Evolution of the German Army Field Uniform 1933-1945

[@speckledjim5402]

"Veteran soldiers clung to older kits since they knew replacements would be inferior in quality." Story of my military career.

[@enzothebaker22]

LOL, seriously. I carried a Vietnam era butt pack from 1983 to 2008, still serviceable today.

[@blabboo]

enzothebaker22 Thank you for your service!

[@blabboo]

Duke Opress 'em ok dude. Just trying to be respectful

[@enzothebaker22]

@@docpossum2460 Ha! We all heard it from the previous generation. The old "When I was in, we had to march barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways blah blah..." It's a right of passage.

[@pianofry1138]

Yep, Military Grade doesn't mean what people think it means..

[@saxo9266]

What women think men want: What men really want: German army field uniforms timeline

[@patriot7413]

I’m a woman, I looked this up directly 😂

[@rebelandchief]

What they really really want: the uniforms

[@jhonnydevries8931]

NoahSunkTheArk Animations yessss you know how It is

[@mazdoctorxd]

Tru dat...

[@thatonestukapilot6086]

JpAnimations r/notlikeothergirls

[@TheSexhaver2625]

One thing to remember is factory wouldn’t immediately implement this changes, for example some factories produced the m40 stahlhelm until 1944 and the dark green collar was produced as late as 1941. And the m44 Feldbluse was produced alongside the m43 uniform. It was a rule along factories to finish all of the old stock of materials before opening the new stock of materials.

[@JohnsonTheSecond]

M36 tunics until 1941? That's interesting, I never heard of that before, nice! I'm not doubting but do you remember where you read it, I'm interested what else could be on there

[@TheSexhaver2625]

@@JohnsonTheSecond yes, when I used to collect. I saw multiple examples of original 1941 dead mint m36 tunics with matching feldgrau trousers. All either standard infantry or panzerjager. They all came out of the woodworks a few years ago, dated 1941 and produced in France.

[@JohnsonTheSecond]

@@TheSexhaver2625 you sure they weren't private purchased and sewn on but were issued like that, then?

[@TheSexhaver2625]

@@JohnsonTheSecond that could be a possibility but it’s impossible to know for sure. I just know they appear to be factory done and there is like 12 identical examples. All unissued

[@expandinga7960]

That's also why in many photos from 43' you see soldiers with dark green shoulder boards (epaulets?).

[@nateweter4012]

I can’t applaud this video enough. I’ve had the hardest time explaining to people, including gamers, movie goers, modelers, and new enthusiasts that the iconic uniform the Germans used in Poland in 1939 is entirely inappropriate for the ‘44-‘45 Western front that many movies and games focus. The biggest offender in the video game world is hands down Dice with Battlefield V but even Valve with their Day of Defeat Source managed to butcher it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to explain field blouse cuts, ankle gaiters, smocks, Zeltbahns and other things. Thank you for making this video. Everything you’ve put forward is spot on.

[@tostie3110]

Now we can simply point them to this clear video!

[@niccoraven4405]

Thing is, BVF mostly takes place in '40 to '41. But, i have seen what you are talking about in other games

[@nateweter4012]

TheVillageDefenders Yes, but unfortunately the problem goes so far beyond that in BFV. The issue is really at its core; BF games have always taken some liberties with uniforms and customizations but this was the biggest departure by far. Many of the battles are set during the early war but they butcher that by adding Sturmtigers, Sturmgewehrs, and an endless list of weapons, attachments and equipment completely fabricated all together. It was difficult to watch people defend the accuracy because you could tell many wouldn’t have known the difference anyway, and I suppose that was the target market. The uniform and gear selections they give you aren’t even items that existed. These include, cargo pocketed pants, putties, camouflages that never existed and completely omits the many incredible options of items that did exist. It was clearly made by people who wouldn’t have known a WW2 garment or equipment piece from a Cold War one etc. beyond that, there’s a general lack of understanding how the equipment was worn and used. This includes rifleman with submachine gun pouches, gas masks for no reason, and even wearing pouches along the chest Y straps where no German soldier would have been caught dead with one, besides the specialized Fallschirmjeager bandoliers. The list is so vast that it would take me hours to list here but the point is, the game is the biggest offender of any WW2 game in terms of accuracy not set in an alternate timeline or genre. Games like Medal of Honor Allied Assault from 2000 and the first Call of Duty and it’s expansion United Offensive got German gear damn near perfect back in 2003 and it was such a let down to see DICE do ww2 so dirty. Many WW2 games have taken a little liberty with a few guns and vehicles that may not have been around yet, but BFV looses control and context entirely.

[@darraghgreaney2627]

Maybe you have the hardest time explaining this stuff, because it sounds like you are trying to give history lectures to people playing video ga,es or watching movies.......... Imagine someone trying to tell you how the waistline of these uniforms was unflattering and then proceeding to wax bleeding lyrical about body types, and tailored clothing.... if you don’t care, you don’t care.

[@nateweter4012]

@@darraghgreaney2627 I mean, If someone wanted to bloviate about unflattering waistlines while I was playing a game I'd definitely mute that and that's definitely not the take away here. Opinions of aesthetics for aesthetics sake aren't the concern.

[@andro7862]

My grandfather was a partisan and he wore a German made uniform. Always praised it for how comfortable it was and well suited for Croatian climate and terrain. Much better than what the British gave them.

[@AudieHolland]

I read that Tito's Partisans simply used captured German field uniforms and common caps. All they did was remove the insignia and replace them with a red star.

[@andro7862]

@@AudieHolland Yes they used German uniforms for practical reasons, but they did have their own headgear called Triglavka (a cap with three peaks) and a Titovka (soviet style standard issue cap).

[@vasakvasa2929]

@@AudieHolland well they really didnt have a lot of options to choose from.

[@AudieHolland]

@@vasakvasa2929 I wasn't holding it against them.

[@malesh99]

He was ustasha then.

[@fullplasticjacket9305]

Painting some Late War German miniatures, this video was great help in creating variety while staying historically accurate.

[@kozmokramer7398]

Wtf......?

[@TitusCastiglione1503]

@@man-gi8su I think he means miniatures for ww2 wargaming , like on a table. It’s kinda like Warhammer 40k but historical.

[@dougearnest7590]

It hurts my soul to see someone explain historical miniature wargaming by referencing Warhamer 40K - but whatever works I guess. I'm considering trying to get opponants for a Napoleonic naval game by explaining that one flag was used by the Orks, and the side with the other flag is the Elves.@@TitusCastiglione1503

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

​@@kozmokramer7398imbecile

[@roaldthamesen533]

EHEEEEY!! I was so hyped when I saw the notification popped up. Nice video once again! Looking forward for your coverages on: 1. DAK and Tropical uniforms of all branches. 2. SS uniforms 3. Luftwaffe uniforms 4. Panzer, Panzergrenadier, and StuG uniforms. 5. Captured foreign uniforms. 6. Officer uniforms. 7. Modifications on uniforms.

[@SuomenJaakaripataljoona]

I’m interested to see more about the uniforms.

[@plasmadrone3123]

I'm upping this uniform idea. I"m curious on the HBT and cotton iterations of the German uniforms. Division

[@user-wg9ul4ou6g]

WOuld like to know more with Officers since they had many styles and designs

[@acefromouterspace3681]

Captured foreign uniforms? I'm intrigued, do you have an abstract for something like that?

[@plasmadrone3123]

@@acefromouterspace3681 to make it short, the Germans utilized captured foreign uniforms to bolster their supplies. some of the examples are Dutch, Czech, and Austrian uniforms that were converted to match the looks of a German uniform.

[@kaczynskis5721]

I read that the ankle boots were nicknamed "retreat gaiters" because they became more common as the tide was turning against Germany. A photo I saw of a Wehrmacht cobbler's establishment taken in 1942 or 1943 showed a large number of boots awaiting repair. The majority are short-shaft marching boots but a number of ankle boots can also be seen.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Yes, that nickname for the anklets is my understanding as well. You raise a good point about salvage - I mention in the video about individual soldiers making older stuff last as long as possible, but as you point out here, the Army too had facilities to repair and recycle kit rather than throwing it away.

[@Mygg_Jeager]

@@HandGrenadeDivision Bruh your channel name and profile pic just earned you a subscriber lol.

[@kleinweichkleinweich]

zis is a Rückzugswickelgamaschen it is ze Gamaschen zat rückzugs

[@useitwice]

They sure are some good looking uniforms after all

[@cowboypfpsdeadchannel9724]

Sure. Ignoring the fact they're nazis

[@useitwice]

@@cowboypfpsdeadchannel9724 yea, except that part..

[@ryman1933]

@@cowboypfpsdeadchannel9724 That just makes them even better

[@cowboypfpsdeadchannel9724]

@@ryman1933 bruh imagine being antisemitic

[@ryman1933]

@@cowboypfpsdeadchannel9724 bruh imagine not being an anti semite in 2021

[@kingjoe3rd]

I would imagine that veteran troops clung to older style uniforms in order to show that they had been in the army longer and stuff like that. Its a thing that happens in military's among the junior ranks. When I was in the Marines I came in right at the time when they were switching from Tri-color camo and black boots to the digital camo and tan boots. It really was that petty as the people that would keep wearing the old uniforms had only been in maybe 6 months longer than me but it seemed to be a way for them to show seniority. I'm sure the quality concern was valid but never underestimate how silly human beings can be about such things. My brother tells me that the same thing happened to him in the Army with the change from digital camo to the multi-cam pattern. Maybe this insight will be helpful in some way.

[@nicholaswalsh4462]

For my time it was different. The officers and NCOs were the first ones in the new OCP uniforms while we had one specialist in my unit who wore the old UCP uniform until the VERY LAST day it was authorized. I'm not kidding. He was the only guy in the unit wearing that uniform and there was even a ceremony to mark the end of the UCPs.

[@BrailleScale]

I think the explanation in the video makes a lot of sense. With supplies for the German military always depleted and delayed, I think the soldiers would have replaced worn out equipment if they could, but likely didn't have it available and if their earlier equipment was still serviceable, was probably far superior in quality as Germany dumped money, men, and equipment in to the Eastern Front and Hitler's final solution. I do understand the modern military perspective from my time in the US Army. But I would think it was more similar to the issues of supply and logistics problems when we went through a uniform change and surged in Iraq and Afghanistan. No one wanted inferior ACU uniforms, and some people never got a full issue of gear. So you'd see people with three tone, woodland, and ACU all mix matched because they took what they got, if they got it, while also wearing what they preferred (assuming they were combat soldiers farther away from the flagpole).

[@garymckee8857]

Spit shining the boots that was a lot of work but they made your uniform standout.

[@BrailleScale]

@@garymckee8857 haha I'm sure. Can't say I ever wanted to stand out. Always surprised though when the parade field mentality finds its way to a combat zone..

[@garymckee8857]

@@BrailleScale true no one wants to stand out it's like volunteering nothing good comes from it. But I always thought since I'm old now the black boots looked better.

[@randycheow4268]

A video that I can use as a reference when painting 1/35 German figures

[@PiggyWiggyO]

The problem would be that the moulding would be showing large jack boots with other parts showing in the early stages of the war.

[@KomradeDoge]

@@PiggyWiggyO there is a chance you could color the boots in a way that makes them look like the shorter ankle boots. The right use of paint and you can even get the cloth folding look to them. That or just make that figure look like he's seen a lot and say he's a veteran who's taken good care of his boots. lol

[@pihlak6950]

PiggyWiggyO jackboots can always be issued later in the war, just less common.

[@arnewiththeboats7324]

I am here because I am 1/35 scale model builder also.

[@nicke.2066]

Nice man, from with brand?

[@comet3969]

I mean....the only war I see them winning is the fashion war

[@praefectusvigilum6997]

If your troops have to fight against a whole world, I am glad to see how they try to win.

[@philippbock3444]

Then you don't have a clue about history

[@skillshootrush7653]

@@Niedersach3e I always say that but no one agrees with me.the wehrmacht would also easily win against usa in a one o one.

[@skillshootrush7653]

@@Niedersach3e Nope we had better technology but usa had more troops i think.It would be an Interesting battle.

[@Adam-vq7fr]

@@Niedersach3e I don't think so US joined very late in the war at the time Germany already was loosing UK and France could have won US kind of stole the fame US just made UK and France loose less man when they joined

[@justdave3685]

You're one of the best people talking about this theme. Good job. I look forward to other videos.

[@randomfallschirmager1010]

I hate how alot of people think the allgemeine SS uniforms were the only uniforms and i swear everytime i see someone say that i will just send them this video

[@thepicklegambit6226]

Also super annoying when people need to put an armband on any other uniform than that of the Allgemeine SS. Media seems to portray any WWII German soldier wearing an armband. Armbands aren’t even correct for most SS uniforms for god’s sake!

[@tacticalministries3508]

My favorite is when people think the allgemeine uniform was even a combat uniform

[@TheSexhaver2625]

Tactical Ministries and the black was replaced by feldgrau and the armband was deleted in the mid 30’s

[@anarchistcocktail3455]

Allgemeine ss wore a regular WSS feldbluse most the time too, black uniforms were too expensive and hitler using black uniforms for his power fetish put the party in extreme debt early in the war actually

[@abbcc5996]

@@anarchistcocktail3455 i know that the first part, but the second part? i mean hitler famously wore army browns and greys throughout the war.

[@GenMaj_Knight]

0:52 i mean I'd be blushing too if I was sucked into the eggshell white void with only a large red *1933* to keep me company as I was slowly redressed

[@madmarvshighwaywarrior2870]

Ive been bugged why Wehrmacht uniforms looked like this in one colored historical documentary and then looked differently in another. Your video just answered my question. Nice!

[@Riceball01]

Don't forget service differences since the Wehrmacht consisted of more than just the Army (Heer), but the Navy (Kriegsmarine), and Air Force (Luftwaffe) as well. From what I've read, by war's end many Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine troops were being issued rifles and put on the front line. So, there would not only be differences because of design changes and war time shortages, but because (depending on when and where) non-Heer troops serving as infantry.

[@KomradeDoge]

@@Riceball01 then you also get the SS in there with another different kit, plus the dismounted tankers and mechanised with their different uniforms. lol

[@DanSpadafora]

The Kelly's Heros theme is a nice touch.

[@baronsass]

Superb overview. This is the kind of basic material that should be fundamental to any reenactor's understanding of his/her uniform and its history. Looking forward to more.

[@armybear2]

An improvement for maybe future videos is to highlight visually or put an indicator what is being change in each of the pictures when transitioning. Cause while you were talking it was kind of hard to notice some of the subtle changes in the pictures.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Thanks for taking the time to comment on this, and I was genuinely worried that might be the case. My next video is in preparation and I will see if there is a subtle way to do this, as I agree it will make things easier to catch.

[@DexterBachman]

Officers supplied their own tailor made uniforms yet enlisted men and NCOs were also allowed to purchase their own. Hence you may find two uniforms for the same unit, one a factory issue item, and the other tailor-made. The first will have comparatively plain decoration and cheaper materials when compared to the individually tailored uniform. The original orders allowed it and both comply with regulations.

[@rastas3742]

One correction I'd make is that they didn't use 'wood fibres' in their cloth. They used Rayon, which is a synthetic fibre that uses cellulose as a precurser in the same way that Nylon uses mineral oil as a precurser. It's not like the cloth has saw dust in it.

[@Sasha-gd8xi]

Thanks for correcting.

[@kaczynskis5721]

A synthetic wool called Zellenwolle became increasingly common. It was considered serviceable although many German troops felt it did not keep the cold out very well.

[@ScottRuggels]

@@kaczynskis5721 I've handled some original M1944 Uniforms that had a high Zellenwoll content, an they were a bit crinkly, like handling a box of Christmas tinsel (the Mylar kind), and because of this, fully lined in "artificial Silk". They did not seem to have worn well either. having fibers fraying a bit at the elbows and the knees. uniforms made just a year or two earlier have been seen to be much more durable.

[@hagendasz719]

I just want to tell you to keep up the good content. I am here since your first video and I am every time pleasently surprised about your quality

[@kaczynskis5721]

A great source on the subject is the late Brian L. Davis' "German Army Uniforms And Insignia", first published in the 1970s with a second edition coming out in 1998. A page from the book is visible at 7:06 .

[@unsuisseegare1291]

How is it possible that i stumble upon your channel only now, it's a goldmine of information to make historically accurate models and figures

[@ericcook5224]

Great video! Incidentally,the leather braces worn to help hold up the equipment belts were hardly never used until around 1941! Most photos of Operation Barbarossa, for example, the braces are almost nowhere to be seen. They surely existed, but didn't get issued out in any significant numbers till sometime in late 1941 and into 1942. Similarly, the high (Jack) boots are the most commonly used boots till 1943.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Indeed, the field blouse in the early years had a robust set of internal cloth suspenders and metal belt hooks that helped bear the weight of the equipment.

[@kxd2591]

For those of us who have an interest in the history of WWII, this is very good info. I haven't looked yet, but I would hope that you would do other videos on all of the major powers that fought in the war. Thank you very much for taking the time to record and post.

[@SmittyMRE]

Appreciate this so much. Thank you, sir!

[@LightFykki]

Really like this video. It destroys the perception that most people have about the German army being always stylish no matter what the situation, but like you mentioned yourself we can already see that from the start of the WW2 they were constantly further engineering the uniforms, making them more cost efficient, but less fashionable as a result of that.

[@darkmemes953]

Why is this man sounds so depressed at the beginning of the vid??? Nice vid keep it up!!

[@darkmemes953]

@TrSolaretorX َ Bruh that comment was a year ago

[@Solesz]

@@darkmemes953 he was thinking about it for a year

[@darkmemes953]

@@Solesz He was researching and writing essays for a year, then concluded that "we may never know."

[@WPTheRabbitHole]

it's because he knows how the war ended, and the liberal / commie nightmare we all have to live in today...

[@darkmemes953]

@@WPTheRabbitHole lmao, idk if ur serious or joking.

[@cameronmccreary4758]

1916 style helmet is very valuable nowadays; I remember in the 1960s when the rebel motorcycle riders would wear those helmets.

[@highjumpstudios2384]

You know, you have the scratchiest voice I'v ever heard, and I still cant stop listening to it. Thanks.

[@rokukou]

HighJumpStudios i like it, it makes him sound... honest, in a way. it also sounds like he needs a glass of water.

[@greghanson407]

You should do a video about the crazy German dog tag system. Dog tags were meant to be able to identify bodies, but the German WW2 dog tag didn't even have the man's name on it. Does anyone know the thinking that went on regarding the design of their dog tags?

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

I imagine it was for security, but the more I learn about how the Germans did things, the more I realize just about everything they did was very different from how say the US or British Commonwealth did things. ID tags are the classic example.

[@keithalaird]

I think the German dog tag system was implemented on the theory that the deceased individual would be identified from his Soldbuch. or possibly using the unit roster sheet as an alternate means. The problem with the Soldbuch is that there is entirely too much information in it including the current unit. So fairly frequently, soldiers going on a patrol or other duty where capture was possible woul t turn their Soldbuchs in to company or battalion HQ for safekeeping. Using the unit roster really only worked if the unit HQ was intact, and able to coordinate their roster with the people picking up the KIAs. If they left the battlefield in retreat or the HQ maintaining the rosters was destroyed, well all bets were off. Although apparently in Berlin, there is an archive of all the surviving rosters. And they occasionally have success in identifying dug up remains from the number.

[@jonathanallard2128]

0:50 Omg I just noticed you made the guy blush and slightly smile when undressed! Nice detail!

[@ethan5354]

as a scale modeler, this is really useful information, thanks for the video

[@eliakachun9993]

This is still one of my favorite KZbin videos

[@chrisofficialplw-member]

Awesome video! Greetings from the ParalightWorX Team!

[@tostie3110]

Things everyone should know! As a reenactor, I highly appreciate it!

[@rwcowell]

Another great video and subject matter. I wasn't aware of that many uniform changes made throughout the German Heer field blouse, uniform, and gear. I know shortages played a role towards during the mid and late war, periods but had no idea of the numerous modifications made in pre and early war periods. As for soldiers retaining some of their original clothing and equipment, I can totally relate and agree. During my tenure serving in the US Army, there was things I would learn from the old timers items that worked better, over some of the newer issued items. Even Vietnam era equipment and gear, was sometimes favored over newer issued items. This was excellent information provided about Heer's uniform and field equipment changes. Very much appreciated. Keep up the great content and videos. Cheers!

[@bloqk16]

That style of field cap with the visor was still popular in Germany when I was there in the early 1970s. There were German road maintenance crews wearing those caps in the 1970s, where the only difference between the 1970s and 1940s versions of the caps was the missing eagle/swastika emblem.

[@xisotopex]

in hindsight, I remember almost all the older germans I would see wore that field cap sans emblems, at the time, I didnt know what they were. I just thought all germans liked to wear hats like that!

[@TitusCastiglione1503]

If it ain’t broke, why fix it? It’s a good looking, practical cap design.

[@bloqk16]

@@TitusCastiglione1503 I've always been impressed with the _sense of style_ Germany has with their uniforms.

[@TitusCastiglione1503]

@@bloqk16 I know. It will never cease to confound and vex me that such great uniforms were worn by one of the most evil armies in history. A lot of potential, wasted by a vicious rat of a man and his sick ideology.

[@brokenbritain9441]

Nice video it wasn't just a uniform mismatch but the ranking system was up and down a mismatch as well

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

The SS in particular used their own style uniforms and ranking system. Just to make things even more confusing.

[@wisemankugelmemicus1701]

This video is beautiful! Your attention to detail and commitment to research is incredible!

[@keddiels9843]

This was really interesting and well thought out, I'd love to see you do the other major factions from ww2 like the British!

[@cancel1913]

Thank you for your serious attempt at accuracy in making a historical video! You are very much welcomed and appreciated.

[@falloutcosplay8802]

Was thinking halfway through this video damn it I'm going to have to paint 150 soldiers on my diorama all over again 1940 rolled around thank god great video keep up the great work

[@jessicahowe1838]

I just discovered your channel and subscribed right away! I'm American, German and a WW2 enthusiast! Danke for your videos!

[@pfcparts7728]

I would actually like a video discussion about modern films using modern firearm retention and handling techniques and an explanation about why it's not practical in that time period.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

So would I. :-)

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Assault engineers used explosive charges and flamethrowers, I expect machine pistols were used to gain entry. German doctrine was for the bolt action rifles to support the machine guns, which did the heavy lifting of the German infantry squad. Don't forget that historically, armies tended to avoid urban combat, and the reason armies today practice FIBUA is because of battles like Ortona, Voronezh, Stalingrad, Berlin. History is linear.

[@lowqualityshitposts8860]

First time the US army had urban combat was 1800s mexico, they breached with Pickaxes and chatged through doors with 2 revolvers ready

[@hannibalkills1214]

Have a look at these German examples of proper historical postures and firearm handling during WW2. Although I might warn quite *heavily* since the artist draws it in anime-style art so if you're allergic to that, you can spare yourself the trouble. twitter.com/Naze1940_Erica/status/1073677415375822848 twitter.com/Naze1940_Erica/status/1071398631167520768 twitter.com/Naze1940_Erica/status/1070744993109827584 twitter.com/Naze1940_Erica/status/1070441283573841920

[@cptcalico2]

Great video. It is the handiest reference I have seen yet, so well done!

[@a.b7393]

Was very thrilled when I saw that you released a new video. Good stuff. Also, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one bothered how films today represent soldiers in WWII or other conflicts of the time moving like modern day commandos. It's not just anachronic, it's ridiculous.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

And once you've seen it and recognized it, you can't unsee it ever again...

[@davidbesant]

This is great. I've been to war museums in France where no attempt was made to get any of this right. You would find a manaquin dressed in a mismatch of uniform items, and in the same exhibit, photos which showed how wrong they had got it. For some this is trivial, but museums owe it to future generations to get things right.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Some call it nit-picking, but I disagree. It is important to correct systemic errors found in literature and more importantly, model kits. There are so many. The "Sherman" was simply the M4 Medium, unless you were British. There is no "Henschel" turret for the Konigstiger. Both designs were built by Krupp. And speaking of Konigstiger, the direct translation to "King Tiger" is wrong, since to a German the word denotes the Bengal Tiger, the largest of the species. The "Sherman" did not burn easily due to it using a gas engine. It burned because of the storage of the main gun rounds, corrected in later versions. American soldiers rarely encountered the "88" or the "Tiger." You can correct pretty much all war diaries to "75" or "105," and usually Panzer IV. The French and Italian soldiers were NOT cowards. They were both hampered by bad leadership, and the Italians with increasing inferior weapons. And speaking of the Italians, a large percentage of the Italian army did NOT quit fighting in 1943 when the government capitulated. They fought on for either the Allies or Axis, and were re-equipped with common equipment for whichever side. That's why there are few pictures of Italian uniforms at war after 43. The Japanese did NOT have inferior tanks at the time of their building. Up until 1941 or so, a Japanese tank could easily handle whatever America could field. The real issue was that most steal was redirected to the IJN, so the IJA could not modernize their armor. The same with Italy. Fiat had a monopoly on tank production, and were happily cranking out older models for maximum corporate profit. The Allied bomber offensive in the ETO was not worth the casualties suffered by the aircrews. Although there were a few instances of effectiveness, in general German war production increased steadily until early 1945, when the factories were overrun on both sides by ground troops. The Invasion of Normandy is not "D-Day." D-Day is a term used for the start of any campaign, including the invasion of southern France, the Invasion of Italy, and the Invasion of Okinawa. And speaking of "D-Day." The Americans did NOT defeat Germany. The Soviets were steadily moving west towards Berlin with more troops than both the Americans and British could muster. Approximately 75-80% of German troops fought on the Eastern front, which is why the Germans could move divisions from East to West for the Battle of the Bulge. The bulk of the German army used horses for transport. Armor was always in short supply. And the German army did not invent "Blitzkreig." That was a term invented by the press. To the Germans, they used combined arms, and moved quickly when possible. MacArthur was a terrible field commander, as was Mark Clark. Hardly worthy of praise. Churchill based many of his wartime decisions on maintaining the British colonies, all acquired with no less ferocity and murder than expected of the Germans or Japanese. Yeesh. These are just a few off the top of my head. Keep up the good work!

[@pathchampion]

The Allied bombing campaign was not worth it? As far as I've heard, it had a significant effect on german POL production, which in turn had a very negative effect on their war effort. I agree that it did not have a very large effect on their production, since the Germans were very good a spredning out production and they we're using coal as their primary energy source. Victor Hanson is of the opinion that it was worth it, as far as I am informed.

[@tavish4699]

I have to correct you blitzkrieg was already a term in the German army of ww1

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

I’d agree that Allied bombing achieved very little, at least prior to 1944 when something like 90% of all bombs missed their targets by a wide margin. It did however force the Germans to hold back vast amounts of very scarce materiel, experienced pilots and AA gunners to guard the home front. Would disagree on how the British colonies were acquired and maintained. Japanese colonialism left a deep scar on the spirits of all people it touched; British colonialism is still seen with a warm fondness by the local old timers who remember it.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

What did the British ever do for us? Errmm, well there’s roads and railways. Yes, and universal education. And law courts. Etc, etc......

[@tavish4699]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 if you ignore the Slavery genocides Destruction and Co your right

[@MrNikolajN]

Please do a version on the german camo patterns of both the Army, Luftwaffen and SS. Would be great !

[@davidprice7162]

Anyone else here in January 2022 after clicking the link in his latest video? The most interesting part for me is seeing the fairly dramatic difference in the M1916 and M1935 helmet shapes. I knew they were different, but don’t know the old one was so much squarer at the top. Great stuff.

[@johngrealey1894]

Good video I had no idea they had changed so much in so small a time scale .

[@mountainman679]

Keep making more videos like this. I love how much effort and quality you put into these videos, keep it up!

[@ensleytan3627]

Thank you for mentioning that last point about how weapons are carried! It's always immersion-breaking when movies wrongly portray weapons handling

[@Kojak0]

Good video - an addendum though: at the start of the war, most changes had already taken place - however, there were numerous soldiers who still wore the old M18 helmet - it was very common, and even if the M35 was in full production, it hadn't yet reached all units. A more significant note is that the straps introduced (popular name 'the Y-strap') did not see wide use until basically after the French campaign - in the Polish campaign, they were mostly used by recon and horse units, and not even they had all gotten the straps, since there was a quite significant lack of leather.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Good points. The Gamaschen (gaiters) were also not really widely used in the field until long after they were adopted, but I went with the earliest dates possible for those things as it was easier to pin down than trying to figure out when they became 'common.'

[@ResidentWeevil]

That was highly informative - so much info in there I was hitherto unaware of, thanks. *Smashes every 1/35 diorama he's ever built with a hammer and curls up sobbing in a corner*

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Well, the public perception probably still matches all those Tamiya Military Miniatures boxtop lids - jackboots and dark green collars. Though even Tamiya has started to offer up later war looking guys.

[@anthonycesena6300]

All of your videos are very well made and packed with great info please make videos more often 👍

[@sintenal4078]

Concise and abundantly informative. I cannot read/watch/learn enough on this topic, my sincere thanks. Subscribed.

[@easyalpha1]

All combat uniforms end up looking like Ninjas, and no shiny medals.

[@ronin47-ThorstenFrank]

Excellent video! Could be used in it's clear style as reference. A small note regarding the weapon handle. In fact, German soldiers did use the high handle occassionally. But it wasn't offically trained that way. But after the war it was officially introduced (at least my brothers 1969 and my 1990 version of the Reibert include it). We even had discussions during my time in the army considering the fact that in some movies like Platoon or Full Metal Jacket the actors didn't use high at ready handles. Even my father remarked this more than once (served eastern and western front in Panzeraufklaerung/armored reonaissance/cavalry) that movies didn't get those things correct. Do nit mistake me - that wasn't the standard. Standard doctrine if getting under fire was to get cover, at best prone, and then return if possible aimed fire.

[@YourGI0VI]

I appreciate this truthful and educational content. I have always wanted to learn about this kind of topic, as I have been researching about the World Wars and much more. I hope I get to see more of this coming from you. :)

[@marcangeli69]

Clear, crisp and correct, this is video heaven. Thank you!

[@giovannizorzolirossi9372]

Very nice and useful video. The format is very clear and simple, moreover the study you made it's accurate. 👏

[@steyn1775]

1:45 the soldier blinked!!!

[@ResidentWeevil]

Good eye! Pun intended...

[@buzz_archive]

1:15

[@kozmokramer7398]

@@buzz_archive you are the true hero.

[@buzz_archive]

@@kozmokramer7398💪😏

[@bruno8126]

Wow impressive! very nice informative video, I feel like movies mess up the German uniforms many times, like Saints and soldiers, the year was late 1944 and the Germans wear a 1938-1940 uniforms. thanks for sharing

[@vriloperator]

Now I know everything about wh uniforms before buying one for reconstruction! Thank you so much for this video!!!

[@chrisidoo]

This video has such a charming early KZbin feel to it.

[@rickmoreno6858]

Really nice work man, keep it up!

[@leosypher9993]

You may not be used to the way he says decal, but it is correct, most misspronunciations come from making a E in a word long where it doesn't belong, like when people say leever, instead of lever, or meelee instead of mele, if you disagree say left with a long E and see if that sounds correct

[@redhausser7492]

I'm writing a story set in an alternate ww2 timeline and this helps a lot. Kudos for the excelent video!

[@raseli4066]

Hows that going for you

[@redhausser7492]

@@raseli4066 well, "a story" was a nicer thing to say than "two fanfics, one of which is in fact set in the modern era but has to do with ww2 for reason", so there's that, but it's been going well (progress is slow but constant).

[@paoloviti6156]

Sorry if I saw only now this very informative video regarding the evolution of the German uniform and I have decided to subscribe hoping to see more of your videos on the German uniforms! Keep posting...

[@bepis3966]

According to some sources such as AT THE FRONT website, the M40 tunics have been seen in photographs dated early as 1938. Maybe they mistook an old Reichswehr tunic as an "M40", I don't know. Probably the best way to figure out this mystery would be to look at dozens of original M40 tunics and trying to find a 1938 date from a liner.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

The explanation you give is the same one given in the FELDBLUSE book by Jean-Phillippe Borg - very early tunics were likely worn well into the war and are probably mistaken for later patterns since most of the main differences were internal or hard to spot in contemporary photographs.

[@infinity4508]

Why am I watching this at 2AM?

[@joshuaosborne9203]

This video is absolutely incredible! Great work sir.

[@philippdase3626]

Of all my subscriptions I feel like your videos excite me the most. Thank you for being so informative. 👍

[@4Bobay]

The German Heer M-44 jacket was based on the British Battle Dress jacket more than the US Army Ike jacket.

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Yes - I didn't mean to imply that the US jacket was the inspiration (indeed, I didn't intend to comment on what inspired Felduniform 44 at all), but rather wanted to describe the "M44" by comparing to an example of a similar garment that the intended audience might hopefully understand without needing to look it up. My feeling was "Ike-jacket" is probably better well known among general audiences than "battle dress blouse." Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@4Bobay]

@@HandGrenadeDivision, I see your point. Great video!!!!!

[@devioustea]

Thank you KZbin recommendations. This video is high quality. Will you be doing these on other countries besides Germany?

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Not on this channel but it's possible I'll address some others elsewhere.

[@blksubiesti]

The soldiers also probably kept the old stuff to show how salty the were we did the same in the Marines we would wear the old stuff until given a direct order to stop to show how much time you had in.

[@tanayanandbhandari9492]

This video is very detailed and the way in which you explained everything is outstanding, please do make more videos like this

[@DJJAW11]

Could you do a version 2.0 of this, or indeed a seperate video .... With the various camouflage field uniforms/gear of the Wehrmacht/Luftwaffe ,possible also covering the SS, but that could indeed be seperate!.

[@CoreyBrass]

Please make a video on how the German infantry carried their rifles.

[@russbooth6766]

in the right hand at trail arms most of the time. Go look at archive footage and see how they do it. Do some research yourself and build those skills to answer your own questions.

[@ScottRuggels]

As a former(pre internet) re-enactor. We used to have to source expensive and not easily found books to get the same information that this guide provides. Bless you for this, though I am long out of the hobby. I'ts still useful for Art Reference and miniatures work.

[@user-qw8gr3js4z]

Great video man, keep up the good work! (this is the only YT channel where I can say I was here from the start! hope you keep growing my guy!)

[@fegtcrewgtavofficial6217]

Great video But i missed the schlupfhemnd Soldiers of the wehrmacht also Had these around 1942 with splittertarn camo

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

Thanks for taking the time to comment. The video focuses on the basic service uniform, so things like greatcoats, winteranzug, camouflage smocks etc. are unfortunately beyond the scope here, but you are of course correct that camouflage clothing gained in popularity as the war went on - and may have mitigated against some of the deteriorating quality of the service uniform.

[@Hans_Holt]

The Schlupfhemd was never a gear, which was gave the soldier to his own, like the Blouse or trousers. It was given to the Company/Batallion and they hand them out to the soldiers for a period of time or for special missions.

[@jacobbuxton932]

Great video! Absolutely loved the reference to the “navy seal high weapons carry”! Do you have a video on German camo uniforms?

[@leosypher9993]

I had to double check that this wasn't simple history, if it was I would know that bit can't be trusted as truthful You did very well, good video!

[@valhallajones3865]

Very detailed and informative video. Please do many more like this. Thank you.

[@saint_ruth1691]

As Charles De Gaulle said of the Germans: "no moral compass - but what a tailor!". By the way, I'd love to see a vid on the "stupid Navy Seal high ready weapons carry" in WWII!

[@yosemite735]

Nothing like a sharp dresses German eh? Got to love them

[@Otaku155]

8:25 OMG that stupid weapons carry pisses me off every time I see it! Directors should lose the OSCAR on general principle for that!

[@toysoldier68]

Very informative and well researched. A great video. Thanks for that.

[@wollibar5263]

Brilliant, unexspected high quality document - very well done !!!!!!!!!!

[@sparrow3439]

Glad I’m not the only one who HATES seeing guys handle weapons like it’s modern day. I always look at pictures of GI’s and other Troops and wished advisors were more aware

[@full_regalia8649]

Eric Simmons I would like further explanation on this point please. Is there a video that shows how they used to handle weapons back then?

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

@@full_regalia8649 Not yet, but what a good idea.

[@sparrow3439]

C. XO kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHnYaH-ppcuJgLs Note how they carry the rifles, the “low ready” position wasn’t a thing. Trigger discipline was hit or miss too

[@egrikomrade]

and what about that 1945 style frog pattern uniform?

[@tavish4699]

Splittertarn ?

[@egrikomrade]

@@tavish4699 I thinki so, when was it used?

[@michaelpaller1154]

Splittertarn is being used since 1931

[@tavish4699]

@@michaelpaller1154 nope

[@LockheedC-130HerculesOfficial]

@@michaelpaller1154 flecktarn is still used, if thats what u mean?

[@WillySmols]

Why am I addicted to watching this video just to here someone talk and look at pictures?

[@HandGrenadeDivision]

no idea but it is appreciated

[@h21lad13]

this is a very detailed history about ww2 out of all the history video so far yours is the best because they are not as long hours also u r good at simplifying them

[@stephenealferez5226]

Dude they fashion so well makes me to enlist in ww2 german army

[@confusedcapitalist2242]

daAnder71 the German army did what they were told. Most German soldiers didn’t do it because they were inferior.

[@mikeog2689]

DOING THAT FOR GREECE ARMY 🇬🇷

[@devinpetersen2387]

It's a shame what happened to the uniform. I fought with some guy online who thought the uniform never changed. I thought of your wonderful video, that is how much of an effect you had on me.

[@blueindigo1000]

Excellent analysis and research!