Lost to the Fog of War: Units That Were Unexpectedly DECIMATED in Brutal WW2 Battles

Рет қаралды 102,429

Күн бұрын

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Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:07 Allies - 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment, UK
5:24 Allies - 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, USA
9:44 Allies - Lark Force, Australia
13:49 Axis - 28th Infantry Regiment, Japan
18:18 Axis - 156th Infantry Division "Vicenza," Italy
22:06 Paying the Ultimate Price

Пікірлер: 111

@TheFront 7 ай бұрын

@valiantredneck 7 ай бұрын

You’re obviously tired of keeping viewers and subscribers. It’s obvious considering your lack of consideration to the viewers and subscribers. No one’s interested in your promotion of some garbage commercial. It’s obvious that you’re more interested in earning pennies per view instead of providing good content. It’s obvious that you’re only interested in driving away viewers and subscriptions. Certainly able to help with that.

@toughspitfire 7 ай бұрын

I mentioned this in a previous video but the Canadian Black Watch is one that is worth mentioning as well. They Suffered the most casualties of any Canadian unit in the war and at some points suffered near 100% losses. Some examples include The Battle of Verriers Ridge where only 14 out of 325 members came out unscathed, this was also the Canada's second worst military disaster next to Dieppe. Another is what is referred to Black Friday during the Battle of Scheldt where an assault on SS saw the loss of the majority engaged, with one Battalion being reduced to 4 soldiers. This was also the unit depicted in the Dutch film The Forgotten Battle, which is on Netflix, there are also some documentaries dedicated to the unit worth checking out.

@valiantredneck 7 ай бұрын

Canada doesn’t exist in modern movies or shows plus, according to all movies and shows the US won not only the WW1 all on its own but also defeated Germany and her allies all by itself.

@radman4006 6 ай бұрын

Agreed all important battles in Canadian military history. Ex Coelis

@lordoblivion8038 7 ай бұрын

I knew i wasn't crazy when i saw the title and trying to find this video. I assume this got copyright or youtube see it as no no content video

@douglasjones2570 6 ай бұрын

Some sources state that within just 6 weeks of D-Day, ca. July 10, 1944, numerous American units, including the US 4th Infantry Division, had suffered upwards of 100% casualties. I believe that this includes the 361st Regimental Combat Team, the unit that the hit 1960s World War II TV series COMBAT is based on, which was, essentially, not only totally wiped out, but it was also completely removed from the US Army order of battle.

@redaug4212 7 ай бұрын

Take this as constructive criticism. This is the fifth video from this channel retelling the same story of the 442nd and the "lost battalion", and inaccurately at that. The 442nd sustained 800 casualties during the entire month of October, not specifically during the relief attempts of the 141st. And neither was the lost battalion "decimated" (sic). By the time the 442nd reached them they had about 26 men wounded out of some 241 troops (according to the official campaign history _Riviera To The Rhine_ ). Others would have been killed and captured of course, but not nearly enough to warrant calling them "decimated".

@Callsign_Prophet 6 ай бұрын

Decimated is probably one of the most misunderstood words. It's important to look at the root "deci" and history. Decimated just means 1 in 10 which is deadly in the context of history just not in Hollywood/media where people imagine everyone is wiped out.

@rithvikmuthyalapati9754 6 ай бұрын

@@Callsign_Prophet Decimated used to describe a Roman punishment where the soldiers would be made to execute every 10th soldier in an army as a punishment for cowardice or for not maintaining discipline. Deci means 10 and mat means to kill.

@jeffbosworth8116 6 ай бұрын

My father's cousin was in that pow troop ship that was sunk by an American submarine. He was captured in the Philippines early in the war and had spent 2 years in a pow camp. I think he also survived Bataan Death March

@Callsign_Prophet 6 ай бұрын

@rithvikmuthyalapati9754 That's what I was getting at but was using modern context. I really don't like telling people outright about decimation as it seems to foreign a concept with our modern values. That comes later on haha.

@KaboosOnX1 6 ай бұрын

Got the chills when you mentioned the 36th infantry division. That’s who my grandfather fought with. He survived the war, but I never got to meet him. Hardly ever hear much about the 36th. So I appreciate you mentioning them here.

@TheChamorro0311 6 ай бұрын

I served in the US 1st Battalion 4th Marines during the Iraq war. Despite having the designation of the 4th Marines, my battalion is actually part of the 1st Marine Regiment today. The other 2 battalions that made up 4th Marines are distributed among the 5th (2/4) and 7th (3/4) Marine regiments. When I first got to my unit, I asked my senior Marines why this was the case. I was told of the history of our unit and that we had surrendered our regiment’s guidon in Manila. Marine Corps guidons are revered like Roman eagle standards and the loss of our regimental guidon meant that the 4th Marine regiment was lost for all eternity and will never be allowed to form whole again, hence why their battalions were distributed piecemeal. We made light of this fact by lovingly referring to ourselves as the ‘bastard battalion’. Semper Fidelis

@calanon534 6 ай бұрын

I learned something today. WOW.. did I learn something. Thank you for your service, and the history lesson.

@mackenzieblair8135 6 ай бұрын

It’s moreso so the entire regiment can’t be surrendered at once again…. If you scatter the battalions the 4th is at less risk of suffering a similar fate.

@robert506007 6 ай бұрын

Now that is a proper way of going about military heritage. Too bad the 4th will not likely ever get the chance to reclaim its honor with the Japanese being allies short of massive geopolitical changes followed by war.

@HUMPTYNUGGET 6 ай бұрын

There was a British fusilier regiment that had a white hackle with the units cap badge worn on the beret , the hackle is a tuft of feathers about six inches high and two inches wide ......the regiment in a battle retreated in disorder and were called cowards by the other line infantry regiments . In a following engagement the fusilier regiment acquitted themselves well , defeating a determined enemy with elan and courage , they dipped their white feather hackles into the blood of the dead enemy halfway up so their hackle was white at the bottom and red on top... to say , no we are not cowards ......the red and white hackle was then officially adopted by the regiment .

@dave8323 6 ай бұрын

the only thing you served was the interests of the military industrial complex. You think being a marine in Iraq helped anyone apart from arms manafactures? It made the US less safe, the world a worse place, and deatroyed a country

@napoleonibonaparte7198 6 ай бұрын

Fixing bayonets should be the last option to a commander, not the first.

@user-rc9ew3ky6n 20 күн бұрын

Not in Scottish regiments.

@Hawker_Tempest 7 ай бұрын

thank you for making a video on the much forgotten Lark force, as my great grandfather's brother was apart of "Lark force" in the 2/1st independent company, dying in the sinking of "Montevideo Maru".

@thenevadadesertrat2713 7 ай бұрын

How about Huertgen Forest? . American unit (s) broke and ran. Those that did not were killed. Westmoreland (the same guy in Nam) kept sending in more and more, to be killed. Units refused to go in and hid in the field hospital. Eisenhower checked on it. Finally G. Marshall flew in from Washington to check on it. The U.S was not the only one that suffered. The Germans had the same problem. Not with fighters running away. There was nowhere to go for them. Either side lost about 20 000 in just that one battle. After that came the Grenswall and the Westerwall..

@jdewitt77 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for mentioning the Alpini fighting for Italy in Russia. This is a story that needs to be told more often. And let's not forget the Bersaglieri and the Savoy cavalry regiment.

@DirtMufflerButt 3 ай бұрын

4:16 KZbin censored his speech in the closed captioning. He stated they were captured by less brutal German soldiers, but the closed caption stops at captured and intentionally leaves out the less brutal German soldier.

@competitionglen 7 ай бұрын

2/21st Battalion "Gull Force" on Ambon Island, Indonesia was also a lost Battalion. Their story is horrific. Lest we forget.

@stuartmcpherson1921 7 ай бұрын

The island campaign showed incompetence of top brass and politicians who wanted to show token defence of the islands by troops who had very little supplies or equipment. Waste of soldiers and equipment. Another example why Blamey should not have been in charge.

@justinrogers1575 6 ай бұрын

I use to have so much respect for General Macarthur. I read his autobiography when i was in junior high. But as the years have gone by abd the more I've learned about the battle in the Pacific theater MacArthur was a idiot who left his troops to die and didnt do jack to prepare the Philippines for the war.

@manuelacosta9463 7 ай бұрын

The massacre of Lark force prisoners and other atrocities undoubtedly hardened Allied soldiers attitudes when fighting the Imperial Army and led to an unofficial no quarter policy. To be fair Japanese troops themselves did not even scruple with surrender and the destruction of Ichiki's forces is just one example of what kind of war it was.

@robert506007 6 ай бұрын

Great Video. Did not know the fine details about that Italian unit on the Ost front. That is something I have heard almost nothing about otherthan their presence in the region. The other examples I have heard about, althought I have not heard about most of them inthe detail this vid provides. Well done and Thankyou!

@johncomstock2759 6 ай бұрын

My father was in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 397th Regiment, 100th Division. His company was sent forward to plug a gap in the line caused by a German attack. They were a "heavy weapons" company but green, just off the troop ship.

@TheGhostofCarlSchmitt 7 ай бұрын

6th SS-Gebirgsjäger Division Nord was pretty much annihilated in Nordwind

@mohammedsaysrashid3587 6 ай бұрын

Another wonderful historical coverage video was shared by an amazing (the front) channel...thanks

@seti48 6 ай бұрын

Ichici Thought there were only 2000 Marines not the 20,000 that were actually on Guadalcanal.

@Stripedbottom 6 ай бұрын

Decimated, as in, suffered 10% casualties. Doesn't sound THAT bad really; on the Eastern Front, for example, that would have been considered quite light.

@johnneill5960 6 ай бұрын

Unless you’re part of that 10 percent. Haven’t been in combat have ya

@kingtachalla6181 6 ай бұрын

@@johnneill5960doesn't change the fact %10 loss isn't bad strategically gotta make sacrifices grunt

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

Wrong definition buddy. Decimate- "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." We don't live in ancient Rome.

@agnyr 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for mentioning the Lark Force. When talking about decimated units, don't forget the crew of USS Edsall (DD-219).

@competitionglen 7 ай бұрын

My great uncle was in Gull force on Ambon. It's story is also tragic. Lest we forget.

@stuartmcpherson1921 7 ай бұрын

@@competitionglen Lost an uncle there as a POW.

@IPendragonI 7 ай бұрын

Probably didn't suffer a worse fate than HMAS Sydney (D48). No one even made if off the ship.

@marcboblee1863 6 ай бұрын

I appreciate very much, the fact you mentioned, both , allied and axis forces...many thanks....

@heofonfyr6000 6 ай бұрын

Woa. Lost 800 guys to rescue 200? ....That's a suicide formation

@chucksimonton2969 6 ай бұрын

Doesn't the decimation of an army mean that every tenth soldier is killed? Not totally wiped out, or annihilated.

@alanburke1893 6 ай бұрын

Absolutely correct. Decimation was a part of Roman Military Law. If a cohort was deemed to have failed to carry out its duties, every tenth man would be executed. Some accounts of this occurring by garrotting as the ranks stood in formation. Crucifixion was used when legion was in garrison. Legionnaires had to witness slow painful death of their peers over prolonged periods. Historian Tacitus wrote that no-one was permitted to eat or drink until last of 64 victims died.

@jillsjakes2519 6 ай бұрын

Think of it like "inflammable": It's wrong but everyone uses it that way so that's become the current definition.

@TheMAXIFOD 6 ай бұрын

true. They should have written "annihilated"

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

Not unless you are living in ancient Rome and are in a legion undergoing punishment in that fashion. In modern times decimate means "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of."

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

@@alanburke1893yes, but we do not live in ancient Rome any longer. The modern definition is "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of."

@cophater298 7 ай бұрын

awesome channel

@MD21037 3 ай бұрын

Hermann Balck, commander of 11th Panzer division, destroyed an entire Soviet Tank Corps without a single loss of one of his own. How's that for a total annihilation? This was one of the feats which made him one of a few soldiers to get the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

@azcop2 6 ай бұрын

Many U.S units suffered 100% turnover due to Kia, Mia, and injuries. However, the United Sates was able to keep all units, at all levels, at 100%.

@nickhaynie5980 6 ай бұрын

They missed out mentioning the US 106 infantry division at St. Vith wich was annihilated in the opening of the Germans Ardennes ofensive in December of1944. The 106 was literally lost in the fog of war and destroyed

@89volvowithlazers 6 ай бұрын

its stories like this that place the human mind in the crucible, conscious rational decision making under fire is such a treasure and rare find. One can only hope every single military officer learns these stories and every civilian commander is reminded of same

@chrisgo6970 6 ай бұрын

That ad transition was kind of wild lol

@shauno7582 6 ай бұрын

Japanese just didn’t respect the 1st Marines at alligator creek. Thought they could run straight through them ey.. A real turkey shoot… 😊

@wullieg7269 6 ай бұрын

the Texans who the HEROES saved

@paulrummery6905 6 ай бұрын

Annihilation and decimation are very different. Decimation means 1 in 10 right.

@tomasdawe9379 7 ай бұрын

If you do another I would suggest 155 Battery Royal Artillery.

@augustuswayne9676 7 ай бұрын

I saw this video a couple days ago .

@jacksonbauer5199 6 ай бұрын

Fantastic video! I do feel the need to mention how it seems like the word “decimation” is misused quite often these days… It means exactly what the Latin root would lead you to think, one tenth or more accurately, one in every ten. Decimation was originally a Roman punishment for troops who “stepped out of line”, showed cowardice, etc. Similar to our modern military where an entire platoon may have to do PT because of one individual’s mistakes, but in a much more brutal fashion and in reverse. If the actual culprit couldn’t be found, the troops would be set in formation and an officer would literally walk the rows plucking every tenth soldier for punishment. Just saying, I thought the history of the word was fascinating.

@skinnybub5237 6 ай бұрын

Can you imagine being with 275 of your soldiers and finding out your cut off and about to be wiped out?

@habu027 6 ай бұрын

The men of the 2nd Royal Norfolk, and several others, were informed by their C.O.'s that there was little or no chance of evacuation.

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

English lesson for eveyone watching this video. The modern definition of DECIMATE is "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." Unless you are a legionare living in ancient Romonan times and your legion is undergoing the punishment of "decimation", then you really should just stick with the modern definition for a word. Most people understand what "decimate" means in the context of its use for this video.

@stassandrews6207 7 ай бұрын

The soldiers of Bataan. Nuff said.

@tundranomad 7 ай бұрын

Unfortunately, after WW3 kicks off, there'll be plenty of follow up videos to this one.

@stevengoodloe3893 7 ай бұрын

Hmm. I deployed to Somalia in 2017 with A Co. 1-141 Inf. I didn't know about this.

@lijahjones3844 6 ай бұрын

what’s the point of even taking ID cards if you’re mowing them down anyway ?

@indianajones4321 7 ай бұрын

Reuploaded?

@mitchellculberson9336 7 ай бұрын

Probably if different commanders were running the show.

@TallDude73 7 ай бұрын

Things like this happen out of necessity, or stupidity. There's no way a unit should be entirely annihilated.

@monarchboys5161 6 ай бұрын

At least I know I fit your Demographic. Literally playing war thunder as the Add started haha

@johnryder1713 7 ай бұрын

Captured Allied and Occupied weapons in Axis hands and vice versa please

@eveerust 6 ай бұрын

Why do you sound exactly like Geestly’s?

@EntryLevelLuxury 6 ай бұрын

Damn I expected epically lost battles, not wholesale murder

@TheUltimateTroll9 6 ай бұрын

Wheres part 1

@britishpatriot7386 6 ай бұрын

Those Italian alpine fighters were good enough to fight alongside the British commandos it's an amazing victory against a dug in Russian division.

@shaifunnessa7816 7 ай бұрын

ww2 American top heroes army please make video

@michaels5582 6 ай бұрын

Left out the fact that the brits were using hollow point ammo and had opened fired at the same time that british troops were raising white flags. The "trial" was a kangaroo court and the star witnesses were caught lying multiple times.

@jonathanrennie1379 6 ай бұрын

got any proof of anything you just posted accusing those who can’t defend themselves very pathetic.

@davidhoward4715 6 ай бұрын

michaels5582, what strange pleasure do you get out of these lies? Is it because your side lost?

@JoeRogansForehead 6 ай бұрын

I don’t think any German unit defending Berlin is unexpectedly decimated lol

@mackenzieblair8135 6 ай бұрын

Decimation was a form of punishment in the Roman army where 1 out of every 10 men was beaten to death by his comrades for cowardice in the face of the enemy. Decimated, at least to me, only means 10% casualties and I make a point not to use it in this context.

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

Do you live in ancient Rome and write your numbers as Roman numerals? The modern definition of decimate is "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." Languages grow and change overtime. Get with the program buddy.

@coryhoggatt7691 6 ай бұрын

You need to look up what “decimated” means

@elessartelcontar9415 6 ай бұрын

"Decimated" lol, like that is a total destruction. Decimated from the Latin decem meaning 10. Caesar famously had an army that did not acquit themselves in the battle, so he had them stand in formation and count from 1 to 10 then restart at 1. Everyone that was 10 was ordered to step forward. After they finished counting special executioners killed every tenth man. So decimated only means a loss of 10%. His soldiers fought well the next day because he told them he would repeat the decimation until they started fighting like professionals. The combat fatality rate fell from 55 to 12 percent between the start of World War II and the most recent conflicts. Ancients typically had 40% or more KIA in a battle depending on what their culture demanded or sanctioned. Much of Europe had armies that would stop fighting and surrender if their king was killed. This caused a lot of fraud by opponents putting up bodies dressed to look like the enemy's king. Some, like Vikings, fought to the last man.

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

The modern definition of decimate is "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." Read a dictionary buddy. You are not a legionare living in ancient Rome. Languages and meanings of words change over time.

@brokenbridge6316 7 ай бұрын

Fun Fact: The Nazi's wouldn't have been able to carry out their Holocaust of the Jews and other people they deemed undesirable in the way they did, without the Fog of War.

@MontaukFilms7 5 ай бұрын

Why am I paying for premium to still watch ads IN the vids, mate? C'mon...

@heofonfyr6000 6 ай бұрын

Dude... how the F are you unfamiliar with the word 'hasty'?

@lordkoth6735 7 ай бұрын

Im surprised the USSR didnt end up here

@Aussiefps 6 ай бұрын

Probably way too many units to cover in one video, russian losses were insane

@chedab1827 7 ай бұрын

Yputube no block

@fangslaughter1198 7 ай бұрын

Please stop using the term decimated in place of the the proper word. Annihilated or Obliterated. It makes you seem uninformed. Rant over. Carry on!✌️👍

@DieNextInLINE 7 ай бұрын

I get your annoyance since I'm the same way, but, to be fair, most people take decimate/d/mation to mean almost or completely destroyed/wiped out/devastated. Many people don't know that To Decimate in the original Roman meaning was to kill a tenth of the men. Any unit suffering 10%KIA/casualty counts would count as a decimated unit while these units, like you said, were annihilated or close to it. Remember that definitions change with the people using the word and in the current world, most people accept decimate as a synonymous phrase to the previous ones stated.

@fangslaughter1198 7 ай бұрын

@@DieNextInLINE I know but it still bugs me lol. It lost its meaning due to mass ignorance 😠

@nicks2581 5 ай бұрын

@@DieNextInLINEyou really should be more annoyed with people who do not keep up to date with the correct modern definition of words. The modern definition of decimate is "to kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of." If we want to stick with the ANCIENT definition of "decimate" we would no longer have a use for the word as it specifically referred to a means of punishment by killing every tenth individual, which is no longer done. But, that would be stupid.

@peterlumberjack4682 7 ай бұрын

Very impressed that you found the only british unit who fought during the Dunkerque battle. Seems that they surrender more than fight actually, but hey, quite normal, they weren't able to run to take cover behind french troops. British courage has its limit, and it's at the entrance of a battlefield.

@tomasdawe9379 7 ай бұрын

Say that to 155 Battery, Royal Artillery

@HUMPTYNUGGET 6 ай бұрын

Peter lumberjack ...... French Canadian ? ...😆😆😆😆😆

@davidhoward4715 6 ай бұрын

peterlumberjack, I remember when trolls had some imagination and wit. Now you’re just swivel-eyed crackpots peeing in alleyways and shouting at the wind.