Could You Survive as a German Soldier in World War One?

By early September 1914, the German advance had reached within 30 miles of the French capital. Executing a modified version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through neutral Belgium before turning southwards to encircle the French army on the border, the German army had made significant inroads into enemy territory.
But after a series of successful counter-offensives by the French and British armies, the German Army was forced to retreat and ultimately dug in north of the Aisne River. This signified an end to mobile warfare and an introduction to static warfare - a stalemate that would last for the next three years…
In this episode, Luke Tomes joins the Imperial German Army on the Western Front, where he’ll find out whether conditions were any different to those on the opposing side of No Man’s Land - how new, ingenious strategies would shape your experience on the battlefield and determine your chances of survival…
So the question is, could you survive the trenches as a German soldier during the First World War?
Filmed at: La Main De Massiges, Hooge Crater Museum
Archive Images: Rob Schäfer @GerMilHistory
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#historyhit #worldwarone #ww1
00:00 Introduction
02:20 1914 - The Schlieffen Plan
03:59 German Uniform
07:03 Military Equipment
08:23 Mauser Gewehr 98 (Bolt-Action Rifle)
10:19 Grenades
11:44 MG 08 (Machine Gun)
13:42 German Fortified Bunkers and Rations
17:13 Gas Attacks
22:24 Gas Masks
28:52 Mining and Tunneling
32:06 1917 - 1918 (New Equipment and Weapons)
37:10 Combating Tanks
41:59 Shellshock

[@HistoryHit]

We hope you enjoyed this second episode of our 'Could You Survive' WW1 special! If you've enjoyed these videos, please do like and comment below where you'd want Luke to travel to next (as well as what time period) 👇

[@lemon_j22]

I wouldn't mind something about a Mongol soldier during the Mongol Empire.

[@kuchenmuffin]

Life as an Austro-Hungarian and/or Italian soldier in the mountain war from 1915-18

[@a.m.7165]

Franko-Prussian war 1870-1871

[@Human34729]

WWI Imperial Russian will be cool to see

[@Icicle_Racing]

WW2 German soldier.

[@kalvds9345]

As a German, watching this makes my stomach churn. I was born in the late 1970s and I recall my grandfather who fought in WW2 telling me that war was "absolutely filthy". He told me to ignore the pomp and ceremony and to understand that the reality for the fighting men on a day to day basis was much different. Between the nightmarish noise of bombs, gunfire and screaming, you see friends and comrades fall all around you. "Young men dying in muddy blood pools screaming for their mothers" asking you to help them, but you cant, you must step over them or duck behind them for cover. No one ever wins a war, particularly not those poor souls that pay the ultimate price. War is hell on earth but thank you for making this documentary.

[@HistoryHit]

Absolutely. Thank you for watching.

[@sab4793]

This is WW1. Pretty much like the pure hell that's happening in Ukraine that were all sustaining. Gotcha.

[@hundefuchs4353]

amen...all meine vorfahren haben den kampf überlebt sind aber nach dem krieg zum größten teil aber verhungert....

[@nikthemonarch]

i remember my past life in world war one and the one thing i will never forget is people screaming for their mothers. its so sad.

[@tomluzzer5413]

@@hundefuchs4353 Kein Ahnung ob wir auf der selben Wellenlänge sind, aber meine Vorfahren meinten auch, die Scheisse fing erst richtig nach dem Krieg an. Die guten Lager der `Befreier`und natürlich jahrelang nichts ordentliches zu fressen, aber wählen kannste seitdem......🙄🙄

[@molanlabexm15]

The short answer is yes, I would survive and then go on to have a lifelong passion for art and politics.

[@Inumaki-ls3zb]

How's that passion for art going?

[@molanlabexm15]

@@Inumaki-ls3zb nicely don’t ever give up on your dreams.

[@TheTwoFingeredBulldog]

You'll end up decorating your bedroom wall with your brains 😂

[@Inumaki-ls3zb]

@@molanlabexm15 you seem like the type of guy that wouldnt take it personally if they got kicked out of art school

[@molanlabexm15]

@@TheTwoFingeredBulldog suicide is no laughing matter.

[@Sturmtruppen1917]

“We have so much to say, and we shall never say it.” - Erich Maria Remarque, Author of All Quiet on the Western Front and German veteran of the First World War.

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

Also, one of the first authors to have his books thrown onto the fires after a certain "moustache man" came to power in late January, 1933.

[@raypurchase801]

@@frenzalrhomb6919 Writing the truth gets you deleted here on KZbin as well.

[@EuropeanQoheleth]

@@raypurchase801 Not to the extent people think.

[@jordanouzounian5899]

😮😮o

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

@raypurchase801 Well let me be the first to tell you that you haven't been deleted, so you can stop worrying.

[@ichimonjiguy]

I have to admit it that the German M16 helmet had the best look in the WW1, WW2 and beyond. That silhouette is timeless.

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

In my opinion, it looks much better than the slightly smaller version of the 2nd World War, and it always, always reminds me of Darth Vader's helmet!!

[@danrooc]

Probably inspired by the medieval sallet. Indeed a great design.

[@Thornbush434]

Yes, the German helmet was much better a helmet than the Allies had. It protected the neck better and is probably why the US Army later adapted a similar design for its infantry in the 1990's.

[@kellymcbright5456]

The helmet in WWII was the M35 ^^. There is some change in the proportions. M35 is still in use today.

[@ichimonjiguy]

@@kellymcbright5456 Of course the M35, but the bulk was the M40 and M42. I still like the M16 the most.

[@anthonymiozza526]

I really liked how both these dudes just straight up nerded out and gave an excellent presentation of the German side in the short amount of time they had. Honestly did not get bored of this.

[@HistoryHit]

That's the feedback we love to hear!

[@jmcw9632]

I very much doubt it.

[@taylorarnold5311]

Millions of men survived

[@LivinLikeLarrry]

@@taylorarnold5311 Millions more died deaths worse than you can even imagine.

[@tysx502]

@@taylorarnold5311just one of the deadliest events in human history, no biggie

[@soultraveller5027]

very much doubt bELL eND

[@beardedlonewolf7695]

Don't feel lucky?

[@markus5985]

"I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow." ― Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front

[@tomluzzer5413]

Ja, ja, Remarque.....🙄 he served as a trenchdigger behind the Front, never served in a combat unit and wrote his whole book from interviews made after the war. Read Ernst Jünger or Colestin v. Ettighofer for a more realistic view of the time!

[@markus5985]

@@tomluzzer5413 That is inaccurate and wrong. From his wikipedia: "During World War I, Remarque was conscripted into the Imperial German Army at the age of 18. On 12 June 1917, he was transferred to the Western Front, 2nd Company, Reserves, Field Depot of the 2nd Guards Reserve Division at Hem-Lenglet. On 26 June 1917 he was posted to the 15th Reserve Infantry Regiment, 2nd Company, Engineer Platoon Bethe, and fought in the trenches between Torhout and Houthulst. On 31 July 1917 he was wounded by shell shrapnel in his left leg, right arm and neck, and after being medically evacuated from the field was repatriated to an army hospital in Duisburg, where he recovered from his wounds. In October 1918, he was recalled to military service, but the war's armistice a month later put an end to his military career." But I agree that Ernst Jünger's in Stahlgewittern is a more realistic view of the time.

[@TheRealSlimshadyyyyyy]

I did NOT want this to end..! One of the if not the greatest production from History Hit!! Bravo👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@HistoryHit]

A lot of work goes into these videos so that means a lot to us! Thank you!

[@kitmolloy2811]

My great grandad was a sharp shooter in the Lancashire fusiliers at Ypres. One of the stories passed down to me was how he shot a German officer who regularly popped his head up above the enemy trenches to survey the British lines. I've always wondered who that German was and how his death impacted his family.

[@HistoryHit]

Hope this gave you some insight!

[@Melior_Traiano]

Here is my story from the other side, if you're interested: My great grandfather was a German WWI veteran. He fought in the Battle of Verdun and received an Iron Cross for bravery. The average life expectancy of a German soldier at Verdun was two weeks. I still have his War Diary and ID Tags (Erkennungsmarke). The War Diary has pages ripped out of it from the time of the battle, because he used them as toilet paper in the trenches since he had nothing else (according to my grandfather). He later died as a civilian in WWII during the bombing of Engelskirchen. After WWI he had joined a society for Franco-German reconciliation, which was quite unusual for the time and he was fluent in French. I also still have the wrist watch which he wore on the day he died and his wallet where you can still see* where the bomb shrapnel penetrated his chest, which killed him. My brother has his Iron Cross. And my grandfather was supposed to be drafted into the Waffen-SS during WWII, which my great grandfather prevented by telling him to volunteer for the Army instead, which he did. So, he must have known that the SS were shady. My grandfather himself was wounded in combat in WWII as a 17 year old radioman in an infantry platoon. He was treated in a British field hospital / POW camp in Germany. When he returned home his father and older brother had died and their house was gone. Lets hope our generation will see a more peaceful time.

[@quadkidnate6370]

@@Melior_Traiano I also hope that these stories reach who needs to see them. Thank you for your history!

[@andreasschmidt2739]

Maybe he shot my grand grandfather who were at Ypres in 1917...

[@tpeterson9140]

white christian men killing other white christian men by the millions... should have never happened. no more brother wars.

[@andywindes4968]

My grandfather did. He served as a medic in the Kaiser's army. He was briefly called by up in WWII but was injured when a troop train was strafed and sat out the rest of the war. My uncles served in WWII on the Russian front. One was killed when he was hit by artillery in 7/41; the other survived the entire war but had a terrible case of PTSD.

[@besserwizard]

A little fun fact about the German language: The Machine Gun 08 had a later version, the 08/15 (you get the numbers from the year it was first introduced and the year the modification was introduced). And this gun was known (at least in the propaganda, I have no idea about how it was perceived by its soldiers) as so reliable that it entered language. Even today, many germans use the phrase "etwas ist null-acht-fünfzehn" ("something is zero-eight-fifteen") to describe something that is very common.

[@wernergruen3943]

the actual gun they had in the video was the mg08/15, the "portable" version of the mg08. gun jesus ian just released a video on it a couple of days ago

[@besserwizard]

@@wernergruen3943 ah well. I don't really care about guns that much so I did not realize the difference. Thanks for clearing it up :)

[@perfectallycromulent]

I've never seen that phrase used in the German publications and media I've been reading for the past 20 years, and I tend toward stuff about history, politics, and science & technology. I think that indicates that it's a old phrase, that has greatly diminished in use, or one used by a certain part of the German population, and not in general circulation.

[@Conquerthemall]

@@perfectallycromulent So from my experience It is commonly used by all generations but it more of a oral thing nobody would white it in a text especially not in a scientific text

[@besserwizard]

@@perfectallycromulentit is a coloquial phrase usually not used in written language.

[@MrWasjig]

That final segment was very sobering. Listening to that German soldier's journal, and the photographs of the common EMs in the German army had a poignancy. Bravo, History Hit!

[@chrisbowman2030]

"Erbswurst" is no preserved meat. It's soup concentrate compressed into a sausage ("Wurst") like shape, made mainly out of peas (German "Erbsen" or "Erbs" for short). Dissolved in hot water it makes pea soup. You can buy it in supermarkets up to this day in Germany. Edit: Seems Knorr stopped production of the Erbswurst in 2018 due to lack of demand. I used to buy these for camping trips.

[@Tony.795]

Knorr actually discontinued it in 2018 after almost 130 years.

[@chrisbowman2030]

Ok, i didn't knew that. Years ago i bought it for camping holidas.​@@Tony.795

[@dennisyoung4631]

Seems it can be approximated by home methods…

[@kellymcbright5456]

But erbswurst is still produced in Sweden :)

[@maximilianhindenburg3168]

Potatoe bread is still in the shelves though.

[@anotherjones5384]

I've had the privilege of handling a tankgewehr 1918. I've handled a lot of firearms so I understand weight, but that thing is just something else. It felt like hefting a railroad sleeper

[@HistoryHit]

It's a beast.

[@silvanafronzke6262]

My grandpa survived at the western front. He lost a leg and his body was full of shrapnel pieces. He said he only survived because a big guy was giving him blood a few times.

[@Gurra_Gforce]

My grandpa had a friend at his summer house (Sweden) An elderly man that still chopped his own wood, being over 90 years of age. He was knowned as a retired sailor, and had tattoos. He actually worked on ships with sails! Met him as a kid in the late 80´s. He volunteered for the German army in ww1 (back then, in Northern Europe the Germanic sphere was much like the influence the Anglosphere have today) I asked him about it. He just looked at me, and told me to read up on it.

[@nothanks9503]

He’s right his perspective on things at least at the time is probably why we had a world war you better learn better

[@vanlendl1]

@@nothanks9503 It is not funny to remember the horrors at the front. Those soldiers did not just see the horrors, but smelled and feeled it. Blood, guts, bones and rats.

[@Camel-from-Arabia]

Well, they are worse fates - trying to survive in WWI Russian Army, or for pro players, trying to survive in Italian Army under command of Luigi Cadrona 😅

[@bismarckbismarck6352]

"We have attacked at Izonzo 10 times with catastrophic casualties, surely the 11th time will work better" Luigi Cadrorna, circa 1918

[@DerImperator-wh5tz]

Or in the Ottoman Army or Austro Hungarian Army

[@erikstolzenberger1517]

Hrhr

[@fus132]

Nah, it wasn't that bad on the Eastern front everything considered. Until you know, the army got literally disbanded mid-war.

[@poil8351]

The ottoman army wasn't so bad in odds compared to others. The serbian army was almost a death sentence in 1914-1915 unless you were lucky enough to make it to salonika. you were just as likely to be murdered by a austro hungarian army hell bent on vengeance or being massacred by Bulgarians.

[@sebus559]

Bravo lads, finally a fair depiction of the German army for the sake of enlightenment ❤

[@LoneWanderer727]

Thank you for doing this series. Those who fought in this war deserve to be remembered, and know about all they experienced.

[@TraitofSiNN727]

good. I was hoping we can see what the Germans went through. good to see it on both sides.

[@HistoryHit]

We''ll always try and show as many perspectives as possible

[@primalwolfe4711]

Watch all quiet on the western front. It shows the Germans view of things.

[@TraitofSiNN727]

@@primalwolfe4711 that's cool. somethings I can't watch due to my location. in simple terms...there are some docs I can't watch. sucks but I carry on.

[@mats7492]

I could watch these all day.. Well done! Here in germany we learn A TON about WWII but very little about WWI so this was very educational for me as a german

[@peppertrout]

Germans. British. Two sides of the same coin. Tragic that brothers fought each other in mutual extirpation.

[@tomluzzer5413]

I will never get it for what the british fought for. They did not even had voting rights! In Germany every Man from 1890! So far for the ``ìnferiour Kaiserreich``!

[@kurtschlesinger8257]

yer mate so true wars are bad no good

[@Serious_Ludd]

Forgot the French ? After all the war took place on their ground and they fought more than the British (for logical reason of being invaded)

[@MichaelEllison-jr4wg]

This is one of my favorite series you have developed. Love the channel and keep up the great work!!

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks! Will do!

[@briansteffmagnussen9078]

Hitler, the postman Pat figure back then was affected by a gas attack. He was by his poisoning, so traumatized that he later during wwII was reluctant to use gas of all things.

[@Neo_Vandole]

It was still produced in high quantities. The reluctans rather stems from the air superiorty of the allies in combination with the (well known) british anthrax bioweapon program.

[@markus5985]

“Bombardment, barrage, curtain-fire, mines, gas, tanks, machine-guns, hand-grenades - words, words, but they hold the horror of the world.” ― Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front

[@tomluzzer5413]

Again: he never was ever there in person! He wrote the whole book from the reports of others after the war!

[@Dvckie_31]

@@tomluzzer5413 not exactly true, he fought in it. You can look the diary from his comerade Georg Middendorf. He didn't serve long, because he got wounded and in the Lazaret he got the task to write the things down from the soldiers.

[@bryanr8897]

The first gas attack actually occured on the Eastern Front. However, Russian High Command ignored the reports coming from the front lines so it wasn't until Ypres that it was taken seriously by the Allies.

[@Snuffy03]

Yes. But Russians did not look on their soldiers as valuable soldiers and human beings. They looked on them as cattle to be used up. It hasn't changed for the average Russisn soldier. Witness, WW2 and beyond.

[@kv-2156]

@@Snuffy03 Where did you get that information?

[@Snuffy03]

It's history. Centuries of mistreatment of the aveeage Russian by the Imperial family is history. Soldiers were treated no better. They were like cattle to the royals. And under the commies, no better. The Russian people, and their soldiers, were nothing more than cannon fodder to their powers that be. But then, all soldiers in the old days were considered just things to be used and thrown away. ​It's not mych beter today. But I will say this. As one eho has served and fought, I was never mistreated. Although I did encounter a rew martinette officers but tey didn't last long.@@kv-2156

[@HDreamer]

I vaguely remember that the impact wasn't all that big either, due to the different nature of the Eastern Front (and maybe the weather that day?), so it didn't seem as big of a deal.

[@A_reasonable_individual42]

​@kv-2156 where did you get that, the U.S didn't even enter the war until late 1917.

[@krizzh8671]

Habe noch nie eine so detaillierte Dokumentation gesehen, echt Respekt bin euch sehr dankbar

[@gregwilliams386]

That 1916 Stelhelm was a real advancement, it had a brim to protect the eyes, covered and protected the ears and neck. It had vents to protect the soldier from the concussion of artillery. And it was well padded.

[@Skaldewolf]

15:36 'Erbswurst' wasn't preserved meat. It was a compressed block of dried pea-soup. It was manufactured until a few years ago and produced with boiling water an acceptable cup of soup.

[@kellymcbright5456]

In Schweden kann man die immer noch in jedem Supermarkt kaufen.

[@beardedlonewolf7695]

I really enjoyed this one, captivating and very well put together, great hosts as well. What a tough war this one was on these men.

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks for watching!

[@IntrepidMilo]

Amazing video. I have always been fascinated by the Great War. So thank you for this video series.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was informative and thrilled watching historical coverage work about cruelty and difficulties faced German soldiers inside trenching statics warfares during WW1.

[@MrGutty117]

Really impressed with this episode and series in general. Luke and Louee always do a great job with their questions for the experts and engaging the viewer. It's also great to see period weapons, kit, and uniforms in action. A ton of legwork goes into these videos and it shows. Keep up the great work guys!

[@HistoryHit]

Really appreciate this. We always strive to include a good level of detail whilst keeping the videos entertaining.

[@oneparticularharbor144]

The movie 1917 did a good job in showing the difference between the allied and German trenches - the German ones being much more substantial. It also showed him important foraging was to supplement rations. My grandfather was a MGer with the 2nd Infantry and severely injured in a a gas attack in the Belleau woods region . Wish I knew more of his time in service

[@poggingmilk9452]

My Great-Grandfather fought on the Western Front, while still studying his for his „Abitur“ (the German Finals in School). He survived the war luckily, and came back

[@rc59191]

Yes! Been looking forward to this one love all the work ya'll do.

[@HistoryHit]

Much appreciated!

[@ricopaulson1]

No. Most assuredly no.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Amen. Wouldn’t last long at all.

[@hasanmatloob3788]

What an eye opener these 2 videos have been about WW1 trench warfare. Many thanks to Richard Townsley and Luke Tomes for this tremendous effort. Please never stop doing this great work.

[@HistoryHit]

Thank you for watching!

[@Unboxcityunboxcity]

It’s crazy the quality of this documentary. It is so good and well done. To see it on KZbin is such a treat. Thank you so much for what you do all of you.

[@HistoryHit]

Wow, thank you!

[@anthonymunn267]

That was brilliant. Loved the use of the similar sound effects used in All Quiet On The Western Front. A1 video!!

[@HistoryHit]

Glad you liked it!

[@yossiallen3316]

My grand uncles were one of the first Stormtroopers who fought and gave their lives for the Kaiser and Reich. Kind of proud of them.

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

Also, I love this site! The videos are always informative & give a sense of “being there”. 👏🏽😎

[@sheogorath2657]

Good show as always 👌🏾

[@vividnostalgia9564]

I have to admit, even though I had a decent knowledge on the WW1 and their armies. I was very surprised on the detailed facts presented in this video, that I’ve never heard before! Nice video.

[@HistoryHit]

That's a fantastic compliment! Really chuffed you enjoyed it

[@Why-D]

All should have stopped on first Christman Eve, when soldiers of both sides met between the lines, and celebrated the evening. There would have been so much less pain and death.

[@strangeradriel2424]

Thanks for making this possible cause I really appreciate history

[@rolfes4127]

great video, one of the most informative I watched, learnt loads.

[@kratzikatz1]

"Erbswurst" is not made of meat! It contents grounded peas , dried soup base and a little bit of smoked ham . All compressed together. I really missed it , because production was stopped some years ago. It was a good little hot meal, quick made , only with boiling water and a "Wiener"sausage added.

[@jasonnicholasschwarz7788]

I still have one if you want it 🌭

[@Lockerus]

The Gewehr 98 still had an internal magazine, it didn’t hold five in the chamber. Probably just a misstatement, but the service rifles of WW1 all had magazines, just not external ones like the SMLE.

[@matthewburgar2626]

The odds of myself being able to survive would be slim to none.

[@badpossum440]

That's a Mg 08/15, a lightened version of the MG 08. The next one on the quad mount is an MG08. The MG08 had spade grips not a shoulder stock.

[@Thornbush434]

This video says that the "Schlieffen Plan" (1905) failed. In fact, the Schlieffen Plan was never carried out as conceived. It was heavily modified by General Helmuth von Moltke, prior to and during its implementation, who weakened the forces employed to complete its goals. The Schlieffen plan was designed, to avoid a two-front war, by having German forces march West to along the coast, and once North of Paris, turn South and capture Paris and the French government. Ending the war in the West. Moltke is blamed for running out of nerve to keep the Army heading West far enough to reach a location North of Paris, instead turned South too soon which inevitably caused the plan to fail with the resulting stalemate of defensive trenching while Germany turned to defeat Russia as quickly as possible to avoid the same two front war that the Schlieffen Plan was designed to avoid. Ref. encyclopedia Britannica

[@tomluzzer5413]

Let them their will. 🙄 In the end Germany was defeated by a Hunger blockade and by itself with a gay opium addicted called Max v. Baden!

[@carlospena3379]

Amazingly done video! Thanks!

[@HistoryHit]

You're most welcome! Glad you enjoyed

[@gordonsteele5656]

Thank you,very interesting

[@CarolusR3x]

I'll add that what the mauser lacked in ammunition capacity it made up for with a quicker reload, being rimless bullets and all.

[@rhysnichols8608]

Arguably the best army in the war overall, fighting outnumbered on 2 main and 2 secondary fronts, against the biggest empires in the world and holding the line for over 4 years is pretty impressive. Germany was facing 70.2% of the worlds population which controlled 64% of global GDP by 1918.

[@SusCalvin]

Carlin described it as the more functional version of the '36-'40 army.

[@invisibleman4827]

They were outstandingly good soldiers, the Tommies interviewed in 'They Shall Not Grow Old' said "the German soldier was a very good fighter on average, I'd rather have him on my side than against him." They also said generally the ones they met as POWs were nice blokes, and with wives and families of their own at home.

[@terraplane49]

At 37.38, there is an example of the Maschinengewehr 37, purveyor of the legendary " flaming onions" which I first came across while reading about Biggles. It was a remarkable weapon of the time. Thank you for bringing so much of the horror of war to your viewers.

[@andreasschmidt2739]

I doubt I could survive as soldier in the trenches. However my grandgrandfather an Unteroffizier der Artillerie could, at least until 1917...

[@gerriekipkerrie6736]

I bet he got a crazy k/d ratio.

[@andreasschmidt2739]

@@gerriekipkerrie6736 He probably does, however as far as I know he received the Iron Cross and was severly injuried at the Battle of Passchendaele in October and died soon afterwards.

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

Brilliant Luke, never really seen it from the German side, really well made as usual 😊😊😊

[@HistoryHit]

Thank you for the kind words, glad you enjoyed

[@rambi1072]

This was fascinating, thanks.

[@HistoryHit]

Our pleasure!

[@potatomine6678]

I've beenw waiting a long time, looks like it's finally time

[@gladlawson61]

Highly enjoyable.

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks!

[@nomis777]

Superb documentary

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks a lot!

[@Hanz-lt2zb]

0:22 funny how they added the Soundtrack remains from all quiet on the western front not the exact same one but close enough

[@StevenBaer-zv6lq]

Shell shock during the First World War then it was actually changed to Battle Fatigue or Combat Fatigue in the Second World War and the Korean War. Then it was actually changed once again to PTSD from the Vietnam War. It's actually a psychological thing to the mind that even killed in battle was actually more merciful than to go through that. It seems to tear down the mind, reasoning, and thinking.

[@a.m.7165]

Erbswurst is not meat but concentrated peasoup.

[@jebbroham1776]

The Germans had the best trenches, there's no denying that, because the whole intent of making them was to prepare for a long war....something French and British didn't make theirs with the expectations of it being.

[@partygrove5321]

They were also in enemy territory, so they wanted to hang on to what they conquered. While the French wanted to get back their land ASAP.

[@katherinecollins4685]

Fantastic video

[@-jk-2580]

Great series!

[@thefloatingbread]

my great grandpa was in the german army firgthing in verdun (he was a dane)

[@Melior_Traiano]

Mine too. He also fought in Verdun, but he was Prussian. He received an Iron Cross, which my brother has now. I have his war diary and ID tags. The average life expectancy for a German soldier in Verdun was two weeks. He later died in WWII as a civilian during an allied air raid.

[@uToobeD]

Excellent informative video

[@PreparedAegean]

Good job. Great docu ❤

[@thecommissaruk]

Erbswurst was great stuff, you could still get it until fairly recently (perhaps still can in Germany). Makes a good soup in the field, I used to take it when camping or hiking.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

Knorr discontinued Erbswurst in 2018 due to a lack of demand, unfortunately. Not sure if anyone offers an equivalent now.

[@WendyDarling1974]

My grandfather was drafted into the army at 16 and remarkably survived three years in the WWI trenches with an artillery unit. He lost almost all his comrades and lived through some truly horrifying, traumatic experiences. He left Germany within five years of the end of the war and immigrated to the US.

[@A_reasonable_individual42]

Did he fight for the allies or the central powers?

[@kutter_ttl6786]

​@@A_reasonable_individual42 The last sentence answers your question.

[@supernoodle6715]

Sooo educational! Thank you! I learned a lot.

[@HistoryHit]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thegridgab]

Excellent documentary! Would be great to see more of these as Could you survive as a French, Russian, Serb soldier in WW1.

[@potatomine6678]

And a Bulgarian soldier aswell, but I'm more rooted for russian and french soldier

[@neilcrombie4100]

could you do similar videos on the french, Russian, astro-Hungarian, ottoman and Italians maybe even the Japanese

[@michealohaodha9351]

French be great!

[@LivinLikeLarrry]

These "Could you survive" videos are absolutely the best HistoryHit episodes. Please do more!!! (Less British junk though please)

[@HistoryHaty]

This episode is about the Germans. If they keep making these maybe I might subscribe.

[@jctube10]

Great production

[@beachcomberbloke462]

Thanks! For bringing history alive.

[@HistoryHit]

Thank you very much for the donation! We will continue making these for all you great fans of the channel

[@RandomGuy-ql1bu]

I dont think id survive as ANY soldier in WW1.

[@domokami447]

Nein!

[@HistoryHit]

That means yes right?

[@gerriekipkerrie6736]

​@@HistoryHitgenau

[@domokami447]

@@HistoryHit Guess that's why you're not called language hit😄 all jokes aside, thanks for aknowledging my comment, I'm honoured!

[@Watankatanka]

Thank you so much for this interesting video.

[@HistoryHit]

Our pleasure!

[@Folgeantrag]

My Great Grandfather was a Gunner in WWI. He died in the 1980s when i was a young child but i still remember me that my father said to me i must spoke very loud and clear to him because my great-grandfather was nearly deff because his hearing was severly damaged from morw than two years of service as an artillery crewman on the western front. Sound protection did not exìst. It is remarkable that an english speaking history chanel made this documentation. Here in Germany the Public Memory for the Casualties of World War I is nearly totaly forgotten. More than two Million German men lost their lives but their memory was instrumentalized by Nazi Propaganda after the catastrophy of Hitlers Regime and World War II life and death of German Soldiers in WWI did not matter anymore

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

A very interesting video, but can't depart from the usual British perspective, and thus failed to understand and recognize one of the greatest achievements of the Germans when it comes to wartime innovation. The British always think of WW1 history as a series of technical inventions, such as the tank, chemical weapons, submarines, bomber aircraft, as if these were just thrown into the fray without any thought of building a doctrine around them. Perhaps because the British really had no doctrines for new weapons. They just made machines and used them. The greatest German invention was what we call special forces today. The flamethrower, the submachine gun, the Tankgewehr and the Stahlhelm helmet weren't just standalone innovations. They were equipment for a new kind of modern soldier. These soldiers were trained under battlefield conditions at practice ranges, executing simulated attacks. They were running obstacle courses, which was a very new thing, no army had them before WW1. Their members specialized in various tasks, such as demolition, specific heavy weapons, close combat, sharpshooting, and so on. They were allowed to plan their own missions, and weren't ordered around by higher commanders. These specialized units were called Sturmtruppen (storm troops) or Sturmpioniere (storm pioneers). They proved exceptionally successful in breaching enemy lines and taking out fortifications. Their impact was much more significant than of Allied tanks. These ideas were soon copied by the Austro-Hungarian army too. In the battle of Caporetto in 1917, Austro-Hungarian storm troops wreaked havoc among Italian troops, and their success facilitated a major breakthrough of conventional forces. As I heard, the word "caporetto" is still used in Italian for a major unexpected disaster.

[@LordSluggo]

Read "Stormtroop Tactics" by Gudmundsson and he'll dispel most pop-history myths about WWI

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

@@LordSluggo Well, this isn't a pop-history myth. It's just a bit of general ignorance about German methods. Of course the Germans weaponized their greatest asset, their organizing skills. It's often assumed that they didn't have tanks because they couldn't build them. Far from it, they just didn't find them that impressive, as opposed to their Sturmtruppen. Only after Cambrai did they start building a few.

[@LordSluggo]

@@nematolvajkergetok5104 I'm really not in the mood for a pointless internet argument so I shall merely state that you misinterpereted my statement, which was in support of your thesis

[@nematolvajkergetok5104]

​@@LordSluggo I think you misinterpreted mine. I merely pointed out that there is no "myth", as in belief in something that never existed. There's merely a lack of understanding, as former Allied nations somehow still assume that the Central Powers had exactly the same mindset as they had.

[@solidus1995]

My great grandfather did. His name was Wulfgang and he was in a reserve unit that ended up seeing action in every major battle including race to the sea and Passchendaele

[@beachcomberbloke462]

Thanks so much for this well researched and informative HH episode. The detail of the use of gas was quite chilling.I think the German M16 helmet was inspired by the Roman Legionary helmet which had very good neck protection.👍

[@HistoryHit]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelmijares5547]

Very good episode showing the opposition. I'd love to see a 'Could You Survive?' as a Japanese Soldier/Aviator/Sailor in WW2 next.

[@agtom1329]

Great video. Informative and well produced. Keep it up HH!!

[@HistoryHit]

Much appreciated!

[@GeoffreyWare]

I really like this video thank you

[@JPGoertz]

Really well done and with a lot of care. Thank you. Pray for peace! From Berlin with love.

[@tb7771]

Wonderful video. I have been a WW2 re-enactor for over 30 years and have been debating giving Great War reenacting a shot.

[@HistoryHit]

Do it!

[@dwls9986]

It was not the British and French counterattacks on the Marne that stopped the German advance on Paris. The reason for the halt was the withdrawal of an entire army corps. These units were quickly relocated to East Prussia to stop the Russian advance there (Battle of Tannenberg 1914).

[@Mick-nu9xe]

Incredible video!

[@Dr.Madd138]

It’s 50/50, life or death during war. If only this one could’ve really been the one to end all wars. May all soldiers on both sides souls find peace.

[@kellymcbright5456]

Well-done work. Is like on pair with a lot of productions by state-run tv stations of earlier times. But: where did you guys take the pics? Is this kind of "museum trenches"? Or did you reconstruct it?

[@abulafios]

It is a great video. Thank you so much. Can you also make the Austrian and Italian army versions?

[@charlestourneur7862]

My great grandfather did, but it was a close call. He was one of the sappers who dug the mines at Messine ridge. He was gassed and spent some time recovering. Just in time to go on to ypres, vimy, etc etc.

[@darthkillhoon]

One of my ancestors survived all for years in a Bavarian Division from beginning to end of the war