How the Outnumbered Germans Stalled British & Canadian Forces at Caen

[@shaestinson3086]

Did you all know that the first unit into caen was a Canadian reserve unit the SD&G Highlanders I am a member of this unit and am very proud of it UP THE GLENS.

[@paperkites9101]

Still failed tho 💀

[@bruman182]

@@paperkites9101 💀

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

@@paperkites9101 that's your thank you message for saving the world.

[@alanwareham7391]

But it does show that the combined forces of the commonwealth can overcome an army that had time to plan a defensive action with some of their best troops and people just don’t realise how many none German troops from other nations that made up the Waffen SS ,the war in Europe was fought with troops of not only Britain and America but also the commonwealth countries of Australia Canada New Zealand and many other countries for which we must thank them because if it wasn’t for the effort and sacrifice of these nations the map of Europe would now be very different now and with a lot less people living in them and so you have every right to be proud to have served in a Canadian regiment and it does prove that individually were strong enough ,but combined we take some beating

[@hanshazlitt4535]

You should be ashamed

[@Slaktrax]

Allied Sherman tanks did NOT use high octane fuel. They used ''combat gas'' which was around 80 octane or even lower.

[@franciscruickshank8794]

WAFFEN SS.

[@g8ymw]

The German fighting vehicles used petrol also, so not relevant The thing that made Shermans incandescent was ammo storage which was sorted later

[@alanrobinson2901]

@@g8ymw Yes, as were the Panther tanks. The 'Ronson' claim on Shermans was mostly myth.

[@Birdy890]

The reason they burned more frequently than German tanks was because they were more frequently on the attack against German positions. Meaning the AT guns that were engaging them would shoot them until they burned, because the AT gun can't tell what's happening on the inside of that enemy tank, all they know is it might still be operational; so shoot it until you know it's dead.

[@petefroehling8704]

actually the sherman used qite a few different engines 1 being an aircraft engine radial which usually is higher octane

[@michaeld.uchiha9084]

Wittmans panzer Crew: "Iam a joke to you?" Tanks are no one man show. You need to have a good crew overall.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

Considering they were facing over 8 SS Panzer divisions, 7 infantry divisions and 3 Heavy tank battalions, it's understandable why the Brits get pissed off when the Americans called their advance "slow". The fact that the Brits and Canadians were fighting against the vast majority of the armour available in Northern France (675 tanks) immediately following the landings is one that often seems to be ignored by certain people.

[@INoticeTooMuch1]

That’s not really 8 full strength panzer divisions though. The average panzer division was usually around 200 tanks.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@INoticeTooMuch1 The Panzer Lehr division had 208 operating tanks and assault guns.

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

@@INoticeTooMuch1 can you certify that wasnt full strength at that time. Remember Germany was alread fighting on two fronts so u dont expect each division to be as full as you might imagine. But that was the bulk of German armour at that Normandy so as the poster rightly said, give them credit for smashing the bulk of the german armour at that Normandy.

[@ObviousTroll2016]

The brits and canadians faced the most concentrated force of german panzer divisions per square kilometre of the entire war, more than the eastern front.

[@MrAdamF]

Yes, but the german divisions were not in the best conditions , no ammuition no fuel , witout air support. Not enough panzers , nco-s …etc and the communication between the headquaters was bad too. they were not in full strength. But some of them made a strong resistance. The british and canadians had hard times there.

[@jamesh.sweetheimer1458]

My father went ashore Omaha D Day hour -1....as a medic. Never ever talked about the landing or the first hours or week. Read his diary after he died. It was awful. If you haven't lived through it, you don't know what it was like. It was a nightmare.

[@SouthBaySteelers]

Why don’t you post his diary? Would love to read it.

[@chriscarbaugh3936]

My Grandfather was in Omaha; wounded in the foot and later lost a leg. He almost Never talked about the landing. I do remember him saying that only the movie Saving Private Ryan came close. Must have been terrible

[@parampal1707]

One number history channel telling us true history without bias. Love your channel.

[@FactBytes]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@darrylcarpenter903]

Excellent commentary presenting all sides of the conflict, with amazing video. Great work guys!

[@FactBytes]

Thanks a lot!

[@scotsbillhicks]

People often quizzed the revered Confederate general as to how he lost Gettysburg. “I think them damn Yankees had something to do with it.” was his response. So that’s what it boils down to. The allies were up against very strong opposition. The question is if the Germans ducks had all lined up and they managed a mass armour assault against the beachhead would they have succeeded? They were appalled at the amount of naval and artillery support the allies could call upon, and a large armour force moving in open daylight would have been feasted on by the air forces.

[@TheYeti308]

" I Know " ; I don't believe it was a live fire training exercise .

[@28pbtkh23]

You ask: If the Germans "... managed a mass armour assault against the beachhead would they have succeeded? " They tried this on D-Day itself. They launched an attack at the gap between Sword and Juno beaches with about 60 tanks. Fortunately both the British and Canadians had already landed several experienced anti-tank crews and their guns. These repulsed the attack and the Germans suffered heavy losses. This was one of the reasons why Caen was not captured on D-Day itself, as planned, even though this was an unrealistic goal.

[@nickdanger3802]

Churchill "I have told the House how at the time of the fall of Tobruk the President gave the first 350 Sherman tanks which had already been issued to the American Army and we know that they played a key part in the Battle at Alamein. When I went back to America a year after, I found that there was an ample supply of these tanks, formerly so precious and rare, from the flow of American mass production which had got into its stride, and they were able to offer us 3,000 or 4,000 more of those invaluable weapons. This was of great advantage to us. We were able to carry through a further redisposition of our tank programme and to reduce the scale of our production, thus releasing man-power and materials for making other instruments of war which were urgently required. We were able also to carry through the development of the Cromwell, the Churchill and other types in an orderly manner freed from fear of a shortage of tanks in the hands of the troops. The Sherman tank has maintained its reputation gained in Africa 1470 at every stage in the battles in Italy and Normandy. It is of course essentially a cruiser tank, like the Cromwell, which is the largest type of British cruiser tank. Both these tanks are reported to be excellent and trustworthy for the purposes for which they were designed. As the House knows, we succeeded in mounting the 17-pounder gun in the Sherman, a remarkable feat, and many hundreds of these are either in action in Normandy or moving thither in a steady stream. General Montgomery has written as follows about the recent battle: In the fighting to date we have defeated the Germans in battle, and we have had no difficulty in dealing with the German army once we had grasped the problem. In this connection British armour has played a notable part. The Panther and Tiger tanks are unreliable mechanically and the Panther is very vulnerable from the flanks. Our 17-pounder guns will go right through them. Provided our tactics are good we can defeat them without difficulty. Well, they say the customer is always right." Hansard WAR SITUATION HC Deb 02 August 1944 Churchill Thanks for the tanks, Monty "British Armour".

[@nickdanger3802]

@Peter Simons Five Things About the M4 Sherman with The Chieftain kzbin.info/www/bejne/aavYk4l-r5qFsKM

[@javasrevenge7121]

1 of the best youtube channels about WW2.

[@PanzerdivisionWiking]

These videos have been so good the historical footage that you find and put into the video are so well matched up and very interesting as it is a lot of footage I haven’t seen before! Thank you for your work!

[@FactBytes]

Glad you like them!

[@rodrigoquiroga8590]

Nice name K P !! Congrats

[@captjim007]

Sherman tank commander Oddball " Our tanks can go faster in reverse than forward. See baby, we like to think we can get out of trouble faster than we got into it."

[@geegaw14]

Woof woof

[@captjim007]

@@geegaw14 "Just drinking some wine and eating some cheese. Definitely an anti social type"

[@kennethdeveyra3556]

Nice content, been watching your series for a while now. Keep up the good work mate!

[@FactBytes]

Thanks a ton!

[@scottkrater2131]

Every gasoline powered tank caught fire when it was hit in the right spot. The Sherman wasn't special. See the Chieftain on the M-4 Sherman.

[@wrd777]

If you look at Montgomery's battle plan for the Battle of Normandy, agreed before Overlord, Caen was NOT the British/Canadian objective, although he wanted the Germans to focus their attention there. The prime urban objective was the port of Cherbourg. The objective at Caen was to draw the Panzer divisions into the cauldron, destroying them so they could not attack the eventual breakout or the primarily infantry US forces on the Allied right. While the British and Canadian armour and artillery on the Left, ground down the Panzers in a battle of attrition, the relatively inexperienced Americans on the Right were to build up their strength, take Cherbourg - ideally getting the port functional - push through to the edge of the bocage country and get ready for the breakout. When they were ready for that breakout, the Germans would have no armoured divisions in the area to oppose it. The most remarkable thing about the Battle of Normandy is that, even to the approximate dates, the outcome was amazingly close to the original (April 1944) plan

[@colinmartin2921]

Yes, that is correct, the plan was always to keep German armour tied up. I wonder what would have happened if Goodwood had been successful though?

[@28pbtkh23]

Great point. In fact, I read that the Allies got to Paris five days earlier than envisaged in Monty's plan. So overall, pretty good going. It was just that it was a damned tough fight to get there.

[@briantitchener4829]

Mark Felton gives a much better overview of this conflict. Montgomery's forces, mainly British, Canadian and Poles faced 500 German tanks during the taking of Caen over many weeks. It was a bloody slog, drawing the Germans in to concentrate most of their armour there. Meanwhile, this allowed the Americans to break out and push east while facing much less German armour. This was the plan from the start of the allied Normandy invasion. Sadly today, each nation's army involved at that time likes to 'out-better' their comrades in their telling of battle honours. It was a joint effort, the likes of which had never been seen before nor since. All brave men.

[@gh87716]

False. This argument was merely used once Montgomery failed to take Caen weeks after D day. When the British and Canadians landed, only the 21st Panzer was anywhere close to the landing beaches. They are actually stopped on the 7th or 8th by that division along with elements of the 12th SS Hitlerjugend. All the while, the Allies had far more tanks and guns in the area in addition to men and naval and air fire. The rest of the German armored formation didn't arrive until much later. Mark Felton is a freemason and falsifier of history.

[@briantitchener4829]

@@gh87716 I think his research over many years makes him a lot more reliable a source of information than you quite frankly.

[@gh87716]

@@briantitchener4829 If you call parroting allied war propaganda "research", then sure. Oh and by the way, 12th Army's situational map for D day proves my point there, which you failed to address, m*ron.

[@gh87716]

@@briantitchener4829 Wrong. He parrots allied war propaganda. And also, the 12th Army's situational map proves my point, which you have conveniently failed to address. Talk about sheep mindset.

[@briantitchener4829]

@@gh87716 Don't really know what your beef is. All Allied troops in whatever theatre of the war they found themselves in did their utmost duty to defeat the Nazis from subjugating Europe, the Russians actually taking the biggest hits. Think you've got a "my Dad's better than your Dad" mindset. Childish.

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video and so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@FactBytes]

Thanks for the visit 🙂

[@ObviousTroll2016]

The Brits and canadians in Normandy faced the highest concentration of german panzer divisions per square kilometre of the entire war, more than the Eastern front. It was a slaughter with casualty rates higher than than WW1.

[@jimmylight4866]

The Allies faced third rate troops and kids who were vastly outnumbered in men and material. Only a few notable Germans had combat experience. The Allies also absolutely controlled the air and were using naval gunfire. The Germans never had a chance, but they made themselves a real pain in the butt.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@jimmylight4866 None of these troops are third rate.... Elite German divisions engaged (and annihilated) in Normandy: 1st SS "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" Division 12th SS "Hitler Youth" Division The Panzer Lehr Division 17th SS Panzergrenadier "Götz von Berlichingen" Division 2nd SS Panzer "Das Reich" Division 10th SS Panzer "Frundsberg" Division Elite German Sub Divisional units engaged: 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion 102nd SS Heavy Tank Battalion 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion 1st Rate Panzer Divisions engaged: 21st Panzer Division 116th Panzer Division 9th Panzer Division 2nd Panzer Division 11th Panzer Division Some high quality infantry divisions engaged: 315th Division 91st Division 2nd Parachute Division 77th Infantry Division 3rd Parachute Division 5th Parachute Division 85th Infantry Division

[@jimmylight4866]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- All bled out on other fronts my Friend.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@jimmylight4866 Bled out? They still look very formidable going by these statistics. 21st Panzer Division (117 Panzer IVs) ♦ Panzer Lehr Division (101 Panzer IVs, 89 Panthers) ♦ 2nd Panzer Division (89 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers) ♦ 116th Panzer Division (73 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers). In reserve just behind the front ♦ 1st SS Panzer Division (98 Panzer IVs, 79 panthers) ♦ 9th SS Panzer Division (40 Stugs, 46 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers) ♦ 10th SS Panzer Division (38 Stugs, 29 Panzer IVs) ♦ 12th SS Panzer Division (38 Stugs, 29 Panzer IVs) ♦ Tiger Battalion SS101 (45 Tigers) ♦ Tiger Battalion SS102 (45 Tigers) ♦ Tiger Battalion 503 (45 Tigers) There's a reason it took 2 months for the Brits to slog through this.

[@PanzerdivisionWiking]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- very cool that you took the time to write out these stats, I’m going to check out that book you cited in another thread. Thanks

[@kingehsan1]

Informative and appreciable stuff

[@FactBytes]

Thank you!

[@tech9auto223]

I'm liking and watched through adds from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 keep up good work

[@explorer1968]

And Caen didn't fall. It took quite a long time....

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

Maybe because it was held by 8 Panzer divisions?

[@explorer1968]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- And some daring counter attacks, against the odds...

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@explorer1968 In WWII a well prepared, well equipped veteran defender was difficult to dislodge from good terrain, especially cities. Compare the battle for Caen to the defence of Leningrad, Tobruk, Sevastopol, Metz, Aachen, Bastogne, and in each case the attacker had a difficult time trying to dislodge a determined defender.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Neither Caen, Carentan, St Lo or Cherbourg were taken on schedule. As we know, however, the ultimate objective of a conclusion to Normandy and Paris liberated was achieved ahead of schedule. Job done in the end 👍.

[@Pfsif]

30,000 civilians died at D Day.

[@davecopp9356]

Finally the brave german forces during ww2 receive some recognition. Thank you. RIP and thank you for your service to all german soldiers of WW1+2. Respect.

[@pratapbalakrishna3036]

This was a carnage, Caen, took months to be taken by the Allies.

[@MegaBloggs1]

12th SS was a brand new division-a spin off of the 1st SS division-many of its officers came from the 1st-12thSS was nearly 20,000 strong-the equivalent of a small corps

[@Chiller01]

Not many left by the time Falaise gap was finally closed.

[@scientiaaclabore3362]

@@Chiller01 Plenty left. In fact, the 12th SS had 12,000 soldiers left after the retreat from Normandy.

[@jpmtlhead39]

Its very, very common, People Who post their comments, never had an real Army experience. I say the majorety of the People. When they comment abaut a certain Division, they think, that is all. They dont know that a Division takes thousands of Men, separated in Battalions, Regiments, Companies and squads. Wich one of them, with a certain amount of Men, Tanks (If its an armorad division), veichles of all sort, communications centres, etc. Thats why so many People when say, that X Division attacted on the 1st of july in Paris. No, its nothing like that, first the attact its made, by units of the Division, very often with few Tanks and APC's, separated miles apart of each other,in several objectives, suported by a company of artillary,or pionners ex. The bulk of the Division, only attack, after If those objectives were taken. Then you see big tank formations going foward, to do the main job. But People here say, "the 1st Panzer was crushed on the 4th of May.." Thats incorrect, most likely 1 batallion of tanks, and 1 regiment of pionners, of the 1st Panzer division were destroyed. The 1st Division is still There, waiting for their turn. Most People dont realize how complex an army Division is and works. And many times make stupid and ilogical comments abaut things they dont understand. They read somewhere, and its done. This is more than obvious For those Who never were in the army. War Thunder Doesnt count.

[@davidsike734]

I read somewhere the British engaged their battle ships to lob 16 inch shells on Caen which shook up many Germans.

[@Birdy890]

And annihilated a few civilians, but of course the Allies never gave a shit about that.

[@davidsike734]

@@Birdy890 Well it's better than cooking a few million civilians (Jews) but of course the Germans never gave a shit about that.

[@Birdy890]

@@davidsike734 Tell me more about the things that never happened.

[@davidsike734]

@@Birdy890 Your common sense.

[@Birdy890]

@@davidsike734 That doesn't follow grammatically or linguistically you failure.

[@nicktozie6685]

Amazing video

[@FactBytes]

Thank you

[@randompillow5146]

I can’t tell if it’s an AI or a robot narrating this. It’s great content, but I think it’d be a lot better with a narrator that sounds human.

[@avenaoat]

The British and Canadian could use the fleet artillery. Some German generals wrote after the War they thought about the British ans American air force but they did not think of the Fleet artellery! So Montgomery arrived that time Caen when he had enough divisions not to depend on the fleet artellery!

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

I really liked the video. But in which universe is a Sherman more mobile than a Panther ? a) Panther is faster on road (which is an overrated thing anyway) and b) Panther is more mobile off-road due to lower ground pressure and more powerful engine (Even Tiger I was more mobile off-road.) By 1944, reliability issues had been sorted out, so the only thing pro Sherman was their numerical advantage and the fact that it was quicker to repair. In case of Normandy, replacing a damaged Sherman was even quicker than fixing it. That was of course something Germany couldn't afford.

[@niclasjohansson4333]

You "kinda" answered your own question.

[@thomaslinton5765]

The Sherman used the same fuel as the Panzers. It was the ammunition that burned. Poor research.

[@zerokrm8980]

The Black Baron rattled the British and the Canadian troops In Caen .

[@Chiller01]

Until he was permanently rattled.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Neither Caen, Carentan, St Lo or Cherbourg were taken on schedule. As we know, however, the ultimate objective of a conclusion to Normandy and Paris liberated was achieved ahead of schedule. Job done in the end 👍.

[@carlsmith8898]

Lol I love those duplex drive Sherman's

[@chadrowe8452]

Near the end he says "the Sherman ran on gasoline rather than diesel and was highly flammable" what tanks ran on diesel?

[@barbarossa1983]

T34

[@PanzerdivisionWiking]

German tanks all ran diesel fuel

[@michaelkenny8540]

@@PanzerdivisionWiking No they did not.

[@frankvandergoes298]

@@PanzerdivisionWiking No they didn,t, surely you should know that.

[@chadrowe8452]

@@PanzerdivisionWiking no they did not

[@fazole]

@12:00, why criticize the Sherman for not having a diesel engine? The German tanks didn't use diesel either. They ran on gasoline.

[@tophat2115]

Check out Marc Milner's Book, Stopping the Panzers.

[@HyzersGR]

Has anyone else played Close Combat: Gateway to Caen? Awesome WW2 strategy/tactics PC game that lets you play either side of this operation.

[@heinekelland9223]

11:42 "503rd heavy tank division"

[@peterlewerin4213]

Again loads of errors. I don't have the energy to list them this time. At least change the channel name to something that doesn't have "fact" in it.

[@reginaldmcnab3265]

1:30 - 1:35 when Germans soldiers are brave they are referred to as fanatical and when allied soldiers are brave they are not referred to as fanatical, strange

[@venturebros2000]

Strange indeed like as if one had a massive bias towards one side hummm

[@magila1]

SS were more ideologically motivated than British troops - therefore they are considered fanatical.

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

Fanatical was often used for the SS not Wehrmacht. Even when used with regular Wehrmacht it's in rare cases when obvious surrender was the best but fought on for a reason like the battle of Berlin

[@reginaldmcnab3265]

@@gozzy_gozzy4447 when Winston Churchill told the British soldiers defending I think it was Indonesia , to fight to death, all officers and all men under their command should fight to death” does that make them or him a fanatic, I’ve never heard of allied soldiers called fanatic, it seems that each side is trying to demonize the other. The German soldiers fought bravely! The allied soldiers fought bravely but but the victors want to say only the Germans were fanatic. They were all Brave or they were all fantastics as simple as that.

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

@@reginaldmcnab3265 I said check whenever it's used for German soldiers is the SS

[@TKM1951]

The Canadians fought & stopped the panzers from D- Day on , The Polish Armour was added as the Falaise gap was starting to close The plan wasn’t for the British and Canadian to fight the armour It was for the Canadians to fight the armour . There are over 3000 Canadian graves to testify to their success as they stopped the Panzers . I am reading an excellent account of those months before D-Day and those days after D- Day Finally after close to eighty years the Canadian side . The book : Stopping the Panzers The untold story by Marc Milner - university press of Kansas . If your Canadian or an interested party a must read

[@briantitchener4829]

Complete exaggerated rubbish. "Only the Canadians...." You think the Brits were there having a picnic? It was British forces that took the first 6 bridges in Normandy.

[@TKM1951]

@@briantitchener4829 the Brit’s were on the left and right . The Canadians job was to stop the panzers counter attack Why don’t you try doing a little international research

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@TKM1951 But there was also British troops fighting the Panzers, for example the inexperienced 43rd Wessex infantry division was up against the 9th and 10th SS Panzer divisions and the 102nd SS Heavy tank battalion at Hill 112.

[@TKM1951]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- yeah we’ve heard about the British They were the only ones in Normandy right ? I am telling you they weren’t only ones fighting their way to Caen . It’s a good read , try something from a different perspective

[@ejmproductions8198]

That actually makes sense. The suicide mission of Dieppe had 5000 Canadians committed and only 1000 British troops. It is even more remarkable if you know the Brits had 3 mil troops and the Canadians 1 mil.

[@telramud]

Fritz Witt was divisional commander at beginning battle. Kurt Meyer replaced him later than Witt died for injuries suffered from an naval artillery attack on 14th June.

[@14067913]

Sigh. Another history presentation which appears to have read neither the plan for Overlord presented at St Paul's school before the invasion, nor the Order No. 1 to British troops that Caen should be taken unless it would cost too many casualties. The Plan relied on the British/Canadians drawing Germans onto their front while the Americans , once through the 'difficult bocage' circled behind then in Operation Cobra'. The Germans started the battle with 2,300 tanks, the Germans ended up with 120 escaping.

[@noralockley8816]

Also those assessments on taking those objectives were based on intelligence of German forces at the time of planning. The Germans began reinforcing the area around Caen which allied intell did not come aware of till much later. Omaha was also reinforced which was only found out days before the landings. The main concern with the British landings at sword was if they were assigned to many tasks on top of the possible taking of Caen. By the time Monty gave his briefing of the plan the Germans had already reinforced the Caen front making taking Caen a near impossible task. The main critique of Monty came after June 10th and it was aimed at his slow grind strategy and the high casualties of British and Commonwealth forces. The Churchill institute had done a paper on this critique. It is hard to judge looking back at what else could have been done, but Monty after the 10th was not making his intentions of his strategy clear to both British command and the other allies.

[@thomaslinton5765]

We landed at Normandy "to march west"?

[@uweyaa]

My Pa was a Member of ☆17.SS Götz von Berlichingen ☆, he was used a MG 42 in this Time around Caen.

[@nein236]

Bist du Deutscher?

[@bertplank8011]

Please finish your homework youve got skool tomorrow....you can play with the MG42 at lunchtime.

[@jpmtlhead39]

Some People love to comment things based on their War Thunder or World of Tanks experience. Fakes without a single knowledge. Like that guy Who says that the Germans had 654 Tanks ready for battle in northern France.... But not in Normandy. Not even in the eastern front by then, the german had so many Tanks available, maybe half of that,fit for battle. With numbers like this, with Just a little bit more, and it would been Kursk part 2. Just one example. The highest number of Tigers available, was 55 by mid august.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@João Rodrigues kzbin.info/www/bejne/pl6cqGWAathjrrc

[@mikeholland1031]

A 2nd attack by the same ppl is not a counter attack.

[@billballbuster7186]

At the same time as the British were destroying Army Group B around Caen, our gallant American allies were fighting German third rate Static Divisions with little artillery and AFV's. However the yanks lost twice the casualties Monty did clearing the Cotentin Peninsula. The first of many disasters the Americans suffered in NW Europe campaign.

[@luxbeci2]

Very Fantastic SS war battle videó!! Very say They lost! My grandfather died in Don river Stalingrad near Don river 1943

[@getimpaled3460]

If you played Cod 2 you know this

[@allencampbell8322]

Hitler had delusions of grandeur

[@kniespel6243]

Also Caen was a fail , and of course the brain was Montgomery, the same like with Market Garden.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

Caen was taken back in July.

[@kniespel6243]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- yes,of course. After how many months?

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@kniespel6243 After 6 weeks of hard fighting against 8 Panzer divisions, 7 infantry divisions and 3 heavy panzer battalions

[@kniespel6243]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- wrong. The battle was 6 june-6 august ! And how many forces was against germans ? ! And air supremacy ! Too bad for Monty , the german leaders was the best ; Rommel , Paul Hausser and Sepp Dietrich.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@kniespel6243 Nope. Quote *At dawn on 18 July 6,000 tons of bombs were dropped over eastern Caen. With the simultaneous Operation Atlantic, entrusted to the Canadians, the town was entirely liberated on 19 July 1944. Instead of one day, it took the Allies six weeks to capture the city* Source Liberation Route Europe Not august at all. "too bad for Monty , the german leaders was the best ; Rommel , Paul Hausser and Sepp Dietrich." Just remember... in direct engagements between the two, Monty is 2-0 against Rommel. He won at El Alamein and broke the Afrika Korps and he defeated Rommel again in Normandy.

[@scuddyleblanc8637]

Where were the Canadian and British infantry, scout units, anti-tank weapons, and artillery units? It's a classic error of sending tanks without supporting infantry and artillery. The U.S. army made the same mistakes as well.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@Scuddy LeBlanc It's because Montgomery was hoping to minimise infantry casualties by sending armour instead ( British infantry divisions were running low on replacements at the time)

[@jpmtlhead39]

That was an German inovation in WW2,the Panzer Granediers, always There to support the Armor. It worked so good, that most of the armys today, use the same doctrine has the Germans did.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@jpmtlhead39 It was never originally a German doctrine, Heinz Guderian who's normally credited for 'Blitzkrieg" in fact studied B. H Liddel Hart. Liddell Hart’s along with the doctrines of General J.F.C. Fuller on employment of tanks, were adopted by German pioneers of armoured warfare, and became the basis for the blitzkrieg warfare through which German armies mastered the European continent in 1940.

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- i Wonder why the British and the french, with superior Tanks, never thought abaut that... Only Guderian.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@jpmtlhead39 The Brits and French didn't expect a war of manuever, they thought it was going to be once again positional warfare and the Germans attacking fixed defences on the Maginot line.

[@photoisca7386]

The Germans did a pretty good job holding up the Yanks on Omaha with only second rate static defenders. The Yanks only got off the beach when the defenders, we don't know how many were actually German, ran out of bullets. It's funny isn't it, when its British, Canadian, Polish the defence was weak but only the best opposed the U.S.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

It also took the Americans a long time to take Cherbourg as well, against second rate troops and no panzer divisions, while around Caen they faced SS panzer divisions, Tiger battalion etc.

[@adamstrange7884]

The Brits took the brunt of the German army in Normandy, their sacrifice let the Americans get to Cherbourg!

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Eight Panzer Divisions and three independent Tiger Battalions, almost all SS, you mean?

[@michaelpielorz9283]

When the fighting begins the brits usually called in big brother,but suddenly big brother had to fight too.and could only sent best wishes.

[@theoraclerules5056]

@@michaelpielorz9283 : Exactly when did that actually happen in Normandy during the 1944 Overlord Campaign?

[@paulredinger5830]

Bull! Montgomery goof up made the delay possible. He was to capture Caen on the first day. He FAILED! If he’d of followed his orders and advanced like intended. The Germans wouldn’t of been able to get near Caen in numbers in the first place. Especially when the British and Canadian beaches weren’t defended as viciously as Omaha beach was. No excuses. He just dragged his feet as he did in every battle. Allowing the Germans to create great defensive positions. Then he goofed up market-garden too. Montgomery and MacArthur were both over rated, and bad leaders.

[@theoraclerules5056]

@@paulredinger5830 :: It sounds here as though, that you may have been reading too much popular, bubble-gum, Hollywood-inspired, comic book - Captain America-style versions of history, a la the Stephen Ambrose genre & his ilk!! You really should broaden your outlook & your reading-matter & resources of history, particularly on the Second World War!!

[@thomaslinton5765]

... or the first week or the first month.

[@ihsanullahkhan3422]

Rommel failed in defending Normandy

[@jpmtlhead39]

Superior Guns, Great Training, Great Moral and Great Leadership. Thats the reason. PS : The 12 SS Panzer Division Hitlerjungen, was the Hitler's youth. And the Panthers only arrived at Normandy, in july and not in the 7 of june. And like the Tigers, they were so few, that 95% of all Allies troops never seen one Panther or Tiger in Normandy. Every Panzer Mark 4 with is long barrel and those "skirts", was confused for a Tiger. It was a real mess for the Allies, If the Germans, had so many Tigers as they thought. Like the Panthers, the Tigers in Normandy, were so few, thats even Ridículous.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@João Rodrigues "95% of all Allies troops never seen one Panther or Tiger in Normandy." Apart from the British and Canadians who took on... ♦Panzer Lehr Division (101 Panzer IVs, 89 Panthers) ♦ 2nd Panzer Division (89 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers) ♦ 116th Panzer Division (73 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers) ♦ 1st SS Panzer Division (98 Panzer IVs, 79 panthers) ♦ 9th SS Panzer Division (40 Stugs, 46 Panzer IVs, 79 Panthers) ♦ Tiger Battalion SS101 (45 Tigers) ♦ Tiger Battalion SS102 (45 Tigers) ♦ Tiger Battalion 503 (45 Tigers) Source: *Bernages Panzers and the Battle for Normandy and Zetterling’s Normandy 1944: German Military Organization, Combat Power and Organizational Effectiveness.*

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-You are forgetting to say, operational. All time high operationl Tigers in Normandy, 55 and only on the 30 july, and 126 Panthers. If by the 30 of july almost 1 million allied soldiers were in Normandy, i think that 95% actualy its a very overrated number, but.. Ps: Just to put in perspective, the Panzer Lehr on the 8 of june, had 6 operational Panthers. For the more than 200.000 thousand allied Men inshore by the 8 of june, to see a Panther, would probably more difficult than see a cow seated on a tree. And after operation Cobra, well, only on photos probably.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@jpmtlhead39 "Ps: Just to put in perspective, the Panzer Lehr on the 8 of june, had 6 operational Panthers. " Source? Im pretty sure the Panzer Lehr had 89 Panther tanks and 101 Panzer IVs 🤔

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-The first engagement of the 1st battalion, 24 regiment of the 116 Division, Panzer Lehr, took place Only on the night of the 19th to 20 th of July of 1944,when crossing the seine river. 1 and a half month after the invasion. Stayed There until the end of August, until the almost total destruction of the Division. Only 8 weeks later, the Allies encounter the Panzer Lehr Division. 8 weeks in constant combat without seing a single Panther, from Panzer Lehr. Its a long time in war. The 6 Panthers on the 8 of june, were from a reconnaissanse unit. Book by Didier Lodieu.

[@michaelkenny8540]

@@jpmtlhead39 Lehr had 86 Panthers on June 1st so if as you claim (which in untrue) they only had 8 on June 8th then they had 78 knocked out in 2 days. I believe you have conflated the Panther numbers for Aug 8th with 8th June

[@t.jjohnson6317]

My Grand father was killed in Cean.He was in Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.Dam S.S

[@charlesegan-wc8ug]

1:58.. you say the 12th SS was there and also there were Hitler Youth defending caen, the 12th SS division was all Hitler jugend and good lord the amount of damage those boys did to the allies was incredible. Can you imagine fighting an entire division of the most fanatical soldiers in all of Germany and they were high on pervitin. Oh man they were an absolute nightmare to fight the 12SS Hitler Jugend was easily one of the best divisions Germany had second only to Das Reich and a couple others.

[@AnantRaghav]

Allied Armoured convoy fucked up good by Wittmann tiger here .

[@terrymoogan8445]

If only he spent a little time on rehearsing his pronunciation of the French town names.

[@bertplank8011]

Hear hear....

[@AnthonyEvelyn]

Ost Front taktiks!

[@kurtmartin8446]

better to read wiki entries than watch this pablum

[@foenikxsfirebird3067]

In beginnig the SS had NOT BEEN WELL TRAINED-BUT FANATIC . And had lots of losses .

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

I saw a few of the "Swimming Shermans", with a watertight rubber skirt around, which actually had reached the coast. Sadly many wasn't close enough to the coast, when the landing ships stopped and tried to unload the tanks, so many actually sank during the sailing in and are to be found on the bottom, in front of the coast.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

The Germans wanted to seal off the landing -- like at Anzio -- and then drive the Allies back into the sea, which makes sense. Unfortunately, they also chose to fight the Allies at a site that was most difficult logistically for themselves and most favorable for the Allies. By concentrating their forces around Caen they made it possible for the Allies to trap them in mass when 3rd Army finally broke out to the south.

[@AjitMD]

Most of the German armor including their Tigers, Panthers, air support was tied in Russia. Otherwise, thee Normandy invasion would have been mowed in the beaches, if they made that far.

[@gozzy_gozzy4447]

Really. You could equally say that without the allies, the Russians wouldn't have won Stalingrad, Germans would have eventually got to Moscow and probably take the whole ussr

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@AjitMD Actually the number of German tanks lost in the west in this period was 1,730, while in the east it was 1,586. The west received priority in German armour throughout 1944.

[@TimvanderWeyden]

@@gozzy_gozzy4447 yeah, it isn't even funny anymore how russians and russia-lovers forget how much allied support they got and how important that support was for survivability. And you can try to explain it time and time again, but it is just a waste of energy. 😔

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@TimvanderWeyden It also has to be remembered that Germany's war industry was in ruins by the time the Red army reached it's borders, thanks to the RAF and the USAF bombing it.

[@TimvanderWeyden]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- indeed. I also forget to mention that. 😄 The russians are so full of themselves they forget everything western allies did. Land-lease (food, weapons, money), bombing important German facilities, and of course redirecting other German forces to the west. When russians shout that they sacrificed most men, they seem to forget western allies actually cared what happened to their soldiers, and made slow progress due to tactical operations, while soviets only cared for strategic goals, no matter the cost of men and material. No matter how brutal the Germans could be, nothing was as brutal how the soviets treated their men (and women). Talking about soviet women; they too were very important in the victory, but hardly get any recognition, as "good women don't fight". That mentality. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@ejmproductions8198]

Churchill was reluctant to invade mainline Europe - had to be forced by the USA and Russia. Old slow Montgomery took 3 weeks to capture his objective. The British only contributed to 6% of the Allied numbers which is 3,000,000. That is the amount of Indians starved by British war policy. You have to ask yourself - Was it better to have the British in the war or out of the war ?

[@veronho1ness]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 This is the kindest response to this post!

[@Caughtin4klol-nj4zi]

Go learn history better britain fought from 1939 till the end and without the uk soviet wont get land lease and the sea would be taken by kriegsmarine since the royal navy is the strongest navy in europe

[@JamesJames-jt3ts]

Very strange the imobility of german units. I'm sure a vast majority of troops were still defending the "Atlantic Wall" when the allied troops were behind them on land in fact. Also hundreds of thousands doing paper work in Greece, Iugoslavia, Czechia, Sweden and North Germany. It seemed no matter in which area the were send they growed roots there and impossible to move.

[@rodrigoquiroga8590]

Montgomery was a competent general, though not an excellent one. Facing him, against all odds, once again Rommel distinguished himself in halting an enourmously superior sea, air & land force during months.

[@photoisca7386]

I don't think you were paying attention when the narrator mentioned that the landscape gave the advantage to the defender. That fact is frequently addressed when the Americans are involved. Rommel was a competent general as well, just he was a chancer and Montgomery was not.

[@rodrigoquiroga8590]

@@photoisca7386 I heard well what he said and also I ve been there, so I know the place and the poor german defense casemates and trenches. Even when I repect Montgomery as one of the most competent allied Field Marshalls, both in Africa and Normandy Rommel demonstrated that compared to him, Monty was a College student....

[@peterlewerin4213]

Rommel didn't have operative command at this point. He commanded an army group that didn't have any armies, purely for propaganda purposes.

[@rodrigoquiroga8590]

@@peterlewerin4213 100 % in agreement. If Rommel would had the real command of all troops in Normandy since March 1944, probably the story would have been very different....

[@peterlewerin4213]

@@rodrigoquiroga8590 It _would_ have been different. To begin with, he was convinced the invasion would be in the north, west of Calais. He also admitted afterwards, when he had seen how the 21.Panzerdivision was cut to ribbons trying to fight the British near the beaches, that his strategy wasn't any better than Rundstedt's after all.

[@beaujeste1]

Very poor analysis

[@ToddSauve]

Man, this is not well researched at all. Kurt Meyer was not a tank commander in the 12 SS. He was a grenadier and infantry officer brought in from the eastern front to provide some experienced leadership to the largely untried division. Neither was Meyer a general of the 12 SS on June 6 or 7, 1944. On June 8, 1944 Meyer attacked Bretteville, which is some distance west from Buron and Authie where he had fought Canadian armour on June 7. He was badly defeated by the Regina Rifles at Bretteville and Norrey-en-Bessin from June 8 to 10, 1944, losing at least 29 panzers at Bretteville and another six at nearby Putot, which was defended by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the Canadian Scottish. Tanks from Panzer Lehr also participated in the attack at Putot. The Canadian objective on D Day was Carpiquet airfield, not Caen. In fact, three Shermans from the 1 Hussars did reach Carpiquet airfield on the Caen-Bayeux highway late on June 6 but had to retreat when they could not raise Allied HQ on their radios to request reinforcements. Michael Wittmann said he was surprised to find the strong Allied armour near Villers Bocage when he woke up that morning. Many of what Wittmann's Tigers destroyed were soft skinned half track and other assorted vehicles that were most definitely _not_ tanks. Some were but not all, and that is a fact. He was profoundly lucky to survive the encounter and lost his own Tiger right inside Villers Bocage to a British 6 pounder anti-tank gun. At one point his Tiger passed maybe 50 to 100 feet directly in front of a British Cromwell which could not fire because the gunner had jumped out in order to pee! He had to walk a good number of kilometers himself just to get back to his own lines. This sort of attack without reconnaissance would cost Wittmann and his crew their lives on August 8, 1944 near Gaumesnil. Montgomery and the rest of the Allied high command had allotted 90 days to finish the Normandy campaign. In the end it only took 77 days. It is always easier to defend than to attack, and requires fewer men. Rommel himself wanted his armour right near the beaches but the German high command said no. Thus Rommel concluded that if the Allies were successful in establishing their beach heads, the Germans were doomed because the Allies could pour in comparatively unlimited troops and armour while the Germans would largely be limited to what was on hand. He was right. It took about six weeks before the German defenders began to crumble. It was like blowing air into a balloon until it burst. 🤷‍♂

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Well, Wittmanns Tiger was actually hit by three, probably four, different British tanks, including Lockwoods Firefly. None penetrated it so that Cromwell might not have either, especially if it shot at even a slight angle. The Tigers side was 80mm. More than that 'effective' thickness. Wittmann himself said he had no time to reconoiter. He saw the British 7th Armoured Division go right past. He had no choice. His orders were to stop any allied advance in his sector, which is what he did do. His morning attack suffered few casualties and suceeded in its mission. It was the later attack with Mobius 1st company and Panzer Lehr that wasted men and tanks. Wittmanns morning ambush was near perfect. It appears he got 10 to 12 British tanks and a dozen or so soft skins. Not bad for ten minutes work in your first action on the western front. Im not some Wehraboo by the way. Im arguing against the anti British Army and anti Montgomery comments elsewhere. 👍 By the way on the day he died, it was Kurt Meyer who ordered the attack north towards allied lines. Wittmann was allegedly sombre or nervous that morning and wasn't supposed to go along but he felt the commander was inexperienced for such a difficult mission. The attack was supposed to make a preemptive strike at allied tanks, biding time for the Germans around Falaise. To try and stop the allies getting to Falaise. Wittmann saw the treed area on the right with concern, but it was too late.

[@ToddSauve]

@@lyndoncmp5751 The side of the Tiger's turret was the vulnerable place or anywhere along the upper rear deck of the tank, or the tracks. The Cromwell being at point blank range could likely have put a round through the side of the turret or pulled out of its parking spot and put one in the rear end, where the Tiger is also vulnerable. In any event, "nature called" and that opportunity was lost. It would have been wiser to hand the gunner a spent shell to empty his bladder into than let him depart from his position in a battle zone. Perhaps inexperience on the Cromwell commander's part. Wittmann woke up to find Allied armour everywhere. He lost his Tiger in Villers Bocage, and I believe another Tiger or two was also lost there. It was not an ambush. He had a far superior tank and simply found himself in the middle of the Allied armour when he pulled out of his parking spot where he slept. That is by no definition of the word an ambush. That is waking up to find yourself in the middle of enemy forces. The treed area on the right was a concern for the three Tigers that were killed by Joe Ekins. But it was the Sherbrooke Fusiliers on his left that got him at Gaumesnil. And in all likelihood just an ordinary Sherman because they outnumbered Fireflies by a three or four to one margin and Wittmann's Tiger was hit from less than 500 feet in the left rear engine vent area. The round must have penetrated right into the ammo storage and lit it off, because the turret blew right off and landed behind the tank. They identified Wittmann by his dental work and personal pistol found with what remained of the body.

[@g8ymw]

@@lyndoncmp5751 A Firefly of the Coldstrean Guards drilled the turret of a Tiger 2 during Goodwood 80mm was easy meat for a 17 pounder (150 mm at 1000 metres, way more for the APDS round )

[@g8ymw]

Wasn't he head of the Hitler Jurgen?

[@ToddSauve]

@@g8ymw Eventually Kurt Meyer did become the general in command of the 12 SS due to attrition, but he was a major when the events described took place. And Meyer was never a tank commander.

[@brianshockledge3241]

Trust a yank, he didn`t knock out 25 British tanks it was a column of four tanks, half tracks and lorries.

[@GenghisVern]

If you're right, that would be interesting. Reference?

[@crumpetcommandos779]

@@GenghisVern he's right

[@frankvandergoes298]

@@crumpetcommandos779 He,s wrong, British lost 20 Cromwells, 4 Firefly, 4 Honey 28 other armoured vehicles plus multiple anti tank guns. Plus a number of Cromwells captured intact after their crews abandoned them and ran off ( can,t say I blame them )

[@crumpetcommandos779]

@@frankvandergoes298 yeah you're right I just checked haha

[@monza1002000]

@@frankvandergoes298 Most of the crews were out of their tanks and trucks for a break

[@joelex7966]

The 12th SS Panzer Division was a Hitler Youth Division. It's name was Hitlerjugend. It was made up of 17 and 18 year olds. The officers and NCO's were all experienced combat veterans from other SS Divisions. They were highly trained in all aspects of armored warfare. Kurt Meyer felt that it was a sacrilege to use a fully mechanized Panzer Division in a static defence but Hitler had issued an order to not give up any ground.

[@randomvideos466]

Caen battle show us how ineffective strategy by British general, In other hand, although Germany fought alone at the end of the war with all its shortcomings, especially the shortage of industrial supplies since Operation Barbosa, they are make great move

[@redaug4212]

Placing tanks and AT guns behind well concealed hedgerows isn't exactly rocket science...

[@richardthelionheart6924]

It's not ineffective strategy. It was part of the wider war tactics being played out. Pin the Germans in place in the east and then have another force swing round to the west of the Germans. It's called the "Hammer and Anvil"

[@lyndoncmp5751]

But the British took Caen quicker than the Soviets would have, and with fewer casualties. They took Caen twice as quickly as Patton took Metz, and with ten times the number of German armour in the way.

[@lyndoncmp5751]

Brits and Canadians I should say.

[@AndrewAustinFrustrated]

British, Commonwealth and Polish forces at Caen took on the bulk of the best unit's the German's had in France and that was Montgomery's original plan he executed it to the letter of his plan. The criticism from american generals was extremely disingenuous as they only broke out so successfully because of the British, commonwealth and Poles action's at Caen and those american generals knew that the plan was to turn Caen into a meat grinder for the German's.

[@redaug4212]

Wehraboos: "OMG THE ALLIES ARE USING AIR POWER! NO FAIR! FIGHT ON EVEN TERMS!" Also wehraboos: *sits behind hedgerow relying solely on ambush tactics while boasting about how brave German soldiers are*

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@RedAUG it’s pretty hypocritical ain’t it, and we never criticise the Red army for outnumbering the Germans 10 to 1

[@duboisdvoleur]

Is this a pro fascist propaganda channel ?

[@TF2Scout..]

Germans weren't even fascist. Italians were.

[@casparcoaster1936]

i guess factbytes really is just that.... the narratives lack both coherence and factual accuracy

[@kurtmartin8446]

Oh look it's Wittman - nice propaganda shots of him!

[@thomaslinton5765]

"Dee day."

[@JDDC-tq7qm]

D day is overrated Germany already lost ever since Stalingrad

[@thomaslinton5765]

@@JDDC-tq7qm Or January 1, 1942

[@JDDC-tq7qm]

@@thomaslinton5765 yes Battle of Moscow 🇷🇺💪