The Irish Fighting for Britain, Mexico's Role in the War, and Chuikov in Uranus - WW2 - OOTF 27

How many Irishmen are fighting for Britain and why? And what did Chuikov do during Operation Uranus? And what role has Mexico played in the fighting so far? Find out the answers to these fascinating questions in our latest edition of Out of the Foxholes!
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Hosted by: Indy Neidell
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
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Written by: Arthur Costa De Silveira, Radu Lengher, Kyle Vickers
Research by: Arthur Costa De Silveira, Radu Lengher, Kyle Vickers
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Sound design by: Marek Kamiński
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Image sources:
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A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Join the TimeGhost Army: bit.ly/OOTF_027_PI We love answering all your questions, but as a bonus perk for joining the TimeGhost Army, we prioritize answers by tier. Sign up if you have a burning question, and Indy might get to it!

[@airborngrmp1]

Can I submit questions for future episodes here?

[@blackhathacker82]

@@airborngrmp1 you must be a patreon otherwise you'll get 👎 nothing speaking on behalf of indy neidel

[@julianshepherd2038]

Why don't you want questions here?

[@blackhathacker82]

@@julianshepherd2038 as a figure of speech nothing useful I've been subscribe er from the beginning of this channel and listened many if not all videos I've talked with Mr neidel but didn't find anything interesting because I didn't pay them

[@blackhathacker82]

@@julianshepherd2038 as in the film water world says "nothing is free in water world 🌎 " play on words nothing is free in world War 2

[@amcalabrese1]

A joke I read a long time ago about about the Irish soldiers in the British army during WW II. Two Irish soldiers are in a trench outside Tobruk. One asks the other “what do you think about Prime Minister de Valera” The other answers “I am not sure but at least he kept us out of the war”.

[@nirfz]

As far as i learned in school: Before the war in 1938, Mexico was the only country that wrote an official protest note in the league of nations when Austria ceased to exist as a soverign nation by getting "incorporated" into Germany. In honour of that, the former archduke Charles square was renamed to Mexico square (Mexiko Platz in german) after the war. It still holds that name to this day.

[@TheGunderian]

That is fantastic!

[@blaisevillaume9051]

@@luke5442 people who are trying to learn another language

[@MarcosElMalo2]

That’s pretty interesting (and I just confirmed it with a quick glance at the “Anschluss Österreichs” article in Wikipedia).

[@lacasadipavlov]

Yes, President Cardenas was very adamant on his antifascism

[@nirfz]

@@TheGunderian Thanks, corrected it :-)

[@paulhayes597]

My grandfather was one of those 5000 IDF soldiers who deserted and signed up with the British. He spent the rest of his life in Britain, and never saw Ireland again, for fear of being arrested. Not even to attend his fathers funeral. Really glad you covered this, I didn't know how common this was.

[@darrinscott6612]

Glad to see Latino fighters get some well-deserved recognition! 🇲🇽🇺🇲

[@WorldWarTwo]

🇲🇽🇺🇲

[@WhitishSine8]

Mexico did a lot of artistic stuff during the war, our golden age of cinema was in part helped by the war and we had stars like Pedro Infante whose movies were famous worldwide, also the squadron that went to the pacific met the daughter of the governor of the Philipines and 2 of the 5 who died actually kissed her. Another fun fact is that a lot of people believe a conspiracy theory that says the us sunked those mexican ships but blamed the german to make the country join the US in the war, but tbh it's a stupid conspiracy we weren't in a position to do much during the war

[@ScottyShaw]

@@saratov99 Wrong. Mexico is better than most countries in the world.

[@ffjjddmxkxkfox6901]

The golden age of Mexican film produced some of the greatest films, artists and music of all Latin America. Pedro infante, cantinflas and Negrete just to name a few

[@mikhailbashni8936]

@@saratov99 My two uncles were from Mexico and fought in WW2 (both were decorated soldiers) and they weren't the only ones. When you are from different country and have no law of obligation to fight for another country (USA). That is pure bravery for the principal cause of freedom.

[@Ryan-jr3ok]

@@saratov99 thats not even true its economy is the second largest economy in latin america and it will only continue to get better. Keep believing the media or something for your false impressions of mexico

[@sappert1952]

@@mikhailbashni8936 I severed with a man who’s grandfather emigrated to the US from Mexico and joined the US Army to fight in WW2. Now that’s an American and so were your uncles. I don’t care where they were born.

[@danielnavarro537]

One such unit that served with distinction and was composed of men from southwestern United States was the 45th Division. It composed of Hispanics, Native Americans, and Dustbowl Cowboys. Very interesting to hear about this unit and how they fought their way from Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Rhône, Vosges, and into Germany itself. ¡Viva Mexico! 🇲🇽

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Daniel 🇲🇽

[@clivemortimore8203]

When my father was serving on the escort trawlers protecting the ferries between mainland Great Britain and Ireland, if they had time ashore in Dublin they were allowed to visit the pubs, cafes, cinemas etc if they dressed in civilian clothes. In Belfast they were limited to where they could go and had to be in uniform and armed in case the IRA attacked them. 30 and a bit years after Dad was in Belfast so was I, in uniform and armed but that is a different story.

[@willallen7757]

My family raised money for the IRA, and my uncle did 10 years in prison for buying and shipping rifles to Ireland. Small world :) .

[@clivemortimore8203]

@@willallen7757 I am not too sure that your uncle and I would have been mates at the time. Thankfully a lot of water has passed under the bridge. I still dislike the IRA for what they done to some of my friends but understand the white on white apartheid that fueled the troubles. Conversely I understand the induced heredity fear that the descendants of the colonialist have of a united Ireland. I personally don't think in the 21st century the Unionist community has anything to fear. I certainly do not want to see a repeat of the troubles ever again.

[@willallen7757]

@@clivemortimore8203 My Gran Nana came from Ireland in the very early 1900's. I'm not sure what she went thru, but she had a strong dislike for Englishmen as she said. All the money raising was her wishes, and My Unc was just tryna be a good kid I guess. I agree we've all got bigger fish to fry these days, and religion is a ridiculous reason to shoot each other.

[@stevejdickey]

#holup

[@glypnir]

Nobody seems to care about those trawlers even though they went all around the world and did things like sink U boats.

[@christopherroa9781]

Love hearing people pronounce Nicaragua correctly! Thank you for covering Latin America in depth in this episode

[@WorldWarTwo]

thanks for watching Christopher!

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@WorldWarTwo Indy mispronounced bracero, though. Soft ‘s’. Derived from brazo, the Spanish word for arm, it means a person who works with his arms, i.e., a manual laborer.

[@christopherroa9781]

@@MarcosElMalo2 nobody's perfect!

[@alflores4220]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Similar to "farmhand" or on a ship, "deckhand"

[@rtauzin64]

I'd love a story of cajuns in ww2. Especially the the ones dropped into nazi occupied France because of their french speaking. The Canadian French had distinct accent which german troops could pick up. The louisiana cajuns got through the lines. I knew a gentleman who was an interpreter for Patton, from louisiana. Met churchill at casablanca

[@lippyfrybender4622]

My grandfather and his brother flew in the RAF Both from Ireland

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Great topics. Mexicans did make contributions in labor in the US, and they were invited. Thank you very much for that at informative discussion.

[@ADavidJohnson]

I would have thought that the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of “Mexicans”, including native-born US citizens, from the USA during the Great Depression would have been worth a comment in terms of things that affected relations between the two countries. The fact that the Bracero program was just a decade after that is still sort of mind-blowing.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@ADavidJohnson Not just some, but (per WP) 38% of the 355,000 “repatriated” were born in the U.S. Also interesting: President Hoover blamed the depression on Mexicans. The more I study American History, the more I understand the dark side of it: that white supremacy was a foundational building block of our nation and that the threads of racism continue to be part of the national fabric to this day. Despite all our noble principles of democracy and liberty, this dark underside of our national zeitgeist has been present from the beginning. I confess that I used to raise my eyebrow at the idea of systemic racism (as opposed to individual racial prejudice).

[@gunman47]

It's been a while since we last seen an OOTF video. Pretty interesting questions that we have got answered here today. Thanks World War Two team!

[@burimfazliu3102]

Well we get a lot of specials from this channel so.

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@burimfazliu3102 There are so many facts and events that crop up in the comments that would never merit their own special episode and are a bit too obscure or irrelevent to the main narrative(s) of the war to ever make it into the regular episodes. This format is perfect for tackling the 'little stuff' that they don't have time to address otherwise.

[@vincentdracen]

Richard Doherty has two great books on the Irish service, "Clear the Way" about the 38th specifically, and "In the Ranks of Death" about the Irish involvement in the war in general. Incidentally there were multiple battalions (most British line regiments had at least 2 Battalions) of the Irish Fusiliers, Inniskilling Fusiliers, and London Irish Rifles (which were actually a Territorial unit that was linked with an additional line unit not mentioned in the video, the Royal Ulster Rifles, formally Royal Irish Rifles in the first world war). Additionally there was a Guards unit, the Irish Guards. Both the Fusilier units deployed battalions to the mid and far east: the 2nd Battalion Irish Fusiliers in Malta and then ultimately to their destruction in Leros, and the 2nd Inniskilling Fusiliers in India, Madagascar, Syria and Persia before heading to Italy alongside 8th Army; they would eventually replace the decimated 6th Battalion during the fighting in Italy. The Royal Ulster Rifles were the only British line unit to deploy its entire regimental strength at D-Day, with the 2nd Battalion at Sword with 3rd Division, while the 1st Battalion participated in Operation Mallard as a component of the 6th Airlanding Brigade. "The Rifles Are There" by David Orr and David Trusedale is a good reference on that unit, which was operationally separate from those serving in the 38th Brigade.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for the suggestions

[@seanmccann8368]

@@jackdoyle7453 Indeed, both excellent books.

[@JamesHussey404]

@@WorldWarTwo If you ever want to delve deeper into Irish involvement in World War 2 I would reccomend reading Ireland's Secret War by Marc Mc Menamin

[@marks_sparks1]

@@WorldWarTwo the gold standard for all Ireland in WW2 histiography is the late Robert Fisks' In Time of War: Ireland, Ulster & The Price of Neutrality 1939-45 (1983). It's a serious work of scholarship that holds up to this day.

[@thomaswalsh1679]

don't forget the Irish Guards. we did a good lot of fighting in the war. we even show up in the movie a bridge to far.

[@tc2851]

An Irishman from Tipperary told me that he joined the British Army having emigrated to England before the war. He served in North Africa for the duration of that campaign, he told me there was almost a mutiny in his unit when these men were back in England and assigned to be in the vanguard of the Normandy invasion having already served in action for so many years already. The thing that animated him was that there were thousands of British soldiers that were swanning around England dancing and drinking beer while they ate sand and drank contaminated water in the desert. They went in, he was of the opinion that it was a mistake because he said you need a certain amount of naivety to land on a beach under the defenders guns. ‘Beir bua’ (Bring Victory) 🇮🇪

[@WorldWarTwo]

T C Thank you for sharing his story here. 🇮🇪

[@tc2851]

@@WorldWarTwo thank you, I omitted to say that he was earlier evacuated from Dunkirk, he was very critical of the leadership of that phase, he told of total confusion and lack of intelligence about their situation. He became a teacher in England for the rest of his working life and retired to Tipperary where I was very fortunate to have known him, a kind considerate and gentle-man. RIP

[@slicedchicken4806]

I do believe there should be a movie about the Aztec Eagles.

[@ernestaguirre]

My father was in the bracero program (pronounced brasero) he spent two years working in Wisconsin fabricating k-ration cans. The U.S. welcomed these men with open arms thus leading to the term "braceros" (the embraced) Thanks to a point system that rewarded their service, many of the men (my father included) were able to apply for permanent residence and eventual U.S. citizenship.

[@ScottyShaw]

🥳🥳

[@77Cardinal]

A good friend of mine once mentioned that her father had been able to immigrate from Mexico to our home town. I asked her to tell me about it. He had come as a Bracero during the war and his experience working on farms and ranches in Mexico made him and others a truly valuable asset on the home front, providing food for civilians, allies and fighting forces over seas. "He loved America, became a citizen and his kids were all born here".

[@lycaonpictus9662]

I wasn't aware of this history. Thanks for sharing your family's experiences, and also the channel for covering this topic.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing about him.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

I’m sorry to disagree with the terminology, but the term bracero is Spanish for a manual laborer, and it has been used long before WWII. It is indirectly related to an embrace (abrazo). It is derived from the word brazo, Spanish for arm. Manual laborers use their arms to work. Bracero is literally translated as “one who uses his arms to work”. The U.S. welcomed these workers because it needed them, but given the racism of American society, I doubt they were accepted with “open arms”. At best they were tolerated while they were needed for strategic production. As soon as the need was not as dire, we see mass deportations such as Operation Wetback.

[@timk3539]

Thank you for the distinction between Soviet and Russian! Such distinctions do matter.

[@shawnr771]

Yes one thing is not the same as the other.

[@stephenjacks8196]

My Uncle flew B24s (escorted by P47s) from China against Japan. He mentioned learning Spanish while stationed there.

[@kevindoyle1884]

Thank you for shedding light on the Irish that fought in the British armed forces

[@richgweil]

I have all the Life magazines printed during WW2, and I remember an article in 42 about Mexican troops transiting Arizona on trains to garrison Baja California as a precaution against the Japanese.

[@theoutlook55]

Yay. ¡Vamos México! My dad, as a little kid, actually saw the famous 201 Squadron (deployed to engage in dog fights with the Japanese) fly over El Paso, or maybe it was Nuevo Laredo, as they were returning back to Mexico from the war. Y'all's map at 9:09 seems to not mention how the Mexican Government had to recognize the annexation of Texas (and that the Border would be at the Rio Grande as opposed to the Nueces River). For those interested, here's a good link from Biographics explaining the war. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnW8hHlqaNucodE

[@diegoemilioblanco1911]

Hi. The 201 Squadron flew in escorting and ground supporting missions and a dive bombing attack. As far as I have found there is no data that confirms that they were engaged in dogfights with the IJAAS or the IJNAS

[@theoutlook55]

@Diego Emilio Blanco good to know. I was misinformed then. Thanks for the insight. There's a monument to them in Mexico City, including the couple of pilots who died. It goes into no details as to their operations but I've had the pleasure of seeing it.

[@diegoemilioblanco1911]

@@theoutlook55 You are welcome :). I've been to the "Monumento a los Héroes del Escuadrón 201" monument and it is such a wonderful place, hope that you can visit it one day. My father, as an ex member of the mexican air force, had the pleasure of meeting one of the veterans of the 201st !

[@MarcosElMalo2]

@@diegoemilioblanco1911 That makes sense. By the time Escuadrón 201 entered active fighting, the Japanese air capabilities were much degraded. There probably were few Japanese fighter aircraft in the Philippines, if there were any left. (We could make a joke about Japan having zero fighters.)

[@theoutlook55]

@@MarcosElMalo2 😂 "zero fighters." That is a good one. @Diego Emilio Blanco Oh, did your dad get a chance to meet one of the veterans? That's so neat!

[@basichistory]

As an Irishman I found this video very informative, well done.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you

[@joeystalin828]

My paternal grandfather was an Irishman from Galway that served in the British merchant navy during WW2. He immigrated to Boston in 1949. RIP Martin McDonagh (1919-1994).

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing about him. May he rest in peace.

[@FabioGallardoTheBest]

My grandpa was a young kid in Mexico during the war. At the time, he lived in a small village that was little more than a train station and intersection for a couple different railway lines. He remembers watching trains loaded up with humongous mounds of scrap metal that were being sent northbound for the American war effort. He even mentioned seeing old guns being sent either to be used as scrap or to be given to homefront guards and the like. Like much of Latin America, Mexico’s contribution to the Allied cause started before the declaration of war and included key economic assistance. I wonder how many bombers, guns, etc were ultimately made with materials that passed through our Southern border.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Fabio Thank you for sharing your grandpa's experience in Mexico during the war.

[@Frontrangeman1]

A source of Mexican-American service in the U.S. Military during WWII could be found at the University of Texas, Austin, as the history department as I recall, was conducting oral history interviews with all military veterans who were willing to participate.

[@markrowland1366]

WW2, saw an industrial revolution in Mexico. US industrial investment saw more improvement in living standards and caused a sudden improvement in education.

[@frankiefierro7129]

My grandfather was Mexican American and served in the US Army during the war. He was a military police officer that served in N. Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He never talked about his experiences of the war but my family was able to get his medals after he passed.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing about him, glad to know you got his medals. May he rest in peace.

[@KronnangDunn]

Mexican guy here. The German U-Boats actually sunk 6 Mexican Oil Tankers in 1942: Potrero del Llano, Faja de Oro, Tuxpam, Las Choapas, Oaxaca and Amatlan. 41 Mexican sailors were killed in the attacks. The first two attacks prompted the declaration of war against the Axis. BTW.... Bracero is actually pronounced BRASS ERO.

[@beardy5337]

Not just combatants that joined from Ireland. My great aunt was a science graduate specialising in physics that was recruited into the Admiralty. Spent the war working in Teddington in London. Never told anyone what she did, other than it was 'countermeasures', despite having 4 curious sisters and only mentioned in passing that she met Churchill once, but never why.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Beardy Thank you for sharing about your great aunt.

[@janiceduke1205]

It was General Chuikov who coined the phrase the Stalingrad Academy of Street-Fighting. Chuikov's idea was to keep the Germans constantly engaged. Chuikov ordered his men to stay close to the enemy - typically within 50 m (Beevor, 1999; Chuikov, 1963). This was to reduce the potency of the German artillery and air support. It was at Stalingrad that Chuikov developed the important tactic of "hugging the enemy", by which Soviet soldiers kept the German army so close to them as to minimize the airpower enjoyed by the Wehrmacht.

[@shannonfreeman3655]

What a great job Indy as always, I loved hearing about Mexico I always wondered about that and other American countries so thank you for all you did.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Shannon

[@kirbyculp3449]

Check out brazilian 'Smoking Cobras'.

[@elektrotehnik94]

@@kirbyculp3449 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Expeditionary_Force

[@naponroy]

My grandfather left Clonakilty to work in England in the late 30s and ended up joining the RAF 1939 as ground crew. He ended up getting posted in 1940 to the RAF training mission at Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In 1944 when the Carpiquet airfield outside Caen was taken in Normandy in 1944, his crew was sent to bring it to working order. After that he was front-line groundcrew across Europe until being decommissioned in Germany in 1946.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for sharing your grandfather's experience during the war.

[@seanmccann8368]

Is Klonakilty in the Klondike? Or do you mean Clonakilty, Co. Cork, Ireland?

[@naponroy]

@@seanmccann8368 Yukon? What are you talking about? Is there even one in the Yukon? Of course in Ireland. Re: the video.

[@seanmccann8368]

@@naponroy I'd have sworn you spelt it Klonakilty before you edited the comment.

[@The_Boomer_]

Long time lurker since your days with the great war. Just wanna say this is an incredible channel, with a phenomenal crew of inspiring individuals. Keep up the good fight 🍻

[@gianniverschueren870]

That is a brilliant tie, Indy! I'm surprised you didn't save that one for a regular episode. 4/5

[@WorldWarTwo]

I love the tie comments

[@thequeensowncameronhighlan7883]

I have a question...😁 But seriously, I just have enough on the go without adding the Community to the pile. My Uncle was a Southern Irish nurse working in Britain, and only joined the RAF in 1943 I'm told. No obvious reason is known. He was killed in a training accident in 1945 IIRC. I know that Folye's War has an episode that highlighted not just the Irish volunteers who went to war, but also the numbers of Irish who came over to work in all kinds of occupations without whom Britain's war effort would have suffered. Interesting aspect, much like the Mexican labourers in the US. Keep up the good work, and thanks for all the fish.

[@Paciat]

I talked to an Irishman who believed his uncle was captured by the British to fight at D-Day. I argued that there is no value of a slave soldier on the front line. Thus his uncle must have made up a story why he did it, because he was ashamed of what he did in a country that send condolences to Germany when Hitler died.

[@benwilson6145]

@@michaelkeane7211 Its pretty easy to find out the truth, the treatment of Irish volunteers on returning to Ireland is well published. I had a friend who died 4 years ago, he joined the RAF in 1943. The RAF transferred him and many of his friends to the RAAF in 1950. They also arranged for there wives and children to go to Australia. His wife did not get on the ship with his sons. He waited in vain at Fremantle. His wife told his sons he was dead and "remarried" and had a further daughter by her new "Husband". He did not see his children until 1969.

[@tams805]

@@michaelkeane7211 Then explain why decades later the Irish Government saw the need to pass legislation to make an apology to WWII veterans.

[@seanmccann8368]

@@michaelkeane7211 Wouldn't it have been hilarious to find enslaved Irish soldiers in the trenches of WW1 executing british enemy officers and thus defeating the old enemy.

[@criso6164]

Great to have an OOTFH again, always a good mix of questions and a good pick me up tonic from watching the week by week coverage. Thanks!

[@WorldWarTwo]

thanks for watching!

[@capt_von_ondine5962]

Speaking of the Medal of Honor, the last surviving WW2 Medal of Honor recipient recently passed away.

[@Zen-sx5io]

RIP

[@WorldWarTwo]

Hershel W. "Woody" Williams. May he rest in peace

[@its_lalola_officialplays]

I’m from Mexico so thank you for making this video

[@eduardogalvan2315]

i am glad you mentioned Mexican and mexican american individuals and their roles during the conflict. US and Mexican relations were quite complex. i had just completed an essay assignment about this topic. Asa mexican-american myself, i was suprised to learn that my great grandfather served in the war as well. although im not exactly sure what he did during those years, all i do know is that he was a private, he was stationed at Fort Bliss and he returned home as a result of sickness.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Good luck on your essay, Eduardo. And thanks for sharing about your great grandfather. May he rest in peace. Thanks for watching

[@diminios]

Chuikov in Uranus. Be honest - how many of you at Timeghost army at least giggled when seeing that title for the first time?

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Everyone chuckles for an internal millisecond each time that kind of joke is said.

[@kemarisite]

Except that during the 25th century the name was changed to Urectum to put a stop to that joke. (Futurama)

[@295Phoenix]

I didn't. I outgrew Uranus jokes a long time ago.

[@lukasgabryel5881]

Came for this.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

If by chuckle you mean rolled my eyes, then yes. 🙄 Fun fact: the uppermost atmosphere of your anus is composed of methane.

[@amadeusamwater]

Brazil sent troops to fight in Italy, they were said to be very good.

[@bmyers7078]

James Gibbs: only after the snakes stared smoking. 😆

[@janiceduke1205]

On 7 December 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II. Brazil almost immediately began providing bases to the US and cut its diplomatic ties with the Axis powers. In response, German and Italian submarines targeted Brazilian shipping, prompting Brazil to declare war in August 1942.

[@michaelfodor6280]

@@bmyers7078 Yup. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXOlnoN_Zcd5hs0

[@kalashnikovdevil]

A Cobra Está Fumando!

[@joseantoniogarciamoreno8740]

Just checking this video, thanks for talking about Mexico's involvement in WWII. About more specific Mexican participation, it would great to mention Gilberto Bosques' actions in the occupied France.

[@warrenmilford1329]

You didn't mention the Irish Guards regiment Indy, AKA The Micks. One of the foot guards regiments like the Scots and Coldstreams etc. Through it's history, it has recruited men from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as Irish decent men from the UK and the old British Empire/modern Commonwealth countries.The regiment won two VC's during WW2 I believe.

[@dewok4701]

Every episode you guys make extra, special, regular always welcomed 💖💖💖💖

[@liamfoley9614]

The Irish men who joined the British army were not universally treated badly after they returned. Irish men who deserted the Irish defence forces during a time of emergency were not treated well and this is justified. If British or American soldiers deserted during the war they would have been treated much worse. It's not a good analogy because they were at war but still, they deserted during a time when they were needed. I am far more British than the average Irishman but even I can see what they did was wrong.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Liam Thanks for that perspective.

[@Raskolnikov70]

That's a good way to look at it. People looking back on events from a 21st Century perspective forget that the idea of "allies = good, axis = bad" wasn't so cut and dried in the 1930's and 40's. There was plenty of support for Germany here in the US for example, and even more support for staying neutral and isolationist. People in neutral countries wouldn't automatically be lauded as heroes for crossing the border to join another country's armed forces, and as you pointed out would often be considered traitors if they deserted from their own country's military to do it.

[@seanmccann8368]

@@Raskolnikov70 Definitely correct about Ireland in 1939 to 1941 at least. There was very little to choose between the Nazis and the british if you were looking at both from Ireland.

[@BeingFireRetardant]

@@seanmccann8368 With Britain being arguably worse given the recent history of hostilities caused by oppressive heavy handed rule. Something the Brits would love to quietly justify, until 1940-1, when German invasion seemed imminent. And when suddenly the threat of being an oppressed puppet state loomed large for them. The Irish have always been between a rock and a hard place...

[@seanmccann8368]

@@BeingFireRetardant Exactly right, I think the band Stealers Wheel understood the Irish political situation best with the song 'Stuck in the middle with you' "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right here I am stuck in the middle with you." Even more applicable in recent years with Trumps 'Murrika and Bojo's Brexshite britain. ;))

[@mackcrown3508]

OOTF episodes are great, they provide answers to interesting questions.I would love to have more episodes of this format.Keep up the great work!

[@mikaelcrews7232]

I'm not asking a question but giving a small statement!!! Another medal of honor recipient of Latino heritage was Guy Gabbalton! Joined the Marines and fought on Saipan in 1944, and later become known as the Pied Piper of Saipan! Sense you were skipping ahead and talking about the Mexican air force!

[@HootOwl513]

Go for broke! Cpl Gabaldon was an orphan in East LA. He was adopted by the Japanese- American Nakano family at 12, and learned their language. The Nakanos were interned in a camp in Wyoming. Gabaldon went to Alaska, working in a cannery until he was 17. At that age he could join the USMC. The Corps sent him to language school to further refine his Japanese language skills. Two of his step-brothers joined the US Army and fought in Italy with the 442nd RCT. It was the most highly decorated unit in the Army. Nano Nakano became an actor postwar, and played himself in the Van Johnson feature ''Go For Broke.'' [1951]. PFC Gabaldon, at 18, convinced over 1300 Japanese civilians and soldiers to surrender to the Americans. He was awarded the Silver Star for saving their lives. [Later upgraded to Navy Cross. In 2006 there was an effort to upgrade again to the Medal of Honor.] A 1960 feature film with Jeff Hunter, as ''Gabby''''was titled ''Hell To Eternity.'' Sadly, he could not convince everyone, and at the end of the Saipan campaign, over 1000 Japanese civilians chose to jump off the island's cliffs rather than be soiled by contact with ''Barbarian'' GaiJin.

[@ScottyShaw]

Here's a link about him: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Gabaldon Amazing exploits from a phenomenal hero ✌️😎

[@samdumaquis2033]

Great vid, my grandfather from Northern Ireland served in the RAF in North Africa

[@WorldWarTwo]

Sam Thank you for sharing about him

[@samdumaquis2033]

@@WorldWarTwo when he enlisted he was underage too (17 I think)

[@hankw69]

I once had a friend who's Mexican-American father fought in the Philippines during the war in the U.S. Army. He met and married a local girl that he took back home and my friend was the result of their union.

[@MrHusker1996]

Great questions, you should really do OOTFH more often

[@willynthepoorboys2]

Thanks for the video.

[@daviddura1172]

always informative!

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Hi Indy Interesting question and awesome answers. Its been so long for out of fox hole episode. Thanks.

[@N-V-R-F]

about your comment on russian vs. soviet, i just thought FINALLY someone says it, and im russian btw.

[@alexamerling79]

Great stuff like always Indy!

[@odysseusrex5908]

LOL! I love your very intense, *"Do not ask it here in the comments!"* You sound like a teacher exasperated with students who will not read and follow directions. Keep up the good work, this is one of the finest documentaries ever made.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Odysseus! Don't get out of line in Indy's classroom 😤

[@odysseusrex5908]

@@WorldWarTwo LOL!

[@131scavy]

Hi Indy and Team, I've been watching your work since the first weeks of your The Great War coverage and am always impressed by your team's comprehensive documentaries. To my question, although it may be more relevant for Spies and Ties: Does your team have intentions on covering the American CIS, Counter Intelligence Service, and their role during the war? My Grandfather served as an officer in the CIS and saw deployments in North Africa, Sicily, and Southern France but I've rarely been able to find much in the way of firsthand, or very detailed information about what he may have done besides some sparse stories. As always, love your work and all of you.

[@hannahskipper2764]

Cool! I'm glad you put another one of these up. It hasn't been up in a while.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, Hannah

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!

[@McTeerZor]

Me, was going to write a cheeky question for a little harmless trolling. Indy points straight at the camera "You're doing it on purpose!". I laughed, so I wrote this little story instead. Keep up the outstanding work.

[@WorldWarTwo]

@Brenden McTeer Indy knows the score 😋

[@humphet]

LOVE YOU GUYS. my brother is visiting, and we're binging through all your different channels/projects. keep it up

[@WorldWarTwo]

Stash We love you too. Enjoy the visit with your brother

[@mrains100]

Thank you!

[@richbandicoot]

Viva Mexico! thank you Indy for talking about my country, the Mexican Air Force Aztec Eagles were the last time Mexico sent an expeditionary force to fight in foreign lands (there are a lot of cool pictures of the Mexican flag flying over Luzon,Philippines after it’s liberation also bombing runs on tawaiin (formosa) My great grandad was a bracero but he got mistreated and years later when a court case was giving out money and citizenship he never went to go claim his part unfortunately.

[@WorldWarTwo]

richbandicoot Thank you for watching, and sharing a bit about your great grandad. Unfortunate that such racism & xenophobia persists today. 🇲🇽

[@davidr1037]

Very cool episode

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you David

[@michaelgreen1515]

The Irish have always been a big component in the UK forces and remain so to this day. At this years Jubilee the Irish Wolfhound of the Irish Guards stole many people's hearts (not literally). The Irish Guards also had other expats fighting with them and as their tanks fought up towards Arnhem would lead eventually to Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg being their Regimental Colonel.

[@bobtaylor170]

Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen, on having created such a fine channel. It's frequently a source of pain to many of us, but it's necessary that as many people as possible know these things.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Bob

[@sealove79able]

A great video.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Predrag!

[@tomjustis7237]

Glad you mentioned the Mexican fighter squadron flying P-47s in the Philippines. Few people know about that. Few people also know nothing about a Brazilian infantry unit, supplied and under command of the Americans, who played a large part in the battle for Monte Cassini in Italy. Keep bringing up the little known facts of the war that should be remembered! BTW, at 8:13 you mentioned the "Second Guards Army". I always wondered about the "Guards" designation given to some Soviet units. After some research I found my answer. In the United States military, a unit may be issued a "Presidential Unit Citation", recognizing not the valor and sacrifice of a single soldier, but the valor and sacrifice of an entire unit which performed, on the whole, above and beyond the call of duty. The Soviets bestowing the "Guards" designation on a unit was basically the same thing, recognizing the overall performance of a unit which required service "above and beyond" the call of duty. It was not a designation given due to training or politics, but rather a designation awarded for exemplary unit action in combat.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks Tom, good context.

[@thegringo.08]

great video 👍

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you angel

[@thegringo.08]

@@WorldWarTwo Your welcome _ top fan here 👍

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks @oneshot_me !

[@matthewwallack601]

As always, this was a great episode. It's also nice to know what the Chair of Infinite Knowledge sounds like.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Matthew. The chair has been waiting to speak for a long time

[@efnissien]

Ireland was 'nominally' neutral. It's official stance was neutrality, but it's intelligence unit, G2 (then based in Arbour hill - behind Collins Barracks, in Dublin) worked closely with Britain's MI5 (Britain's domestic security service as opposed to the foreign intelligence service, MI6) who kept a 'safe house' above a garage on Eden quay, Dublin (now the Consular section of the Polish Embassy) with full knowledge, consent and collusion of G2. There was also the 'Erne corridor' - an air passage through Irish airspace for flying boats based on Lough Erne (in Northern Ireland), to over fly Ballyshannon (in the Republic) and patrol the Atlantic. You even had the ludicrous situation of Allied servicemen who'd found themselves being shot down or washed up in Ireland, being interred - but then being told (along with Axis personnel) that they could wander out of the camp and go on jollies, as long as they promised to return to camp for the head count. It was comparatively easy for allied troops to hop on a train to Dublin and then either get a second train to Belfast (in Northern Ireland) or catch a ferry to Holyhead (in the UK) - however, with the exception of a few 'special cases', most were encouraged by the Allied C/o to sit out the war (if too many were deserting the camp the Irish defence forces might make the camp more tightly guarded and it would hinder these 'special cases' from getting back to blighty). One American airman made numerous attempts to get back and was repeatedly caught (Americans in Ireland being rarer then than now!) - he was given the cold shoulder and shunned by the other Allied prisoners until he came round to their way of thinking. He was later a regular in the Kildare hunt and could be seen galloping around during hunts wearing a Stetson.

[@ecstasyofgold888]

Not sure if the focus changes on Indy's face throughout the video are intentional or not, but I think it adds an interesting and almost restless nature to the discussion of this war.

[@drpaddypepper]

Thank you for talking about northern ireland

[@chrictonj9503]

@1.55 Oh My!

[@jeffdowney7452]

I’m glad we’re hearing about Chuikov again. I love that name. Of course, semi spoiler alert, I know he will play a key role in the battle for a certain large German city.

[@lycaonpictus9662]

It's almost poetic.

[@Raskolnikov70]

Nah, that'll never happen. Mannstein's glorious panzer armies will break through the defenses around Kursk next week and be in Moscow by August. Then it's back to the Caucusus - the oil will be flowing again by Xmas!!! /sarc

[@HaloFTW55]

Two actually, don’t forget Koenigsburg

[@janiceduke1205]

The Aztec Eagles of WWII: Mexican Air Force Squadron 201.The squadron was known by the nickname Águilas Aztecas or "Aztec Eagles", apparently coined by members of the squadron during training. The squadron was attached to the 58th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during the liberation of the main Philippine island of Luzon in the summer of 1945.

[@gonzalo-ortiz]

Does THIS count as a question? Sadly, we'll never know, because it was written in the comments section.... Great job, as always!!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Does it…? 🤔 Thank you!!

[@ronniew3229]

My grandad served in North Africa and Burma. He was born in Leitrim in the Republic of Ireland as a protestant then moved to Wexford where he met my Gran, a Catholic and converted to marry her. I can't say whether or not he was discriminated against for that, I don't think so from the few stories my Mum told me like playing the spoons in the local pub. He never talked about the war to me but I know he got an army pension until he died. He caught an infection in Burma which invalided him out for which he also received a pension. The interwar years were difficult everywhere not least in rural Ireland. I guess the queens shilling would be very tempting...

[@WorldWarTwo]

Ronnie Thanks for sharing about your grandad. Sounds like he led a good life.

[@SeanOReilly44]

My Grandfather had to cycle from Caven to Collins Barracks in Dublin some trek on a bike on bad country roads to join the irish army during ww2 which we called "the emergency". It's terrible how the irish vets who joined the British military were treated after ww2 as now joining the British army is seen as a better job prospect now for those joining the irish army now.

[@seanmccann8368]

@@jackdoyle7453 Not sure about the joint exercises, and free brit gear given to the Defence Forces - I'm not aware that the DF and the brits have any similarity of equipment. Can you give examples?

[@WorldWarTwo]

Sean Thank you for sharing about your Grandfather

[@MrIronose]

GREAT tie!

[@WorldWarTwo]

👔

[@forickgrimaldus8301]

Irish voluntier: Speaks with a thick Irish accent Brits: sounds like an Englishman to me

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Sort of tangential to this presentation but there’s a fantastic museum dedicated to the history of the Mexican Navy in Puerto Vallarta. When I visited in 2007 the displays of various green water assault capabilities and blue water projection were significantly more robust than most North Americans might presume. PS: as always a great video 👍🏼

[@Frontrangeman1]

University of Texas, Austin, history department has a collection of WWII Mexican-American veterans oral history interviews.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

I'm reminded of the Sharpe series, where during the Napoleonic wars Sergeant Harper, an Irishman, gets asked why he would serve in the British Army. Upon which he replies the freedom to starve is no freedom at all. That sounds harsh, but it is also applicable to many other cases. As for Chuikov, he ended up commanding 62nd/8th Guards Army all the way to Berlin, even being the one who received the German generals who on behalf of Goebbels after Hitler's death came sueing for an armistice. From the ruins of Stalingrad to the ruins of Berlin. What a journey. The army still exists today and is probably involved in the Ukraine war.

[@jonathanwebster7091]

"John Bull is a bad neighbour, but Boney is a bully."

[@nygothuey6607]

I really want to ask a question here on purpose, full well knowing that it won't be answered, but doing so anyway because of Indy's comment at the end of the video. PS Love the video, keep up the great work.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

You should just ask it. However, don’t expect an answer from Indy unless you go through proper channels.

[@WorldWarTwo]

@Nygoth Uey If you ask a question here one of our team will do their best to answer if it's something that can be covered in a not-too-long comment here. For the full OOTF treatment though you will have to post in the TG forums

[@avnrulz8587]

My Irish dad was 16 when he joined and served in the RAF as a cook's helper.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for sharing about him here.

[@sleepingbee8997]

I’m tempted to ask a question here just to poke you all, but I don’t have the wit. Instead I’ll just say thank you for all your work!

[@nowthenzen]

There is an anecdote I read, not sure where, that two Irish soldiers were huddled in a trench while being shelled during the North African campaign. It was overhead one said to the other "Oh, I don't know, Valera ain't so bad. After all, he kept us out of this one." While shells fell around them. Probably apocryphal but we get the point.

[@seanmccann8368]

de Valera was a crafty barsteward, he knew he would plunge Ireland into civil war if he supported Britain (understandably people remembered the massacres and atrocities committed by the brits in the Tan War), he was against Nazism, he couldn't countenance an Irish Army serving abroad and returning home at wars end as heroes to demolish his and the catholic churchs hold on Ireland. By not preventing Irish enlistment in the british military he could point up these men after the war as 'West Brits' thereby removing the danger of them being heroes to Ireland in general. He did the same thing to the Irish heroes of Jadotville in ONUC labelling them as cowards for surrendering - thereby ensuring that he and his geriatric fellow 1916 men were the only true Irish heroes on earth in 1966. He was a despicable human being, less despicable than Churchill but then only Hitler and Stalin were worse than him.

[@nowthenzen]

@@seanmccann8368 The way to get good leaders is find everybody who want's to be a leader and lock them away and treat them until cured.

[@seanmccann8368]

@@nowthenzen Correct.

[@lewiswestfall2687]

great video. Who asks questions in the comments?

[@george5273]

Glad to see the mentioning of our beloved Escuadrón 201 in our beloved WW2 channel

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching, George

[@modernxenophon1582]

The graphic at 12:25 shows 35,000 soldiers, but Indy says 350,000. Which one is correct?

[@brokenbridge6316]

This was a fine video. And I would ask my question. But I know already where it will go o well. Have a nice day everyone.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for watching!

[@brokenbridge6316]

@@WorldWarTwo---Your welcome

[@cowhand6112]

Regarding different nationalities/heritages serving under different Nations banners. Dad (pre-Pearl Harbor draftee for a year with that changed to "for the duration" after Pearl Harbor) said there was a man named Marino Marino in his Army Engineers unit. The story was that his parent(s) drowned crossing into the US from Mexico. Someone in the group snatched him up and carried him on. Not knowing if Marino (sp?) was his 1st or last name he used it as both. Of course the Army sent the unit to Canada and Alaska, although to be fair it was early in the war and they wanted the Alcan highway built to send troops North if necessary.

[@guidohaefeli7599]

"That's what the chair sounds like..." - Indy once more in legend-mode

[@adamhashi9673]

You should do special videos on selected generals/leaders

[@WorldWarTwo]

@Adam Hashi We have a whole playlist dedicated to biographies here kzbin.info/aero/PLsIk0qF0R1j6kO-tbG-Xa57aEsDeAIhHZ and a few more specials on notable personalities in the specials playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLsIk0qF0R1j6TfuWStd-aigrv6HQKk5Ty 😉

[@thegringo.08]

great video 👍 must say it again _

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you Angel!