Hitler's Last Army - Ninth Army Breakout 1945

The story of the Ninth Army's desperate attempts to escape Soviet captivity during the last days of WWII.
Dr. Mark Felton is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
Visit my audio book channel 'War Stories with Mark Felton': • One Thousand Miles to ...
Help support my channel:
www.paypal.me/markfeltonprodu...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Thanks: Google Maps; H. Raab.

[@greenhillburma]

The real history behind the famous 'Steiner attack' scene.

[@drgeorgek]

The actor looks scarily like him

[@wasdlmb]

DAS WAR EIN BEFEHL! DER ANGRIFF STEINERS WAR EIN BEFEHL!

[@DaveSCameron]

For you who reply on films for history yes!

[@merkabah2]

@@drgeorgek I watched the movie a while back, I had a search now and it seems he wasn't in the movie?even though I found a picture of the actor that looks really like him in the film who I'm not sure , I think might be Krebs

[@kantenklaus9753]

@@wasdlmb Alles Verräter 🤣

[@korbell1089]

Chief of Staff: "What if Hitler finds out what we are doing and calls?" Busse: "Let it go to voicemail."

[@justinuptonn261]

lol "what if he tries to facetime to make sure we're going where he ordered"

[@charliewhiskey8440]

@@justinuptonn261 Battery's flat!

[@willnailer2118]

I think my ex was trained by Hitler.

[@Londonfogey]

'Sir, we've got Adolf Hitler on the line. Wants to speak to you. Sounds pretty angry.' 'Adolf who? Tell him I'm in a meeting.'

[@steverusuk]

May be the Fuhrer was 'on mute'...

[@Shregurun93]

*”Don’t worry, everything will be fine when Steiner attacks.”*

[@jameslee1062]

Downfall - the movie

[@ben-jam-in6941]

The sounds of Morse code dots and dashes.. …. “ Mein Fuhrur…….” Deeply swallows

[@Ealdorman_of_Mercia]

Es wwar ein Befeeeehhll! Feiglinge!

[@jumnei5159]

Steiner... Steiner fucked off to the north. he said "lol lmao" to your orders

[@komradekalashnikov7495]

Steiner failed to rally enough men

[@jameselliott5315]

My grandfather was in the 29th infantry division and hit the beach in the first wave of landing craft at Omaha Beach Normandy. He fought all the way from the beach to Germany until a landmine took out him and his squad. He lived to 94 years old and hated the French till the day he died. He always spoke highly of the German army and how hard they fought and how disciplined their troops were. My warmest memory is when my family hosted a German exchange student for high school, his family came to visit and brought their grandfather that was a German solider who fought in France. He sat with my grandfather for 3 days straight drinking beers and talking about the battles and where they were. They became best friends and kept in contact until they passed.

[@buraktepe6683]

Nice story. My grandfather was ranked soldier at Turkish army at that time. He protects the secret archives. He does not fight Germans. But he said that if they fight against them. They dont have too much chance. He admires the German Mauser rifles quality.

[@huntclanhunt9697]

Why'd he hate the French? Besides the fact they were French.

[@TheCarlosBrandy]

Nobody likes frenchs. Even frenchs don't like the others french, only themselvs...

[@CanIGetaGame134]

@@huntclanhunt9697assuming many soldiers hated the French for surrendering and making it America and England’s problem to take back their country for them. 😅

[@Old_Nosey]

@@huntclanhunt9697 France just gave up fighting and never even fought a major battle at paris, they broke a deal with britain when they surrendered without britain.

[@Roller_Ghoster]

Mark Felton has his own army 910,000 strong and growing.

[@neflesward2727]

@Susan Ananda Indeed

[@JimboobSherwood]

Army Group Mark Felton

[@michaelhall2228]

Im a member of the Felton foreign legion

[@umbertonecci7802]

Felton foreign legion member from Italy 🇮🇹

[@hazul1612]

Army Group Felton ready for action

[@alpacatwoniner2370]

mark felton: doing in about ten minutes what takes a major network almost ninety minutes.

[@PS-nf3xw]

Yes indeed

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Depending who's doing it. The TimeGhost channel took them a month to cover the Battle of Berlin alone but it comes with the benefit of more details...

[@DaveSCameron]

You`re very young obviously...

[@cossackhistorian7425]

They have more commercials, and the footage of things like artillery barrages and fighting is usually longer and not done at the same time as narration

[@CMDRFandragon]

Thats cuz major networks just spam the same images over and over while wallowing along, saying the same thing 20 different ways......

[@williamr3840]

This breakout story would make an incredible war film.

[@williamr3840]

@@thegrisakgroup Thanks! I'll keep a look out for that. :0)

[@46FreddieMercury91]

@@thegrisakgroup Tigers in the Mud,,,, that would be a book by Otto Carius

[@Gumpmachine1]

I often thought that

[@dillon5155]

This entire war would make an incredible war film

[@soldat2501]

They already have an eyewitness account to base it from: "The Last Panther: Slaughter of the Reich" Book by Wolfgang Max Faust

[@joespeciale5875]

Imagine yourself in the position of the ninth army. You would fight like hell to go west or die doing so, rather than go into a Russian POW camp, which was a certain slow terrible death.

[@oliveryt7168]

Well, after all those crimes they had commited... Maybe they shouldnt have participated in that invasion in the first place...

[@BeWe1510]

@@oliveryt7168 Many of them didn‘t, at this point the German armies were full of hastily assembled young conscripts

[@acealinka489]

@@oliveryt7168 So what were they supposed to do instead then with that regime above them? Go on a vacation? Start an easy peasy rebellion like in Star Wars? I'm afraid that this is really delusional and neither how things worked back then nor how it works today.

[@AkshayGowda007]

@@oliveryt7168 Soviet communista Commited Worse crimes Than Nazis. They killed far more people

[@roflol100]

@@AkshayGowda007 Noone comited more crimes than colonial British empire, Americans with droping atomic bombs on civilians on purpose, and nazi germany killing some 15 million civilan communists. Soviet union crimes are nothing compared to theirs.

[@thenotflatearth2714]

The following people stay: Jodel, Keitel, Krebs and Borgdolf

[@friedrichniebergall3133]

DAS WAR EIN BEFAHL

[@dr.strangelove6118]

Steiner didn’t make the attack

[@dr3yfusz]

keitel first

[@letoubib21]

"Addi" could speak English? *;-)*

[@Mister_Kourkoutas]

“Who are you to dare disobey any order I give?!”

[@sjoak4084]

And with that, Hitler's rage became a meme at the expense of Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf.

[@lonniebailey4989]

I believe you fought in the Great Emu War of 1932 because of your profile pic.

[@ogmack8242]

"Thor Steiner" nowadays is #1 Brand in hardcore "Neo Nazi" Circles.

[@hermocrasbreadlord9557]

@Shane Ashby as soon as I hear "Steiner" anywhere I think of that scene

[@blackbirdsr71]

I recently saw a video recording of that afternoon situation conference and Hitler seemed to be a lot more concerned about Alex Ferguson retiring as Manchester United manager than about the advancing red army..

[@vinniesdayoff3968]

@@blackbirdsr71 yeah and he was cross about Ryanair too 😆😆😆

[@Vollification]

It is quite crazy. They fought to be able to surrender to the right side XD

[@Yora21]

Go to Indiana or Siberia? Easy choice.

[@CourtlandMiller1994]

@@Yora21 much more likely to come back from Indiana as well...

[@gardayustisia4528]

@@Yora21 why Indiana ? The Gulag looks so much fun

[@HuubHeesakkers]

"right side"

[@oliveryt7168]

They run, because they knew that Soviets wouldnt give them a nice life after all the war crimes they had committed. I am not saying that the Red Army didnt do horrible things. But they were the defenders in this conflict.

[@polyglot8]

The guy standing next to Hitler at 2:06 introducing the boys is Artur Axmann, Nazi Germany's highest ranking last surviving official holding the title of "Riechsfúhrer". He was the last head of the Hitler Youth. He was interviewed on West German T.V. in 1995. The interview is on KZbin, but without English subtitles. But if you can understand German, it's fascinating. He makes MINCEMEAT out of the interviewer. You could tell he was still committed to the cause. The interviewer couldn't pin him down on anything. No contrition. No regrets.

[@matthewriley7826]

Should’ve prepped another noose at Nuremberg then….

[@Frommerman]

Why was he allowed to live?

[@polyglot8]

@@Frommerman That's a good question. I have a theory on this, having worked in Germany. Typically, to rise to the top in a German institution, you go through four steps: Line worker, staff worker, line management., staff management. As the Germans still do today, the Nazi's mostly followed this (even Keitel had been in "line management." - i.e. "Division Commander" - but not in war time). Axmann's predecessor at the Hitler Youth was Baldur von Schirach. He was sentenced to 20 years at Nuremburg, but not because of the Hitler Youth; but rather, what he did afterwards as Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Vienna. Axmann ticked all three boxes except that of "Line Manager." So because he was never a "Line Manager" in the 3rd Reich (of a command, or city or territory, etc.), he never "got into trouble," having never had to deal with Jews, Partisans, prisoners, etc.

[@emiliopalomo5124]

Guy should've been executed then, like any other unapologetic Nazi prick

[@darrenhancock8027]

Because he was a great man! We need men like that now!

[@ottocarr3688]

I knew a German veteran that reached the American lines and was captured. He was duly given to the Russians by agreement. He developed a kidney disease that the Russian doctors could not treat. Somehow a Russian female doctor was able to give him back to the Americans. His kidney problem was treated successfully and he became an American citizen and a ranking Shriner. Eventually his ex-daughter in law cared for him in his retirement. Nice man.

[@arushreddi5419]

Thanks for your ground information

[@chiron13]

Must be the only person saved by Kidney disease!

[@FireScience]

is he stll alive?

[@rwm_kazakhstan]

Nice man who killed soviet people because they aren't first class race?

[@ryanweston8731]

@@rwm_kazakhstan y'know what conscription is right

[@sskuk1095]

Now we all know the story behind that scene in Downfall!

[@SorryBadName]

DAS WAR EIN BEFEHL!!

[@aronjanssonnordberg307]

Der Angriff Steiners war ein Befehl!

[@houseslippers7732]

I believe it is the great war channel that explains that scene.

[@jvtagle]

House Slippers yeah they did and it was fantastic

[@ramirosauce8764]

@@houseslippers7732 - and the scene where Hitler awards the Iron Cross to the 12 year old Peter Kranz is identical to the real scene that we see here...!

[@TraderRobin]

It was a little difficult keeping up with the locations in this episode, since so many of the towns you mentioned, were not visible, or coherent, on the map shown. Otherwise, excellent job (as always)!

[@kenperlman2204]

Totally agree. Arrows or other indicators would help

[@jancyraniak4739]

I'm Polish and I know some German, I had no such problems xD

[@toto3777]

Definitely.

[@TraderRobin]

@@jancyraniak4739 Congratulations!

[@samspade2657]

Agreed modern google maps didn't match the narration.

[@jonwingfieldhill6143]

Mark's content is brilliant and covers little known niches of history which means that he appears to do a large proportion of his own research and he has that voice that harkens back to the greats that narrated many world war two documentaries filmed in the 80s and 90s.

[@williamyoung9401]

Who else gets a cup of tea and watches these random, 12 minutes clips of WW2 from Mark Felton I've never seen before? =D

[@fredgarv79]

@@williamyoung9401 Not me, I get a large Martini and watch these incredible clips.

[@fredgarv79]

He does have a great voice which is vital to this type of thing. Remember Sir Lawrence Olivier doing "world at war"? wow, that has to be the best of all time, Or Alister cooke doing the documentary on the american revolutionary war both back in the great 70's

[@minorcek]

Old people will always be desperate to re live the past. Nothing will ever seem as good

[@curtiscrimmins6378]

when you lose 30,000 of your 90,000 soldiers in a breakout just to get to Allied lines and surrender you Know the Soviets were not the most gracious of enemies...

[@curtiscrimmins6378]

@Andy Gil and this I know....except the German civilians in Berlin, especially women had nothing to do with the murder of 20 million in Russia...yet they were targeted...once again confirming the US Army and Allies place in history as the liberators...not revenge rapists...

[@bigbootros4362]

I think that the Soviet treatment of German prisoners and civilians is a a shadow of shame. Two wrongs don't make a right. And history remembers that the Soviets were as monstrous as the Germans. They didn't need to do that.

[@curtiscrimmins6378]

@Blesava Konjina you forget Von Stauffenbergs attempt which was spurred by atrocities on the Eastern Front...and no Civilians did not know the scale of atrocities committed in the East nor were they responsible...but yes they were retaliated against

[@curtiscrimmins6378]

@Andy Gil and no Andy the US and British did no wholesale raping and murdering of civilians in Berlin...those accused were tried by military courts...Eisenhower made this very clear...and those convicted were hanged...in contrast Stalin egged his men on ...

[@curtiscrimmins6378]

@Blesava Konjina that may be your take on it...I doubt that was the mind of the men...everywhere along Soviet lines Germans took great pains to surrender to Western Armies...the Soviets brutality to civilians was well known...

[@Lawman212]

Mark, I like the maps as graphics, but would appreciate a extra highlight or arrow pointing out which part of the map you're talking about. I'm playing "where's waldo" trying to make sense of the map before it disappears into the next scene.

[@timl.b.2095]

Same here.

[@lylesloth1275]

Stop talking back to mark and makedo yourself noob. Its an informative 10-20min vid which is something that would take you weeks or days to research and compile together by yourself noob.

[@MichaelDavis-mk4me]

@@lylesloth1275 Ok, so Mark takes the time to do all this research, but according to you, it would just be too hard to circle the area he is talking about with MS Paint. It's a bit like taking the time to create the best program which took you months, but you are then too lazy to add tooltips or icons on your options. In both cases, nobody understands what is going on and all your efforts will go to waste because people won't bother wasting their time trying to find out.

[@lylesloth1275]

@@MichaelDavis-mk4me This is a well parametered video and does not betray or destroy the integrity of what truly happened behind what is attempted in being presented. Blaming "nobody understands what is going on" is like a person who looks down all the time and expecting someone else to greet him and gently take him up by the chin to look up before he can admit to realize the accomplishment to have looked up. You do not have to redeem person A much more than person B for the merit in this video to hold true. If any truth must be there, it is of the educational distributive ability of that someone to share about the said video. If a person doesnt understand as much as said in the vid, then you can only entrust him to distribute info as much as he did not miss from the video, but notice he could fix that by pausing the vid to trace on the map himself. Likely this is someone who just wants storytelling and unconcerned about analysis like why the 9th army defected to US over Soviet, something not so explored but can be inferred in the vid and not easily caught if you just want to be spoonfed and regurgitate bare details. If this person must be of use, then fairly, you can only guarantee to entrust him to storytell or as much as he commits to know and its effects to others. Additionally, a person who has understood as all that was said or most in the vid, then you can entrust him to share to maintain and prolong critical thinking in the vid to others. And most importantly, all these do not destroy all the merits realized in the video and does not deprive someone else of the opportunity just because his peers could not. Anything in a factual documentation, even if only detail oriented, is always a guiding hand, and is just a difference of how narrow the abstraction is to tell the better details, in your case the map, if you want better details pause vid, you still have to work in the well parametered map and trace the movement and narrow down from that same well parametered size of abstraction there. Anyway, a good misunderstanding as in the moral of your reply is actually one that seeks to clarify similar concepts to the said misunderstood proposition. An unnecessary misunderstanding is a clarification to some other thing you felt even when the said proposition (or the video) is not there - like feeling lazy to understand and dropping to understand completely ("nobody understands waste of all of Mark's efforts") just because you do not see drawing on a map but could fix yourself with due diligence. Due. Diligence. In a well parametered video. Due. Diligence. MICHAEL DAVIS. Tsk noob.

[@badbudgie1539]

Yes, great idea. It does get a bit confusing.

[@chrisjanwust]

Mark, you're videos are excellent, but I feel you could be doing more with the maps: - Don't show a map without the towns you're currently speaking about - Highlight the areas you're speaking about - Ideally animate army movements, or simply draw an arrow

[@matthewmaurysmith2486]

To anyone who watch this video: I strongly recommend reading the book or listening to the audiobook called "Halbe" it has interviews and recollections of what it was like from people who actually survived being in the 9th Army Breakout. I think it's the most intense story maybe of the Entire World War II right up there with Stalingrad.. I simply can't understand how there's not more information about it and how there hasn't been many movies made about it it is so intense

[@noeldown1952]

RIP Bruno Ganz. You really made this story come to life with your incredible performance.

[@crhu319]

He really is astonishingly convincing.

[@princecharming4868]

You mean this narrator is gone

[@mustangred2000]

@@princecharming4868 😂. Lol. Good one. He was an Actor. In fact, a great Actor. I won't spoil all for you, I'll let you look it up. Hopefully the previous comment will then make more sense to you. Good luck.

[@shamane67]

That's right the story...

[@princecharming4868]

@@mustangred2000 I just checked it doesn't say if he's dead or not this guy could of died last week

[@gabrieljohannson6777]

I'm astounded that all these years after WW2, this channel provides such detail & information I have never known about. Mark Felton is a true historian & impressive narrator. An underrated channel & contributor by far. Much respect Mr Felton.

[@Vince-uw7gt]

100% agree! His vids are absolutely well done, accurate and super interesting. They flow well and in under 10 minutes cover SO MUCH info. I especially love the orchestration at the beginning and at the end!

[@scsi_joe]

@Gabriel - yes, and unbiased

[@AdamAdamHDL]

I honestly can't imagine all the research and cross referencing required to put together even a 30 second lecture like this, yet 10+minutes.

[@AF-tv6uf]

The fact that he hasn't been picked up by the History Channel yet is such an absurdity.

[@angrypatata7084]

@@AF-tv6uf History channel be puttin more attention to UFOs and aliens

[@slyaspie4934]

When that tune hits, you know Felton's about to drop some class A historical knowledge straight into your audio and visual receptors

[@Camcolito]

5:09 'Hey Johann, this war is hell but these rations aren't too bad' 'You're right there mate'

[@phpn99]

This quality of documentary leaves nothing to be desired. The only thing the BBC would do to it, would be to lengthen the narrative to 50 minutes and use a high-paid actor to narrate partly on-camera. In essence : cosmetic work.

[@Lerxstification]

Sorry, I love Dr. F., but the maps and use of maps is in a sorry state. Why use a current map (English) that also lists town names as they are CURRENTLY, not at the time of the battle? Why not have some animation showing the movements of units on the maps (many other channels do this). This is not the first time I've noticed this, but it's becoming embarrassing that a channel of this super high quality and content has this one huge handicap. Peace.

[@Hammerschool]

And Probably add left wing bias as well

[@cauadasilva9238]

With an accent that makes you hate the guy and emotional songs.

[@wilfroberts637]

@@Hammerschool what are you on about

[@olafdemol9469]

Dont forget the continuos repetition of every single scene and word experts say.

[@grahamclifton1483]

A reminder is in a brief dialogue in the recent movie "Fury": Officer: "Why don't they just stop?" Sergeant: "Would you?"

[@skjold9121]

Reminds me of the quote from the initial scene of Gladiator. Roman officer: "People should know when they're conquered." Maximus: "Would you? Would I?"

[@williamhogan4031]

@@skjold9121 i always use that quote from russel's officer...

[@tavish4699]

@@skjold9121 both are quotes that rdemble the german spirit

[@Chino56751]

Last twitches of a dying empire

[@danieltobin4498]

I think a lot of common soldiers wanted to but couldn't, for fear of being hanged. Either that or they didn't want to surrender to the Soviets and freeze to death in a forced labor camp.

[@larsdejong7396]

I'm glad I got this in my recommended list. It's weirdly rare these day to find a historian who talks about the war ánd also understands military logic. You've earned a new subscriber.

[@russellwilliams4317]

Marks channel is the history channel back when it was the go to for anything history. I will never watch another historian on YT EVER again. Mark does a amazing job providing ACCURATE historical FACTS, which is hard to come by these days, especially with all these cartoon 'history' pop-up channels. Also, he does not have annoying ads seeking revenue and does not include video of himself in a 'history' oriented room seeking recognition. I look forward to what you provide us next! I just donated via paypal and will continue to do so on a bi-weekly basis for now on. Thank you for the awesome content and for keeping it simple, but educational!

[@Fred5612]

The truth

[@user-njyzcip]

1:32 "Steiner… Steiner could not gather enough men…" Hitler: *Parkinson's intensifies*

[@f.s.1400]

Der Angriff Steiners war ein Befehl

[@Kamina1703]

All Thanks to Hitler's Personal Quack Dr Theodore Morell who inadvertently poisoned the Dictator with Lethal Chemical Concoctions to keep him going.

[@eklhaft4531]

That was an order! The Steiner's attack was an order.

[@sternencolonel7328]

Nein Nein Nein !!!

[@TheBuilderize]

@@fridolfmane1063 "Microdosing" yeah right.

[@Chilly_Billy]

You know, that meeting when Hitler learned Steiner didn't attack could make for a pretty funny meme. 😉

[@lonniebailey4989]

NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN!!!! I would picture this as his reaction.

[@simonh6371]

@@lonniebailey4989 Whoosh!

[@striker2515]

Yayayayayayayayaya

[@darcychu9652]

Admirations to the generals who really care about the lives of their soldiers!

[@Piratebee]

The reason for german soldiers to fight so hart for making it to the Elbe river, was not only to save themselfs from being captured by russians. This brave man were not realy affraid from captivity in the east. They defended thousands of refugees. My grandfather fought in this last battles too, in rank of a Leutnant. In these last days of the war he got to know my grandmother who was a refugee from Schlesien, with her little daughter. Her first male was killed in battle before and most of her family was killed by red army, while the escape from eastern germany. These soldiers managed to help thousands zivillians to escape to the west. When a many of them were "save" at Elbe river, my grandfather and his man surrendered to a canadian battlegroub and he was hold captive for 5 years. My grandparents often told me about cloves and socks, that my grandmother managed to get into the prison camp for christmas, so they protected my grandfather from losing fingers and toes to the frost. If my grandfather and his comrades didn´t fight so hard in the last days of the war, I wouldn´t be born.

[@user-mv2pr6fl8x]

Poor, poor Germans! Who would expect Red Army not coming with candies after all atrocities nazies done in USSR.

[@Piratebee]

@@user-mv2pr6fl8x I don´t belive that Wehrmacht Soldiers raped hundrets of thousands of soviet women, like the red army rapist did, because this would have been a shame of blood for them. Even my Grandfather told me that most of the sovjet population in that time lived like the germans lived 100 years before. The women, they saw in the east, were mostly ugly for them. Of course they were verry hard when fighting against partisans and made no captivities, that was the war. What the sovjets did with the german zivillians was not war, that was a crime

[@user-mv2pr6fl8x]

Nope Nope So if Stalin was bad, then Germans were good. Great logic, bro 👍 May be they both were awfully bad to ordinary Russians, don't you think so?

[@user-mv2pr6fl8x]

Piratebee You don't believe? Just read any independent (non neo-nazi) source of civilian casualties in WW2. That's would be an answer to all of your questions. Every family in USSR (at least in European part) has story of killed relatives. In fact Germany was treated good enough and not even close to eye-for-an-eye.

[@Piratebee]

@@user-mv2pr6fl8x you took out the "nazi" so fast in this diskussion. Wouw allmost a new rekord, congratulations

[@lt.dashkov1079]

Now thats a general who cares for his men.

[@smathers3104]

I agree, still it was left to the last possible day to disobey Hitler to do the right thing by his men, and 30,000 of them lost their lives trying to reach the American lines. It was worth it though for those that did make it as it wasmuch better than being marched back to russia to spend time in a siberian prison.

[@patrickcummins79]

That general def reminds me of captain Crozier, from season 1 of The Terror.

[@johnking1463]

I beg your pardon. Many of those.who fought to get to American lines were turned over to the Russians. I think Mr. Felton did a piece on that shaft job.

[@Jupiter.141]

@@johnking1463 those are probably some units that committed war crimes in soviet it's fair but majority stayed in western line.

[@johnking1463]

One eyed Owl. I stand by my statement. Stalin wanted every unit that fought the Red Army. He got most of them. Nobody but Patton wanted to stand up against Stalin. Besides what would be a better way to evisercate a plan to unite and liberate Russia from Communism.

[@thomasb1889]

You have to appreciate that instead of sending the 9th to die uselessly trying to defend Berlin that the General in charge decided to send his men in a direction that allowed some to escape the Soviets.

[@pcuimac]

Or he could have surrendered.

[@thomasb1889]

@@pcuimac They were surrounded by the Soviets and surrendering to them was not a good idea.. Even with the losses they took more probably survived than if they had ended up in Soviet hands as the survival rate for German POW's in Soviet hands was dismal.

[@jzenhenko]

why would you appreciate selfish cowardice? if the soviets are so evil how was it noble to flee and leave the berliners to their fate at their hands?

[@thomasb1889]

​@@jzenhenko Any attack he made against the Soviets was an empty gesture so he chose to try and save as many as he could.

[@robertclark1669]

@@jzenhenko Wait the Ninth army opened a corridor for hundreds of thousands of Soldiers and Civilians who escaped Berlin what do you mean "Selfish Cowardice"!

[@Thomasgraver77]

Hi Mark. I really love seeing your historical accounts of World War II. I am amazed at all the new knowledge I get through your videos. continue your good work of finding new topics.

[@dkay6176]

I love the start music it's stuck in my head for ages now

[@JFDA5458]

Incredible how even at this stage of WW2 the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS were not only capable of organised resistance which inflicted heavy losses, but even mount counter-attacks at the local level.

[@Titannz213]

One even has to marvel, not so much that they lost WW2 but how well they actually did

[@liamhackett513]

Futile.

[@fish5671]

@@Titannz213 yeah they made so many stupid decisions such as not letting the ussr into the axis because the nazi regime wanted their land and other very stupid decision was not going all in on dunkirk

[@underarmbowlingincidentof1981]

@@Titannz213 if they had not attacked the Soviet Union... I think Germany could have actually won. Lucky for us that they had a paranoid megalomaniac at the helm haha

[@patedge5599]

@@Titannz213 It also could be said that had Hitler not declared war on the United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States would not have declared war on Germany in return at that time.. The United States only declared war on Japan on December 8th 1941

[@Masada1911]

This is an interesting coincidence. I just finished “Berlin” by Antony Beevor that covers all this yesterday.

[@Semper_Iratus]

Great book. Great writer.

[@louithrottler]

Great book - an education.

[@nigeh5326]

I’ve enjoyed Berlin and Stalingrad and I’ve just bought Arnhem to read now the weathers changing. He is a v good writer imo

[@jimc.goodfellas226]

Those Beevor books are pretty good

[@trager8933]

Where can i find that book ?

[@Gunslinger1875]

Mark, you're direct and insightful approach to history is a godsend to understanding a subject I'm so in love with. Thank you.

[@devonwhetenhale8828]

Awesome film clips! Always fresh material. I love the clip of those kids on the tanks facing the camera! Thanks Mark!

[@toastbrot_junkie9037]

Its weird to see the small towns like Schwedt on a tactical WW2 map, since i live in that region and know these towns

[@HeadPack]

My grandpa was sent as cannon fodder to Frankfurt an der Oder. Only very late in his life he opened up a bit about how that was. Very different from watching war stories, to say the least.

[@oliveryt7168]

Naja, hoffentlich war er nicht bei der Waffen SS oder hat na Erschießungen teilgenommen. Dann ist es ja nicht seine Schuld.

[@sabrekai8706]

My dad was already in Berlin, recovering from wounds received at the battle of Schmidt. Otherwise he'd likely have been sent there.

[@bernardmcmahon5377]

Yes, brave man

[@Spalbeert]

Mein Opa und sein Bruder waren auch bei der Verteidigung von Frankfurt dabei aber leider hat es nur mein Opa rausgeschafft aber warum Kanonenfutter?

[@sabrekai8706]

@@Spalbeert Kanonenfutter. They were all still listening to Hitler, and thanks to him dropped into hopeless situations. I can see them all knowing what was coming when the Soviets arrived, so they were fighting more for the citizens than for Hitler but they still had no chance.

[@LuckysMotorcycles]

I’m amazed at how much the Germans feared / avoided Soviet capture . This psychological affect would make an interesting video .

[@war32mec]

Mark I love your videos! they give an unbiased look at history and are as factual as they can be! And they are also extremely entertaining. Thanks for all the work you put into these videos. 🙂

[@fortnitepros8025]

Let’s get one thing straight. Feltons channel, as interesting as it it, is completely victors history. He is biased.

[@alostbaron781]

@@fortnitepros8025 Pray tell, what would this have looked like in a "non-biased" way? The 9th army obeyed orders and beat out the entire USSR and then Germany rose up and beat the allies in WW2? Or is "bias" just things against Germany you don't like?

[@captainvanhorn773]

When you train to re fuel a fighter but now you're fighting the russians with a sharp stick

[@YotoBoto]

Captain Vanhorn ah i See a fellow isp fan

[@MikaelKKarlsson]

And that sharp stick was a leftover from a previous war.

[@tavish4699]

Litterary my great uncle in a nut Shell 😂

[@Ypog_UA]

When you train to refuel a fighter but you end up having to refuel an Me-163 with some water and a bottle of Fanta

[@Ypog_UA]

@Roy Bennett More like 1939

[@AssinnippiJack]

Excellent presentation as always. Our neighbor was a survivor of this campaign as a soldat of the 9th Army. Fortunate enough to emigrate to the U.S after the war where he & and his wife raised a family and was a successful painting contractor. Well regarded by the community & had a posture & "look" that he was a former military man.

[@SirButtRichardson]

watching this guy goose-step down the street like “good posture”

[@krle7970]

@@SPY1987Wehrmacht was not SS, just regular army. Everyone checked for SS members to face justice

[@brandondunn5685]

This is RIDICULOUSLY fascinating!! Thanks for your research Mark! I've giving a battle strategy course from a few of your video's as well as The art of war!! Kudos my friend

[@XCI5ION]

This channel is the best. Since I was a boy I have always been fascinated by ww1 and ww2 and your videos are excellently put together and your narrating is impeccable. Thank you Mark for the amazing ad free videos. 👏 it would be great if we could watch your videos offline I would even pay for it.

[@AdurianJ]

You should make an episode on "Operation Stella Polaris" where in 1944 Finland evacuated it's Signals intelligence service archive and equipment to Sweden so as not to fall into Soviet hands.

[@brianlisk6142]

Never heard of this, I will have to read about this. I hope he makes a video on the WW1 german Paris Gun.

[@svenko]

@wargent99 Yet here we are, watching a video about the actual nazis.

[@sonnyburnett8725]

Don’t know where people are from to feel so angry but from what I understand Finland was trying to remain free from Stalin.

[@Barabel22]

wargent99 Read some history, the Finns joined the axis in order to get back the land they lost in the Winter War and 1920 campaign. No more, no less.

[@mandywalkden-brown7250]

Barabel22 - doesn’t remove the fact they were Nazi collaborators now does it?

[@stenbak88]

Isn’t it nice to learn history from someone who cares to pronounce names and cities correctly also no personal feelings just the facts

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

I agree. And he has good inflection in his voice when stressing a point.

[@peteb8556]

Felton is just yet another 'orthodox' historian. All of them go around in circles, just quoting each other . How many of them can even speak German ? Or do some original research ?

[@aorusaki]

I think it depends on your own familiarity with the historical region you're talking about

[@vasvas8914]

@pete b yeah, because it is absolutely neccessary to speak german just to learn german history. What a stupid comment.

[@alostbaron781]

@@peteb8556 Whatcha want him to do? Time travel to see everything for himself? Or is the provided footage, documents, and quotes not good enough? And lemme guess, you're not an actual accredited historian?

[@frankselvaggio1800]

Thank you MR. Felton for all your history videos. You are a great narrator thank you for your time and patience. Good day

[@NathanMoorexpress]

Hello Mark Felton, i changed my phone's ringtone to your intro music... I'm loving it every time it rings. You're a great researcher. Much respect to you Sir...👍👍👍

[@zachboyd4749]

“It's the end, the war has been lost Keeping them safe 'til the river's been crossed Nicht ein Schlacht, ein Rettungsaktion Holding their ground 'til the final platoon Hurry up, we're waiting for you Men of the 9th and civilians too Dispossessed, surrendering to the west”

[@Battleship009]

SABATON! SABATON! SABATON!

[@joshuaolejasz9590]

about time this was refrenced

[@ivangenov6782]

Who will survive and who will die, up to kriegsglück to decide, those who made it cross, without a loss, have reason to reflect

[@mikeoz4803]

The German butchers just couldn't get enough of killing women & children!

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

Sabaton: Doing more to unite Europeans than any diplomat or political union!

[@combatpriest5878]

I really love that you add sound to tanks driving eventhough there is not audio originaly. It adds nice vibe.

[@plasticbudgie]

I remember when you had 10k subscribers. It's insane how much you have boomed since lockdown.

[@magnusdunning6113]

Mark, When I was posted in Stuttgart, I retraced this battle, visiting Cottbus, Lübben and Halbe throughout the forests. I visited the largest German Army cemetery at the conclusion of my trip. Amazing bravery.

[@caractacusbrittania7442]

Bravery...? The actions of a criminal in fleeing the scene of his brutal crimes Is not bravery.... It is an act of cowardly self preservation.

[@tomasmarcataio2066]

I wonder how it must have felt for the men of the 9th army when they finally reached the 12th army positions, their relief must be totally unparalleled

[@milferdjones2573]

And thanks immense the war was lost the 12 th could just surrender to the Americans instead the 12th attacked the Russians to capture a route they could use to escape if they could get there.

[@carlrd308]

@@milferdjones2573 And the fact that they would then have a sabaton song about them

[@45auto82]

@Marco taio That is, unless you were some of the unfortunate ones the US transferred to the Soviets! Yes, that truly happened quite often.

[@Jupiter.141]

@@45auto82 not "unfortunate" but war criminals who thinks they could get away on their crimes in east, the Soviet had a list of those units that committed atrocities so the west is oblige to hand them over but still majority of them were able to survive and stayed west

[@manchild3479]

@@Jupiter.141 not many ......

[@notmenotme614]

9:58 I couldn’t imagine trying to escape for your life through that hell and knowing the Soviets were waiting for you in the tree line.

[@zxbzxbzxb1]

@Event Horizons Most German troops survived Soviet captivity, although it was neither easy or bloodless.

[@danielgreen3715]

Thankyou once again for another trip back in time your videos are Excellent and I really look forward to seeing them your way of explaining and exploring complex issues makes it understandable to everyone Excellent Thankyou

[@TheMotz55]

It's unnerving to look at the faces of these young men (many smiling for the camera) and to know they had no clue what was in store for them.

[@fpslevi3812]

Once you reach 1 million subscribers, make a video about the Prague Offensive, one of the last engagements of WW2 post Berlin

[@bradleymunson4669]

Please do I've never heard of this and you've got me intrigued

[@blastermike_sd70ace80]

THIS. There hasn't been a single video done on the prague offensive.

[@kickinghighify]

You mean liberation of Prague by Russian Liberation Army?

[@warez_90]

@@kickinghighify nah, occupation of Prague by Soviet occupation army

[@gusd41]

It’s the end of the war Hold the corridor Reach for Elbe’s shore

[@Gulliolm]

It's the end, the war has been lost Keeping them safe 'til the river's been crossed

[@xxyourgirlcallmedaddyxx5770]

I have a strong feeling this is sabaton

[@snakes3425]

@@Gulliolm Hurry up we're waiting for you men of the 9th and civilians too

[@mauricegortjes]

@@xxyourgirlcallmedaddyxx5770 it is the song is heart's of iron named after the video game with the same name

[@FrenchTaunter12]

@@snakes3425 Disposessed, surrendering to the West

[@shaodwwalker]

One of the best channel on youtube to learn and discover ww2 history

[@tylerhiggins3522]

These events were well covered by Cornelius Ryan (The Last Battle) and John Toland (The Last 100 Days) as well as by Antony Beevor (The Fall of Berlin 1945). These brave men fought not so much to save their own skins but for the civilians fleeing with them, it seems Beevor and Toland can scarcely conceal their respect and admiration especially for General Walter Wenck and his young soldiers of the 12th Army. Odd indeed that Ryan wrote a trilogy of history books and only two became films. I wish the film Downfall could have a companion film made showing this last battle.

[@mredmond8393]

Anyone else notice at 5:22 that subtle grin that tank commander gave after he realised he was being filmed? Just a little anecdote I liked

[@mrbigboichungus3504]

Its frickin done

[@charadreemur6449]

Man knew he looked awesome in that tank

[@damianmcdonagh7908]

In September 2017, I visited Hitler's 1942 command post in Vinnytsa, Ukraine. It was an eerie experience but worth the effort. The nearby private museum is remarkable.

[@fathergascoigne4609]

​@Zoomer Stasi It seems the Russians are not done yet with Azov kek

[@chirho100]

Your voice sounds like what I use to listen to, when I watched the history channel back in the day, I found history boring has a child in school, now I can’t get enough of WW2 history, company of heroes is my favorite WW2 video game, and that is where I go after watching your videos, my favorite tank is the Stug it has the most kills of all tanks in WW2.

[@lancegoodthrust546]

Every time I hear Mark say "Thanks for watching..." I know the episode's over . But I want him to go on.

[@kalashnikovdevil]

For the Skalding interpretation of the 12th Army's furious holding action at the Elba to allow 9th Army troops and civilians to retreat across the Elba, see "Hearts of Iron" by Sabaton.

[@miululu7432]

Another very interesting video! Your work contributes a great deal to people's knowledge of World War II, and I commend you for that. Well done!

[@johnwolfram2689]

What is amazing is that we had the Enigma codes and still they were able to fight a superb set of battles all the way to the end.

[@riquelmeone]

The sheer number of videos, the variety of topics, the content, the details, the editing, how on earth are you doing that? Hats off!

[@davidmowers5949]

Highest recommendation for Cornelius Ryan's book "The Last Battle ", written in 1966 and for which the author conducted interviews with Konev, Heinrici , Busse and many ordinary German civilians in Berlin during the battle.

[@LichsuhoathinhDrabattle]

Amazing video. Videos of channel helps linking so many little historical anecdotes together and interesting✨😎

[@iainmcintosh9068]

The narration & content in these mini documentaries is unrivalled , I have serious man love for Mark Felton

[@hanszlh6522]

" .. serious man love ... " Oh Dear !!!!

[@iainmcintosh9068]

@@hanszlh6522 there's always one isn't there

[@YoungOddo]

Got here in the first 15 minutes! Finally get to learn something im interested about after not learning anything from my laptop in online school from 8am-2pm😒

[@TheMajorActual]

_Mark Felton Productions_ -- What the History Channel should have been, in the first place.

[@MarkHarrison733]

We fought the wrong enemy, as Patton confirmed.

[@jimboisvert9900]

I’m just reading The Last Panther by Wolfgang Faust which chronicles one of the German tank crews that participated in this breakout. What a treat to find Mark’s video! I highly recommend the book. Its very graphic and violent but breathtaking just the same!

[@Trek001]

"On the 22nd of april Hitler had what amounted to a nervous breakdown at the afternoon situation conference in his bunker beneath the reich chancery when he was informed that steiner had not made his attack" Tell me, Mark, how tempted were you to include a clip from *that* moment of a certain well known film???

[@fiery1962]

Bruno Gantz gave the performance of his illustrious career in "Downfall". Yet he was such a humble man in real life.

[@johndenugent4185]

He did not have a nervous breakdown, then or ever. Upset, yes, of course. ANY COMMANDER WOULD BE IF A DIRECT ORDER WAS DISOBEYED, and especially if disobedience would doom him and his entire staff to capture or death! Rochus Misch, an SS guard and telephonist, who was with Hitler 1940-45, was an eyewitness to this non-breakdown.

[@jojispoon3921]

@@johndenugent4185 there's an impostor among us

[@blocktart4453]

@@johndenugent4185 He was already doomed by 1944. The odds were against him as soon as 1942.

[@user-wb8iu1hl6i]

@@johndenugent4185 Hitler's not gonna sleep with you bro

[@geraldmiller8973]

i don't know where you get all of this detailed information about the movements of all of these troops but you do one hell of a good job. you have to be one of the best war historians in the world. your videos are right on and never boring.

[@christophersmith5691]

Excellently done, Mr Felton, your work is superb

[@onebeartoe]

I love you, Mark Felton I saw you in a video from 'War Stories" the other day. I was like, 'hey I know that dude'.

[@christianofriva6879]

Hello Mister Felton, I am following your channel since ca. one year and in my oppinion you make great videos of often overlooked topics of world war two. This video is very dear to me, because i sought the help of the german office of the red cross for war graves and missing family members (deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge des roten Kreuzes). This is because my granduncle probably fought in the battle of halbe. He was conscripted in the Waffen-SS at the end of the war (he was like his brother/my grandfather and his family a ethnic german from Slovakia) and became a officer. According to what my greatgrandmother and grandfather found out after the war, my granduncle had already surrendered and was napping in a field at Woltersdorf near Luckenwalde south of Berlin. Nearby was a cottage, which at that moment being raided by russian soldiers. The owners of the cottage knew my granduncle was lying in the field and told the russian soldiers this, because they wanted to be spared more brutality. The russian soldiers stormed outside... I´m sparing you the details what they did to my granduncle. According to the german red cross he died on the 1st of May 1945, so this makes a involvement in the breakout attempt at Halbe possible, as you discribed in your video. My parents and I made a roadtrip in Poland last year and on the way home we made a detour over Luckenwalde to look for the grave of my granduncle in the cemetery there. We looked everywhere, but were unable to find him. Because of that I wrote to the german red cross, but I´m still waiting for a response from them. Anyways, I am looking forwards for your next video and will recommend your channel for other people. Best regards from a fan from Bavaria

[@singthedanielsong]

Bloody soviets

[@Sawise92]

Best of luck finding your Great uncle sir

[@RasPutintheGreat]

They knew(Germans) the reds will avenge Stalingrad and Leningrad in a brutal way... Good luck..

[@gleasonparker1684]

Amen brother. Good luck.

[@slick4401]

When you hear that music, you know you are up for a fine treat. Thanks, Dr. Felton.

[@fergalfoley6718]

Outstanding Documentry Mark & to say thank you for all your great work !

[@idobbs737]

Putting your knowledge to invaluable use. Thanks man

[@squamish4244]

The Wikipedia article on the Battle of Halbe is comprehensive and fascinating as well. The fact that the 9th Army managed to break through *three* Soviet lines to reach freedom is stunning.

[@Vault87Fallout]

I love actions like this. Hundreds of thousands of men who collectively have given up on the war and do not care about it anymore but still voluntarily put their own lives on the line to save their brother's lives so they can all surrender to the Americans.

[@Badchi]

Which was to be expected. Soviets hadn't cared much about war ethics before, but after loosing almost 30 million people (think about that number and let it sink in) to the germans, one would understand why it was preferable to be captured by anyone but them.

[@aorusaki]

@@Badchi Yeah by that point in the war there was zero ethics on both sides of the eastern front. A sad reality regardless if it was just retaliation to the german brutality or not.

[@Badchi]

@@aorusaki Makes sense. Russian Empire was the first one to experiment with the concept of concentration camps during WW1, afair, with Germans being closely behind. So both sides kinda began rejecting their humanity on a state level long before summer 1941 when they rose arms against each other.

[@gerhard6105]

Nice video, again. In the video i saw a lot of spare parts for my 1940 Opel Kadett, there in the forest.

[@brianlopez8855]

Yes unlike the usual history channels Mark does not repeat the same information. He says it once, clearly and if you were not listening then you should have been. History for intelligent viewers. Great material.

[@Raftjumper07]

Mark Felton, thank you so much for this outstanding recount of one of the most harrowing battles/ escapes of WWII! After your video on the actions of the 12th German Army pushing to link up with the 9th. Army in their escape, I have been anxious to receive this second half of the great story of military history. For those who want to read the person experience of those in the 9th. Army pushing west through the Russian onslaught, I recommend reading Wolfgang Faust's "The Last Panther- Slaughter of the Reich- The Halbe Kessel 1945". Mark, I am happy to support your work!

[@polakarnegolis]

It's truly amazing how much effort and casualties Germans put in just to surrender to the Americans rather than Soviets. And I'm not surprised, surrendering to Americans gave a chance of survival provided they weren't handed over back to Soviets for a certain death.

[@dwlopez57]

2 countries. 1 founded on human rights. The other basically founded to oppose human rights

[@watdat2468]

@@dwlopez57 nah Russia just wanted revenge for what the Germans did to them. If US mainland was attacked and the Germans did the same. Well treatment would be the same

[@noir1923]

@@watdat2468 you cant just make a right from wrong

[@robertclark1669]

@@noir1923 This comment is Important, people need to understand that "He did it first" doesn't make the death any better.

[@aorusaki]

@@watdat2468 the problem with this mentality is that until one side decides to be merciful the other side will never change. It just keeps escalating and each side retaliates back and forth until there's 0 ethics whatsoever. It's best that we try to be merciful and avoid any unnecessary killing or brutality. WHICH MEANS NO RAPE which the soviets did to the Germans and was 100% NOT justified. Even Stalin said the rape was justified.

[@geraldmiller5232]

another great detailed account of ww2. better than any history class i ever had.mark felton knows his stuff.

[@chroetjev]

Thanks Mark. Details are amazing. "Thousands died" We don't have the slitest idea what horrible stories are beyond every loss and what emotions and feelings these people went through at that moment and later on in life. Humans suffering was beyond imagination.

[@MWL4466]

Another quality video Mark. Thank you. Terrible stories about the Halbe pocket. A friends father who was 8 yrs old in 45' told us about the horrible stench in and near that forest during the summer of 1945. He had snuck in under threat of arrest and had to put a sweater around his face to deal with the smell. He had to run for his life when he was spotted and had nightmares after the sights he saw. Russian and German remains are still being found to this day.

[@donniglesias3073]

You're like the professor we never had teaching history! Great content as always

[@GreenfieldPortfolioResearch]

astonishing high level of details. i believe classifying your documentaries as scientific is not wrong. congratulations, mr. felton. a due service to history, so its lessons might be learnt, and the effort of men in both sides is not forgotten. best.

[@johnofypres]

Brilliant as always Mark. Thank you for your excellent work.

[@yohannbiimu]

Thanks to General Steiner and "Downfall" this duo would become the most famous meme in history.