End of Empire (1985), chapter 9: Aden

End of Empire chronicled the last days of British rule around the globe, through the remarkably candid reminiscences of both colonizers and the colonized.
The series, a Granada Television production, uses old newsreel film and interviews with former British and colonial officials.

[@Nmax]

The British Empire ia dead and gone. No use wishing it back. Never going to happen. Nations had choices to make after the British empire left. Some made good choices and many did not. Dubai made the right choices and is a wealthy nation. Yemen did not and now is a broken poor place Malaysia and Singapore made right choices and are prosperous nations, Pakistan did not and is a broken and poor place.

[@revol148]

Aden - (yet) another part of the world that went to hell after the Brits pulled out - see also Uganda, India, Iraq, Palestine, Iran, Sudan, South Africa...

[@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim]

I was there, as a child. We lived in the next town to Crater and after the problem where soldiers were massacred, we were all evacuated to Ma'alla, before eventually being evacuated with all the other families, back to England. My father eventually joined us in November. I have nothing but fond memories of Aden.

[@Adel-zy7mb]

pam Thompson-Clarke-Reynolds-Bowers-Burton so can you tell me how was the life in Aden ! Because now we only have the memories ! So could you tell me and if you have some old pictures of England's families . No one works right in Yemen's government so that's why we don't have the same life like before I can not imagine that we had a good life in about 1960 And we don't have now in this year 2017 that's too mush disappointed

[@raniaalhag2022]

Awesome I am from Ma'alla born in 1984 we live in a buildings which was built by England.

[@neverclose4092]

Do u have old pics of aden

[@Apaleutos24]

I lived in Aden between 1988-1989 and briefly in 1991-1992. I have fond memories of Yemen before the fateful unification and it was way better than after.

[@maeenalyafeai4825]

We are now occupied from Yemen I hope England didn't leave the Arab South.

[@brianchristie2788]

was in Aden 66/67 with the cameronians Scottish rifles at the age of 17 on arriving it was such a shock walking of the plane to a wall of heat i was arrested by the Aden cops due to a shooting incident in a luggage shop [no one injured] i was in civilian clothing and armed with a S.M.G.and got into a argument with the shop owner glad to say the regiment arrived very quickly and negotiated my release i arrived home in Glasgow a few weeks later and enjoyed my 6 weeks leave.

[@zinozee8929]

That’s a great memory. If you came to my curry house and told me that story I’d probably ask you 5 million questions. 17 year olds today wouldn’t have a clue. Hats off to you, sir. From UK.

[@RiflemanMoore]

26:55, just imagine how much body armour he'd be wearing today.

[@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim]

"The British army had superior resources" Which they did. But they were not allowed to use them on orders from the British government.

[@CliSwe]

I recall the TV fanfare given to the commander of a Saladin armoured car - finally given permission from on high to fire ONE 75mm round in the general direction of the terrorists. Disgusting.

[@norwegianzound]

WTF were the chavs and their masters doing there in the first place? The scumbags.

[@nassertailb8260]

Hi I’m from Aden

[@ShaherHamid]

I heard this before in Vietnam War, the US had stronger weapons but not allowed to use against their enemy as ordered by Congress ?? What a BS story. The British lost the war, period.

[@AlJalandhari]

The old Nazi “stabbed in the back” myth. Just accept your can’t defeat determined guerrillas defending their own country

[@tempestvideos9834]

Poorest part of Arabia now.

[@antonclark3420]

27.00 have to laugh, perfectly spoken English from the journalist surrounded by gunfire, wearing bright white shirt and of course his tie.... no flak jackets in those days :) just stiff upper lip and get on with the job.

[@williamharrison7797]

So the Brits leaving was ultimately very bad for the region.

[@MBBurchette]

Seriously, what have the Romans ever done for us?

[@TelexToTexel]

End of Empire is a good series, but like this episode too little focus is about the funders, and it seems obvious Aden was a proxy confrontation, where the Soviet funded the marxists

[@marsdenk.6162]

💯💯

[@sharkbot25]

this is proper reporting not like that sanitised shit you get nowadays from CNN

[@alittibaa]

5:27 Why is the reporter using the word 'medieval world' like the Adeni people where uncivilised and that the Brits where there to 'save them and civilise them' !!!

[@DolphLongedgreens]

How is that civilization going today? At least a decade of civil war and now sea pirates operating freely. Civilization indeed.

[@masco26]

I'm confused, how can you call who defeats his land and country a terrorist!! Is that what we say in English hypocrisy or what!

[@charananekibalijaun8837]

How USA's betrayal towards her allies France and UK during the Suez crisis caused all the eff up in that region...

[@bawazeerable]

The irony here is that the Brits did have the brains, the spine and guts, but not the military ability to stop the mounting resistance put up by the locals as part of the nationalistic fever that was spreading across the Arab world thanks to Nasser of Egypt. Personally, I wished they had remained as Aden and the whole South Yemen has been going down hill since then, which why I had to leave it and live abroad.

[@johnster1964]

If you speak to Yemenis from Aden, many wish the Brits were still there. Aden should be the Dubai of today - deep water port, ideal for bunkering and on a major shipping route. Such a waste.

[@Dreaded88]

@ mohammadمحمد: Nah, you need to go back!

[@leedavid2973]

Karma.

[@DolphLongedgreens]

The modern self-flagellation narrative has it backwards. The Empire wasn't perfect, but it was often better in terms of realpolitik than the previous or ensuing savagery. Soviet backed groups were not cake and candy either. The problem wasn't in the Empire's treatment of colonial regions. The project failed because those regions didn't offer value. The Empire wasn't viable economically in most regions. It wasn't the imagined oppression of the colonized that broke the bank. Colonialism was too expensive for the Anglos who dared to dream of a less savage world. It was a bridge too far in cultural terms and economic costs. The real victims remain the same, victims of native savagery.

[@charlescarruthers8554]

As johston 1964 said if Aden had played their cards right they would be like Dubai today.I served there 1963 to 1965 in the RAF at Steamer Point and up to the Emergency period the trade with passing ships was phenomenal.the Guys we left behind at Hedjuff and Silent Valley was a bloody waste of men like Afghanistan (Helmand back in Taliban hands) and Iraq(no Brits there now). Katir mush tamam!!!

[@HateTheIRS]

Charles Carruthers Thank you for your service. I hate to think about the fact that, British soldiers died, for nothing, not meaning to be rude but that’s what I think of it. If the British are going to fight for a territory, fight to keep it, don’t give up and pull out. I think it would have been much better if Britain had entrenched European settlers in their former colonies, like how Australia became majority British.

[@mlikimani]

@@HateTheIRS Yeah mate, you tried it - fast forward to episode 12 to see what happened...

[@barron8006]

@@mlikimani The world is full of minority governments, the most prominent being Israel and Chinese minorities in Asia. Britain no longer has any national will and will cease to exist in the home islands.

[@spidyman8853]

Charles Carruthers Funny you should say that. And, that is why the UAE fears South Yemen becoming prosperous. Hence the support for Yemen, all be it, the South remaining undeveloped and in-fighting continues at the behest of the UAE.

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

South Yemen was a major nuisance in the region. They were a Soviet Colony during the cold war with Russian bases in Aden and Socotra.

[@zulfiqarhashim1376]

there was no soviet base in socotra, just a harbor which their ships used sometimes

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

The British have been a major nuisance worldwide ...

[@370530e]

I was chatting with the Defence Attaché to Yemen a couple of years ago. He’d recently met the Yemeni chief of defence forces who’d complained to him that his country was a mess because the British had “deserted” it. The DA replied that the British had left because the Yemenis were shooting at us and we didn’t feel welcome any longer.

[@370530e]

@@bfc3057 That’s because you didn’t work in the Riyadh embassy and I did.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I saw this one Sunday night in 1985 and then watched the sequels on Cyprus and the Gold Coast. Almost 30 years later, I am pleased that I remember so much.

[@revol148]

@VanlifewithAlan always interesting to see just how poorly these countries fared after the British left - whilst I am not in favour of imperialism - I am racist enough to believe that certain people need to be dominated by superior peoples

[@VanlifewithAlan]

@@revol148 So therefore you would agree that the UK should be a colony of Germany for example?

[@revol148]

@@VanlifewithAlan Germany and the UK are not even on the same page from around the time of Bismark onwards 1880's+ ! (1) Germany has fought and lost two world wars - the third reich was one of the toughest and most successful armies in history - only beaten by sheet weight of numbers on the eastern front when they understandably took on Stalin's USSR (2) Germany completely rebuilt from ashes even when sliced in half to become in the top 5 most economically powerful countries (3) In EVERY like for like comparison Germany outshines the UK - GDP, GNP, industry, science, technology, sport, engineering, finance, healthcare, literacy, transport (4) It totally runs the European union - the union would collapse without it - it even through the underpinning of the Euro currency shores up economically dying nations such as Portugal, Greece and Spain.

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

@@revol148 you whites in the big scheme of mankind are going to be proved inferior.....

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

@@revol148 yes Germany fights above its weight but saying spain is a dying economy is not true .....

[@paulhiggins8662]

The thing i don't understand is why Harold Wilson's government announced that we would be leaving entirely in 1966 then had the British military stick around for another year and a half to get shot at. Why were the army pointlessly losing men patrolling places like Krater, rather than just pulling the troops back to the port and RAF Khormraksar and securing those facilities while we got everyone out as quickly as we could?

[@Awestom]

As an American, I find this to be a fascinating parallel to Vietnam-era footage, the struggles of the soldiers and the sense of folly. Glad this is on KZbin.

[@crouqetoo2]

I was an Argyll and Sutherland Highlander , present at the time.We were all aware that our UK Labour government was selling us down the river. The prime minister, Wilson backed one nationalist group and his deputy , Brown , backed the opposite.Healey the so called socialist labour party spokesman, an all out pro Soviet individual, was indifferent to the servicemens deaths. It is Laughable to watch the Arab nationalists boast that they threw us out. Yes, we ran with our tails between our legs, not from the nationalists but from our own government.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Having seen today's news from Aden, people there must look back with nostalgia on how it was sixty years ago.

[@bawazeerable]

As a South Yemeni by birth from the hinterland, I do feel nostalgic for these peaceful and harmonious days when the Brits where there. However, this nostalgia is now soiled and bitter thanks to the unforgivable crime the Brits have committed against the Palestinians by first occupying their land then selling it to the highest bidders - the Zionists.

[@alareqi]

Yes we do

[@truefalse207]

mohammad b Jews already lived in Palestine before they fled en mass from Europe in the 40's and 50's. UK gives more aid to the Palestinians than all other Arab countries combined, we do more for them too like grant their scholarships so they can study at UK universities.

[@thomasattard8687]

So you're saying that Israelis are filling your universities; are they dressed like Arabs, then you must be right.

[@0xhba]

+Alan Heath That is exactly what we feel right now in Aden. We grew to hate our grandfathers for what they did to the British rulers :P .

[@DavidFraser007]

Interesting that this little hell hole hasn't advanced at all.

[@MTCypher]

It got much worse with Al-Qaeda and all the other terrorist groups...

[@maeenalyafeai4825]

Because of the Yemeni occupation of the Arab South

[@AlJalandhari]

Yeah Britain still eats like it’s the 1960’s

[@maxwellfan55]

General Tower does not impress in this interview, in relation to the withdrawal. Sounds like a staff officer puppet of the government in power at that time, might have even been envious of Michell. A lot more lives might have been saved on both sides, the transition made easier had he authorised a tougher approach the British armed services were trained for and capable of doing.

[@willybyun1834]

all empires start out to a peak and then finally become a backet case. Greece , italy, Mongol , to english and then finally the last empire , the US . Because they are all man made . In the end, a kingdom created by God will rule forever because it is created and apporoved by God.

[@januszkowalski5345]

And what has happened to the gold and other treasures of the sultans and nabobs of the Federation of South Arabia ? Were they safely transferred to the City Of London ?

[@WanderlustZero]

Nope, Saudi.

[@Nmax]

Yemen is broken now. Give it another century. Russian and American influence is receding. The Arab nations will probably come together and do something good with Yemen

[@celestialteapot309]

it' called a "protectorate" because it's a protection racket; imagine a foregn country making Yorkshire a proectorate?

[@squirehaggard4749]

"Mad Mitch" at 42:20: "...we'll be very fair you know, but if anyone starts any trouble they'll just get their head blown off." The only language they understand.

[@masco26]

Imagine someone invades your house by force, would you welcome him and offer him a cup of tea as well or kick his ass instead!?

[@paddy25c]

It's only way to deal with the average Brit as well as it turns out

[@jimholloway615]

Yes, remind us who are the terrorists here?

[@andrewhoward7200]

​@@paddy25cInteresting how the Irish identified with the world's downtrodden until large numbers of them washed up on their shores. Glad to report none of my paddy mates share your primitive opinion.

[@willh1970]

I actually spent some time in Aden, and many other parts of Yemen, in 2017. Humanitarian project. I passed by the British and the Jewish cemeteries in Aden. The Jewish was quite well tended actually but the British was badly damaged. But the arrogance shown by the 'on the record' interviews here by the British is astounding. The fact that I'm Irish might colour my views but listening to a British squaddie talk about 'terrorists' in Aden is the height of hypocrisy. But here we are, as they say.

[@wor53lg50]

I bet you dont live in ireland now though do you?, thats hypocrisy?.....

[@ChrisSmith-lo2kp]

this entire series begs the fundamental question of what exactly did Britain gain from their victory in WW2?

[@charananekibalijaun8837]

Nothing

[@Dev7.62]

We didn’t gain anything. However we did stop the Nazis . We sacrificed everything to stop them. Ww2 was the reason why we lost our empire. There was nothing stopping us from joining the axis. Hitler wanted us to join and many people in the government would’ve been willing to sign peace agreements . Instead we chose to stand up to the Nazi when no other country had the guts too. We didn’t start the war to gain anything. We started the war to end the Nazis. The world owes us. (especially the French)🇬🇧

[@jeanjohnstone4384]

locals realised the sultan worked for us and got annoyed.

[@masco26]

I was born in 1968 in Crater, Aden. My father sent me to Edinburgh to gain my higher education there... I spent 6 years there from 1990 to 95, I speak English with a Scottish accent allot better than the Scotsman Mad Mich lol, excuse me I think his accent sounds pure English lol

[@andrewhoward7200]

Mercifully he had that accent and not the one from where he was from, like me he was a South Londoner with Scots roots.

[@Jonathanbegg]

Would people kindly note that the People's Democratic Republic of South Yemen soon became one of the world's few officially failed states - where it still remains.

[@johnathandaviddunster38]

Wow I never knew the brits were involved in desert warfare it wouldn't happen in the present day ....

[@maeenalyafeai4825]

There was no worse than the barbaric and barbaric Yemeni occupation on the south

[@FH-qf7mc]

The most history building still we proudl of it after the uk leave the city don't recovery.

[@khaledalgmale2803]

كان لا بد للإنجليز من سبب يبررون به احتلالهم لعدن، فكان أن وقعت حادثة استغلوها استغلالا كبيرا، ففي عام1837م جنحت سفينة هندية تسمى "دريادولت" وكانت ترفع العلم البريطاني بالقرب من ساحل عدن فادعى الإنجليز أن سكان عدن هاجموا السفينة ونهبوا بعض حمولتها وأن ابن "سلطان لحج وعدن" كان من المحرضين على نهب السفينة. في عام 1837م في ظل سيطرة سلطنة لحج على عدن ، وقعت حادثة غرق السفينة البريطانية «داريا دولت» قرب الشواطئ اليمنية فوجدت بريطانيا ضالتها لاحتلال عدن وادعت بأن الصيادين اليمنيين قاموا بنهب تلك السفينة وطالبت بالتعويض من قبل سلطان سلطنة لحج محسن العبدلي أو بتمكين بريطانيا من السيطرة على ميناء عدن وكان موقف السلطان العبدلي رفضه بالمساس بالسيادة اليمنية ووافق على دفع أية تعويضات أخرى. ولكن بريطانيا التي لم يكن في نيتها الحصول على أية تعويضات وانما هدفها هو الاحتلال وفرض سيطرتها العسكرية على مدينةعدن ومينائها الاستراتيجي فعدلت عن قبول التعويض وطلبت احتلال عدن مقابل التعويض عما ادعته من نهب الصيادين اليمنيين لمحتويات السفينة «داريا دولت» وبدأت في الاستعداد لتنفيذ غرضها بالقوة المسلحة. في 22 يناير 1838 وقع سلطان لحج محسن بن فضل العبدلي معاهدة بالتخلي عن 194 كيلومتر مربع (75 ميلا مربعا) لصالح مستعمرة عدن وذلك تحت ضغوط البيرطانيين مقابل شطب ديونه التي يقال انها كانت تبلغ لاتتجاوز 15 ألف وحدة من عملة سلطنته، مشترطا أن تبقى له الوصاية على رعاياه فيها. وفي عام 1839م نفسه أعدت حكومة الهند البريطانية عدة إجراءات للاستيلاء على عدن ، ففي 16 يناير دفع القبطان «هينس» بعدد من السفن الحربية بهدف احتلال ميناء صيرة فقاوم اليمنيون بشراسة مستميتة الأمر الذي أجبر السفن البريطانية بالتراجع والانسحاب، ولعل هذه الخطوة من قبل البريطانيين كانت بمثابة بالون اختبار لمدى إمكانات المقاومين اليمنيين والذين بالطبع كانوا يمتلكون أسلحة بدائية ومنها عدد قليل من المدافع التقليدية الرابضة فوق قلعة صيرة المطلة على ميناء عدن القديم. وبعد ثلاثة أيام في 19 يناير 1839م قصفت مدفعية الأسطول البريطاني مدينة عدن ولم يستطع الأهالي الصمود أمام النيران الكثيفة وسقطت عدن في أيدي الإنجليز بعد معركة غير متكافئة بين أسطول وقوات الإمبراطورية البريطانية من جانب وقوات قبيلة العبدلي من جانب آخر. وبدأت متاعب الحكم المصري في اليمن بعد سقوط عدن في أيدي البريطانيين فقد بدأ هينز اتصالاته بمشاريع المناطق الجنوبية الواقعة تحث نفوذ المصريين، يغريهم بالهدايا والمرتبات ويحثهم على التمرد على الجيش المصري ولكن الأحوال تطورت بسرعة بعد تحالف الدول الكبرى ضد محمد علي باشا وانتهى الأمر بانسحاب القوات المصرية من اليمن في عام 1840م وانفردت بريطانيا وحدها بمقدرات جنوب اليمن كله وبدأت إنجلترا عشية احتلالها لعدن في تنفيذ سياسة التهدئة في المنطقة حتى تضمن استقرار الأمور في عدن بما يحقق مصالحها الاستراتيجية والتجارية والبحرية فعقدت مع سلطان سلطنة لحج معاهدة للصداقة ومنحته راتبا سنويا إلا أن هذا لم يجد نفعا حيث حاول سلطان لحج استعادة عدن ثلاث مرات في عامي 1840و1841م لكن تلك المحاولات لم تنجح للفارق الهائل في تسليح القوتين. ولم يكن الاستيلاء على عدن هو غاية ما تبغيه بريطانيا في المنطقة، وإنما كان هذا الاستيلاء بمثابة نقطة للتوسع وبداية الانطلاق لتأكيد النفوذ البريطاني في جنوب اليمن والبحر الأحمر وعلى الساحل الشرقي الإفريقي وكذلك لإبعاد أي ظل لقوى أخرى.

[@ابوزيادىى]

I am from aden big wrong when British leaves aden why? I tell you after 30 Nov 1967 aden was killed

[@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim]

that makes me sad :'(

[@salehm9610]

لو انتم رجال ما تدورتوا واحد يعربكم ..الناس تعتمد على نفسها في بناء بلادها مش تدور من مستعمر يذلها .. وانا اقول ليش الامارات تدعسنا ليل نهار

[@spidyman8853]

@@salehm9610 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@masco26]

@@salehm9610 رحم الله والديك

[@abu_khaled_alyafea]

@@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim Peace on those old days I hope from my heart that the English will return to Aden and makes Aden great like before and used to be

[@thehumungus9066]

45:41 "Set him down carefully, gents."

[@Greatanotherchannel]

lol and now saudi arabia is flattening aden. So whatever.

[@alistairthompson8311]

And we're helping them.

[@spidyman8853]

Greatanotherchannel Shows how much knowledge you have (NOT) They are fighting the Houthis in North Yemen. Helloooooo any one there ? wakey wakey

[@Greatanotherchannel]

@@spidyman8853 Look at the comments age. At that time the houthis were fighting in aden.

[@gregolsen1099]

19:01-:04 LoL 😂 wtf is going on with the guy stroking his mortar round? Funny AF!!

[@WADEEA121]

Any of you who is commenting on this videos have leaved in Aden during that period? Please respond !

[@angloaust1575]

Two sas men lost their heads !

[@CliSwe]

What's this obsession with "British rule"? Britain withdrew from its Imperial possessions with good grace and - in 90% of cases - goodwill. (Aden was, I must admit, an exception to this rule.) The fact that most former colonies stayed with the British Commonwealth, speaks volumes for their attitude towards the UK.

[@jimholloway615]

Hmm... there's a few other exceptions though, Kenya, Cyprus, Palestine, Malaya, Rhodesia, come to mind. Perhaps Britain made less of a mess of it than some other countries, but we can't overlook that Empire existed for exploitation, and was backed by extreme brutality when required.

[@galatzy01]

"The fact that most former colonies stayed with the British Commonwealth, speaks volumes for their attitude towards the UK." The Commonwealth ? You mean that empty shell devoid of purposes and meanings, supposed to upheld human rights as a virtue but at the same time has multiple offenders of those rights in the likes of Rwanda and India as members ? It speaks volume for the delusion people are living in.

[@CliSwe]

@@galatzy01You're entitled to your personal opinion. Millions beg to differ. You have a nice day, now.

[@galatzy01]

@@CliSwe Millions beg to differ ? So you have to bring supposedly millions of people in this conversation to have more weight ? My god, some people are desesperate. Have a nice end of year.

[@CliSwe]

@@galatzy01 When you've sorted out your spelling problems, grab your sleeping bag - gets cold under that bridge.

[@tbone4646]

The British should have never let go of any so-called colony. Nothing but chaos now.

[@puchy110]

It would've been chaos in Yemen with or without the British. Why the need to waste good British lives?

[@bnipmnaa]

Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong are OK, I suppose. Fuck that other place though.

[@HateTheIRS]

abuaimen28 Zimbabwe, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cyprus, Palestine, etc, now are very poor, and unstable places. Not to mention many former British colonies in Africa, from cape to Cairo, are simply poor.

[@mmassehs3251]

They weren’t benefiting under British rule

[@joetrump2983]

@abuaimen28 Hahaha United states with all the school shooting and liberal bullshit there,sure....

[@seanculligan8592]

and now look at them.

[@bebodada2528]

Aden is a living hell now.. war made it worse

[@spidyman8853]

Yep, too much in-fighting between the Southerners since 1967.

[@WADEEA121]

الله يرحم رجال الجبهه القوميه و يسكنهم الجنه رجال بمعنئ الكلمه لقنوا المستعمر و اعوانهم من عملاء الاستعمار الخونه دروس بالقتال و الرعب .

[@So70]

بس قتلو السلاطين دمرو هوية شعب الجنوب نسبونا لليمن الشمالي

[@andrewrobinson2565]

Never were so many plums plummed. 😮

[@tbone4646]

Turn loose the SAS/SBS.

[@fahadal-sadoun2602]

33:30 I am man as you! عدني يتحدث لجندي بريطاني بلكنة عدنية : أنا رجل مثلك!

[@clachanyill]

Genera Philp Tower english sour grapes. Private Jones from Yorkshire :D:D a wee bit confused there Mister.

[@LimeyIce]

+clachanyill ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[@chokkan7]

Mad Mitch is my hero!

[@FH-qf7mc]

Who is mad mitch

[@imyourhuckleberry5658]

Mine too and I'm American! God bless the British!

[@robertcameron5200]

@@FH-qf7mc google him,, he was my colonal

[@AlJalandhari]

Dude lost the war

[@Exposing_Mark_Niemczyk]

The people were perfectly happy until Nasser got them all riled up.

[@norwegianzound]

Yeah, bet life was great under the British jackboot.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

the Brits - had they have had any brains - could have kept the islands, mauritius, seychelles, the Socotras, perim, kuriamuria... a few others AND Aden Town itself if they had have had the brains and the spine.

[@philipsudron]

...and the money? If, by "the brains and the spine" you mean a degree of long term politics and thinking, I would agree with you. The tragedy of the Aden story is that the British government did not have sufficient imagination or the creativity to win the hearts and support of ALL the Arabian people living in the region. How much happier the situation might have been had one group of people not been played off against another with false promises being made and then broken. During the time when Aden was a prosperous port, all of its citizens, including those in the mountains and countryside, should have been included in the economic prosperity that was happening... and not just the ones who were either bribed or coerced. Fast forward 20 years; to the time when this series was broadcast; it is ironic that the Russians found themselves being rescued from the beaches of Aden by the British, whose prime minister by then was none other than Mrs Thatcher. Fast forward a quarter of a century later, we now see the current British government returning to a far more dangerous Middle East in order to set up a permanent naval base. Had a bit of long term thinking and decency taken place in say, 1956, South Arabia, as it then was, could have been granted full independence with dignity for the entire population... and its new national government may well have encouraged the Brits to maintain a defensive military presence on the peninsular for the mutual benefit of both countries. Within hours of the last British servicemen leaving Aden in November 1967 the people they left behind fought and killed each other for decades. In my view that is a shameful situation that could easily have been prevented.

[@Waterford1992]

Nationalism would have reached those islands at some point but the UK kept Diego Garcia.

[@Exposing_Mark_Niemczyk]

Perhaps, yes. But once India was lost, what exactly would have been the purpose of keeping such places? To maintain a symbolic Empire? There was little or no economic or strategic value.

[@Waterford1992]

jvaa cvaa Some places didn't become independent cuz they were to poor to be.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

jvaa cvaa ouch. yer right, I think... However, the trade lines to Australia/NZ would have been retained, oil from the Far East almost guaranteed safe passage, and with the smaller island groups told "never mind self-government, send your representatives to Westminster..." the air situation would have kept UK and later NATO a major partner in the Indian Ocean. Besides, with smaller places like the Seychelles, Farquhars, Cosmoledo Group, Socotras, Aldabra, it was the morally right thing to retain them and integrate them into UK much like France has done her old colonies (eg Tahiti, Reunion) as on their own economic stability has eluded them in quite a few ways (national health, education, Old Age schemes, life expectancy) that membership in a larger country with a larger economy would have alleviated. BTW, yes, except for Hyderabad's hope they were very unlikely to have tried staying in India.

[@Exposing_Mark_Niemczyk]

5:40 That's a hilarious story LOL!!!

[@masco26]

45:42 is this injured man human or a dead animal!!, shame on you British Troops, the history will curse you even after a million years...

[@Desertfox170]

You donkey

[@ParappatheRapper]

Someone should convert this to mono and reupload it.

[@ParappatheRapper]

@Erica I make them do math problems mostly.

[@HandleGF]

"When the British Empire sinks beneath the waves of history only two monuments will be left standing - the game of association football and the expression f*ck off." - Richard Turnbull (in Aden) in 1967

[@زنَاداليافعي-و4ع]

In the 14th of October, Britain won the victory for us Tribes of southern Yemen lived victory, our ally Britain has no place in Aden. 😼

[@andrewrobinson2565]

22:07 Mohammed Farid is completely correct with his analysis of the British attitude. Superb documentary.+ apart from the dodgy translation subtitles.+1

[@ibnrawandi2713]

Colonialism never ended, the British made sure it survives by creating Israel and the gulf monarchies. In fact the Arab world is worse now than it was under official occupation

[@barron8006]

It's strange to see racial grifting on a national level, as opposed to an intra-national level in the home countries.

[@FRANKTHRING1]

The NLF refused to negotiate. They had no right to complain if the British subsequently played rough with them. Looking back from today Aden is a sad example of how colonialism is not always a bad thing. A place where workers all had a job and some a good wage under the British has now become just another violent Arabian backwater.

[@XiangnuKhaan]

You came like theves and left like theves

[@s871-c1q]

Nasser was such a joke. Nasser hurt the middle east people.

[@Sturminfantrist]

Nassr was a great arab

[@صقرالصقر-ك3ذ]

read the book" Game of The Nations" it would tell the naked truth about Nasser and his creators!!

[@ibnrawandi2713]

@@صقرالصقر-ك3ذ That book is a known big lie made by a CIA agent for a purpose to fool some Arabs, actually Saudis paid its author.

[@ibnrawandi2713]

Nasser was the greatest leader the Arabs ever had

[@suleyman8696]

@Ibn Rawandi that’s not difficult, the others were Saddam, hafez Assad and Bashar, Gaddafi, terrorist Saudi kings, military in Algeria etc...

[@Dreaded88]

07:25 Oh, what a wonderful method of making goddamned Hadji's behave! Why cant this be done with them in Luton!?!

[@Dreaded88]

***** You will slave to Israel you accursed creature!

[@Dreaded88]

***** Were you aware, that in Islam, due to a Fatwa put out by none other than Ayatollaha Khomeni himself, that God closes his eyes, and you can fuck boys on Thursday nights until dawn? That's how we were able to find, and kill Zarkowi. Where you aware under Islam that the recipient of gaysex is considered the culprit, and put to death, while the assailant is only given a lashing? What do you think they do to the boys they Force-Fuck during a Bacha-Bazi party? Thing is this: I didn't want the Islamists in the West EVER, and I certainly don't want them killing our people. Gay, straight or whatever!

[@Dreaded88]

***** No, we're not open door; we're full! It's Barry Soetoro that says we're open door.

[@Dreaded88]

***** Well, the Door Frame's not wide enough! :D

[@jameswills6320]

Is English your first language? If it is you need spelling lessons.

[@UnitedPebbles]

British empire means union by stronger force or protectorate not to teach the Gospel/covenant and to "advance" the primitive/misinform native people(people were there first)? Clearly no trades since he run everything for standard?

[@CliSwe]

Does anybody know what he's talking about?

[@mikebellis5713]

And look at the place now . . .

[@spidyman8853]

Mate, Too many infighting between the Southerners that caused so much devastation. Then came the dreaded unification with the North in 1990 and the South got worse and worse. Oh and the unification was complete joke. Say no more.

[@garethjames1300]

But they are free I guess to fxxk up their own country the right of us all

[@abu_khaled_alyafea]

@@spidyman8853 Peace on those old days I hope from my heart that the English will return to Aden and make Aden great like before and used to be

[@abu_khaled_alyafea]

Peace on those old days I hope from my heart that the English will return to Aden and make Aden great like before and used to be

[@Scriptorsilentum]

quite literally, they gave in at every step of the way.

[@g7vak]

Sadly, you don't know what you are talking about. Aden was not a town ... look it up and learn something. The two antagonists NLF and FLOSY were run from Egypt and under the instruction the then Egyptian Premier Gamal Nasser. Britain had already fought a clandestine war with Egypt in the Yemeni hinterland and fared well. A date was set to leave Aden but the campaign by NLF/FLOSY became troublesome to a point. There had also been interference in our general dissemination of Empire by America [I suspect you're another loud mouthed no brain septic Mr Scott] as well as the lead in to Suez in 1956 and the formation of Israel where terror techniques were used and funded by the US. You talk about brains - you're not displaying any by your comments and as for a spine, what small wars, in fact any wars have the US ever entered on time and actually supplied anything but gun fodder and paid for materiel? No spine -- what military service have you ever undertaken?

[@Scriptorsilentum]

Paul Beaumont Typical English by your tone - ponderous and pompous. Nevertheless, my info came from Argyll/Suth Hghlnder and Royal Navy sailor each stationed in Aden. AdenTown - actually, "The Crater" - and the colony of Aden itself did not want federation with "South Arabia". Military service: Medical Corps (17 Wpg Med Coy), HM Canadian Armed Forces. By your gratuitous and ungrateful remarks about the Americans you have assumed I'm one of them. Most Englishman don't have the sense to understand the differences... As for terror tactics used in the formation of Israel, y-e-e-s. As for yank interference, ye-e-s. I smell from your remarks the usual anti-Israel cowardice and bigotry of what passes itself off as learned Western commentary waiting to rear its head. As for the Hagganah's nastiness, no more objectionable than British concentration camps in Cyprus fulla Jews trying to get into the Mandate. Camps every bit as lousy as the survivors said they were: you had them behind barbed wire (again), dying from dysentery and disease (again), subjected to assaults from Cypriots... Typical British, aren't you? Not even the decency to regret...

[@g7vak]

Canadian? A yank with brains. The Crater? Actually Crater and for the Yeminis Krayter. Your knowledge is second hand. RN were based either on ship or at Steamer Point with some Army and RAF, also at Khormaksar RAF and Army. Me? I lived in Ma'alla for 5years actually behind the market. No second hand knowledge here. Well done on your service RGJ here. As for the rest ... that's your view.

[@clachanyill]

Aden deserve their Independence but there is a price to pay for killing a Scot.

[@clachanyill]

***** I have no idea what you mean the Scots "should" have been there? was that a typo or are just one dim FK?

[@alistairthompson8311]

The Labour government (Harold Wilson was PM I think) of the day had decided that, due to budget constraints; the fact that there were no longer any British interests to speak of East of Aden, thus depriving Aden of its original purpose as a British naval base; and the bloodthirsty anarchy caused by a mounting insurgency armed and supported by the Soviet Union and Nasser's Arab Socialist Egypt, Aden was no longer worth having. The British were going to leave Aden. I'm pretty sure that 'Mad Mitch' knew this, but he was a soldier, not a diplomat. He also knew that lying in the streets of Crater there were 22 bodies of soldiers from the previous regiment to garrison Aden, the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, so he decided to take back Crater one last time to bring peace back to Aden, however ephemeral it might be, and to repatriate the bodies of the soldiers killed by the insurgents and Aden police mutineers. I wouldn't say he was a nice person, but it seems like he did his job to me. Interesting as they are to study, I don't see what these events of 1967 have to do with whether Scotland should leave the UK today. One thing I will say is that if Scotland does become independent, I hope and in fact fervently believe there will be no bloodshed if and when that day comes. I think us Scots have learnt from how long it has taken Northern Ireland to regain a flawed peace and how many people continue to die in Yemen to this day.

[@alistairthompson8311]

I'm not sure what specifically you're referring to, but I don't think you're talking about Mad Mitch or Aden.

[@alistairthompson8311]

clachanyill I think he meant to write "shouldn't", but I'm not sure to be perfectly honest.

[@jameswills6320]

If I recall there was a run on the £ and Wilson asked Johnson for a loan, Johnson asked for British troops for Vietnam. Wilson knew he could not sell that here, so turned it down. It was alleged Johnson retorted, at least give me a bagpipe band.

[@murrayeldred3563]

What a Kip in 2021.

[@abuhalah313]

thanks

[@aammaarr061]

أنا أحب الشعب البريطاني

[@jimholloway615]

There's good and bad of all sorts.

[@مرادسعد-ر1ه]

كان إحتلال مؤسف لبلدي إستمر لأكثر من ١٢٨ عام ماهذا ما فعلنا نحنُ لكي يتم احتلالنا كل هذا الوقت وعدم تركنا نصنع تاريخنا كباقي الشعوب أننا اليوم بسبب هذا ونتائجة نتعرض للبطش وتعذيب أننا محتلون من اليمن الشمالي أصبحنا فقراء لا حاضر لدينا ولا ماضي لماذا الإنجليز فعلوا بنا كل هذا وتركونا في فم الذئاب تاكل أجسادنا وتاريخنا

[@nasseralig9938]

Aden will always be beautiful. I love you Aden and inshallah you will be better.

[@RA-fz5te]

عشنا..أجمل.. حياتنا..في.تلك..الفتره..باريت...تعود..يمنيه

[@willboudreau1187]

I don't give a flying funk about what people are saying in Arabic. I just hit the fast forward key. If this series or the narrator wants me to care, then translate the damned language into English and have the narrator, y'know, NARRATE!!!!!! I'm listening to this otherwise excellent series, sometimes with my back turned tending to kitchen chores or cleaning or pet needs, etc, but still listening in rapt attention. DITCH THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE ALREADY. It does not add any "local color", and just aggravates me. I know this series is already a gazillion years old in 2021, but hopefully someone else will chime in on the band wagon as a warning for future documentarians.

[@jimholloway615]

It's a tv programme, not a radio broadcast. Some of the people that watch may speak Arabic: they may, for example, be Yemenis. If you can't be bothered to read subtitles, it's your loss.

[@marsdenk.6162]

Ok sir

[@malcolmscrawdyke9116]

The British Empire - the work's greatest criminal enterprise.

[@wolfgang4078]

Wrong decisions made in Downingstreet, the soldiers paid the bill !

[@gregoryfrancis3899]

Uninformed idiotic response. The British government was following bankster orders.

[@wolfgang4078]

@@gregoryfrancis3899 Every government in the western world is in the hands of the big money, so tell me, what is the news ?

[@jimholloway615]

The wrong decision, apart from the being there in the first place, was to give in to US pressure not to leave much sooner.

[@tteedghihh]

Another part of the world made amazingly better by Europeans.

[@So70]

Yes, by killing the indigenous people, taking their land, they make everything beautiful, they build houses and streets for themselves and their children. If the revolution was October 14, they would now be Aden as a reward from Britain.

[@abdullahalialiali]

if someone still holds British protected person (BPP) passport, what can he get out of it?

[@andymacleod8052]

www.gov.uk/types-of-british-nationality/british-protected-person

[@masco26]

He only can get f**k all out of it mate

[@abdullahalialiali]

@@masco26 True Story

[@jimholloway615]

Nothing: www.gov.uk/types-of-british-nationality/british-protected-person

[@Sturminfantrist]

Shame on the Brits, in every country ( with resistence against brits rule) they behaved the same way, Aden, Cyprus, Kenia even a Irish republican in Northern ireland know how you feel when you on the recieving end when the colonial rulers let the Army loose

[@keithwatson1384]

Sturminfantrist and look how Aden is today because of what the terrorists did, if Britain had been able to do what they planned it could be like Dubai today, probably better! Kenya is a weird one, again the reason the Brits used harsh tactics was because the mau man were killing, raping, massacring innocent villages, their tactics were harsh but their cause was just! Cyprus, well turkey mainly to blame for that but the Brits played their part too! Northern Ireland, yes there were terrible things, namely Bloody Sunday, but when you have people who want to destroy your country, of which a majority of people wish it remain part of the uk, then you have to take action. Now the Brits should of been more unbiased, a lot but it was the nationalists that wanted them gone, not the unionists! Now the Ira caused so much hardship in NI for stuff that should of been taken care of peacefully! I'm from Donegal as well!

[@masco26]

@@keithwatson1384 so you think whomever defeats his land and country is a terrorist!, what a head stuffed with a load of sh*t that you have mate!

[@Alan_Mac]

It's worked well for Yemen since 1967.

[@CliSwe]

Yep. I bet the Russians were most impressed.

[@mohammedhabie3335]

Peace on those old days. I hope the English will return to Aden.

[@haithamalsuaibe473]

على كيف امك هو؟ر

[@charleshart6992]

Another fine example of The British Military being let down by a Labour Government!

[@jimholloway615]

So.... you think we should still be in Yemen?

[@charleshart6992]

​@@jimholloway615 The Labour government of the day had no idea what would ensue once the British left. The peninsular has been destroyed in the 55 years since!

[@wor53lg50]

​​@@jimholloway615you said you was irish earlier?, you've been rumbled yer feckin treacherous scumbag, means then your a marxist, leibor mouth piece, all traitors must hang?...

[@mac4758]

The most Brutal and savage empire of them all,where the Sun never Set and the Blood never dried. A lot of Hooray Henry's with their mouth full of marbles recounting deranged stories about how people love to be occupied and brutalised by an Imperial power...

[@B-26354]

Yeah I mean... Yemen did really well under USSR backed communism... 😬

[@clachanyill]

Them english are scary :D that arab looked really frightened :D Let's face it, once again the so called "british" needed the Scots :)

[@clachanyill]

***** And you think we care what you think? Alien :D

[@alareqi]

Is it them English or their English?

[@petep.2092]

+Abdul aleq Neither. Should have been "Those English..." but I believe he was speaking American for effect.

[@masco26]

Yeah right, Scotsman with pure English accent :D

[@فضولي-ك4ض]

غلط يوم في فكرنا في اخراجهم

[@masco26]

هذه عقلية المطايا فقط، ليش ما تقوموا و تنهضوا ببلدكم كما فعل الآخرين!

[@abu_khaled_alyafea]

Peace on those old days I hope from my heart that the English will return to Aden and make Aden great like before and used to be

[@aammaarr061]

نتمنى بريطانيا ترجع ❤️

[@masco26]

نتمنى أن ننهض ببلدنا على يد كوادر مؤهلة والشرفاء من بني جلدتنا بدل ان نتمنى أن نعود لاستعباد الأجنبي لنا ونجعل من أنفسنا مطايا له من جديد، انت الظاهر لم تفهم ماذا كانوا يصفون الذين كانوا يدافعون عن أرضهم و عرضهم في تعليقاتهم في هذا الفلم الوثائقي، كانوا يصفونهم بالارهابيين! فهل من يدافع عن أرضه وبلده إرهابي؟