Billy Connolly Shown Harsh Reality Of Indian War | Who Do You Think You Are

Billy Connolly discovers more about his great great great grandfather’s time in the army in India and learns of the dark side of the war to keep India under British rule.
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[@ams487]

That historian has an extremely soothing demeanor about him.

[@johncunningham4820]

Yes ! Didn't he .

[@ChasingTenths]

Absolutely agree , I was just going to mention the same

[@chantalmassicotte3934]

I met Billy when they were shooting Boondock Saints in Toronto. He was the only actor that spoke to the onlookers. A wonderful man with an amazing personality.

[@nicoledeloncrais5940]

Such a relief to hear someone who has compassion and understanding. Thank you Billy for not judging with a 21st century lens. Bless you sir 🙏

[@sportsmusiclover]

Who is this historian? Absolutely neutral in his views which is hard to come by in India. Kudos Sir!

[@LilithsOwn303]

Probably the child of a mixed marriage, having heard both sides of the story

[@metropsiderss]

@@LilithsOwn303 ooh, mixed marriage? Go on then. What do you mean, buana?

[@traviskoller]

He seems like quite a remarkable man and historian.

[@roberttwood]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rana_Chhina

[@tstanmoysamanta]

most Indians taught British written history....

[@heidiavera8851]

What a wonderful historian

[@lucygray6162]

Years ago I read a book by M.M. Kaye which told of life in India and the massacre in particular. Even the Indian ayahs (family child-minder/nursemaids) were bayoneted and murdered while trying to protect the British children from slaughter. No one was spared regardless of ethnic affiliation.

[@hardikparbhakar7845]

says a occupationer they did all the things that were done to them it was their land and you took it and anslaved them they deserved it

[@Bandermon]

@@hardikparbhakar7845 what could the children have done to deserve this? They cannot be held accountable for crimes committed by adults

[@smallfeet4581]

i read a bit about it too what they did to the children

[@krishnadev007]

@@Bandermon that's right , but you should ask the same question to british.. they didn't even leave the pregnant women, this is just less than 1 percentage of the history. I do agree hurting the helpless is cruel. But you could never imagine what the brits have done. Neither you would learn that in history taught in your country, And remember the freedom fight was happening all over india and it's beyond your imagination that each village has its own stories to tell. That was not just one fight happened in a particular place.

[@debbieappelhans9055]

@@krishnadev007 how brutal you murders

[@paulreader7353]

I read about this massacre in the British empire when I was eleven my history teacher asked me were I learnt it from.

[@ArmageddonAfterparty]

" We didn't get this history in school". A problem all too common in western countries.

[@custos3249]

Blame normies, over-sanitized culture, and the normatized Disney concept of "kid friendly," i.e. ignorance maintenance because parenting is too hard.

[@aucourant9998]

George Henry Moore and in every other country not in the Western world.

[@hiddenknowledge2012]

@@custos3249 That's definitely not what it is. It's existed for a long time, it wasn't taught because it makes us look bad.

[@InDisskyS131]

The slackers that took the easiest classes didn’t get this history in school.

[@rikremmerswaal2756]

More like a problem with every nation in the world. People don't depict themselves as the bad guys. No one ever does.

[@downhilltwofour0082]

I love Billy for his humor but it is very reassuring to know he has a serious side too.

[@badderbrain]

Wow Billy love you more if possible. - right at the end he said it- he was doing a job but was the job worth doing? He kept his eye on the fact that British were being fought out of a place they colonised and wrongly ruled over. X

[@theeaselrider4032]

" When you're there, it's a different sausage". I will use that from now on.

[@liamofthornhill]

Put full episodes on why cut it up

[@recipesandsongs8050]

Everytime indian rebels'retaliation is mentioned- the manufactured bengal famine , and all the ither massacres committed by the british should be mentioned too.

[@abcdd369]

Absolutely agree.. one would not exist without the other

[@ropaul8006]

Nah

[@tootSweet66]

0:13 straight off the bat. Indian guy says "Devil's Wind" camera cuts to Billy's face - he's thinking: "Fart!!" hahahaha!

[@tomjeffersonwasright2288]

The Brits died of heat rather than take off their woolen coats. It shows that the "nobility" comprising the officers inherit more power than brains.

[@kimchengmun]

When the british were in malaya (now malaysia) my late father, a former police field force went into the jungle, one of the british soldiers who was in his group jumped into the river. He just wanted to cool off due to the hot climate n temperature. Minutes later he died. If one is sweltering hot one needs to cool off before going for a swim.

[@smallfeet4581]

id agree wth you on that , even the fact that it took medical staff to get the army to treat wounded soldiers instead of leaving them with injuries leaves me agog at the way some thought in those days , it was tough times but it didnt need to be

[@minisweedessmalltownlife]

It's so amazing to learn about the life of our ancestors and loved ones in our past without them we would not be us

[@robertthistlewood5892]

Best if you read a little of life in England at the time. Men and women for the most part joined the armed forces to avoid poverty and hunger. The real slaves of the "British" were its own people's English, Scottish and the Irish.

[@williamnixon3071]

still are.

[@custos3249]

These days, we don't call it slavery just because "laborers" get some say in who the master is, they get a slightly larger percentage of their exploitation, and we call the buyer's examination a "physical"

[@charliebowen5071]

That’s a bit of an unfair statement.. the age meant poverty and hunger were rife across Europe unfortunately not a British thing. A sign of its time

[@charliebowen5071]

@Jim Shue shut up mate.. bringing out the racism card.. if you had enough brains you would see its nothing to do with race.. it's a social commentary..... you keyboard warriors... its people like you that's wrong with the world

[@paddybrennan3644]

Well said

[@justjames1111]

Evil flourishes when Good Men stand by and do nothing...or...Just Follow Orders. The British Monarchy in whose name this Brutality was committed are the same today as they were then, the only difference is people stood up to them and wouldn't allow it now...?

[@saleemc]

John you summed it up beautifully. "On the one hand it's valorous because you did your job really well on the other hand was the job worth doing" But who are we to judge as the circumstances can only be described by those who witnessed and were part of this carnage

[@Crustymarine]

Right then. Any culture or peoples who don't have a bit of unsavory history please step forward. I'll wait.

[@imthedogsbollocksnotyou.7826]

@crusty marine ...What about the peace loving pygmies of Umborgo Gorge.

[@Crustymarine]

@@imthedogsbollocksnotyou.7826 The pygmies will need to take two steps forward.

[@TheVeek192]

Exactly!

[@barbaravance6774]

@@Crustymarine Brilliantly funny response! And you are correct! 💕

[@JasonJason210]

Watch it from 12:00 onwards. Glad he acknowledges this.

[@motherseer9956]

Does he though? Very briefly and excused it as being of the time... I’m quite struck by his appreciation for his ancestor’s exploits and seeming lack of comprehension as to what it all implies... highly unlikely the child bride of 13 was a willing participant in her baptism and marriage. And brutal as the massacre of 200 women and children undoubtedly was, it also paled in comparison to the everyday brutality of the British. He doesn’t seem to appreciate his ancestor was part of a cruel and violent occupying force, imperialism at its height

[@ayushrawat9480]

Defending Lucknow from Indian in Indian land.

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

Humm? I often hear people say, Well he was following orders. Isn't that why the Brits hug so many Germans at the end of WWII?

[@catbutte4770]

"John to have been present at this key moment in British Imperial history...it was huge... if it was an American you would say he was one of the guys ... present at the Alamo..." Though the Americans won the war with Mexico, they lost the battle of the Alamo.

[@WhiteCamry]

At the time -1836 - Texas was fighting for independence from Mexico. They became an American state in 1845, which started the Mexican-American War.

[@SeeFair23]

Texicans were not Americans at the time of the Alamo.

[@ceeceesyl1097]

America didn't fight in the battle of Alamo.

[@sulynn72]

We shouldn't have been there anyway

[@DanCoffee]

What angers me a bit, is the reflex to go and say "I'd like to think my [ancestor] just did what he was told." A lot of Germans do that too. They chose to believe that their grandparents could not have been that cruel. And yet, if all those believed to be innocent actually were then the atrocities wouldn't have happened, would they?

[@Geordie6740]

Dont be so naive, the threat of punishment and the need for self preservation are powerful tools used by those in authority against those in servitude. This is a simpleton response to quite intricate matters, something you would read in the Guardian or somewhere else just as ignorant.

[@smallfeet4581]

i knew a german who served in ww2 in germany , if he didnt follow orders he would have been shot

[@smallfeet4581]

watch thestory of the couple who tried to fight back against the n , they were guillotined , dont forget there were other countries that had ones there who were on the side of h , over 1 million non german europeans joined the nzs ,

[@Sgt.chickens]

At that time the option of not dping what you were told would usually result in a bullet. And military life was the only way to avoid starvation for many. So they had little option. Of course sadists and evil men existed. But much like in society, most people were probably just working class and trying to survive themselves.

[@cliffordadams8353]

I like the way Vickie you differentiate between Britain and English It’s the English Establishment that was responsible for all this misery

[@Kitiwake]

Anyone who isn't English should be ashamed to be described s a Brit.

[@hiddenknowledge2012]

@@Kitiwake It's more of an unsult.

[@bigmofarah9084]

People from all parts of the UK played their role, including even the Irish before they became independent. Laying it all at the door of the English is simply the other home nations being in denial as to their own grubby history.

[@marycahill546]

This episode, and some episodes reviewing the Holocaust, are very sad and thought provoking. I don't see any gains from war, just lots of innocent blood shed in the name of freedom or nationalism or somebody's god. It's all a tragedy.

[@amit4Bihar]

What are you implying?? Fighting against colonialism for freedom and nationalism was wrong??

[@captaintyrrell6428]

@Mary Cahill- It was through 800 years of brutal war and bloodshed that the Irish (your people) finally gained its Independence. It is sad how the Irish seem to have turned their backs on the very nationalism and faith that freed their country from foreign rule.

[@thedescanteer]

Yes, its all a tragedy. And the biggest tragedy that fuelled it all was the European colonial project. Of which British imperialism was the crown jewel.

[@pauljamessquibbs.3945]

Resources are the gains - monopolization and control over resources.... It's the same with chimpanzees (albeit more simplistic) who wage war against weaker neighbouring communities to take over the territory that contains the best fruiting trees... Humans do the same for control over trade routes, oil, ore and precious metals/gem mines, fertile land for farming etc.. etc... The group with the greatest potential violence always ends up controlling the resources!

[@jigggro]

The revenge that the English extracted from Indians was much much worse.

[@lauranichols945]

I am disappointed that this story is told mainly from the British point of view. I would have liked to know more about what sparked the rebellion and the viewpoint of Indians of that time and now.

[@bharathsf]

The same that happened in gaza. Imprisoned in their own country, looting of riches, stripped of the dignity for 90 years

[@Kitiwake]

Popping off red coats....now that's soldiering.

[@jameswatt1509]

Aye...ok

[@johugra1]

In the same way that we must not blame this generation of Germans or Japanese for the second world war we must not blame this generation of British for the wrongdoings of our Ancestors.

[@HarshNerf]

why not? isn't he touring the area casually and pretending like his ancestor was just an innocent dude who got shot by the locals lol

[@najkraemer3117]

@ady nails look it up. britain sent food aid to ireland back then.

[@justmechilling...]

@@najkraemer3117 while exporting cattle grain from Ireland.

[@Sgt.chickens]

@@HarshNerf because he likepy was lol. Maybe not. But most people in the army back then joined because otgerwise they would starve to death. And if they disobeyed orders they would be executed. Both indians and working class brits haad little to no rights. And were forced against eachotger by a tiny group of elite. Are you any different? You write this on advanced technology that uses metal that was likely mined by child slaves. Most modern countries consume material goods made by slaves. Just because you dont see it doesnt mean you arent a part of it too.

[@royhorsfall8074]

55 the residency battery,49 fd regt

[@royperkins3851]

The society that built a empire were a very different group of people who dealt with the world very differently, modern morals and niceties weren't even a possibility. The truth is that neither the British or the Indians were the same people justification can't and shouldn't be made for the barbarous behaviours of both armies! Nothing justifies the butchering of women and children and the fact no attempt was made to insure that people punished for the crimes were actually guilty!

[@barbaravance6774]

Twas a brutal time in the world. 😭

[@smallfeet4581]

your right , it was very different in those days and i idid read the story on this , wrongs on both sides , the mughals ruled india and as far as ive read there was a lot of lawlessness there which if i remember the british were invited in by the mughals to help quell this ,

[@cliffordadams8353]

What were the Brits doing there uninvited

[@twinsonic]

Like the Americans nowadays

[@michaeldukes4108]

@@twinsonic ... Like how? Where?

[@ajaysking]

M

[@GirlWthGlasses]

Stealing land, subjugation of people establishing empirical rule an so on.. Busy warring and wrecking things for wealth and power. The usual things the empire got up to cos the Royals told them to.

[@bharathsf]

Indians kept quiet for 90 years. There was so much subjugation of the Indians that they had no idea but rebel

[@jolube2448]

The punishments... omg

[@barbaravance6774]

Well, the hacked their women and children to bits. You don't think that was harsh?

[@yourmumsy1081]

@@barbaravance6774 no that wasn't harsh compared to the terrible things the English Redcoats💂🏻‍♂️ have done in India and all across the world 🌎

[@sl_eep_0859]

omg such good video for school learning haha funny good video

[@suzieanderton4239]

a different sausage? bwaha.

[@kerrigrandmaison4342]

Hello

[@yourmumsy1081]

Hello Kerri

[@singatakberpura]

Yo don't be lopsided the British weren't saints - manufactured famines and indentured laborers

[@readhistory2023]

They had to eat pork!? OMG! But the kids that were chopped up?..."nahhhh. It'll be fine."

[@lumberpilot]

I wrote a similar comment.

[@r.m7921]

That's nothing compared to the other brutality imposed upon Indians by the British throughout the 200 years of colonial rule. Let's not forget the brutal and unfair trial of hundreds of Indian soldiers hung, lynched and blown from canon. The civilian casualties of the European were minute compared to what the Indians had to go through yet we are still the savages. Oh well ...

[@jameswatt1509]

Yup ...savagery is still savagery at the end of the day

[@barbaravance6774]

@@r.m7921 That was sadly the brutal times. America fought and won our freedom. Both India and America still have strong ties to England. As times change, so do most peoples. Some cultures still perform these brutal acts of hacking up, and starving their enemies. Sadly, It's still quite common in Islamic countries.

[@dillardjenkins5118]

The agony and death of colonialism.

[@satyammishra2090]

British rule was terrible. Still India hasnt recovered.

[@japhfo]

The way the British used the railways to impose the caste system and wife burning at the behest of the Moghuls and Hindu maharajas was shameful

[@PecanRanch]

Still ? At what point do you have to accept responsibility? 200 years?

[@satyammishra2090]

@@PecanRanch Just read about how British left India what was the condition the & now. Famines where millions died, where crops were transported to UK world war 2. We are improving. $45 trillion is what British looted. The life you are living, have some gratitude to a nation called India. Divide and rule policy, still BBC is upto it.

[@cogidubnus1953]

@@satyammishra2090 So famine and crop failure in India originated with the British? Bollocks...The caste system originated with the British? Bollocks again, (Not the Mughal Empire? Does not the term Varna originate way back in the Vedic period? The Untouchables were a product of the British? More Bollocks...Divide and Rule is British? Look up your own glorious history and get real...I've noticed just how religiously tolerant the Indians really are...you integrated brilliantly between 1948 and 1950 didn't you? Get real...you got your independence seventy years ago, and if you've managed a space programme, a nuclear programme and a huge armed forces budget, war with your neighbours and yet gone nowhere socially, with all your own natural resources, then you've got to shoulder a lot of your own blame...you can only blame history for so long...

[@woodseeker1417]

Your country has a Space Programme!!! You have been independent for 70 years already.

[@ritagam4514]

Another pat on your back nonsensical british history story..where they.pose themselves as the superheroes of the colonial world

[@jigggro]

Jai Nana Sahib. Jai Tatiya Tope.

[@aishamohammed9178]

Making the people feel guilty for thing they never did.

[@justmechilling...]

No its remembering history as the education system has cherry picked it.

[@henrysmommy7]

Don't compare it to the Alamo, none of those guys survived.

[@shettyanket95]

Rightfully so

[@kalpeshmanna7233]

British colonizers

[@ShweMyaukMyauk]

Loyal to the British......why are we glorifying colonialism

[@satyammishra2090]

Imagine a Brit hating India all his life & in the end he/she gets to know there's a little Indian in him/her. Rofl

[@satyammishra2090]

@Paul Fletcher If I would have showered praises of the rule, my history would be right? Accept the truth!

[@satyammishra2090]

@Paul Fletcher So typical. The world knows whose rubbish. BRITISH RULE WAS PATHETIC.

[@jameswatt1509]

Lol...but yet many aspects of British rule is what your modern country is build upon ....lol...sit down.

[@orion7326]

@@jameswatt1509 Oh please. Modern India frowns upon the aspects of British rule...lol...he won't sit down. Instead, you need to shut up.

[@karlcarlsen9664]

But why do you think every Single british Person, or Billy in particular hateing india. Didn't seem like he was hateing indians or beeing xenophobic.

[@jennyelliottbrown6680]

Proud to be British ???hmmm I think not

[@Kitiwake]

@Paul Fletcher come to Ireland some time.

[@johnmonk66]

A sadist? They murdered women and children, I would have done the same.

[@debodatta7398]

You obviously didn't watch the video or understand what they said, he said they rounded up Indians most of which were not even there at the estate and did this to them...

[@mythgreatbritain]

How was the British commander brutal? They had cut up women and children and we are supposed to feel guilty about the punishment?

[@TheVeek192]

Who said you should feel guilty?

[@jillybe1873]

Yes. It is a good thing to feel the horror of guilt.

[@stevenmccallum4268]

The British Empire shouldn't have been there in the first place - soldiers did this and far worse during the Empires brutal rule.

[@immers2410]

Brutal because they rounded up anyone suspected of taking part and executed them without trial

[@11UncleBooker22]

Survival of the fittest.

[@amit4Bihar]

Survival of the fittest is for dogs like you, not for normal human beings. You have been given a thinking brain unlike animals

[@captaintyrrell6428]

The British were able to crush the Indian mutiny even though they were outnumbered and outgunned by 20 to one (and more). They were superior in every way.

[@Kitiwake]

@@captaintyrrell6428 it was an inside Job.

[@dannista98]

Rebels??? no, its freedom fighters

[@micahbellthe3rd3]

Nana Sahib was a great man