The Battle of Hürtgenwald (FORGOTTEN MEAT GRINDER)| WW2

[@fazole]

I read the memoirs of George Wilson who was a platoon and company commander with the 4th division in the Hürtgen Forest. In one battle all the platoon leaders were lost. Advances were measured in a few hundred yards. Artillery bursts in the trees meant that the only way to survive was to stand up and hug a tree. If you tried to lay prone your whole body was exposed to shrapnel. Muddy tracks caused even tanks to topple into ravines. There were few medics and no way to evacuate the wounded. They had to walk out on their own or die trying. The Americans lay in icy cold water filled ditches outside Schmidt. Command and control was lacking. His company was told to occupy a position that he knew was held by the Germans, but command would not believe him. Half the company lost in an unsupported assault. By the time he was pulled out and sent to the Ardennes, his company numbered only 23 men! The 100 replacements he got had only 5 weeks training going into the Battle of the Bulge! We must remember what are forefathers went through for their country and to secure our freedoms. They were just men. Often afraid. Some were brave some showed cowardice, some lost their minds or their lives in horrific ways. Those who came back had to live with unimaginable psychological trauma. Let's honor their sacrifices.

[@SandervkHistory]

And THIS is the exactly the reason why i make these videos! To remember the men who gave us freedom. And to never forget what happend. Thank you for placing this comment! Ill pin it as the top comment under this video!

[@fazole]

@@SandervkHistory Thank you. Once you read about what happened from the ordinary soldier's viewpoint, you feel deep humility and respect for them. I hope we all can find more of that. Merry Christmas.

[@jonmulack4226]

@@SandervkHistory Your videos are fresh and seem unbiased. Talking in points of view from both sides of the many battles of WWI. Thank you.

[@SandervkHistory]

@@jonmulack4226 thats exactly what i want! A unbiased state of mind on history. Altough it is difficult sometimes..

[@luiscalcano4359]

@@SandervkHistory My grandfather was in USAs 82nd Airborne as a medic with capt.s rank : paratrooper medics had the option to carry a weapon . He jumped into Normandy 6/61944 , in Holland on "Operation Market Garden " , which was a futal effort to end the WW2 in the ETO . It was an over ambitious plan by British General Bernard Montgomery(Field Marshall) , and the British Airborne units got the bad end of the stick: out of 8000 British paratroopers only 3000 made it back to their lines . The rest were killed , wounded , and captured, for it was "A Bridge To Far." Then grandpa was wounded in the Nazi-German Ardennes Counter Offensive that occurred btwn:id-12/1944 to early 2/1945 . The USAs 1st Army received the brunt of the Nazi-German attack. This was known as "The Battle Of The Bulge", where nearly 20000 USA troops lost their lives. My grandfather wasn't too eager to talk about , nor reminisce , on his experience in WW2 in the ETO , for it brought back not good times!

[@mikeryan7468]

It's extremely satisfying to see a young man go to the trouble of making videos of these topics. Many of my family died in that war. Instead of covering oneself in tattoos and posting on Tik Tok, it's refreshing to see a young person keeping history alive. God bless.

[@gringling57]

Thank you for breathing life into these stories. Well done

[@morgainedepolloc4161]

Just stumbled across this. An EXCELLENT video. My father (US) was a Hürtgen survivor. Your analysis is completely in sync with his memories. The mix of old footage and video of those locations in present day is so well done. It really brings it all together very well. Thank you for this!!!

[@coling3957]

Excellent video and authentic footage from war.. the Americans anticipated the Germans would be fighting hard on their own soil, after the rapid defeat in France, but were doubtless shocked at being stopped so abruptly.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Indeed, 100% agree

[@shawnstangeland3011]

Thanks!! As a US veteran I really appreciate the work and am heading to there today to pay homage

[@michaelmace9257]

You make very good videos! Very well done and presented.Keep up the great work!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you very much! I appreciate you watching!

[@jeffreyknight3884]

It's amazing to hear a young man like yourself talk about world war 2. Rest in peace to all who died.

[@riftraft2015]

Well done young man. Very well done. 😁👍 My Grandpap was with US 2nd armored division , CCA, 14th armd arty, C battery, 1943, 44, 45. He was not in Hurtgen, they were north of Aachen. But he was certainly in the Battle of the Bulge from Ciney, Celles, Humain, to Houffalize. He said the worst part of the whole war was the Bulge. He said the body parts were everywhere. Ours, theirs, civilians,, you didnt really know WHO it was. They also had to clean their tracks everyday so they wouldnt freeze, and there were parts in the tracks. We used so much artillery that the pine trees even had body parts up in them. And when they would coil up the armor at night, when the wind blew, it rained body parts. 3 years of combat, and he said that was the worst of it. What a nightmare. And it's just something most people would never even think about. 🇺🇸 Salute 🇺🇸

[@robcicco3875]

Well done. I enjoyed the video. My grandfather was a WW2 battalion XO who landed on the beaches of Normandy. He received many medals including the Silver Star and multiple bronze stars...

[@fredeisen7401]

You do a great job presenting the history of WWII. I really enjoy watching and learn so much. I read quite a bit of WWII history books especially first had accounts and Hurtgen Forest was as you said a buntal fight. Please keep the videos coming!

[@Andy_Babb]

My grandfather was in the ninth infantry, 28th field artillery as a forward observer and radio operator

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Nice! Enjoyed that.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks! glad you liked it.

[@dawndickson2156]

Completely fascinating. The landscape looks much like the area I live in. Makes me realize why my ancestors choose this area. It reminded them of home. There must be much hidden in the forests since the Germans had such a huge hold. Fascinating. I will have to do more research on this battle! Thank you for sharing!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! There a alot of bunkers still in the forest, there is probably alot of stuff still to be discovered!

[@geodes4762]

I have walked the Kall Trail many times. It is difficult to fully appreciate just what an ordeal getting tanks from Vossenach to Schmidt was without actually seeing the trail and trying to walk it. It is relatively unchanged from what it was in 1944. Attempting to use this footpath as a Divisional Main Supply Route was pure folly. Several tanks threw tracks trying to negotiate a narrow trail blocking any passage. A large rock outcropping had to be blown. Y engineers to allow tankers to “winch” another tank around one that had thrown a track! That outcropping is still there today. The 28th Division which was a part of the Pennsylvania National Guard had so many casualties that most referred to them as the Bloody Bucket Division acknowleging their red Keystone shoulder sleeve insignia that looked like a “bucket”. The Battle of Schmidt is fully memorialized in the Official US Army Vol “Three Battles: Arnaville, Altuzza and Schmidt” by Charles B. MacDonald

[@DeRikBE]

Nice video, has been in Vossennack last week to see the situation, done the Kall-trail and asked myself how they order thanks to get up there, crazy to me, after all the war ended in the good way, sorry for the losses of so many people, Keep up the good work.

[@MikeMitchem-fu6tr]

My dad was in the 8th infantry division and was wounded and taken captive in th Battle of Hurtgen Forest. Thanks for the video. Well done

[@benwilson6145]

Patton's Lorraine's campaign cost 55,000 3rd Army casualties. Bradley tasked Patton with taking Metz on September 5th. Patton didn't take it until near the end of November, despite receiving four fresh new well equipped divisions in September, this was 10 miles total distance.

[@SandervkHistory]

The numbers are just insane.... also shows how dedicated the Germans still were.

[@juergenschneider6472]

Very good documentation. Small mistake: the river in this area is the RUR, not the RUHR. RUHR-river is 100 kilometers in north -east direction. This area is known as the RUHRGEBIET, former center of coalmining and steel production in Germany

[@kennethnew3075]

Nice work. Loved the black and white film. Keep up the great content. Safe travels.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! Will continue with footage of the war!

[@thomasanthony9374]

We need more of these!!! Great job.

[@SandervkHistory]

Will do my best to make more! Thank you!

[@LeveretteJamesClifford1955]

I grew up in a household with my grandfather being a veteran of WW1 (he was one of the first sonar operators on American submarines, the K2 of the K class boats and my father who was a veteran of the Army Air Corps, WW2 so I easily became interested in the history of the American Civil War, World Wars 1 and 2. By the time I was 11 I had a small library from all of those wars and when it came to WW2, I eventually had several books covering all of WW2. In these books, the only mention of the Hürtgenwald was that troops who had been sent to the Belgian town of Spa to recover from the fighting of the Hürtgen Forest. As I got old enough for critical thinking about what I read, I began to suspect that something really bad had happened there that no one wanted to write about. And that was the case, the first book I bought about the Hürtgenwald was about 1989 written by an English author and was it ever brutal. Some units suffered 100% casualties and had to be fed a steady supply of replacements. The battle being fluid and some fights so swift that when Americans later recovered that ground they found Aid stations which were under the snow and there were wounded and dead (of course the wounded were dead by then too) on stretchers. On Thanksgiving the United States commanders thought it would be a good idea to show the Germans that America was so powerful that it could bring hot Thanksgiving meals to the men in the front lines. They set up tables and stacked them with hot food and when the GIs started lining up the Germans unleashed a hellish artillery barrage on them. Paratroop General Matthew Ridgeway was there to see this happen and he wrote in his autobiography that the first Thanksgiving back at home with his family after the war, he looked at all the food on the table and was reminded of that day in the Hürtgen and jumped up, ran outside and vomited. And after that he never ate a Thanksgiving meal again. The comic movie writer and producer Mel Brooks who gave us Young Frankenstein and many others, was there as a private. When interviewed all he could say about that battle was "There was nothing funny about my time there, it hurt us all." Not only was it America's greatest defeat in history, it also gave Hitler time to set up his armies for Watch on the Rhine, or as the Allies know it, The Battle of the Bulge. It shows what pride can do to individuals and an entire nation.

[@johnhood9567]

Excellent presentation. Thanks very much!

[@wayneboian9215]

Thank you. There was a lot of information I did not know and really enjoyed watching.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thats why i make these videos! Thanks!

[@safety86]

Well researched and done! Thanks for covering this overlooked battle! -Doverwx

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! Appreciate that 💪

[@kurtdorr8080]

Why the hell go through it, and not around it?

[@rolfagten857]

An interesting video for sure! Have you also been to Hill 400? The 2nd Rangers fought fiercely on this hill. The movie "When trumpets fade" (1998) is about this battle.

[@SandervkHistory]

In the end of the video you see a part of Hill 400 ;)

[@rolfagten857]

@@SandervkHistory Have you seen that monument to the children who died in an explosion by old explosives in 1948 on top of hill-400? I still remember that.

[@SandervkHistory]

@@rolfagten857 no i have not seen that one, i only saw a little monument of 1 marine soldier who died on that hill. Next time ill go to hill 400, i will check that monument out!

[@joevicmeneses8918]

I think that movie was base on the 28th"bloody Buckets" INF. DIV. assault.

[@shaunwells7211]

Amazing video as always my friend well researched and well presented. Keep it up 👍

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks mate! Cant wait to drink a beer with you 🍻

[@HuntStacheHistory]

Very interesting video, well done! Thanks for sharing!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks bro! Did my best again ;)

[@deborahbridgforth4790]

Thank you!!! My Daddy was over there in 1943-45.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks for your dad's service! And thank you for watching!

[@longtimepittsowner5589]

Its a good piece of history and a great idea to take the time to record and report on it.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! I want to keep history alive, and learn people on what happend!

[@guiseppe46]

Awesome story young man. Thank you!

[@TheHistoryWonderer]

Well done Sander. I enjoy watching your movies. Keep up the good work.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks Nick! Appreciate that!

[@stevebarmore3509]

I went to a reunion in Schmitt in the early 2000s, some of the stories were horrendous . one story I want to share the US guys there asked the Germans what was all that hammering the night before they attacked answer from the Germans, they were nocking the rivets of the front hatches so they could still get out when the turret was over them pz4,they had been issued a new pz4 that day it was knocked out during the attack but that's another story .

[@SandervkHistory]

Wow thanks for sharing! I wish i could know every little story the war brings.

[@John14-6...]

Defense of Hill 400 was one of the Rangers finest moments!

[@davidkelly5899]

Infantry nightmare. Keep firing through!

[@SandervkHistory]

Indeed! Thank you

[@garyowens3697]

My dad fought there he was in the 9th ID.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thats awesome! He is a hero to me!

[@glennmorrissey2529]

Great work, again!!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! 👍

[@rodskopyk2506]

What nice landscapes, terrible that fighting had to take place there. Amazing footage, mostly unseen by me, and especially like the google earth views with zoom into the real terrain.

[@SandervkHistory]

Its beautifull indeed! It was really harsh for the Americans. 33.000 casualties of 1 battle are allmost WW1 numbers... Thanks for watching! 👍

[@Titom_bv]

Ruhr dam is very interesting

[@SandervkHistory]

Very interesting indeed

[@Rockinbiker1946]

My father was there. I also have a photograph of him with some buddies in Duren after taken by the Americans.

[@SandervkHistory]

Wow awesome! Is it possible to share them with me? Email: [e-mail]

[@Rockinbiker1946]

@@SandervkHistory Sent.

[@jacobhaussmann90]

7:12 the tank track is still there that's crazy

[@jossmeltink1805]

Super leuke video’s man ,ga er vooral mee door ! 👍👍

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel Jos! Ga ik zeker doen!

[@fazole]

Very good overview! The 28th Keystone division, which had a red keystone patch was renamed "Die Blutige Eimer division" by the Germans. " The bloody bucket division" due to their casualties.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks! Interesting, i dindt knew that! So awesome to also learn history from people in my comments.

[@iconoclastic12007]

Thanks, history is important, even battles the Allies lost.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you!

[@tabletopgeneralsde310]

Great video mate, very nice done. Keep up your good work.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! Appreciate you watching!

[@tabletopgeneralsde310]

@@SandervkHistory WW2 is my got to theatre of warfare, so no question about watching some good vids on that topic.

[@SandervkHistory]

@@tabletopgeneralsde310 Its also one of my favorites of the theatre of warfare!

[@thomasjamison2050]

The thing I love about the story of this battle is that Model managed the German defense from a war gaming sand table.

[@jahns6980]

Thanks for your work

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you for watching!

[@rayharrison8418]

Really great detailed content

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Appreciate that

[@Wideoval73]

Really good video. I didn't realize how many casualties there were ?

[@jerryferko-v9s]

NICE WORK WITH THE VIDEO ........ THANKS

[@TheTaurus454]

Nicely done and thank you 👍

[@patrickvandenberkmortel4606]

Geweldig om te zien,top

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel Patrick! Doet me goed om te horen!

[@MjrCarnyx]

Super tof gedaan weer man! Mooie aflevering

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! 😃

[@MrNaKillshots]

Marvellous work.

[@alexbowman7582]

At least one person had said that Hurtgen would only be a problem to the Americans if they actually invaded it.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thats true hahaha

[@alexandermartinez6600]

Great video!

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you Alexander!

[@shauntemplar.26]

shame it was not longer... Thank you

[@dogus9493]

Enjoy your video,respect from Turkey✋

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! 🙏

[@somewhereintimewatchreviews]

Great episode.👍

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! 💪

[@christianwouters6764]

I know that region rather well. Contrary to other battlegrounds this is not touristically exploited and the few relics as bunkers etc. are destroyed or hidden.

[@SandervkHistory]

Yes indeed! Its not like a Normandy which is allmost entirely build on tourism now.

[@thenoworriesnomad]

Great video..👍👍

[@jurrefx2860]

Ruhr dam is nice

[@SandervkHistory]

Very nice

[@petergulpers4710]

He kerel nice done whit passion 🤗🥳

[@clementaut7287]

This is a great video

[@davidharris7235]

Great job!

[@raycolon477]

Great video 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Wes-o7y]

Wow so Interesting vdo..

[@SandervkHistory]

Thanks man! Aprreciate you commenting and watching my video's.

[@jiven3757]

Great video.

[@tomsmith2587]

I'v learned a lot from you.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! Great to hear that!

[@frankw.1721]

my uncle was there. 1st inf 26th regt 2nd btln g company

[@erikroelinkcitizen2302]

Wat super goed in elkaar gezet. En wow discovery zou jou moeten aannemen als wo2 docu maker. Alles sluit op elkaar aan nu de bulge alles van wo1 en wo2 zijn interessant pik bring it on topper

[@SandervkHistory]

Hahaha thanks man! Ik zal eens een open sollicitatie sturen 😝

[@sf14031952]

Good video

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you!

[@user-fi4yh9iy3d]

Joe de madio here

[@vanmiegroet]

mooi sander!

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel Youri! 😃

[@Bafbasket]

Knap werk Sander !

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel! 👍

[@FIVE1945]

Nice man! Let's go on an adventure together! NL 😄

[@SandervkHistory]

Lets do it! 😆

[@tonyk1584]

Good stuff. We all know how grateful the villagers in France were towards the Americans as their homes were being liberated from the Germans. Can you tell us how the German villagers feel towards the Americans? In this case their homes were not being liberated but in fact their homes and/or homeland was being invaded. Being on the ground there and speaking the language and knowing their culture (I know you are Dutch) you might have a good feel for this and could tell us a little bit about it maybe in a video podcast. Thanks. T Kay Vietnam Vet

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! That is a really interesting question, i can imagine that some were furious and some were relieved (that the war was over). This topic is really interesting to think/talk about. I will definitley remember and write this one down for maybe a future episode! Despite me being Dutch, i could try to communicate with people in the Germany to understand their perspective around that time. Thanks Tony Kay! You really made me think about this one...

[@markcobham1361]

I hope you don't mind me butting in on your comment but I thought you might be interested in something I'd read a couple of years ago regarding the late German Chancellor from 1982 to 1998 Helmut Kohl, He was a teenager during WW2 and, in later years, recited memories of US troops giving out chocolate and sweets (candy) to German children they came across as they advanced. This, apparently, led to his fondness for America.

[@tonyk1584]

@@markcobham1361 You are very welcome to join the conversation. Your information about Kokl was interesting and understandable. It is easy to win the kids and teens over with treats.( as my Vietnam experience confirms). But my question still stands. Using Vietnam as an analogy, what if the US had decided to take the gloves off and cross the DMZ with the intent of eradicating the Communist regime? Chocolate for the kids but what are the villagers thinking? Thanks for the input though.

[@JK-rv9tp]

I don't know why anybody watches broadcast TV like the idiotic no-longer-about-actual-history History Channel anymore with this far superior "amateur" content by independent creators on KZbin. Well done. Subscribed.

[@SandervkHistory]

Thank you! That is really awesome to hear. Appreciate that highly!

[@CLARKE176]

Compared to the Eastern Front, this wasn’t a meat grinder. The aerial bombardment of Britain in 1940/41 had more casualties.

[@JosipRadnik1]

watch closely at 11:02 - someone did not hear the "cease fire" order I guess 😄

[@SandervkHistory]

xD

[@sharpetoo]

Why Hurtgen? To the north was the normal attack way. Also to the north was Montgomery. So naturally Bradley went south.

[@SandervkHistory]

Because of the important Rhur Dams, they were the main priority! You can hear me say it in the video.

[@robertgregory2618]

They say the "battle of the bulge" was the big deal but really this battle was far worse..

[@lyndoncmp5751]

The losses in the Hurtgen Forest and Operation Queen directly lead to the Battle of the Bulge. The front line before the Ardennes was thinned down due to the heavy casualties. Montgomery warned Eisenhower about this on November 28th but nothing was done about it.

[@hanschouwman4536]

Wat een zwaar Nederlands accent!!Ik dacht dat je erom deed.

[@SandervkHistory]

Mooi! Dat was ook zeker de bedoeling 👍

[@pierredecine1936]

This is much more like Stalingrad for the US than Aachen ...

[@thebattlefieldhistorian8990]

Good video, but I disagree with some of your assessments of the Huertgen campaign. American forces were more successful than represented here. For instance, you say that the 9th Infantry Division suffered 4,500 men after gaining only 3,000 yards. This cannot be correct, as the 9th Infantry Division was the first American infantry to enter the Huertgen and advanced almost 4 miles before being stopped by German forces around Germeter. In fact, when looking at the final positions of the division's 39th Infantry, 47th Infantry, and 60th Infantry Regiments by mid-October 1944, they had cleared approximately 20 square miles of forest. Next, it really wasn't the forest fighting that proved most difficult for the Americans to overcome. While the rough terrain was a terrible experience for the infantryman, there were very few places in the Huertgen where German troops truly stopped the American advance within the woods. Instead, the U.S. units were most often stopped when they reached the open ground around the villages. As mentioned above, the 39th Infantry Regiment advanced approximately four miles through heavily wooded terrain but was then stopped at Germeter, where they were they could no longer advance across the open ground around that village into Vossenack. Almost all of the 112th Infantry Regiment's horrendous losses occurred in the villages of Vossenack, Kommerscheidt, and Schmidt. And even the 109th Infantry Regiment, which you mention advanced only one mile through heavy forest before being stopped north of Germeter, actually stopped because they reached the edge of the woods in that area and could not advance further due to heavy German artillery covering a mile of open ground between them and the village of Huertgen. Then we look to the northern half of the Huertgen and see that the 1st Infantry Division and most of the 4th Infantry Division cleared their sections of woods through constant advances and, likewise, were really only stopped when they reached the forest edge and were subjected to German fire in the open. Overall, calling the Huertgen Forest campaign an American defeat depends upon what you think the American objectives were and how you judge success. German forces did stop American gains in some areas, but also lost more than 50 square miles of territory to U.S. forces between September and December 1944. If you say the Americans lost the first phases of the battle because they suffered more casualties than the Germans, well American commanders were willing to sustain those losses to clear most of the forest and protect the right flank of American units moving north across the Roer Plain to the Roer--which they accomplished. There is no doubt that the Huertgen campaign was an example of horrible fighting and terrible experiences for individual soldiers, and for their units. However, the same could be said about countless battles during World War II, such as the 84th Infantry Division's experience around Geilenkirchen, the 5th Armored Division's experience around Wallendorf, the 90th Infantry Division's experience at Pachten and Dillingen, etc.

[@kw19193]

The Ruhr dams were never, at least iniatially, part of American planning for this mindless and needless battle. It was only later when the American leadership was desperately casting about for a reason why they had chosen to fight here realized that the dams were actually of some importance and they suddenly became the raison d'etre for the butchery in the Hurtgenwald. Cheers!

[@rogerwoods1828]

Awesome video!

[@sf14031952]

Good video

[@SandervkHistory]

Dankjewel!