Third Battle of Kharkov: How The Germans Set a Deadly Trap for Russian Troops

Join The Channel for more perks : / @factbytes
As the year 1943 progressed, a series of attacks centred around Stalingrad in southern Russia, resulted in some of the most intense fighting on the Eastern Front during WWII.
The once-invincible German Wehrmacht was in disarray, having been forced back across a 175-mile stretch of Russian front by the Red Army.
Near their headquarters on the Don River, a two-pronged Russian army threatened to surround and annihilate a German battlegroup, much larger than the one lost at Stalingrad.
The commander of Army Group South, Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, found himself facing this mess.
Despite Hitler's direct orders to hold the city, Kharkov was abandoned by German forces, and the city was recaptured by the Red Army on 16
Von Manstein knew, he had to have the flexibility to maneuver and yield ground when necessary.
He intended to isolate and destroy the Soviet spearheads before launching a campaign to retake Kharkov. Once this was accomplished, Army Group South would work with Army Group Center to the north, in retaking Kursk.
Here's how the events unfolded...
Music Credits: All This Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...
Copyright fair use notice
All media used in this video is used for the purpose of education under the terms of fair use.
All footage and images used belong to their copyright holders.
#Kharkov #Manstein #FactBytes

[@charles5895]

The fact that the Germans could still give the Soviets a bloody nose even after their disastrous defeat in Stalingrad is just mind blowing.

[@cyrosubod2317]

Thats why they are based and finest fighting force in history

[@grievetan]

Russians won only with outnumbering Germans

[@firstduckofwellington6889]

They still had semi-fresh troops available

[@ahahuehafook4207]

I mean the soviets in that area were worn out in that area and overextended. They were still fuckin up allied armies hungarians italian ect

[@rebelblade7159]

@@grievetan Not really. The Russians had the numerical advantage and their tactics made the most use of them effectively. In some instances, the Russians were much better fighters than the Western allies if you read the accounts of Wehrmacht soldiers who fought them like Otto Carius. Otherwise, it would have been another scenario like the Middle East where the Israeli armed forces stopped much larger Arab armies who sucked at coordination and properly using their numbers. By the way, the greatest "dumb brute force human wave attack" of the war was D-Day.

[@norbertblackrain2379]

Nearly exactly 79 years later there is another battle for Kharkov. The world is crazy!

[@olavtryggvason1194]

Yes and now it's the Ukrainians who better should prepare a deadly trap for the Russian forces.

[@destroyerarmor2846]

@@olavtryggvason1194 nah, USA is turning Ukraine into European Afghanistan

[@eliasziad7864]

Lol, ez victory for Russia

[@denisfutac9676]

@@eliasziad7864 lololololololololol , you gonna need alot of Russian body bags , comrade...

[@Gallagherfreak100]

@@eliasziad7864 when the war criminal putin swings high from the gallows, you won't feel so smug.

[@paoloviti6156]

Von Manstein was possibly one of the best German general of the war but it must be said that he had the best troops, Panzerdivisions and commanders they did an incredible feat and inflicting terrible losses to the Russians. Excellent video and I liked very much and just subscribed 👍👍

[@randersen2171]

have you watched Tic review the sources, The russian daily reports (force nr etc) only newly released, show that their units in kharkow where severly depleated after the offensive, with devisions being brigades etc. bringing the total numbers down to parity or sleightly outnumberd germans, with operational initiative a standard 3-1 was probably achived along every point of contact :)

[@shanealan2168]

@@randersen2171 while there may be some truth to that you have to be careful with tic, he has a pretty obvious bias towards the soviets

[@randersen2171]

@@shanealan2168 i belive he has the same amount of bias, an honest historian would show if he was writing based on the german sourced (given he belived the german had no reason to lie) :) Tik is just a counter point, and the truth is in between, altough once you buy a narrative like he has, you become biased.

[@Lehr-km5be]

@@shanealan2168 That is simply not true. Time and time again he debunked the myths that glorified both german and russian things alike. Seeing how he pretty much only uses legitimate quotes and reliable sources to prove his points it becomes quite obvious that he is not biased toward any side. The germans army and engineering is just much more often to made like the best army that had ever existed so there is the most debunking to be made here.

[@shanealan2168]

@@Lehr-km5be I've been watching tic a long time, and in my opinion he has a clear if not egregious bias towards the soviet union. If you look at how far the germans got in ww2 constantly starving for resources against a coalition of the 3 greatest powers on earth, you have to give some respect to the german army and engineering.

[@jebbroham1776]

My great uncle was part of this battle as a panzergrenadier in 2nd SS Panzer div Das Reich, and his war diary is chocked full of heavy fighting for the city against what he described as "fighting for the gates of Hell". The resistance they encountered was fierce, but the panzer IV's they had supporting them really did a kickass job at destroying enemy strong points with HE, which the 2nd SS panzer carried plenty of as his diary shows. They were one of the few fully equipped divisions at that time during the counter offensive and they made good on their resources to push out the Soviets.

[@toadfaceass]

Must be nice having a heroes blood a part of yours.

[@alexbowman7582]

There’s a recent KZbin video on why the Americans soldiers preferred the Sherman’s 75mm HE cannon to the more anti tank 76mm due to the 75’s support of troops.

[@TzunSu]

@@toadfaceass If you think the 2nd SS were heroes you're a nazi.

[@ra-ge]

@@TzunSu They are soldiers,it has nothing to do with politics and yes they are heros.

[@TzunSu]

@@ra-ge Of course it has to do with politics. This specific outfit committed numerous mass murders and war crimes. If you think they are heroes, is there anyone who's ever carried a gun who's not in your mind?

[@0Turbox]

Modern war theories: you need a 3:1 advantage for a successful attack. Manstein: let's try it with 1:8.

[@andrerothweiler9191]

If you are able to destroy logistics, you need even less. Ukranians showed the world how to do it

[@sirpatriarch8122]

​@@andrerothweiler9191The Ukranians just got enircled and has decided to scoot from their fort at Avdiivka 😅

[@IceKnight678]

@@andrerothweiler9191The germans had shitty logistics at the time

[@avenaoat]

The soviet had only about 2:1 and the Germans used hiwi-s so the German had only 1.7: 1! However the Tigers, and the new PC IV + Sturmgesütz were better tanks.

[@theodorebennett7938]

I am no wheraboo, but I can't help but be impressed by the fighting abilities and resourcefulness of the German fighting man in ww2.

[@Trust-me-I-am-a-dentist]

20 Million Russians were starved to death by the Communist regime between the first and second world war. This was a part of Stalin's 'purification' of the Union.

[@Trust-me-I-am-a-dentist]

Russians were just as bad... so you can root for the Germans if you like. By the way KZbin censorship is just astounding. I can't even say you can root for the Germans LoL.

[@nerminerminerminermi]

What is a wheraboo?! Are you 10 years old? Where you have these childish Kindergarten words from?

[@iffatwaris7425]

@@nerminerminerminermi wehraboo means that you support the Nazis, or the Wehrmacht specifically just because you find them cool aesthetically, like how red army fanboys are called "tankies." It's not a kindergarden word and it is a common phrase used when discussing about the Wehrmacht.

[@nerminerminerminermi]

@@iffatwaris7425 i thought the Pro russian is the sovietaboo and the US one a yankaboo? Are they Not? or a comwealthaboo for the brits? Frogaboo for the french or baguettaboo? Which childish idiot startet that shit?! Dont Tell me its from an online game then its 100% Kindergarten

[@LOUNGELIQ]

Timing is a perfect for uploading this, just when the fifth battle for Kharkiv is taking place.

[@eliasziad7864]

Russian victory

[@yaxsuo]

@@eliasziad7864 cool but when did we ask?

[@humptydumpty3345]

@@eliasziad7864 not before their Cold War equipment and apcs with rotting tires get blown up by st. Javelin and his friends

[@matthewhalstead8817]

I thought the one happening now was the 4th?

[@NhatHuyNg]

@@eliasziad7864 where?

[@ThangTran-bj4we]

8:1 manpower disadvantage... but still kick ass.

[@cybertronian2005]

though when you consider the Soviet troops were at the long end of their logistical tether, and many were weakened and understrength having participated in the battles around and following Stalingrad, and that the II SS Panzer Corps were fresh troops...

[@jan8742]

@@cybertronian2005also incompetent NCO corps made up of political appointees because it was more important to be loyal than to be experienced, something that is still true for the Russian Military some 80 years later

[@yvngxnightmare]

It was only 2:1

[@lychan2366]

Erich von Manstein, who was the brainchild behind invading France through the Ardennes in 1940, sealed his place among great generals with his strategic counter-offensive surrounding the third battle of Kharkov. He was the only German Field Marshal who earned the respect of Soviet Field Marshal Zhukov by the end of WWII. It came as no surprise that he was chosen to head Germany's defence force in the initial post-war period.

[@karstenseterbakken3617]

He wasnt chosen, he was actually forced to do, as many German veterans where.

[@lychan2366]

@@karstenseterbakken3617 Whether he was forced or chosen to lead the German defence force in the initial post-WWII period, wasn't the main point of my previous post. If you've missed the forest for the trees, the main point was that he was recognized for his strategic brilliance.

[@richardscanlan3167]

the only respected German? sure buddy,Heinrici and Model would like a word.

[@karstenseterbakken3617]

@@lychan2366 These people would never reckon the new republic of germany which where created after the war. He was forced to be a part of that new pro allied army in western BRD. He was one of many which where too forced on both sides of the wall which splitted germany apart to be in these new created defence forces. It wasnt because they respected them, it was to have a good eye on these battle hardened folks for very good reasons.

[@lychan2366]

@@richardscanlan3167 Tell it to Zhukov; not me.

[@carlh3745]

Just wanna say this rn, this was not germanys last victory on the eastern front. This was one of the last major victories the wehrmacht would have had. The Germans would still have minor victories as the war dragged on.

[@travisgodbold7070]

Kharkov wasn't a Wehrmacht win, it was Waffen SS.

[@Aryan-nv9kd]

Unfortunately, the cost of these "minor victories" would lead to the Soviets getting enraged and being pushed against the wall. And when you do that to a major power, you see vast civilian causalities. We hear reports about the Red Army brutally murdering, raping and killing entire German villages on their march to Berlin, but people forget that Russia suffered the same at the hands of the Germans when they invaded, and the numbers were three times than what the Russian did. In a war, if we are not careful about focusing on achieving the said targets and reducing collateral damage as much as possible, you will potentially be facing an armed relative of every person that you have killed by "accident". By the end of it all, Germans were literally running like rats trying to surrender to the Western Forces and escape the brutal torture that was waiting for them if they were caught by the Red Army. While the Western allies also committed atrocities of their own, they were known to be at least less brutal than what the Russians would do since the Germans had burned more than half of their country in the invasion which was also considered a betrayal by Stalin personally after he had signed various non-aggression treaties with Hitler.

[@joangratzer2101]

JAN. 1945 BUDAPEST (OPERATION SUDWIND - SOUTHWIND) 1ST SS AND 12TH SS AGAINST THE RUSSIANS OUTSIDE THE CITY IN 9 DAYS OF CONTINUOUS COMBAT THEY WIPED OUT 7 SOVIET RIFLE DIVISIONS AND 1 MOTORIZED BRIGADE. MICHAEL REYNOLDS "MEN OF STEEL"

[@floydvaughn836]

No retreat is a victory, unless you've got a whole lot of hurt to retreat to. And the Germans didn't. Face it, by not settling on a single objective that would put Stalin out of business (Moscow) the Germans were doomed to fail.

[@SJ-xb7lg]

@@Aryan-nv9kd LMAO what a load of horseshit. The wehmarcht never raped and killed civilians get your little head out of your ass.

[@GrislyAtoms12]

Hoth was such a great general that they named a whole planet after him.

[@tylerhiggins3522]

I catch a decent amount of WWII factoids (and weaponry) in Star Wars, Karellian freighter, Kessel run, etc.

[@williampaz2092]

😂🤣

[@RangaTurk]

But he could not convince the higher-ups to give them back the 16th Motorised Division back to Army Group Don which belonged to his formation in the first place and for Army Group A elements north of Grozny to fall back to Elista to take their place. From a tactical perspective, I think the 17th Panzer Division arrived too late for the drive from Generalovskii to Lagovski. But when Little Saturn happened they might not have had to quit the relief salient completely and cancel Winter Storm, and even if they got to Krep and Zety by having the 16th Motorised Division move up towards Stalingrad alongside Group Panwitz what then? They still have to fend off the Soviet 64th and 57th Armies and wait for Paulus to break out whilst fending off frontal attacks from remnants of 2nd Guards and everything else. Plus if a tenuous connection was made the question is would they stay in the city with Strecker's Corp worn down to regiment and battalion strength?

[@wernerdegraaf704]

😄

[@GrislyAtoms12]

@@RangaTurk This comment is way too serious to be a reply to my comment. It would be better to make it a stand-alone comment instead of a reply.

[@PitFriend1]

The logs you see on modern tanks, particularly Soviet/Russian ones, aren’t for protection. They’re for unditching the vehicle if it gets bogged down. The crew attaches the tank to the tracks on one end of the tank and when it moves the log is pulled under the vehicle to give it a lot of traction. This lets the tank pull itself out of soft ground and not have to get a tow.

[@MALITH666]

There is a quote from Generation Kill, "the army gets logistics, Marines make do" - when reporter asks why they use the KY lube for guns instead of proper ones.

[@paoloviti6156]

Correct, basically the logs are useless against AP incoming shots as well demonstrated during the war with somewhat better results hanging tracks around...

[@johncox2865]

I’ve done that with red, 3 hole bricks on my dad’s 3/4 ton truck. Works very well!

[@JoeOvercoat]

Same as the logs on the first tanks: they are on the roof so they can be rolled in front of the tank for sticky traverses.

[@g3koot100]

That's true

[@mdmahboobhasan1470]

Erich Von Mastyne was really an extraordinary genius General in the history of the world.

[@ansc6472]

Manstein should have been overall commander Eastern Front

[@chadgaston8615]

He still would have turned Ukrainians against them.

[@anthonycruciani939]

One would think Hitler would have learned from this experience that giving his most talented commanders like Von Manstein freedom to act flexibly could still yield tremendous results even after Stalingrad.

[@ill_bred_demon9059]

You'd think that, but thank God he didn't

[@anthonycruciani939]

@@ill_bred_demon9059 Well there is no God so let's not waste time with that.

[@kriserauw5970]

8 to 1 ratio and still winning that’s what I call fighting spirit.

[@user-gd9bi2hg5m]

это просто вранье вот и все

[@lazr9672]

@@user-gd9bi2hg5m how do you know?

[@mustafajsiraj8877]

@@lazr9672 it hurts his bolshevik feelings

[@Tom--Ace]

Lol don't try and censor me you asshat Manstein is a liar

[@devinfraserashpole4753]

@@mustafajsiraj8877 The Bolsheviks are gone.

[@jaydipbasu916]

The Germans were by far the best army in WW2

[@Abhishek-dc4qu]

I agree. Germans were having the best generals in the army. And their innovative advanced modern technology armament were just 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@janheinbokel3969]

Yes, but the leadership of Adolf Hitler wasn't better than Trump

[@ryanyoder2694]

@@Abhishek-dc4qu There “best” generals thought they could take over the entire Soviet Union with less then 3 months of supplies. They also thought Russia would fall if Moscow fell, completely ignoring Napoleon’s 1812 Russia campaign were he actually captured Moscow but Russia did not quit and he was defeated. They were good generals but not the best by any means.

[@Abhishek-dc4qu]

@@ryanyoder2694 They have the best generals. Germans lost 44 lakh soldiers whereas Soviets lost 88 lakh soldiers. Huge population kept them at upper hand. Plus Soviets had allied support. Where as Germans were fighting alone. And it was their generals only which helped them to gain that much piece of land.

[@cia1784]

@@ryanyoder2694not exactly, if the Germans captured Moscow they thought it would create a stir in the soviet Command and Over throw Stalin that of which results to a Peace deal with the USSR and the Germans

[@CorneliuZeleaCodreanu9]

Subscribed within 20 seconds. I can recognize a good history channel when i see one

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

September 1, 1939 the wehrmacht entered poland. France and great britain declare war on Germany. 15 days later the USSR annexed more than a third of polish territory. The allies did not decide to declare war on the USSR. What had been intolerable from Hitler had been tolerated from the Soviets! the allies feared consolidating stalin's alliance with the third reich. From september 1939 the allies had only one idea : not to rush the ussr, to initiate a reconciliation with stalin despite his aggression against their polish allies. Stalin was able to multiply diktats, put an end to the independence of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, wrest Bessarabia from the Romanians. Only one thing mattered : making it possible for the Russians to change sides. In less than two years, it was done. The Yugoslav volte face, the claims declared by molotov during his visit to berlin in november 1940 and which demanded neither more nor less than complete control of the balkans, the military preparations of the soviets during the spring of 1941 had left no doubt to hitler on the ambitions of the USSR. The Germans, sensing the stakes had been cast, only had to take the lead. It was under these Circumstances that the battle to the death between the Third Reich and the USSR began on June 22, 1941.

[@JoeOvercoat]

After all, the critical thing to England was that England keep her Empire when all was said & done.

[@purliewilson8192]

Your point being what, exactly? When you say “in less than two years, it was done”, you seem to gloss over the fact that “it was done” by Stalin’s ally Hitler, & that Stalin chose to ignore the accurate intelligence he was given by the UK (& indeed by Richard Sorge) which made clear what was about to happen.

[@logon235]

The Soviets were caught unprepared. Sure, Stalin was seeking buffers from invasion, but he was more focused inwards that outwards. Hitler had ambitions Eastward, he even wrote about it and the need for lebensraum for the Aryan race. Hitler's invasion was not a response to a threat but his own ambitions.

[@elviadarkgrape2859]

@@logon235 Bullshit. Hitlers Invasion was a preemtive strike against Stalins Bolshevik Conquest of Europe. He had to shoot first. Stalin was expanding in Baltic States, Finnland, Romania and he intented to attack Europe. Hitler just shoot first. Stalin even broke non-agression pact with Japan and stabbed the japenese in the back by invading manchuria.

[@logon235]

@@elviadarkgrape2859 you're exhibiting the same fear that the British had which brought the USSR to come to terms with a non aggression pact with the Nazis. Stalin was focused on his own security and his aim was to create a defensive buffer. That is why he wanted half of Poland and a strip of Finland. If he wanted to expand, he would have taken the whole of Finland. His actions was more defensive so he can concentrate on consolidation. Later, much later, he could have focused on expansion, as per demanded by the Communist ideology, but not at that time. Has the Western Allies been more pragmatic, they could have had both an alliance with Poland and the USSR against Germany which would have dissuaded Hitler from invading. Hitler would not have dared to engage the sizable and veteran Polish army if he didn't have the USSR invading from the other side. Hitler shot first with Barbarrosa, perhaps a small part of it is to strike first, but no, it was well planned and intended from the start and part of his grand plan of creating "Lebensraum" for the Aryan race. While both powers have intentions of expansion dictated by their ideologies, the Nazis were the ones acting on it with intent of conquest.

[@murksdoc]

"Ausf" is short for "Ausführung", meaning: "Version" or "Mark".

[@uwebartsch4585]

manstein was brilliant

[@123Mandrake]

Von Manstein was a genius

[@andrewlerdard-dickson5201]

Also the three SS Panzer Division's each had one SS heavy Panzer company at this stage of the war. The 1st SS 4th heavy company of Tiger's.....later re-numbered the 13th by May 1943. The 2nd SS 8th heavy company and the 3rd SS 9th heavy company of Tiger's were all involved in this battle of Kharkov.

[@AndyP998]

They forgot Stugs aswell. Even though they were labeled to be tank destroyers instead of tanks, they were getting quite numerous at start of 43.

[@jagdpanther2224]

If those Tiger tanks arrived Stalingrad four months earlier, the human history has changed!

[@AndyP998]

@@jagdpanther2224 Tiger tanks and tanks generally dont help much in city battles. Ranges are generally smaller and Tigers excelled hitting enemy over 1km away and there wasnt enough of them. Onlything that would have helped if Romanian divisions at flanks had more AT weapons and troops

[@bobbytreetop1701]

@@jagdpanther2224but they never .

[@skguptagupta1566]

German soldiers were very brave. They had fought till their last breath.

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

Yes they were.

[@ovideoarkans7982]

NOW YOU SUCK GERMANS DICK, UNTIL YESTERDAY THEY WERE FANATICS............

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

The Battle of Bautzen was the last German victory against the Red Army in April 1945.

[@leonpastis4663]

That was a local skirmish my friend, some days before the end of the war.

[@karomiooo]

5th battle of kharkov is gonna be a thing i guess

[@TheChuckfuc]

I guess so

[@brendonbre8745]

It already is, they are fighting for kharkiv now

[@kniespel6243]

And the russians will be defeated this time by inferior army . Ukrainian army.

[@angelonunez8555]

The Soviets/Russians were 1-3 in the first four battles. Let us hope that their record falls to 1-4.

[@Bynk333]

@@kniespel6243 I dont thing, ukrainians have zero chance to win this....

[@crayzydimes3041]

8 to 1 german disantvantage,and they stil won the battle,whoa...

[@derricklarsen2919]

Don't believe that #.

[@derricklarsen2919]

@@apis_aculei do you buy bridges

[@derricklarsen2919]

@@apis_aculei how you doing with your phonix ?

[@joeylonglegs4309]

Source? (Manstein’s book doesn’t count as a historical source btw 😉)

[@derricklarsen2919]

@@joeylonglegs4309 sacrilege you must believe zeee Manstein.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

Great info, great footage . Thanks for sharing! Greets from the Netherlands 🌷, T.

[@clydeblair9622]

What a mind boggling waste war is.

[@lordgarion514]

The mind boggling part is that the tech we learned from WW2, has already saved more lives than was lost during the war.

[@christopherthrawn1333]

This is what happens when Hitler was not allowed to dictate the battle plans. It's staggering to think that if Hitler allowed the German High Command to wage war. Great work putting together this.

[@ausar3852]

I urge everyone to read Manstein's book "lost victories" He was one of the best field marshalls world had ever seen.

[@VolksdeutscheSS]

You're right. The other German generals were on his level too, Von Rundstedt, etc. And Paul Hausser of the Waffen-SS was also well-educated and highly effective.

[@antoinemozart243]

Lost victories and memories from the pathological liar Manstein was a joke !

[@Lehr-km5be]

Too bad its one of The worst books ever written. It is just a stack of lies. Manstein claims The russians had 8 Times more Men than he had which is not true. He also never mentions The fact that The germans had air superiority :)

[@VolksdeutscheSS]

@@antoinemozart243 I-NetzeTwerg.

[@chadgaston8615]

Great guy who could not care less if Ukrainian kids starve to death. Poles cry but many times in history Germans and Russians have unleashed hell on earth in area known today as Ukraine.

[@tonycoundermann2166]

Erich Von Manstein was called, by a number of historians, the most genius Hitler's general. His book "The Lost Victory" is one of the best -selling books about World War II. I wish Ukraine had as a genius general as Von Manstein to set a deadly trap for the Russian Army in a counter attack.

[@barfuss2007]

Von Mannstein was resposable for the attacking plan of the Wehrmacht in 1940 in France. The most glorious victory of a german army since Arminius against Varus, which stopped the roman conquering of whole germany.

[@hansgruber6455]

I wish Ukraine had 10 divisions of Waffen SS to fight the New Soviet Army invading them.

[@eliasziad7864]

Except, the Russian Army trapped the Ukrainian army in Luhansk.

[@barfuss2007]

@@hansgruber6455 5 would be enough

[@stoggafllik]

@@hansgruber6455 The waffen ss wouldn’t fight for a shithole like ukraine

[@manningjackson2723]

Excellent footage!! Thank you mate!! Love your videos, keep up the great work and Merry Christmas to you my friend 👍🇦🇺👍

[@FactBytes]

Thanks, you too!

[@kiowhatta1]

Between January 31st (Stalingrad) and May 1943 (Tunis) the Axis somewhat needlessly sacrificed somewhere in the order over 1 million men killed, wounded or captured, well over 3,500 aircraft, 1,000 tanks, 7,000, guns, and inestimable amounts of vehicles and other materiel. This amounts to a possible 8-9 armies, at least 2 Pz armies, 2 Luftflotte, and enough trucks and vehicles to create over 5-10 motorised divisions. These disasters could have been avoided or at least mitigated. It’s a miracle the Wehrmacht was still able to stay in the field for 2 years after this catastrophic loss.

[@cx3268]

Interesting timing of this video.

[@matthewishunting]

People are funny lol

[@johngulartie-hx8sv]

Stalin tried to convince the Russian people that the battle was a victory, but the truth oozed out

[@user-ms1ml5mt6s]

Still the German give the Russian a blooded nose but still got kicked out of Russia

[@wandameadows5736]

Just imagine if Germany had been on a level playing field & weren't outnumber 20 to 1.

[@eliasziad7864]

They were outnumbered 2 to 1. For every 1 German casualty, there is 1.1 Soviet casualties. 40% of Soviet military deaths was because the Germans killed them as POWs.

[@wandameadows5736]

@@eliasziad7864 You think they were only facing Russia? I've heard interviews of German troops themselves making this claim. Germany never had a an advantage in numbers during WW2 against the allies. That's why they used the blitzkrieg. Also most of Germanys military was wipe out by the allies after the war. You need to broaden your horizon on history cause your obviously speaking from one country's account. I'm not trying to be pro any nation during WW2 cause the whole thing was bad & should have never happened.

[@eliasziad7864]

@@wandameadows5736 Are you fucking stupid? USSR destroyed 90% of the German army. What did the US do? Oh kill innocent civilians in japan.

[@noooboodyy8533]

crazy how history repeats itself

[@tkyap2524]

The Germans had good generals. But, their boss was erratic. He refused to listen to them.

[@KillerT-Bone]

They still would’ve lost

[@michaelporter9354]

Your absolutely right, the Germans never had enough men or material.

[@Blei1986]

to be fair, the idea from abandoning capturing Moscow and instead focus on the oil and supply-important south was actually a god idea.

[@Arengeesus]

@@Blei1986 by the way, it was shitler who wants to take caucasus for the oil fields; german generals planned to take moscow to heavily demoralise the soviets but they never knew they would had face the harshest winter for the century.

[@TrueShoot1000]

@@Blei1986 yea only the idea was good but the plan was the worst

[@VashtheStampede007]

Those German generals were holding cigarettes over important military maps... What if they accidentally drop it? 😂

[@ITR933]

They probably had more maps haha

[@johnnyb2909]

Have you ever dropped a burning cigarrette on a paper? Nothing happens you just bruise it off.

[@fernalonsoau]

nice footage but the maps were too poor. It is almost impossible to figure out the movements of troops.

[@richardscanlan3167]

The scale of the war on the Eastern Front boggles the mind.50 divisions wiped out - just like that. Has to be the worst theatre of war in history - for dead and level of suffering,can't think of any other war that comes close.

[@samuelpope7798]

It's hard to believe that worldly and capable generals like Manstein, Von Boch, Von Rundstedt, just to name a few, didn`t know the war was hopless after Stalingrad.

[@vasilirikardsson]

Smart "generals" knew the outcome before the war with Russia. But it was very dangerous to protest at that time, very high risk to be murdered by your "friends".

[@hendriesantio8825]

One of his trait that makes him become one of the most decorated generallobest in Russia is his bravery to resist Hitler urge to taking hasty attack. While many general like Keitel, Jodl, and Kluge had just trying to appease Fuhrer as they pleased

[@j3lny425]

Decimated means 1/10 The sixth army was not decimated,it was destroyed.

[@wokejoke2675]

A few got out on the supply planes

[@ilostthreeaccountstoyoutub1434]

@BekGrou PRIMUS again it was not the high commands fault the soviets got lucky and lend lease carried them to victory

[@claas.relotius]

@BekGrou PRIMUS learn about the Battle of the Caucasus, maybe then you understand why retreating from stalingrad wasn't the best option

[@claas.relotius]

​@@apis_aculei some more of those glorious victories and no one would be left to die for stalin and the communist party

[@clex9487]

@BekGrou PRIMUS well it wasn't terrible leadership on the generals part it was hitler that was the reason why the army got destroyed

[@mrbruce7204]

We need Von Manstein now!!

[@chadgaston8615]

Cossacks gotit covered. Victims of nazis are defending it now. Manstein was an occupier there, not a friend to the locals.

[@MD21037]

Don't we ever!

[@johnnyb2909]

We germans aint at war

[@devinfraserashpole4753]

He would still lose.

[@tylerhiggins3522]

It is a tragedy for Germany and Eastern Europe that Manstein was not in charge of all further operations after this.

[@chadgaston8615]

Those Kharkiv defenders today wish to emulate tactics used by herr Manstein. Famine, terror and other aspects of German occupation they do not miss.

[@jpmtlhead39]

What they were able to do, so much with so few, specialy since mid's 1943 (kursk), its a feat of Resilience And superb leadership (from The Generals to even Sargents in many ocasions) Unique in Military history. They lost The war, but for The majority, of the Allies top brass, they werent expecting, that it took so long. With The Overwhelming superiority, in men (1/10),and material, its was like a miracle, the German Army, hold on for so long.

[@tolloromassi99]

Which makes one wonder whether the Germans are indeed the "superior" race?

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@tolloromassi99 Who said that the Germans were a superior race...???!!!!

[@tolloromassi99]

@@jpmtlhead39 It's a rhetorical question.

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@tolloromassi99 oh iam so sorry mate, i didn't know that.

[@diddlysquat88]

Everybody lost ww2! Look at Europe and the world today..

[@Studios421]

There are a lot of great ww2 channels out there, but I do particularly enjoy the raw footage compiled here. Is it genuine and content related? Awesome if it is.

[@alitlweird]

I don’t care for the digitized voice. (It sounds digitized, anyway)

[@ResiRilla26]

My grandfather was in the ss and fought on the Eastern Front then moved to Dublin in 1946

[@lev3432]

Your grandfather was a great man

[@ResiRilla26]

@@lev3432 Danke

[@lev3432]

@J Anda His grandfather was a great man.

[@ResiRilla26]

@J Anda So by what you're saying the Germans are the only war criminals?

[@wuppas]

@J Anda They were all criminals.

[@mikesbaseballcards]

Great footage I never seen before n 88mm footage. Noticed several kubelwagens in the footage. I have a photo of my Opa along with another soldier standing in front of a kubelwagen in the snow somewhere in russia.

[@Bahamut998]

"The Germans successfully encircled the Soviet Sixth Army" The Irony.

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

we need these german heroes now!

[@ayushgoreamb942]

The 100 billion euros is coming baby!

[@perkunas8651]

Who? A German army which is busy in gendering, re-designing tanks to be used by pregnant women driving them? Lol. In terms of warfare, Germany from 1870-1945 was at its peak with the worlds best armies! Politics is another story. But don’t compare this bullshit today with the German army.

[@MasterKeyMagic]

they were genocidal psychopaths, and idiots

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

@@MasterKeyMagic the meaning of heroes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZzTlWN-ZptkkM0

[@theforgottenheroes9264]

@@MasterKeyMagic idiots, that's why they won the third battle of kharkov by only one against eight!

[@stephenholmes1036]

Paul Hausser totally underrated

[@paulhart3812]

Not their last victory, their last MAJOR victory. There were smaller ones later in 1943 and in 1944.

[@Whatisthisstupidfinghandle]

Pedantic

[@the82spartans62]

I like how the German Wehrmacht had some commanders who followed orders while other did not.

[@MarjanVukovic]

I like how the Russians followed the sunset position whilst your fellow Nazis obeyed the rules.

[@the82spartans62]

@@MarjanVukovic - Bolshevik

[@MarjanVukovic]

@@the82spartans62 Nazi

[@Peter_Schiavo]

Hauser's SS Panzer Corp occupied Kharkov. He was personally ordered to stay there by Hitler and hold the city. He disobeyed and evacuated it. His three panzer divisions were crucial to Manstein's plan. Because everything worked brilliantly, Hitler could hardly cashier Hauser, but he did award medals for the battle. Hauser was snubbed and didn't receive his.

[@the82spartans62]

@@Peter_Schiavo - Thanks for the good input.

[@laf43777]

Manstein was a great general!

[@Vrten]

please do the 5 second effort to pronounce Manstein correct, thank you

[@Ko.Wi.]

He is already doing very good work regarding the history, he isnt a Native speaker. The emphasis shouldnt lay on pronouncing, but on the facts he presents.

[@13Bravo77]

Almost 80 years later again

[@Mingus8]

World War II, was 90% about the Eastern Front. Many still imagine that Normandy was of any decisive importance.

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

Erich von Manstein is not a New York Delicatessen owner. It's pronounced "Manstain", not "Manstien"!

[@meinolfwestig9463]

More like "Mannshtine". The "ei" or "ai" in german is like the english "i". The german "s" followed by a consonant is like an english "sh".

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

@@meinolfwestig9463 Right you are. Thank you, sir!

[@brianleen2986]

master piece of planning and execution

[@vladimirsusic5335]

Funny, today we see that tanks are still using big logs as protection...Only difference is they put them nowadays only on the most vulnerable rear side (and yes, top of the tank has thinnest armor...)

[@tihomirrasperic]

logs are not for protection it is an aid in getting out of the mud if the tank gets stuck, they throw a couple of logs under the tracks so he can "dig himself"

[@Nick-eq8kq]

Logs provide almost zero (and I mean ZERO) protection against tank round or for that matter even rifles. At the speeds there going, the wood simply splinters and shatters as the projectile runs through it. The loss of energy on the shot would be probably be

[@zacharydoser8536]

Very informative video. Very well put together and your narrative was easy to follow and understand. I'm now a loyal subscriber.

[@badcholesterol]

remove ur profile pic it is offensive

[@zacharydoser8536]

​@@badcholesterolHuh?

[@badcholesterol]

u have z for russia@@zacharydoser8536

[@j.w.b5048]

2:25 if Hitler would have done that sooner and more often, the war would have been a lot different.

[@uzzielactub8065]

U mean Hitler Could have Listened or Given Command to His Generals

[@zacoman2225]

True

[@KotobKotob]

Even if they manage to conquered russia, in 1945 US already got an atomic bomb

[@ilostthreeaccountstoyoutub1434]

no it wouldn't since the allies would just lend lesse the soviets and air bomb the germans till victory just like in our timeline

[@uzzielactub8065]

Nah The Germans Cannot Conquer Russia Because of its Vast Territory Plus They Lack Oil which Hinder their Offensive Operations

[@robgraham5697]

One book I own describes this battle as 'The Last Dance of The Matador'.

[@zillsburyy1]

germans loved a good counterattack

[@alterKammerad]

The only thing certain in history is a german counterattack

[@alexbowman7582]

This battle was probably a big reason for Eisenhower’s insistence on a broad front European advance.

[@jmvm31]

This was the last major Victory of Germany in WW2.

[@bretbarnett6024]

There was a reason, why the Germans 8:1 outnumbered by the Soviets, still could win. The Germans mostly were outnumbered in battles in Russia but could defend areas, defeat the Soviets or could halt their advances or offensives. If the Soviets broke through the front lines of the Germans, the Germans were often still able to made their disadvantage a victory by having elite units rushing to the open breach. The Russians were force drafted, had a hate relationship with the Soviets and mostly showed their antipathy towards Soviet leadership by being mostly passive in the German occupied areas or openly collaboration was decided by the Russian population of the occupied areas. The Partisan units at the beginning were for that mainly djues. The soul of the Russians in these docus is shown in a false light. A force like the Soviets had difficulties recruiting and motivating their citizenry. The motivation and fighting spirit of the Germans was higher as their was no resentment against their National Socialist authority as was in the Soviet Union the case of the Russian population against their Communist government. Book references: Chief Culprit: Stalins Grand Design by Viktor Suvorov./// The World Conquerors by Louise Marshalko./// Hitlers War Path by David Irving.///

[@NJTDover]

Send von Manstein's grandson over to Ukraine to defend Kharkov.

[@johnpendarvis7885]

I can't imagine fighting in subzero weather.

[@wehrmachtberlin5122]

all the heart of us is not die..

[@kevinflaherty7592]

True but operation citadel was the end of the German armored forces as far as offensive operations go

[@juanzulu1318]

Strange how fast the troops were able to advance at that time while today the Russians struggle even after 50 days.

[@chadgaston8615]

Russians only have like 7000 badly supplied soldiers at the Kharkiv front. I think Russians have as many troops inside entire Ukraine as Germans had in this one battle.

[@MarjanVukovic]

Strange how fast the hypersonic missiles are able to advance nowadays while Americans is still trying to deploy astronauts in lower orbit. Go Russians

[@Axelfl6161]

And yet the Ukrainian troops fight on inflicting huge losses on Russia,some things never change the Russian midpoint care about losses.

[@niko7626]

@@MarjanVukovic what the actual fuck are you talking about? Bro stop watching russian propaganda and just look how fucked your so mighty army is…. Just shut up and go back to praise Putin, a literal fascist

[@bigty390]

​@@Axelfl6161 Fake news

[@kiowhatta1]

It’s pronounced Man - Stine like wine. In German anytime you have an ei it’s Like nine, or wine. When you have ie it’s pronounced like eel such as Viel ( feel ) the word for many, or a lot. Also the addition of the ‘Von’ to an officer’s name such as Von Manstein is an honorary addition dating back to the Prussian noble tradition. For example Von means ‘from’, so it could denote the person was from a place or from a noble family.

[@peterw3544]

And today we find out we should have let Germans steam roll Russians and not interfere.

[@Vict0r1984]

And today we find out you're an idiot who can't distinguish between an imperialist invasion by Russia (2022) with the aim of installing a puppet government in Ukraine (very routine unremarkable power projection move similar to what America constantly does in the Middle East) , and a literal invasion by Nazi Germany with the purpose of colonising the East (Lebensraum) and exterminating all Slavic people... 🙄 Also, the lend-lease aid only accounted for about 15% of Soviet armaments and supplies even at its highest levels, so even if that was cut off completely it's most likely the USSR would've still won on the Eastern front.

[@anfrale4657]

@@Vict0r1984 we should have helped the Germans by attacking from the east lmao.

[@Vict0r1984]

@@anfrale4657 If you are a dumb nazi sure - those of us who are sane however rejoice at their defeat by the USSR and the rotting corpse of their disgusting intellectually-bankrupt ideology.

[@inthendwealldie]

In an alternate universe, the Allies should’ve proceeded with Operation Unthinkable, while Gen Patton, other top notch generals were around and when the Allies were at peak strength, including the remains of the Wehrmacht/SS plus the only nuclear weapons around, but everybody was real tired of war. I mean... the US literally dumped countless tons of equipment, tanks, jeeps, all that into the sea and even gave it away for free after Japan surrendered. Plus the US had 12+ million active duty personnel along with all the other Allied countries. All the factories across the states ready to pump out thousands of whatever quickly. Even with all that is it worth the total war? Maybe, maybe not cuz millions would’ve died and Stalin prob would’ve conscripted every soul in the SU, so instead of ~11m Russians, it’ll be like idk 15-25m+? Perhaps it would’ve been worth it to prevent some 40+ years of the Cold War and countries in Eastern Europe and some in Asia from becoming full-blown communist during that time and spreading. The wars in Afghanistan could’ve been prevented since they had a king during that time, was peaceful. Even Kabul was once known as the Paris of Asia in the 60s or 70s, smth like that, but had a coup for a commie gov and that led to civil war, eventually they became too radicalized into what we know of them today, and obviously Russia probably wouldn’t be invading Ukraine N whatnot lol /shrug

[@loganknezovich8394]

@@Vict0r1984 I like what you said for the most part, but there is no denying that the Soviet Union would've in fact most likely collapsed had it not been for the lend lease, you look at the smaller picture which is how much the US sent in terms of raw equipment I.E. tanks, half tracks, jeeps, ect. when in fact if you actually look into it, the U.S. sent most of the cable wiring that the Soviets used, sent a lot of high quality steel to the Soviets, and sent the vast majority of radios the Soviets used, which in essence means that had it not been for the U.S. the Soviet Army would've had very limited communication, and very poor tank quality compared to what they had in real life, compare the early war Soviet army with poor communication, limited radios, and very weak steel they used for tanks that even 37mm guns could cause spalling with and as a result kill crew members, to the late war Soviet Army which had the exact opposite, and you will see just how important the lend lease was and how it quite literally changed the Soviet army from a piss poor fighting force to the most fierce fighting force in the world, you can have the best tank designs, but without proper steel and communication equipment they are useless, you can have the best artillery in the world, but if you don't have cable wires extended to your forward observer on the front line to communicate where to direct your artillery barrage, your artillery is borderline useless. and in ww2 an army without effective communication with artillery and effective tanks to break through enemy lines, would've been a useless army, because in ww2 artillery alone accounted for 25% of all casualties inflicted.

[@EpicThe112]

One can compare Kharkiv 1943 to 2022 battle however the key difference with 1943 is that the Ukrainians have UK-made NLAW US-made FGM-148 used by Heavy infantry

[@quikzome6973]

You should make a video about the battle of radzymin in august 1944 where the germans crushed several soviet armies

[@Ernawati-od3tr]

This is amazing footage

[@hyeonleejae3115]

It just completely amazes me how a country is able to sponge up an entire 2 offensives against enemies with better gear, superior air power, and higher quality tanks. On the other hand, it amazes me how the Germans were able to mount two entire offensives consisting of millions of men, losing both, and still prevent total collapse until 1945 while also producing some of the strongest tanks, high tech aircraft, new assault rifles. Just proves more that the strategically incompetent leader should just listen to his generals for once because they actually know what they are doing and have the position of general for a reason.

[@thecommunistdoggo1008]

You believe that crap? That's a post war myth made by the generals to save face. Moustache man mostly did let them do what they wanted until '44ish. Often overruling them was the right choice for example at Kursk and racing to seize the natural resources of the Caucuses as opposed to Moscow

[@thecommunistdoggo1008]

@Albert Strauss I'm not a Hitler apologist, I'm a history buff. That is just a post war myth spread by generals. They weren't bad generals but most of the sources you find that it was all madman Hitler's fault are their memoirs which is a wee bit biased. Also not a tankie sorry to disappoint but I'm a hardcore radical centrist

[@frankylee7442]

Hyeon LeeJae Yes, and when you consider, that Germany was constantly bombed to bits. And also constantly tens or hundreds of thousand soldiers or war equipment have been shifted from the East to the West and the other way around, you might be be more than amazed. A German historian, who was soldiers in WW2 wrote: "Over the performance of the Wehrmacht in the East evrybody has to silence."

[@Macdaddy8124U]

Crazy how the Javelin changes everything...........

[@natotomato4625]

Are they making a difference? I heard Ukrainians are marching on Moscow this weekend!

[@KotobKotob]

Von manstien was eager to close the kursk salient atm but army group centre reluctant to participate

[@jebbroham1776]

Yes, and it proved to be a fatal decision to Army group Center later on in the war. Had the Germans secured Kursk when they had the momentum and initiative to do so, its doubtful the Soviets would have had a springboard for any offensive at all in 1943.

[@blackdontcrack1962]

@@jebbroham1776 doesnt matter when your country is starving, depleted resources and getting riddled with partisans

[@lokischildren8714]

A classic example of elastic defence a ambush in the open

[@2000Cowboys]

In Guy Sajer's book 📖 ( The Forgotten Soldier ) he talks of the devastation of this battle.

[@oneshotme]

Enjoyed your video so I gave it a Thumbs Up as a support

[@Theearthtraveler]

Great video!!!

[@fpvillegas9084]

Which Manstein victory is the best? Ans.: All of them 😉👍

[@kohtalainenalias]

Manstein's Miracle

[@789563able]

Good presentation. Need to work on pronouncing names correctly.

[@ra-ge]

I think he did quite a good job giving the fact that he's not a german nor a russian speaker.

[@LawyerPapa]

Yes, I was looking for somebody to correct it. German "ei" is pronounced like how we pronounce the alphabet "i." So Manstein is "mahn-stah-in." "W" pronounced as "V" so "wagen" is pronounced as "vahgen." V is F, so Volkswagen would be "FolksVahgen." At the same time though, I just realized the historic Kahrkov battle happened in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Duh. I guess Kahrkov was a Russian pronunciation?

[@ra-ge]

@@LawyerPapa Common guys you are nitpicking here,the man is pronouncing the names quite good for non native speaker. Compare it to some you tubers that don't even get bothered to say something close to the names of people or towns.

[@LawyerPapa]

@@ra-ge Fair enough.

[@FirstLast-ml7yf]

Interesting the logistical issues in th spring meltout

[@wisecontragio172]

nice footage, hadn t seen most of it

[@darklysm8345]

"Last victory of the wehrmacht" isnt very true, they had numerous victories all the way into 1945

[@foamer443]

Interesting to note the current conflict is taking place at roughly the same time of year. And, perhaps, the Soviet logistics of WWII were better than the current Russia military. It's hard to believe they could have been worse, so therefore they must have been better.

[@vongent2067]

Alles westliche Propaganda ! Der Russe hat vielleicht 15% seiner militärischen Maßnahmen bisher in der Ukraine ausgeschöpft. Es geht Putin nicht darum alles zu zerstören.

[@user-gd9bi2hg5m]

хаха идиот Российская армия втрое меньше украинской и она окружила харьков, а ты тут расказываешь кто гжде хуже?

[@adnanealgerie5358]

La vermacht la plus puissante armée du monde

[@davidhayes7596]

If Hitler had a avoided Kursk , the outcome may have been different.

[@auguststorm2037]

At best it would prolonged the war a little bit. Refusing the battle of Kursk would neither prevent the following Soviet pushes neither prevent landing in Sicily. At this time the Allies clearly have material and manpower superiority

[@purliewilson8192]

You mean might not may. Saying may in this context makes you seem ignorant.

[@davidhayes7596]

@@purliewilson8192 thank you! I appreciate your help.

[@davidhayes7596]

@@auguststorm2037 that's right!

[@chadgaston8615]

He has no steam left for atrition. If he had followed Kharkiv tactic, they probably would have nuked Berlin eventually.

[@marcusellius2542]

Manstein is pronounced as stein with emphasis on the i. You could increase your traffic to your site if word pronounciation was better.

[@tacticalcheese6925]

How u get all that footage tho