The Attack of the Dead Men: The WWI Last Stand that Became a Real-Life Zombie Movie

In this Warographics episode, we delve into the harrowing Battle of Osowiec Fortress, where a small Russian force faced overwhelming odds, including poison gas, leading to the chilling Attack of the Dead Men. Witness this epic last stand that shaped World War I's outcome.
→ Subscribe for new videos at least twice a week!
www.youtube.co...
Love content? Check out Simon's other KZbin Channels:
Biographics: / @biographics
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
MegaProjects: / @megaprojects9649
SideProjects: / @sideprojects
Casual Criminalist: / @thecasualcriminalist
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
XPLRD: / @simonstestchannel
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler

[@Korricat]

There's no way to imagine the absolute purest form of horror those soldiers felt when they saw the first silhouettes of supposed dead men, walking, crawling, vomiting blood, screaming, and the charging at them. I wouldn't be surprised if some died from a heart attack.

[@Onnarashi]

You can imagine it now. Men with skin meled off their faces, coughing up blood and bits of organs, charging at you with a rifler in hand. Screaming, both in agony and just pure animalistic rage.

[@Erika.D84]

I thought i knew a thing or two about chemical warfare in WW1, but i did not yet know about the horrific chlorine and bromine cocktail. Also, i looked up the list of gasses used, by both sides on the Western front and it is WAY longer than i could imagine. Just shocking.

[@michaelf.2449]

​@@Erika.D84it's unfortunate that it's true

[@dangeary2134]

Isn’t it incredible how when distilled to your last moments, that whatever is left becomes, for a brief moment, absolute Hell on Earth. WWIII will be much like this, I fear! I often wonder why I watch things like this, over the escalating politics of today. I hate, and love, the premise that I can protect my loved ones from such a fate!

[@comettamer]

The fact that Sabaton was able to make a song about it really speaks to how much they must have studied what happened to get it absolutely right.

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

Turmoil at the front, wilhelm's forces on the hunt!

[@kevinh1757]

There's a thunder in the east, It's an attack of the deceased

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

@@kevinh1757 Theyve been facing poison gas, 7,000 charge en mass!

[@Joe_Dirt82]

Turn the tide of the attack And force the enemy to turn back

[@rustydean772]

And that's when the dead men march again

[@indigowest6894]

Osoviec, then and again!

[@YehiaRamadan-tu3qf]

German soldier:"Captin,that gas was lethal right?" Commander:"Yes,of course." German Soldier:"Then why is that machine gun pointing at us?"

[@aRealAndHumanManThing]

because of the old russian saying, "And then things got worse"

[@Onnarashi]

"Why the FUCK are dead men charging at me?"

[@Volundur9567]

Russian Power

[@AnthroGearhead]

*run, just RUN*

[@CaptainSpork7]

I can literally hear a Warhammer 40k fan typing furiously away, having been thoroughly inspired by this historical carnage.

[@KaijuRails54_Official]

There is a unit called death korp of kreig and it’s ww1 in a nutshell

[@jamesmarston8461]

​@@KaijuRails54_Official probably my favourite guard regiment

[@reconsoldier135]

Sabaton has taught more kids about history than most schools manage to teach

[@wile-e-coyote8371]

Never heard of Sabaton, but I fondly remember several good marks in History Class due to the lyrics of Iron Maiden songs.

[@kylerocco7467]

​@wile-e-coyote8371 you should really check out sabaton then

[@sep0262]

​@@wile-e-coyote8371must try

[@Dene181]

true

[@zwierzak2012]

not really. i think I think that children who like history also like Sabaton, and those who don't like it don't like it. Sabaton is terribly overrated.

[@Virtuous_Rogue]

It's an awesome song to see Sabaton do live. The whole band puts on gas masks, all the stage lights are turned green, and they turn on a whole bunch of fog machines, including a portable one that the vocalist carries around the whole song.

[@chrisnadeau3390]

Watching this completes a circle, sort of. I've been watching Simon's many channels for about 4 years. He did a video on his Biographics channel on Lauri Torni, Soldier of Three Armies ( fought for his native Finland in the Winter War, then Germany to continue fighting against the Soviets, and then later became a Green Beret. KIA in Vietnam, buried at Arlington) At the end of that video, Simon mentioned that Swedish metal band Sabaton had a song about Torni. I'd heard of Sabaton but didn't know their music, and lyrical focus on war history. I started going through all their albums, and many videos. My son also got into their music (and Simon's videos as well), and ultimately I took him to see Sabaton last fall, his first concert. It's become a great way for us to connect and discuss history and current events. So now, having discovered Sabaton through Simon, here he is quoting them! As I joke to my friends, the two greatest memorials are to have Sabaton write a song about you; and to have Simon create a video of you! Thank you so much, Simon, for keeping these stories alive. If anyone is interested, Sabaton also has their own history channel .

[@panachevitz]

Since you mentioned it, here's the link to the Sabaton History Channel and the history of the Attack of the Dead Men: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHSmhICehtiYr5o&ab_channel=SabatonHistory

[@xandersnyder7214]

I have a similar story about Sabaton and my son as well. I found out about Sabaton through a military scifi book series called "The Ember War" by Richard Fox, one of the characters is Swedish and is often playing Sabaton. I started listening to them one day on the way to work and got hooked, then I started to play Sabaton when my whole family was in my car, the first song my kids heard was "40:1" followed by "Winged Hussars". We missed Sabaton when they were in town, mainly because they were playing the same night that my son and I were going to the Weird Al concert. Now even my 6yo daughter knows their lyrics by heart, her favorite song is "Soldier of Heaven" and she now knows the history of what happened on that mountain. My son (12yo) has used Sabaton as a reference in several papers he has written for his history classes. We have become huge fan's of the Sabaton History channel on KZbin, now I need to introduce him to Simon's content (although I don't think he's old enough to watch Brain Blaze yet, AM I RIGHT DANNY?!). I am hoping that Sabaton does a song about the USS Texas since they got to visit her when they played in Houston, I'd also love their take on the Alamo.

[@TokenWhiteGuyAGR]

If Sabaton makes a song out of a battle or war, you know it's going to be epic. 40:1 and Winged Hussars should be national anthems for Polska at this points.

[@adenkyramud5005]

Don't forget uprising. Such a good song!

[@zwierzak2012]

we have one national anthem. we don't need more. Sabaton should make song about general Dąbrowski.

[@sebaseba6710]

Then the winged hussars arrived Coming down the mountainside Then the winged hussars arrived Coming down they turned the tide Every time I hear the chorus it just fills me with such energy

[@dogloversrule8476]

Don’t forget about Resist & Bite.

[@bakeronaburner7833]

Smoking snakes is preformed by the Brazilian military band

[@Tiana_Skye]

Saw the title, then heard the opening words, so happy you used lyrics from their song and happy you're covering this battle too! Amazing as always :)

[@Ezekeiel]

Ecstatic, I'd say lol

[@mitchellneu]

Great minds think alike, Simon! I was typing in the chorus as you opened the vid with the second verse. Well done!!! 🎵Osowiec, then and again Attack of the Dead, hundred men Facing the lead, once again Hundred men, charge again, die again🎵 - Sabaton, “Attack Of The Dead Men”

[@timbackman5915]

Imagine Simon and Indy (from Sabaton history) doing a business blaze style history rant together. 😂😂😂

[@TheJebus12341]

I'd watch 40 mins of tangents between them

[@crystalgreen3677]

My great grandfather was burned all over his face by mustard gas in WWI. He said it was extremely painful. Thankfully, he was able to mask before taking a deep breath.

[@OberstFeldwebel43]

SABATON, YES! In all seriousness, this is one of the most tragic, futile, and simultaneously courageous actions the Russian Army went through in the Great War

[@junnutube]

*A wild Sabaton appears*

[@DC-ru5xz]

Then the metalheads arrived!

[@trevorday7923]

Love that Sabaton song, and love how they make history rock the f**k out 🤟😎🎸

[@WilliamAGould]

A lesson on how dangerous men can be when they have nothing left to lose.

[@gnarlydragon7283]

Rage is a hell of an anesthetic

[@dapperdarlingdm5723]

That is truly insane. I consider myself more than a passing scholar of ww1 and have no issue citing larger battles, but I had no knowledge of this one. This is what I love about history. There is always more to discover even in a subject you assume to be flogged to death.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:10 - Chapter 1 - The circumstances for battle 5:15 - Chapter 2 - The opening phases 8:50 - Chapter 3 - The attack of the dead men

[@ethanhoier9931]

Simon quoting sabaton to open a video. Didn't expect it but made my day for some reason

[@DedMan28]

Considering the actual topic of the vid, it would be more surprising if he did not make the reference... XD

[@bragz81]

Having been to Osowiec Fortress and driven by it many times you can understand how easy it was for the Russians to hold out. The terrain around the fortress is perfect for the defense. Using chemical weapons was the only way at the time to take the fort unless somehow they could have surrounded it.

[@Natedawg1998]

THE OPENING IS PERFECT

[@RealJustINRVA]

THIS is how you tell a story to adults. I was listening to this elsewhere on YT and started to feel like I was five years old or ate lead chips as a kid, so I didn’t even finish, searched and saw you had me covered. Thank you, Simon. It’ll be great when you can get back to these because that means hundreds of thousands of people aren’t suffering from war.

[@mohitsawant956]

Even though I know this story, every time I hear it again it becomes the most horrifying and incredible world war stories I ever heard, it made me shed a tear no matter how many times I hear it

[@aguynamednathan]

Can you imagine what it must have been like to be a young German soldier, entering a fortress you knew would be filled with puddles of corpses, only to the find soldiers barely more than bone and muscle charging you? Can you imagine being a Russian soldier, having watched your comrades die in horrific suffering while feeling your own body burning from a chemical cloud you can't escape, then seeing those responsible for doing so come toward you? At that point, it's pure animalistic fear and rage, fight or flight. Damn near nothing human left. What a horrible chapter in human history.

[@MrMcGreed]

Am I the only one dreaming of a Simon Whistler warm-up act for the next Sabaton tour, now? Preferably in the style of old-of-the-hinge-standing-up Business Blaze?

[@OberstFeldwebel43]

That would be pretty badass

[@timbackman5915]

Him and Indy going on a history rant! 😂

[@TheDonghaile]

Holy shit Simon quoting Sabaton? 😂

[@anhedonicauthor]

4:55 “During this time, Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg was the guy Germany sent to battle if all other options had failed, and by July 1915 the fortress had proved so painfully intractable that von Hindenburg’s presence was required.” Oh the humanity!

[@TheLeeme]

Saw subaton live in Malta, and ive been a fan ever since. your content is among the best, and this was a nice touch.

[@currentlyeatingpies1274]

I can't claim to know what kept those poor men alive through that pain but it damn well screams "SPITE".

[@retriever19golden55]

Rage.

[@tiryaclearsong421]

Adrenaline and desperation. They were dying and knew it and these were probably the ones who had the most chance to protect themselves from the gas. They also knew the Germans could not be allowed to take the fortress and they couldn't die again, so they fought with no desire to protect themselves. They fought only for a higher purpose. It's why some armies would tell their soldiers to fight as dead men in history. If you fight with an insane offense you can surprise an enemy.

[@gerritvandenbosch4681]

Spite and even rage probably weren't a factor. Desperation and courage are far more likely.

[@YuriBloodfang]

Love Sabaton! Thank you for this video. It really hits home what the song is about.

[@1991jwp]

Simon's channels have covered a lot of the same topics Sabaton have, and I can't count how many times I've seen Sabaton lyrics in Simon's comment sections, so it's good to see that connection being acknowledged.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was an informative and wonderful introduction of that specific military material of WW1...rarely other history records focused on it in such details....thank you for sharing

[@EvilxSausage]

I demand to know why there hasn't been a movie made about this!

[@IanIsrael]

Simon quoting lyrics from Sabaton is freaking awesome!!

[@Muropfel]

Read a story once about some dude cleaning is toilet, accidentally mixing the wrong kinds of cleaners and making mustard gas in the process. According to him, he was a heavy smoker at the time and the coating on this lung kind of protected him the one or two seconds before he could vacate the bathroom. May it be possible some of the soldiers were heavy smokers themselves and had a coating of their own? I'm no doc, but gas warfare always reminds of that mishap. Cannot verify though, nor do I wish to do so

[@trev8591]

Incredible tale, never heard of this one before and I thought I knew my History. Thank you, Simon.

[@johnloman2098]

I'm not saying don't watch Simon's but Indy and sabaton have their own History channel and they do very good coverage of most of their songs history called sabaton history

[@adenkyramud5005]

Oh yeah one of my favorite channels on yt. Especially with all the goofy shit thrown in with the history stuff. Indy's screaming eagle is legendary 😂

[@audreydoyle5268]

7:24 "so, to our more squeamish viewers, now's the time to skip ahead, ok?," Me: **chomps on grilled cheese while hungover** nahhh

[@fieldadmiralspartanryseb-8293]

12:19 that's the best painting I've ever seen in my entire fucking life. The Mona Lisa will only ever be remembered as the second best

[@benjaminmalisheski6494]

I would love to see you feature more battles and people from Sabaton. Specifically I would love a biographics video on Witold Pilecki (inmate 4859 is the song about him). He infiltrated Auschwitz, set up a resistance inside, broke out with stolen documented evidence of the Holocaust, presented it to the allies, and then returned to Poland and played a leading role in the Warsaw uprising. He was later captured by the Soviets and executed on the pretext of treason but the reality is he was so respected as a resistance leader they feared he could challenge the soviet puppet government. He was eventually posthumously inducted into the Order of the White Eagle after Poland freed themselves of Soviet control - Poland’s highest honor and one of just a small handful of Poles from WW2 to receive the award. There have been a few books written on him, but I have come across another person who knows who he is, so I consider him significantly less known than he deserves. He also wrote a report of about 100 pages that can be found online (translated into English) that detail his time in Auschwitz; an amazing source for any of your writers if they take this on. PS, he’s also my personal hero if you couldn’t tell 😂

[@benjaminmalisheski6494]

I can’t find the exact number, but IIRC he was one of 4 men to receive the honor for their work in WW2

[@kylerocco7467]

Sabaton actually has a series on KZbin where they talk about the history behind the songs and then talk about playing the song.

[@Virtuous_Rogue]

Simon no longer does Biographics nor Geographics unfortunately. Turns out he was only ever the presenter on those two and the channel owner had some personal stuff come up during covid that caused a hiatus of them. In the mean time Simon has a whole bunch of his own channels he started so I imagine he just filled that time in and can't present for them anymore.

[@kleinweichkleinweich]

yes, please!

[@ComaDave]

Simon did one long ago on the Today I Found Out channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWTUeaGcrbaggc0si=6ku-TxoiaE-XG8Li

[@EveryFairyDies]

Major props to Jehran for getting Simon to quote Sabaton!

[@infamouskilla9018]

nothing is more unbelievable than real life

[@jacobsir1320]

is that a remix of the project zombiod music used talking about the chemical weapon attack?

[@metamaxis]

The fact Simon is saying the lyrics to Sabaton's song legitimately gave me chills.

[@Kingdakota97]

Clicked on a warographics video... only to be treated with Simon giving a chilling vocal read of a sabaton song.... nice

[@lasagna517]

And thats when the dead man are marching again!!!!!!!

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

Osoweic then and again!

[@OberstFeldwebel43]

​Attack of the dead hundred men!

[@adenkyramud5005]

Facing the lead once again

[@dreademperor2094]

Hundred men charge again die again

[@sollytom6266]

I really appreciate how you get right to the topic of the video. Not long ago I held out for 5 minutes (of a 15-minute video) and still hadn't heard one word about the nominal topic. Unlike that video, this one is easy to stay with to the conclusion.

[@multiyapples]

Rest in peace to those that passed away.

[@AnthroGearhead]

The Russians? Nah, they deserved that for being so arrogant n ignorant 😡

[@skyexplores]

I love Sabaton, I've learnt more about history from them than I ever did at school. No wonder the Germans turned and ran though, mustve been terrifying to litrally see the dead charging back at you

[@ManiaMac1613]

The Russians were so full of vodka that it partially counteracted the poison gas and numbed their pain

[@EAWanderer]

03:28 - You immediately know it's a terrifying weapon with sinister intent turned up to 11! First ever superweapon I think.

[@AnthroGearhead]

She is an absolute unit 👌🏻

[@Mitta319]

Sabaton in the wild! Hell yeah Simon!!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@justinvetrini7569]

Hearing Sabaton lyrics when opening this video made my day.

[@damage_inc86425]

Dude, Sabaton lyrics to start off a Warographics video? This is peak Simon content.

[@doughilton6375]

Oooh I love this video as Attack of the Dead Men and The Last Stand are my favorite Sabaton songs.

[@WoogietheWoogie]

I'm always learning new things. Keep up the AWESOME WORK! FIVE STARS!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@daehr9399]

Fascinating! And horrifying! Thank you Simon for the video!

[@Nallo500]

Great Sabaton reference at the Start!

[@otakustarwars1757]

Love that you started your video with sabaton lyrics other badass songs and some of my personal favorites by them are rain of terror, counter strike, to hell and back, ballad of bull, panzer battalion, ghost division, hearts of iron and primo Victoria which is a sabaton classic and the song that got me into sabaton

[@TubularTortilla]

This is the most insane war story I ever heard. Imagine the mindset to keep going after going through all that. Its unfathomable to think there were survivors. No fucking surrender, god damn.

[@Nyctophora]

Horrific. Unimaginably horrific, and yet, surely there has never been determination like this. I don't know what to say.

[@stevefranklin9920]

Another great video! That was obviously a sight to see!

[@TheCluelessLucent]

Thank you simon! wow im 😂 happy that of all things about the 1st few moments of the video about Sabaton. Suggestion by the way, maybe on the find out channel, the soldiers of belgrade? sabaton's song called last dying breathe? or perhaps "poltava", theres so much to cover there

[@willthomas9635]

I loooooove Sabaton. When i saw the title of this video i just had to know if simon was going to quote the greatest band of all time

[@KasumiRINA]

There are only a few foreign bands that toured Crimea after occupation and entertained the russians there, from the top of my head it's Scooter and Sabaton... really hard to find some celebrity with a worse rep in Ukraine not named Steven Seagal.

[@Tracy-xe9zu]

I knew it was going to be an awesome video when you opened by quoting Sabaton

[@equarg]

To think the word Zombie did not even exist back then, the German Soldiers turned in fear the apocalypse had just occurred, the dead were rising! Say what you will about Russians now, but those brave souls at that fort deserve to be remembered. I am glad a few survived and semi recovered. May they RIP now.

[@jonnunn4196]

The word Zombie had existed in English for almost 100 years at the time (and without the final e) ... first recorded written use was 1819 by Robert Southey about the History of Brazil referring to a rebel leader. It wasn't associated with what we call "zombies" yet - with the possible exception of Haiti which already had a law against using chemicals to turn someone into one (attempted murder) but didn't use that actual word.

[@jameswhitehead6758]

Fact Boi is a metal head! We need a Simon Metal channel.

[@luyandzabavukiledlamini4693]

I can't imagine how horrified the Germans were to see those undead Russians and flesh falling apart

[@katanabluejay]

Would love to see a video on the battle of tannenberg too!

[@iangwaltney2316]

I did not realize I needed Simon reading Sabaton lyrics. I need more of this

[@scottperry5918]

Thank-you for presenting this INCREDIBLE story

[@stevenbaer5999]

Those poor boys who knew that they were going to die in a terrible way but they still managed to fight back on the Germans who done it. Those brave dying soldiers actually became zombies.

[@Jax2777]

Had no idea Simon had good taste with Sabaton

[@joshbunton6424]

Thank you for the Sabaton reference to start this video Simon

[@guyplachy9688]

Horrific, tragic, heroic & glorious; all these words can & should be used to describe this battle because it was all of these things & more.

[@ericthompson3982]

Starting off with Sabaton lyrics. Strong move.

[@gamingcultist]

GIVE. YOUR. WRITER. A. RAISE. The opening made me jump straight out of my chair in excitement

[@EnclaveOfficer1776]

“Why did the attack fail Sargent?” Uhhh Zombies sir.

[@johnking6252]

Helluva story, it represents all the other untold actions that take place in war . THX. RIP gentlemen. 🙏👍

[@subjectc7505]

100 men, charge again, Die again!

[@davisbwaddell]

There have been a few times you've quoted Sabaton lyrics. More please!

[@avaevathornton9851]

That they may not have even known gas was being used in the war before this makes it even more horrific!

[@captainzorikh]

We need a movie about this!

[@jezalb2710]

Nope

[@nekko5778]

mad?@@jezalb2710

[@bit-shuffler]

Ok thumbs up and a like for your use of shock and awe Sabaton lyrics right at the start of the vid

[@beowulf22]

the song that got me into metal tysm sabaton

[@robkunkel8833]

This is something I will watch long before bedtime.

[@goldosprey]

Not everyday we get a video starting with Sabaton lyrics.. Simon couldnt resist

[@danielnystrom6117]

guess you lissen to sabaton?!?!?! good man ❤

[@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356]

based ❤

[@jamesguest4873]

One of the best stories I've ever heard you tell. Thank you kindly sir.

[@Goc4ever]

It's a very fascinating and blood-curdling event in the First World War and it was so discussed that Sabaton even made a song about it. Truly a testament of the Russians' bravery and self-sacrifice🫡.

[@theonlykinkyjesus]

When I glanced at the new video thing, I didn't look closely and thought this was a video Sabaton posted... That was a great intro.

[@randallrona9618]

It's so sad that this event and the bravery of the Russian soldiers despite their horrific suffering after the gas attack was almost forgotten when the Bolsheviks took over Russia. Thankfully, Sabaton brought this into a masterpiece song.

[@TheCanagoose]

Ok so now you do a series based on every sabaton song lol.

[@benj1940]

The moment you said the first phrase I was like: wait.. did he just nicked the lyrics of Sabaton? You know what would be cool though? If you did a collab with them and Indy Neidell on this channel

[@JeffBilkins]

They received the gift of Papa Nurgle.

[@LordGrantius]

Continuing the theme of excellent Sabaton songs, cover Sgt Francis Pegahmagabow! His life would make an epic movie and is deserving of more and more coverage

[@JackHankeAnd]

I’ve watched most of the videos on this channel so far (about 5/6) without issues, so I’m not a particularly weak-stomached person. This one was difficult to get through, though. I’m not sure I can imagine a more horrible way to die. *Ugh.*

[@unknownsoul1206]

Just reminds you how cheap life was...then and now. Sad, I wish humanity would turn on the rich and powerful. I wish we could figure out a society that actually makes life better for all, instead of just a few.

[@nathanc6516]

Excellent. Subbed.

[@shyspectre3649]

Please do a warographics on the battle of the denmark strait and the sinking of bismarck