Week 292 - Allies Charge Forward from the Rhine! - WW2 - March 30, 1945

All along the Western Front the Allies break out in force, invading German territory and receiving German surrenders by the thousands. In the east, the Soviets take Danzig and Gdynia, and rout the Germans in Hungary. There's a new Japanese offensive in China, though the fight on Iwo Jima ends with a Japanese defeat.
Chapters
00:45 Recap
01:08 Big Advances all over the West
05:48 Soviets take Gdynia and Danzig
07:09 Zhukov’s forces take Kustrin
10:39 The War in China
12:21 Iwo Jima Ends
14:30 Preliminaries for Okinawa
18:46 More Landings in the Philippines
19:23 Slim focuses on Rangoon
20:12 Notes to end the week
20:48 Summary
21:28 Conclusion
24:47 Call To Action
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Hosted by: Indy Neidell
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Producer: Marek Kamiński
Community Management: Ian Sowden
Written by: Indy Neidell
Research by: Indy Neidell
Map animations by: Daniel Weiss
Map research by: Sietse Kenter
Editing and color grading: Simon J. James
Artwork by: Mikołaj Uchman
Sound design by: Simon J. James & Marek Kamiński
Colorizations by: Mikołaj Uchman
Source literature list: bit.ly/SourcesWW2
Archive footage: Screenocean/Reuters - www.screenocean.com
Image sources:
Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1978-111-10A, Hans Krebs
Additional graphics provided by Videezy.com
Soundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
Cluster One - Hampus Naeselius
Full Momentum - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
Live, Fight, Survive - Anthony Earls
Lost Crusaders - Hampus Naeselius
Power Up - Phoenix Tail
The Storm Will Come - Dream Cave
Additional sound effects provided by Zapsplat.com
A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[@WorldWarTwo]

This episode has been dedicated by TimeGhost Brigadier Member Hans Andersen to his wife's grandfather, Arthur J. Berk, a US Marine Corps Major. We are grateful to Hans for being such a committed member of the TimeGhost Army, and we are happy we could do this for him and his wife. If you'd like to dedicate a video to someone, you can do so by joining us over on Patreon at the Brigadier level for one year or by making a one-time contribution.

[@tiredredneck8159]

The time I quoted Winston Churchill when u got covid is still the most likes iv ever got on a comment

[@JoshPiland]

Semper Fidelis

[@gamerhashaam3343]

could you make a special on Romani Holocaust (porajmos) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_Holocaust

[@andreleclerc7231]

Burke or Berk?

[@caryblack5985]

@@andreleclerc7231 Berk

[@parsifal6094]

We all know what we want after the WWII series come to end: The 100 years war - week by week!

[@Ruosteinenknight]

In all seriousness, time ghost has confirmed their next project will be korean war.

[@randolacle]

LOL

[@simonkemfors]

The Roman-Persian Wars - Week by Week

[@yourstruly4817]

No, The Great War of 2077, minuteman by minuteman

[@ramonribascasasayas7877]

That really would be the project of a lifetime....

[@iskandertime747]

I find the image of a man trying to understand what had happened to him years before using an innocent game with his granddaughter to be absolutely haunting.

[@thomasknobbe4472]

It's called traumatic play, and is one of the diagnostic symptoms of PTSD in children. Replaying a horrifying event for which there can be no good explanation, trying to understand it. May he rest in peace.

[@pauldietz1325]

@@thomasknobbe4472 Trying without success to square the circle of his life. RIP indeed.

[@NVRAMboi]

It's called (I think), being completely human after experiencing scenes and events that resemble what many would call "hell". Those men very much wanted/needed to talk about what they'd seen/lived and heard, but couldn't bring themselves to talk about it beyond their friends and buddies who were there - and ...knew. May God comfort and care for the souls of such brave and broken men.

[@peterturner8766]

Give peas a chance?

[@markfryer9880]

​@@peterturner8766Oh you are going to burn the gravy with that comment! 😅

[@gunman47]

A sidenote this week on March 25 1945 is that Winston Churchill, accompanied by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, will briefly cross the Rhine near Wesel in an Allied landing craft, symbolizing the crossing of the top British leader over the traditional frontier of Germany that no foreign army had crossed since the age of Napoleon. The excursion, which ventured as far as a bridge still under enemy fire, was actually quite dangerous and General Dwight Eisenhower would later note that if he had been there, he never would have allowed Churchill to cross the river at that time.

[@Raskolnikov70]

But more importantly, did they pee in it?

[@Attilles]

​@@Raskolnikov70sources are unclear, though the Yanks did dump a bunch of British Tea in the Rhine in protest of a lack of coffee in the British mess tents

[@Desert-Father]

Eisenhower was right to be concerned, Churchill almost got killed by enemy artillery fire during that symbolic excursion. Losing both FDR and Churchill in a matter of weeks would have been disasters for the western allies.

[@papajo681]

@@Desert-Fatherit would have been tragic - but would the trajectory of the war have changed at all? The Russians would still be in Berlin in a matter of weeks. The Pacific War would have been unaffected. Churchill [at] Potsdam was ineffectual. We would have been deprived of so many of his latter accomplishments, and for that the world would be far worse for it. But the war’s conclusion was arguably more the work of systems than the leadership of great men.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

The real impressive river crossing was the Irrawaddy by Bill Slim which covered some 2000 yards and with 5 enemy divisions all dug in on the others side. The Rhine was tiny compared to the Irrawaddy.

[@stevestoll3124]

I realized the Date of the episode and realized how far along we are, how great this series has been. I watch it every Saturday before work.

[@narayasuiryoku1397]

You work on Saturdays?

[@stevestoll3124]

@@narayasuiryoku1397 most Saturdays

[@kevinconrad6156]

@@stevestoll3124 Same here, actually off today and I see Wind advisory on the toolbar, typical.

[@dradmiral5224]

@@narayasuiryoku1397I work Saturdays as well, I’m in fact at work right now as of writing this comment. I usually wait for 2 new episodes to release of the regular series and watch them back to back

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for the comment, really made my morning! Well your pre-work episodes shouldn't be going anywhere with our new upcoming series: www.youtube.com/@KoreanWarbyIndyNeidell Hope to see you there! - Jake

[@malcolmanon4762]

This week marks the end of my maternal grandfathers war - broken leg from being hit by a collapsing wall. This marked the end of a journey that started in the debacle of May / June 1940, the retreat from Belgium, evacuation from Dunkirk, the slog in the desert and landing in France on D + 7 till late March 1945.

[@belbrighton6479]

Amazing, what regiment was he in?

[@malcolmanon4762]

@@belbrighton6479 He was in REME, there's quite a few stories from various parts of his service.

[@kriegerscavern]

We were so close to having Frankfurt fall twice, during the same week, at two different places

[@orktv4673]

If I had a nickel...

[@obi-wankenobi1750]

@@orktv4673 It’s not a lot…

[@ramonribascasasayas7877]

Steiner, start warming up...

[@Dostwyn]

"The remains of Wesel" is a good way to phrase it. The Allies completely bombed that city to dust. It was one of the most destroyed German cities, Wikipedia says 97% of it was destroyed. I recommend looking up photos of it: It looks like the surface of the moon or a western front battlefield of WWI.

[@insideoutsideupsidedown2218]

Dresden has entered the chat:

[@oLii96x]

As was Düren in 1944

[@Dostwyn]

@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 Relatively speaking, Dresden wasn't hit that bad. Not even 75% of Dresden was destroyed. Of course, Dresden was a lot bigger than Wesel or Düren, the latter of which was 99% destroyed, so while there was probably more absolute destruction overall with more victims, Wesel and Düren were hit worse relative to their size.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

Wow you were not kidding. It literally looks like the surface of the moon.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 *Laughs in Coventry*

[@jackmoorehead2036]

I had a Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. during the Battle for Hue in the Tet offensive. He had been a PFC on Iwo. He said that Hue was the worst fight he had been in since the Meat Grinder on Iwo Jima. The look on his face then, told me he wasn't lying.

[@MsZeeZed]

17:16 - How many rockets do you need? US Navy - Yes

[@samuelkatz1124]

I do wish you had touched more on General Rose. One of the most notable personal details of his life is that he was Jewish, the child of a Rabbi. While he's buried under a cross in the Netherlands American Cemetery, its believed this was because he put his faith down as Protestant to avoid antisemitism in the officer corps as he climbed the ranks. He was also the highest ranking American killed by the enemy in the European theater of WW2.

[@TrickiVicBB71]

A biography special would have done him justice. But TimeGhost hasn't done that type of videos since the beginning of the series

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

​@@TrickiVicBB71 A big missed opportunity, tbh. Been saying this for YEARS now.

[@Cityinlead]

Such an underrated General of the War

[@pbcoop62]

There is a memorial to him on the grounds of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.

[@BlitkriegsAndCoffee]

A book called 'The Panzer Killers' details his command of 3rd Armored. Its a little narrative heavy compared to fact heavy for me, but its an interesting read. The man was aggressive to a fault, arguably more Patton like than the actual Patton was but with a more manageable ego. He is an enormous part of why 3rd Armored is the most storied American WW2 Tank Division. Although 3rd was mostly used as a sledgehammer, he was dogged in his pursuit the Germans, and caused enormous casualties by never letting them stabilize their position. He is also arguably somewhat indirectly responsible for the now much maligned book 'Death Traps'. Perhaps no other division attacked the Germans as doggedly as 3rd, and while they inflicted far more damage than they took, they also had the casualties to prove it.

[@randolacle]

I started watching this during the covid outbreak, March 2020, and 4 years every week, still watching

[@AF-tv6uf]

Same!!

[@jamesfarley8356]

@@AF-tv6uf Me too from the beginning 😍👍😎

[@henrybostick5167]

Same thing happened to me...

[@annbjorn]

Same here

[@WorldWarTwo]

Love to hear that!

[@robvoncken2565]

General Rose is burried at the War cemetary in Margraten Netherlands. The highest ranking casualty in the cemetary. He even has a local school named after him

[@TokioExpress]

I remember as a kid I asked my grandfather what *was* Iwo Jima, and even though he was a Vietnam veteran who served in the USAF, it tore him up to explain to me (then probably 9 or 10) that it was a place where thousands of fine young men were killed in brutal and miserable ways. The cost of Iwo Jima, even for those who never laid eyes on that island, is so horrific that I swear it pulls out the emotions of even the strongest people.

[@andrewstubson]

I got to meet a very old marine vet of Iwo Jima. I tried to get him to talk about it but he said it was STILL too painful. This was around 2005, 60 years after the battle.

[@ternel]

When I was in HS they had some WWII vets come talk to us about the war. One was happy to tell us about how he was able to make stills for coconut rum from scavenged parts.

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

Not surprising at all considering lot of the infantry companies were practically wiped out. Chuck Tatum, who portrayed in the Pacific TV miniseries and interviewed for it, had a great quote on that subject... "My company had 258 men when we went ashore. We left with 38. How many people see someone they know killed right in front of their eyes? And another one, and another one, and another one. I don't care who you are, it is going to affect your thinking." Major General Graves Erksine, who commanded the 3rd Marine Division on Iwo Jima, gave these remarks at the dedication for his division's cemetery on the island: "Victory was never in doubt. Its cost was. The enemy could have displaced every cubic inch of volcanic ash on this fortress with concrete pillboxes and blockhouses, which he nearly did, and still victory would not have been in doubt. What was in doubt, in all our minds, was whether there would be any of us left to dedicate our cemetery at the end, or whether the last Marine would die knocking out the last Japanese gun and gunner. Let the world count our crosses! Let them count them over and over. Then when they understand the significance of the fighting for Iwo Jima, let them wonder at how few there are. We understand and we wonder, who are separated from our dead by a few feet of earth, from death by inches and fractions of an inch."

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@ahorsewithnoname773 38 out of 258 damn those ratios' are awful, there was one division in France the 43rd Wessex division that started off with around 16,000 men, they lost over 7,000.

[@NVRAMboi]

@@Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Saipan. Peleliu. Manila. Iwo Jima. Okinawa. How any of the Marines/Army soldiers came away from any of those battles at any "functional" level mentally is a testament to those men themselves. Some of the Marines went through two or even three of these battles. No idea how any man could do it.

[@recoil53]

I'm an asshole and I wouldn't try to get a vet to talk about their experiences. For reference, growing up I knew vets from WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam. (I'm Gen-X). If they want to talk about it, I'll listen, but I'm still not enough of a jerk to pull up trauma like that.

[@gunman47]

This week on March 30th 1945, the following missions in the Call of Duty series will begin: *March 24 1945* Crossing the Rhine (Call of Duty 2) - As Sergeant Bill Taylor near Wallendar, Germany, you will start out in a boat and will have to get on the other side of the river first. You will then have to take out the enemy artillery guns as well as the enemy tanks. This is the last level in the entire Call of Duty 2 campaign. Rhine Crossing (Call of Duty: Roads to Victory) - As Private Brian Preston near Wesel, Germany, you are to move out with your tanks and clear the church. You will also have to supress the enemy flak crews and set charges in the German headquarters, before blowing it up with a plunger. *March 28 1945* The Rhine (Call of Duty: World at War: Final Fronts) - As Private Tom Sharpe near Wesel, Germany, you are to destroy the enemy artillery and hold out until reinforcements arrive.

[@pnutz_2]

you forgot to mention that taylor gets a battlefield commission at the end of cod2 and finishes the war as a lieutenant

[@finchborat]

Also, Operation Varsity was one of the missions in Medal Of Honor: Airborne

[@thomascrew8268]

Over 300 Suicide Boats were found on Kerama Retto. Only a few got underway and caused minimal damage to US ships.

[@thomaswilloughby9901]

My grand uncle a SGT in the 4th Marine Division was killed on Iwo on March 14, 1945.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

An interesting detail about Iwo Jima and Okinawa is that the commander in Okinawa received some elite army units that had spent the war in Manchuria and China. Instead of being an advantage, these troops were so determined to die bravely that they refused to follow their commanders plans for a slow and stubborn defense and launched costly banzai charges instead. The troops on Iwo Jima were less elite and better and simply following their orders. I do hope we get a bit more about the fighting on Luzon where, I believe, my dad's division is still in action. I admit that this will be a tricky story to tell as the fighting will continue without any major victories until the final Japanese surrender. The consequences of that stubborn resistance will probably be covered by the War Against Humanity.

[@Raskolnikov70]

What made those IJA troops from Manchuria 'elite'? Lots of training and equipment and a fancy title, or actual real-world combat experience? It sounds like they didn't understand the war they were being thrown into.

[@naoyanaraharjo4693]

​​@@Raskolnikov70 elite usually means well trained and much experienced. Those are also the basis on why some Soviet units are granted the elite title of "Guards" Elite usually does not always translate to good battlefield performance nor mentality homever For some context on why the Iwo Jima IJA men still does banzai charges. They dont understand the Americans are not Chinese soldiers that are usually underequipped and plagued with low morale also led by corrupt officers which result in them dispersing when a banzai charge is executed

[@Raskolnikov70]

@@naoyanaraharjo4693 That's why I'm wondering about their training and experience. I've known plenty of so-called elite units during my time in the US Army that completely folded the moment they were put into actual combat. The early incursions into Afghanistan in 2001 come to mind - a whole lot of green 'elite' units got their butts handed to them by goat farmers who had been fighting in that terrain since the 1970's. Real-world experience means more than anything, and I'm guessing those guys doing garrison duty in Manchuria and China weren't seeing a lot of intense combat.

[@MakeMeThinkAgain]

@@Raskolnikov70 They were part of the younger army faction that started the war in China and that was assassinating people who didn't agree with their fanatical views. Like the people who would later attempt to stop the broadcast of the Emperor's surrender acceptance speech.

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@Raskolnikov70 From what I read the experienced soldiers of the Kwantung army who fought the Chinese in 1938-1939 were sent to the Pacific while Manchuria was then left with conscripts and replacements who the Soviets later swept aside.

[@finnyishere3532]

Glad to hear from Chuikov again

[@Turnipstalk]

Not many Soviet commanders got up from a literary discussion with a journalist and a poet to take a German surrender.

[@shellymcmurrie]

That dedication was very moving. Thank you for all of the work you do.

[@wietse1113]

Looking forward: next week my great grandfather was killed by the nazis. He was shot in his doorway, with his son (my grandpa) and wife as witnesses. Just two weeks before the area (Groningen, in the Netherlands) was freed. It has never been cleared up exactly why, although most think that he was shot because of his involvement with the local resistance. Next week I'll be thinking about him again ❤

[@randomguy-tg7ok]

Danzig has fallen. Germans are surrendering to the Allies in droves, and the Americans are overrunning Central Germany. It's even more over than it was last week... et cetera.

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

All started for Germans 1939 and finished in Danzig 1945 Indeed

[@littlekong7685]

And yet the deadliest days of the war are still not done yet.

[@NVRAMboi]

@@maciejniedzielski7496 Germany started batting practice in Spain in 1936. Hitler and Duce helping out their buddy Franco while simultaenously testing out the latest Nazi armaments. Sort of like Japan's 'false flag' excuses to 'open up a can' inside of China for territories they wanted going all the way back to 1931.

[@DRACONAR1US]

Really, the war has been "over", in that the outcome has been entirely determined, for like 2 years at this point. Ever since the German advance in Russia stalled out, it was only a question of when they'd lose the war, not if they'd lose it. The problem was always making the German leadership realise it.

[@JesseOaks-ef9xn]

My Dad was part of the invasion force on Okinawa. He was in the first battalion of the twenty ninth regiment of the sixth division of the USMC. They met some light resistance on the landing and took the airfields so quickly that a Japanese pilot landed his Zero and left the engine running. The 'aircrew' that came for the plane were US Marines, much to his surprise. The Marines turned northward and met some strong resistance but was able to secure the northern portion of the island. My Dad's unit proceeded down the west coast of the island and met stiff resistance. The Japanese were determined to fight to the last man. There were few Japanese prisoners. I must note here that the Okinawan people were not Japanese.

[@Turnipstalk]

The Okinawans were victims of war like the French or Belgians.

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

Back in the late 1990s while deployed to Okinawa in the Marines my unit went on a battlesite tour where the guide told a similar story about a Japanese pilot that didn't realize he was landing on a recently captured airfield. I wonder if it may have been the same incident. If it was, the unfortunate pilot was gunned down. The guide, who was retired military & a veteran (U.S. Army, Vietnam) quipped with a bit of gallows humor that, "There is always some poor bastard that doesn't get the word."

[@insideoutsideupsidedown2218]

I have heard both sides so to speak on this. One side has stated, that if you are on an island of the Japanese archipelago, you are Japanese. Kinda like Taiwan. They are actually Chinese, but live on Taiwan. It is a renaming of sorts, but I understand both sides of this.

[@bingobongo1615]

How can you note that Okinawans arent Japanese…? They ethnically are, culturally are and were very close and independent movements were never popular on Okinawa… Many of the troops defending Okinawa were from Okinawa anyhow. Only some Americans and far right wing Japanese say Okinawans arent Japanese…

[@Turnipstalk]

@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 And by that test the inhabitants of Ireland are British, so try going to Dublin and telling them that.

[@CinemaDemocratica]

Fantastic story about the potatoes and the peas. Humanized, empathic, really brilliantly done.

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

Excellent work Indy & team. The peas & carrots story in the dedication hit hard. My great uncle Reford served under Patton in Europe & he almost never talked about what he saw & did.

[@nickgooderham2389]

Operation Varsity also includes the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, dropped in with the British. Serving with the Canadians is medical orderly, corporal Frederick George Topham who on the 24th, while tending a wounded paratrooper hears the cries of another wounded man. He sees two orderlies attempt to reach the man, but both are killed in succession. Upon seeing this Topham rushes to replace them despite the heavy enemy fire. While tending to the wounded soldier Topham is himself shot the face. Regardless, he manages to carry the man back to safety. Although bleeding and in intense pain, Topham continues to bring in wounded for the next two hours. For these actions Topham will be awarded the Victoria Cross.

[@El_Presidente_5337]

I clicked in this episode 25 minutes after it's premire and it is still going. Just reminded me how long the current episodes are.

[@alexamerling79]

Crazy considering how late in the war it is...

[@WorldWarTwo]

Nearly hitting 30 minutes on quite a few recent ones, still plenty to cover! Thanks for watching.

[@minthantko380]

As a note, on 27th March 1945, Burma National Army, led by commander in chief General Aung San, launched a nationwide uprising against the Japanese. Although Burma gained `independence ́ from the Japanese on 1st August 1943, many of the military and civil leaders eventually knew that it was in name only. BNA was formed, trained and supervised by the Japanese, but it was mostly used in rear areas for security operation, partly because of distrust of the Japanese commanders and partly because it was under supplied. An alliance called `Anti Fascist Organization´ containing Communist Party of Burma, Burmese National Army and other elements was formed in August 1944 and made contact with the British through Brigade 136. On late March 1945, the BNA paraded in Rangoon. Aung San appeared in Burmese uniforms in stead of Japanese ones, and made a speech indicating to, `find and destroy the nearest army´. Later, the army marched to their respective regions (Burma was divided into ten regions), and on 27th March of 1945, Aung San made an open statement, declaring war against the Japanese Empire and elements of BNA and CPB began guerrilla operations and taking controls of civil administrations in villages and towns. They mostly clashed with the retrating Japanese through Pegu. Over 1000 such clashes were recorded with about 20000 Japanese casualties. This day was later recognized as `Armed Force Day´ after Burmese Independence from the British.

[@huddleen]

My grandfather served as a marine on Iwo Jima. He left the war busted all the way back down to Private First Class for stealing bread from the officers’ mess. God bless you, Outlaw!

[@Professor_sckinnctn]

The dedication was very moving. Great episode, though it's strange that it's a "shorter" episode with fewer things taking place.

[@extrahistory8956]

You it's so over in Europe when the Pacific and China-Burma fronts are getting more screentime that both European fronts combined

[@pnutz_2]

8:04 I feel we're going to hear more about this Krebs fellow in the next few weeks. also a nice return of a portrait with a monacle, haven't seen one of those since El Alamein part 2

[@loganmurray8810]

My grandfather was with the 82nd airborne. He earned a purple heart in the Battle of the bulge. It's so much fun looking at these maps for 82nd every week, like a father looking for his son's number on the field. I can only imagine what it was like for him being 19 years old going through this shit.

[@Charles-In-Charge]

My favorite dedication yet

[@Lematth88]

This week in French news. The 24th, The French Government announces the Creation of the French Union and the Indochinese Federation in order to reform the colonial system and to give more power to Indochinese protectorates. The exact new system is not given. The 28th, Devers gives the go for the French offensive of the 1st Army toward Karlsruhe, Pforzheim and Stuttgart. Creation of the 15th American Army to control Lorient and Saint-Nazaire pockets. The 29th, De Gaulle gives back their flag to the 131 French units and then calls De Lattre to make him cross the Rhine without delay in order to not let the British, the American and the Soviet make all the fight. The offensive begins the 31th.

[@stefenlong]

ah, de Gaulle & his 'new France' trying to put cangues on Indochinese people when his country has not even been completely unchained from the Nazis yet. What a joke.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

Interesting that a new army of Americans was built to do it - did they not trust French troops to keep the Germans penned in on what was after all French soil? SPOILER Later note - postwar, Patton will be put in command of it, essentially as a skeletal force in the occupation of Germany. It will be his last military command before his death.

[@SlaghathortheGreat]

The allied forces had some Eurobeat songs playing the way they are drifting around the German positions.

[@Significantpower]

Hopefully FDR's health improves soon.

[@arakuss1]

My grandfather was part of the Army Engineers who would land in Okinawa. Some of those engineers that were lost on Iwo Jima were his friends. He was a peaceful man and never liked the idea of using a gun. As he worked on some of the airfields he would never carry his rifle or weapon with him because he never wished to use it. After the events on Iwo Jima he actually carried his rifle though said he never loaded it. I remember my mother telling me after the war he was a prison guard in New Mexico and he once more would never take a weapon out when he had to hunt down escaped prisoners. He later because a machine shop teacher for prisons where he taught prisoners a trade. He always joked to my mother that he traded a rifle for constructive tools. He served his country in both WW2 and Korea and only picked up a rifle that one time when he landed in Okinawa. Later he would help dismantle Alcatraz. He actually had a Japanese rifle which he traded for a work horse for a farm he had bought hoping to raise his children on.

[@SlaghathortheGreat]

I don’t remember exactly when it happened but when kamikazes would go after British carriers they would sometimes come in at to low of an angle causing them to to bounce or slide of the armored flightdeck.

[@Turnipstalk]

They had to come in low partly because of limits to AA depression, and hitting the armoured flight deck successfully would have required a steep descent. I believe they were trying to hit below the deck, which is difficult for very inexperienced pilots. British carriers had a supply of quick setting cement to deal with dents in the decks.

[@miguelhuaman8280]

Here before this legendary series ends!

[@creatoruser736]

Guderian put on 6 weeks of sick leave? Well no problem. There will be plenty for him to do for the war by then, right? Right?

[@pauldietz1325]

He managed to surrender to the Americans and avoid war crime prosecution, and was released in 1948. So it turned out ok for him.

[@creatoruser736]

@@pauldietz1325 It was supposed to be a joke about the war ending in 6 weeks. Spoiler.

[@pauldietz1325]

@@creatoruser736 I know. :)

[@Fatherland1871]

Been watching since Dec. 2018. Been looking forward to EVERY Saturday since. Thank you Indy and team. We appreciate everything you guys do. Thank you for teaching me so much these years. Even from your WW1 channel I somehow watched in 9 months lol.

[@WorldWarTwo]

See you next Saturday! Thanks for the comment 😃

[@lib556]

Great vids. As a Canadian, the push to the Rhine is a significant moment in our history. Op Veritable had Canadian General Harry Crerar in command of approx 450,000 troops... unprecedented and not seen since. This included 9 divs of British soldiers. Also, when one discusses Op Varsity, one thinks of UK 6 AB Div and US 17 AB Div. We like to remind all that, serving in UK 6 AB Div, was the plucky First Canadian Para Bn whose CO was killed in the operation. 1 Can Para also jumped into Normandy with 6 UK AB Div with C Company being the first allied company on the ground in occupied France (approx 30 mins before Howard's gliders).

[@jonbaxter2254]

We were just at the beaches of Normandy, now we're here. Feels like Germany ain't coming back from this...

[@thcdreams654]

Love all your content Time Ghost team. You are all heroes in your own way. Thank you so much.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@richardross7219]

40 years ago a WWII vet told me about his squad getting trapped in a champagne factory for three days. He said there was no water and that they had to shave with champagne. Good Luck, Rick

[@stevekaczynski3793]

War is hell...

[@colgategilbert8067]

Thanks Indy. Neither my father (who served in the Pacific) or my father in law (who served in Europe) talked about many of their war experiences.

[@maciejniedzielski7496]

Joyeuses Pâques à tous !

[@evelyngravatt3198]

You know the allies are pretty close to Duesseldorf. I'm sure Col. Hogan and his men will be very happy to soon be liberated. But what if Col. Klink and Sgt. Schultz? 🤔

[@pauldietz1325]

They could join Col. Hogan and have a career in the porn industry.

[@chrismorris6865]

I'm so glad I caught up with this series before the battle of Berlin.

[@michaelzaragoza7927]

"When the last soldier to remember the horrors of the last great war dies , the next great war shall begin " , Arthur Toynbee . I think that what you small group of people are doing is phenomenal. What this world needs right now and has for the last 50 years or so is that every school student should have it mandatory to watch and understand what you people have presented In entirety , you show that just guns and soldiers are not a war . Its powers , countries , economies , beliefs, religions allegiances strategies ( good and bad ) . And above all deviance and despots . What we need and for us who see and understand we acknowledge the ignorance of those who need to see but and don't want to understand . Thank you .

[@Spiderfisch]

Knowing the horrors of WW1 didnt stop Hitler though

[@a84c1]

This week on march 25 William Rupertus commander of the 1st marine division during the battle of pelieu died of a heart attack at the age of 55. After the battle he became commandant of the marine corps schools at Quantico, Virginia,his tenure was 4 months when he died. He was the author of the Rifleman's Creed (you will here this when you go through basic training at marine boot camp).

[@oldesertguy9616]

This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine...

[@a84c1]

@@oldesertguy9616 my rifle is my best friend it is my life.

[@ahorsewithnoname773]

Those who haven't been to Marine Corps' basic training may be familiar with the Rifleman's Creed from the film Full Metal Jacket, where Gunnery Sgt. Hartmann has his recruit platoon say the "prayer" before bed in one of the film's scenes.

[@a84c1]

@@ahorsewithnoname773 And when private pyle snaps

[@Canofasahi]

Paderborn, Brillon, familiar names, I was stationed in Buren as a conscript of the Dutch 435th IBC. Wewelsburg is between Buren and Paderborn, close the airport where made my parachute jumps. This was in 1987

[@tropics8407]

Thank you for your service Colonel Berk 🫡 🙏

[@sethperry5730]

My Great X3 grandfather's hometown of Darmstadt was taken this week. Can't help but think of how he felt as a man in his late 50's, having immigrated to the United States, sitting at his kitchen table and hearing that, knowing that he had Nephews serving in the Wehrmacht. Whole slew of mixed emotions.

[@jasonmussett2129]

Brilliant narration as always. Still the quickest twenty plus minutes in my day👍

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching.

[@carrickrichards2457]

Thank you for you good work presenting things so clearly

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

[@acesvaba330]

That was eyewatering story at the end

[@patrickflanagan3762]

It sounded like Indy said the U.S. Tenth Army assembling for Okinawa included the Army XIV Corps. The XIV Corps was still in the Philippines and I'm pretty sure stayed there until the end of the war, it was the XXIV Corps that took part in Operation Iceberg. I love this series and hope this isn't taken as a complaint or criticism! Glad to be a supporter and I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming Korean War Week-by-Week series.

[@caryblack5985]

Any accurate correction is not a criticism.

[@youmaboi5279]

That effect at 7:17 was really impressive. It made the picture feel alive and dynamic. Almost like footage.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks to the editor for this one Simon James!

[@CARL_093]

Thanks indy and crew

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching!

[@tysonfreeman3682]

Thank you for all you do I love and look forward to each and every episode.

[@lonnieholcomb2078]

Good Job on this whole series

[@ingloriuspumpkinpie9367]

Your pronunciation of Slovak names has improved since the days of the great war. Even back in the day it wasn't half bad.

[@squint04]

I pass by Camp Pendleton and (John) Basilone Road now and again! A few years ago I met an Iwo Jima vet! I thanked him for his service (even in old age his grip was strong and he stood straight) He said "I waded ashore but was wounded and carried off" he continued "Son I was one of the lucky ones" he said! I never forget that!

[@mrlodwick]

Thank you all.

[@naveenraj2008eee]

Hi Indy Another interesting week. War is going to finish. But still more blood shed. Awaiting more history content. Thanks for the video.

[@markhodge7]

Wow. What a great story at the end.

[@EkiToji]

Guess we'll soon see how the British carriers can fare against kamikazes. Designed with areas like the Home Islands and Mediterranean in mind, where the threat of land-based attackers was ever present, carriers such as the Illustrious-class and then Implacable-class didn't focus purely on having large air groups as a means of defense. They weren't designed to carry as many planes as possible with a large permanent deck park so couldn't manage as much of a combat air patrol, but did have a reasonable amount of anti-aircraft guns and an armored flight deck. It also meant they didn't need to just focus on carrying as much aviation fuel as possible, so the fuel was stored in tanks surrounded by seawater. They even purged all the fuel lines with carbon dioxide when not in use, which the US ended up adopting as well after the start of the war.

[@Historygeek0103]

I would love to see a video about how soviet high command has evolved over time. How they choose their commanders, why they move their fronts around like they do, and what machinations were always going on. It seems so direct and factual in these episodes and maybe that's due to a lack of information more than a lack of time.

[@davidsigler9690]

I lived on Okinawa, dad was in military, and it was one of the reasons I got into studying WW2; read "With The Old Breed." and "Operation Typhoon: The Battle Of Okinawa.".....interesting island and history.

[@shawnr771]

Thank you for the lesson.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

Meanwhile, the Romanian 1st and 4th armies are fighting in Czechoslovakia, in the area of the Great Fatra mountain and the Morava river.

[@AWildTWOcard]

Excellent show.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you so much!

[@guavaguy4397]

Thay thumbnail looks like it is straight out of Scooby-doo and I love it.

[@spikespa5208]

Looks like an interwar newsreel/recruiting film still photo or poster.

[@richardallen6432]

As always, a wonderful presentation

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you for watching!

[@bobsemple07]

Been watching since day 1. Wow have we come a long way

[@belbrighton6479]

A brilliant episode 🎉

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you!

[@daviddura1172]

the FINAL attack on Iwo was more horrific via the fact many soldiers had already turned in ammunition (as the island was pretty much considered secure). History or Military channel does an episode regarding this attack.....must have been a nightmare to live through..... read somewhere that after the war, a couple of Iwo Japanese prisoners were being returned to Japan and asked to be allowed a final view of the island form up high on Suribachi....when taken up there, they waited until they were not being monitored and rather than return in disgrace, jumped off the nearest cliff face...the final victims of the battle....

[@bobmetcalfe9640]

I was going to say that one of those shots as a background to the bit about the kamikazes was a British "pom-pom". But I didn't realise that the British Pacific fleet was at Okinawa. Which means my father was there, which I also never knew, because he didn't talk about his experiences very much. Thanks.

[@FalseNomen]

Thank you to everyone at the TimeGhost team for all your hard work. I've noticed the videos becoming increasing long and complex. My guess is the Germans will hold out for at least another six months-I hope you guys can too!

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching!

[@jaa6786]

Very good video as usual

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thank you very much for the comment!

[@dentoncrimescene]

You guys are awesome.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Much appreciated, thank you!

[@MaxTSanches]

Good to hear about some of the battles in China, a forgotten area of the war.

[@welcometonebalia]

Thank you.

[@WorldWarTwo]

And thank you for watching!

[@ternel]

Many of the veterans did not speak of their service. I lost a great uncle on Iwo Jima when his flamethrower was hit. My own grandfather was a raider on Guadalcanal. But in terms of details my family is sadly bereft of them.

[@spookerredmenace3950]

great story of that Marine at the end!

[@walterm140]

Hey guys love your stuff. I was watching Spartacus' show on the bombing of Germany. Some totally wrong person was shown as Gen. Hap Arnold. Who could it be? Well, watching Indy's weekly report, this guy is a Gen. William Arnold who landed near Cebu City in the Philippines. A lot of data I know. You do great work.

[@WorldWarTwo]

A mistake on our part there, we will be fixing it soon. Thank you!

[@nygarmik]

Somehow I had not comprehended, that Arnhem is still in German hands in March 1945.

[@Blazcowitz1943]

"Attention Airborne! This is Operation Varsity; we're finally dropping into Germany. Our enemy is about to collapse but that does not mean he is weak..." This week in the timeline of Medal of Honor Airborne, the last two missions of the campaign take place during Operation Varsity. Corporal Boyd Travers, now part of the 17th Airborne, parachutes with his comrades into a heavily bombed out factory district in the Ruhr. With large amounts of war material still intact, the troopers must destroy it before it can be deployed against the Allies. Landing in the factory railyard, the paratroopers come under heavy sniper fire but overcome resistance as they destroy a large munitions' stockpile, a railgun hidden in a factory and several tanks which were soon to be deployed to the front. Afterwards, Travers and his men rendezvous by the entrance of the factory steel mill to clear out the remaining Germans troops. A German armored train arrives with elite SS troops who ambush the Americans and inflict heavy losses, but Travers and the survivors eliminate them and destroy the train. "Alright, airmen. Two days ago, the Allies began Operation Varsity. Thus far we have mastered our enemy at every turn, but there is one target that refuses to fall. Our objective; this monstrosity called the Flak Tower. Its a city unto itself, the enemies last bastion of defense..." In this final mission, Travers and the 17th Airborne assault a heavily defended German Flak tower that signifies that last defense of the region by German troops (in reality no such tower was encountered during Varsity). After escaping their crippled C47, the player can either land on top pf the tower or land on the ground and fight their way up. Either way, the troopers must clear resistance and destroy facilities and equipment as they go, including enemy halftracks on the ground floor, ammunition lifts and controls, and anti aircraft guns on the tower's roof. Once completed, Travers and his men rally to assault the main control room as demolition teams prepare to bring down the tower. After fighting through the control room, the rest of the troopers evacuate as Travers descends into the subbasement to assist the demolition team. As they rig the ammunition stores to blow, Nazi holdouts attack them and they make their escape through the sewers, Travers finally making his way outside after fighting through numerous enemy troops. Emerging outside, he finds the demolition team killed in an ambush and must finish their work. He takes up the detonator and twists the handle, a massive shockwave and fiery explosion erupts as the tower is destroyed and with that, the game concludes. "The war is over. Once a mighty force, the German army is now crumbling around us. I believe it is because of the tenacity, the skill and the guts of the Airborne that America has triumphed. The dedication and supreme sacrifice exhibited of these soldiers makes me proud, and honored, to be a member of the Airborne."

[@hannahskipper2764]

That was quite an episode. Never forget.

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching.

[@JagerLange]

I have friends who are from near Darmstadt, and I always remember the story about how their village was left undefended as a US armor unit came into the area. Someone had gone up a nearby hill and set off some discarded grenades or other charges to "celebrate" the war's ending as far as this area was concerned. However, the US unit (possibly they had scouts close by who misinterpreted the sound for fighting) shelled the village before rolling in, and this is apparently the only damage and casualties they had suffered during the whole war until right at "the end".

[@michealcormier2555]

Forgive me. I'm not sure if it was meant to be reported as or if brevity accidentally made it seem to be, but the U.S.S. Franklin wasn't hit by a Kamikaze. A single Japanese Bomber came in and planted two bombs in the middle of her deck as she was preparing to launch a sortie. I knew a gentleman who was aboard her during that incident. He gave a lecture to a modeling group I was a part of about it.

[@dirus3142]

The Champaign warehouse was a highly strategic objective.

[@blackhathacker82]

I have to ask based on the recognition you've made in the beginning...becoming a tier patron is the only way to get recognition? If I am dedicated fan of the channel doesnt works?

[@caryblack5985]

Right now there are 879,000 minimum dedicated fans of the channel. How would they recognize them individually?

[@blackhathacker82]

@@caryblack5985 oh I remember you weve talked before Yes OK was just asking

[@blackhathacker82]

@@caryblack5985 879.000 fans and his our first ambassador in world War 2? Lol 😆 🤣 😂 😹 just paraphrasing a well known film if you get me

[@najroe]

as always a great history lesson

[@WorldWarTwo]

Thanks for watching!

[@nachomunozcuello]

Well, this is coming to the end, great episode, lest see this last month of the germans and how it evolves

[@extrahistory8956]

Well, stay tuned, for the war in Asia is far from over and Korea Week-by-Week is up next too

[@johnmccnj]

The bass in the explosions at 17:18 actually made me think someone was pounding on my front door o.O

[@williamtomkiel8215]

interesting that at about 18:05, my subwoofers are playing some deep concussive booms that also have some TR- sneaky and part of why the "team" and the series rocksso f'n hard.