The First World War - Episode 21: Why Did the French Wear Horizon Blue Uniforms?

[@typical50s22]

Although extremely ineffective the early war french uniforms are some of the nicest looking uniforms of the 1800/1900s especially the cavalry uniforms, great video 👍

[@ditto1958]

Yes they looked good in le pantalon rouge but they lost, lost, lost

[@FLVCTVAT_NEC_MERGITVR]

@@ditto1958 won the war

[@Juubelimies]

@@ditto1958 What do you mean they lost? They won the war, although they lost a generation of men.

[@Juubelimies]

I would say that the early war French uniforms were very effective. It's about the effect they have that's probably not a preferable one in battle though.

[@aweeeeh5255]

That's the thing with a nice uniform, they're too eye catching and it cost some Frenchmans life

[@AmazingAce]

The political pushback on updating the uniform early on was interesting as well - was nicknamed something like red pants politics

[@Bunny-zn7ke]

Yeah the greenish uniform looked great but that would probably cause friendly fire

[@elouenmyas580]

1:57 The red pants of the french uniform were originally tinted from madder which was a plant produced in france but at the end of the 19th century german scientists created an artificial red dye much cheaper to produce which caused a drop in prices and destroyed the cultivation of madder in France. At the beginning of the 20th century, this new artificial dye called Alyzarine produced in Germany was the main red tint used in Europe. During the crisis of July 1914 French National Assembly voted to remove the red trouser from the French uniform, the stewardship was simply taken aback when war was declared less than a month later and the French soldiers had to go to war in August 1914 with this uniform.

[@MikeB128]

Good info!

[@gagecrawley6223]

I like the WW1 French blue uniforms. Not only is blue my most favorite color, it’s just a noble and uniquely appealing design. Plus the Adrian helmet I really like. 🙂

[@thomasdubbeldeman3864]

When ever i see a French WW1 uniform i can think of 2 things 1: the french army of WW1 2: the music video of Sabaton's song Fields of Verdun

[@MikeB128]

Thanks for my daily dose of eye-rolling.

[@thomasdubbeldeman3864]

@@MikeB128 your welcome

[@CherryBlossomOhka]

This thread lol Thanks for my daily dose of LMFAO 😂💀

[@andreweisen99]

The French helmet is pretty cool

[@loicvi217]

1916- Imagine a new kind of warfare, devastated, treeless landscapes, with only ground , mud colored in brown and the blue of the horizon, the sky, as color in your line of sight. So u see principaly the color brown and blue in your trench. The French blue horizon uniforms had an advantage on flat ground if they attacked. Because the enemy placed at ground level in his trench, could hardly distinguish the silhouette of the French soldier in horizon blue uniform with as background mainly the blue of the horizon of the sky in his angle of vision. They also had an advantage in defense on flat ground or in height, because their helmet and blue uniform would merge at the top of their trench whith the background vision of the sky, of the blue horizon as camouflage. It's a different approach to camouflage, for example the Englishs or Americans soldiers who seeks to merge with the texture, the color of the terrain to camouflage themself, but I wonder if the Frenchs in blue pale-grey did not rather opt for the background of vision as camouflage, using the color of sky, to camouflage themselves in this new trench warfare where the fighting was done with an angle of view at the low to the ground often. And its why they called their uniform the blue horizon, and not just the blue one.

[@pierren___]

Id like to see an irl test

[@user-aero68]

2 years later - thanks for this! A pretty accurate overview as far as I know. I may be wrong but to answer you last question, I believe the reason for not just going with a different red dye for the tricolore fabric had mainly to do with cost and also, weirdly enough, the French red was a very specific shade of red which some purists didn't want to change even if it meant going with no red.

[@mcsmash4905]

yesterday i was walking around the field and looking in the distance and i though to myself , if im peeking from a trench and all i can see is the ground and then the sky without any real obstruction , the horizon blue starts to fit into the background especialy at a distance

[@SavageFreddy33]

It's not the arrogant garbage uniform people act like it is, especially in the mud.

[@JASepichunter]

Great video! I recently got a berthier infantry rifle at my LGS! With bayonet for 3 Benjamins! Shoots good

[@MikeB128]

Sounds like a good deal. Berthier rifles are great!

[@JASepichunter]

@MikeB128 Yeah! I've always wanted one! She looked a little rough and the bore had a dead bug in it. Looked pitted. Told the store owner to tell the guy who had it on consignment I'd only give 3 for it because there is a high chance she's a wall hanger. I took a chance and after cleaning the bore it was actually just really dirty. I shot 1 box I had though it and it did good. Now I gotta find a clip

[@محمد_عريف]

Great uniform and great video. Good job. Keep up the good work!!

[@SavageFreddy33]

The color seems to me a lot more practical than people give it credit, it's literally the same color as the atmosphere and, smeared in mud it just looks gray.

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

Very interesting ! Thanks for explaining!

[@KingofAmerica97]

A recommendation for a topic you could add for the WWI, Vietnam and Korean War series; photography and war correspondents?

[@christopherhubert1938]

Always a pleasure to watch an informative video, keep it up..

[@jrodom2411]

The uniform looks a lot more grey than in movies, must be the lighting, I've heard the French made the uniform blue to blend into the horizon when going over the tops of the trenches, but I don't remember where I heard that.

[@MikeB128]

Yeah it turned out gray in the vid, was totally the lighting. Indirect sunlight and shadows. I made another video a few weeks ago with it and the lighting was better. As far as that being the reason, it's pretty far-fetched.

[@Bunny-zn7ke]

@@MikeB128 i mean wasn't there different shades? Some looked a bit gray since there was different materials.

[@MikeB128]

@@Bunny-zn7ke You obviously didn't bother to watch the video before stupidly commenting...

[@Bunny-zn7ke]

@@MikeB128 shit you got me, i did watch the video few days ago i just forgot.

[@Verdun16]

They are the reason I fell in love with French history actually, I am now a huge Hundred Years War/Napoleonic Wars/Franco-Prussian/WW1 French fan. Also, where’d you get the uniform if you don’t mind me asking?

[@andrewplam9945]

Interesting video! And thanks for my Czech medic bag! Very cool stuff mike

[@roberthill3207]

Thanks for the video thumbs up stay awesome and have a great day.

[@nilsbachellery6939]

Legends says it's to merge with the sky's color when charging the ennemy's stronghold (baïonnette forward ofc ! )

[@shamfella13]

French be like "im blue da ba dee da ba daa"

[@KI.765]

The biggest mystery to me is why they were obsessed with wearing greatcoats year round.

[@patrickhernandez9987]

They wore them year round due to they actually keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The wool acts as an insulator

[@Bunny-zn7ke]

@@patrickhernandez9987 wait what, it keeps you cool in summer?

[@historicalairsofter1226]

@@Bunny-zn7ke yes, armies have been using wool uniforms year round for centuries before WW1

[@katzisky1914]

Your channel is underrated

[@MikeB128]

I appreciate it!

[@rebeccaback3287]

Like this content I have learned something from this video. David Back from Menifee county Kentucky.

[@DeZ556]

Goddamn dude your collection is huge, I aspire to have one like that myself. How long did it take to collect all of your firearms/historical stuff and how much did it set you back total?

[@MikeB128]

23 years and it's not cheap.

[@hewhoplugwalks]

@@MikeB128 That last part is one point people tend to forget about the hobby.

[@gunnermurphy6632]

@@hewhoplugwalks it can be.

[@corditesniffer8020]

I’ve only been collecting for the last two years or so and I’ve dug myself a hole but my collection small though it may be deeply pleases me and that’s all that’s important at the end of the day Do it for you and don’t be scared to invest yo it time and cold hard cash into it You’ll feel rewarded after every purchase and acquisition you make after researching and learning all you can about its history and development Get into historical collection my friend =) you’ll pay for it But the reward will be more valuable than money

[@alphawolfgang173]

french ww1 uniform looks cozy.

[@babyinuyasha]

Right? Especially the greatcoat

[@frank12830]

Some of the coolest uniforms ever.

[@NoirChat138]

My maman grandfathers they wore that uniform in Verdun

[@NoirChat138]

A fun fact, some of my father grandpa relatives shared the same Adrian helmet as my French relatives

[@Brickzzztheboy]

Where do you get your uniform?

[@nicktrueman224]

1st Chassuer a pied Battalion, Polish army raised by Haller. Equipped by France! What I reenact. Why Chassuer? Not because they are soecial. But because they are the core surviving members who fought from 1914 onwards. I reenact them as I am a Pole! And also feel the French army is overlooked by English speaking historians. Great job on the uniform mate thank you!

[@7-mess637]

“That you can see right here”👉 Nothing pops up

[@MikeB128]

Someone knows how to read descriptions.....

[@kingofthefleetians]

I've seen some pictures of the portuguese uniform that almost looks indigo

[@MikeB128]

Might be the colorization, but they wore a very similar color to "Horizon Blue" just cut in the British pattern of uniform.

[@ivannieves5708]

I didnt see the keppi picture. Did you add one?

[@MikeB128]

I forgot to put the photo in. Just google it.

[@elforeigner3260]

Horizon blue is a good urban camo, not so good in the bush. By the way, Austro-Hungarian pike gray worked pretty well in the Alps but it sucked in the Balkans

[@mcsmash4905]

thats the best part , there werent that many bushes in lets say the battle of verdun cause the battlefield was a moonscape if a french soldier in that uniform is running around againstr the backdrop of a blue sky you could have trouble seeing him at first

[@NoirChat138]

By the way, you are triggering me and giving me some Wardens experience Shell shock... 🤣

[@Autobotmatt428]

I can't see the 1915 uniform being useful in places like the Argonne.

[@tovarishmausedits18]

"our uniform it is blue"

[@taylorlandlords]

Do you have an indepth look at late war French uniform like you had with the German uniform?

[@MikeB128]

Not yet as I don't have the complete kit like my friend does for German.

[@taylorlandlords]

@@MikeB128👍I'm developing a WW1 boardgame and the German uniform overview was super helpful. So thanks for that!

[@NoirChat138]

🤣 it's poilus, it means hairy. D for the effort 🤣

[@georgenicholls7581]

Hey Mike could I possibly have a link to the article, I'm struggling to find it. Great video as always

[@MikeB128]

lmgtfy.app/?q=151st+line+infantry+regiment

[@georgenicholls7581]

@@MikeB128 thank you very much

[@gort9374]

Damn, mike got mad fashion, like honestly, it looks really good on you man, not even as a uniform, just as general clothing if you get whar im saying

[@panzerdragoonss4021]

Very interesting

[@unclefox5022]

May I ask where you got your uniform from?

[@mtgzero]

You have probably answered this before.. but where could I get a repo french uniform?

[@MikeB128]

It's so incredibly difficult and expensive to put together. I can almost guarantee you can't afford it. It's taken me years to get even just the basic shit together.

[@StirringPotential]

Ha, I have never seen you wearing a ww1 french uniform

[@MikeB128]

Now you have.

[@dudenameddylan2791]

I liked the video

[@ditto1958]

I hope it’s cool in your mom’s basement That uniform is made of some heavy wool

[@kingofthefleetians]

Why do so many reproductions, like the one you're wearing, look so grey?

[@babyinuyasha]

It's pwaloo by the way ;)

[@mr.antique5407]

Why do you have Castro as a logo?

[@MikeB128]

Why are you too stupid to be commenting on my videos?

[@cheairsaguilar1999]

Get em Dad!

[@gerald1495]

@Kjs pretty sure it is

[@marco529]

The blue wasn't to bad in green foliage but stood out against the brown mud of the trench's.

[@MikeB128]

Yes, the trenches, where camouflage matters so much.

[@corditesniffer8020]

I’d rather blend in when a bloke is lobbing bombs and bullets my way Just sayin

[@MikeB128]

@@corditesniffer8020 You obviously need some lessons in how exactly Trench Warfare on the Western Front went down......

[@corditesniffer8020]

Perhaps a future video idea? Would love to expand my knowledge on the topic unironically

[@guillaumeferment7445]

No dropped once etc..

[@SacredGroundsofMetal]

First

[@junga_bunga_and_pals]

second

[@MikeB128]

Who gives a fuck?

[@SacredGroundsofMetal]

@@MikeB128 I do

[@junga_bunga_and_pals]

@@MikeB128 lol. Not sure my hommie

[@mitchellsmith4690]

Wow! Middle School Ambition...