BREAKOUT from NORMANDY: General Patton's Operation Cobra

This explains the Allied plan for a massive campaign after the landings in France, 1944.

[@JamesJones-bd1jg]

My dad was in this cobra operation. Pfc james c jones, i company, 318th Infantry, 80th division. He was first wounded in France in august 20, 1944. A high explosive round landed close to him and tore his right arm up. My uncle Allen jones was a machine gunner with the 30th division during this operation.

[@PhysicsBear]

The narrator, Alexander Scourby, was the voice of documentaries through my youth. He brought National Geographic TV broadcasts to life.

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

Ditto. It's very triggering, but in a good way'! 😀

[@danielkokal8819]

isnt that Dean Wormer from Animal House ?

[@oatis053]

Scourby was the one who narrated the famous series, "Victory at Sea"!

[@DCFusor]

He also narrated the American Society for the Blind King James bible, which was quite a large number of 16 2/3 RPM LPs. His effortless pronunciation of all the unusual names made quite a lot of the Old Testament understandable, and to this day if I read any scripture, that great voice is in my head.

[@jesscruz4195]

K8

[@70stunes71]

If these men were back here today they would be appalled at what is going on in America.

[@jameskoch7190]

They are not all gone yet. Fewer, yes ,but not all.

[@GP-fw8hn]

I am appalled at what is going on in America!

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

Meaning what, exactly?

[@jameskoch7190]

@@WillBravoNotEvil Do the math.

[@olddave4833]

they would probably turn around and fight for the other side.

[@notlihvic]

Can't stop watching war documentaries

[@pantysnifer927]

Thanks to all those men who sacrified so much for us!

[@alanl.simmons9726]

And women.

[@759NPR]

I knew & was honored to care for a very special man in his twilight years who was attached to Patton's 3rd Army. He was assigned to the 1306th engineers, Co A, a bridge builder unit who went right along every step of the way with old blood n guts. My friend Kyle told me many stories over the years about their exploits through the ETO, but one in particular demonstrated Patton's iron will and resolve. The 1306th had pulled up to the Moselle river, below Metz in November of 44' and was ordered to get a bridge built across the river. Above the river was a centuries old fortress the Germans had occupied, that hadn't been successfully attacked in the last few hundred years... Kyle's unit tried in vain to get a bridge across under duress - the first had been bombed and another had suffered mortar fire. After the second attempt failed, Patton roared to the front to assess the situation at hand and asked that the unit get into formation to "address" the troops. He hopped up onto the back of a duce & a half, and from that vantage point declared, " look, I've got to get a bridge across THAT river, and,... pointing to the bed of the duce & a half - ' if I have to fill the back of this goddamned truck with dog tags to do it - that's what I'm going to do !'".... I asked Kyle how he felt - a tobacco farmer's boy from little Appomattox, Va. - standing, he says less than 80ft from the back of the truck, after that little motivational speech. Kyle looks at me and grimaces saying, "booooy, let me tell you - we knew in that moment he meant business ... my blood ran cold as I stood near that truck..." and we eventually got (9) bridges across for the old man. He recalled how later Patton shows up to commend the men for their efforts and all he'd say was - " damn good job boys...damn good job..." my guy Kyle walked away w/(4) bronze stars having served under Patton, and to very near his dieing day he'd said he was a helluva general to us troops. They broke the mould after men like him were created - love em or hate em, Patton, McArthur, Marshall, Bradley or Ike - all those common old bastards got it done when the country needed them most. Men today of that calibre are very rare, if at all, among us...

[@lorrainechandler7864]

Thank You for sharing your story.

[@michaeljohnchristophet3949]

There is still a few here now

[@paigetomkinson1137]

@@michaeljohnchristophet3949 That's right. I think that sometimes people watch things like this and wonder why every other person in America today isn't a Bradley type, or a Mcarthur type, or an Ike type. The thing is that even back during the war, there were 16 million Americans fighting, and an additional 3.5 at home working for the war effort. The population at the time was approximately 140 million. So, the number of people involved in the war at home and overseas was approximately 17 percent of the population. That's not a whole lot. That doesn't mean that most everyone at home wasn't helping, but that their contributions were made in different ways. It does mean, though, that there weren't guys like Patton around every corner, or guys like Bradley sitting next to you on the train. Those men at the top were an extremely thin slice of the 16 million who served, and just like today, the likelihood of knowing or meeting one of them was quite small.

[@animula6908]

We drove them out of existence :(

[@jinglejuggs69]

When I first heard the phrase "They were the greatest generation"! I thought it was the most profound statement of all times. As I grew older and learned more it became, to me, it was the biggest understatement of all times. They were so much more than mere words can bind of their sacrifice. They are all but gone now. We must all remain steadfast and united to raise them higher and higher, lest we forget.

[@morgankaysen2218]

i know im randomly asking but does someone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I was dumb forgot my password. I love any assistance you can offer me.

[@luischarles1334]

@Morgan Kaysen instablaster =)

[@morgankaysen2218]

@Luis Charles Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@morgankaysen2218]

@Luis Charles it worked and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy:D Thank you so much, you really help me out :D

[@luischarles1334]

@Morgan Kaysen no problem xD

[@andrewkawaoka6651]

All men of ww2 , all were so brave courageous and fight against all odds , every little small engagements won the war , all different fighters fought together as one unit, communications was so important

[@windsurferpursley2736]

My father flew 33 mission shot down twice, received the Airmens metal, he was a wild man when he came out

[@brianketterer9189]

Those men who marched through Paris went right back into action shortly after the film. God bless them all.

[@dondressel4802]

Lawrance Ovarabia it’s all about free will God cannot control everything that goes on in this hell we call earth

[@Jon908584]

It must have been galling for them that at De Gaulle's insistence that the parade was led by the French who not so long previously had been fighting against the Allies.

[@albertbryan7132]

@@dondressel4802 cannot is not the case. Chooses not to is accurate. Free will is part of why he created us. He is long-suffering with us as evidenced by the continual rebellion of the Jewish people and us today Jesus Christ is his final answer on the subject and why we haven't been removed from this world.

[@paigetomkinson1137]

@@albertbryan7132Says your version of god.

[@jacktattis]

And why not the War was not over and remember Paris was never attacked or went hungry

[@stephenshoemate6678]

This is war as Hollywood has never been capable of depicting. It truly shows real fighting men, determined to vanquish the enemy. "The Greatest Generation" hardly seems adequate, as a description of them. They threw themselves into battle, not knowing if they would survive or not; only that they had to stop the other side. Heros, all.

[@jerrymccrae7202]

So agree with your remarks! My Dad was USN at Normandy and in the Pacific. They were so modest about their role in duty. Dad alway told people i didnt do much. Thw credit goes to the guys that didnt come back. Have a great week!

[@candyextreme8406]

You have to remember that at the time this doco was made,historian's were still compiling facts,that is made very clear at the end when the aging Bradley was interviewed.

[@jenniferlarson6426]

Thank you General Bradley. YOU have never been forgotten, although, some have forgotten your contribution to WWII. I, have not.

[@johnemerson1363]

Interesting. General Patton was never mentioned in this video.

[@carlwelty9611]

Good point -

[@golfer5636]

Because his command of the 3rd army had to wait until they were activated, which was immediately after Cobra

[@johnemerson1363]

@@golfer5636 Yeah, "General Patton's Operation Cobra" and he isn't even there yet. Mis-titled I guess.

[@jcwheeler4760]

@@johnemerson1363 997ot

[@ronniebishop2496]

He wasn’t involved with this operation it was Bradley all the way. Patton was in England.

[@fasx56]

Very informative Documentary, did not realize it was so difficult for our army to move out of the Normandy Coast.The narrator as stated below did an excellent jog is is well known for his other work.

[@Cappy1918]

That's Alexander Scourby! Outstanding!

[@stevenyates4535]

His dramatized Bible is awesome!

[@WelshRabbit]

Indeed! Alexander Scourby is my favorite narrator and one of the greatest of all time. Usually, it's only his voice I get to enjoy. Seeing him on screen is a particularly great pleasure.

[@johngeverett]

Awesome! Now that you mention it, I do recognize the voice. I had never seen him without the beard.

[@PossMcLeod]

I love how he pronounces "ALLIES" lol. Love watching these old Docos! Thanks for sharing!

[@garrisonnichols7372]

Yeah with the exception of the Soviets. F#@% those bastards! The Soviets were just as bad as the Nazi's.

[@stevenm3823]

It was General BRADLEY'S Operation Cobra.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

So impressed with Omar Bradley. He's just a perfect man to lead men. Strong, intelligent and measured. But most of all, a real sense of decency in him. We were blessed to have him.

[@andrewkawaoka6651]

So well said

[@CplEthane]

Bradley was without a doubt an effective general on the battlefield, and deserves his place in history; but the notion of him being such a even-tempered counterpart to Patton is largely a myth of his own making. He was the main consultant to the famous Patton movie from the early 70's, which really laid this myth he contrived on thick. Monty never got under Patton's skin as much as he did Bradley's. This is demonstrated during the Ardennes Offensive whenever Eisenhower temporarily placed Bradley's armies underneath Monty's command and Bradley (admittedly justifiably) threw a fit. And whenever Monty, in yet another PR gaffe, diminished the role of the American soldier during this push, Bradley was the first to loudly and abrasively protest to Ike and said he'd never coordinate or work with Monty again. British histories of the war, to their credit, are every bit as critical to Monty and his pomposity and arrogance as they should be, and surprisingly their most damning assessment of an American general wasn't Patton, it was Bradley, who by their account could be every bit as bloody-minded as Montgomery.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

@@CplEthane Thank you for that illustrative back-story! Yes, the depth of my historical knowledge is pretty shallow and yes, from "The Movie"...although I have friends. I was really impressed with him just from the footage in the video, albeit in a different setting from in the middle of WWII and no Monty to contend with! Thanks again.

[@rajkobjelica4905]

Over rated like mark clarke who should have been courts marshelled.

[@lurking0death]

Well said. Omar Bradley was a quiet, brilliant man. He taught mathematics on a college level. He understood logistics and that you won wars with food in bellies, with fuel, with warm clothes, with medicines....and only then, with a little "blood and guts". I am ex-Army. As far as I am concerned, Bradley is the general, Patton is the errand boy.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

It was Bradleys US 1st Army that broke out in Operation Cobra not Patton's 3rd Army. Operation Cobra was already finished at the end of July by the time Patton's 3rd Army was combat activated on August 1st.

[@MagpieOz]

Sadly Patton made better press than Bradley.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Yes. Even a Hollywood movie about him.

[@bigwoody4704]

Patton unlike Monty didn't end up in the channel or lather up little boys - read The Full Monty

[@chrisstaves1473]

Dick!​@@bigwoody4704

[@MisteriosGloriosos922]

*Thanks for letting us know!!!*

[@t.a.ackerman4098]

I like how he finds the right page without any bookmark and why does it look like the book has never been opened before?

[@DavidALovingMPF102]

He just had the lines memorized!

[@iancostigan5047]

Probably had tabs on the bottom of the book.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

He's reading a tele-prompter, of course.

[@The1badgolfer]

imagine that... video conferences back in the 1950's

[@genehollon1472]

excellent presentation

[@georgedoolittle7574]

Long Toms plus close air support is spot on. Mostly forgotten today.

[@sebastianverney7851]

excellent narration

[@thevoiceofthelordpastorkei7165]

Great video! I was taught this in school in the mid 60's but sadly none of this is being taught but rather ideologies of FREEDOM has LITTLE to NO cost!! So very sad!

[@jimreilly917]

And worse, that communism brings freedom and economic prosperity. The 20th century is not being taught as it happened at all.

[@rachaelsdaddontdrink]

As I watch the great American thrust into the hedgerows, the narrator espounds on the genius of Bradley and his Operation Cobra. I asked myself, what could be better than an interview with Mr. Five Star himself...

[@allanbrydon6952]

Gen. Bradley - A Soldier’s Story "For three weeks he [Montgomery] had rammed his troops against those panzer divisions he had deliberately drawn towards that city [Caen] as part of our strategy of diversion in the Normandy Campaign. Although Caen contained an important road junction that Montgomery would eventually need, for the moment the capture of that city was only incidental to his mission. For Monty’s primary task was to attract German troops to the British [and Canadian] front that we might more easily secure Cherbourg and get into position for the breakout. In this diversionary mission Monty was more than successful, for the harder he [British and Canadians] hammered towards Caen, the more German troops he drew into that sector. For another four weeks it fell to the British [and Canadians] to pin down superior enemy forces in that sector while we maneuvered into position for the US breakout." Gen. Eisenhower’s Report 1944-45. "Our strategy, in the light of these German reactions, was to hit hard in the east [British and Canadian sectors] in order to contain the enemy main strength there while consolidating our position in the west. The resulting struggle around Caen, which seemed to cost so much blood for such small territorial gains, was thus an essential factor in ensuring our ultimate success. The very tenacity of the defence there was sufficient proof of this. As I told the press correspondents at the end of August, every foot of ground the enemy lost at Caen was like losing ten miles anywhere else."

[@andrewkawaoka6651]

Monty just wanted glory at the expense of his soldiers lives, marker garden , time was running out, the war was coming to an end, he developed marker garden , he killed 8 thousand of his troops, he sent them on a I'll planned of attack, what an idiot

[@loriryde5437]

It wasn't the plan at all that was statements made long after the battle by Montgomery as an excuse after failing to breakout and to describe how it actually worked out

[@michaelkenny8540]

​@@andrewkawaoka6651 The US Troops failure at Nijmegen contributed to the failure of Market Garden.

[@paulclarke4571]

@@andrewkawaoka6651 read the stuff above and you might learn something. Also learn how to spell

[@terrysmith9362]

utter bollocks

[@chicken_953]

That was a fabulous documentary! Glad we have great writers as well as great Soldiers!

[@richardlevy9663]

Operation Cobra was authored by Gen Bradley not Patton. Patton's 3rd Army was able to breakout of Normandy as a result.

[@howardamey7767]

Thank-you. You are absolutely correct.

[@charlesmanering7746]

Bradley was put in cammand but it was Patton that was the true leader. Bradley was a wimp

[@floydvaughn836]

@@charlesmanering7746 Patton's aggressive style was the key. Constant attack.

[@waynepatterson5843]

Operation Cobra was authored by Gen Bradley not Patton. Patton's 3rd Army was able to breakout of Normandy as a result. Wayne Patterson --- Operation Cobra was authored by a staff of war planners before and after Bradley was placed in command of the army group. As the commander of the army group Bradley had final command responsibility for the final development and implementation of the plan, but the plan had no single author. Patton was responsible for outlining the plan to Bradley in the days before and after D-Day, and much of Patton's suggested planning to Bradley survived the changes made by Bradley and the other British and American officers who contributed to the final OPERATION COBRA plan.

[@cpf55]

General Bradley rest all credit for mission success on the combat soldiers that did the fighting. Class act!

[@stevendeatley4878]

his nick name was The G.I. General,because he was always looking out for his troops.when I was just a kid I just happened to go thru my basic training at Ft. Bliss TX. and General Bradleys home was a huge gray stone mansion at the Logan heights training area,,and when he was so old that he had to be pushed in a wheel chair he would come to our little mess hall and eat chow with all of us trainees,just sos' he could be sure we was being fed decent food.and believe me we always had very good food.lol they never knew when The General of The Army was gonna show up and eat.lol he was always thinking of his troops even in his final years.

[@cpf55]

@@stevendeatley4878 thanks for sharing this!👍

[@Mariano5301]

Do you mean "wrest," rather than "rest?"

[@multitieredinvestor183]

Bradley, a politician. Patton the warrior accomplished the break thru.

[@ronreyes9910]

Actually, this was Bradley's plan. General Bradley was a very down to earth man. The politician was Eisenhower.

[@terryrussel3369]

Gen. Patton was a walking, talking, thinking, working, encyclopedia of the military arts. During his lifetime he not only reveled in learning and utilizing history he lived and wrote it.

[@carlwelty9611]

But he worked for his boss, General Bradley who planned Cobra. Bradley was a better Army and Army Group commander than Patton because Patton had little interest in supply and logistics - this is why Marshal and Ike chose Bradley to command Americans on Normandy and not Patton.

[@lcd2426]

​@@carlwelty9611 MIght want to actually read up on Patton instead of going by the plagiarizing gentleman Stephen Ambrose. Ike chose Bradley because he was a yes man and played the politics game that Ike needed. Bradley was not the field general that Patton was and it was Ike's plan all along to bring in Patton. So while Cobra may have been planned by Bradley it was Patton that made it happen.

[@waynepatterson5843]

@@carlwelty9611 --- Your remarks are nonsense. Patton conceived the proposals for the Allied post-invasion campaign and urged Bradley to adopt his ideas in the early months of 1944. Bradley, who subsequently took personal credit for the final OPERATION COBRA plan, repeatedly obstructed Patton's pursuit of those proposal before D-Day and after the breakout from St. Lo in July-August 1944 due to Bradley's lack of confidence in such strategies and tactics. The genesis of what ultimately came to be fashioned by many British and American contributors into the plans for OPERATION COBRA can be said to have occurred in the year of 1910. It was then that Patton married Beatrice and took her on a honeymoon to Europe. During the sea voyage Patton studied books which detailed the last two millennia of military campaigns in Western Europe. He took his wife on an early automobile trip across France and used that occasion to personally reconnoiter the road networks, bridges, and other terrain features which shaped the previous centuries of battles and military campaigns. When war came to France in the First World War and the Second World War, Patton had already developed a detailed understanding of the French and other European terrain upon which the wars were waged. While enroute to take command of the U.S. Third Army in England, Patton once again studied the military histories related to the battlespaces he considered likely to affect his command and the soon to be launched Allied military campaigns in Northwestern Europe. Bradley was Patton's junior in rank, seniority, andcombat command experience, until Eisenhower and Marshall promoted Bradley over Patton. They did so because they preferred Bradley's more conventional infantry doctrine in the erroneous belief doing so presented less risk than Patton's more bold conceptions of mobile warfare. Their choice of Bradley proved to be a costly mistake and one of the reasons why the Allied invasion failed to achieve their original first week objectives until almost two months later than planned. Even after Patton and his Third Army were unleashed Bradley kept grossly underestimating the capabilities of the Third Army and the First Army, which caused increased U.S. casualties that could have been avoided by not allowing the Germans the time and opportunities to reestablish strong defensive positions. The old myth claiming Patton " had little interest in supply and logistics" is a total and malicious falsehood. It was the genius of Patton and his support of his command staff with reagrd to logistics and the combat engineer bridging which made their brilliant performance in the pre-war maneuvers and in combat so wildly successful in comparison to rivals. If it had not been for Patton's leadership and support of his logistics staff the Third Army change of axis to relieve Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge in only a few days during one of the worst winter storms in 20h Century Europe would have been impossible. It was Eisenhower, Bradley, Lee who failed to properly handle the logistics.

[@johnmccormick3254]

@@waynepatterson5843 thanks for that, Wayne, Patton was a real field commander, the kind of football captain who sees opportunities and goes instantly.

[@waynepatterson5843]

​@@johnmccormick3254 --- You're welcome. There are some sources which provide informative, entertaining, and humorous reading. I was given an autographed copy of the book by Brigadier General Oscar Koch and Robert G. Hays titled as G2: Intelligence for Patton, and that book supplies many good insights into Patton and his actions. BG Koch was himself an outstanding contributor to Patton's success. Robert G. Hays subsequently authored a biography about Oscar Koch titled Patton's Oracle: Gen. Oscar Koch, As I Knew Him. For a primary source which provides stunning insight into Patton's thinking and actions, read Patton's personal diaries located on the Library of Congress website.

[@markbuck9327]

Even more interesting, General Bradley never mentioned Patton. I truly believe that without Patton, Bradley and his generals would still be on the beach heads.

[@imalt8271]

I don't know if Patton was there yet. He was the "commander" of the fake army that was formed to make the Germans think the invasion was going to take place at the Pas De Calais. My Pop's outfit arrived on July 6th and became part of Patton's 3rd Army.

[@markbuck9327]

@@imalt8271 I wrote an edited comment, which stated what you said. They used Patton as a guinea pig to lure the Germans in believing where Patton was, the invasion was and not at its true location. However, fact is the Germans were at the time practicing war game invasion scenarios and had removed most of their leadership and soldiers from the Normandy beachheads. Had several factors been different and the German army was in force on the beaches at Normandy, the allies would either have delayed or been anhilliated. That could have happened, had the Germans played a similar game in allowing British intelligence to believe the Germans had fallen for the Patton ruese.

[@stevefowler2112]

By June of '44 the American/British strategic bombing and the horrendous losses of man and machine on the eastern front had left the German war machine as a mere shadow of its former self. The Wehrmacht units on the western front were so undermanned that almost none of them would have been listed as combat effective in the German units organization designation the Wehrmacht used earlier in the war to classify unit readiness. On top of that they had almost no fuel for their mechanized units and even worse almost no high octane gasoline for the Luftwaffe. For all intents and purposes, once the allies had a beach head the war was a fait accompli. Regardless both sides fought bravely and to the bitter end. In retrospect, once Germany was at war with both Russia, who had the 2nd largest manufacturing capability in the world and America, which had the largest manufacturing capability by a large order of magnitude, the war was lost at that point.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

Cobra was in Patton's diary days before it popped into Bradley's head. What does that tell you? BTW, the idea of heading East, instead of West into Brittany, goes to P. Woods -- of the 4th Armored Division. (P for 'professor' ) Woods figured that Berlin was to the east, so what's up with heading west? The Germans would've been totally encircled -- but Monty -- still in over-all ground command -- refused to shift the intra-army boundary so as to permit 3rd Army -- and Patton -- to complete the encirclement by coming even further north.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

David Himmelsbach It was Montgomery who first came up with Cobra, directly after Villers Bocage in mid June. The only way out was through St Lo and beyond, but the Americans couldn't take St Lo until mid July so Cobra didn't happen for a long time. In the meantime Goodwood and the other battles around Caen whittled down the German panzer divisions so that they had little armour to oppose Cobra.

[@bobbyb.6644]

Amazing what total air superiority can accomplish ! Thank you Goering ? 👍

[@giovannanarsini7185]

89o

[@paulwaelder6940]

The German called the V-1 "Eifel-Schreck" - the "Eifel" being the hilly countryside between Belgium and the river Rhine and "Schreck" meaning horror. The V-1 got its German nickname because so many crashed within Germany and even more on Belgium and the southern Netherlands.

[@ultrametric9317]

11:05 - GI wearing a Vic Morrow in "COMBAT!" style USMC helmet cover - rarely seen in the ETO. That appears to be the 2nd Armored Division.

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

It was there I met my first BAR. Oh, Caje...😎

[@irejectyourrealityandrepla1140]

It looks to be a helmet cover made from parachute material.

[@keystone1944]

I Think the camo was Made out of parashute Material you would findet all other in the normandy

[@mikeanderson1042]

Wow that was great to listen to Bradley never seen this piece great history here

[@johnkennedy8795]

GREAT Watch, Go on the boys!!! Brave Fighters everyone of yous

[@craiganthony9735]

The best narrator ever.

[@danpals7678]

I love that awesome flat screen, lol

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Would it be inappropriate to point out that Operation Cobra took place in late July, 1944, and Patton (or George C. Scott, most people seem to confuse history with the movie!) did not arrive in France until 1 August, 1944? Perhaps Patton's Cobra triumph should be ranked alongside his victory over Rommel in Tunisia, in that both are fictional?

[@silentotto5099]

The video got it pretty much right. It's the guy who titled the video who doesn't know what he's on about.

[@carlwelty9611]

good point - Omar Bradley is too often overlooked - Patton worked for Bradly and Ike gave Bradley a choice to bring Patton back into the war. Bradley could have sent Patton home -

[@waynepatterson5843]

Would it be inappropriate to point out that Operation Cobra took place in late July, 1944, and Patton (or George C. Scott, most people seem to confuse history with the movie!) did not arrive in France until 1 August, 1944? Perhaps Patton's Cobra triumph should be ranked alongside his victory over Rommel in Tunisia, in that both are fictional? Wayne Patterson --- Yes, your remarks made false assumptions and stated false conclusions. The plans for OPERATION COBRA were prepared by a staff of British and American officers who had been engaged in such war planning over a period of three years, with the contingency OPERATION COBRA planning being under way in early 1944, long before D-Day. Patton had been studying how he would conduct military campaigns in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany since his personal reconnoiter over the terrain in 1910 while on his honeymoon motor trip across France. Patton brought his personal knowledge of the military campaign histories and personal studies of the terrain into use during the joint planning for the D-Day and post D-Day war plans. Patton tried with limited success to persuade Bradley to employ his ideas for the post D-Day breakout with the U.S. First Army and U.S. Third Army. Many of Patton's suggestions for the breakout were adopted into the final OPERATION COBRA planning, but Bradley took and/or was given the principal credit for the plans which Patton had previously recommended to Bradley and Eisenhower before and after D-Day. Your erroneous misrepresentaions about Patton and Rommel I've already refuted with the facts elsewhere on KZbin.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@waynepatterson5843 'Your erroneous misrepresentaions about Patton and Rommel I've already refuted with the facts elsewhere on KZbin.' In your terms, it seems that 'refuted' is simply another way of saying 'challenged, but not effectively.' You may, of course, fantasise as much as you like about Patton, but it really doesn't alter the facts, although I do like your suggestion that Patton had been studying how he would fight a campaign in Europe since 1910.

[@waynepatterson5843]

​@@dovetonsturdee7033 --- In your terms, it seems that 'refuted' is simply another way of saying 'challenged, but not effectively.' Wayne Patterson --- That is nonsense. Patton was in command of the U.S. Army forces that engaged the forces under Rommel's command and executing Rommel's orders. ​ doveton sturdee --- You may, of course, fantasise as much as you like about Patton, but it really doesn't alter the facts, Wayne Patterson --- The facts are that Patton participated in the planning for the D-Day operations and subsequent operations, including OPERATION COBRA. Patton submitted an alternative plan to Eisenhower on 4 July 1944 which would have landed two infantry divisions and one armored division of Patton's or Bradley's forces behind the German lines at Morlaix. This was to force an American breakout within a week in early July 1944 while using only a fraction of the forces and casualties experienced in Bradley's version of OPERATION COBRA. Furthermore, other comments in this thread claimed Patton did not arrive until 1 August 1944 when he and his staff members arrived in Normand on 6 July 1944 and participated in the planning with Bradley, Montgomery, and others on 7 July 1944 in Normandy. These planning sessions were a continuation of those held in the months prior to D-Day (5-6 June 1944). Montgomery as commander of the 21st Army Group suggested to Bradley et al in a meeting on 7 May 1944 that Patton should lead the army outflanking the German western flank and breakout into Brittany and beyond. Those are the historical facts and not your false myths.

[@johnallen2771]

Yes, the Americans took a while to break out of the Normandy landings. Thank God the British and the Canadians fought a tough battle to get to Caen. The aggressiveness was apparent to anyone who cared to look. We took it to the Germans and they started backing up. They backed up all the way to Berlin until we beat them for good. Bravo to the Allied troops.

[@e9_Tum0r]

You wouldn’t have backed them up all the way to Berlin without the Russians coming in from the east

[@ariceliosoaresdasilva4357]

excellent documentary congratulations to the channel 🇧🇷

[@karlvanzat4084]

Biggest respect for all these men and women. The 50s were the best years.

[@CrossOfBayonne]

1940s actually

[@e9_Tum0r]

This was the 40s

[@steveevans424]

16:26 You can see a German soldier with a cocked Browning Hi Power 9mm in his hands ...Both Allied and Axis uses this design .

[@dlwaterloo2221]

Walther made a near knock off of the BHP in 9mm Luger. They jammed easily and were not widely used in the front lines.

[@TheAirplaneDriver]

When I first saw this I thought he was holding a 1911...but, right you are!

[@floydvaughn836]

@@dlwaterloo2221 Bull. The Germans took over the F N plant and simply rocked on. An F N High Power traded at 1 H P 35 for 3 P 38s. The combat troops cared nothing for Lugers. Nice souvenir, though.

[@dlwaterloo2221]

@@floydvaughn836 The Axis version of the BHP were made by FN Herstal, under licence, in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. Once hostilities started the Wehrmacht took control of all small arms factories and put them under control of German manufacturers. Walther took control of the FN production of the GP35 pistol (GP in French is Grande Puissance- High Power). While technically it was an FN design, the Walther manufactured “Brownings”, were not the same quality as the FN GP35’s, probably because of forced labour. The Czechoslovakia factory eventually became the CZ works. The FN Herstal GP35 was a great handgun, and are rare. The mass produced Walther version was not so great.

[@celticman1909]

In Bradley's last literary work, "A General's life" he describes a meeting he called with the USAAF to hash out the tactial details of the use of massed airpower to achieve the "Cobra" breakout. The danger in the 1940's state of the art of using heavy and medium Bombers near friendly ground units was the lack of bomb run accuracy. Contrary to the popular saying, they could not depend on getting anywhere near a pickel barrel let alone inside it. To lessen the chances of friendly fire losses Bradley requested a parallel line bombing run to run the length of the front. The Air Corps Generals said they never do that because that would expose their aircrafts side silhouette to enemy gunners for an indefinite period of time that would cause losses. It was against their operating Doctrine. What they do is fly straight at the enemy ground positions and therefore only present the front of the aircraft as a much smaller target for a briefer period of time, thereby reducing risk and losses.. Bradley impressed upon them the extraordinary situation and desperate need of this success on the ground and hinted that he could pull rank and get back up from Chief of Staff Gen. Marshall for their cooperation. The Air Corps officers relented and agreed to Bradley's request that they make their bomb runs parallel to the lines. They did not keep their word and consequently killed a number of US soldiers including a General Officer that was a personal friend of Bradley's. Bradley was livid and when he confronted the Air Corps. Generals they simply said they didn't know what Bradley was talking about. They would never agree to violate their battle Doctrine.

[@odochartaighofodonegal9815]

The General was Leslie McNair, Commanding Ground Forces, and also the highest-ranking American killed in WW11.

[@celticman1909]

@@odochartaighofodonegal9815 Yes. It was Gen McNair. But he wasn't in direct command of ground forces. He was in a sort of peculiar position of observation for the US War Department and Chief of Staff, Gen. George Marshall.

[@celticman1909]

@@odochartaighofodonegal9815 In his autobiography Bradley states that the USAAF officers that betrayed their word to him were "marked men" as far as he was concerned and I'd wager that after the war was over and Bradley was chosen by Truman to be the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs after the reorganization of the US military, their careers were screwed.

[@paigetomkinson1137]

It's that same old excuse: We've always done it this way. Just because you've always done something one particular way doesn't make it the right way or the best way, or even second best. Without trial and error or wins, we never learn how to advance.

[@kerrysammy3277]

Ok, very informative. History is essential in order to not repeat the mistakes of the past. The only thing that gets me, is the narrator interviewing General Omar Bradley through a 'video link'. Was that real time technology available at that time?

[@mikeklaene4359]

Surprising that I had never seen this video heretofore.

[@gurmelsingh2115]

May God it would never repete.

[@jimmyhaley727]

wishful thinking as wars supports the Generals and Bankers,,,

[@evoman1776]

Interesting factoid: The narrator is Dean Wermer from Animal House.

[@huntingthekaiser6490]

No it's not. Sorry. It's Alexander Scourby.

[@evoman1776]

@@huntingthekaiser6490 Damn, you're right. They do look a lot alike at similar ages though.

[@MrBlysko]

Excellent Footage 5 stars *****

[@traphouseadmin9751]

Awesome documentary

[@garryrainey6300]

That’s why the airport in Connecticut is called Bradley International Airport !

[@joemasello519]

Excellent documentary...even the part at 19:43 where the interviewer is asking questions to a pre filmed clip of General Bradley ..lol

[@paulgroben5337]

Kind of like bad CGI - you can't get past it!

[@talcoge67]

Pretty Funny! He should have used FaceTime

[@mortalclown3812]

Listening to Paul Fussell's account of the breakout gives it a whole new perspective, describing seeing dead German soldiers who were perhaps 8 years-old.

[@jeffreywickens3379]

I don't know who this presenter is, but I recognize his voice. Now I know what he looks like. He is very good in this.

[@JCMC57]

He did mention that bombers bombing might hit our troops but in reality bombers did bomb some of our troops. Not mentioned here.

[@franklinarchambault5397]

killed over five thousand in three bombing i think was the count

[@gulfrelay2249]

a U.S. general was killed during the raid. blue on blue.

[@johncronin9540]

This should be called “General Bradley’s Operation Cobra” It was he and his staff which planned it. Patton was serving under Bradley.

[@herbwheeler4470]

Patton made it happen.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@herbwheeler4470 How did he do that, as he didn't arrive in France until 1 August, 1944?

[@michaelkenny8540]

@@herbwheeler4470He did not. 1st Army punched a hole in the German front and 3rd Army were fed through the gap. Patton did well when attacking the fleeing Germans but he got his head handed to him when they stood and fought at Metz.

[@votefraudjoe997]

But Patton was the one who persuaded him to send the 3rd. east.

[@carlwelty9611]

The original film produced by the Army in the 1950s or 60s correctly credited Cobra to Bradley - the person who posted this great film on KZbin mislabeled it Patton's Cobra

[@annieetchegoin5830]

Merci les gars

[@tunggulsujarwob.archmba7751]

19.46 that vcall stll be a concept in that time, has been a reality and common use for nowadays.

[@jerrykennedy120]

Alexander Scourby also narrated Victory at Sea.

[@johnjdevlin2610]

No he didn't. It was Leonard Graves who narrated Victory at Sea.

[@TrailerBob]

@@johnjdevlin2610 From Wiki: "NBC created a feature-length (89-minute) motion picture condensation. The feature-length version was narrated by Alexander Scourby who replaced Leonard Graves, the narrator of the 26-part series."

[@rascallyrabbit717]

And Patton whooped with joy everytime he had to break out a new map on the way to Brest

[@thevoiceofthelordpastorkei7165]

Wascally whabbit; yeah because he was in such a race to BEAT Montgomery to the next town to secure it! Lol Patton was a true soldier in every sense of the word, MAYBE too much so? 😂 nevertheless, a great commander of his troops! I can't help but watch these young brave kids ( on both sides)but of course, especially the USA side and wonder how many faces shown here made it back home to their families? My dad was on a Destroer at the normady invasion and although he sadly passed in 1997 I couldn't get him to talk about it much. He later went on to serve on a tin can in the Atlantic theater operation where he lost his left lung from 5 commacazi's hitting his ship in which he caught shrapnal and would finally be taken to a hospital where he would lay for 18 months recovering. ( probably, in & out surgery in today's time) these men TRULY were the greatest generation!! God bless these men and May God bless you and your'es !

[@nickjohnson811]

It would be nice if they said when this was done, who the interviewer was, and what the book was.

[@oliversmith9200]

Dad was tank radio/machine gunner in the 3rd Army. The only thing he liked remembering was participating in the rescue of the Lipizzaner Stallions, and, the Russians hawking arm loads of stolen watches in Berlin just after the war.

[@Gregoryt700]

To sum up the fog of war that was WWII: both sides made many blunders, in the end the Allies simply made less blunders

[@mistermax3034]

The Allies made about ten times as many blunders as the Germans did, they just had the resources to nullify their mistakes.

[@jackcauson189]

Wrong!The allies had more men and equipment. Mistakes or not.

[@colinmcgregor1544]

@funkmasterjee It wouldn't have mattered if Germany if Germany had built T-34s by the tens of thousand, it wouldn't have helped them. In 1944 there were just three MAJOR oil producing nations in the world, in alphabetical order they were USA, USSR, and Venezuela. In other words, Germany was at war with 2 of the top 3 oil producers and the UK and USA navies made sure Germany couldn't import oil from the 3rd major player. Bottom line in 1944 Germany could (did) build more tanks and aircraft than they could fuel, airplanes had to be kept on the ground due to lack of fuel. Building more tanks would not have helped them.

[@charlespeterson348]

The allies didn't have Hitler to lead them just like the north Vietnamese didn't have Westmoreland to lead them

[@jamesmorningstar5146]

Read Patton's Way: A Radical Theory of War for the full story of Patton's role in the transforming Bradley's plan for a 12 mile penetration into a 700 mile breakout.

[@alanpeterson6224]

Patton believed he had been reincarnated a bunch of times. So he was kinda' nuts along with everything else.

[@carlwelty9611]

Patton did not event rapid integrated warfare- Bradley says Patton was very good at fast pace warfare - but this was doctrine developed by the entire US Army - Bradley gives credit to another unsung leader in the war, George Marshall. Bradley's vision for Cobra was much larger than a 12 mile penetration. There is no need to diminish Bradley's plan only to exaggerate Patton's role in the break out. If one want's to credit a single person for inventing rapid troop movement and attacking the opposing army you might consider Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War, the German's in Poland and France in 1940, and let's not forget about Sun Tzu, the important Chinese General from the 5th Century. I think Patton was a great general, but invite people to read about Marshall and Bradley's memoirs

[@MyBanyo]

I love it, I wanna watch more

[@donaldgrant9067]

You ever notice that the guy that says you must hold at all cost is never there to pay the bill?

[@KevlarX2]

This makes it look like they had large flat screen TV's, and Skype back then. LOL!

[@nonamegame9857]

I never knew that Clark Kent interviewed general Bradley back then 🤣🤣🤣

[@chrisclark5204]

Was not Patton's operation, it was Bradley's operation.

[@TheFreshman321]

Mr. Goodbar there are a lot of dumb people posting on here that it was Patton's plan.

[@chrislundberg1]

I worked at a computer in the office were I seen Bradley in 1980 fort bliss and he later used a wheel chair. I didn't try to talk to him as I was a private and he was there talking with the upper brass . I heard he visited the sun bowl game back then . I was young and I didn't know what he did amazing people back then .

[@zelphx]

One HELL of a narrator!

[@dk6024]

Credit your team, credit your partners. That's class. Monty and MacArthur could have done the same.

[@rherman9085]

No they couldn't. They had too much narcissism in them to allow that.

[@michaelkenny8540]

@@rherman9085 As opposed to Bradley who was so enraged when Montgomery was given command of Hodges(because Bradley lost control) during the Bulge fighting he threatened to resign. Eisenhower called his bluff and dared him to do it. For ever after Bradley did all he could to disparage and malign Montgomery. Bradley had a huge ego.

[@paddy864]

Err, Monty did, repratedly. Monty was a pain in the area to his superiors ( though he would always do what he was told, which is more than can be said of Parton, and Bradley for that matter.

[@LynnRC1957]

Can you imagine how hard it would of been to be MAP MAKERS?

[@samiam619]

Is it mentioned somewhere or does anyone know what book Scourby is holding and “reading” from?

[@georgebethos7890]

What happened to the last two minutes of narration?

[@Mbase-apollo]

wow they had skype back then

[@brucemcburnie2224]

Bradley was the general who thought it up

[@canuck_gamer3359]

Yeah, I thought so too! Just because one General commands the troops in a certain operation, doesn't mean he formulated the plan.

[@ashleymarie7452]

Bravo.

[@justaguy1679]

My father was wounded between Saint a Clair. sur Elle and the north of La Fossardiere, North of St Lô.

[@johannesbluemink4581]

Lately I read a book, 'Masters of Battle'. It concerned Montgomery, Patton and Rommel. Great reading. One thing intrigued me, that is, that Montgomery was described as failing on more occasions than what you would expect. Indeed, it was Bradly's plan, and Patton acted accordingly. Monty was at the back of the operation.

[@harrygardiner9704]

Johannes Bluemink zu

[@gulfrelay2249]

OMG, Monty was leading an Army Group in the North. Cobra was designed to secure Cherbourg as a port and marshalling area. The Northern group aimed for Antwerp, Belgium. More heavily defended, and still dependent on over the beach logistics. Plus the bulk of German assets were North, by design of Overlord deception ops. The weight of German responses right up to the end, was Antwerp, and therefore Montgomery.

[@TheFreshman321]

Johannes Bluemink you didn't read the book did you. Dumber than dumb.

[@jacktattis]

It is easy to write something about someone where the readers are pre-disposed to dislike him Exactly like here.

[@davidrodgersNJ]

COBRA was Bradley's operation

[@RaoulThomas007]

Roger that!

[@hemihead001]

Actually , Cobra was a readjusted plan of Patton's . And Patton was sent to VII Corps before that to act as an adviser to Collins . And it was Patton's idea to lead with Armor for the breakthrough . Patton's 3rd Army was to be activated and Patton put in charge as soon as VII Corps took Avaranches . This is written in detail in the book " Patton : Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago . Great read .

[@TheVillaAston]

e james A V2 carried 2,200 pounds of explosives. A B17 Flying Fortress carries 4,500 pounds of explosives over long range but requires a crew of 10. The idea of a B-17 dropping 'it's load in a pickle barrel from 15,000 feet altitude' worked on test in the USA. In the war over Western Europe with cloud, German fighters, camouflage and so it did not happen. A Lancaster carries a 14,000 pounds of explosive and requires a crew of 7. 70 men gets 7 B17s carrying a total of 31,500 pounds of explosives. 70 men gets 10 Lancasters carrying a total of 140,000 pounds of explosives. 70 men gets 35 Mosquitoes carrying 140,000 pounds of explosives with the ability to bomb a far greater accuracy and to defend themselves than B17s. The Flying Fortress is a flawed concept.

[@MsLLWatts]

Patton was only in charge of the 3rd Army. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley were from the time of invasion Patton's superiors. You've been watching History channel too much.

[@paulallen1123]

yes. Patton was not even in Normandy during the operation

[@douglasward3016]

I want to be happy. Love my country! They broke my heart.

[@mrcrock2095]

Which country?

[@dougmoore8314]

True indeed!

[@bobbyfoxworth4463]

Technically it was ALL Bradley’s PLANNING. But it WAS ALL Patton’s DOINGS ! Bradley’s toughest job was to KEEP Patton from getting the bit between his teeth. Bradley was a “planner” and Patton was a “doer” !

[@thevillaaston7811]

But Operation Cobra was over before Patton joined the fight.

[@robertbishop5357]

Actually Patton was both. His rescue of Bastogne is classic and no one has come close to repeating what he did.

[@CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl]

Patton excelled in the pursuit but he didn't appreciate the administration of the logistics.

[@billschauer2240]

@@CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl Funny, that is what the German generals said about Rommel. Perhaps they just realized that even in the face of logistical difficulties great thing could be accomplished.

[@tankmaker9807]

1st, 3rd and 7th Armored moved an average of 100 miles to the Ardennes, and stopped the Germans. The issue was decided before 3rd Army ever got to Bastone. Bastone was a side show, but thanks to that idiot Ike turning over the bulk of the 1st Army to Monty, Patton's boys got all the press.

[@malstewart6718]

Scarry time in history even though I do whish I was around then

[@kehananelson8696]

Yeah me too

[@donf3877]

The way this country and the world is today... I too wish I was around back then. And doing what I did in the Air Force from 1976 to 1986... working on the birds and keeping them flying. Piston engine, especially radials, are so cool. A elderly gentleman in his mid 90's, Brain, has an old Grumman Goose seaplane (he flew them in WW2) on a private fly-in community close by where I live. I go over every month and, under his watchful eyes, pull the props thru. Around every three to four months, I pull them thru, and he fires both engines up and runs them for fifteen to twenty minutes to keep them operational. He lost his medical several years back, and he can't fly her anymore so it's exhilarating watching her run... but at the same time truly saddening seeing him at the controls knowing how badly he wants to take her up one last time. Even sadder, none of his kids have any interest in flying and think it's silly him still having that old plane around.

[@malstewart6718]

@@donf3877 I think it's great Don and I bet he loves and appreciates your effort and interest in his plan 👍 the world owes him and his generation more than we can ever give them let him know that a man in Australia is greatfull 🇦🇺

[@stevenyates4535]

What book is Mr. Scourby reading from? It must be a complete classic!

[@ardeladimwit]

probably the trilogy-- combined edition of his three autobiographical works -- and yes, Bradley is quite articulate writer and good reading www.goodreads.com/author/show/5764641.Omar_Nelson_Bradley

[@j2b261]

@@ardeladimwit So which ones comprise the trilogy?

[@Purplexity-ww8nb]

I would like to know what books, or series of books, General Bradley refers.

[@Christof_Classen]

*The Jungle Book, Mein Kampf and of course the Bible ;)*

[@jackmitchell8269]

I thought this was about Patton!

[@vonkergan7004]

Bradley was in contact with Patton while planning Cobra so much you could have called it Patton's plan. The choice for using B-17s For bombing before breakout was Bradley's, no mention however; of twice bombing American troops twice in two days! Given the limitations with using tactical bombers for this job Bradley was nervous, he should have been. General Bradley was a no-nonsense follow orders to the letter yes man in other words the type that Ike wanted to lead D-day. Ike understood however; that he was not the man to lead the breakout General Patton's 3rd Army was. If you don't think any love was lost between Bradley and Patton I give you exhibit A: No mention of General Patton or the famed 3rd Army by Bradley or this documentary.

[@WelshRabbit]

Von Kergan, exactly. Operation Cobra may have ultimately achieved its goal, but at a horrific and totally unnecessary cost by incredible blundering by dropping a lot of the bombs right on the heads of US troops.

[@Jon908584]

The possibility of the V1 and V2 being used against the invading forces is risible. They were wildly inaccurate, as were the USAAF.

[@billwilson3609]

George, Ike and Omar were good friends since Patton was their mentor. You people forget that Ike used Patton's 3rd Army as an invasion decoy which kept the bulk of German forces up north by Calais well after the landings at Normandy.

[@jacktattis]

@@billwilson3609 Is that right hahahaha Patton Ikes mentor since when Ike had been with MacArthur prior to WW2

[@billwilson-es5yn]

@@jacktattis In 1920 the Army created an armored corp with Patton in charge and Ike commanding the training base in Kansas. There the two dismantled foreign tanks then put them back together to determine their level of difficulty to maintain and repair. Patton let Ike crib his notes when attending the war college and general staff college along with answering any questions he had. Ike stated that he probably wouldn't of graduated from either one without Patton's assistance.

[@warlordmacilvernock1979]

Does anyone know the name of the book they are referencing?

[@1939rommel]

I believe it's the US militaries official history of world war 2. I think you can find it online for free

[@delprice3007]

American troops were accidentally bombed and was the reason for delay-- collateral casualties. 1st ID attached to 4th armor pivoted for the breakout.

[@Johnnycdrums]

They didn't mention civilians either.

[@Eric-ye5yz]

It must have been upsetting to the generals, having to take orders from a WW1 corporal.

[@emolachance]

Sort of like taking orders from a community organizer.

[@MrSomebodyyyy]

A WW1 corporal that saved the country from bankruptcy.

[@alanl.simmons9726]

Like our military under fascist tRump.

[@Eric-ye5yz]

@@alanl.simmons9726 .... Yes exactly, but trump knows more about ISIS than the Generals, we know this because trump told us ????...... And the scientists are surprised how much he knows about virus's .... because trump told us that too.

[@davidinflorida6814]

@@emolachance the difference being, of course, Hitler demanded to dictate not only detailed strategy but small unit tactics, and had no experience or formal training in critical thinking. Pres. Obama, on the other hand, directed broad objectives and was presented options by his trained military advisors. He then was able to apply his training and experience in reviewing large amounts of information to arrive at an informed decision.

[@jimmihotdog3469]

Uniforms by HUGO BOSS

[@johnadams5489]

Hitler's Fight to the last man and no retreat was not popular with soldiers that actually had to do the fighting in the German Army. Field Marshal Kesselring showed the Allies how to fight hard, dish out plenty of causalities, and then re-deploy and set up a new line of Defense while in command in Italy.

[@damiaanspatrick2050]

At 3:23 England ? very sure that this is Liège in Belgium

[@Velociamator]

OMG,it's Dean Wormer!

[@buaidhnobas1ify]

That's it. Your on "Double Secret Probation".

[@patscally5390]

Germany was on double-secret probation!

[@greetswithfire1868]

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, sohn.

[@michaelhearne1960]

I love the M1 Garand was one of those German Soldiers in the ditch carrying a stolen 1911 Pistol ? I thought the only auto pistol they had was a Luger

[@davidberry6046]

I saw that pistol; it was a Browning P-35, commonly known as the "hi-power" and was a favorite of German infantry, when and if they could obtain one!

[@l8tbraker]

They also had a Walther semi-auto, the P38 in 9mm. Many consider it better than the Luger.

[@Sturminfantrist]

@@l8tbraker Yep the P-38 was more common then Lugers, some staff Officiers used also the Walther PP , even during my service time we used this Pistole 38 in the federal German army called the P-1 but it is / was in fact a P-38, the Police used the P-38 (and Walther PP) after the war too until the 80s in my federal state same with the MG 42 Machine Gun, it was used after the war too, we used the MG-3 which is a MG 42 modified for 7.62x51 NATO rounds

[@6h471]

General Bradley's operation cobra Fixed it for ya!

[@zincman1995]

What book is the narrator quoting from? Would love to check it out.