German Leadership WW2: Genius or Insanity? | Animated History

[@TheArmchairHistorian]

Go to noom.com/armchairhistorian and take your free 30-second quiz! Thank you #noom for sponsoring today’s video! Sign up for Armchair History TV today! armchairhistory.tv/ Promo code: ARMCHAIRHISTORY for 50% OFF Merchandise available at store.armchairhistory.tv/ Check out the new Armchair History TV Mobile App too! apps.apple.com/us/app/armchair-history-tv/id1514643375 play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.uscreen.armchairhistorytv Discord: discord.gg/armchairhistorian Twitter: twitter.com/ArmchairHist

[@pyeitme508]

Meh 😑

[@enjoyer9525]

cool

[@andrewquintana5975]

Pls do ww1 from the ottomans perspective pls

[@chris0910-t5m]

Opinion on Ukraine

[@memer7629]

E

[@CyberZayne]

I expected you to address various myths people still cling on to and all, but I still ended up learning several new things about Germany during WW2. You guys really know how to do your research.

[@OfficerRhine8511]

I didn’t learn anything I remember many things from reading about it so yeah but still they do much better work than some creators A LOT better

[@birdworldist]

Thanks! - The Armchair Historian Team Researcher

[@cwin675]

@@birdworldist j

[@KurtGodel-po3zl]

@@OfficerRhine8511 Damn that's super cool man

[@daveJDB]

@@OfficerRhine8511 Okay

[@LesAnanas1701]

Its good to see a balanced, and more nuanced view on the German Leadership in WW2 rather than the whole "Hitler should have listened to his generals" and borderline "Asiatic Hordes" myths. As usual, great work from the Armchair Historian.

[@bradanklauer8926]

Exactly. Had Hitler listened to his generals like Rundstedt, Halder, Kludge, and Brauchitsch all the time, the War in Europe likely would have been over in 1940.

[@ieuanhunt552]

TIK has done a fantastic job debunking so many myths about German leadership during WW2. So much of it was written immediately post war by German Generals more interested in saving face than telling the truth.

[@dr.vonslifeinvesting6485]

@@bradanklauer8926 when I was a teenager I read a book about Rommel. He took a lot of foolish risks and often was saved by some very good people underneath him.

[@willbentley8856]

@@ieuanhunt552 TIK is a hack who makes claims to other historians bordering on libel. He is unable to take opposing opinions. This account is good, though.

[@ieuanhunt552]

@@willbentley8856 Give an example

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

Wise lesson to learn from history is this. Just because someone is evil doesn't mean that they're dumb.

[@thunderbird1921]

Stalin is a good example I think, particularly AFTER World War II. He knew what he was doing, and actually thought up a really clever, nasty strategy for the Soviets beginning with the Korean War: Conquer By Regional Ally. Theoretically, this could have been used across much of the world, and honestly was to an extent in places despite Communist armies being smashed back to the 38th Parallel in Korea.

[@myhonorwasloyalty]

@@thunderbird1921 stalin was evil

[@charlestonianbuilder344]

@@myhonorwasloyalty why point that out? He never said stalin wasnt evil

[@potassium8759]

@@charlestonianbuilder344 I think they were just reacting to what thunderbird said

[@My_initials_are_O.G.cuz_I_am]

@@myhonorwasloyalty @Thunderbird_1 literally said that stalin is a good example of a person who was evil and not stupid.

[@kurtco.397]

As a history nerd myself, I appreciate that you didn't take the classic "Germans were rigid in their command structure and no one without two stripes down their pants could make any decisions" cop out. I remember coming up against this in history courses in school as well as during my time in the military, and just sitting there baffled, recalling the opening stages of the war as sergeants through majors figured out what a blitzkrieg was on the fly, numerous commando raids, and other successes. While Hitler did clamp down and make more decisions as the war progressed, people often forget about the early stages of the war when (what we call in the US military) "commander's intent" was more important than phase lines and micromanagement, and I think you did this concept justice in this video. Thank you!

[@fel_zharost]

Also German generals often put the responsibility for their failures on Hitler in their memoirs, my favourite being Guderian who tried to argument that brilliant manoeuvre on which Adolph insisted (resulting in Soviet southern front complete annihilation with 700k casualties) caused inability to capture Moscow. Iron Heinz “ignores” what happened to Napoleon in the same circumstances.

[@rastas4766]

Here's a great quote that I think captures the issue of Hitler from Albert Speer's autobiography. "Amateurishness was one of Hitler's dominant traits. He had never learned a profession, and basically, had always remained an outsider in all fields of endeavor. Like many self-taught people, he had no idea what real specialized knowledge really meant. Without any sense of the complexities of any great task, he boldly assumed one function after another. Unburdened by standardized ideas, his quick intelligence sometimes conceived unusual measures, which a specialist would not have hit on at all. The victories of the early years of the war can literally be attributed to Hitler's ignorance of the rules of the game and his layman's delight in decision making. Since the opposing side was trained to apply rules which Hitler's self-taught autocratic mind did not know, and did not use, he achieved surprises. These audacities, coupled with military superiority were the bases of his early successes, but as soon as setbacks occurred, he suffered shipwreck. Like most untrained people. Then, his ignorance of the rules of the game was revealed as another kind of incompetence, then his defects were no longer strengths. The greater the failures became, the more obstinately his incurable amateurishness came to the fore; the tendency to wild decision had long been his forte, now it speeded his downfall." - Albert Speer

[@ChuckNorris-gv8pv]

He wouldn’t have said that to his face tho

[@manipulatortrash]

@@ChuckNorris-gv8pv you nor anyone else would either, because he'd kill you. What's your point?

[@Feras_Plays]

Nah probably not he'll fire you/imprison you Stalin would be the one to kill you if called him dumb lol ​@@manipulatortrash

[@ocinprofession]

​@@manipulatortrash WHAT KIND OF PUSSSYY/Y///?>???? KILLS SOMEONE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING THEMMW>????????????!??!?!?!?!?!??!?!;L:!>?/.E>?>?":?>?">!L":' hwne diwnd WHEN DISREPECTIED ??????!?!?!?!?@??!>!>!>>@>@#>>#$>???????

[@gistar22]

@@manipulatortrash His point was that Speer was a little B*tch

[@TechieWidget]

You should do one about Imperial Japan's leadership, because it is one heck of a mess.

[@omarbradley6807]

Which one the Northern planners, the Kwantung, the Souther planners or the Leftist Cliche? because at that point they were even independently acting from each other

[@ziangli4836]

@BloxyHD Imagin recreating the entirety of the armed forces within branches of the armed forces because of an internal feud 40 years in the making, the fact the Japanese military got that far with a disjointed structure like that is a miracle

[@romaliop]

@@ziangli4836 In a certain way, it made sense though. Or at the very least wasn't a major hindrance. The army and navy operated more or less independently of each other in separate theaters of the war, after all. If only the political leadership was independent of the two sides and above the feud, it could've maybe remained as more or less a healthy rivalry between the branches.

[@ziangli4836]

@@romaliop I agree that they mostly that the army fought two different wars, but when you have stories of IJN deserting the IJA on abandoned islands leaving then to fend off the Americans, it does paint a picture of a disaster

[@romaliop]

@@ziangli4836 Yeah, I just mean that it would never have gotten that far if they both weren't so successful in the early stages of the war.

[@novat9731]

18:15 The Luftwaffes ability to supply a pocket of troops was proven possible earlier in the year in the Demyansk pocket. Where a force approximately 1/3 the size was successfully supplied by the air. In addition 30 000 troops were flown in, and 36 000 wounded were flown out of the pocket. The Demyansk pocket was sufficiently supplied, to the point where the units inside could conduct offensive operations aiding the units outside the pocket in breaking them out. It was reasoned that, while the significantly larger pocket in Stalingrad could not be supplied to full strength. The units within could at least be supplied, to subsistence levels, until relief arrived. Adequate numbers of airplanes were re-assigned to the Stalingrad area, but we all know what happened. - USSR air force were already strong in the area, expecting the encirclement to take place. - Poor weather in the December to February months completely halted any flights on several days. Although the Demyansk battle took place from February to May, in a more northern location, so weather was probably poor there as well. - The distance between the new German front lines, and the Stalingrad pocket was longer than in the Demyansk pocket. - Stalingrad was much further away from the supply base, than Demyansk was. Supply was an issue even before the city was encircled. It was a far fetched plan for sure, but not completely out of the realm of possibilities.

[@robberbarron7602]

To add on to this - By early December (1942), Luftflotte 4’s transport forces compromised approximately 550 aircraft, each of which could carry between one and two tons of supplies per sortie; these aircraft were theoretically more than sufficient to deliver the needed volume of supplies. The main causes of the failure of the Stalingrad airlift: - Due to the decline in serviceability of Luftflotte 4’s transport planes caused by the inadequate logistical lines on the ground (spare parts, etc), by the time 6th army was encircled only 30 and 40 percent of Luftflotte 4’s transport aircraft were operational. - Luftflotte 4’s absence of guidance of a dedicated headquarters staff with experienced specialists, the Stalingrad airlift, unlike that at Demyansk was unable to overcome the various problems it faced in time to save the 6th Army.

[@arjunmadan318]

Also the fact that after Rokossovsky delivered the coup de Gras at stalingrad the 6 th army was enmeshed in a solid encirclement; more deeper into committed soviet forces with sufficient armour inreserves than the demyansk pocket . Also the fact that by this time incoming air approaches to stalingrad were lined by heavy soviet flak. It should be added that by this late in the war the luftwaffe's 'punch' delivered by its concentration of airpower was diluted on the massive space on the eastern front. There was also, simultaneously, a massive threat building up on the German forces now trapped in the Caucasus after their defeat at stalingrad. Significant air support had to be diverted there, along with transports. The Caucasus army barely got out.

[@robberbarron7602]

@@arjunmadan318 Yes, your reply is spot on. - The main reason why the Germans barely escaped from the Caucuses was because the transport units of Luftflotte 4 operated from better-equipped permanent airfields in the Crimea, which were also bolstered with much of the late-arriving extra equipment and personnel that the newly reconstructed Leadership, headed by Erhard Milch, had requisitioned for the Stalingrad airlift. - Under these improved conditions, ‘Lufttransporteinsatz Krim’ (Air Transport Mission Crimea), managed to sustain an operational rate of 60 percent to 75 percent among its transports during the 50 days in which it operated. This allowed it to deliver an average of 182 tons of supplies daily to the Kuban bridgehead, nearly twice the average rate achieved at Stalingrad, despite employing a much smaller force of about 180 planes

[@leonpaelinck]

Actually the flying distance was shorter in Stalingrad

[@TheArmchairHistorian]

Very insightful comment :)

[@schatzkammerein]

The art, narrative, and everything just keeps getting better and better! Looking forward to more :D

[@legobatmanisthegoat]

Ikr!

[@boejiden5851]

I like how the art style has become more and more polished. Even down to the font choice, looks like something you'd see out of a comic or a game

[@Noobmaster-ch7hr]

The thumbnail is so perfectly designed depicting the genius side on the western front , and the insane side on the eastern . And the animations ...... what to say about them 🔥💯.

[@animeyahallo3887]

"The farther away from slaughter, the more optimism replaces reality. Reality is often non-existent at the highest decision-making levels. This is especially true when you are losing a war." - Gotou (Patlabor 2)

[@G.A.C_Preserve]

Wow

[@apalahartisebuahnama7684]

The Japanese really learn something from their futile war against US eh?

[@professionaldisappointment1654]

Razor Gotou strikes again

[@JayMaverick]

True then, true today.

[@maxhouse2409]

@@apalahartisebuahnama7684 They assimilated some of USA culture, such as baseball. They also absorbed Deming's 14 points of management. People stopped calling their exports 'jap crap' decades ago.

[@krishm16]

Bureaucratic politics is an incredibly under-estimated and unknown part of the well oil machined that is the government, military or any other institution. Very interesting and valuable insight. Thanks.

[@Justin-cw7zf]

Hitler during the early war: haha strategic thought out tactics win the day Hitler during the mid-late war: no retreat even if you all get captured or die

[@innosam123]

Hitler DID allow retreats. Not all the time (like Budapest), which were declared ‘fortress cities’, but other examples, like the Courland and East Prussia Pockets, *were* actually evacuated (partially.) Also, the fact that the Germans did not retreat from the Atlantic French ports probably bought the Germans a couple months on the Western Front by making Allied resupply from the sea difficult, forcing them to slow down.

[@cosmicdistortion4350]

@Johann von Floydmann lmaooo i feel that haha

[@HenriqueRJchiki]

Sounds a lot like a certain handsome guy with a smoke pipe in the east

[@Yesunfortunately-r1x]

Don't worry, Steiner and his 10,000 soldiers and 25 tanks he found in some dude's garage will turn the tide

[@highjumpstudios2384]

@@innosam123 true, but the attempted evacuation of Eastern Prussia was held off until it was far too late. Resulting in thousands of deaths at sea as Soviet subs fell upon unprotected single transports filled with mostly civilians.

[@BlissToby]

7:29 this is an absolute gem, you guys are so good at what you do and even have that unique feel for meme culture and use it well but not too often and I'm just stunned.

[@gp-network4370]

I would love to see a video also talking about the italian leadership during WW2, I feel like there is a lot to uncover regarding that part of history!

[@TheNamesFarquaad]

You got your wish!

[@Red__Law]

Love the attention to detail in your videos. Might have gone unnoticed by some, but at 5:37 you included a rare recording of Hitler's normal speaking voice.

[@Mr_M_History]

The Armchair Historian, the European history KZbinr we all want to be! What incredible content and what incredible timing!

[@colleen9026]

@Lotus I am going to miss it

[@isaowater]

@Lotus I am going to miss it

[@itsblitz4437]

I like to see Armchair Historian try talking more about topics involving the Pacific War.

[@shakenbakejake25]

@MiniMania Will probably have to wait till the conflict is completely over, and then some. I really can't wait to see his coverage of the war, and then his usual coverage of "the losing side's perspective".

[@ParseeAikoku]

@Lotus no one care

[@areasevenpro]

This video enraged Adolf's father, who punished him severely.

[@kyleshiflet9952]

Lol

[@Clint52279]

His mother consoled him though, right? Right! It turned out okay for him in the end? I'll look it up later...

[@krokiety5712]

Eh! A reference to another chanel!

[@othnielmcfarlane3612]

@@krokiety5712 indeed

[@othnielmcfarlane3612]

i understood that reference

[@DanielGarcia-kz2wr]

Wow! Kudos to all the team, exceptional animation and soundtrack quality, i've been following the channel for a couple years, and this keeps getting better!!!!!!

[@Anvilcjl]

The artwork and animation is far superior to that of other history and info graphics channels. I think a serious subject like this deserves class adult looking illustrations like this. Well done!

[@compatriot852]

You should do the Soviet leadership next. Especially given Stalin shared many traits with a certain Austrian painter

[@APersonOnYouTubeX]

Austrian Painter…Oskar Kokoschka?

[@lorenzograham7854]

Stalin isn’t even important for ww2

[@main8824]

@@lorenzograham7854 lol what

[@raysteigerwalt5272]

@@lorenzograham7854 lol who was it then?

[@lorenzograham7854]

@@raysteigerwalt5272 Soviet milatiry generals like Alexanxder yegrov Stalin was just leader of ussr not really into the military stuff

[@memecliparchives2254]

Could be portrayed as insanely genius initially only to turn borderline insanity.

[@ceu160193]

That's what they get for abusing meth and cocaine.

[@davedennison7386]

@@ceu160193 Don't forget the morphine....and the barbiturates...

[@ceu160193]

@@davedennison7386 Morphine was used mainly after wounds(well, until D-IX drug was implemented in German forces), but meth and cocaine were widely used both by soldiers and by civilian population. Civilians used it in form of chocolate infused with meth, soldiers in form of pills. And it worked, since main constraint of Blitzkrieg, after solving mobility issue, became human endurance - soldiers physically couldn't remain alert and awake on their own to drive tanks or pilot planes for hours and hours at once.

[@JoshSweetvale]

A gambler who won is still a gambler. It was a good bet, with good odds, but still a bet.

[@unusede8437]

Perfectly said

[@PakBallandSami]

the Western Allies, fearful of any move that might feed the suspicions of Stalin, refused to consider the German proposal, insisting that a German surrender be signed with all the Allies at the same time. Early in the morning of May 7, 1945, a German delegation came to U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s headquarters in Rheims, France, and at 2:41 am signed the surrender documents. Despite the fact that a Soviet major general signed for the Soviet Union, Stalin insisted that a second surrender ceremony take place in Soviet-occupied Berlin. This second surrender was signed in a Berlin suburb the following afternoon.

[@gagereid3307]

Would love an episode on the Bosnian war! There doesn’t seem to be much in depth coverage of that conflict. Love the vids thanks!

[@Joze1090]

This has to be your best animated video to date! Give your animators a raise!!!

[@hi_imken8860]

The animation is just too good, literally urging all of my friends to watch you.

[@GeovanniCastro666]

we love strong leaders and believers in God

[@CKC_Productions]

Adolf Hitler: “If Steiner attacks everything will be fine…”

[@Yesunfortunately-r1x]

Mans got like 10,000 men, how can the allies stand up to such a ferocious force!

[@Disorder2312]

I absolutely don't get these jokes. Can you explain so i wouldn't question it ever again.

[@CKC_Productions]

@@Disorder2312 It’s a meme from the movie “Der Untergang.”

[@Disorder2312]

@@CKC_Productions Yeah, and what's the point of it? Is it too long to explain? Because i don't even watch movies.

[@Yesunfortunately-r1x]

@@Disorder2312 in 1944-1945 hitler went full psycho mode and had one of his generals assemble a force that would hopefully defeat the soviets and help the Wehrmacht get everything together

[@nicholasconder4703]

Perhaps the greatest issue the Wehrmacht had throughout the war was poor logistics. They lacked the trucks and fuel to move supplies to the frontline troops, and it was this inability to resupply and reinforce their units that eventually doomed them.

[@DieNibelungenliad]

Many tanks were abandoned because of no fuel

[@JustJimmyGD]

*HOI4 flashbacks*

[@dankuser8303]

General fucking motors

[@omarbradley6807]

@@DieNibelungenliad That is actually a myth, it is true who many places were neglected, but the Germans have as many support vehicles as tanks for the Invasion of the USSR, the ones who suffered it hardly were the Soviets, during the early stages of the war, they had 10,000 tanks, but they had no support vehicles and many had to be abandoned without even engaging

[@leto.o5759]

@@omarbradley6807 this is a terrible comment, the Soviets also had terrible logistics during the early war that statistic makes no difference to the original commentators claims

[@turnip9367]

I think one of the biggest misconceptions people have about history is that just because a leader loses a war or battle doesn't mean they were dumb. They were obviously skilled enough to rise to power and consolidate their authority. Despite being portrayed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Hitler was still a skilled orator that was able to mass indoctrinate a country into his cult. Sometimes they're undermined by their own hubris. Other times it's because of external factors entirely out of their control. Hitstory is never that simplistic.

[@Noidonteatbabiesstopasking]

I don’t think anyone portrays Hitler as a paranoid schizophrenic lol

[@mellowyellowjello1661]

WOW The amount of pure detail that you are able to put into your videos are amazing!

[@Gutbomber]

Perfect video. German soldiers and their fighting spirit is quite fascinating.

[@juliusbeutler7090]

Yeah, tell that to my grandfather who was sent to russia at 17. I bet he had one hell of a fighting spirit. He told me this story about other german soldiers getting in an ambush an trying to rat out their comrades while dying. Great fighting spirit, truly. Can people please stop glorifying the Wehrmacht? I could ask my grandfather for more fighting spirit stories if you wanted to, he's 98 now. Maybe one of the last people to tell this generation that there's absolutely nothing cool or stoic about war

[@sanich0811]

​@@juliusbeutler7090 The most patriotic modern German, lol My male and female ancestors fought on the side of the USSR against the Third Reich, I am proud that they defended their land and won. But I also respect the Wehrmacht as worthy enemy - no other Army had such high discipline, pedantry and tech innovation at same time

[@grizzle273463]

Your videos have just countless subtle details in the animation. Tremendous work and superbly done.

[@Klishar122]

I’d like to request two more videos of this nature: One for the Soviets. The other for the Japanese.

[@NewtypeCommander]

The Imperial Japanese forces were pretty much in a similar situation as the Third Reich. The armed forces were full of infighting factions more concerned about how their forces were going to win the war; this is particularly seen in differences in tactics between the IJA and the IJN.

[@pecadodeorgullo5963]

@@NewtypeCommander yeah, I think Kings and generals mentions this in his pacific war series when both had different visions in the war.

[@ruouy3453]

@@NewtypeCommander I think infighting between the IJN and IJA was much much worse than in the German High Command

[@temcabbage1713]

@@ruouy3453 It was definitely much worse. Germany may have had infighting but none of them were petty enough to have smaller branches underneath them. It was so bad that the IJN had its own Army and vice versa.

[@abrahamhashimi4747]

What about Italy?

[@joesomebody3365]

Never heard about the "OKW" before this video, lots of interesting information; seems like there are so many variables that it's difficult to determine exactly what combination of things would have changed the outcome one way or another.

[@sgt.brexit3850]

10:55 to 11:20's animation was so satisfying tf. Every video the animation get's better and the soundtrack this episode was awesome

[@TDenterpriser]

A video on the leadership of the Imperial Japanese Military would be very interesting

[@greenbeepm]

I feel the cracks in Germany was already there, but it was only noticeable when luck ran out, and how Germany handled severe failure in ww2. Unlike the allies, which arguably suffered more then Germany did in the 1st year of ww2, Militarily of course.

[@naso5179]

Yeah, so much luck that france got mowed, poland and other countries got destroyed. allied apologists are really dimwits.

[@scottanno8861]

@@naso5179 when the world is against you, was it really luck that ran out? Or simply being overrun with bodies?

[@naso5179]

@@scottanno8861 i was being sarcastic.

[@mikatu]

Ridiculous, Germany did everything due to having a great army, not due to luck. They even made mistakes that could have costed them the war, like not liquidating the british in Dunkirk or trying to go for Stalingrad for status purposes instead of going to the oil fields directly or to focus on one city at the time.

[@naso5179]

@@mikatu yea, and i made a sarcastic reply to this comment.

[@itsblitz4437]

Wow Griffin your art and animations teams has really up the ante in this video. Well done and massive props to them for their dedicated hard work.

[@tmanthemost1157]

If only hitler was accepted into art school who knows how different things would’ve been

[@Castragroup]

but then we woudnt have had a real life thanos

[@pyromania1018]

He was a mediocre artist. If he'd bothered to finish his earlier schooling so he could get a job in case he wasn't accepted, he could have had a fallback option. But he was a lazy ass thanks to his mother's incessant spoiling, to the point of legitimately believing he deserved to get everything simply handed to him just because he existed. He was too lazy and full of himself to work for a living, too reckless to bother with any fallback options, and too egotistical to accept that he wasn't all that great.

[@migelangeldejesusquinterog4584]

​@@Castragroup Amir tumer (tamerlane) and Temujin (Ghingis Khan)?

[@Castragroup]

@@migelangeldejesusquinterog4584 weaklings

[@blakephillipe496]

Bro the piano solo at the end. It's a little detail but it wraps up the video perfectly and adds emotional weight to an already heartbreaking conflict.

[@Maliq28]

therapist: two-face hitler isn't real, he cant hurt you. two-face hitler:

[@omarbradley6807]

Is who this is the problem with Hitler everyone today fail to see, Hitler could be very different at any given moment, with his image saying things acording to what the people wanted to hear changing as they also changed, but with a complex personality of hate towards other peoples, who he of course was cautious to mention, but could make a suden outburst and purge the army,

[@TheVoiceOfReason93]

I once took the position that they are rational as any other Human leadership, but are operating within the frame of their irrational ideology. It would explain why some decisions which gave them the upper hand seem genius and the rest which cost them the war are insane.

[@matrix_legion8798]

Please do a video about the Byzantine or Ottoman Empire but other than that your content gets greater and greater

[@Gutbomber]

Byzantine video would be cool.

[@aris9560]

amazing work. Next to this i highly recommend watching "Hitler's Circle of Evil" to understand how he incentivised fierce competition between his top guys. Also it shows that despite Hitler being a person who doesn't seek consensus to distribute orders, he was quite influenced by the people around him even adopting some of his key ideas form others.

[@FrankyBallou]

New to the channel, I’m so glad I found this!! All videos are very well done!! Great job!!!

[@bravomike4734]

Love how you showed the non rotated swastik for its true intended meaning in this vid, peace and prosperity or in this case peace between officers of the military branches.

[@mr.neworld2031]

This animations are very creative, well done

[@silesia93]

Wow! Every time I watch one of your videos, they keep improving! I thought it's not possible since they already seem perfect.

[@Amazonforest11]

I really love your videos. Your presentation skills, detailed explanation, deep knowledge and attention to detail are really very impressive. Please keep making such beautiful and informational videos. They are enriching, entertaing and knowledgeable at the same time. KZbin needs more people like you 👍

[@comradesocalistfromaustralia]

2022 kids: im depressed 1945 hitler: *yes*

[@Justin-cw7zf]

We might need to make a Russian version of this soon

[@mljesus7743]

Ok, now THIS is the kinda gold I expect from your channel Griffith!!! This video was absolutely phenomenal! I adore it when you shake off the tunnel vision of a strictly linear timeline or a specific event to discuss a broader more overarching topic, it flows far better and gets the concepts across in a much more decisive and compelling way Like I said, GOLD! And need I even state the amazing work of your art department? Let’s just say they bring your topics to life. You and your team ought be commended for this project. Also it’s great to see the source list description. Keep up the fantastic work! 🤩

[@talleywa5772]

Genius when it works. Insanity when it doesn't.

[@danielriquelme5762]

What an amazing animation! Thank you for bringing this topic to our attention. Keep it up! Can’t wait for the next video.

[@pedro8143]

"It's remarkable how often those two traits overlap" -Jack Sparrow

[@merafirewing6591]

A very accurate quote.

[@sarmientoenricomiguelv.562]

Captain Jack Sparrow

[@ekparatrooperfilms9668]

Title: Genius or Insanity Historians: Yes

[@cmdrflake]

Easily explained. The Germans were willing to take risks knowing that they were up against an enemy which was very set in their ways. They were unwilling to accept the Germans doing what ever they pleased, led by very highly motivated officers willing to take risks the French and British would never expect to accept. France was suffering from a case of PTSD and panicked. All the money the French wasted on the inadequate static defense provided by the Maginot line, in retrospect, wasted. The Germans got caught by karma big time in the blowback from Barbarossa though. The Germans wound up breaking the will of their officer corps. Not a smart move.

[@DieNibelungenliad]

I think "Germans were willing to take risks" hits the nail on the head. The Nazi leadership was willing to throw down all their cards to win the war even if it became another World War. The French and the English govs hoped for peace because they didnt want another World War. The German gov truly believed they would win a World War if only they locked up all the Jews and communists in camps to stop them from causing a German Revolution 2.0 back home.

[@StetoGuy]

The Magionot Line did its job, I wouldn’t say the French ‘wasted’ their money on it nor was it ‘inadequate’. It was meant to funnel the Germans down the Low Countries, which is exactly what happened. Honestly the main problem with the Allies was their seriously incompetent leadership and the Belgians cancelling their plans with the Allies at the last minute, basically screwing over the whole plan.

[@cosmicdistortion4350]

@@StetoGuy For what the magionot line was built for, it did it's job pretty damn effectively. Wasn't it also meant to protect the more industrial areas west to the Line or am i thinking of something else?

[@igorbednarski8048]

Maginot line was not a waste, it was designed to force the Germans to go around it and they did.

[@heidi_bavarian1725]

britisch navy und russian armee stopped evry german try at progress

[@CJ_1406]

German Commander: Hey, maybe we should retreat. Small angry man with a silly moustache: No, no. You stay. *shoots plunger gun at mirror which hit him at the foot*

[@igorbednarski8048]

Yes, everyone knows that wars are won by retreating. If only Hitler retreated all the way to Berlin, I'm sure the Soviets would surrender.

[@StarProcyon]

The animation was amazing in this one.

[@anoldtimer]

“You can’t be a genius without a little bit of insanity.” I forgot who said it.

[@hakku9344]

"they have taken more ground in a day than german empire could in 3 years" how goddamn badass that must be

[@TragicTester034]

At least the Kaiserreich could hold the ground it conquered until the bitter end

[@razzledazzle8593]

@@TragicTester034 *cuts to Russian general Alexander Samsonov shooting himself after Tannenberg*

[@Yesunfortunately-r1x]

And also lost it just as quickly

[@safi6749]

Rommel was a genius

[@BisexualPlagueDoctor]

Cool or not, there still nazis

[@leeroy4958]

This was beoutiful almost poetic in a way, just like history is suposed to be.

[@internetperson8638]

This was a very necessary video, thank you very much for it. There's a clash between "The German generals and Hitler made genius moves" and "Hitler was batsh*t crazy and had incompetent generals".

[@aflyingman5751]

17:53 thats a wholesome little "end of the line" reference there. i appreciate that

[@staticaleel5068]

I love the art but… omg that shining reference at 17:53 just cracked me up! It’s so hilariously fitting.

[@J4R0D]

The best part is Hitler not believing his strategies worked in the early part of the war. The video of him walking around in Paris is like "how did I make it this far?"

[@williamwatkins6669]

Haven't seen the swastika on KZbin for a while. Especially considering your video has been suggested in my feed. Great find and great content 🙂

[@JayMaverick]

Great narration, wonderful animation. I wish all history was taught like this.

[@uncharted7againblackking256]

Fr

[@VictorSanchez-eu7sk]

Your animation just keeps getting better and better

[@simonreij6668]

i have appreciated all of your videos but this one... it resonates so perfectly, like i could almost extrapolate the entire war from it, thank you so much. glad you got your smoke graphic realigned with the pipe, ty sir

[@franklinclinton4539]

So the short answer is: Germany in WW2 was 2 good players co-operating Germany without being in a voice chat in HOI4. Then both of them rage quit and were replaced by idiots.

[@danielnavarro537]

If the Allied command cannot sort itself out and agree on what they are going to do, they will lose the war. This also holds true for the Axis. The Allied command in the early years of the war did not work together at best, but they had to learn to in order to win and so they began to cooperate. The Axis though would not and would bicker among each other, causing their downfall.

[@maxhouse2409]

The axis were strategically uncoordinated, particularly with Mussolini in Greece and North Africa.

[@azj_]

This documentary has a memes and movie's reference: 1. Normie CHAD (memes) 11:44 2. The Shining (movie) 17:53 3. This is fine (memes) 18:05

[@scottbeckes6319]

15:40 moustached Nazi boxing references Pat Roach’s character in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[@Fee.1]

“Negotiate the unconditional surrender” is an oxymoron

[@sara-od2tc]

Your video is amazing, the animated style really helps to unterstand the informations.I like how you show the problems that Nazis had within their own rows. In German history class we most concentrated us on the things how Hitler got his power,the problem with the Weimarer Republic and the emergency decree,Hitlers book that he wrote in Jail,the KZ and the end of war and what happened after.We never talked much about the problems in their own rows or the battles.

[@sirmisc5780]

But we can’t forget that there are 20 million penguins in Antarctica and only around 1,000 humans there. That means if the penguins go to war, each man will have to fight 20,000 penguins.

[@beneficialuncle4136]

Excellent work over at Armchair History! I would love to see more Great War content though; I feel like that is a topic that would be so cool to watch if it was covered extensively on this channel. Great work nonetheless!

[@Wanderer628]

Wheraboos: If Hitler had just listened to this generals they would have won the war! Wheraboos after watching this video: If Hitler and his generals had just listened to their junior officers they would have won the war!

[@lordnatu]

if the generals had listened to hitler and if hitler had listened to the generals and if they joined the allies and if they didn't start the war and if they weren't fascist they could have won the war

[@anderskorsback4104]

Wehraboos: Hitler, listen to your generals, they know their stuff! Hitler: Hmm, you're right, I probably should. Rundstedt: Halt! We need to rest our troops and consolidate our position, there's no need to hurry to clear out Dunkirk. Guderian: ... OKW: ... Hitler: Rundstedt, you're right, you know this stuff better than me, we do like you suggest! Wehraboos: No, not like that!

[@brothercheerio]

I like that you're able to give a good and honest analysis without letting your emotions or feelings get in the way. Great video!

[@djquinn11]

Griffin does a great job on these videos. Excellent work, look forward to watching more.

[@peterkropotkin6224]

What remarkable timing given recent events.

[@anasevi9456]

only if your a headline reading trog, what's happening now is russia and nato missing the cold war too much. they just can't stop f'ing with eachother out of spite.

[@rileychristensen3824]

The thumbnail looks like if Hitler was a batman villain.

[@Sumschmuck]

Nazi-face

[@jedaiahg.1136]

Probably your best video ever and your other videos are already incredibly good. Really really liked it.

[@k28xl]

For anyone curious the sign in the background at 7:29 says 'live, love, and rule everything'

[@jvjd]

He is a genius at being a leader but his end goals and objectives were insane

[@chico9805]

No. He was a good boss, but not a good leader. A leader understands the importance of teamwork and humility - Hitler did not.

[@finndaniels9139]

Terrible leader really. It's like they say wartime leaders don't always make good peacetime leaders - good politicians don't always make good leaders either. He could talk a good talk and rouse a crowd, but his internal domestic politics were a mess, and his wartime leadership was somehow worse

[@londoncrow500]

Bad leader, But good strategist. Before getting stalinsane that is.

[@Saurophaganax1931]

@@londoncrow500 was he a good strategist? Or did he just surround himself with good strategists? An average man standing on the shoulders of actual geniuses.

[@londoncrow500]

@@Saurophaganax1931 he is smart enough to know how to make smart people work for him

[@keithstevens5614]

Hitler genius had a lot in common with Prince lyrics "make up rules just to break them". He took advantage of the post WW1 peacenick atmosphere

[@stixelay1218]

as my father said to me "geniusity will always stick with madness"

[@archerpiperii2690]

@7:30 "leben, liebe und allein regieren" that is a funny riff off of "Live, Love Laugh" Phoenix, AZ

[@nobbynobbs8182]

These animations just getting better and better

[@headshot21000]

Kind of weird that Hitler stopped listening to his generals and Stalin started listening to his generals by the end of the war

[@goodnight3663]

17:20 i never knew he pulled a stalin 🤦🤦

[@hussien04]

At least he didn't kill them

[@capncake8837]

@@hussien04 Stalin didn’t kill all of them, either, but he did imprison them.

[@Kissamiess]

"Madman Hitler" The only thing worse than that is the "druggy madman Hitler". But thanks for this brilliant nuanced view.

[@Gszarco94]

Well done, guys!! This is pure quality.

[@boxingking6197]

Wow this is an upgrade?! What a splendid piece of video animation. The best narrated animation ive ever seen so far. Thank you @armchairhistorian.

[@liesannevanede]

Love your vids and the artwork 😍 I have a few ideas for future episodea (if you havent talked about then yet) the Burma railway. Or the Christmas Truce

[@blinkblinkRNB]

Its worth noting that Erich von Manstein (before: von Lewinski) was an ethnic Pole (which was not unusual among Prussian nobility/leadership as Prussia was culturally German but very mixed when it comes to the population) . ^^

[@awesomehpt8938]

Well I mean Steiner’s attack will turn things around! Right?

[@Religions.of.fandom]

H*tler really does crack me up. It's nothing short of amazing how little a man can care for his soldiers. I obviously don't support Nazism but just saying...He loved talking about how much he "loved" the German people yet he sent so many to die for a worthless cause.

[@StoneWeevil]

7:33 "Life, Love and Sole Control" 16:56 "The Leader is Always Right"

[@jayeshmali9240]

Art,animation team and everything is next level !!!