The Germans That Fought the Japanese - A Forgotten 1940 Battle

In September 1940, large numbers of German and Austrian soldiers serving in the Vichy French Foreign Legion did battle with Japanese forces in Indochina. This is the forgotten story of the Battle of Lang Son.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Bundesarchiv.

[@alexschmidt443]

You know your purpose in the world when you're a German in the French army fighting Japanese in Northern Vietnam.

[@martinwarner1178]

Brilliant. Peace be unto you.

[@-.Steven]

Indeed! Great comment!

[@Parrylarrydarrry]

Why y’all talking like ur in the 50’s , so formal

[@nicholasmuro1742]

If that purpose is to be confused and used...then yes.

[@mochiebellina8190]

Colonial rivalrys going on still

[@vitoscaletta3886]

Mark Felton, the man who answers questions i never had!

[@paulrisson3780]

No, the man who answers questions you never thought to ask

[@jonathontroy1447]

You mentioned that the French Foreign Legion received former Waffen SS members during the Indochina War. I have heard that the French were supposedly screening it's German and Austrian recruits to exclude the Waffen SS.

[@petershen6924]

Mark, there were regular members of Wehrmacht actually fought Japanese during WW2, primarily German military advisory team to China led by General Alexander von Falkenhausen. Some even stayed after recalled by Nazi government. Among them, Captain Bodo Freiherr von Stein even received commission in general rank from the Nationalist government and fought in Burma alongside British and Americans.

[@Sshooter444]

Sounds like a future video

[@81cb750fss]

Wow!

[@MI-mx3rh]

All I can think of when I hear Germany is the embarrassing way they lost in soccer Worldcup ironically first to Japan 🇯🇵 🤭🤫 one love 1-2 😆 🤣 😂

[@iota515]

​@@MI-mx3rh watch out, your clown makeup is smearing off

[@user-ik9zo3nz1e]

@L C Yes, there were divisions equip with German weapons in the KMT army （But the firepower is still insufficient, only a lot of M35 helmets😅）, but they were basically exhausted in the Battle of Shanghai .Later, Germany, Italy and Japan had a treaty of three alliance(Tripartite Pact), and the military cooperation between Germany and the KMT ended.The Soviet Union and the United States have successively assisted the KMT. Later in Chinese People's War of Liberation，The Soviet Union assisted the CPC, and the United States assisted the KMT

[@vangestelwijnen]

More and more fascinating WW2- stories emerge and we may thank Mark Felton for that!

[@rohanthandi4903]

Thank the first hand sources and the authors off the original works, Felton just repeats it

[@richardgentry6996]

Learn something new everyday. 👌

[@jaredevildog6343]

@@rohanthandi4903 then go somewhere else and stop watching his channel.

[@devilslayerthesaintofkille1317]

We learn something new everyday.

[@kaptainkaos1202]

In 1978 I had just turned 17. My home life sucked so was a runaway living on the streets. The economy really sucked so I had a construction job and was able to save a little money. One of my work buddies was a Viet Nam vet and was wanting to join the French Foreign Legion. He talked me into joining as well so I saved enough to get to France to apply. Then I tried to get a passport. Without a birth certificate available I couldn’t get one. My parents had lost mine in our moving all the time. My buddy left and I never heard from him again. I look back and think what if I had my passport? I would have gone cause it looked romantic and would get me off the streets. Wow.

[@Jeyeyeyey]

how are you doing now? I hope well

[@Anmeteor9663]

You could have applied for a replacement?

[@jjeherrera]

Boot camp at the Foreign Legion is one of the toughest, and there's nothing romantic about it. They train some of the best soldiers there are. Maybe you're better off that way.

[@kaptainkaos1202]

@@Jeyeyeyey everything turned out beyond my wildest dreams! I joined the US Navy instead of the FFL. I received top notch training, flew over 3,000 hours on the P-3 as a Naval Aircrewman. Continued my education and became a flight test engineer for the Navy and Marine Corps. I have 2 great kids, 2 fantastic grandchildren and am looking at retirement in another year so I have more time to volunteer with the homeless. I know what it’s like to be hungry and hope to help others. Thank you so much for asking!

[@kaptainkaos1202]

@@Anmeteor9663 I really didn’t know how. This was pre internet and I was over 800 miles from my family.

[@Dar_Skirata]

Very interesting story. According to Peter Harmsen's "Stalingrad on the Yangtze", there was also a sizable detachment of Falkenhausen's German officers leading Chinese troops at the frontlines and divisional HQs of Shanghai to great effect. So much so, that some Japanese called the battle the "German War".

[@petershen6924]

1st German soldier killed in WW2 was a 2nd Lt. serving in the advisory team during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937.

[@biffbutowski2447]

Thanks for that bit of history, that would have been a good final jeopardy question

[@Decadent36]

Thanks to your comment I just now bought this book off Ebay. Looking forward to reading it! Appreciate the heads-up.

[@Dar_Skirata]

@@Decadent36 Good choice. The man's a one stop shop for the war in the Far East. I can also highly recommend the audiobook if you got audible.

[@Dar_Skirata]

@@petershen6924 Very interesting, do you happe to know the name of the officer? From what I know, information on the advisory korps in combat is very sparse.

[@drmarkintexas-400]

Thank you for sharing 🏆🤗🙏🇺🇲

[@Matt-yz9ch]

You have set a high standard for historical documentaries. As always superb quality, and a non bias view back in time. Thank you for all your hard work, we history buffs appreciate you, keep up the good work Mark!

[@josephstevens9888]

Mark - you always amaze me with these obscure military histories. German fighting Japanese in WW2... who would have thought that? Also, Germans and Austrians in the French Foreign Legion? This story shows that war often produces some very strange bedfellows!

[@joejohnson4183]

The FFL always picks up recruits after a war and a lot from the losing side especially people who enjoy the soldiers life , the camaraderie and combat , all which the FFL will give . There were a lot of Germans who signed up after WW2 and fought in what is now Vietnam .

[@bigblue6917]

Considering how often France and Germany were on opposite sides in various wars strange bedfellows indeed.

[@leosimon241]

@@bigblue6917 they were many Germans and austrians who joined the FFL before the war because they were against the Nazi Government and wanted to fight against it to liberate their own country. They were also a lot of Veterans of the spanish civil war who fought for the Republicans

[@MothaLuva]

The FFL fighting in Indochine consisted of 47% Germans (and Austrians) most from the former Wehrmacht. I knew some of them.

[@josephstevens9888]

@@MothaLuva I bet they had some interesting stories to tell.

[@TheTricksterLukas]

Mark - how about a video on the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (the other BEF!) who fought under American command in the liberation of Italy in 1944/45?

[@carlevans5760]

There's already some good info out there. I have a Brazilian fiance who regularly finds things for me. I'm hoping someday, that she gets lucky and can find a WWII Brazilian, and Colombian vet who wants to sell his medals. Both countries had an "Iron Cross" as a bravery decoration, and some (I forget which?) had the American Bronze and Silver Star-like bravery awards. My gal's father was one of them.

[@DanDan3663]

Another fascinating video. Your ability to continue to find unknown stories from WWII. Your channel beats the History Channel and every other history type corporate media. Keep up the great work. Can’t wait for your next video.

[@Sajuuk]

I've learned more about history on this channel than in school...

[@tillman40]

You will never learn much history at school.

[@leemichael2154]

School's are shite at telling true milltary history

[@gypsydildopunks7083]

Thanks for the video, Mr. Felton. Always much appreciated

[@nikolasplasil1850]

You literally dig out the most forgotten stories and information that is for no reason the most interesting thing that you'll hear all day. Literally the most interesting channel ever

[@michaelcapeless3268]

Wow! Another fantastic chapter of WWII -- of course, few of us know anything about this very complex situation between allies and enemies in SE Asia in 1940 - and I have Dr. Felton to thank for digging deep and revealing his findings. Thanks again.

[@KOHTAOMURDERSDEATHISLAND]

You have a brilliant channel here Mark. Thank you for all your research and for sharing your knowledge in this format.

[@aaronlopez492]

Thank you, Dr. Fulton, those are very little-known facts that I had not heard of. Excellent e.p.👍

[@nodarkthings]

Absolutely fascinating, Dr. Felton. Thank you.

[@tomjackson8256]

Thanks a million Mark! I HAVE to watch your videos nightly!

[@johnelliott7375]

This Man always finds something new always. Great job with the video and great evening to you. God bless your work!

[@andrewedwards2211]

This is wonderful u known history Mark! Well done, I asked for this long ago and u gave it to me!!! THANKyOU!!!

[@chriswatonek5549]

I recently found your channel with that horn of plenty of rare and nearly unknown events and astonishing facts - albeit I'm not a newbie in History!! thx 👍👍🌅

[@patricia1333]

Now this promises to be fascinating!

[@MyLateralThawts]

Back in my army days, I was told that some Germans serving with the French Foreign Legion were captured by the Wehrmacht during Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the invasion of Western Europe in the Spring of 1940. The soldiers were given a choice, jail or service in the Wehrmacht, with most choosing the latter. I was further informed that most ended up in a unit that was part of the Afrika Korps and that they had a reputation for scrounging everything not nailed down. I only heard this from one of my instructors, so it’s not exactly written in stone. Still, it seemed credible at the time.

[@jhnshep]

I spent some time in the legion, the joke being 'if you didn't join a thief, you left as one' 😅 'oh look that jeep is unguarded, what do you mean unguarded, it's ours yoink!' so yea scrounging is a tradition lol

[@gidi3250]

The Germans orderd more and more Germans from the whermacht to join the French foreign legion to then stage an uprising as the French foreign legion would most of the year be stationed in North Africa the hopes where to have them either help the Italians or if moved (hopefully to Paris) they would do some serious damage, in fear of this and warned by the British the French would move most German French foreign legion to the far flung French colony's, like French indo China.

[@shoominati23]

Well, like most parts of society - they would have put Ethnics German first. So they would have had no choice but Steal, or be malnourished / malequipped

[@jonmeray713]

Pretty much standard issue for soldiers is to steal “war bootie”

[@tamilly7941]

The African camping saw FFL members captured by the Germans, as they were in "violation" of the armistice, and supporting an "illegitimate" government they were not recognized as "legitimate combatants" Hitler issued an order to shoot the prisoners, but Rommel refused, so Hitler asked for German Italian and Spanish "traitors" to be sent to Germany, but Rommel refused yet again and ignored the order

[@pierremainstone-mitchell8290]

Fascinating Mark! Yet again something I'd never heard of!

[@stiltskino4009]

We will never run out of obscure WWII battles...

[@ColinH1973]

Excellent stuff, Mark. Perhaps you could do more on the fascinating French Foreign Legion in the future, please?

[@genebohannon8820]

You never cease to amaze with history unheard of by me!

[@mattgeorge90]

Amazing episode as always!

[@Sarke2]

always interesting and things you probably didn't knew about, great work Mark Felton.

[@mrbuck5059]

Wow. Thank you. Interesting! You are the real History champion.

[@brucelowe3391]

Always entertaining. Thank you.

[@ryanreedgibson]

I'm glad you drops the Title sponsor. ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO!

[@TRHARTAmericanArtist]

Wow. Where do you find these little known stories? I am so impressed. Thanks Dr.Felton.

[@alvashoemaker8536]

YOUR in depth knowledge is AMAZING; your vids contain knowledgeable/fascinating history; I NEVER tire of reading more…. THANKS! 👍🏼👍🏼. 👣👠

[@paulmurphy42]

Keep 'em coming Mark!

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Excellent history on this one !! Semper Fi

[@bobinindiana]

Thank you for a very interesting report!

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Most intruding of a knowledge that rarely known...thanks for sharing......(Mark Felton Production) channel always sharing a wonderful historical coverage videos

[@andylees2940]

Another excellent and fascinating production 👍👍👍

[@abelyau763]

Thank you for history lesson !

[@homerogarzajr1787]

The fact that History Channel hasn't hired this guy to do his own show is wild! He has so much content for 13 seasons from the stories he has on this channel!

[@hantykje3005]

Mark Felton is too good for History Channel. The whole channel is just an ordeal of un-intelligent reality drama horse shit. Maybe Discovery Channel 25-30 years ago could have netted Mark Felton, but not now.

[@g0dofimmortality]

The last thing we need is the fools at the history channel getting their grubby hands on Mark

[@JeffEdwards258]

I’m sure all he needs to do is start digging for buried treasure and they’ll show up

[@TheSoonToBePurgedJackMeHoff55]

Ya the history Channel isn't good enough for mark

[@siegel947]

@@g0dofimmortality I agreed, with these priceless treasures that was filmed and narrative the safest to say is mark should just continue as a independent creator than be an dog to those that wants history be eradicated

[@nordicson2835]

A very interesting post , thank you.

[@claradavidson1837]

Thanks mark for your great content have a nice Xmas 🎄

[@teohcheowkin11]

Thanks.. unheard & unknown history comes to light..strange but true..

[@bobyouel7674]

brilliant yet again

[@parwezabdulmajidhodekar4672]

Informative video 👍

[@iamnolegend483]

Thank you for an interesting lesson.

[@rollfpeters5159]

great --I saw Mark Felton a lot--like his reports--thx rollf

[@johnharrington1800]

never ceases to amaze me how mark Felton finds these stories.

[@carlevans5760]

These stories are all out there. Just do good research and one thing always leads to another.

[@alvashoemaker8536]

Your vids are FASCINATING…! Thanks for this (new) knowledge…! 👍🏼👍🏼😃👠👣

[@stumpythedwarf8712]

Thank you Mark!

[@jensenwilliam5434]

Thank you Mark.

[@Zogerpogger]

The scale of the Second World War never ceases to amaze me, it is like the phyical world which seems to strech infinitely in both the micro and macro directions. World war two was global, and thus the magnitude of industry and the scale of the fighting was tremendous, and because of this there are countless stories and micro-level encounters such as this one. Imagine how many books could be written about the story of French forces trekking into China to escape the Japanese for instance. It seems the usual narrative of world war two, focusing on the main events and nothing more, obscures not only major connections and understandings of the nature of this world-wide war, but also the countless human-level experiences which, taken together, comprise the whole.

[@Peakfreud]

Well written & interesting

[@Zogerpogger]

@@Peakfreud Thank you, my psychedelic-rock-playing, psychoanalysis-pioneering friend!

[@Peakfreud]

@@Zogerpogger I think in a ways the war never ended, so many skirmishes and secondary wars branched off This just feels like an extended dormant phase, like the time period between WWI & WWII Because Israel been in a stand off with Palestine, North & South Korea, China/India, Russia/U.S cold war. We've just taken time off from Collective Global Combat to rearm More destructive.

[@Peakfreud]

How do you feel and what's your perspective on WWIII With China setting it's sights on Taiwan, And Russia/Ukraine Some say WWIII has already begun We're shipping M1 Abraham's and Arms to Ukraine that's definitely not great for diplomatic relations Only thing is Russia doesn't have any allies like that ..

[@mrains100]

Thank you.

[@nicktecky55]

And a fun postscript... at the end of the war those French military and gendarmerie supporting Vichy were disarmed by Japanese soldiers at the end of the war, under the command of the British. This was in the weeks before the time described by Mark's excellent account a couple of years back.

[@lastswordfighter]

The Allies and British/Commonwealth also used those French, Japanese, and German forces after the war to garrison different places as emergency police and military occupation forces against different uprisings to varying degrees of success. They had been stretched so thin and depleted so much they turned their enemies into conscripts. One of the interesting consequences was that American forces would refurbish and rechamber captured Arisaka into some different calibers but mostly in .30-06.

[@Nugcon]

The amount of weird and obscure stories like this really shows the scale of this global conflict

[@teddymcfail4359]

Seriously. Like, there’s so much overlap between the Allies and the Axis. And even in between the individual sides as well.

[@douglasfur3808]

Seeing the title I wondered if the Germans involved were former advisers to the ROC army. You found an interesting story again, thank you. It leaves me curious about the possibilities of advisers to the Chinese, German or Soviet, who might have stayed on in China when their units were recalled...

[@BlueRibbonWinner]

These keep getting better.

[@justanotherviewer52]

Thanks Mark.

[@allen_p]

The French Foreign Legion receiving an influx of former SS troops in 40's & 50's is something I've never heard before. Amazing details

[@hansmoss7395]

Germans startet to join the FFL in large numbers after WWl. When Rommels troops had encounters with the FFL in North Africa, Hitler gave the order that all German and Austrian members of the legion that were captured, are to be shot. Rommel ignored the order. After WW2 the french recruited in Germany for the Legion. Men joined, because the military is all they knew, the country.was on its knees, no future, their home was now in Russian territory. The Legion asked no questions, ideal for former members of the SS. Until the late 60th more than halve of the FFL members were German or Austrian. Today the Legion is mostly made up of East Europeans.

[@ASQUITHZ9]

Hi get the book like many have noted! " Devils guard" great stories Devil's Guard Paperback - 1 Feb. 1973 by George Robert Elford (Author) been reading it since 1973 never get board with it, even my uncle who served with the Koyli's in Malaya had never heard of Bamboo bombs.

[@robertarnold8452]

Read Devil's Guard,it will enlighten you.

[@IndieVolken]

@@ASQUITHZ9 what is that ; a word per day ....... : )

[@duncancurtis5971]

Read The Devil's Guard. Gripping stuff.

[@brokenbridge6316]

You sure do love to cover a lot of really interesting subjects

[@maxhill9254]

great information

[@scottbush4952]

Thanks Mark

[@GaveMeGrace1]

Thank you

[@ComancheTribe69]

Excellent video for a Sunday mark!

[@americanpatriot2422]

Great video

[@shantanusapru]

Nice!! Very interesting!

[@tylergebert3285]

Mark Felton does it again!

[@kevinduong337]

Nice video, Mark. This is a front that's not really explored. I was wondering if, on the flipside, you could cover the Vietnamese (and I think some Cambodians) that were in the Battle of France in 1940, and in Vichy service in the Middle East (I think a battalion was in Syria and Lebanon) before defecting over to De Gaulle's Free French. A very obscure topic and I've only found one French book and one archived site that discusses this. On the same subject, Nguyen van Hinh (Chief of Staff of the Vietnamese National Army) had served in the French Air Force during the Fall of France, defected to the Free French in North Africa, and supposedly participated in the occupation of Germany. Deposed Emperor-in-exile Duy Tan (Vinh San) was said to have served in the French Navy before switching to the Free French Army. Right after WW2 ended, he died in a plane crash in Central African Republic.

[@TankerBricks]

Mark. Thanks for providing my Sunday Night entertainment!

[@jonathancooper4914]

Fascinating stuff.

[@Mamapelefone1935]

Excellent!

[@fordfairlane662dr]

Well I was working on my 3/4 ton Ford man while I got this notification and I decided to take a break and watch it myself the history teacher we never had

[@SNP-1999]

My great uncle was German but joined the French Foreign Legion when Hitler came to power in 1933. After the collapse of France in 1940, he fought against the Italians and Germans in North Africa on the allied side. Some may call him a traitor, but I call him a hero for opposing the Nazis and for being loyal to France and the allied cause, even if it meant fighting his own countrymen. RIP Onkel Emil.

[@aleksazunjic9672]

Well, he was a traitor to his country. And traitor is sometimes useful, but never respected.

[@jebipasadegene]

Rest in peace Onkel Emil and ignore this ustasha or chetnik commentator. The fascists were the only traitors of their nations. Death to fascim, and liberty to the people, always.

[@carlevans5760]

The FFL was almost a 50/50 split fighting for and against the allies.

[@thomaslangner8894]

I'd call him a true patriot.

[@clouetjp769]

you can consider him a hero!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks

[@landonedwards7504]

Thanks to my dad's service with Chennault's CACW/Flying Tigers (later US 14th AF), I was told a little of the "pre-war" history of China. But I never heard or knew of the German, Austrian, and French involvement. Wow! I wonder how Chennault handled all that in his relationship with Chiang Kai-shek and prosecution of the war by China against Japan. Seems that would have created inherent conflict when high-ranking Germans also had Chiang's ear.

[@kmmediafactory]

As said by the Front..."World War II was nuanced as hell" I'm finding this quote to be more true every day.

[@paulcarpenter885]

To expand on that "War is nuanced as hell" There's a reason it's called a "war machine" when a country goes to war because many things have to work in tandem for it to go smoothly. Let alone mention how unpredictable it is in the field. War is hell and extremely complicated.

[@kmmediafactory]

@@paulcarpenter885 Most definitely, war is not what it looks like. It's crazy, chaotic, and risky, not to mention downright evil, men killing other men. But it's an integral part of our world whether we like it or not.

[@splagyetsi3287]

Mark, your still surprising me with stories about WW2, I was never aware of.

[@cola_420]

Fascinating

[@jeromewagschal9485]

That was fascinating I never knew about that...

[@pittbullking87]

How interesting! I knew that the Vichy French were in a brief war with Thailand but I did not know about this.

[@ashermacatangay7679]

Will not gonna forget this Mark Felton Intro :D

[@colinvannurden3090]

Good vid Mark! Hey...can you compile a video of the Allies assisting the Soviets during WW2 from the northern Russia coast?! Thanks, keep up the good work bro...

[@andrewgwilliam4831]

For some reason I always find these odd quirks of history to be particularly fascinating.

[@davidbocquelet-dbodesign]

Nice one Mark ! It happened already in 1914, at Tsingtao...

[@AlvinREDDELTA]

thanks for new video also we still dont know about ww2s more forgotten battles they never told us

[@davidlondon9002]

Never knew this! Interesting

[@Humpo48]

This is very fascinating u are my fave youtuber

[@KarlPHorse]

How on earth do you find all of these stories? It's impressive.

[@lanternsown3525]

Wow! what an interesting story those men were really brave.

[@LordFred69]

fascinating

[@mikefoehr235]

Amazing

[@danielgreen3715]

Interesting Facts Mr Felton..Maybe you should do a Follow up on the German Legionnaires in the Indochina War

[@andysvehiclehistorychannel]

Quite amazing

[@warrenrudkin5277]

Very interesting

[@markjames6669]

I’d love to see Mark do a video on the waffen ss French foreign legion units fighting in indochina after germanys collapse in 1945 onwards . Especially after reading the devils guard books , be interesting to know how much truth is in them books

[@carlevans5760]

The excellent book: Devil's Guard by George Robert Elford is THE best book on the subject. I met the FFL's commander of the all German battalion that served and many died in Indochina. Sadly, Hans is deceased. He and I became friends a few months before he passed away.

[@GhostRanger5060]

@@carlevans5760 One of my favorite books of all time! You were blessed to have met such a famous soldier-of-fortune! I am also fascinated by the many Waffen SS soldiers who fought the communists in the Congo.

[@carlevans5760]

@@GhostRanger5060 Thank you. I was privileged to have met many men of history. Among others, I knew Major Michael Possinger who was a Knights Cross Recipient and one of few Hitler plotters to survive the war. The SS had been looking for him just before wars end-but couldn't find him thanks to men giving false info about his whereabouts. Some simply gestured he was in combat somewhere? others just lied because, Major Possinger was that well liked and respected. I have a combat worn pair of his Major's shoulderboards. I got these in the mail about 3 months after I met him in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. He paid for Susanne's and my meals. We sat there for about 2 hours just talking. Other notables I knew and were friends with: Kapitänleutnant Burkhard Freiherr von Mullenheim-Rechberg. 4th gunnery officer on the Bismarck, Ted Brigs, one of three men who survived the Hood sinking, Captain Richard Wallace Annand-Victoria Cross Recipient from the Durham Light Infantry, Remy Schrijnen Knights Cross Recipient from SS Sturmbrigade Langemarcks, and many others. I met Brigadier General David Lee "Tex" Hill. One of three Flying Tigers Squadron leaders, and Dutch Van Kirk-Navigator on the Enola Gay. I'd list more, but no time to do so.

[@MartinMartinm]

Mark could you do a video on stalin's relationship with france before the war and how he sent supplies.

[@tamaliaalisjahbana6849]

Could you do one about the Germans in Indonesia please? There is a small German military cemetery in the mountains of West Java. It is for World War I and II. It would be interesting if you could do a film about the Emden and the German East Asiatic fleet. It was an amazing story. During World War II there was a German u-boat station in Surabaya and as Germany surrendered before the Japanese, the Germans surrendered their u-boats to the Japanese and became farmers in the mountains of West Java. Some never wanted to return to Germany and stayed even after the war. Several German officers helped train the new Indonesian army. When British troops arrived they were forced to help the British, Dutch and Japanese troops protect the Dutch inmates of Japanese prisoner-of-war camps from Indonesian nationalists fighting for independence.

[@Tr-kx7hb]

Thank you Mark Felton. You answered the reason why the Japanese invaded French Indochina: their support for Chiang Kai-sek, although it is not the main topic of this video. Last year, while learning history at school, it struck me that it made no sense for Japan to try to invade French Indochina since both countries seemed to be on the same side, as France's colonies submitted to the new French Vichy government, which is an ally of Nazi Germany. I asked my history teacher about this, but her response did not satisfy me. Thus, I resorted to searching far and wide on Google to no avail. Now, I am content knowing the true cause of their invasion of my country after such a painfully long period of time. Just to clarify, that does not justify any of their war crimes committed to my people.