Battle of Crete 1941 - World War II DOCUMENTARY

[@KingsandGenerals]

See, we can finish series! Stop your libelslanderdefamation :-) Now, 15 more :-) Yes, the next Winter War video is in the works!

[@Jodonho]

Wha?

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

Libel-slander-defamation?

[@anonymousanonymous7250]

Actually, 38 more. They are: -Roman - Germanic Wars -Viking Age -Napoleonic Wars -Three Kingdoms -Game of Thrones -Caesar's Civil War -Arab Conquests -Ottoman Wars -Life of Thomas Cochrane -Second World War -Chinese History -Ancient Mesopotamia -Armies and Tactics -Iranian History -Thirty Years War -Roman - Persian Wars -Mongol Conquests -Byzantine - Bulgarian Wars -Roman - Macedonian Wars (You left out the Fourth Macedonian War and subsequent Achaean War and Battle of Corinth in 146 BC) -Arab Israeli Conflict -Turkic Nomads -Roman History -Cold War -Crisis of the Third Century -Swiss Mercenaries -Norman Conquest of Italy -Winter War -Knightly Orders -Crime Syndicates -Islamic Golden Age -Ancient Macedonia -Imjin War -Early Russian History -Sicilian Wars -Byzantine-Seljuk Wars -Hundred Years War -American Civil War -Mongol Armies I sent you an email as well, BTW, did you receive it?

[@thehumbleturtle5574]

pog

[@xandergeukens8459]

Continue ceacars civil war

[@tomsemmens6275]

As a youngster backpacking my way around Europe in the early 1980s I went to Crete. Sitting on a wall in Heraklion I noticed an old woman dressed all in black looking hard at me for ages. She disappeared. Shortly thereafter she returned with a chap who turned out to be her son and he spoke English. He asked where i was from and I pointed at the flag on my backpack and said NZ. His mother was delighted, she told me (via her son) she hadn't forgotten how we had fought the Germans and insisted I go back with them to their house for dinner. It was an amazing privilege, and I remember it well even to this day. Cretans and Kiwis, we are tight!!!!

[@apokos8871]

that's pretty awesome. every time i've been around the villages there i was treated to some free drinks

[@tsampa13]

People from Chania have not forgotten, neither I. When I see anything to do with NZ, the battle comes to mind and that you fought hard for defending us. We paid back by hidding soldiers in the mountains and some not fortunate ones to be executed for resistance. Lest we forget.

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

@Hfccf Na of of my f I think he tried to type allies but a typo made the autocorrect change the word into enemies. Chill

[@utkirkhusanov816]

huge respect to you guys, my grand grandads fought on eastern front in Soviet army. When I was in NZ I visited museum in Wellington and was highly impressed, till then I had no idea NZ and AUS had so much contribution during both world wars. Then later when I met old Maori man he told me his grand grandfather participated in ww1 and even as enemies how highly told about turkish warrior spirit and Maoris respected them. This shows what an awesome nation it is, always respectful to everyone

[@jjoyjit_162]

@@tsampa13 al last, u lost to us!!!

[@FaithRox]

I remember going to Crete a few years back, and going into the interior villages. Still remember seeing a house that had flower pots made of old airplane bomb casings from a Stuka bomber.

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

Damm that is metal

[@stingerkendris]

There are some of those flower pots made of empty bomb casing s in my village as well...i think they are italian made

[@Δούρειος_96]

The Australians/New Zealand's soldiers defended our island like it was their own, HUGE RESPECT 🇦🇺🇳🇿♥️🇬🇷

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

Love from another british colony India :)

[@siddharthsingh3996]

@@ritaDas-xl4kz Excuse me ?

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

@@siddharthsingh3996 India was a british colony

[@samigo7]

@@ritaDas-xl4kz you indians are every where my god.

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

@@samigo7 Whats the problem then...

[@billba]

I live in Australia and have Cretan background. My Grandmother’s side hid an Australian from the Germans and my Grandfathers side hid a New Zealander from the Germans.

[@oddballsok]

and now a cretan is hid in Australia, yes ?

[@billba]

ODDBALL SOK My parents migrated here and I was born in Australia.

[@omairsgarage8725]

Another "My grand dad was there" BS!

[@SuperSetright]

@@ibrahim-sj2cr , they had ''village idiots''.....like you; to carry their wallets.

[@stung39]

Well New Zealander's would have not killed him because he was a prisoner but Nazi would recruit him

[@ThePalaeontologist]

Can't believe you didn't include Admiral Cunningham's famous quote (dismissing concerns the Royal Navy's losses were too great in the evacuation, speaking to the prestige and valour of the Royal Navy under fire): "It takes the Navy three years to build a ship. It will take three hundred years to build a new tradition. The evacuation will continue."

[@vadaspikas9940]

i mean it sounds lit but you shouldint forget there were people on those ships who drowned :D

[@ThePalaeontologist]

@@vadaspikas9940 Dude, I clearly didn't forget that.

[@rodrigogimenez-ricolaguna4913]

What a stupid answer, unless he himself died there too

[@venmis137]

The proud british tradition of running away :) (I say this in jest, it's actually a really good tactic and is a large factor towards Britain's repeated success in fighting continental powers like Germany & France)

[@lav3crewman]

​@@venmis137our traditions stem from the like of HMS Birkenhead. Long live the king

[@BoogieBubble]

The famous German writer Erhart Kästner acknowledged the following: “In 1952 I visited Athens for the first time after the war. In the German Embassy, when they heard that I intended to go to Crete, they suggested to me that I pretend to be a Swiss, because it had only been a short time since the German Occupation and the wounds were still unhealed. But I knew the Cretans. From the very first moment I said I was a German and not only did I have a good time, but wherever I went, I experienced the legendary Cretan hospitality. An afternoon, at sunset, I visited the German Cemetery in Maleme. It seemed like it was empty; only the last sun rays fell on it. But I was wrong. There was a living creature there. It was a Cretan woman dressed in black. To my greatest surprise I saw her lighting candles to the graves of the German soldiers, who died during the battle of Crete, and she was going methodically from the one grave to the other. I approached her... and I asked her: - “Do you come from here?” - “'Yes...” she replied. - “And why are you doing this? Those men killed so many Cretans during the war...!” The woman replied: - “Son, your accent proves you to be a foreigner, therefore you probably do not know what happened here from 1941 to 1944. My husband was killed in the battle of Crete and I was left alone with my only son. Germans took him as a hostage in 1943 and he died in a concentration camp (KZ) in Sachsenhauzen. I do not know where my son has been buried. But I know that each of these men was son of a mother like me. And I light candles to their memory, because their mothers cannot come down here. I am sure that another mother lights the candle in memory of my son.” And the German finished surprised: “Only in Greece such an answer could have been given!”

[@eroseros47]

Its so sad

[@nikostoss1199]

Chills

[@willu842]

That is so sad

[@mb68nz35]

made me emotional...

[@notatrollll]

Her son dies in a concentration camp where prisoners and innocent civilians were massacred, while german soldiers die fighting? I dont necessarily hate german soldiers who followed orders in war depending, but that doesn’t seem like an equal exchange to me. Like…..where were the greek concentration camps of germans? Or the british? Only Russia really killed civilians enmass like germans did. Fuck that and fuck those that massacred civilians in tens of thousands. Not bomb runs or warfare for those of you who want to say “but country A. Killed lots of civilians during this or that war”. No, im talking straight genocide of unarmed population who had already surrendered.

[@Giannio2012]

Everyone ho has fought alongside us has earned our eternal friendship and gratitude. Long live Greece, Australia and New Zealand.

[@timothy2630]

and England my friend, dont forget England

[@swolag]

@@timothy2630 England too of corse. ;)

[@layla693]

My Dad fought in this campaign he said it was a bloody time there was a place with so many bodies the soldiers called it "stink alley". Hardly surprising that he suffered post war from terrible PTSD he would wake us kids up at night shouting and screaming and cursing as he had nightmares from it.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

As Winston also said, “Hence, we will not say that the Greeks fight like heroes , but that heroes fight like Greeks .” Adolf Hitler said: “The Greek soldier, above all, fought with the most courage.”

[@nnass262]

and still lost

[@watsefack4243]

@@nnass262 Dude, you now what a small army Greece had? They still fought the Germans back for a month, what in todays eyes isunbelievable. The Greeks changed the whole trajectory of the second World War. And you shouldnt forget that they, before the Germans attacked, defeated the Italians, who were the majority again.

[@nnass262]

@@watsefack4243 Changed what? The poles faced the might of the Germany army and put up a fight better than them. They couldn't even fight off a bunch of paratroopers diverted to Crete. Churchil was just trying to motivate them to fight the Germans by telling them that they were super soldiers he didn't give a shit about them either way as long as they were doing the dirty work. The only enemy they matched were the clowns of Mussolini

[@watsefack4243]

@@nnass262 Overall they took some months from the Germans, that they could've used to defeat other countries. Also the Germans lost many useful troops, especially paratroops.

[@ΝίνοΠούτσο-λ1η]

@@nnass262 well , atleast we stood longer than the " mighty " France ,and the paratroopers were killed from civilians. But tell us where are you from nassim ,tell us what your ancestors did so you got the balls to talk about us .

[@justinbell1596]

I watch your videos frequently, I can not express the chills and the blood turning ice cold moment that I experienced while watching this particular one... My Uncle, my Grandmothers Brother, was killed while serving aboard the HMS Valiant during this operation. He was one of the British sailors killed by the Luftwaffe bombing of the Valiant, the family was notified weeks later but not given much information beyond it occurring in the Mediterranean during a battle... chills... The loss of her brother devastated my grandmother, it was a wound she carried for the rest of her life. She met my Grandfather years later when she was serving in British Army, he in the US Army Air Corp, while preparing for the Normandy Invasion in England.

[@lomax343]

Following the fall of Greece and Crete, the British decided to send in agents to aid and co-ordinate local resistance groups. These men included the writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, and had some notable successes, including the kidnap of the German commandant of Crete, described in Leigh Fermor's book Ill-met by Moonlight. The British agents got off to a bad start, however. Special Operations Executive needed men who spoke Greek, so recruited a number of Classical scholars. These men did indeed speak Greek - but the Greek of Homer and Thucydides. The locals found them incomprehensible...

[@petergray2712]

But at least they treated the locals to classical literature! The Greeks asked for weapons and got a liberal arts seminar instead.

[@Filipas-el9sp]

well, I imagine the local people would be surprised, firstly because I have never heard anyone non-Greek speak Greek or ancient Greek (=Greek of Homer etc.) as it is, one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult to learn, I am Greek and secondly, I would understand less than 10-20% of what they say, if someone spoke to me ancient Greek (but I would definitely recognise the language). And thirdly, there weren't in my opinion many people those days who were willing to learn a new language rather than have better chances to live. I hope you understand what I am saying.

[@lomax343]

@@Filipas-el9sp There was a time in Britain (?1800 - ?1960) when the first duty of schools for upper-class boys was to teach them to speak Latin, the second duty was to teach them to play cricket, and the third duty was to teach them to speak Ancient Greek. Anything else was considered a bonus. So yes, in 1941-5 there was a ready-made cadre of men who spoke the classical languages fluently. Even when I was at school in the 70's, EVERYONE was taught Latin, and the most able Latin scholars (not me...) were taught Ancient Greek as well. I remember that one year there was a production of Oedipus Rex in the original. Odd example. During Captain Scott's ill-fated Antarctic expedition of 1912, some naturalists in the party made a side-trip to observe penguins in winter. One thing they were appalled to notice was clear homosexual behaviour among the penguins. When they got home, the Royal Geographic Society wee so horrified that they tried to suppress this part of their report. The naturalists argued that science was science. A compromise was reached: the report WAS published, but ONLY in Ancient Greek, to ensure that only educated men could ever read it.

[@Nestoras_Zogopoulos]

@@Radbot776 it was greeks that created the slavic alphabet indeed, but yes the letters don't have the same meaning , which is why you found it confusing probably

[@lomax343]

@@Radbot776 The Greek alphabet was based in the Phoenician one. Alf, Bet became Apha, Beta. The Greek alphabet heavily influenced the Latin one. A, B, E, Z, H, I, K, M, N, O, P, T, Y and X are common to both, though they don't necessarily have the same values. So yes, the Greek alphabet influence the Cyrillic one - though there were changes and additions. Example: the letter H is common to Greek, Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, but represent a different value in each.

[@kevinschwager4327]

Been to Australia back in 2018. I visited some memorials in Sydney and Perth and showed the Anzac Troops the respect they earned throughout their history. I‘m a German myself but i mourn every loss of life. These fine men, which gave their lifes to protect other, will never be forgotten. May all of you live long, healthfull and happy lifes. Cheers 😊✌🏻

[@omgpotatos1]

The Australians and Kiwi's went above and beyond the call of duty

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

Kiwi birds

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

@Proud Biscuit Eater or the Emus would have rebelled....just saying

[@goldman77700]

@@Τζει-ε5δ I approve of this rebellion.

[@123wht123]

And they were left to suffer the most, how sad.

[@dayton8282]

Seem like those boys always do, respect to the men down under

[@Pantelis_Psaroudakis]

As a Cretan I thank you Kings and Generals for this video. I would like to give an idea since I haven't seen foreign youtube channels cover the Cretan war of 1648-1669 between Venetians, who occupied Crete since 1211 but generally had the support of the people in comparison to the alternative, and the Ottomans, with the besieged city of Chandakas ( Χάνδακας ) falling to the Ottomans in 1669 ( there's an Ephialtes moment in the story as well! )

[@kaisahfx1246]

I have a cousin named Crete, Maori went home and named their children after battle's, Alamein is another popular name after the battle of El Alamein. Ake Ake Kia Kaha E!

[@CivilWarWeekByWeek]

Man Crete is very popular. Between Kings and Generals, Armchair Historian and WW2 week by week, it’ll have a hard time choosing a date.

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

True i follow all of these channels too my god this is a pretty great conflict

[@hantingliu882]

I mean who doesn't want heroic Greeks on their side?

[@SpunkmeyerSnr]

gotta love a bayonet charge!

[@jackson857]

Thank you for this. Very emotional. This isn't taught nearly enough in school in Australia.

[@anti-loganpaul7827]

True, it's mostly Gallipoli, Kokoda and Long Tan we're taught

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

Yeah. To be fair though we go above and beyond no matter where we fight. You don't fuck with Australians

[@thearabianwolf3996]

Salute to those brave Australians and New Zealanders who gave their lives resisting in a foreign country against that horrible tyranny I have no word for them expect “RESPECT” ✊

[@raphwalker9123]

And what about the Brits you know the ones that organised the whole thing and whos alliance got the aussies and kiwis involved.

[@ElBandito]

Germans: Operation Mercury was such a disaster! Americans and Brits: Hold my Market Garden.

[@petergray2712]

Actually MG wasn't the disaster that Crete was. The Allies would actually launch one more airborne assault (Operation Varsity) in 1945. The Germans were so traumatized by Mercury, they never used their paratroops as anything more than over glorified infantry.

[@wolfgangpagel6989]

@@petergray2712 You should sometimes read a book.

[@wolfgangpagel6989]

Actually the Germans occupied Crete.

[@ElBandito]

@@petergray2712 Mercury was a costly victory, while MG was an utter defeat. I'm sure MG was the bigger failure.

[@montanus777]

ah, Merkur. that's what he was saying the whole time. and i was wondering what a 'Mörkö' is.

[@PrimisSanguis]

Australians and New Zealanders absolutely love Greece and her people! So many great Greek community’s in Australia who love and respect where they live. But also where they are from! ♥️

[@giakara]

Greeks never forgot the great fighters that gives their lives to Crete island. Salute to Australians and Kiwis lions!!!!

[@PrimisSanguis]

@@giakara respect brother! ✊🏼

[@stretchedandy]

Lost 3 cousins in the Battle of Crete. My grandfather and a Great Uncle also fought there though the later was captured

[@andrejjolevski2179]

Hats down sir god bless them Much respect from me i am macedonian 🇲🇰❤

[@patissialabrinhghetto2429]

@@andrejjolevski2179 Skopja ** or FYROM ** Macedonia is not a country its a state of Greece

[@andrejjolevski2179]

@@patissialabrinhghetto2429 youre disgusting

[@tasos7180]

@@andrejjolevski2179 Macedonia is a Greek region,try another one!

[@georgedevries3992]

@@tasos7180 True. Only said region streches out north a wee bit where Skopja is no?

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Cretan Greeks: Hippity, hoppity... *G E T O U T O F M Y P R O P E R T Y*

[@iamaheretic7829]

@@ArielNugraha2003 i think that is Switzerlands line

[@andreaspapachristos5947]

@@ArielNugraha2003 well in the final months turkey joined the war

[@exudeku]

@@ArielNugraha2003 Atatürk really boosts Turkey like a madlad after WWI

[@andreaskolliopoulos1314]

@@ArielNugraha2003 you help Hitler with no take action

[@chromsh2806]

You really can see what high standard the Wehrmacht held back then, when they considered 23k enemy casualties and an accomplished objective a failure, because of 6k casualties on their side.

[@petergray2712]

And the Luftwaffe (to whom the falscharmjager belonged) didn't inflict the bulk of the fatalities and wounded upon the British Army, but upon the Royal Navy. 15k out 23k were POWs. And they lost 284 aircraft to just 21 RAF planes (13.5 to 1 kill ratio), mostly transport and bomber aircraft. So yeah it was a disaster.

[@thatno0b504]

@@petergray2712 although I mainly agree with you, we do have to keep in mind how many ships they were able to destroy. For most other allied nations, they will gladly consider those kind of trade offs as a success but because of the weak German industry, they aren't able to resupply as much. I wouldn't call it a disaster, a few hundred planes can be rebuilt even by the Germans In a year or so but a cruiser will take more than a year each

[@michael43216]

The germans faced a considerable amount of losses they couldn't quickly made up for in a campaign they weren't supposed to take part in. It was the italians job to take over the Mediterranean so that the germans could advance on the USSR. Standards were high because they had to be and the losses they faced were tactically unacceptable.

[@markuhler2664]

I thought the discrepancy in casualties was weird too in considering whether the operation was a success. From the other comments I guess it was.

[@ethical3429]

@@petergray2712 it also inluded those which were shot by ships not by raf. So the combined losses are not significant for the time.

[@-prometheus-7667]

My great grandfather died defending Crete. RIP Private Neindorf Also there were many Australians defending Malame airfield with the New Zealand forces.

[@tsampa13]

As a local and historian, I found 1-2 minor mistakes. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders landed at Tymbaki and then proceeded to Heraklio, not Chania. Also the 42nd street extended from the road between Souda and Chania to Tsikalaria, not the full length to Chania. Very hard to condence the battle in such a short video, but its actually a good one.

[@robert6106]

My grand father fought there, he was part of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, ended up a POW, pasted away in the early 1990s.

[@outthere9370]

A warrior N.Z. soldier called Charles Upham was awarded the V.C. for his actions for the battle of Crete. He was one of many that fought bravely with their Cretan brothers & sisters against the enemy. They shall be remembered!

[@bigazza7829]

Lest we forget from Australia .

[@billpolychronidis7805]

Crete is the USA of Greece, even though owning guns is not allowed, a lot of Cretans have Berettas in their cars remembering those old days

[@Charapos]

Texas of Greece

[@billpolychronidis7805]

@@Charapos well said

[@Enraged-Crusader]

yeah dont forget the six shooters and the shotguns we still use them XD

[@billpolychronidis7805]

@ENGLISH KNIGHT fucking winner in both wars

[@pikachu-chan8893]

This episode taught us the importance of air superiority. Without the overwhelming superiority of the Luftwaffe, and the capture of Malemi Airport which ensured ceaseless flow of German supplies and manpower into Crete, the German army might not be able to seize the island, and very likely turned out to be "another Operation Market Garden".

[@billhanna2148]

Speaking of air superiority where was the RAF or anything like that ??? It's un-Kings & Generals to not even mention that.😱😠

[@oddballsok]

The Luftflotte 7 of von Richthofen was put into FULL concentration during the attacks on Stalingrad.. just realise..a FULL luftflotte big enough to attack a small country (or a huge russian sector) . concentrated on this cretan island (and the seas around it) ...no wonder the british lacked time and time again in plane resources....UNTIL the USA production kicked in and until the slow but steady reduction in airforce numbers in Russia took its toll.

[@zel3888]

@@billhanna2148 I wondered that too. Why no RAF or other fighters flying out Crete to defend the RN ships as well as fight in the land battles?

[@cengizsogutlu]

Respect Greece for brave defense from Turkey.

[@jjoyjit_162]

Mad man, u should support the Germans.

[@The_Daily_Tomato]

*But why did we never upgrade our wallets?* Because the new ones are smaller and cannot hold anywhere near the same amount of stuff as the old ones. Old people have things in their wallets. Substantial amount of bills, coins, cards, memory notes, coupons, family pictures and more. This is why the old style is so popular, because the new style does not offer such things. The new ones can hold few cards, very small amount of bills and maybe a memory card or two if you stretch it.

[@meisterproper8304]

Yeah I don't get what's the point of these new "wallets". It seems to have been designed by people who only pay with cards and therefore don't need space for change

[@catriona_drummond]

Here in Germany coins are still very much a thing. Parking tickets, tram tickets, small change at the bakery, supermarket carts, etc etc. one of these so called "wallets" would be mostly completely useless here as you'd have to have a second wallet for the rest.

[@lojzek91]

Also, as someone who works in retail, getting bills all crumpled up like that is really annoying. The bills aren't meant to be folded like that. Don't do that, people.

[@tylernilson7021]

i love how in that commercial, they try to claim wallets were invented in the 1990s lol

[@trapezeable]

The change and coins and all these small stuff can be kept in the new start-up invention called......Pocket Ridge

[@elpanchito421]

My granddad was one of Laycock's British commandos who covered the retreat off the island. He, like 3/4 of his unit, was left behind and captured by the Germans. Great to see the battle I've heard so much about being brought to life this way - brilliant video.

[@taxiarchiskalyvas8198]

Imagine being a German Paratrooper slowly falling with your parashoot only to see under your feet 5 middle-aged muscular men with great mustaches waiting you to fall with their rakes and rolling pins.🙏🏼

[@skamazbg5675]

Then he shoots him with a gun and the villager dies.

[@christermi]

@@skamazbg5675 more often than not , the cretans were armed with their household guns , meaning that the scattered germans paratroopers coming up against them had little to no chance of survival .

[@skamazbg5675]

@@christermi nope they took guns from museums and there weren't many. So tell me 18th century gun vs modern pistol.

[@taxiarchiskalyvas8198]

@@skamazbg5675 in Crete there was and are today double the guns than the population dude. You don't mess with Cretans

[@taxiarchiskalyvas8198]

@@skamazbg5675 actually looking at the losses this isn't the case

[@infoenglish9766]

Love and respect Greece from Bangladesh

[@FatedMouse]

I remember writing my end of year history assignment on how drastically different the outcome of the battle could have been, if Andrew had not withdrawn from hill 107. Kia kaha, still Proud to Call him a kiwi.

[@Riku-zv5dk]

It is interesting looking at the grand picture and seeing what they couldn't, and what weight the choice they make with the information and perspective they had, and how history is changed by these small choices. They may have had numbers, but the defenders didn't have the supplies while being careful not to tip off the Germans that they knew they were coming, and once the Germans had that airfield it was over unfortunately, and yet the defenders put up valiant fight after valiant fight.

[@zel3888]

@@Riku-zv5dk To be honest I wouldn't blame Andrew. The airfield should have been better defended with more troops. It was obviously going to be the main target. Blame goes to the overall commander.

[@Todo47]

I went to Crete as a kid and I had heard of the battle. I remember looking at the hilly, unvegetated, open terrain with gorgeous sea and landscape, and thinking how bloody the battle must of been. To think of the soldiers assaulting those open hills with bayonets and grenades under fire from machine guns, aircraft, and artillery. It must have been a terrible and awesome sight.

[@flyingterminator357]

Greetings from Crete , very good job !

[@DragonFantasmas]

Germans : Taking heavy casualties in the operation to take Crete Italians : Just walking around until the worst end and they reach ierapetra

[@user-kk6yg7ds9z]

you know that the italian use a huge number of stucka right ? when the allies says that they were attack by the stuka they dont know if it italian or german or both

[@Philemon888]

The channels editing and overall production quality is just top notch, keep up the good work!!

[@AT-wj5sw]

I’m a Greek American. My family came here after ww2. I am 27. Me and my sons will always stand in defense of Australia, New Zealand, and Britain for their aid in this war. Idc if it was strategic for the war itself, it means a lot that all the kiwis and Australians and British lost their lives defending the ancestral homeland of the Greek peoples

[@reality8763]

"If I had to take hell, I would use the Australians to take it and New Zealanders to hold it" - Erwin Rommel

[@leontremel6062]

He never said that

[@anti-loganpaul7827]

@@leontremel6062 Yes he did lol, he even said "Give me 2 Australian divisions and I'll conquer the world for you"

[@anti-loganpaul7827]

@@DonBean-ej4ou What?

[@JG-vd1cc]

@@leontremel6062 he also said “Give me the Maori Battalion and I will conquer the world” ANZAC’s bravery was top tier in both wars just a shame they were often under shitty command.

[@louisavondart9178]

@@anti-loganpaul7827 ..old wives tale but he did hold the Aussies in high regard for their defence of Tobruk. He didn't meet up with any Kiwis until they outflanked him at El Alamein.

[@christopherg2347]

Ah, JU52. I remember having seen one fly around where I grew up way after WW2. The 3 engine and striped(?) metal hull are quite unique and noticeable. 10:15 When fighting against Paradrops, no tank is outdated or to weak. Paratroopers always travel light.

[@tomaszzalewski4541]

That feeling when you are a paratrooper and your equipment lands in enemy machine guns lines of fire

[@masayukitachibana2756]

Scheisse

[@thesockleprechaun5792]

Kings and Generals, another amazing video! I absolutely love all your content and the level of detail you add to your videos really helps to put you guys miles ahead of the competition! Keep up the amazing work!

[@Oracle1230]

Kings and Generals puting other youtube content creators to shame.

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

Yes but kings and generals only said to me themselves that epic history tv is better.

[@Nestoras_Zogopoulos]

@Aleksa Petrovic it goes hand in hand with the poor attention span of modern day people I suppose.

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

@Aleksa Petrovic What about epic history tv??

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

@Aleksa Petrovic The russia one is old so it has some not same animation and storyline but its still great,but he told me in a reply that he is going to do Rome probably after Napoleon's marshals but again probably.

[@Nestoras_Zogopoulos]

@Aleksa Petrovic Yeah good point, I can very much see this being a combination of wanting to appeal to many kinds of viewers as well as their own excitement to cover various historical happenings. Admittedly I should rephrase my '' bad attention span'' comment more as '' Impulsiveness''. And thats a packed term. basically what I mean is that, it has been my experience that, while people are certainly capable of watching hours of documentaries - since they enjoy it - at the same time I do have to doubt how attendive they are while doing it, this is the equivalent of binge-watching movies or sth. Impulsiveness is probably a better term and it also applies to the producers too with regards to schedule. tl;dr it's not that people are incapable of watching stuff for many hours , but rather that they gain little even if they watch things for hours on end.

[@syedazam2568]

Germany in 1940- 1941: Hitler flips a coin with both same sides: Its heads. Invade another country

[@citrus7487]

This channel deserves tens of millions of subscribers, the video quality is over the roof!

[@Nikomaxos15]

Greetings from Crete !!! you are one of the best YouToube channel ever !!! you are welcome in Crete !!!

[@frankenstein1995may]

Love the ending background music.. it's enthralling..intense

[@muhammadassadullah6261]

Name song

[@themythicwaffle]

My Papou’s brothers and sister were killed in this war. And he had to bury them in his backyard when he was about 3 or 4. One of his brothers was only 2 years old.

[@bennichols561]

Im glad he made it.

[@Sanginius23]

My Grandfather arrived with the second wave (Gebirgsjäger) and was wounded by a british granade. He later volunteer out of the Lazarett to join the Wehrmacht Heeresgruppe Mitte for the attack on Moscow cause he wanted to be 'part of the Endsieg Parade'. He was later wounded again (lost his right thump) in the so called Winterbattle of 41/42 and made home to Austria with the Eisernes Kreuz first class. Never talked much about Russia but he had good memories about Kreta

[@tsampa13]

Those who stayed in Crete and Rhodes were the lucky ones of the war, they had a good time, not like in Russia. Many made friendship with locals and brought secretely food to them.

[@sam74mumm]

@@tsampa13 Wow, that´s news to me. I thought the relations were purely hostile, after the atrocities both did to each other. I read of cretans civilians cutting the throats of fallschirmjaeger survivors and general Student executing cretan civillians(even those that hadn´t fought) in droves.

[@tsampa13]

@@sam74mumm The main atrocity Cretans did was to throw in deep caves captured or killed German soldiers, but that was well later around 1942-43. Cretans resisted with arms in the beginning, but after the execution of 10 Cretans for every German killed, they were more 'discreet' in their killings. A week or more after the battle many corpses laid around, crows like to eat the eyes of dead and belly swells to explosion, so some Cretans slit the bellies to let air vent out. Cretans stole whatever they could find from dead as they were really poor, and first thing to go was weapons (well, many laid around and were picked up). The sight of such dead led Germans believe that Cretans did atrocities. Mind you the men left on Crete were battle hardened as they participated in 1912-22 campaigns, and knew how to fight. Many fought alongside the allies (look story oat Galatas with officer Forrester). Student never issued an order to execute civilians that's why he was not tried after the war. Cretans lacked weapons (they got many containers at the beginning) and many ambushed and killed Germans with stones, axes, etc There is a famous story and a painting depicting the battle of Galatas.

[@sam74mumm]

@@tsampa13 That explains some of the stories, thanks for clarifying.

[@jesseberg3271]

It seems to me that, given the fact that the Greeks had lead the most successful land defense in Europe against the Axis, maybe they should have been given a role in commanding the defense of Crete. These British Generals don't seem to be doing too well.

[@jacquesstrapp3219]

The Greeks did very well against the Italians. Not so good against the Germans. I think you're giving them a little too much credit.

[@Phello123]

To be fair to the brits, the Greeks were fighting the Italians, and the Greeks got smacked once the Germans came along tho they did put up a good fight but the British general was incompetent also

[@Hydrogen-Hyperoxide]

@@jacquesstrapp3219 Stop talking stupid. The Greeks fought 2 enemies at the same time. It seems that you forgot that in the German invasion, most of the Greek army was in Albania and was fighting the Italians (and defeating them). What did you expect them to do? They are not superhumans. They fought with inferior equipment enemies, who had much better weapons.

[@VarthalabauHair]

@@jacquesstrapp3219 Lol most of the Greek troops had been fighting Italian troops in Albania for a year and were exhausted by the time the Germans invaded both through Bulgaria and Yugoslavia and outnumbered them. Whereas the Greco-Bulgarian borders were fortified and repelled the Nazis until they ran out of munitions, the borders with Yugoslavia were not (the Germans used the same tactic as they did with France to bypass the Maginot Line by invading Belgium). You also conveniently forget that technologically, Greece in the 40s was far behind Italy and more so Germany in terms of military equipment. The Greeks defeated Mussolini's forces despite inferior equipment mainly through strategy but there was nothing they could have done against the Nazis and their tanks.

[@jacquesstrapp3219]

@@VarthalabauHair I am not forgetting that the Greeks were technologically outclassed. That was my point. Nobody else did much better in the early war so they weren't alone.

[@WilliamB.D.]

respect Greeks and British forces from Turkey

[@lav3crewman]

I am a retired kiwi soldier who's great uncle fought at this battle. SAR MAJ Neilson 2NZEF. KIA Battle of Monte Casino

[@leotavares7366]

I am a simple Guy: I see a Kings and Generals video, i click in the Like and watch immediately. Simple! Haha

[@megamaniscoolrightguys2749]

@D B Winner*

[@rejecteddriftwood314]

Could you please do more videos covering more great battles of WW2? You all do a wonderful job of bringing them to life, it really helps us to visualize them more, so thank you!!!

[@ddiver2200]

My respect for the Wariors from the Southern Pacific, who voluntarily fight for the freedom of their neighbors in other parts of the world, even now. This is what is called participating to be "light of the world"

[@thunderbagel3886]

This was such an awesome series. Very well done!

[@taggebagge]

Long live British, New Zeeland and Australian heroes! Such good people.

[@willkp50]

Thank you very much from England!

[@seanrota3359]

I enjoy your videos, just a correction to the flags, our flag (NZ) has 4 red stars, which differentiates us to our ANZAC brothers the Aussies. My Uncle served in the 28th Maori Battalion. I grew up in a greek neighbourhood in Wellington with many descendants from Crete, the bonds between our countries will always be strong.

[@billthegreat2984]

make a video for the Greek resistance 1941-1945

[@denniscleary7580]

Waking up to another great video from Kings👍

[@MrMaximkozin]

Why didn't you mention that Freyberg ignored the intelligence that the main attack would come from the air and concentrated defense on the coast for a major naval invasion that never came loosing Malame airfield and the whole island in the process despite having tanks cannons and twice as many men

[@shanemcdowall]

Freyberg did not ignore intelligence. Six tanks and zero fighter planes. Two battered infantry divisions that had left most of their equipment in Greece, base troops, and 10,000 Greek troops even worse armed than Anzacs. Germans had massive aerial superiority. Crete was a near run thing.

[@fratercontenduntocculta8161]

The crazy part is knowing there is still many more stories to be told, and will fascinate us for many more generations. Blessings to all of my Orthodox Brothers and Sisters!

[@TanksEncyclopediaYT]

The Matilda Mk.II was in no way, shape, or form obsolescent at this point in the war.

[@jarronsmith3733]

Yesss more kings and generals WW2!! You sir have made my Sunday, Thank you!!

[@danielnavarro537]

Godspeed to the men who perished in the battle. 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 🇬🇷 🇮🇹

[@Mustang1984]

Love this channel. Shows historical content that mainstream history channel's ect refuse to cover.

[@Turgon_]

Freyburg: I'm about to ruin this whole defence

[@doanphat1480]

I really like the map art style, looks like from HOI4

[@nazmussakib8734]

🇦🇺 🇳🇿 actually defended 🇬🇷 like their own something that is very admirable and as always 🇬🇧 only thinking about how to escape

[@sammcdermott4270]

Bruh I agree that the Aussies and Kiwis deserve a lot of praise but that’s just disrespecting every British person who died in the invasion

[@anti-loganpaul7827]

@@sammcdermott4270 I agree the brits also need some recognition too

[@brrrrrtenjoyer]

@@grimreaper649 Battle of Britain had already ended in 1940...

[@Gool349]

the quality of both animations and narration is just amazing!

[@Thaumazo83]

The effectiveness of aircraft was very high in this battle because the Brits lacked carriers and the sea- and ground-based armament of that era was a joke in comparison to today's anti-aircraft missiles... It is crazy to see how weak ships were against air attacks.

[@Thaumazo83]

@@nottoday3817 I mean they did not have carriers in the waters around Crete in 1941. German air superiority was total. No ground-based aircraft on the island, no carrier-based aircraft, Göring's boys could act as they saw fit. By the way, the only significant carrier users in WW2 were Japan and the US, I doubt that continental European countries had built any as yet, I do not know about the Royal Navy but I don't think they built or had many. In WW2, carriers were overwhelmingly in the Pacific.

[@Thaumazo83]

@@nottoday3817 In spite on the noteworthy attack on Taranto, British carriers had little strategic import during WW2 in the Mediterranean, so much so that keeping Malta as an airbase was absolutely essential to the British. Axis convoys to North Africa had to keep out of the range of Malta-based British aircraft, but faced no threat from carriers. It could well be the case that HMS Ark Royal was the only carrier in the entire Mediterranean in 1940. In addition, the fact that no British carrier managed to go to the rescue of Crete is telling of the overall marginality of this kind of ship in those waters at the time.

[@cyrilchui2811]

Well, war ships without air cover, were sitting duck. And yet the Royal Navy never learnt the lesson in Malaysia.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Thank you to K&G for making this video. 🇬🇧❤️🇬🇷

[@ΟΥΡΟΛΟΓΟΣΑΡΙΔΑΙΑΜΑΡΙΟΣΖΑΧΑΡΙΑΔ]

Lions led by donkeys. Freiberg's and Andrew's incompetence are as legendary as the paratrooper landings.

[@joeydebus1329]

18:52: mispronunciation of ‘respite’ hurts

[@Gloria-victrix99857]

Can you guys make a video about the siege of Leningrad?

[@Τζει-ε5δ]

Would be cool to see K&G's perspective

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

@@Τζει-ε5δ Yup

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

Next they should make early russian offensive that is barrbarossa or leningrad or maybe late war maybe bagration

[@ritaDas-xl4kz]

Or kiev

[@Thaumazo83]

Great idea! That city resisted like perhaps no other, countless thousands starved but it didn't fall, huge respect to the Russians for that.

[@ItzCoopzFtw]

My Grandfather travelled from NZ to serve on a Destroyer protecting Crete. I would've liked to hear his stories. Lest we forget.

[@hamm3rtym382]

I would’ve used my Cretan archer special unit and kicked them out!

[@kornaros96]

Archery xp got exchanged for firearm xp

[@johngurlides9157]

The island which you label "Kasos" at 8:27 is actually Karpathos.

[@patrickweber3954]

"We Australians are impossible to kill!" -Fredrick Bishop

[@tezcanuyank3446]

We Turks are disagree :D

[@tezcanuyank3446]

@Hudson Jaxson II Check the records if we lose so much wars we wouldn't create big empires in first place

[@jjoyjit_162]

@@tezcanuyank3446 see, I tell u never to trust brits or amis. Support us, the germans.

[@istvansipos9940]

extro music from about 22:12, please? Epidemic Sound, I see that much. It ain't too much help without a title. thanks

[@Rohilla313]

Sorry one small error: Julius Ringel commanded 5th Mountain Division in Crete, not 8th.

[@jessicaluffman375]

My historical doppelganger was from the battle of Crete, Maria Georgalakis!

[@monsiercochrane77]

One small mistake (evacuation of hill 107) can change the entire tide of war.

[@jamesbuesnel5054]

I can’t believe that. Whether you think you are overrun or not, that airfield should have been paramount... either way probably was going to get overrun anywayzzz

[@andreasleonardo6793]

Nice video with clear explaining of striking steps

[@nkristianschmidt]

aghast by loss of 6000 men, sends army into USSR to lose three million.

[@month32]

They lost barely a 1000 men conquering the mainland. That was because they went through Yugoslavia and did not fought at the bulgarian front, but still. So yeah. 6k elite troops for an island is not something you wish to see.

[@nkristianschmidt]

@@month32 ok, check costs of not taking Malta

[@month32]

@@nkristianschmidt Oh Malta? The little island that was a thorn to their side but was too well defended since they had fortified it from the begining? The small island that was responsible for the ability of the RAF to do something in Libya? That island? They would have LOVED to conquer it, but it was not possible, as the war proved. See... there were airplanes in Malta that could stop the at will bombing of targets and ships. Taking Crete though was feasible, but proved too costly. If the garrison had enough bullets, or radios for communication in Crete, the plan would have failed miserably. German high command knew that. So they lost their elite units. They won because of a fluke and delayed operation Barbarossa. Plus... Malta survived because the Germans and Italians had to conquer mainland Greece first and Crete, giving the British enough time to resupply the island. A resupply that Crete never had because the British high command did not believe they should hold it.

[@nkristianschmidt]

@@month32 yes, left hand job both east and west

[@month32]

@@nkristianschmidt You don't make any sense right now.

[@Limubi1]

The animation on these videos is just ridiculously good.

[@The_sound_Of_Thunder]

Another german invasion, another mass civilian massacre, they were like a medieval horde. Kudos K & G for knowing and including this, shows respect for those dead in Crete.

[@joeygallo1925]

The allied massacred millions of civilians as well ask japan and Germany

[@joeygallo1925]

Allies not allied

[@mithridatesvi4170]

"mass civilian massacre" 500 rebels that try to kill german

[@alexandrianautocruiser8024]

I'm thoroughly against these horrible disgusting events carried out by the German war machine. But you are speaking as if where the allied empires were there was utopia. The allied empires killed more people than what Nazi Germany killed. They were both medieval hordes.

[@joeygallo1925]

AlexandrianAutoCruiser I don’t think you can say who killed more honestly if so please show your proof

[@vladmatei7658]

I would really like seeing more modern battles. Keep up the good work.

[@lukasj19999]

As a German it´s always confusing watching :D one part of me is cheering for the Germans, but one part cheers for the right cause of the allies. By the way, my grand-grandfather fought at Crete as a paratrooper, but was wounded almost immediately by partisans and thankfully the war was over for him.

[@jjoyjit_162]

U should never feel wrong, these allies were up to no good. I hope ur opa is safe and sound. :D from Bremen

[@zhshsG7]

@@jjoyjit_162 I hope you're not seriously comparing the crimes of the British empire in the 20th century to those of the Nazis.

[@zhshsG7]

Mr generalseager, as a Greek I am also awed by German military prowess, Nazi crimes aside.

[@jjoyjit_162]

@@zhshsG7 ☺

[@lukasj19999]

@@zhshsG7 And I am awed by greek military and cultural prowess ;)

[@rabeehabdunnazar3668]

wonderful! super! I like all of your videos!!!!

[@dougmcquillan6411]

"The anzac troops stayed for a rearguard defence" Every single time lmao.

[@keithtonkin6959]

In Sfakia there is a memorial placed by the New Zealand Army after WW2 to the local men and boys who were executed (no...murdered) by the Germans for assisting New Zealand and British troops to escape. I first saw it as a young backpacker in 1976 after I slept in the old ruins nearby and again in 2019 with my son and stepson when we took a rental car from Chania. I wanted them to see it too and they were as saddened and moved by it as I was. It remains well tended by Sfakians.

[@RomilosFronimides]

It's unbelievable... how 40,000 allied troops... formed by so BRAVE MEN (NewZealanders... Australians... MAORI!...Greek veterans from Greek-Italian War)... "managed" to loose this battle, when they made so HUGE CASUALTIES to Nazi's "Fallsirmjagger" forces!!! After so many years of study, we understand that it was HUGE BRITISH HIGH COMMAND mistakes that lead this defeat. First, Chorchill took away ALL the (few, 2-3 squadrons) RAF fighters back to Egypt and left the entire island without a single plane to defend!!!... Second, although the many troops, they had lack of HEAVY ARSENAL (big guns, anti-aircraft units, tanks, etc)... Third, HORRIBLE preperations (from British HQ side), TERRIBLE communications, etc. ...From the moment the first "Fallsirmjagger" step on the door and fell off the plain, the allied troops had ANOTHER ALLY to fight aside them; the CRETAN CIVILIANS!!!... Cretans, where (and are) born to fight since their childwood!!! They can't remain calm and just "sitting and watching"... So, the very first moment the Germans started falling on the Cretan ground, the Cretans (men, WOMEN, even children - young teens!) start fighting the Germans with everything they could use (agriculture tools, knives, clubs, old shotguns, pistols, etc)... And it was quite succesful, because the STUPIDITY of the Germans' High Command, sending their paratroopers doing the battle jump WITHOUT WEAPONS (the Germans' weapons were in metallic cans, also falling with parachutes with the men). So, for FEW SECONDS when the Germans hitting the ground, they were UNARMED!!! And (many) times, these weapons cans were landing NEARBY CRETANS - so the Cretans were opening the metallic boxes and armed themselves with the German weapons!!! That's why, the German Paratroopers had SOOOOOO MANY (thousands!) of casualties during the first couple days of the battle. The Germans' objectives where to take the major AIRFIELDS in the island, so they would land more troop-carrying planes with extra ammo, weapons, more fresh troops, etc. The No#1 TOTAL MAJOR task, was to take control of the "MALEME" airfield. That... was a tiny stripe of asphalt, nearby a coastline, with a (medium hight) hill nearby. On that hill, was a NewZealand's battalion defending the airfield. The NewZilanders fought like BEASTS, like DEMONS and the Germans suffered so many casualties (for a couple days)... BUT, there was a (huge) problem. After the ENDLESS "Stuka" bombing, the communication lines were cutten. So, the British commander had NO IDEA what's going on (to the several places, where the fight was on). Especially for that hill nearby "Maleme" Airfield, had TOTALLY NO IDEA what was going on. So... he took a MAJOR FAILURE decision and ordered the NewZealand battalion to FLEE, to FULL BACK and regroup!!! For 3-4 hours... the entire hill (AND the airfield) had NO garrison! The NewZealanders had left... but also the Germans suffering so many casualties they were waiting... for THEIR LAST STAND, they thought "this is it, we'll be dead soon"!!!!! And by accident... a small group of German soldiers (night patrol) UNDERSTOOD that the hill and airfield are TOTALLY EMPTY and unguarded... so the Germans moved forward and took the airfield... reported it by radio to their HQ... and then, the German planes started landing on the airfield and bringing fresh troops and heavy weapons... ...and THAT'S HOW the battle lost!!!

[@jackturnock821]

My great grandfather fought there and my grandma told me a little bit she said he got captured and the Germans seriously underfed them and while they were marching there were turnips on the side of the roads (I think she said turnips) which was the only thing they could eat and that once he came back the whole family was never allowed turnips.

[@jackturnock821]

Also he was from New Zealand and he made a visit to Scotland before he went back and visited our family town there and when he arrived there were banners with his name on it and met his grandparents for the first and only time and went back to New Zealand.

[@tsampa13]

We do not have turnips in Crete, they grow in colder climates. Wild greens and snails yes.

[@MrMenefrego1]

An excellent presentation! Had Italy or Germany bothered to develop just ONE aircraft carrier, then formed a group around it, this would have been a much easier victory for Germany and Italy; as the carrier group would have allowed for the unhindered transport and landings of thousands of Italian and German troops, freeing the primary group of German paratroopers for the plan's main attacks. As it was the Germans lost far too many men. Conversely, had the Allies just one carrier group in the area the German-planned assault would have been a complete rout and Crete would have remained in the hands of the Allies. All-in-all, You have got to give credit to both sides here, a hard and well-fought battle!

[@ArpanDe]

Maybe I am not the first But I clicked it as soon as it came Thumbs up for that!!

[@andreasgiasiranis5206]

Today marks the 80th anniversary since they started the operation . And Cretans started the counterattack . o7 to the fallen . Always at the utmost respect .

[@Galanis_]

Greece my friends has the best history in the planet

[@muhammadraflidafrizal5974]

Terima kasih telah mengunggah ini materi pertempuran Yunani ini sangat menarik bagi saya