteraningaaqsgaard4845]

This Text to Speech is alright, have heard worse. The content is great, nice to hear about movement and composition of units and effect of battle, keep up the good work !

[@TrickiVicBB71]

Better than Drachinifel's. Ugh, his robo voice is unbearable

[@sandrobacic901]

A great short documentary. Easy to watch...

[@mauriciomorais7818]

This is very good!

[@nordland2235]

My dad fought in the battle of "kerosene pass" was hit by shrapnel in the groin.

[@tremendousbaguette9680]

2:00 I would dispute that assertion by mentioning the stand by general Barré against Walther Nehring at Medjez-el-Bab.

[@pcka12]

Overestimating the Tiger as ever, the key advantage of which was as a mobile mount for the Luftwaffe’s 88mm AA gun.

[@toddhull6836]

Do an episode on amazing contribution in WW1 on the western front by general Monash and the Australian imperial force.

[@Idahoguy10157]

Eisenhower inspected before the Battle of Kasserine Pass? I’ve never heard of Eisenhower making an prior inspection tour

[@halstaples2469]

I agree!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Rommel mentions overwhelming allied air power. Taxi ranks of planes circling, just waiting for customers. German customers.

[@howardkoontz4735]

I and my wife familes lost relatives in the Western Desert. They are buried in the German Cemeraty at El Alamain.

[@Ekstrax]

A real voice would make this that much better

[@ionidhunedoara1491]

Brit General Alexander to Yanks after Kasserine: "It seems you chaps don't wear the old school tie." He was to eat his words later that year.

[@helt9361]

I'm from kasserine

[@apostolisnatsios7953]

The first of the series of " brilliant " performances of the US army in the European theater of the ww2. As one british pow put it , answering to the germans who asked him, " where did you find these guys ?"", " we have our own italians as you see"...

[@markbantz9699]

These pages are full of stupid people. Bravo!

[@apostolisnatsios7953]

@@markbantz9699 Talking about yourself my friend ??

[@2paulcoyle]

As stated, 1 Sherman and accompanied infantry counter attacked two German division with Tigers. And your people's? Romel would attempt to enter Kasserine Pass twice. Pulled out first time from resistance. Second time made it almost to the end, but was stopped again. It was a failure for the Germans, failed to achieve objectives, and use up scarce, irreplaceable men and equipment. Later at the Battle of The Bulge German armor would fail to split allies, fail again to capture logistics, fall behind schedule from he first moment, and be held up by dogged resistance by green American troops, and using up scarce German material.

[@apostolisnatsios7953]

@@2paulcoyle Germans and nazis especially, are not my people. After the kasserin disaster Eisenhower was ready to pull out all of the US expenditionary force. The stopage of Rommel's attack due to lack of fuel, made him to change his mind. The big party of the allied failures though, started after D Day. Brits and US americans were in constant incompetence competition, as their top brass were in an unending duell in regards to who is in charge on the field and who is the " Better " soldier.

[@MrNicoJac]

@@markbantz9699 It's not necessarily stupid to call a green army (especially when confronted by the experienced Afrika Corps) under-performing. Thankfully, the Americans learned quickly, and eventually got quite good. Also, the Germans just couldn't take the attrition in the end... Which probably saved another 100k Allied lives before the end (or maybe more - that number is little more than spitballing, hehe)

[@berndf.k.1662]

So far noone could have explained me why the Allies landed in Algeria instead of straight ahead in Tunesia. Are you able to explain ? "Lack of resources" can´t be the reason as the naval superiority was with the Allies and air support could have come from Malta or Aircraft carriers.

[@tremendousbaguette9680]

Too close proximity from Sicilian airbases (much closer than Malta on the map) and aircraft carriers having a miserable time in these waters (Ark Royal sunk by U-boat and Illustrious crippled by X. Fliegerkorps).

[@berndf.k.1662]

@@tremendousbaguette9680 Maybe, but the same was true once the Allies reached the Tunesian border by land. So something else should have been behind this procedure. Maybe it was the uncertainty of how the French would react, as with a landing directly in Tunesia one would have had them in Algeria in the back. But as the French forces were weak this theory is also unlikely.

[@tremendousbaguette9680]

The uncertainty was not unfounded, as the events in Morocco demonstrated. It's been downplayed at the time for political expediency and even up to this day it gets barely a mention, but anyway the seat of the Vichy government in north Africa was Algiers. That made it an absolute necessity to secure its cooperation by seizing it instead of ignoring it. And when you add up the imperative of achieving surprise with simultaneous landings over a very very very long stretch of coastline, plus the eminent risk of ending up like a bridge too far in Tunisia, it makes sense to have limited the area of operations from Casablanca to Algiers and not any further. After all they didn't have unlimited resources like for the Normandy landings.

[@berndf.k.1662]

@@tremendousbaguette9680 Thanks, now I am convinced. The Vichy point seems to be the most likely one. Thanks for explanation.

[@michaelplanchunas3693]

The Allies also feared that Spain would join the Axis and Spanish Morrocco would help seal the Strait of Gilbralter, turning the Med into an Axis Lake and trapping the Allied armies.

[@etiennenobel5028]

where is part 2?

[@MrNicoJac]

Up now! :)

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

I always think it's funny when you see stills and movies of the African western desert you always see Prickly Pear Cactus around, prickly pear cactus is native to America's, all true Cactus are native to the America's, someone had to plant those prickly pears. P.S.- Prickly Pear Cactus is quite edible, it's claim by the First Nations peoples that it's good for those with diabetes.

[@jpmtlhead39]

Never forget, that the british, were relaing, in American support, for some time. Without that support, i doubt that the english army (even with Panzrearme África, almost without everythig, from Men and material) were able to beat the axis, in that way.

[@newFaction64]

This is hard to understand without maps and no introduction.

[@Mishn0]

It's kind of weird hearing a robot voice with a British accent.

[@tolitsdterrible4785]

"The end of the beginning" or is it the beginning of the end?

[@FromtheBattlefields]

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps,....." W. C., November 10, 1942,

[@giuseppecormio3491]

1st time america had a confrontation with the german army and they got their butts kicked immediatly. It was a hard lesson but they learned quickly..

[@jpmtlhead39]

Winston Churchill "the end of a beggining" From a strategic point of view, the Africa Korps ( Panzerarme África), was so depleted, of Men and material, that victorie, was more than expected. On the bigger picture, El Alamein was a defeat for the germans ( more to the italians), but on the long run, it didnt, defeat the german army, that inspite, operation torch, were able, to take most of their Men, to Italy And everebody knows, what happen in Italy. I see El Alamein ( without Rommel, on the battlefield), as a tactical win. Cause, they allow the majorety of german forces, to escape. The Italians were the ones, Who took the brunt. And, we can see the Panzerarme Africa, retreating, trough thounsands of kms, and still be able, to deliver a bloody stroke to the Americans, at Kasserine, and the, escape almost intact to Italy. The german leadership, in this overwhelming odds, was outstanding.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

This would be so much better if I wasn't having to listen to a robot try to read.

[@seanbrady6731]

It's ok but I'd be interested to hear a version with FTB's human voice.

[@FairladyS130]

Americans facing Germans without air superiority get smashed. And Tigers smash Shermans.

[@michaelplanchunas3693]

At that time Shermans were in short supply. The American armored force had General Lee medium tanks, which proved useless against Panthers and Tigers. Gen'l. Lees had a 75 mm gun against a 88mm high velocity cannon on the German tanks. A General Lee could penetrate the frontal armor of a Tiger at 300 yards, the Tiger penetrated the General Lee at 1000 yards. The Germans referred to the Lee as a "splendid target" because it was 10 feet tall.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Like the Us Navy Admiralty in the Pacific in 42 these commanders were all green from West point , wet behind the ears. yet arrogant enough not to coordinate with the British Commonwealth Forces who had been in the desert for 3 years

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

@@Rusty_Gold85 Most of Anderson's Brits were as green to the desert as their allies; Monty had all of the veterans. The epic error was going after Tunis. Bizerte should've been the priority -- as it was where the French had six destroyers. And in the early going, it had no Germans -- who air landed at Tunis. These were light troops, parachutists, lacking heavy weapons. Bizerte should've been taken by sea, on the sly, and before the Krauts showed up. With it in Allied hands, German logistics would go straight into the toilet. BTW, the French surely told Ike that the internal road net was pure dirt, and the rail system was a joke. These are the twin reasons why the Allies had a huge 7th Army in Morocco, but only a pitiful corps up at the front.

[@2paulcoyle]

And yet like later at the Bulge, at Kasserine Romel was stopped. He entered the pass twice, but never made it through.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

@@2paulcoyle The actual reason for Rommel's defeat was buried for decades -- and only revealed as death-bed testimony by a sergeant. (Ike's driver at that moment.) AGAINST Marshall's explicit general order to Ike, he jumped into a jeep and started running the battle -- not Patton -- not Bradley. Ike personally drove all over the back-roads screaming at fleeing troops -- especially unit commanders -- to turn around and march towards the enemy. Ike placed extra special emphasis on artillery. These boys were always the first to bug out, and were always deployed furthest to the west. Ike placed British infantry semi-exposed across the pass -- with all Americans largely out of sight -- and with scads of howitzers behind the slope of the pass -- hidden, of course. When Rommel advanced it was quite obvious that the Brits had replaced the Yanks -- and their position seemed a last-second screening attempt. So Rommel plunged ahead. Then, too deep into Ike's kill zone, the Krauts got torn up by virtually every heavy gun in II Corps. The British infantry were only required to sit put in their fox holes -- and duck. DAK losses were EPIC. Even in a rapid retreat, the panzer troops couldn't get out of the American kill zone. Rommel then drafted one of his most pessimistic missives of the war. His DAK was absolutely shattered after that day's fiasco. The Krauts ultimately took more of a beating than the Anglo-Allies. This fiasco influenced Rommel to the end of his days. He determined that one should NEVER allow the American Army to deploy its killer artillery advantage in open country. (See Overlord.) It was Ike that was calling those shots, BTW. He then slipped back to his HQ and sent up Patton and Bradley. His driver, et. al were sworn to military secrecy. This is why this sequence is not easy to find in print, in histories.

[@jennifermcclain4478]

I really wanted to see this, but the instant I heard the grating, fake generated voice, I am bowing out.

[@MackinOz]

Who produces this stuff? If you want someone who can write fluently in English and who can improve on an lame AI voiceover, put some contact details in the notes on your next video.

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

Yes and since YT policy is to remove computer generated voiceovers this video won't last long.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Sounds like a High school assignment hey ?

[@alexh9778]

Lol what on earth is "maroko" - did you mean Morocco?

[@OldHickoryAndyJackson]

Good thing Patton took over

[@nottelling9472]

Yes! Fredendall was a pathetic general.

[@kensellers4082]

@@nottelling9472 General Fredendall dropped out of West Point as a young cadet and received a later R.O.T.C. commission.

[@nottelling9472]

@@kensellers4082 Thanks for the info!

[@kensellers4082]

@@nottelling9472 My father said the soldiers, who participated in the ill-conceived and disastrous US Army crossing at the Rapido River, south of the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino, did not like General Mark Clark, the “architect” of the failed Rapido River crossing. After the debacle at the Kasserine Pass in 1943, the disaster at the Rapido River in 1944 was the second worst US blunder.

[@majcorbin]

KILROY corbin WAS HERE [1945] make 1984 fiction again

[@heybrandon88]

Is the narrator an AI?

[@FromtheBattlefields]

Yes, it is. 😀👾

[@heybrandon88]

@@FromtheBattlefields Trust your voice, you will surprise yourself. Unless you are a mute, then, Jesus Christ, I apologize and admire your crafty work around.

[@FromtheBattlefields]

No, I'm not mute 🙂. I'm not a native English speaker. My accent is like a Russian mobster from cheap action movies.

[@heybrandon88]

That sounds awesome as hell, but given the climate of stupidity the West is going through over Russia, I understand. I never went that route though. Anti-Russia or changing who I was to appease a mob. I made the news in Canada, had my very own protest lol, I angered the woke. This was before woke was a thing, but those gremlins existed.

[@FromtheBattlefields]

To avoid misunderstanding, I have an accent that sounds Russian. However, I'm not Russian. I'm from Croatia.

[@Frenulem]

Mate if you'd like if you send me your scripts I will read them out for you, I have a nice setup for doing a podcast

[@brycejames8770]

Dump the computer generated narration for a human. Very poor.

[@JO-ch3el]

Edit: didn't realize this was synthesized speech. Still, I guess you could do something about it🙂 '88 millimeterS guns', 'fade pass', etc. Sound sloppy and weird.

[@backinblack03]

Robo voices are annoying

[@jamespasquali7693]

Lloyd Fredendall was drunk in the bunker during the battle & being a craven coward. He was relieved of his duties in North Africa & sent back to the U.S. He was utterly disgraced for the rest of his life. General Patton called him a coward.

[@brianpauley1151]

A FRENCH military man will do anything to preserve FRENCH honor... except fight.

[@SuperLeica1]

What about the 40.000 French who fell or got caught while defending the Dunkirk evacuation. Saved 300.000 limeys.

[@MrNicoJac]

@@SuperLeica1 Do not confuse careerists with serving men ;)

[@pcka12]

@@SuperLeica1 and rather a lot of Belgiums & French (both of which countries had bigger armies than the British, Britain was always a maritime & not a land based power as endless accounts of the American Revolution & War of 1812 fail to mention ( in the latter it was the Navy which sacked Washington etc)).

[@kaijusushi8165]

robot historian

[@Bradly197]

AI voice, no thanks

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

Robo-voice? Ugh.

[@rebelwithoutaclue8164]

Another limey fairy tale

[@samsungtap4183]

America only faced massed german armour once....your battle bulge...26.000 of the greatest generation threw down their weapons and surrendered....i guess that's one way to slow a armoured advance

[@asmodeus0454]

@@samsungtap4183 26,000 U.S. soldiers surrendered during the Ardennes Offensive? I have not read that or heard of that before. Can you provide particulars? And if so, what are those particulars concerning this mass surrender of U.S. soldiers? I would be interested to know.

[@lancerolen9414]

Dear From The Battlefields and anyone reading i hope all is well. I just want to say that Jesus Christ loves and cares for you. If you haven't done so please accept Him as your savior and Lord. And remember to enjoy and cherish all that is good and right in life for we only get one life and we don't know what tomorrow will bring.