The Austro-Prussian War: The Battle of Gitschin, 1866 (Part 7)

[@hamder]

The Prussians nearly outnumbered 2 to 1, attacking against prepared positions, the Austrians can't possibly lose this time..

[@vladdrakul7851]

Really?? (I know you were kidding!). The previous battle was truly tragic. Moving out of higher ground and secure defensive positions to mindlessly charge into the Prussian Needle Guns in open terrain. Tragic incompetence. Like the Brits at Gallipoli 50 years later, they could have simply taken the high ground cliffs but decided making tea and doing the laundry were more important! Allowing Colonel Sanders (?) a German commander with machine guns and Kemal Ataturk to form a defensive line on the cliffs! Murder via incompetence!

[@samtexaco1255]

Austria likes to surprise fate itself! Always outnumbering and out gunning the Prussians and manage to lose.

[@zurgesmiecal]

*Lieutenant General Otto Viktor Karl Liman von Sanders@@vladdrakul7851

[@gerardjagroo]

All the conventional wisdom says that attacking prepared enemies up an entrenched elevated position would be foolish and suicidal. However there are certain armies that are so advanced above their contemporaries that they can sometimes ignore conventional wisdom.

[@friccadyfraccady]

Í have to say, this last series of yours truly sets you apart from other youtube history channels. I've long been following more than a handfull of channels, but this series is where you've pushed ahead of the rest of the field. Your work is truly inspring and I can't wait to see where you go with it. Congratulations on a work well done.

[@Billy_Bob_Dan]

it really shows

[@Spyro757]

Are they good history channels

[@hardilaziz6577]

Please continue this series. The Astro-Prussian war 1866

[@Sprilly11]

Considering how important this war and the German unification was for the history of Europe and the world, I am very grateful you are covering it. The video quality is amazing and this series is great!

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Props to your thumpnails! They truly reflect the ferocity of the battles and set the mood quite well for the epic video to come! Your channel is awesome!

[@hansoskar1911]

Thanks for these awesome videos on this rarely covered war.

[@DaHuuudge]

“Rapid and accurate fire.” Seems to be the story of this war.

[@xxclarky661xx]

I can’t even imagine fighting a night battle in 1866. No lights, minimal flares if any just moonlight and muzzle flashes. Wild to think about

[@davidhughes8357]

Some major channels seem to be lagging behind for one reason or another but you continue moving onward. I know making these vidios is a tremendous amount of work but I do commend you for your tireless efforts. Thank you all.

[@khronostheavenger8923]

I can't help but notice the effect of a well organized command structure and logistical division. In the Seven Years War, Prussia lost a string of battles, but maintained the front and won the war. Now, Austria is losing a string of battles and can't maintain the front or bounce back at all.

[@kets4443]

Prussia won the Seven Years' War because of their enemies were quite incompetent

[@halcalaquende9952]

I hope the austrians will have a calm and good rest at Königgrätz on their way to Ölmütz in the next episode

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

Brilliant as always. We always appreciate your hard work to make these videos. Love and appreciate your hard work to make these videos. Your fan from Sri Lanka.

[@americaneagle76]

AWESOME!

[@michaelcarlin9153]

Excellent video. Well done - one of the best documentary channels out there!! Maps and orders of battle continue to get better and better. Great job. When will House of History tackle the Napoleonic Wars? Would really like to see that.

[@HoH]

Epic History TV is unmatched when it comes to Napoleon!

[@kets4443]

​@@HoHEpic History's videos on the campaigns of 1796-1800 are quite good but I'm sure you could do better for a lot of actions!

[@alexanderthegreatzabaras7492]

I love this series, I look forward to it everyday!

[@exharkhun5605]

Excellent video! Just to let you know, a while ago I commented that you started to loose yourself in superlatives in your scripts. That problem is completely gone so it's even more of a pleasure listening to you. The only superlatives necessary now are those we heap on you. Thank you for the quality of your work.

[@HoH]

Thank you for noticing!

[@MuddieRain]

Slowly but you can hear Prussian Glory (1871)

[@notthefbi7932]

My Sunday morning cardio workout video, much thanks 👍😁

[@hotsauce2644]

Nice , a video about the battle of custozza 1866 would be nice

[@gerardjagroo]

Those Needle guns were brutal. They were a complete game-changer.

[@nathanappleby5342]

Yes, they explain the heavy Austrian casualties. However at the same time, the Austrian's Lorenz rifles proved their superior range, a wise tactical decision by Poschacher and around Podulsi. Sadley, it did nothing to change the outcome of the battle for the Austrians.

[@ryanjuguilon213]

That is true but equipment does not win war. As you will see in the Franco-Prussian war, the Germans will suffer horrendous casualties against the even more advanced chasepot and mitrailleuse but they always outmanuevered and encircled the French while advancing. Its is not the gear but the tactical suppleness and decision making of the highly trained officer corps. That why it was the Prussian General Staff that enabled those victpries, it was the only one of its kind at that time. I hope H&H would make a video out of this, as most historians incorrectly attributed Prussian victories with the needle gun. It was not!

[@nathanappleby5342]

@@ryanjuguilon213 That would be nice.

[@nirfz]

@@ryanjuguilon213 There's no question that tactical misjudgement and bad strategic and tactic decisions on the austrian side contributed most to the outcome, but i think it is rather shortsighted to downplay the difference the needle rifles made. There's nice old comparisson video by the capandball YT channel of these rifles, and the range advantage that's always mentioned isn't that great and has no effect in reality. It's at a range you won't be that able to aim properly. Just like the sights on WW1 aera rifles that were graduated out to up to 2000m. There is a big difference between a rifle being more accurate and having a little bit longer range in a comparisson on a shooting range and what happens(/ed) in battles. In reality the engagements always were in ranges the needle fire rifles were easily capable of being used. And their way superior cadence makes a big dent in the decision making of the deciders on the receiving end. It is like the troops that first faced MGs while having repeaters themselves. (not as extreme but the same shocking effect on the moral) The additional advantage of being able to reload in any position and being able to be a way smaller target during reloading also means different tactics are possible. In general, one could say the needle rifle with it's ways of use enabled the prussions to use tactics and movements and engagements that nobody would have been able to pull off with a muzzle loader against an equally armed opponent and that also meant them acting in ways their opposition didn't expect. Everything is connected and while the needle rifle didn't have great influence on Benedeks bad decisions, it did on lower level commanders decisions.

[@Wallda_25]

Enjoyed the video as always. This series was very informative thus far. I personally havent really spent much time on the weeks and months leading up to Königgrätz so this is a welcome sight. And its so hard to see Clam being shorthanded here. Really could use some more luck next time. I also wanted to mention there is an error at 1:23: the small battlemap of the battle of skalitz shows the battlemap of Langensalza i think.

[@jotaro2690]

I was waiting for the entire week .thank you

[@CKyIe]

Looking forward to the battle of konnigratz!

[@KHK001]

Amazing video as always!

[@sonnyjim5268]

Thanks for your work. Its very interesting and this is era of history needs more videos like yours.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Another day another video from this amazing channel! I'd like to take a moment to thank you for the videos you produce. Thanks and take care.

[@eduardovolpato8325]

Great work as always. Cheers from Brazil mate

[@frankmueller2781]

Loving this series! Makes want to tabletop game the war.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Super wonderful introducing of this episode about Prussian- Austrian wars....thank you ( house of history) channel for sharing

[@wilsontheconqueror8101]

Fascinating history of the Austro -Prussian history! Later WW1 allies.

[@batuhanyayla7214]

I wonder when do you upload next video on this series or how often do you upload videos

[@explosivedonuts3764]

The choke is insane

[@TheChosen2030]

Could you believe it. wilhelm ii who lead germany in ww1, his grandfather fought in this war, also fought napoleon in Waterloo.

[@philliprandle9075]

Great video!

[@seancarney3024]

20:34 ooh dogey, we're coming up on the big one.

[@alexanderboev]

great job!

[@captainsensiblejr.]

On map distance scales would be very useful, instead of hoping distances will be mentioned in the narration.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

So next episode this will all end AT Königsgrätz... ;)

[@empressshangxiang]

Will there be a video about the bavarian theatre of war?

[@amiratasajadi150]

l think you should made a video about soldiers formations in battle like explain what is a storm formation.

[@elmascapo6588]

Dense formation with soldiers packed sholder to sholder and Charge. It worked with Napoleon and Napoleon III at Solferino

[@jonasm2552]

Do you plan to make an episode about the Rhein-Armee, wich marched from Frankfurt to Würzburg.?

[@merlin111994]

part 8 or is the serie over?

[@joshuawyatt7241]

Part 8?

[@duanebrady8446]

Love this series Due to the US civil war and reconstruction we don't get any good history on the events of Europe at that time and all the set up of WW1 here in the States

[@khronostheavenger8923]

I think it's general disinterest over here. Heck, I've seen some Americans, like Sitch and Adam, who scoff at the idea of any history or ideas that don't focus on and congratulate US history.

[@chrisromel3531]

I would like to be the fly in the war room when discussing the failure of Austro-Hungarian after this battle. I only can imaged the superior officer sitting there like what the heck happened and how you failed protecting a entrenched position with two to one odds.

[@Grummel1971]

I am sure they were very buissy blaming eachother while onely a few actually did their job, while to manny sat on their backside waiting for orders. No general needed for that a good seargent could do better.

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

Anyone else not getting notifications?

[@nathanappleby5342]

I have a great amount of respect for Real Time History which did a video on this war however, House of History is doing something Real Time History didn't do, doing a detailed video series on the war like Real Time History did for the Franco-Prussian War. As for this battle, a nice improved tactical performance by the Austrians who for a time took advantage of the longer range of the Lorenz rifles and the Austrians were wise to focus on loading the rifles and passing them up to trained marksmen in the front to fire, similar to what American troops did in the Civil War. The Austrian army second in command made a wise decision to plug the big gap in the line with a large battery. The Austrian army in this battle fought close to the way they fought in the 1809 war against Napoleon. In another impressive tactical performance, for the second time in more than a decade, a cavalry attack was repelled by a solid infantry line instead of a square like the British did in Crimea. It was cruel the Italians were forced at gunpoint to be in the battle. They should not be blamed at all for wanting to retreat when they came under attack plus their country was allied with Prussia in this conflict. It was in this battle that for the first time in the campaign, Clam-Gallas showed any command competency and a willingness to stand and fight. As for the weapons used in this battle, this was one of the not many times in warfare where rifles were used more to their true ranges, especially nice display of marksmanship by the Prussians with their Dreyse rifles at long range with the use of sights. It would have been nice to see the Austrians and the Saxons commit the whole of their forces to the fight, it might have made a difference. Cannot wait for the Koniggratz video!

[@nirfz]

Those weren't italian prisoners, those were soldiers from austrian provinces in todays italy. So their country wasn't allied with prussia, but neighbouring provinces were. And the thing is, when you sear an oath on doing your service and then refuse usualy that ends up badly for you... in any army in the world throughout history.

[@nathanappleby5342]

@@nirfz I didn't say they were prisoners. Those Italians still did not want to fight the Prussians. They may not have been from the part of the country that was allied with the Prussians but let's face it, not all ethnicities in the Austrian Empire supported the Emperor.

[@nirfz]

@@nathanappleby5342 Sorry, the way i worded the prisoner thing is something "common" in my native language and i just translated it. Didn't want to claim that you said they were prisoners. The thing with supporting the empire is always a bit strange/difficult: If we take a later event, WW1, the italian ethnicities didn't want to fight on the italian front, and so they were put elsewhere, and the czechs for example didn't want to fight the russians, but the czechs on the italian front tried to make up for their countrymen who surrendered to the russians...So "everybody supported the emperor" there but "on their terms". ;-)

[@nathanappleby5342]

@@nirfz Thank you for explaining your response. As for the matter about loyalties, understood.

[@zurgesmiecal]

you mean ethnostate is more important than constitutionalism? @@nathanappleby5342

[@charlesvanderhoog7056]

Like the English senior officers attitudes at the beginning of WW I , Austrian senior officers came from laid back prestigious families. That's not a good breeding ground for smart strategy and tactics in war. Although, obviously, they themselves thought it was.

[@charlesjohnson6777]

Communication breakdown, it's always the same Havin' a nervous breakdown, a-drive me insane. Led zeppelin 😅

[@zurgesmiecal]

All Roads Lead to Königgrätz

[@brokenbridge6316]

It seems that by the mid 1800's the Austrians battle prowess n strategic thinking seems to be lacking as compared to a century before when they really had Prussia on the ropes. An interesting irony. Nicely done video.

[@TheAustrianAnimations87]

Prussia's economy wasn't exhausted from two major revolutions and it also had the industrial-rich Rhineland after the Congress of Vienna. This just further explains Prussia's success against Austria.

[@zurgesmiecal]

@@TheAustrianAnimations87 excuses excuses *yawn*

[@moritztabor1678]

👍👍👍

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

Can you do a series on the Irish rebellion of 1798 and I am asking because the rebellion really interests me since without this rebellion we would not have gotten amazing and spectacular Irish songs like At Boolavouge, The Boys of Wexford, Croppies lie down, The croppy boy, Dunlavin green, Come all you warriors, Jimmy Murphy which is a song, the rising of the moon, The Sean bhean bhocht, Tones grave and the wind that shakes the barley but from this rebellion also came 3 famous rebel songs that are spectacular, Famous and in my opinion some of the most famous songs that originated in Ireland and these 3 songs are KELLY THE BOY FROM KILLANE, THE WEARING OF THE GREEN and my number one favorite Irish song THE MINSTREL BOY and the rebellion of 1798 is a significant event and part of Irish history or if you don’t feel like doing the Irish rebellion can you do a series on the Jacobite Rebellions because they are not well known about with the last one being the most famous out of them and they had many colorful and interesting characters like John Graham Viscount Dundee aka Bonnie Dundee, Richard Talbot Earl of Tyrconnell, King James the second of England, James Francis Edward Stuart aka the old pretender, Charles Edward Stuart aka Bonnie Prince Charlie, George Keith 10th Earl Marischal, Prussian Field Marshal James Francis Edward Keith, Prince William Duke of Cumberland and William Drummond 4th viscount Strathallan.

[@nirfz]

I don't know why, but this kind of hurts to watch. (the bad decisions that were made and in times like these, i am a little surprised how much people are rooting for the invader/agressor in this conflict) As for a suggestion: i recently stumbled upon a term i hadn't heard before "The wild geese" irish officers in continental european service. I think i read that there were 1500 of them in austrian service alone between 1630 and 1830. Would maybe make for an interesting topic. Or if one example of them: Laval Nugent von Westmeath. (he's the reason i found that term in the first place when i stumbled upon his german wiki page by accident)

[@zurgesmiecal]

are you aware that most people are rooting for war criminal napoleon since decades?

[@nirfz]

@@zurgesmiecal Yes, and it bugs me every time.

[@elmascapo6588]

​@@nirfzthe war was started when the austrians breached the principle of joint sovereignty agreed upon during the danish war of 1864. In all, no one forced the austrians to be retards

[@batuhanyayla7214]

Prussians werent the invaders If they were they would take bohemia or even more after the war their main goal was to unite germany and as long as austria stand this couldn't be achieved prussia saw aistria as a week old fashioned and unstabilised country under their rule united germany would way poor then theirs so dont look at prussians as invaders instead they are german nationalist

[@nirfz]

@@batuhanyayla7214 Sorry but that's BS. The definition of invasion is: to forcefully move into foreign territory. Invasion doesn't say anything about keeping the invaded territory, or the intentions. They weren't german nationalists, they wanted to weaken their competition for the leadership of the german territories and to be the Leaders. It's not a nationalistic thing to want to be Boss. It's called hunger for power.

[@befreiung]

Hello, would anyone know what software he used to create his battles maps with the trenches etc.? I'm not talking about the animation, as he must surely use adobe, but I'm talking about the illustrations, the map itself etc.. On an old video about the unification of Prussia, he shows a specific battle, where you can also see trenches.

[@HoH]

Photoshop & illustrator

[@befreiung]

@@HoH Have you a tutorial ? Because there's a lot of similarity in your maps with the "HistoryMarche" channel, so the source is coming from somewhere?

[@HoH]

@@befreiung We are the source for our respective styles (although my style is inspired by HistoryMarche). There are no tutorials, just lots of trial & error and experimenting.

[@befreiung]

@@HoH And.... a tutorial from you could do? xD

[@befreiung]

@@HoH After you've followed a tutorial, you'll know how to do this, how to use this, how to create that, etc.... Do we have a deal? You didn't open illustrator and photoshop and suddenly magically do everything xD

[@Grummel1971]

Seems like the austrians had no clue what was going on and the generals lacked mostly the will to take iniciative without their commanding officer taking them by the hand, telling them to the detail what to do. That happens when armys rest in the light of former glory being more concerend about parades and fancy titels then getting a job done.

[@beepboop204]

[@AsfarWarraich]

came here to hear the word otto von bismarck

[@shaifunnessa7816]

Maratha empire Shivaji history please make video

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

At this point, you should make a video why the Austrians keep underperforming for much of their late history.

[@Billy_Bob_Dan]

as always, superb content

[@shobhitkaul8076]

Benedeck was already losing on information grounds

[@captainsensiblejr.]

The Prussians bolt action needle guns could fire 7 bullets in the time the Austrians muzzle loaders could fire one shot.

[@crapshot321]

There is no real reason the Prussians should have won the battle the way that they did. Not only were they tired, hungry, and had supply problems, they were outnumbered as well. Now let's look at the Austrians. Saxony not being in their assigned position in the defensive line? Austrian reserves not sent to a critical part of the line during battle? Austrian forces just looking at an exposed Prussian flank and going, nah don't need to. Saxony retreating from the battle at a terrible moment for the Austrians. Austrians shock tactics not working against Prussian firepower, and not developing a workaround. And oh yes, " _The top commander in the area not knowing the general war situation and assuming that reinforcements are coming when they are not._ " I mean, the General couldn't have sent someone to check? And no, assuming is something a General should never do. Reminds me of that old Benny Hill joke. SMDH.

[@yazeedyazeed6182]

Just sad it’s sucks to be on there side during this war just stupid leaders failing right and left

[@davidchicoine6949]

Communication break down ....led zepplin is coming !!!

[@jurgschupbach3059]

Äckäschweis

[@charlesjohnson6777]

awesome video hoh man the Austrians just suck lol

[@BolnoyBratchny]

Except Prussia basically lost the 3rd Silesian war.

[@joshuawyatt7241]

Part 8?

[@janlindtner305]

👍👍👍