Intoxicated Moments in History - Nazis on Drugs

In the Second World War, drug use grew alongside the rise of the Third Reich and spread from the homefront, to the front lines, and up the chain of command! Today we pose the question: just how high were the Nazis?
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Video Credits:
Research -
Script: Invicta
Narration - Invicta
Artwork - Robbie McSweeney (www.artstation.com/artist/rob...)
Bibliography:
“Inside The Third Reich” by Albert Speer
“Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany” by Nerman Ohler
“Shooting Up: A Short History of Drugs and War” by Lukasz Kamienski
“The 12-Year Reich: A Social History of Nazi Germany” by Holt, Rinehart and Winston
“Forces of Habit” by David T. Courtwright
“The Medical Casebook of Adolf Hitler: His Illnesses, Doctors, and Drugs” by Leonard and Renate Heston
“Adolf Hitler’s Medical Care” by D Doyle
Music: "Dramatic Documentary Background" by Dreamnote
Video: Original and colourised WWII footage made by World Media Rights. Under section 29 of the Copyright Act of Canada, copyright material may be used for the purpose of research, private study, education, parody, or satire, and is classified under fair use.

[@InvictaHistory]

Intoxicated Moments is a great example of the side of history we can explore that typically does not make it into the classroom. This episode is also exciting because it involved outside help for production. The research was conducted by a college team led by White & Walsh. The artwork was done by Robbie McSweeney who does amazing work (bit.ly/2trU7iD). Consider supporting similar documentaries on our Patreon campaign: www.patreon.com/InvictaHistory

[@gender_nihilism]

Invicta Have you heard of *A Brief History of Vice*? It's a book about the origins and reasons for a lot of drug use, as well as other modern day "off limits" social behavior such as sex work. It's a pop history book, so it's obviously not comprehensive but as far as I've been able to research it's pretty accurate. I'd like to recommend it to you, or at least anyone who may read this comment and would like to know more without having to do absurd amounts of research. Thanks for reading my comment, I love your channel!

[@liamcullen3035]

This was fantastic! My only criticism would be that the phrase "The simple answers are more complicated" on the slide at 8:35 seems a little strange. I think a better way to phrase what you mean might be 'the simple explanations are often incomplete', or something similar. Anyway, this was amazingly done! Congratulations on a great achievement, and many thanks to you and all of the contributors!

[@rangergxi]

Invicta They all looted French Vineyards

[@zachjn89]

Would love to see more videos like this one with different armies/countries!

[@snakeysnake758]

Invicta Will you ever finish the Evolution of the Roman army series???

[@YiGzit]

Tries acid once, sobers up and realizes he invaded Russia.

[@kynanverwimp847]

More like letting all the concentration camp prisoners go lol

[@ScottishRebel]

jesus christ you square he was making a joke get a life

[@morarulucian8755]

It was a hell of a war

[@goldenstarmusic1689]

how do you make the same joke twice on the same video and get two top comments, pro gamer

[@poz21983]

That plop back to reality 🤣 think that's the next hangover movie lol

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

"High" command.

[@mnmmcg3543]

I find it odd that everybody makes a distinction between drugs and alcohol, when alcohol is a drug.

[@pabloescobarhahah9534]

There’s a difference between drug and poison

[@battleb0ng420]

@@pabloescobarhahah9534 yeah, the dose

[@arjanpetersen]

Yes… what is the issue…

[@Theamericantribe]

it is because alcohol occurs in nature without any help from us.

[@missvida6251]

@@Theamericantribe what?????? Alcohol has to be created. It doesn’t grow on trees pudding.

[@Pontif3xMax1mus]

Didn't the US armed forces also use Benzedrine in ww2 and dextroamphetamine in Vietnam for energy, awareness, aggression and didn't US soldiers also go through withdrawal from these meds. Even if it was not used on purpose to amp up the soldiers it did that. I wonder if similar drugs were used by the soviet side.

[@InvictaHistory]

There are so many more episodes we will be able to do on this topic. And its not just a modern phenomenon either...

[@alexanderringer7420]

Pontifex Maximus Ya, why?

[@Pontif3xMax1mus]

Cool, thanks for the response! Awesome video as always.

[@Pontif3xMax1mus]

Why what? I am simply stating something and asking a question at the same time. I also think there was an issue with abuse of marijuana with allied troops in North Africa and ones that went to Paris in 1944.

[@limon16025]

If i'm not wrong, extasis was created during WW2 to stimulate US soldiers

[@YiGzit]

Tries acid once, invades Poland

[@mikebrow6259]

:(

[@jaec100x]

YiGzit LMAO

[@skorzenygruppen]

Try Poles mass murder at Bromberg,West ignores it.Hitler was forced into action by poles who thought they'd win.

[@MadDogTaunts]

Gunther Von Goldfarb skorzenygruppen That incident happened AFTER the invasion of Poland. It wasn't right to take the lives of presumably innocent germans but it certainly was not the reason they invaded.

[@annelieseocallaghan801]

I laughed harder than I should have.

[@nicobruin8618]

This is possibly the best title for a KZbin video I've ever seen.

[@skorzenygruppen]

invicta,check your nose!~

[@MrGiygas1]

Dont do drugs. You may get an advantage in combat.

[@matronator]

Until they run out...

[@RoboPutinPresidentinCE]

@James Estelle a 3yo was hit with 5.56 in a Bulgaria Militärparade and survived. In The States your literally forbiddem from hunting big game with it, this man gut bw because 5,56 is for vermin hunting or wounding bigger game

[@PenderTheTyrant]

So... how many drugs did Hitler take when he decided to march towards Moscow?

[@petergray2712]

Pender 891 He really didn't start deteriorating until 1942. Before the invasion of Russia he was rational, but by all accounts by the summer of 1942 he became erratic, impulsive and exhibited poor judgement. And having his troops make a last stand at Stalingrad was probably a drug fuelled poor decision.

[@JoshuaBelCamino]

The main reason the nazis lost that was because they invaded Russia during the wintertime. Many of his soldiers froze to death.

[@DarkhawkGaming23]

Actually he was on cold turkey, and testing bath-saltes. ;)

[@AbhishekTiwari-tt4ew]

All of the drugs

[@communistcat3240]

he tried to sniff the freezing cold cocaine on the ground in russia

[@jacktucker3096]

there is an incredible book called Blitzed; "Drugs In The Third Reich" that's basically two hundred something pages on all this. I highly recommend it

[@drinxs505]

Architecture of the Third Reich is also a good book if any is interested in architecture.

[@valerietaylor9615]

"Blitzed" is a great book.

[@jojojotype5563]

the man in the high castle

[@communistcat3240]

key word high

[@jamescrow4915]

The high man in the high castle

[@drm2566]

Imagine being around that lunatic when he was on a meth rage

[@thedameofmuir5373]

Scho-ka-kola is still available today in German supermarkets. It's quite good actually and comes in the same red tin without the swastika of course. It still has a high caffeine content and instead of "die stärkende Schokolade" (the strengthening chocolate) it's motto is now "die Koffein Schokolade" or the caffinated chocolate.

[@lukashansson731]

Have you read Hans ulrich Stuka pilot? He writes about his last meeting with Hitler ( 19th april ) a little bit. " His physical condition is not as good as it was perhaps three or four months ago. There is a perceptible glitter in his eyes. Wing Commander von Below tells me that for the last eight weeks Hitler has had virtually no sleep; one conference after another. His hand trembles, this dates from the attempt on his life on the 20th July. During the long discussion that evening I notice moreover that he is apt to repeat certain trains of thought, which he never used to, though his words are clearly thought out, and full of determination. " Sorry for bad format, copied it from a pdf and i'm to lazy to fix it. Anyway, thought you might find it interesting.

[@sethgaston8347]

The Entirety of Europe was ravaged by a racist Meth head lol, life is truly beautiful.

[@mgray999]

Absolutely fantastic video with a very clear ending. You have a way of making people think, submit, and then warping the thoughts. Subbed.

[@nateallen7765]

I really like your videos man. Well researched, with great graphics and editing.

[@hotdudeftw]

This channel just got way better, keep this unique style of historic content up!

[@christopherarmstrong2710]

Superbly edited & well documented!

[@deadaccount9978]

lost against the allies in the war, and saw my empire fall shot myself to end it all, as my armies slowed to a crawl because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

[@kynanverwimp847]

Not really...

[@spellwing777]

Sawyer Whitson FUCKING BEAUTIFUL.

[@johnmangele6758]

Kynan Verwimp nOt rEaLly

[@jennylee9278]

Lethal Force is a party pooper.

[@woloabel]

Sawyer Whitson aryan lamentations are never inclusive of a loss....

[@abrahamarbores3135]

My great-aunt told me common German soldiers were okay but SS soldiers were really terrifying and screamed a lot during occupation. I thought about that and pondered if it was because of their methamphetamine use/abuse.

[@saxon7904]

Yes

[@saxon7904]

They had whole factories producing it

[@saxon7904]

They seemed to have a lot of fun. Lucky bastards

[@cnacks4835]

Idk man I use meth and I've never committed genocide. Tho I do yell

[@targetmann100ify]

@@cnacks4835 Get of that shit .

[@VxV631]

This was very interesting. I appreciated this. Well done video.

[@vetrovnik]

You really deserve a lot more subs. You are so objective and fun to listen to, also your videos are really high quality!

[@useraccount7763]

What a well produced video. So informative

[@edwardquin4464]

In "Shoah", one of the Polish train engineers said they could not have performed without a bottle of vodka a day and I remember reading that in Stalingrad the vodka was the most important (before even ammunition) supply delivery for the Russians. CIA dealt most of its heroin to US troops.

[@tieiatalks]

My husband is a retired American fighter pilot. After 9/11 he began deploying to the Middle East a lot. The flight doctors would prescribe the fighter pilots amphetamines to fly on an Ambien to go to sleep at night. They don’t do this anymore and I believe it’s only been within the last 5 to 10 years that they stopped doing this.

[@Chiaros]

Love it how Invicta puts out a video that appears to be suited for the average youtube viewer and ends up surprising you with his deep research, thoughts and meaningful remarks.

[@wiggles2868]

Really interesting. keep up the good work.

[@tucopacifico]

The Allied paratroopers who jumped into Normandy on D-Day morning were given "airsickness pills", which were mostly butabarbital, a barbiturate which calmed them and gave them a sense of well being that made them less susceptible to fear, in essence making them braver.

[@MaximusLuver]

Keep up the good work I love this channel you have a great voice for telling stories and information and you pick such interesting topics I hope it never ends lol

[@marcus7564]

I love your nuanced conclusion, I wish more of the internet was like that.

[@andrewescocia2707]

love it!! , do more Intoxicated Moments in History plz :)

[@maxarmitage3812]

Great video. please do more of these

[@Isayonelove]

Wonderful job by Robbie McSweeney, the artwork is very well done.

[@c4nucksens8tion]

Well put together. You've earned yourself a subscriber

[@HeLLBenDr]

Really loving this unique take on History! First the abandoned citizens of Alesia and now this! Beautiful how you guys are covering all the shady topics in history that normally gets buried under all the Blood, Guts and Glory!

[@tombartner7646]

Great video thanks geeza!

[@MarcusTheGreatIAmTheLastOne]

Love this!! Nice work and research.

[@weschambers2890]

Class content, keep it up.

[@mhmccoy2017]

This was pretty good, and informative.

[@Piskosz9999]

Very intersting. I like how you emphesise in the end. History is never obvious and there are no simple answers.

[@maybefixfix6143]

Best video ever Keep up the good work

[@maybefixfix6143]

The editing was amazing

[@Flappmeister]

Really well produced video. Keep up the good work! +1

[@socalghia]

"more wasted than blitzed" bah dum tssss

[@mgtowp.l.7756]

A Excellent Video.. Highly Recommended.. Thank You Very Much For Sharing...

[@WillStrop2008]

Reminder: Alcohol IS a drug. Therefore, being drunk is just another kind or type of high.

[@vincrobinso2331]

i like your Deadly moments in history uploads....wish u would make more of that topic.....like ' Cities destroyed'

[@anthonybrown9373]

Great work quite interesting Thanx

[@gladedextrose9898]

Your voice is perfect. Keep doing these.

[@maremaarten]

You are very good in this!

[@sonial.3332]

Liked and subscribed! Interesting angle on this time of history . Looking forward to more videos :)

[@Mustachay]

This series is really growing on me Oakley, the videos are very well made and hold my interests throughout. I find myself longing for more a the end of each segment. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@tomchch]

A really well made video :D

[@ruohaoli7503]

Oakley i think u actually revealed some really good recipes for the trolls to try... anyway good quality as usual! never mind the trolls ur team is doing a great job.

[@jessepoker2008]

Good video, very well done. I'm subbing.

[@firasdahabiyeh200]

I like the video and the editing was good, one thing I would change however is the main transition (the one that swipes back and forth). It is used to much and it really got repetitive to look at. Its a small nitpick but it would be nice if you added a few other transitions into the mix. Keep up the good work!

[@InvictaHistory]

I can definitely look into buying some more transitions to work into the documentaries for variety

[@surpriseme7205]

Hey dude thanks for getting right to business on subject!!! I subscribed immediately!!

[@jarrydceapa4011]

Good vid

[@tridentvibes]

Very nice

[@CactusJackIV]

Love the content, I am a new Subber. Keep up the great work!

[@Fablezzz]

This is extremely good

[@randyhavard6084]

The worst thing about drugs is the drug seeking behavior, as in the struggle to find, buy, steal, ext. Trying to obtain the drug is what consumes your life and influences your decisions. If you got a constant supply and you're not staying up for days like some drugs make you do you can make rational and normal decisions.

[@Bruno-gj4jj]

You cant make rational decisions while in drug withdrawal right but you always have to use more and more because your tolerance goes up

[@DanTweekStudios]

Amazing video! Could you do one on how intoxicants effected the American Revolution? Ben Franklin was an absolute animal in his time!!!

[@sc18594]

I love the artwork.

[@VoidHalo]

I have a feeling the dramatic increase in wine and champagne consumption in Germany during WWII was more the result of France being captured.

[@AmazingMrWonderful]

Well done.

[@araposkulo]

Awesome documentary as expected by now. Maybe the second part should be Heroin use in Vietnam, I hear that was a big thing. I see you are taking the documentaries on another level by adding puns in them. You play a dangerous game Oakley

[@ReginaldPugginton]

this is going to be the best one yet :DDD

[@Nemo7The7Pirate7]

this needs a sitcom

[@ReubenAStern]

Back in them days, they thought drugs were great. The west was the same too... Many of you would know, that the girl who played Dorothy in the wizard of Oz, was off her face on heroin nearly all the time, and she died. That was around the same time.

[@diablog1621]

Reuben Stern they didn't think they were great they just thought they were useful until a lot got hooked

[@danieltanirverdov4838]

I like this channel's lean towards history more than video games nice

[@InvictaHistory]

well I make a lot of video game content in between documentaries so its relatively balanced

[@JuliusOfficial-hv5qo]

I love your voice in these history video

[@Shunteration]

Seems like a clear-cut case: stimulants to improve mood, and performance enhancers for their namesake. All just a small, but important part of the rebuilding and war effort.

[@ChimaeraTom]

i came for the Total War, i stayed for the history lessons :) great vid!

[@AntonioX25]

2:00 the writing's on Romanian

[@toxicjubilations]

I see someone read Blitzed by Norman Ohler :P A nice summary though, and great footage

[@3uujh656]

inb4 people excuse hitler and blame drugs on the warcrimes of the nazis

[@InvictaHistory]

that was my main point at the end of the video

[@3uujh656]

i know, and i think that the video was really well done

[@danielcucumber2027]

You late

[@swaggermcdagger9950]

Nice, looking forward to this!1

[@Fegnugggett]

Can you do one of these on the Americans in the Vietnam war?

[@InvictaHistory]

I think that will be a hard topic to overlook

[@abrahamarbores3135]

The Vietnam war and opium went hand in hand. You could look at KZbin Al Profit's 'The French Connection'.

[@skorzenygruppen]

americans had coke Thai sticks,Heroin,Opium a smorgasboard

[@davidmoller6985]

Can you do one on the psychiatric disasters of Trumpo and Bolton?

[@lionsden5123]

Another issue with any fast-acting substance (with a relatively short half-life) is the speed at which tolerance is built. What one pill will do initially, could easily take 3-6 times that dosage to achieve the same effect in a matter of weeks.

[@daltonmorgan6464]

Interesting subject

[@avive6539]

I can't believe it. I just thought on it 5 minutes ago, then I check my subscribiptions, and this pops up.

[@simoneiannello5379]

This series is simply beatiful😎😎😎

[@joereilly8890]

always knew he was doing drugs but I never knew the extent that's crazy

[@cvc-gamingglitchrespositor9607]

Being an ex junkie, I used to say "I wouldn't wish the pain of withdrawel on my worse enemy". I take it back, and smile knowing how much pain he was in that he himself inflicted. There's no way his last moments weren't an incoherent, anxious and shit-running-down-his-pants mess.

[@admiralkipper4540]

i wonder why you hate a man you know literally nothing about, all of your image of adolf hitler comes from Hollywood movies daytime tv documentaries

[@jdjfyfb6534]

@@admiralkipper4540 your wildin for saying that fuck hitler

[@lonemaus562]

@@admiralkipper4540 I agree , it’s hard to hate someone I never knew directly or even lived during his time.. I’m American and a patriot but I know history is written by the victorious and not everything is black and white

[@paulssounds7129]

The comedown must have been hell being out on the frontline.

[@mongogojjo5944]

I'm sure they had plenty of opioids, barbiturates and alcohol though lol

[@gilwhitley6810]

On the plus side, this vid is incredibly well-done: the footage is great (often colorized), the narration clear, and you get a LOT of information very quickly. The only downside: somehow, the narrator manages to mispronounce several key term in the script: Hitler's physician, Dr. Morell (MOOR-ell) becomes "Dr. Moral", Pervatin (PERV -a tin) becomes "per-VIY-din", and Oxycotin (OX-ee-COT-ton) becomes "oxee-CO-doan". The correct pronounciation of these three words, all key to the subject at hand, are widely known, so it's a bit strange. Even with that, though, great vid!

[@Cheekster15]

“Two pills negate the necessity to sleep”

[@Demonmixer]

Up until a few decades ago, serving men in the navy were still given a daily rum ration. Nowadays, soldiers are even encouraged not to smoke.

[@MrMongoose221]

Nice video, I don't know why but I'm always fascinated by how they used drugs when they were all basically legal lol.

[@crgrapid1845]

"wasted rather than blitzed" what does this even mean

[@yuyuyu25]

Not sure if intentional, but at around 3:00, those are British troops with Carriers and Light tanks.

[@ScrimHyphen]

I see you've also read Blitzed. This is an awesome synopsis dude.

[@InvictaHistory]

I read parts of it for the raw research but didnt run with the ultimate conclusions presented by Ohler since they are not generally accepted by Historians

[@94SexyStang]

Speed is STILL used today, it's basically Mandatory if you're a fighter pilot or operating risky equipment. The military wants to make sure they KEEP their investments.

[@jstantongood5474]

Interesting pronunciation of Pervitin.

[@n.o.2769]

my favorite mix

[@sblbb929]

Nazis never used the word "Matser Race"

[@barryirlandi4217]

Sebelbub yes.. I think only the Jews use that term

[@skrrapop4707]

Sebelbub they used the word "Herrenrasse" which has the same meaning

[@admiralkipper4540]

that does not mean master race the way shitty history channel docs make it out, it essentially means best race. and at the time white people being the highest race of the world was obvious to all nations including Britain and america, all you need to do is use your eyes to look at the shithole nations around the world in africa and asia and latin america to recognise that those people have a lower capacity for building advanced infrastructure or culture

[@plinkbottle]

The last quote regarding the past could also be said about the future

[@wongnigel1158]

please more battles

[@DLR369_]

Nice ending

[@BG_Low]

It's not easy being drunk all the time, -Tyrion Lannister