Berlin Airlift - Biggest Logistical Flex Of All Time | Fat Electrician Reaction | Historian Reacts

[@ISurfHawaii]

I recommend you don't skip his ad reads in future videos. Some of the funniest content in his videos.

[@natethelate4553]

Don't skip them anyway if your working with companies that want you to skip other people's ads don't work with them that's literally the majority of creators ability to pay the bills

[@historysavvy]

Interesting. I'll let the ad play next time. Thanks for the tip.

[@historysavvy]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. I don't work with any advertisers and am not obligated to honor anyone else's advertising contract. But apparently this guy makes the ads funny so I'll try one next time.

[@natethelate4553]

@@historysavvy cool thats awesome so few creators have that integrity i was just saying I've seen a lot of creators skip ads and spout some line about the corpos not wanting other companies shit on there videos I admit I have just started watching your videos so I spoke without the full perspective and I apologize

[@davidrobb5615]

It just seems like common courtesy to me to be honest if you're reacting to their content. I understand you have to take viewer retention and whatnot into account also though.

[@xbreachedthetosx7591]

“I wouldn’t say it’s initially a disaster.” When your best is 20-25% of the goal… you get a better score just answering “C” for every question on the multiple choice test. That’s certainly closer to “disaster” territory than success.

[@DerekKnop]

I definitely think that the Berlin Airlift is a more impressive economic and humanitarian event than the Marshal plan, not because TMP wasn't bigger or more broadly impactful, but because TMP wasn't impossible at the start. TMP involves cargo and money going into Europe to rebuild after WWII, it was big and expensive, but it really was just an update to the logistics we had already been using to send food and supplies to the UK during the war, and then sending the same to France after D-day. We did it in the most economical way we could. The Berlin Airlift, however, was a straight up "I don't care how much it costs, I don't care if it's 'impossible', Berlin Stands!". The West put everything into supplying a city by air for almost 2 years. The logistics, the dedication, the drive to stare into the eyes of the Reds and say "No" is just mind boggling. We drew a line in the sand and held it. That's why the TBA is the bigger flex, because it wasn't hard, it was impossible and we still did it. Also, The C-74 WAS a big player in TBA, not because of it's small percentage of flights (though those were important for bringing in particularly large loads) but because of what it represented. Think of how long the soviets used their technology, how slow innovation came about, and how desperate they were to copy western plane designs. Then look at how the West started with C-47s and then went to 54s and then to C-74s. It's existence and it's presence were direct challenges to the idea of Soviet Superiority and power. It was proof that not only was the West holding, they were actually gaining ground and improving their tools at an astonishing rate that the Soviets could not keep up with . Psychological victory is still part of victory.

[@historysavvy]

A fair point, and I think we can agree that the Berlin Airlift was more dramatic than the Marshall Plan, but I think we'll have to disagree as to which was more of a flex. The Marshall Plan impacted more lives and shaped generational beliefs about the U.S. throughout the Cold War from Greece to Norway.

[@brigidtheirish]

Yeah, he almost certainly wouldn't have dropped a bomb, but the Soviets didn't know that. The pilots probably didn't know that. They *did* know that Truman ordered two cities vaporized. What would it take for him to drop a third? Who knows, and no one wants to find out.

[@keithpierce5686]

See the issue with that is it would've happened by now. What stayed the hand and the soviet's knew this very well, was because they still kept in contact. They still had meetings with them and you can therefore assume this was fear spread amongst the lower echelon of officials to have that assumption be made.

[@brigidtheirish]

@@keithpierce5686 And it *worked.*

[@sonar357]

Also, NATO was only formed one month prior to the end of the blockade. So, this wasn't even a NATO exercise but, it could be argued, the Berlin Blockade, the first "shot" of the Cold War (fired by the communists, no less), encouraged the formation of NATO and it's Article 5 requiring members to support each other (in some way shape or form) if one is attacked.

[@anlydaly5726]

The CANDY BOMBER 🍬 is my favorite part of this story. Just a random act of kindness that just spiraled into becoming one of the most memorable parts of the biggest humanitarian effort in history ... just ... legendary.

[@kazekamiha]

Why use Blue Whales? They're the largest living creature known to man. Gives an idea of scale.

[@historysavvy]

Fair enough. I wonder though how many have actually seen a blue whale in real life though? I haven't so it's not something I can use to scale big things. I guess I'm in the minority.

[@kazekamiha]

@@historysavvy Maybe, but they understand 'big animal' and I've seen Killer Whales which are STILL nowhere as big.

[@DiggitySlice]

​@@historysavvyit's called a joke

[@evanirvana500]

My answer to why use blue whales, id answer why not?

[@aliciadupuy9228]

to be fair, economic flex and economic strategy are not exactly synonymous . so italy def wins strategy , but i think this is still the flex champ. xxoo

[@joeschiewe7292]

This is why very few people want to listen to a historian that has the need to critique everything that is said. Of course, the youtube video is going to be dramatized but at least you have 2.7 million people willing to watch it.

[@historysavvy]

Thanks for the comment. I actually appreciate it. My intent is not to be a history snob. My intent is two fold. 1. Provide information so the viewer has a more complete understanding of the event. 2. Be transformative in the content. I see other, very popular, reaction videos do little more than say "yup" "that's interesting" or "oh wow." I don't really care for that as it doesn't add anything to the original content and is more akin to content stealing than not. All that said, what do you like/expect in a reaction video?

[@dessatt]

Oooooooh my god! The best part of tfe is that he is quick and amusing unlike the incessant droning on of history educators. You sir kept droning on and on.... and yet i still liked the additional information. 😂😂😂. TFE speaks history like a friend having a chat. do try to enjoy it. Im still going to come back for your next reaction to TFE, though, lol! Im glad you found him.

[@historysavvy]

Well thank you? Haha. I am nearly done with my master's degree so the transformation to droning history teacher is nearly complete. I hope to have you back in another video!

[@voraciousblackstn]

The first Fat Electrician video I watched was on the E4 Mafia. I have watched every one of his videos. He has a great delivery and a love of history, especially military history. I would recommend his Grand Theft Submarine video, personally.

[@davidfuhr5455]

Dude this is is first fat electrician video. I've seen every one of his(fact electricians)too. I really hope he gets to Frank "Mcnasty" Mcniece at some point to.

[@JustMe-gn6yf]

Yeah I've seen them all too and I would also recommend "Sgt Reckless" and Dan Daly " old 666 " is also worth checking out

[@lordsylph414]

@@davidfuhr5455he’s already done a video on McNasty

[@davegray3049]

Okay so I'm going to tell you right now this is the biggest logistical flex and this place was much bigger than the Marshall so don't even try and say that cuz he was talking about logistics logistics in the Marshall but very much stuff are compared to this but Marshall had other things that helped impact this was solely using logistics because there was no other form of all the patients going on at this time except for the starving of west Germany so when you clam something is bigger make sure it falls in the same category as what you're comparing it to because the Marshalls was not solely logistics and the Berlin airlift is solely logistical power

[@charlesbryson7443]

His videos are great. Every one of them is entertaining and informative. The Finnish soldier one had me laughing.

[@RageinriotTJ]

mortal sin never skip TFF ad reads the are content in its self

[@nadjasunflower1387]

for all the times you paused...where in the logic centers of your brain...would you even begin to think that they would only send up one or two fighters ???

[@historysavvy]

The way I reckon is that it would have been unwise to send out a large number of planes at once as the western allies could have assumed they were coming in force because they were coming to shoot down a lot of planes quickly. I might be wrong but it's the way I see it without having more information.

[@arielrife3792]

If I may suggest another one of his videos, you could do his video about the 43 Polish mailmen who managed to hold out against 180 German soldiers for 19 hours. Or his Infamous Eager Beavers video

[@raymurray3401]

Another really great video of his is the Barbary wars video if you enjoy some early American history with some great comedic writing.

[@iKvetch558]

I was definitely struck by your point about what the biggest economic flex is...and I definitely agree that it is not really the Berlin Airlift compared to the Marshall Plan, at least not when you look at the value of the two different programs. A couple of small points to consider, and I am curious to hear your thoughts. First, was the Berlin Airlift perhaps a bigger economic flex if you were judging against the Marshall Plan by the amount of effort? By which I mean that the Marshall Plan was mostly financial, and involved moving money around and giving loans and administration...as opposed to the huge number of people involved in moving all that cargo into Berlin...so might the Airlift have been a tougher project, even if it was not as costly as the Marshall Plan? And where do you think the Lend Lease program fits in...isn't it a bigger econ flex? Or is it in a whole separate category due to the wartime necessities? One kind of minor thing you talked about made me feel the need to be a bit contrarian...I would say that the Globemaster did play a major role in the Berlin Airlift, even if it did not fly into Berlin very much. The C-74 was crucial to moving huge volumes of cargo into the staging areas where the planes headed to Berlin were being loaded up. In addition, some critical items of heavy equipment and many other items needed to improve the runways in West Berlin, and most of the parts and tools to keep all the other planes in the air were flown into Europe...if not all the way to Berlin...by the C-74 Globemasters.

[@iKvetch558]

@@slightlySuperior Well...we have not defined what a flex is in economic terms, but I went with flex meaning a thing done that is large or important. If there is some other meaning, I would be happy to reframe my argument.

[@Thecoff638]

Does the difference lay in the logistical part of the “flex”. Moving in supply’s by train or truck wouldn’t be hard 35-40 tons per truck. But flying it in 3 tons at a time. That’s like moving your house only using a Honda civic.

[@iKvetch558]

@ale638 Well, as I noted, there were larger planes involved...I forget whether Fat Electrician talks about the couple hundred C-54 cargo planes that were involved, and those could carry around 16 tons per plane...plus the C-74 at around 24 tons per load. So there were at least some U-Haul vans and trucks pitching in to share the load.

[@RageinriotTJ]

the fat electrician AKA TFF is an american historian who dives into military history and American history he is ex military and currently going to college to get a degree in history

[@davidfuhr5455]

He is also one hell of a story teller. I cant recommend his content enough to people looking for a Veterans point of view on military subjects and obscure things that aren't really covered in American public schools. Or even well known in most cases

[@Mr_Cellophane]

He's also a fellow Iowan and a super nice guy. I live an hour away from him and have bumped into him in the wild a few times.

[@DivusMagus]

As an American I can't use the Metric System and exclusively measure things in pounds per blue whale. It just more intuitive that way.

[@kiaayo33]

11:18 Of course it was the French who wanted to stop!😂😂😂 History keeps Repeating Itself!!!

[@killian9314]

22:48 Don’t you mean MacArthur? The “sea of radioactive cobat between us and them” proposal

[@historysavvy]

Ah, right. Good catch. Yes, I meant MacArthur.

[@SwiftieXinfinity]

Less than 30 seconds in and I’ve seen all that I need to. Nic tells amazing stories of heroism, courage under fire, history with a ton of research into each story… and right off start, you start saying it’s not as “cool” as Italy… the candy bomber giving children a glimmer of happiness and a city completely surrounded by a country that start starving their citizens, and the effort and ingenuity doesn’t need to be compared to anything else… 🙄✌️

[@historysavvy]

Sorry you didn't like it. TFE is entertaining but he has played fast and loose with the facts in the past. Though as he's gotten richer I think he's been able to hire researchers and that's improved his videos. I liked his operation plumbbob video. That was well done.

[@evanirvana500]

I didn't care for it either, as I disagree with you on a number of fronts and I won't be subscribing. It's easy to say what was the biggest flex or not but it's still based on opinion and what exactly constitutes flex. Financial, for sure marshall plan. But not necessarily any skill or cooperation. I don't believe eve he plays fast and loose with facts, and even other historians have initially said the same to later retract it. his delivery is fast and loose. But that's what's best about it. Who do you think you learn more from. Someone engaging, trying to deliver history for the average person who may not care about history but will watch and get sucked in for entertainment and found out later they enjoyed learning history and was inspired to learn more. You're style is like every history book I've had. Anyone can regurgitate facts , but unless you want your "classroom" to call asleep and further ensure they will dislike history for life (how I feel about math), you have to learn how to relate to your audience and present those facts in an entertaining manner. Humans are absolutely horrible at learning from mistakes, hence why we do the same over and over. How you teach and present history (which lets face it is not equal and you have to remember history books aren't written for accuracy, which is why youll see variations of the same events depending on which country and group of people you are looking at. There is no universal historic record. I guarantee for example the native American taught history lessons would be very different from what the American history books teach. History is in the eye of whatever government body decides to tell. The holocaust isn't even taught in some states, Britain barely teaches this or the revolution. Japan still denies nanking and all the millions they slaughtered, and in fact it's barely taught outside of China perhaps. The people that play fast and loose with history are the governments that write the history.

[@michaellasee3299]

Great additions to a great video, I'd really like to see you comment on his Cassius Clay video

[@michaellasee3299]

Agree 100% love your added info and clarification

[@lurkingedge]

You cut off his outro.

[@davidfuhr5455]

Huge fan of the fat electrician, first time seeing your channel. His stuff is fantastic, but yes, expect the language. He doesn't hold back. You have to check out Check out Jake "McNasty" Mcniece aswell.

[@abell509]

Thank you!❤

[@Jude74]

I honestly found your comments very interesting. I just wish that you waited till the end of the video to make most of them. A little bit too much stopping and starting and often you’d make a comment that his very next comment would actually address. So my suggestion hold your horses a little bit and wait to make your comments until later in the video.

[@rohan1970b]

I appreciate the additional plane info. Thanks

[@dessatt]

If you watch him enough, you will realize that the blue whale is a knock at the metric system. He good-naturedly says that even using animals is "better" than using the metric system. It is tongue in cheek humor. #freedomfractions 😂😂😂

[@benjamies4136]

In theory communism is a really great idea. It's why it has been maintained such a relevant theory and talked about. There is just no adjustments since Marx and the like to account for human flaws such as greed and psychopathy. Allowing select industries to control the means will lead to more segmented, but controlled power in the hands of the elite which always will occur.

[@historysavvy]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I have considered making a video about Communism from Marx to Lenin focusing on their ideas and differences. Whether one likes Communism or not, it's important to understand the theory in it's 19th and early 20th century contexts. Communism certainly has its appeal, and you're right, it doesn't account for human vice. I would add that Communism doesn't account for individual and collective complexities. Communism is wholly focused on the material aspects of life, and doesn't account for motivations founded in love or altruism or tradition. Communism assumes that all people want the same material possessions and if all people have essentially the same thing, then humanity can move past conflict, misery, and inequality. This of course is silly.

[@omalleycaboose5937]

Most Gangster Politician is my favorite of his many great vids

[@damonbryan7232]

Berlin airlift. To think about that much aid and supplies. Going into Europe. To think at the same. Just as much and more aid to Japan, China and Phillipians. Now that is a aid flex.

[@matthewlaird5235]

The only economic model that exists is Trickle Down Economics, the only thing that changes is who is at the top.

[@Snipergoat1]

Economic flex maybe but this is a logistical flex. Related yes but not at all the same. But they economics are related to just about everything. As everything starts with having the resources available to do whatever needs to be done.

[@iKvetch558]

Great reaction...I really appreciated the way you were filling in a lot of the gaps in context that Fat Electrician left out of his presentation...the stuff about the "dress rehearsal" blockade and how Britain had already crunched the numbers was especially spot on. One thing that F.E. gets wrong is at 14:44 when he says that the best cargo plane the US has is the C-47...the real backbone of the Berlin Airlift for most of the time was the C-54 Skymaster, which could carry 10-15 tons of cargo compared to the 3 tons of the C-47. LOL He even shows film clips of a bunch of C-54s right after that, so I wonder how the error got past him.

[@patricktennant1585]

Considering he says they started with c47s and then started using the 54s come winter, I'd say he didn't miss it.

[@iKvetch558]

@@patricktennant1585 When did he mention the C-54? If you are talking about starting at 27:51 when he talks about America developing bigger better cargo planes? Because that is when he specifically skips over the C-54 and talks about the C-74 Globemaster at 24:58 So please give me the timestamp when F.E. mentions the C-54 Skymaster.

[@historysavvy]

You're right, there were shots of a lot of C-54s and I thought I made the point that the c-47s and the c-54s were the main planes flying and in and out of Berlin, but perhaps I said something else by mistake.

[@iKvetch558]

@@historysavvy No, you were spot on, I was speaking of Fat Electrician's (F.E.) omission of the C-54. 😁

[@DennisYoung-k8k]

Wow this guy is why

[@devinmaier4414]

I keep up on every video nic video fat files unsub all of it. One slight suggestion for any future videos that you do even though I know I’m a way back in your reaction videos, so I’ll have to see how well you do in the future once but try to let him speak for a little bit longer because he will answer the questions that you were basically trying to not only ask, but trying to give extra insight on, just give him a second to explain maybe about another minute longer before you put in your commentary I appreciate you giving us the extra insight that some of us may not have known future reference for the flow of your videos. Thank you for your reaction to this. I am still going to watch your videos but just give Nick his chance to do his story tell him that’s what he is the most amazing.

[@theroachden6195]

Dude's from Iowa, he has an accent. But with his videos you gotta just let him go because he just goes fast. Otherwise you're pausing every 30 seconds to a minute.

[@Flash_Flood44]

Not cool to skip the add!

[@keithpierce5686]

The argument about the bombs on the new plane is so weak its legit on its death bed. If they wanted to bomb them it wouldve happened a long time ago. The runway issue is far more a better and tbh only argument for this. Tho i feel like given enough time, they could have been fixed to support the heavier ones. But ya know maybe, maybe not. (Given how they made an entirely new runway) o also to answer the blue whales thing pretty sure its just meant to help you visualize the amount.

[@hengineer]

The ultimate irony of Communism is that Capitalism has literally already achieved their ultimate goal, with everybody having a 401k investment portfolio, everyone in Capitalism already owns the means of production.

[@hengineer]

And yes I know they mean "the people" not in an individualistic sense, but "the people" as a group, which is kinda dumb because that just means the government (representing the people).

[@evanirvana500]

Marshall Plan, as absolutely important as it was, wasnt as impressive as this or even land lease. Marshall plan was money. Not unlike bail outs our government gives out today. It didnt require nearly the same planning, piloting skill, not to mention working with multiple nations together to try to save a city. That to me is the much greater flex. Not disputing the Marshall plan wasnt bigger in terms of people saved in many countries, not just one, but it was essentially america alone throwing out money. The Berlin Airlift was tremendous skill and cooperation with former enemies as well as friends to conduct a massive flying orchestra to get this done. Would any of this be done today? Highly doubtful.

[@benmelich8220]

You need to scale back the commentary…..this isn’t a seminar.

[@LcplAnimeGuy]

The reason why TFE uses animal's and anything else other then the metric system is because well it's funny and he thinks it's communist propaganda 🤣

[@DiggitySlice]

No, he has a sense of humor. He doesn't literally think metric is communist propaganda

[@dschoene57]

I absolutely like Fat Electricians style, but I also appreciate that you took the time of correcting some of his 'America, America über alles'-rah-rah hyperboly and history-rewriting. It doesn't take away from the substance of how huge an event the Berlin airlift was, but your explanations put it into the right historical context, Thank you. Excellent content.

[@DiggitySlice]

No, how about we don't demonize pride for our own country?

[@adamzbucki237]

So annoying.

[@Mr_Cellophane]

What you have to understand is he speaks in hyperbole and broad strokes often. He's not trying to be pinpoint accurate.

[@historysavvy]

And that's certainly part of his appeal I'm sure. I'm definitely not bothered by his hyperbole--I enjoyed his video.

[@Mr_Cellophane]

@historysavvy and I wasn't attacking, just clarifying. I do appreciate other historians' viewpoints on his videos. I also watch Mr. Terry and he has brought up some other things. I do like the added information you offered so thank you. O7

[@historysavvy]

@@Mr_Cellophane Oh now worries. I didn't feel attacked. I appreciate the comments!

[@NothingwrongwithmeitsaYOU]

Maybe you should make your own video about the topic instead of pausing and correcting him

[@MIKE_F44]

You should start making your own original videos. Then you could tell the story accurately.

[@historysavvy]

I've thought a lot about it. Most of my original content is on-scene stuff but I've never really done a talking head video. I don't reckon I'd be better than the fat electrician just different.

[@buckeyegirl16]

Never seen a reactor rip apart one of his videos nearly as much as this. I've seen history guys correct a couple facts here and there which is fine...but u are stopping every 15 seconds to dispute something he says. Makes it unwatchable.

[@historysavvy]

Thanks for the comment. I don't recall ripping apart his video. It certainly wasn't my intent. All I wanted to do is provide a little more information about the event, which, I guess, ended up being too much information for some. The Fat Electrician is a great entertainer, (better than I am certainly) but, I what I can offer people is a more refined idea of the event which is important when you want to say you know about a thing. Sorry that you didn't like the video, but if you want to get some good history (from me) and some good entertainment (from The Fat Electrician). I'll be here.

[@hawkeyesrule1234]

Trying to get clout using TFE name and video and yours views are showing.

[@Flash_Flood44]

100%

[@historysavvy]

You'd be right if I cared about making big money on KZbin but the truth is, I don't. I'm sure as a professional electrician TFE would agree with me that professional training matters. I have professional training as a historian and I see KZbin as a way to communicate some of that knowledge and training to the general public. TFE is entertaining and I'm glad to see him exciting people about history but I'm more interested in being the historian he reads to make his videos and get his clout.

[@philmacrackin1337]

U talk to much

[@historysavvy]

I've got a lot to say...

[@devinmaier4414]

I keep up on every video nic video fat files unsub all of it. One slight suggestion for any future videos that you do even though I know I’m a way back in your reaction videos, so I’ll have to see how well you do in the future once but try to let him speak for a little bit longer because he will answer the questions that you were basically trying to not only ask, but trying to give extra insight on, just give him a second to explain maybe about another minute longer before you put in your commentary I appreciate you giving us the extra insight that some of us may not have known future reference for the flow of your videos. Thank you for your reaction to this. I am still going to watch your videos but just give Nick his chance to do his story tell him that’s what he is the most amazing.