The Battle of Aachen! (THE AMERICAN STALINGRAD) | WW2

[@ahitchcox]

Thank you for this. My father was a captain in the 3rd Armored Division and often spoke about his time spent in the battle to capture Aachen. He took many pictures, including some of the hotel Quellenhof - shot up, but not destroyed. Naturally, it was quite a thrill form me to stay at the Hotel Quellenhof during my second or third trip to Germany. After helping capture Aacen, the 3rd AD moved on to Koln and beyond.

[@EternaResplandiente]

🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@SNAFUDOCS]

Wow! The footage is incredible. Great video!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks Joey!!! Really appreciate that! 👍

[@MarkusDietrich-pt1ns]

My great grandmother, born in 1908, living in a small town near Aachen. She rescued the life of a wounded german soldier, draging him from the street to a nearby fieldhospital which was located in the basemanet of the house i am just living in. This men always wrote letters to my great grandmother on christmas till he passed away in the 1990s. I will never forget this story. And also i will never forget what she said....the Allies saved us.

[@rolfagten857]

There was a level in Aachen in the PS2 game "Call of Duty". Good mini documentary as always!

[@SandervkHistory]

Hahaha i can remember that!! Pfff time flies... and thank you for your comment!!

[@jwhiskey242]

One of my cousins was killed in the fighting for Aachen on October 8, 1944. He is buried in Henri-Chappelle Cemetery.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Great breakdown of the battle. Thanks!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks! Glad you liked it! 💪

[@melaniemckay2270]

My father was an American soldier involved in this battle.Thank you for your video!

[@varunprakash5]

Terrific narration and overall compilation, Sander! What stood out was you visiting the actual places of combat.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you man! Really appreciate that. It takes some effort, but when the video is done... its all worth it! 👍

[@viking_skywalker]

dank u voor uw werk tegen vergeten !! Ik woon in de buurt van Aken en om deze video te zien is fascinerend en tegelijkertijd vermanend

[@SandervkHistory]

Bedankt voor het kijken! Dit is inderdaad mijn bedoeling, om het niet te vergeten.

[@robertneven7563]

und nus habben die ubermenschen in tie hossen gescheissen

[@gregborneman5523]

Thanks for sharing this informative film. One of my uncles was a radioman in the 1st Army. He was wounded on Omaha Beach, and then again, more seriously, at the Battle of Aachen. I can't imagine what his experience was like.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you for watching and commenting! It was proper hell for those guys.

[@luiscalcano4359]

Aachen is where Charlemagne( Charles The Great Crowned as King of The Holy Roman Empire at around early 700s AD; it was a Carolingian Dynasty . Charlemagne's grand father was Charles Martel who defeated the Islamic Moore's, from Africa @ The Battle of Tours . They were from a Germanic Tribes called The Franks , and christianized by 600s AD). The city was very symbolic in it's capture in that it was a Germanic City, one of the early ones!

[@m4tti.87]

I think the major difference is that the Allies outnumbered the Germans by many in Aaachen and in Stalingrad the Germans were outnumbered by Russians..

[@nicmart]

That’s a sameness.

[@passthebleach9745]

What "major difference"? The Germans were outnumbered in both cases.

[@Old299dfk]

How does this video, and channel not have more attention?! It's extremely well put together, and the work is fantastic.

[@SandervkHistory]

I am slowly building it up, my time will come 😄 thank you!

[@HuntStacheHistory]

Really enjoyed this episode bro! The footage is absolutely amazing, great work compiling it all and using it to tell the story! Great episode man. 👍

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! I did my best for this one. Looking forward to your next video! I know that one is gonna be awesome to! 😎👍

[@djdaz72]

Excellent video I visited Aachen when I was 18 many years ago. Crossed the border which still had a few tank traps in the fields alongside the road. My mother worked there in the 1950’s and her grandmother lived in the city. Always remember my mother saying the sky was lit up at night from the fires there visible from the Netherlands Nice to hear the Limburg’s accent again .

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Awesome story! Wish i had such storys in my family. Thank you Darren!

[@GunnersRange]

Thank you for a really well done narrative and video! Semper Fidelis! CWO4 USMCR [Ret] 17 Feb 1969 - 1 August 2004

[@simonmassey3747]

Many thanks Sander VK that was a brilliant episode and was very informative and interesting. Aachen is a beautiful place to visit nowadays. Hope you had chance to visit and enjoy the attractions and bars.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you Simon! I can allways rely on you watching. Its a beautifull city indeed. I will definitly go back one day to visit the bars and museums there! 😎👍

[@Shaun_Wells]

Sander I couldnt wait and had to watch! Great video mate your video editing skills are second to none! Thankyou for what you are doing your bringing to light history and opening eyes to aspects of the theater that most people would never know about. 🍻

[@SandervkHistory]

Mate.... thank you! This means alot to me. This is the whole purpose of my KZbin channel. I dont care about how many people watch my videos, even if i could teach a small amount about history, is allready satisfiying! Thanks for your comment mate!! 👍

[@dawndickson2156]

Fascinating! Thank you for your time and research!!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you for watching the video! Again! 😎👍

[@roberth5767]

Excellent video! Thanks for the hard work putting it together.

[@SandervkHistory]

I did my best for this one, thanks!

[@jonmulack4226]

Great footage and a good lesson of the city before and after the war. Thank you for the post and on to your next!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you for watching!

[@safety86]

Good video! The battle of Aachen is often overlooked.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! I did my best for it! 👍

[@lthom5158]

Excellent video! I didn’t know much about the battle of Aachen!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! And now you know more about the battle 😝

[@erikroelinkcitizen2302]

Super goeie video weer. Ook geweldig met de beelden en jou er tussendoor. Dat gebied is ook speciaal ja. Mooi woark

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel man! Ik heb er erg men best voor gedaan! Ben blij dat je hebt gekeken! 😎👍

[@geetee7154]

Just caught this by chance, it's very good, you did a great job

[@SandervkHistory]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@dylanklokgieter8017]

Another interesting video! Amazing footage aswell.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! Next time i want you to go with me to a place! 👍

[@dylanklokgieter8017]

@@SandervkHistory Definitely!

[@Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana]

Sunday, January 2, 2022 Nicely done! 🙂 I like that I get to see the narrator, and your choice of background music is excellent. 🎶

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you Anthony! Means alot!

[@Teddy62392]

Great job my friend very well put together! Great information included! Absolutely superb documentary! New subscriber here for sure!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Appreciate that! Happy to have you as my subscriber 🙏

[@thenoworriesnomad]

Another great and well presented video...👍👍

[@kennethnew3075]

Followed the suggestions and found your channel. Love the old movie reels combined with the locations. Excellent work. Looking forward to see how you develop your channel. Cant wait to see your feel for history. Good luck.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! I did my best for this one. I am on a little break... but will come back in a few weeks with some awesome videos again! 🙏

[@deejaemcapp2852]

Really enjoyed this new video! I always appreciate your hard work in bringing us such amazing footage!! Keep doing what you’re doing - as an American I learn things about WWII and our involvement that I never knew before. 👏👏👏

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you man! I appreciate you watching my video and that you learned something from it! Ill keep making videos and share history with you guys! 🙏

[@0ECFM0]

Unglaublischer guter video gemacht ich habe es gut genießt Ich wusste nicht diese geschichte von Quellenhof 😮

[@MjrCarnyx]

Ghehe het is echt een prachtige stad, kom er graag, kan hem zelfs zien vanuit mijn woonkamer. Super veel geschiedenis daar, en uiteraard ook veel gevonden in de omgeving. Thanks voor het delen en de informatie, altijd gaaf om te zien! Gr.

[@SandervkHistory]

Ja is het zeker! Je woont er zo dichtbij joh? Ik ben jaloers. Ik ga zeker nog eens terug naar die stad, ook om een biertje te gaan drinken bij een cafe ergens! Bedankt voor het kijken weer en leuk om je steeds terug te zien! 😎👍

[@MjrCarnyx]

@@SandervkHistory altijd he😁👍 geniet altijd van geschiedenis, en zeker als je er zoveel moeite voor doet als jij. Cheers man

[@glennmorrissey2529]

Great work.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you!

[@michaelmonteforte37]

My grandfather was with e co. 2nd batt 120th infantry regt 30th infantry division his 1st combat was oct6 44 in Aachen

[@Wes-o7y]

I lern a lot with this vdos....keep going buddy....

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks! Awesome to hear that!

[@docvideomusic]

Beautiful historic reportage !

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! I appreciate that!

[@gazzgazeer]

ty for this Interesting documentary,, well done

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Appreciate that!

[@MFCBermondsey]

Excellent video

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you Alan!

[@fredbrull136]

You're wrong about the evacuation of the civillian population of aachen, most of them where evacuated before the battle. I have this from my brother in law Who lived in Aachen before, during and after WW2. Yes there were civillans there during the battle like the Fuerwache ( firewatch ) in the Dom of Aachen. Dus the majority left before the fight started.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you. I dindt knew that. Its allways hard to get history 100% right.

[@Jhossack]

2.5 million people died in 4 months at Stalingrad. I forget, what were the stats in Aachen?

[@SandervkHistory]

Look at my explanation in WeatherBee his comment. I get what you are saying! 😅

[@simbee3634]

Stalingrad - 6 months of fighting with around 2 million casualties on both sides - Aachen, 3 weeks of fighting and around 17,000 casulties, including 5,000 germans surrendered. Sorry, but not even close. It may have been America's hardest urban fight of WW2, but nothing on the same scale as Stalingrad or Berlin - or many other Eastern Front battles. (And try cutting down on exclamation marks! :) )

[@pko_2.0_pop7]

The hardest urban fight for America during WW2 was Battle of Manila and Bastogne come close, also.

[@tabletopgeneralsde310]

Great pictures and footage, a small Stalingrad at best. The Germans are nearly done and the US soldiers now start to get verterans as well. Not a lot in common with Stalingrad.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you sir! Indeed a very very small Stalingrad.

[@jamalwilburn228]

@@SandervkHistory The comparison is in the hard faught house to house fighting. Many casualties were suffered and the Volkstrum were making Allies pay for ever inch of ground

[@CLARKE176]

​@@jamalwilburn228countless other house to house battles have occurred before.

[@wenqiweiabcd]

The German Stalingrad resulted in 800,000 German casualties and 1 million Soviet casualties. How does this even remotely compare?

[@SandervkHistory]

I have awnsered this question on some previous comments. This is what my reasoning is: Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@lawrencerogers576]

Thanks for that.

[@Jhossack]

I just looked it up. Aachen - 3 week battle 2000 dead Americans. A half day tally for Stalingrad. I can see how one can get confused.

[@bubbelboe]

Bedankt voor je Video. Grüße aus Baesweiler.

[@SandervkHistory]

Bedankt voor het kijken!

[@Bruce-1956]

They made a right mess at rebuilding Aken, just like most towns along the Dutch border. They should have employed a few Belgium planners and architects who had many years experience rebuilding.

[@SandervkHistory]

I believe you immediately! If you look on what the Belgiums did with the rebuild of Ypres after WW1. Its amazing what they do.

[@DenverDiscovery]

The US Stalingrad? Not remotely close. Had you used Caan for comparison, it still wouldn't be close. You really should change the title. :)

[@SandervkHistory]

Yes i understand what you are saying. This was my reply to Weatherbee, who also said the same. REPLY: Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@luiscalcano4359]

@@SandervkHistory Alot of WW2 buffs say that The Battle For Manilla was a mini- Stalingrad also!

[@Steven-nd1pz]

From memory, the lifespan of German soldier in Stalingrad was 2 days. So I think calling this America's Stalingrad is a stretch.

[@lu77xiaojun37]

So let me get this right. During the battle of Stalingrad there was dudes who's job it was to go around and keep track of each individual German soldier, how long they had been there, and whether or not they was still breathing. Dang. No wonder they lost the battle. Gotta imagine that took some manpower that could have been used to say oh i don't know maybe prevent getting outflanked? But them Germans were always into numbers and statistics.

[@SandervkHistory]

I fully understand your view! But this is my reasoning on calling it the American Stalingrad. (ive posted this on a previous comment): Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@russellnixon9981]

Good historical documentary, but the title is nothing like the Battle of Stalingrad.

[@SandervkHistory]

Its not intended as clickbait. I have written my reasoning on some comments. One is at WeatherBee his comment.

[@jeffreyknight3884]

Amazing footage in this video. Thank you...

[@personnelente]

A nice film, accurately portraying a battle, with an extremely misleading title: there was never any 'American Stalingrad'.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Appreciate that, and i understand your view. I have explained the reason why i have this title and call it the American Stalingrad in a other comment. This is what i wrote: Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@Lindenberg1970]

There is not the slightest comparison!

[@SandervkHistory]

I have awnsered this question on some previous comments. This is what my reasoning is: Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@timothytabor9946]

My father was in Hodges XXX 30th infantry division aka Roosevelt's SS.

[@hankbannister]

Good video except two points: the terrible music (WHY music at all?) and, worst than that, the expression "american Stalingrad". This is pure nonsense.

[@adamstrange7884]

The Hurtgen forests was the closest to Stalingrad, then came the Bulge!

[@SandervkHistory]

That true, with casualties yes!

[@CLARKE176]

Both battles were nowhere near as Stalingrad.

[@jimmycamilleri3746]

well done

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you!

[@Mister.Weatherbee]

"The American Stalingrad"? The US had 5,000~ casualties at Aachen. Soviet casualties in Stalingrad were upwards of 1.1 million. Same story for the Axis troops: 5,000+ casualties at Aachen, and nearly 800,000 casualties at Stalingrad. The entire army was surrounded and wiped out in Stalingrad. Such a comparison is historically useless. If you were to say Stalingrad was 10x bigger than Aachen, you'd be wrong. If you were to say it was 100x bigger, you'd still be wrong. It was 220x bigger in terms of deadliness to both sides, than Aachen was. Keep some perspective when comparing things.

[@SandervkHistory]

Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@CLARKE176]

Aachen and other battles will always be overshadowed by Stalingrad.

[@catheyfrederick8207]

Stalingrad was a victory of the Soviet defense and a crushing defeat for the German offense. There is no parallel here! The attackers lost only as many men as the defenders, and won the victory. While not a crushing defeat for the defenders, they did lose a lot of prisoners, along with the psychological cost of losing a genuine German city. His "American Stalingrad" is complete rubbish.

[@SandervkHistory]

Read my reply on Weatherbee his comment. Then you will understand why i call this specific battle of the Americans: The American Stalingrad.

[@jwhiskey242]

Dont tell me - another Englander downplaying an American fought battle.....

[@BA-gn3qb]

Can't be "The American Stalingrad." The Americans Won.

[@SandervkHistory]

In that sense, yes :p

[@johnbutler7403]

What do you think the few pitiful German survivors of Stalingrad would have 'liked' to call it?

[@SandervkHistory]

My reaction to a different comment: Yes, I am aware of the incredible amount of numbers of casualties, equipment, logistics, and full out scale of the Battle of Stalingrad. (A KZbinr named: TIK has a incredible series on that battle which i highly recommend!). I only gave it the name: The American Stalingrad because of how the battle went, which you can compare a bit. With the battle of Aachen, the Americans had to breaktrough the Siegfriendline, a big defensive line. Same as the germans did before arriving at the outskirts of Stalingrad. The fights at the outskirts was with heavy casualties, same goes for Stalingrad (but we can in NO way compare the numbers). And then the Urban Combat. If you ask anyone about urban combat in WW2, they will usually think immediately about Stalingrad. And in Aachen was very heavy urban combat for the Americans. Thats also one of the reasons i like to call the Battle of Aachen: The American Stalingrad. (Not with numbers! But with how the battle went). And i also want to thank you for your comment! I understand that comparing Aachen with Stalingrad is pretty controversial. But i mean it in no way with scale and numbers!!

[@CLARKE176]

This was nowhere near like Stalingrad, even the battle of Caen was longer and more costly.

[@thekameleon9785]

I know the city well. Live close. Crazy shit

[@longshanks7157]

The Americans Stalingrad? How many US civilians died there?

[@SandervkHistory]

Hahaha well said. But my reasoning is not with civilians. Look at my reaction on WeatherBee his comment. There ive explained my reasoning.

[@ernestoscalade]

The united statian stalingrad. America is a continent.

[@fredorman2429]

The Germans lost Stalingrad we won Aachen.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thats true!

[@TellySavalas-or5hf]

Big Battle with HEER and SS people at Aachen

[@roundmidnightsuttree]

Glorifying one of Patton's worst blood baths. Aachen was a disaster. Patton was always credited with being an expert at bypassing strong points and using maneuver. In this case he used frontal assaults and it was a disaster. Patton is not all he is cracked up to be.

[@SandervkHistory]

Aachen had nothing to do with Patton himself. It was the 1st Army his problem. Not 3rd Army. They were more south. Thanks for watching!! 😎🙏

[@gerard7566]

It s realy stupid to compare Aachen to Stalingrad unless you don’t know what Stalingrad was😊in the end US army prevailed.

[@juricarmichael2534]

American Stalingrad = Aachen Tell that in Russia! And i don't think so crucial to the whole war as Stalingrad.

[@SandervkHistory]

That is true! Its mostly as a comparison with how long the Urban Combat took, before the germans surrendered. And not the importance/scale of the real Stalingrad battle offcourse! 😎

[@Mister.Weatherbee]

@@SandervkHistory 2 weeks compared to 5 months?

[@SandervkHistory]

@@Mister.Weatherbee let me correct myself, it was one of the largest urban battles fought by the US. And it started with heavy battles around the outskirts of Aachen. With first a breaktrough trough a tough defensive line. (The same happend against the Red Army at Stalingrad). But don't get me wrong, it is in no way, the same as the Stalingrad battle. Only the urban Combat and the Operation itself that gives a good comparison.