Battle of the Bulge - The Air War

While the allied troops on the ground stood up to German armour, fighter-bomber pilots took advantage of clear sky days to hammer the enemy vehicles and supply lines from above.
Bibliography
Parker, Danny S. (1994). To Win the Winter Sky: The Air War Over the Ardennes 1944 -
1945. Pennsylvania: Combined Books
Winton, H. R. (2011). Airpower in the Battle of the Bulge: A Case for Effects-Based Operations? Journal of Military and Strategic Studies, 14(1), 1-22
Beevor, Antony. Ardennes, 1944: Hitler's Last Gamble. London, UK: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Books, 2016.
Caddick-Adams, Peter. Snow & Steel: The Battle of the Bulge, 1944-45. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2017.
Chamberlain, Peter. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two. London, UK: Arms and Armour Press, 1978.
Chamberlain, Peter. British and American Tanks of World War II: The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks, 1939-1945. London, UK: Cassell & Co., 2000.
Cole, Hugh M. The Ardennes: The Official History of the Battle of the Bulge. St. Petersburg, FL: Red and Black Publishers, 2011.
Holland, James. Normandy '44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France. New York, NY: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2019.
Schneider, Wolfgang. Tigers in Combat. 1. Vol. 1. Winnipeg, Man.: J.J. Fedorowicz, 1994.

[@cdjhyoung]

My father was a B24 pilot tasked with radar jamming/ radio jamming missions. He flew over this area on 20 December 1944. So many planes were grounded that day, his crew came to believe they may have been the only plane in the sky that particular day because of the total lack of radio traffic they heard. England was socked in also and they needed to divert to a Scottish airfield when they returned.

[@ivsaken5830]

Great story thanks for sharing this important history

[@briancampbell7569]

That might have been RAF Prestwick. Prestwick has a long standing reputation for its favourable weather conditions.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Nice to be flying an aircraft that had a fairly long range ... .

[@lordkell1986]

England being foggy? Well I never! :D

[@gomertube]

What was your father’s name and how old would he be today?

[@crazywarriorscatfan9061]

This is a topic that deserves to be discussed more

[@scottgiles7546]

So, no RAF or USAF friends then?

[@crazywarriorscatfan9061]

@@scottgiles7546 Say that again?

[@WellBattle6]

@@scottgiles7546 Do airforce members and vets really talk about history that much?

[@grantorino2009]

@@scottgiles7546 Yeah, people have just loads of RAF and USAF friends who sit around and talk about this battle, Nimrod.

[@Marin3r101]

@@grantorino2009 why you so agressive?

[@blackseabrew]

My second cousin, 45 years older than me, took a bullet to his face/eye at a range of just 10' from a German soldier. It was January 17th and literally his first hour in combat having been thrown into the line to finish off pushing the Germans back. Surprisingly, having survived the gunshot, the German took him into his care and got him to a military prison where they provided a bit of care and shipped him to a convent. He was then found by the US Army some two months later. I don't believe my family found out his whereabouts for another two months. They did know he was missing though. My cousin said he didn't really remember much at all until the Army picked him up. Quite a man he was. I miss him.

[@patfromamboy]

How was his eye? Was it a minor injury or did he lose his eye or suffer other serious injuries? That would be terrible to be in a war. Life is short even without wars. What a waste of young people. Thanks for the story. Merry Christmas from Yacolt Washington. My family built 50 aircraft carriers and other ships at the Kaiser shipyard in Vancouver Washington. Some of the shipyard buildings are still there on the Columbia River.

[@blackseabrew]

@@patfromamboy He was given a glass eyeball to put in the socket. The bullet when in the eye and came out his temple so like anyone else I figure he was turning his head to avoid being shot. You could see the damage to his temple but it wasn't terrible to look at. The docs patched him up pretty good. Of course that may have taken years. Always with a bit of humor none of my Dad's family appreciated their time in the military. This particular cousin, on the rare occasion that he did mention his military service, said he was a buck private cleaning the general's toilets in the finest French chateau's they could requisition...and none of his words were kind when it came to generals. He came into France via the Mediterranean and said he didn't see any combat until being pulled into the line at the end of the Battle of the Bulge. He said he lasted about 60 minutes. Was sent out on patrol, walked up a small mound of dirt(his words) and there was a German on the other side who shot first. I still haven't found out what division he served in. As a side note he was well-known locally not only because he was the local post master for 20 years but because he was about the only person who flew RC airplanes in this rural area not to mention a top-notch mechanic who worked on everyone's tractors in a 20 mile radius. As a kid in the 70s I remember hundreds of people coming to watch him fly and to see his models. Imagine doing that with just one eye. I find it difficult to fly with two eyes.

[@IncogNito-gg6uh]

A co-worker's brother stepped on a mine while on a patrol, losing a leg. The Germans, unable to give him medical care, brought him up to the lines, asked for a truce, and turned him over to the Americans.

[@sPaRtAnTYTY85]

"Doesn't remember much" definitely did some nazi shit in that time

[@jimhansen5167]

My father was a pilot in those B-26s during this battle. 9th AF, 323rd BG, 455th SQN. He never spoke of it, but I dragged him to a reunion and listened to all of them (after a few beers lol) swap stories of their experiences there. Some tragic, some hilarious. If I recall, a Belgian town named Malmedy is nearby and they bombed the railroad yards there, at great cost. Great men, all of them. Love you and miss you Dad. What good fortune I had to be your son.

[@todd3285]

Hey Jim , my dad flew with 9th AAF , 391st BG flying out of Matching Green England from January 44 until the end of October . He was a Bombardier/Navigator and was credited with 78 missions and was awarded the "Distinguish Flying Cross" . I attended one of his reunions also . I'm sure that the stories we heard made us a couple of privileged guys . My dad was sent back to the states to be low level Bombardier instructor to the Bombardiers of B-29's hitting Japan . His B-26 named " Miss Behavin " was shot down in the opening days of the Bulge . But on a better note my dad turned 100 years old this past September . He is and always will be my hero . THE GREATEST GENERATION !!

[@mitch_the_-itch]

He never spoke of it, but you sure will on the youtube comments section, what a HERO your generation must be, lolol...

[@thomassnapp1341]

@@mitch_the_-itch Fool

[@danraymond1253]

​@@mitch_the_-itchwhat kind of dumbass take is this?

[@diffened]

@@mitch_the_-itch Nothing wrong with being proud of what your father did. Don't be an a-hole.

[@monza1002000]

My father flew Typhoons with the 2nd Tactical Airforce at this battle. One mission he flew involved attacking an armoured German unit that had trapped an American unit. Allies working together ensured the Battle of the Bulge was never going to end in a German victory

[@mitch_the_-itch]

But you make comments in youtube, lol... The Fruit has fallen far from the tree in this case, lol.

[@sonnyburnett8725]

@@mitch_the_-itchWOW, What kind of fruit are you. Cling ons such as you do nothing but take. Get a job son, make something of yourself.

[@nolan6320]

Stupid ass comment ​@@mitch_the_-itch

[@robertbarlow6715]

My daddy was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and love watching these videos. I am 62 years old now.

[@cameron5802]

Oh wow. I had absolutely no idea that there were jamming missions during this time. This whole series has wonderfully paired with the Battle of Bodenplatte campaign and other battles around this time that are in IL-2's flight sim. I've been hooked since the start.

[@mbryson2899]

I've been reading WWII histories for 50 years and this was the first I heard about it, too. This channel is excellent, I've learned much.

[@cdjhyoung]

I've mentioned elsewhere here that my father was one of the pilots flying the jamming missions. At the pre-flight briefing for one of these missions - one that only his plane and crew would fly - the officer in charge gave them no return orders for completion of the mission. It was assumed by command that they wouldn't return from that mission. At the insistence of his navigator, my father asked his commanding officer if he could return to land at a specific time to end the mission. His commander told him if he was still in the air he could return, but not any earlier. My dad said the look on his commander face told him he did think they would last that long. My father's crew had been obsessed with loiter time while doing their flight training in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their instructors were veterans of the air war in Europe and had many unofficial insights to share with the crews. Surviving the bombing runs was one thing. Keeping your plane in the air long enough to find an open air field in England was something all together different. Many of the Eight Air Force losses in this war were attributable to the difficulty of bad viability landings in England. That all said, my father's crew had learned how to extend the range of those B 24's far enough to give themselves a better chance of making it home. They survived that mission, but only because they were prepared in ways other crews may not have been. My father was a farmer before the war, and that is what he returned to. Three of his crewmen had been in college studying to be Electrical Engineers before the war. Of them, one became an electrical contractor, one eventually became the lead Nuclear Engineer for New Jersey Edison, and the last turned to law after the war and eventually served as the LT. Governor of Alabama. My father was an intelligent man, but the luck of the draw blessed him with a crew that was more than equal to the task set before them while in the service.

[@cameron5802]

@@cdjhyoung thank you very much for sharing this. It's an incredible story.

[@josephcole8875]

Another fantastic episode. I hope everyone likes and comments to help them out. Its amazing to have grown up watching the history channel documentaries go from mediocre to pathetic, and now have channels on youtube putting out stuff better than they ever did.

[@ChefPoirotProductions1]

You're absolutely right. this series is better than what the history channel could ever make. I feel like the narrator is starting to become another penguinz0, known for his voice.

[@lane9668]

@@ChefPoirotProductions1 I think he's also improved a lot (and continues to improve) as a narrator. Every bit of the channel has gotten better over time, and I'm excited to see where it's going to be this time next year.

[@ChefPoirotProductions1]

@@lane9668 I agree

[@johnnyk6666]

My Dad was an Aviation Engineer in the 820th EAB, building new or rehabilitating existing airfields across France, Belgium, and later Germany for use by the 9th AAF / 19th Tactical. He was at Liege/Bierset Advanced Landing Ground A-93 when the Bulge happened. His Company was sent to man a roadblock to attempt stopping German tank columns. Said for the 1st time in his life, he didn't think he'd make it home, the Air Corps was grounded by the bad weather, and the latrine grapevine informed them of the massacre of surrendered American troops at Baugnez crossroads near Malmedy. Said the guys all looked at each other and said, well, if we're overrun, there's no use in surrendering, they'll shoot us anyway - we may as well take as many of the bastards with us as we can.

[@NickJohnCoop]

Learning about Goering's air campaign was fascinating,he pretty much destroyed his own fighter arm in one day.

[@justalonesoul5825]

@@AaronRMG "HitXX" ? TF is that?

[@justalonesoul5825]

Hopefully, you can always count on imbecile fascists and totalitarists to shoot themselves in the foot, or each other, all suffocated that they are by their hatred for everything and everyone. Goering was clearly one of the worst. Him and Hitler were TOTAL INCOMPETENTS. Hitler, particularly, barely had ANY education or culture, didnt even finish school... Can you imagine if he was good in History and had a clue that you just *dont* invade Russia? Or if he had had *any* true management skills?

[@nickmitsialis]

@@justalonesoul5825 think of a German political leader who's name started with "Hit"...then fill in the missing letters. Anyway, the Jagdwaffe's effort to support the German Army was pretty costly. If I remember my readings from Donald Caldwell's JG26 unit histories, as a whole, over 500 fighter pilots were either KIA, MIA or POWs BEFORE Operation Bodenplatte took place.

[@justalonesoul5825]

@@nickmitsialis "think of a German political leader who's name started with "Hit"...then fill in the missing letters." Yeah, you think *that* was the problem? That I couldnt get who was implied by that? Dude, is it your own entourage that makes you think that some people could actually be *that* retarded? The point is that it doesnt make any sense why the person who I was actually answering to would write HitXX, that's nonsensical and/or plain stupid. Is he scared of a name or something? Does he think it will make the horrors disappear if he travestites the name? That it will hurt his "legacy"? Hitler. There, you see? Nothing happened....

[@nickmitsialis]

@@justalonesoul5825 It took me a sec to figure it out, too but...wait, did you say I have an Entourage? How? I don't even have 'content'. Must be my witty personality. 🙂

[@rickjason215]

My Father was there. I have a picture of him and a friend 2:51 in front out a destroyed Tiger2 tank. He said when the weather cleared the bombing went on hour after hour.

[@PinkysBane]

This was a truly fabulous series completely worth my time. You good folks always put out the absolute best quality of videos and show it so well with your animation just my favorite war channels on KZbin.

[@Tony-pk6ql]

This is a truly outstanding series. Well done!

[@greg_mca]

13:30 Galland was so distraught by this failure that he apparently changed his name and assumed the identity of Admiral Gensoul, of Mers El Kebir fame

[@dzungtran314]

So is it a wrong photo, wrong quote attribution or he actually changed his name :) I don’t know what to believe anymore

[@juliusbrooks491]

This along with the operations room are my absolute favorite ways to learn about military history. Thank you for doing this it is clearly a labor of love and your effort as appreciated

[@Franfran2424]

Check out Historigraph, Vector Historia and Kings and Generals too.

[@donkeypox1943]

There is always a battle of the bulge when I go too the strip club!

[@patchouliknowledge4455]

@@donkeypox1943 Good one!

[@shengyi1701]

So EW was used in the Battle of the Bulge. That’s something new. So B-24s perform the Growler/Prowler and Raven role while the Allied air forces perform like Apaches and A-10s. That’s how CAS evolved and improved in subsequent wars.

[@timf2279]

Compass Call

[@donkeypox1943]

There is always a battle of the bulge when I go too the strip club!

[@gleggett3817]

CAS developed almost completely _during_ the Second World War. The British use of "cab rank" aircraft on call from a forward observer in an armoured vehicle, upon which the US moved to a flight of aircraft covering a column of vehicles with a direct radio link between the flight commander and the column. The aircraft could attack targets directed by the ground force and act as spotters for enemy ahead of the column. Together with smoke for designating targers and identifying friendly forces, that's most all there is. Everything else is refinement of the procedures.

[@riverbluevert7814]

In so many summaries of this campaign we hear "And then the skies cleared. Allied air power turned the tide .." This was a very good insight into the back and forth of what really happened, an ongoing struggle.

[@QuizmasterLaw]

Bodenplatte was until 2 years ago insufficiently covered. Thank You!

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

I think Mark Felton made a video about it, named "Bodenplatte; Death ride of the Luftwaffe".

[@JeromeGardiner]

My father was a infantry Lt. with the 106th Div 203rd regiment company E. He was the heavy weapons platoon leader. They fought for 3 days until they were without ammunition, food and more importantly hundreds of injuries US soldiers. The surrender was a decision not of cowardice nor was it fear. They were never reinforced, never resupplied and there would be no effort to extract the wounded. Faced with complete devastation, the decision to surrender was the best option and most logical one. As for me being born in 1948, I appreciate the decision.

[@georgerobartes2008]

Credit to the RNZAF that played a pivotal role in the Ardennes , many of whom did not see Christmas that year . The cemetery at Hotton bears witness to their bravery . One such individual Typhoon pilot Flt. O Bruce Lawless RNZAF was awarded the British DFC and both the US and French equivalents for his part in the Wacht offensive .

[@TheIntelReport]

New Zealand consistently punched above it's weight in WW2

[@MaxTSanches]

I remember reading an iterigation of a German pilot where he stated that the day after destroying many aircraft at an allied airfield, he over flew the airfield only to find that all the aircraft had been replaced with shiny new ones. He stated that at that point he knew the war was over for the Luftwafle.

[@thedyingmeme6]

Luftwaffle lmaoo

[@evanswinford7165]

My dad was 9th Army Air Corps and was in the air war at this battle. He was radio operator/gunner on a B26.

[@OwenPhillipsMBA]

Fascinating. I wasn't aware of any use of air power during the Battle of the Bulge due to weather. I'd also never come across airborne radio jamming of ground targets. Thanks for adding to my awareness and knowledge. Brilliant video

[@jampanda4973]

The amount of effort you put into your videos is crazy!

[@allandavis8201]

Thanks very much for bringing the air war element of the Battle of the Bulge into the light, I have watched many many documentaries about WWII and had understood the air war was mostly about the supply drop’s and the glider borne reinforcements of the medical staff, but it was obviously much more involved than is detailed in most documentaries. The most interesting thing I learnt from your presentation was the Jackal missions, early airborne ECM that was far more advanced than I thought was achievable by any side, and I really don’t understand how some historians can argue about the usefulness and effectiveness of the sorties and equipment equipment. Thanks again for sharing your research, knowledge and understanding of the air battle. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇦

[@landsea7332]

Concerning Radio Jamming : In 1940 , scientist RV Jones discovered that the Luftwaffe were using radio beams so their bombers could navigate over their targets at night over Britain. The first navigation radio transmission set up the Luftwaffe used was called Knickebein , which was then jammed by the British . But the jamming was done from the ground . The next system the Luftwaffe used was called X-Gerät followed by Y-Gerät . Which was again jammed . The radio beam navigation system , followed by the subsequent jamming , became known as the battle of the beams . .

[@rring44]

I am in a group that does historical air campaigns in the game IL-2. We just finished a Battle of the Bulge campaign and it is really cool to see some of the real history.

[@donkeypox1943]

There is always a battle of the bulge when I go too the strip club!

[@Turloghan]

Where i can get this campaign?

[@jerrywilbur7020]

My grandfather was a paratrooper with the 517th PRCT the jumped into S. France during Op. Dragoon and ended up in this battle. I'm sure he appreciated you boys' grandfather's who were up there giving him cover. 517th ATTACK!!!!

[@_datapoint]

The jamming missions by the B-24's is a new bit of knowledge for me. Well done!

[@redrust3]

My classmate Paul flew B24s during the war and survived, includindg the Ploesti oil field raids, and survived! Not sure if he flew during these raids. I was a fresh graduate student in 1980. He had been working in the field since the War, but was pursuing a master’s degree in his early sixties.

[@austinbatey2846]

This page and the Operations Room are hands down my favorite pages on KZbin.

[@Duck82392]

My grandfather was a B 26 marauders pilot part of the 456th bomber squadron his nickname was Bob the dates lined up on his military record card that we have he was in the battle of the bulge

[@IamgRiefeR7]

I knew EWar was a thing since WW1 (even if it wasn't called that then), but I never knew they equipped bombers with radio location and jamming equipment, but seeing as they already carry heavy bomb loads, swapping it out with bulky and heavy jamming equipment makes sense.

[@gleggett3817]

Bombers could carry jamming equipment as well as normal bombloads. But some aircraft, such as those of 100 Group RAF, would be fitted out with multiple transmitters or complementary systems

[@gogrape9716]

Lots of new detail. This really refresh's an old subject...

[@landsea7332]

Operations Room & the Intel Report has provided the only series that presents all the tactical events that occurred during the Battle of Budge . Well done ! .

[@RickLowrance]

This series has been a real education. It is amazing how little I knew about this great battle. Thank you very much.

[@RayyMusik]

13:22 Admiral Gensoul, disguised as Adolf Galland, comments on the air war above Mers-El-Kébir in the Ardennes - or so …

[@DarthMercanto]

The research that goes into each of these videos is mind blowing

[@markeubank1451]

This has been an outstanding series. Thanks!

[@SgtMjr]

For all the vaunted tech the Nazi's employed in WWII the Allies ran rings around them in the use of tech, science and the military application thereof. WWII was the basis for much of the tech we know today both military and civilian. Out of that war sprang a miracle of technology and knowledge. Arguably the greatest time for scientific knowledge the world has ever seen.

[@kevincody8391]

my Grandfather was Ch Signal Officer for the 9th, a lot of young talent that would go on to more success. while they did a lot of improvising, on the spot, in Real time. Stuff didn't come out of a Lab or factory perfect or there were later developments. Gramps would have been 40+, had studied Physics at Princeton. it was the young who pushed the potential forward, but they needed someone w rank to get them what they wanted or needed. Trust / confidence or necessity. get it, got it.

[@alexwilson1913]

I really love the vintage looking artwork you choose for some of your thumbnails.

[@paulsakz1532]

Very well Done. Just an absolute treasure on KZbin. You should all be proud of what you've accomplished. A Job well Done.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

I read one time that "The Bulge" was at least part of the reason so many veterans settled in southern California, Nevada, and Arizona after the war.

[@keithfarrell3370]

Brilliant. Don't know how you produce such fine content

[@WildBillCox13]

I sort of understand Hitler's desire to take the initiative, rather than descend into a declining war of attrition against the Strategic Bombing effort. The former bore some slight chance. The latter spelt utter destruction.

[@michaelpieczynski9340]

He was a drug addict. There were no rational decisions. This was all just one big board game to him..

[@FantomWireBrian]

Dad was sent in by a special gun squad to pierce the line in Bastogne directly by Patton and his officers. He made it within a day . On the way he was caught experiencing many aircraft coming in and witnessed a dog fight between an ME 109 and a Thunder bolt. The Thunder bolt couldn't shake the 109 and they witnessed the piolet bail . There wasn't anything they could do because the pilot dropped in occupied territory. They also waved as a P 51Mustang flew over. The Mustang banked and came back to attack them . Him and his men were in that deep and made it within a couple days of breaking the line . Dec 24 . 😎

[@arniewilliamson1767]

My uncle in the Royal Canadian Air Force flew a Typhoon against the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. With the Spits flying top cover, he described it as a Turkey shoot as the roads were congested with German equipment.

[@Ivan-pl2it]

My cousin riding in a jeep hit a land mine, last he remembered he was doing endo's in the air. He woke up face down in ditch and could hear germans speaking. He crawled 7 miles to get help, and in hospital for 1.5 years and married the nurse who cared for him. We lost him 3 years ago backs of both legs still black with shrapnel.

[@kolbpilot]

No other war will ever come near the sheer number of aircraft in the air on any given day. The things all those pilots saw.

[@robtob5150]

My grandfather was a navigator and bombardier in a Martin b-26 Marauder flying missions during the Battle of the bulge.

[@importantname]

Excellent report. Two points reinforced - steel not flesh, and, combined arms wins battles and wars.

[@boatscum]

Another thing about the battle of the bulge that is really spoken of is on the opposite side of the world during that same time. December 17 - 19th Halsey was battling his hurricane cobra.

[@itsShiftyYT]

Jane’s Combat WWII Fighters was a game set during this period of the war. Was the very first video game my family had on a computer and blew everyone away that ever came to see it.

[@farginbastage805]

My favorite game ever on the PC

[@paulkweiner6577]

Excellent ! Informative, entertaining and interesting !!!

[@williamashbless7904]

Thank you for including the B-24 ‘Jackal’ program. Very rarely does it get mentioned. The German Ardennes offensive was a ‘pie in the sky’ dream that never came close to achieving its goals. Providing enough fuel for your campaign by relying on captured American fuel? Great plan, Adolph. Seriously, everything hinged on taking Elsenborn ridge on the first day. The Wehrmacht never achieved that first day’s mission. Everything else was just throwing more men and material into the meat grinder.

[@larry648]

The first ELINT missions. Look what it is now.

[@jameskerr3258]

Yet another fantastic video. SO glad you decided to start this channel!

[@Zogerpogger]

This video discusses a great example of why air power is an extremely useful, if not vital, operational weapon. The effectiveness of close air support and tactical bombing cannot be disputed. It is the idea that air power is effective for completing strategic objectives in its own right that is faulty. The implications of this is that air forces should be subordinated to armies and navies, which is a dire threat to independent air branches and their budgets. Thus you will still find proponents of strategic bombing in many militaries, despite the fact that it has been proven to be ineffective, if not counterproductive, time and time again (most recent example of this is Ukraine).

[@jakemonkey7]

Strategic bombing often works just not in harming enemy morale. But Allied strategic bombing reduced the output and reduced the quality of German industrial factories as well as reduced strategic reserves of vital resources. Strategic bombing is best used a facet of a larger war strategy that includes tactical bombing and ground offensives. Strategic bombing also should focus exclusively on industrial and logistical targets that support enemy forces like factories, rails, bridges, and depots. What Russia is currently involved in can more accurately be described as terror bombing ("strategic" bombing with the only aim of trying to reduce civilian support of a war effort). The targeting of civilians directly (like apartment buildings or shopping centers) is a waste of munitions and almost always results in the hardening of civilian resolve to see the conflict to its bitter end

[@justalonesoul5825]

@@jakemonkey7 You mean like when the US terror-*nuked* Japan, twice? You mean like when the US terror-bombed Iraq repeatedly based on false intelligence, just to get a chance to kill Saddam, but only massacred civilians again and again, creating the current main terrorist organisations in the process? But ok, the whole invasion (2nd war of Iraq) was basically an annexation without any support from UN, so why care ? Oh but US goal are "pure" and always about "democracy", so I guess it made it ok. Russia, on the other hand, should just "stop" being a superpower, obviously ;-) Even though they claim just the same : they are there to remove the hundreds of thousands of neonazis that Ukraine has to deal with... Azov Guard is not something made up, by the way, it's real. If the whole Occident, NATO and UE, were not the ones actually fighting a proxy war against Russia by using Ukraine to do so (which is exactly what's happening and led to the conflict), Russia wouldnt have to resort to such infamy which is obviously vastly overinflated and overreported in a huge propaganda effort. Lots of people have ceased to be stupid about the official narratives...

[@Zogerpogger]

@@jakemonkey7 I could be wrong but from what I gathered the allies lost more production output in bombers lost than the germans did in damage to industry caused by bombing, mainly due to the extreme inaccuracy of level-bombing at that time. My understanding is that the greatest strategic effect of the bomber offensive against Germany was to draw vital fighers and 88mm guns away from the Eastern front. I recommend the post about strategic bombing by "A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry", an online essayist.

[@jakemonkey7]

@@justalonesoul5825 ok.... nothing I said was to be taken as an endorsement of any particular combatant in history other than the Allies in WW2. And while I won't deny my own biases (being pro-US and pro-NATO) my statement was more about the general theory of strategic bombing than who was conducting it. Pointing out that there is a case for strategic bombing that is based in military utility and can have positive effects on forwarding national goals, isn't the same thing as wholly endorsing every use and misuse of the concept. As far as Russia in particular pointing out the misuse of assets to conduct a strategy that is commonly referred to as "Terror bombing" and suggesting that given a lack of historical success suggests a level of incompetence. Especially given the lack of manufacturing capability in the Russian defense sector as well as the fact that Russian troops seem to be entirely incapable of successfully conducting offensive operations (and seem to be struggling with defensive operations). Those munitions would be better used in operational and tactical uses instead of a strategy that can either be a poorly conducted strategic bombing campaign or a properly conducted terror bombing campaign. All of that is ignoring whether Russian justifications for armed conflict were correct or if the whole idea of war was a good idea.

[@jakemonkey7]

@@Zogerpogger I would need to do more research to cite specific sources but it is my understanding that German steel production saw a slide in quality of alloy produced over the course of the war and fuel was consistently a German issue. And yes it is likely that the Allies paid more than they damaged but given the disparity between the Allies (USA, GBR, and USSR) and the Axis powers, the Allies could afford to lose more (relative to the Axis) to force Axis powers to lose assets (like factories, planes, pilots, and sadly workers). As a way of example, U S Grant's overland campaign resulted in much more Union losses than Confederate but the USA could replace them the CSA could not. Part of the major problem with analyzing wars (especially in the industrial and modern eras) is that it is very hard to attribute anything on the strategic level to any one cause. It is my opinion that the damage to German factories and depots likely reduced the capabilities of those factories and depots and thus had likely had knock-on effects on German equipment and force readiness. Which I suspect would allow for more success in ground operations. Now that doesn't necessarily mean that those bombings were justified morally nor can I say for sure if the Allies had spent the same manpower and manufacturing effort on other projects that they wouldn't see more success. I think an important conversation in all of this is whether Strategic bombing is worth the effort? but I don't think that it is fair to say Strategic bombing is actively counter productive the same way bombing of significantly civilian targets is (what I propose we call "Terror bombing").

[@cadenbigler]

Absolutely fabulous video, seriously so entertaining to watch while being incredibly informative

[@derekpierkowski7641]

One of the soldiers in the besieged town said "poor bastereds, they've got us surrounded!" They weren't worried

[@brinsonharris9816]

There’s a similar quote from Chesty Puller at Inchon. “We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.”

[@chrisjones4171]

​@@brinsonharris9816he's also famous for not retreating at the Chosin Reservoir just attacking in a different direction

[@stuffzie8329]

Ah yes Air to ground missions The definition of overclaiming. There's really good reports from both the british and germans(eastern front) on just how much pilots tended to overclaim kills.

[@kenneth9874]

That's why they had gun cameras, they were very effective

[@stuffzie8329]

@@kenneth9874 Lets see... Operation goodwood, 257 claimed kills, 10 actual Falaise pocket, 252 claimed, 9 actual Looks like a very effective system to me! By the way these are allied post-battlefield analysis numbers.

[@jmccallion2394]

Really enjoying this channel and their older sister the operations room! Military history is simplified and yet full of detailed knowledge!

[@charlielaudico3523]

A military photographer with my dad in normandy ! My dad saved his life on numerous occasions

[@ridethecurve55]

An Excellent synopsis of the battles I am so interested in. Thank You!

[@kensvay4561]

Love all these comments by the sons of veterans. These docos are so good.

[@germaxicus6670]

Amazing channel! Thank you and all your team for the hard work!

[@bolobalaman]

The Allied air power is truly horrifying. The German already lost when those B-17 swarm take off

[@flynn6737]

The best Narrator by far.

[@timothylyons5686]

The RAF were flying ECM missions as early as 1942 as a friend's grandfather was the Squadron Leader of 515 Squadron flying Defiants.

[@augustosolari7721]

Another interesting aspect of the air battle is the V1 offensive against Antwerp.

[@rvail136]

Damn...was going to say 1st in...bummin' My father was shot down as a sqdrn XO (24 yo Major) over Bastogne...he and his crew chief learned how to use a bazooka...(co-pilot was killed before bailing out).

[@philipinchina]

An interesting perspective on the battle of the bulge. Well done. Thank you.

[@jameslippincott7440]

Thank you for this masterful series! It’s such a gift to people like me who wouldn’t ordinarily have access to this kind of information. For people reading this, you may also enjoy Victor Davis Hanson’s Hillsdale Lecture on the air war in WW2.

[@direwolf6234]

my uncle was a P-47 mechanic with a tactical fighter group at forward airfields and on the morning of jan1 was strafed by the luftwaffe .. as he lay in a frozen ditch he could see the face of the german pilot as he made a low level pass across the base ...

[@dziban303]

The guy usually identified as the biggest cause of the airdrop resupply clusterfk, LTC Michael Ock, was later found dead of an apparent suicide. Most historians agree he was actually fragged and MPs didn't look into it too hard.

[@brokenpotato438]

Do you have any links to read about this? I cant find anything related by googling his name

[@petlahk4119]

@@brokenpotato438 - Ditto.

Simply amazing. Keep up !

[@mrbigsmile3902]

Your channels quickly become one of my favorite

[@filetofishmk2840]

Thanks guys!

[@joeoneill8497]

Outstanding work

[@coleblehm7815]

Love your vids dude keep it up

[@dannybryant6873]

When I learned that the P47 could carry half the bomb load of a B17 I was at first skeptical. Then I considered that the P47 was a big fighter. And had half as many cylinders as a B17. And the P47 has a large wing area. In one video here a P47 loses two thirds of a wing and returns to base. While the Mustang and Spitfire got by with a 12 cylinder engine the P47 went with 18 cylinder engine.

[@Aqueox]

Oh now that's funny... So as you said "On new year's day, at 2:45, Germany launched..." when talking about Goering's massive Luftwaffe last ditch effort, it's new year's day, 2:45am, 2023. Good timing.

[@brokenbridge6316]

I like this series very much. nice job.

[@johnparsons1573]

Absolutely a fantastic video

[@Hillbilly001]

Outstanding!!! Great video again! Cheers from Tennessee

[@Av-vd3wk]

This channel related to The Operations Room?

[@Dustin_Bins]

Yes, this is the sister channel to that one

[@estellemelodimitchell8259]

Both channels are telling the point of views from the Allied and German perspectives. Great channels.

[@teedtad2534]

Good video coverage! Yes, air power by American and British and Russian made a big difference! 🩸⭕🩸⭕

[@thethirdman225]

13:23 Galland is captioned as Adm. Gensoul.

[@ed_1092]

Always excited for Fridays now!

[@johnziegelbauer4999]

Finally VFR , after many days. Thank goodness for the ground forces....

[@Caesar_Himself]

Legend

[@spreid7835]

Love this channel, well done Intel Report.

[@BOZOSMITH-xw3ms]

Lots of good photos I have never seen before

[@zefallafez]

Have you done a video about the use of the proximity fuse during the Battle of the Bulge?

[@zainmudassir2964]

Hope you cover air war over burma in ww2 like flying tigers

[@timf2279]

If you think it's worth donating at least $ 1.00 a month you get special access for future content and to vote on future videos.

[@robertsansone1680]

Again, excellent. Thank You

[@williamchamberlain2263]

I'd never heard of the radio jamming or signal location before

[@VulcanDriver1]

My Dad was with a RAF Squadron flying B-25s, his airfield was attacked at dawn. He gave me the bullet that almost killed him. I have it in a display cabinet in my lounge.

[@ClaudeMCAUWE]

The air attack on the Peiper group’s Spearhead was at the bridge over river Amblève, not river Lienne.

[@NR-rv8rz]

In movies, plans always attack convoys by flying along the line and strafing, but in war footage, they always seem to hit them at a perpendicular angle. This doesn't seem optimal as they only have one target. How come they don't circle around 90 degrees and come at the convoys in line?

[@kenneth9874]

Flak

[@oneshotme]

Very much enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up