Who saved Hitler? The Munich Crisis & The Oster Conspiracy 1938

[@TheImperatorKnight]

In case you didn't notice, yes I am now (up to) 2 years behind with the Q&As... I have answered some more recent questions, but yes, I'm way behind. Not sure how I'm going to catch up either, so I think I need to apologize to everyone who has asked a question but has yet to receive a reply. I'm really sorry, but I am going as fast as I can!

[@TheImperatorKnight]

@a dalek And how do you advise I make it "based not cringe"?

[@Guilherme-ms3ub]

Can you talk more about the italian economy ? Lots of people think that facists economy where good somehow.

[@Talmurid]

@@TheImperatorKnight Kowtow to the lowest commom denominator and present them with their comfortable echo chambers, and you will succeed in that respect.

[@SufferToResist]

@a dalek 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheImperatorKnight]

@@Talmurid "Kowtow to the lowest commom denominator and present them with their comfortable echo chambers, and you will succeed in that respect." Are you suggesting that this is an echo chamber? If so, you're severely mistaken.

[@hgman3920]

This video was utterly fascinating. Almost all of the popular histories of Germany during the 30s tend to skip directly from 1933 to 1938 (perhaps with a passing mention of the Rhineland or the Spanish Civil War) and gloss over the highly fluid diplomatic situation which TIK covers in depth. I have a MA in history and I'm still learning new information every week. This is one of the most educational channels I've come across on KZbin pertaining to WWII.

[@nicholasconder4703]

I agree. The background dealing with Mussolini and the Italians' political situation throughout this period helps explain a lot of what happened at Munich.

[@highroller6244]

I agree aswell. There are a quadrillion German documentaries about the Nazi area and not a single one mentions what tik just told us.

[@morningstar9233]

Completely agree. Amazing to think TIK covered it well in under half an hour.

[@antonjoly9601]

Definitely the most informative channel on WW2.

[@williamthompson2941]

I concur. 'Luved' TIK from the start, Desert War and Market Garden. I have a degree and MA in history too. Been catching up on Histories of WW2. His channel is as good, and often better than many historians; because of his critical approach.

[@forall7967]

it's insane to think about how lucky hitler was prior to barbarossa, he got everything he wanted until then

[@alexandragamingronyno2275]

He was let to. Tertium gaudens.

[@boxingboxingboxing99]

Luck still requires a degree of intelligence to utilise said good fortune. Something often not spoken about.

[@thomashjensen1556]

If you play poker you'll see it all the time. Some (bad) players go to the table, bluff like crazy and take wild gambles for their entire stack. They'll win for a while until a better player ends up with a decent to good hand and a position to oppose them. They'll then bluff away their entire stack. Unfortunately, Hitler "bluffed away" the lives of som 50 plus million lives. Not mentioning names, I see many politicians today pretty much following the same model.

[@grzegorzswist]

He didnt learn the most important lesson of conquest. To know when to stop. Bismarck would have known better.

[@brianlong2334]

Not in the 1920s but lol!

[@autarchprinceps]

Wow, this story is mad. I had no idea that Hitler supplied the Ethiopians against Italy, and that that essentially lead to the Italians actually getting closer to Nazi Germany rather than being furiously opposed, is a cruel irony of history.

[@GoodGirlKate]

I didn't know that either. You learn something new all the time with these videos.

[@endcensorship874]

"All Chamberlain had to do was *stand firm*..."

[@IvorMektin1701]

Firm as 75 year old pecker on a saltpeter diet.

[@thorshammer7883]

I guess this proves he was a impatient coward.

[@2ndTimPlayground]

no.. british and french populations should support a preventive invasion of germany in 35.. chamberlain did what british/american/french public opinion told him to do.

[@Dave5843-d9m]

All Chamberlain had to do was build a powerful army and airforce. U.K. got shafted in 1940 because our stick was not big enough.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@2ndTimPlayground not with the fragile French governments of the mid-1930s.

[@captainsponge7825]

people usually say that Rasputin was unkillable and all this stuff, but then there is Hitler avoiding like 42 assasination attempts on his life in the period of about 15 years, lol

[@CA-jz9bm]

Castro entered the chat

[@louplibre9734]

Yet people think he wasn't sent from God for Germany future

[@pawelnowak9440]

@@CA-jz9bm Tito hold my beer

[@Zen-rw2fz]

@@louplibre9734 he was sent from satan

[@Nightdare]

Lots of assassination *plans* Very little actual action Claiming they were attempts, would be like claiming the US battleplans for a war with another power is an actual an act of war

[@wolfgang6517]

Mexico was the only nation that stood with Austria in 1938. We have a place in Vienna called Mexikoplatz bcs of that event.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Interesting fact, I didn't know that!

[@wolfgang6517]

@@TheImperatorKnight You learn new things everyday 😉

[@rogerpattube]

What happened after that hugely significant gesture then?!

[@stevewatson6839]

Why am I not surprised? :-) Mexico understood what being in bed with an Elephant meant. No one gave tuppence about rebellion in Texas or the Intervención Estadounidense en México and the stealing of half their country in a put-up war. They also understood the damage a feckless Hapsburg Emperor could wreak.

[@wolfgang6517]

@@stevewatson6839 YUu do realize Austria only exists bcs of the Habsburgs right? We are more than thankfull to them and, in 1938, the most people wanted them back

[@catholicmilitantUSA]

I read in Churchill's first memoir that the Czechs had 40 divisions in mountain fortresses. How on earth could Hitler have fought against them and the Western allies? Churchill calls Munich '38 "a defeat without a war" and I think he's right.

[@str.77]

Churchill seems to way overestimate the Czech (yes, just the Czechs) power to resist. Yes, an invasion based on the 1937 borders (and not from the post-Munich borders) would have been much harder, a real war, but that's what Hitler expected. But just as Czechoslovakia was not the Switzerland they advertised themselves to gullible Western powers (in regard how they would treat all non-Czechs), they were no Switzerland when it came to mountain fortresses.

[@voicpanov3594]

germans just should put 1 brigade to defend against czechs and defeat french as they did in 1940 with the rest of their forces, and all that is irrelevant because there was no victory against hitler without soviet union

[@str.77]

@@voicpanov3594 There would have been no World War II "without Soviet Union" (sic!)

[@xRussianV0dka4]

The UK and French people really just did not want war at the time at all. Many had lived through the horrors of world War one and most British and French citizens would not have wanted to fight a resurgent Germany over Czechslovkia.

[@joeyjojojrshabadoo7462]

Take everything Churchill wrote in retrospect with a massive grain of salt.

[@alwallace4538]

I love your channel. You actually know history, not just propaganda. I'm a US vet living on very limited funds so can't financially support you at the moment. But please keep up the great work.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Thanks! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the videos! Sadly, not everyone sees it the way you do... There are several people in the comments saying that this video is propaganda 😣

[@alwallace4538]

@@TheImperatorKnight didn't expect a shout back but thanks.

[@vaclavovaadresa]

Wow, an episode on Czechoslovakia-related topic, thanks! (I am a Czech). Munich is a very sensitive event in our history. A war we prepare for and didn't fight. A comparison of German and Czechoslovak armies in 1938 would make a great video. Similarly as you asked in the logistic videos, how to compare the uncomparable organizations? Wouldn't you try to assess the chances? How much unprepared the German army was?

[@thebourgeoiscapitalist9431]

Noticing the outline of our lord and saviour Manstein.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Hahaha yeah

[@internetstrangerstrangerofweb]

Our Feldmarschall who art in Headquarters. Hallow be thy panzers, thy orders be followed as is in the frontline.

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

@@internetstrangerstrangerofweb *thy orders be done, thy campaigns come, on the frontline as it is in the maps

[@solomon2439]

I noticed that as well, I thought! no it could not be another back hand blow, 1938 style?

[@internetstrangerstrangerofweb]

@@matthiuskoenig3378 perfection

[@TimZandbergen]

If I were Chamberlain, I would have resigned as British PM and offered the position to Hitler, thus ensuring peace. (/sarcasm)

[@DarthVader-ig6ci]

So then he will get into a loop of endless screaming and discussions and actually get to do nothing??? If that is what you mean😕 then it's not that bad🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ isn't it????

[@davidburroughs2244]

May have lead to an invasion of non-European lands as H may have had England take the lead in far and foreign wars. Africa and Asia held many known riches. May have then been too busy to attack France, England, Russia and etc., and concentrated against targets below his weight.

[@stevewatson6839]

He offered it to Churchill, which was no better at best and in my estimation, purely as an Englishman, much worse from the perspective of England and its' Empire.

[@str.77]

It is not for a PM to "offer" the job to anyone.

[@samsonsoturian6013]

This has got to be the only time you can joke about killing babies without the internet losing its mind.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

KZbin has restricted ads on this video, probably because of this, or because of the quote from Hitler later on...

[@Normal_Boii]

Having the H word on the title is apparently enough sin to demonitize any video according to KZbin

[@davidburroughs2244]

@Trey Stephens Stalin was still murderously working his way through his armed forces, Finland, and his civilians. Poor guy was busy.

[@Ozchuck]

@Trey Stephens people aren't watching Stalin videos and then going on shooting sprees in synagogues and mosques is probably the main difference

[@DirkusTurkess]

@@Ozchuck People from the latter building going into the former seems to be the main culprit.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

I'll say this, in hindsight it made perfect sense to go to war with Germany in 1938. But given how WW1 had traumatized the UK I can sort of see how Chamberlain wanted to prevent a war at all cost. War with Germany might be a risky uncertain thing with no guarantees. A peace deal would seem more preferable. That argument can be made. Although, if he knew the German army would move against Hitler if he started the war, and he had the French and Czechs on his side. And potentially the Poles and the Soviets too? You'd have to be a pretty risk averse beta male to sabotage all that in favor of a piece of paper.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

No squadrons operational with Sptifires (first examples came into service in August 1938 with 19 Squadron). The crappy tanks as used in 1940, but fewer of them. Result would be similar to 1914, if we were lucky.

[@pavliksin123]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 I mean the Germans didn't have much better at this point

[@dejjal8683]

That last line begs the question how Chamberlain became PM in the first place. Anyway I'm thinking there was a lack of intelligence or good intelligence analysis on the part of the future allies.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

@@dejjal8683 I firmly believe that every nation gets the politicians it deserves. And getting a weak soy boy maybe was what the Brits wanted in that day? After all je was immensely popular waving his worthless piece of paper.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@dejjal8683 easy. The PM is the leader of the party that gains the most seats in a General Election, or if the change of leadership occurs during the term of the Parliament the leader if the largest party in Parliament. When Baldwin resigned after the Coronation of George VI, he advised the King to call for Chamberlain.

[@Cristiano95ify]

oh! Only 3k to 200.000 subscribers! This is great: congrats Lewis!

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Thank you! Never imagined I'd get an audience this big... It's actually frightening

[@Markok1911]

@@TheImperatorKnight Quite sizeable army, just don't lose us in one encirclement. :P

[@robertreynolds580]

@@Markok1911 He will forget the winter clothing... they always do.

[@Aleksa21031]

I just want to say great video, finally someone going off the usual historical narrative and looking into everything. I love the content and I am happy that you can live off something like this.

[@dusk6159]

Even tackled for good the ignorant process of reevaluating Chamberlain for no reason.

[@Theodosius_fan]

If you look at a list of assassination attempts on Hitler you will discover something that is very interesting. Almost all of the serious attempts were committed by Wehrmacht officers more specifically Heer officers. There are almost no attempts from any other branch especially the Luftwaffe was very loyal, being founded by Hitler. I believe that this is the case because the Heer more specifically the officer core of the Heer could not be gleichgeschaltet because Germany would never have been able to wage war if it was.

[@mindfreak078589]

There were multiple reasons why the Heer and Hitler didn't see eye to eye. Hitler himself was not fond of the Prussian aristocratic general's. He only favored a handful like von Manstein. The vast majority of generals were also conservatives and refused to even join or walk the party line. The way Russia was being handled with morbid brutality also put a lot of them off. They were aristocrats who didn't believe in fighting a war like that. Hitler was also trying to upheave the entirety of the Heer itself progressively throughout the war. The ultimate plan in Hitler's mind was to eventually replace the Heer with the Waffen-SS. That way he could have and command an army completely loyal to himself and his Ideological actions. Hitler understood very well that the Heer didn't want him around. But I have an inclination that he knew even more than he let on. You don't just escape 40 some assassination attempts without knowing something. I believe that he took the approach our intelligence agencies take. Instead of letting the conspirators/spies know that you're onto them, you let them act while feeding them false information. Surely this had to be the case with at least a few of the plots. Like the ones where Hitler leaves earlier than expected and avoids a bomb with his name on it. Clearly some attempts made it through the screen, like Valkyrie and the wine bomb in the plane. But I think he knew about some of them and just pretended that he didn't so he could continue using said conspirators or perhaps simply to just boost his image around his circle. Hitler was very cerebral and very calculated up until his last few months or so. I wouldn't put it past him to have had loyalists dug into those conspirator circles, feeding him information.

[@PanzerDave]

Weakness begets bullying. History has demonstrated this over, and over, and over again. There are many versions of the following phrase, but perhaps Churchill said it best when he said "You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war."

[@altaiaurelius]

This was SUCH an eye opening video! I love the uploads where you go into topics like the Hess Affair and this.

[@Nitroaereus]

Once again, an excellent topic for a one off video. These are real gems!

[@stevemcwhirter788]

According to Stephen Kotkin, in his talks about his book: "Stalin, Waiting for Hitler", Chamberlain's critics wanted to do a deal with Stalin to fight Hitler over Czechoslovakia. They viewed it as a far better strategy than to appease Hitler. To which, according to Kotkin, Chamberlain raised a very interesting question: Fine, but explain this to me....if we do that and we win, then how do I then get communism out of central Europe? For all of Chamberlain's bumbling and mistakes in appeasing Hitler in 1938, Kotkin credits Chamberlain as recognizing a fundamental dilemma (the Cold War) here that his critics were overlooking.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

I have Kotkin's book, but haven't fully read it. Clearly, when I get time, I need to go back to it. I've seen his lectures on KZbin though, and he's a good historian. Thanks 👍

[@derrickfield8957]

Yes Chamberlain did tell his Foreign Minister something like that. My understanding is that Chamberlain said " It is all very well telling me to get tough with Hitler but if I do and war breaks out, we blockade Germany, Germany collapses like last time, the Soviets will then sweep into Europe, take exactly what they want and once there how exactly go we get them out again." Its strange how Churchill came to the same conclusion with operation unthinkable in 44, he should have thought of this in the 30s, if he had history would be very different today. It is also worth mentioning that Chamberlain loathed Communism, knowing all about the mass killings and Genocide carried out by Stalin, as did Churchill. It is also worth remembering that at this time the Nazis had not carried out mass killings being considered the lesser of two evils.

[@aranos6269]

So, West was happy to help Hitler in hope to get rid of bolshevics. That is how Putin and others read the history. Looks like they have a point. From my point of view, they gave Hitler czechoslovakia, than Poland and maybe more, at yalta they gave those countries to Stalin. British shitted on them over and over, though those people fought rather well for Britain. Meantime usa elites made lots of money from wwii. As they did from wwi

[@Dorkeus82]

Surely British Conservatives saw communism quite rightfully as a threat and from long-term perspective there was surely merit to such perspective, only misculculated and misunderstood political player who Hitler was, not a 'gentleman' of their kind, whose idea for Germany was bit more than being buffer for west against Soviets... But whoever would think regarding Soviet involvement on behalf of Czechs, should think about such technicality, how Soviets could be involved in such conflict (because airborne and naval operation want be these that could have much leverage), there are countries between USSR and Germany, in first place - Poland, and it (rightfully) rejected option of passing Soviet troops... knowing thet would stay... and trying to force Polish to that could make Poland reluctant ally to Germans, second class one (like Romania maybe, at best) or puppet state... and risking Poland becoming German or Soviet puppet was not optimal option fot the Brits... possibly not for sympathy, mainly, few months later Chamberlain would play Poland into turning hard on Germans to buy some time at Polish expense when war seemed inevitable

[@grueadn5429]

Good question 🤔

[@thefrenchareharlequins2743]

If I had to bet, it was Chamberlain that saved Hitler.

[@ajsimo2677]

What has happened to your name, Sir Alan? Tch! Those pesky NKVD agents...

[@thefrenchareharlequins2743]

@@ajsimo2677 Oh yeah, had to change it to Cyrillic script, something about my family getting lynched if I didn't

[@ajsimo2677]

@@thefrenchareharlequins2743 Those darn Commies. I'll get Agent 007 on the case.

[@ajsimo2677]

@Trey Stephens Good for you. Can't beat that ole bass guitar rift of the originals!

[@ajsimo2677]

@Trey Stephens Enjoy!

[@crimony3054]

1919: England: Never Again; France: Never Again; Germany: We Was Robbed.

[@shad0w1599]

And yes they were robbed and humiliated

[@jamestheotherone742]

Human nature never changes. Ref: 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections.

[@nicholasconder4703]

@@shad0w1599 Considering 1) how they facilitated the war by siding with Austria instead of trying to broker a peace, 2), ravaged the French countryside to the point of cutting down all the fruit trees, killing all the livestock they couldn't take with them and flooding coal mines out of spite in 1918, and 3) continued to make a vital condition of peace that Germany annex Belgium right up to a couple of weeks before the Armistice, I can see why. Bulgaria, Austria and the Ottomans all recognized the inevitable and didn't set out to punish their opponents in the last weeks of the war. The Germans continued their destructive policies right up to November 11.

[@eze8970]

@@shad0w1599 Tell that to the Russians who had a harsh treaty imposed upon them by the Germans, the Belgians & French whose lands became a wasteland, & all the families of those who never came home, & those countries who were paying back war loans over decades. In both World Wars, the Germans have got off lightly compared to what they did.

[@overdose8329]

@@eze8970 After WW2 the Sudetenland, Prussian and Volga germans got exterminated followed by decades long occupation. Not to mention the carpet bombing and complete destruction of cities like in Dresden. Germany is much smaller than pre WW1 Germany and they did not get off easy at all.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

The fact you're able to inject sarcasm and humor into your videos is a very important piece of the puzzle that makes your videos so interesting.

[@orim298s]

Few in the west are familiar with what was going on behind the scenes with Chamberlain and the others at the Munich conference. Czechoslovakia was sold out by the west. If the west had stood firm against Hitler and involved others, thinks could have been much different. Thanks TIK for presenting this part of history that few knew.

[@jrherita]

Wow!!! I really wish THIS had been taught in my history class. So interesting. Thanks TIK!

[@antonjoly9601]

One should always listen to department store directors when it comes to realpolitik. Joke apart, incredibly interesting study on prewar diplomacy, including some largely unknown aspects. And I didn't know that Mussolini spoke so much foreign languages! Sad to think how close we were to prevent war at that time, and how much occasions for saving peace were wasted away. This should serve as a lesson.

[@perttilindroos9087]

Really liked this. There were several things I had no idea about. Especially the frosty relations between Germany and Italy up to Munich. Thx Tik!

[@gumdeo]

Yes, and even going into 1940 Mussolini was still thinking about switching sides back to UK/France. But then France fell, Italians thought that the war was ending, and he entered the war on the German side...

[@dulguunbayarsaikhan7501]

I thought Manstein was that mystery man

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Haha I used the Manstein outline to trick people into assuming it was someone other than the guilty party ;)

[@orangekayak78]

@@TheImperatorKnight I fell for it too.

[@evil1143]

@@TheImperatorKnight I knew Manstein could walk on water but to save hitler alone is a stretch even for a god among generals like him.

[@jasontrauger8515]

@@TheImperatorKnight That trick worked. I was a little disappointed that the mystery man was Chamberlain. Tricky TIK!

[@warworldatwar2024]

that subtle change of tone in his voice when he mentions Franz Halder for the first time

[@bezahltersystemtroll5055]

there was another bomb plot right after Stalingrad, the same guys from the 1944 plot smuggled a bomb disguised as a cognac bottle in Hitlers plane, but the fuze froze because of the height the plane flew in. With slightly different construction (insulation of the bomb), this plan would have succeeded as well.

[@gregorgerzson1767]

Yeah, its really fascinating at those times wasnt the left was the biggest traitor of the country but the conservatives.

[@fabianbravo6008]

Respect sir, some of the highest quality history content on the topic. Stand firm.

[@lotus95t]

The Oster Conspiracy ultimately depended on British and probably French support to succeed. Both Britain and France had shown their hands during the Spanish Civil War by remaining neutral and AH knew they were both unlikely to start a war over the Sudetenland. Britain was also in a recession / depression which limited what they could do economically, while the military told Chamberlain they were in no state to go to war, especially over an insignificant (to Britain) territory. Germany was in 1938 at a high point both economically and diplomatically, and there is little evidence that in 1938 the German people supported AH's over throw.

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Thanks for a very interesting video. I had no idea of the background to the Munich talks. Fascinating!

[@SufferToResist]

Hello Tik, would you consider doing a video which elaborates on how an ideal logistical system would work in an army which uses currency and the free market to allocate resources?

[@TheImperatorKnight]

I mean, I could, but I think it would be better to outline what "currency" and a "free market" is before I do that. For some reason, people hear "free market" and instantly think of the world we have today... you know, because when I hear "free market" I think -"forcing the gyms and other businesses to close and destroying the livelihoods of millions of people around the world"- "lockdown".

[@SufferToResist]

@@TheImperatorKnight I can see what you mean. Even if it was implemented into the military I don't think it will be the exact same as in normal civilian life. Because for example soldiers might all buy cigarettes and no ammunition.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

@@SufferToResist If you're a soldier, would you want to have enough ammunition, or no ammunition?

[@karapuzo1]

Yeah, right, that only works in TIK's lalaland. I guess the closest you can get is free mercenary companies of the late Middle ages.

[@karapuzo1]

@@BanglaBoy52 that doesn't even take into account the enormous expenditure of technological development and R&D which was 1) secret and 2) didn't have a certain outcome. Why would a commander allocate resources to Blechly Park, Radar research, Manhattan project, VT fuze research and other less successful projects.

[@smarterthanurkel]

Chamberlain is misunderstood. His policy aimed at securing the British empire including all its dominions worldwide. 30 years before the start of the second great war his father already worked on this topic. Targets: Keeping the Americans out of Europe (and the Soviets, who developed into a global power after the great war, too). In fact, on a global scale, the USSR (as Russia is today) was seen as a much greater threat to British interests than Germany. So why should the British hesitate to sacrifice Poland or CzechSlovakia or Eastern Europe if it would help to escalate a German/Soviet confrontation and block the USSR from moving to Central Europe? Why shouldn‘t they count on the French armies to perform similarly to the 14/18 campaign and to be able to contain the German war effort? They could afford to wait and let their allies bleed first. I do not buy the idea that there was a real option for the German military to replace the great leader in 1938. After all, those generals were nothing but a costumed part of the higher administrative body of the German state and not the warrior tribe they used to be until the mid 1800s. The 1938 coup should rather be considered as a Boris/Cummings type of controversy.

[@felixmdigilov]

One of your best videos, bravo!

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Wow, thanks! Glad you think so!

[@morewi]

Enjoying my day off made even better with this new upload

[@njugunotsowildmonkey8338]

In fairness to Chamberlain, he must have been well aware of two important things. 1. The stupendously massive financial cost of fighting WW1 [not to mention the stupendous cost of life] Britain wasn't broke but it wasn't rich anymore either. 2. There were some serious fractures beginning to appear in the British Empire,due in some part to the events of WW1. In particular the desire for independence in Cape Colony{South Africa} and The Raj in Modern day India. Given that most people - many senior generals included- thought that another European war would be fought in a very similar way to that of WW1, and MOST people did NOT want another war, it hardly seems suprising that Chamberlain took the line he did. There was also considerable pressure for socio-economic and political change in Britain itself.

[@dondajulah4168]

The video is too deeply influenced by hindsightitis. Hitler of 1938 was not the Hitler that was responsible for the death of tens of millions where Stalin of 1938 had already achieved those depths. A war against Germany in 1938 would have opened up all of Europe to Stalin as France and GB did not have the financial resources nor the will to occupy Germany for several decades which would prove to be necessary to render Germany a non-threat to peace in Europe. Or does TIK really think that the German military could assassinate Hitler and the next day everything would be hunky-dory?

[@skyhappy]

Also hindsight is 20/20. He may have avoided another ww1. Chamberlain was between a rock and a hard place. At least here, I can see what he did was justified knowing what was happening at the time. Was another war really worth it over the land? What more could Hitler want?

[@tomfu6210]

@@dondajulah4168 But he did open gates for Stalin and did ruin British Empire by his actions. And it was not like it was not obvious at the time. There was very good way to get rid of Hitler, give Germany parts of Czechoslovakia before line of fortresses (that was Czechoslovak offer) and stabilize Central Europe against soviet influence. Chamberlain blew it up and let Stalin to take leftovers.

[@stevewatson6839]

@@dondajulah4168 No, just better if Germany was governed by conservatives/liberals with the support of Heer and Kriegsmarine; or governed by the military with support of conservatives/liberals. Germany wasn't the Germany it would become until Hitler backed the entire country in a corner and made EVERYONE complicit.

[@stevewatson6839]

We bear the cost of freedom, this is the English burden. We will spend treasure to see that is so and have done in multiple worldwars since the middle third of the 18th century. WW1 was an error, we usually let the other guys, and our professional military and navy, do the bleeding. The relentless aplication of naval force force and the financing and arming of coalitions always works, WW1 was an error. Case Yellow relied on sheer gall and 99/100 wouldn't succeed. Everytime it has been wargamed at Sandhurst and the like, German victory only occurs if they are given special privelige and the Anglo-French are seriously handicapped. Wihelm said the Elder Moltke would have advised him differently; Hitler asked what they were supposed to do now. Both saw almost immediately they had gambled and lost. If it wasn't in large part for one particular Anlgo-American drunk, both wars would have gone a lot better.

[@Idekwtph]

I completely forgot it was Monday and that you release videos on Mondays. It’s Memorial Day in the USA so I have the day off work, and you upload exactly when my lunch break ends.

[@bcfairlie1]

Memorial day in America. I bow my head to all the military personnel that America has lost over the last century. R.i.P

[@hgman3920]

the last time I was this early, TIK only talked about tanks

[@TheImperatorKnight]

So that was in the early Close Combat days then?

[@jakobgrimminger]

Hi TIK, just wanted to say that i came across your channel by chance a few weeks ago and find it fscinating. I've been into WW2 all my life but you've really opened my eyes to various aspects of it all. I'm currently going through your Battlestorm Stalingrad series and really enjoying it. Don't let the obnoxius haters put you off, keep up the good work.

[@adamhickey396]

TIK is soooo uninformed. It is clear that the assassination attempt that had most success was Operation Kino by the Basterds. I know, I saw it in a movie, which means it's true. Joking aside. Been a long time viewer of your content TIK. Loving your work. You are giving me fresh insight into an area of history which I covered extensively when I was in Secondary School, yet I feel I have learned more from you than I did then. One of the best history channels online!

[@fredjohnson9833]

Personally, I think the biggest takeaway is the cultural PTSD suffered by Britain and France in the trenches of Verdun and the Somme. They certainly made some dumb moves between 1938 and 1940, but it's kinda hard for me to be too hard on them considering what the First World war was like

[@odycz]

You got me there. With that von manstein white outline ..

[@nicholasconder4703]

About your comment that people in Britain were enthused with Chamberlain's signing of the Munich Accord is not entirely accurate. My parents, who were British, both said that many people in Britain were upset and concerned, and felt it had only postponed war. I suspect that it is rather like a political rally - you get all the party supporters out to show how much the people are behind you even when you have support of perhaps 40% of the population.

[@nottoday3817]

CNN vs BBC vs FOX vs RT polls.

[@sandrotullo7515]

I love the way he pronounces "MUSCLElini".

[@TheImperatorKnight]

I mean... that's how you say his name... right?

[@juliantheapostate8295]

@@TheImperatorKnight I think it's meant to be 'Moosolini' Lewis

[@VADemon]

@Colt Sassoon italian is a phonetic language

[@marxfelix3973]

@@juliantheapostate8295 not exactly, you forgot one 's'. Moossolini.

[@CBielski87]

@@TheImperatorKnight buddy you should rly focus on your presentation more, your narration is on point but the vid part of the vid is lacking

[@thurin84]

chamberlin; "how do you like my bowl of wet noodles herr hitler?" hitler; "czech please!"

[@robertskrzynski2768]

One fact overlooked during WW1 Chamberlain had been in charge of the conscription of men in the midlands and was horrified by the great loss of life; also as a left of center politician he wanted to build the "homes fit for heroes" promised by Lloyd George (Remember the Chamberlains were a Liberal Family)

[@hermitoldguy6312]

Not just the deaths, but the demographics - the knock-on effect on marriages and births.

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

Another good historical dig. Thanks TIK. Interesting topic that I was unaware of, engagingly and clearly told despite the complex intrigue. Enlightening and Entertaining video.

[@Shrike58]

Probably a little too much hindsight. My impression of Chamberlain is that he wanted enough time to put together a deterrent force in the air so that Britain could continue to enjoy splendid isolation, and he really had no interest in spending British blood on France's "Little Entente" alliance. We all know how that worked out.

[@michelbuckley5532]

So Chamberlain basically saved Hitler, by preventing a coup against him (of which he was certainly aware) and by preventing a war with Czechoslovakia, which would have been a formidable enemy - it had strong defenses along the border with Germany, a large and modern army and one of the largest defense industries in Europe. It wouldn't have required much British intervention to defeat Germany if war had broken out in 1938. Is it far fetched to say that saving Hitler was precisely the goal - to turn him against the Soviet Union?

[@MagiMystik]

For me, just the tones in Chamberlains voice indicated to me he wanted peace. But sadly never has there been a more peaceful man who was somewhat responsible for so many deaths. :-( Sometimes you just have to standup to bullies.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

The British people too wanted peace in 1938, not just Chamberlain.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

@@dragosstanciu9866 Which is why it's not always best to give people what they want.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

@@TheImperatorKnight Could the prime minister go against the will of the people in 1938 and declare war on Germany? Didn't he need the backing of the Parliament?

[@czechpatriot2230]

@@dragosstanciu9866 Well he could atleast not force France to abandon us and then force us to accept Munich.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

@@czechpatriot2230 France alone didn't want to fight Germany in 1938 over Czechoslovakia, the French people too wanted peace.

[@soulie2001]

Virgin Time Traveler- *Kills baby incapable of prejudice* Chad Time Traveler- *raises Hitler to be upstanding citizen*' Oh and Chamberlain was a waste.

[@ewok40k]

The problem with counting on Soviet Union is that it was definitely not interested in preserving peace, after all you don't produce 20000 tanks to not use them... And they had to go thru Poland which would not allow it without fight. But had allies coordinated military response with Poland, it would bring about probably worst possible outcome for Hitler, with strong forces on both Eastern and Western front arrayed against him, and, moreover internal conspiracy against him, which even if would fail , would definitely make running war much more difficult with all the issues Germany faced in 1944 after Stauffenberg plot (purges of higher officer corps, lack of trust of Hitler towards his generals, and general lowering of command efficiency)

[@nottoday3817]

', after all you don't produce 20000 tanks to not use them...' Considering they were fighting a war with Japan at the time, and also sending some of them to Spain and China, they would have found something to do with them even without a war in Europe. Also, 20000 tanks are numbers for 1941, after a huge military expansion Brought about ESPECIALLY by the Munich agreement, which convinced the Soviets they would have to fight Hitler all alone

[@ewok40k]

@@nottoday3817 Stalin was waiting for war to break out to export communism... and they had at leat 15000 tanks as early as 1836, before Germans really started rearmaments for good

[@kalimurahagrid]

4:56 pictures are not aligned - perfectionist hell :) but as usual, great video, TIK!

[@Archeangelous]

Just watch Star Trek, especially “Year of Hell [pats 1 & 2] in the Voyager series, temporal incursions never work out the way you want...besides Hadler would probably become the Führer

[@TheImperatorKnight]

They also lead to paradox's, like in the Terminator series. If you destroy Skynet (or Hitler), then how would you know to send someone go back in time to destroy/or kill them in the first place?

[@mikedeck8381]

Exactly john connors Father had to be sent back in time to stop the terminator in order for him to be born. If there is no skynet, no terminator sent back then there is no john.

[@cdcdrr]

You're telling us the man responsible for screwing up Hitler's objectives for Barbarossa would set the priorities for the whole war? Where's my baby-stabbing knife?

[@davidburroughs2244]

The quantum multi-verse theory could have an effect and allowed both in a branching - but how would we every know?

[@midnightflier629]

Nah, not Halder, most liekly Goering. Unless Canaris makes a move, backdoor by OKM and OKH

[@Jd-fors]

Thank you for making things easier to understand.

[@DirkusTurkess]

"Nah, it'll be fine"- Neville Chamberlain

[@rahvan1432]

I see what you did there good sir!

[@draganostojic6297]

Litterally every major power made mistakes: US by keeping out of European affairs, Britain by apeasing Hitler, USSR by making a non agression pact. They all paid a heavy price in the end.

[@stevewatson6839]

Not the USA. The smoke clears and who is Last Man standing? The US connived in all its' major rivals offing themselves. They've been doing similar since 17776.

[@nikolajwinther5955]

"...which is what I would have done". The historians mortal sin.

[@tylernorgart3647]

Yes. This was much needed. Thanks Tik

[@kimoandrews5802]

the generals at 6:20 with their medals... "I got this one for typing, this one for picking up trash at the base... and this one for kissing the rear-end of my boss!"

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Yeah, I sometimes wonder if people genuinely think all the medals that the higher-ups wear were actually earned. I know Göring's medals were mostly made-up to make him look impressive, and I'd imagine most other medals you see our "leaders" wearing are the same.

[@andrewpease3688]

@@TheImperatorKnight British Royal family

[@stevewatson6839]

@@TheImperatorKnight He genuinely had the Blue Max and Iron Crosses (1st and 2nd Class); the Zähringer Lion with swords, the Friedrich Order, the House Order of Hohenzollern with swords third class.; He didn't need to make shite up! Bloody poltroon; Germanyy lost through nationalising and annexing most of the idiot balls, I often think. Would not being shot in the Beerhall Putsch and becoming a druggie in consequence have led him to wake up to being an idiot about Hitler? I hardly see a Göring not on drugs kowtowing to an ex-corporal who'd bigged up his war summat awful for too long. The bloke who'd been forced clod turkey we saw at Nuremburg was a different kettle of fish to the vane pillock of the previous twenty odd years.

[@willienolegs8928]

All your series have been outstanding!

[@Samuel070793]

Czechoslovakia was a major Military-Industrial hub at the time.

[@milanstepanek4185]

Yes and the Munich agreement turned the country into one big ammo pickup/power-up for german military. Free tanks and guns for several divisions to stomp France with.

[@pavellahoda4280]

@typo pit You'd be probably surprised, but yes, there was a huge time bomb, planted by Hitler in 1939 which was important in split of Czechoslovakia in 1991. There was a huge difference in way of thinking of parties both in Czech and Slovak part of the country between September 1938 (time of Munich crisis) and March 1939 (split of the country). While there was some tension between the nations, they would without any doubt went to war against Germany and would most likely stay together as one country to this day. Even Hlinka and Tiso (the prime minister of Slovak state in 1939) was pro Czechoslovak at that time. There was huge ripple effect of the Munich crisis in the society, which started a drift of some parties. Hitler exploited this in early 1939 and pretty much forced Slovaks to leave (other option was to get under Hungarian influence again, which was definitely a worse option for Slovaks). There is no doubt that Czechs and Slovaks would fight against Germans in 1938 together and their chance of success were pretty high, given how unprepared Germans were in 1938.

[@EL20078]

An alternate hypothesis, Chamberlain may not have been an appeaser, he may have just wanted to preserve Hitler as a bulwark against Stalin.

[@zfreak2808]

Jeez. I did not know that about the department store owner boycotting Germany. Far too parallel to now.

[@solomon2439]

Actually quite a good video. Never read anything about Italy being the sensible guy in room? But well done and you have informed me?

[@valta5063]

Just noticed with the 1936 map used in 3:55 that Cyprus is marked with the same color as Greece even though Cyprus was under the British at that time. Just a minor mistake I believe. Tho it’s nothing to major just something I spotted. Love your vids TIK they make my Mondays.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Yeah, I suck! The map is accurate for 1920, but not for 1934 :/

[@valta5063]

@@TheImperatorKnight got it. No big deal tho Tik. Great video.

[@valta5063]

@Wulf I didn’t notice that either.

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

I always say that the best way to avoid a war is to be willing to fight it, and nothing makes war more inevitable than appeasement.

[@andymiller4134]

lets goo, another great vid form tik

[@Japs_Eye_Of_The_Tiger]

he's a jew

[@gameer0037]

@@Japs_Eye_Of_The_Tiger lol

[@michaelrupp9288]

In fairness to Chamberlain, the British public seemed to be strongly against going to war as late as 1938. (You have to worry about these things in a democracy. You can't rely on a military coup.)

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

Very good episode. Maybe it is worth mentioning that not only jews were expropriated when Germany went for Austria. Many Austrian companies - like Nibelungenwerke - came under control of selected German companies - like Daimler Benz and Krupp - as some kind of debt repayment. Interestingly but not surprising, Germany was short some 3000 trucks to invade Austria. Henry Ford himself made sure that his company delivered trucks and parts of trucks from the USA (to be quickly assembled in Germany) just in time. Standard Oil (today ESSO) delivered enough Tetra ethylen plumbate to Germany (via England to IG Farben) to make sure they had enough fuel. Which they did until Sept. 1939. In that sense, Sir Frederick Maquis deserves more than one medal.

[@davidburroughs2244]

H Ford deserves the same trial some do today.

[@playstationweeb1280]

Love the content 👌 keep up good work 👏

[@richardcutts196]

Another factor was the French were in the middle of changing governments (again) when the Germans militarized the Rhineland.

[@Jean_Jacques148]

That’s intesting, I was wondering why the French didn’t do anything about the Rhine remilitarization.

[@richardcutts196]

@typo pit According to the Treaty of Versailles the Rhineland was supposed to a DMZ and German forces were not allowed. Under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, the German military was forbidden from all territory west of the Rhine or within 50 km east of it. The 1925 Locarno Treaties reaffirmed the permanently-demilitarized status of the Rhineland. In 1929, German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann negotiated the withdrawal of the Allied forces. The last soldiers left the Rhineland in June 1930.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Excellent Video(TIK) with clearly explaining of Points which labelled thanks

[@charlesjmouse]

I realise my views are skewed by the lens of history but I remember even as a child watching the "peace in our time" newsreel with the impression the "piece of paper" Chamberlin was brandishing looked like a rumpled flag of surrender. I guess the lesson is people only see what they want to see, especially if they desperately want to see it. Churchill was very kind to Chamberlin. What would I have done if I were Chamberlin? I like to think I would have stood firm, regardless, and not negotiated. Had I known about the plot I would have certainly done everything in my power to push Hitler in to aggressive action to ensure the coup happened, was successful, and the conspirators knew they had me to thank... while publicly separating myself from the whole business - two-faced politician you see.

[@joetraill4991]

Why didn't France and Britain invade Germany in 1939, abandoning Poland. Germany was able to defeat Poland because they were able to concentrate the vast majority of their forces on their Eastern border. If the allies had seriously massed forces into the Rhineland, this would have taken the Germans off guard, forcing them to split their forces and surely they would have to sue for peace with Britain and France immediately, given how Hitler had no true desire to go West. I'm not going to speculate beyond that with how Stalin or Mussolini would have reacted, but I do think this would have given Poland a fighting chance. Just a secondary question, what's your opinion on the possible opening of a second front through the Balkans in 1939 as the Yugoslav government was open to.

[@zupalan2265]

What is a Price Kommissar? Tried to google it and I couldn't find anything.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

The price kommissar was the guy in charge of prices in the Third Reich. The National Socialists controlled both wages and prices (amongst many other things in their centrally planned economy). You won't find much about it online since the narrative is being controlled. I've talked about the price kommissar in my Hitler's Socialism video kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3TOqop4hcaHeZo In fact, in that video I brought up the fact that someone else "googled it" and couldn't find anything on "nazi kommissars" either, so you're not the only one. You can read about his policies in the book "The Vampire Economy" by Günter Reimann (which is a primary source document). There are other sources talking about him and his policies too.

[@zupalan2265]

@@TheImperatorKnight Thank you so much! I love your videos man keep doing what your doing!

[@hjalmar4565]

Search for "The price Kommissar of nazi Germany" and you will find a document from the CIA with all the important people from Nazi Germany. The Price Kommisar is mentioned on page 18. Or google "Reichskommissar für die Preisbildung" and you will find a few things in German.

[@stevewatson6839]

@@hjalmar4565 You can trust a Scandi not to be taken in by crap spoken of Germany and Russia! You keep a weather eye out of neccessity. :-)

[@jasontrauger8515]

So, I've watched this video probably 20 times (but only 2 times all the way through), due to interruptions. Lewis/TIK, this is a great video. Though, I'm struck by one thing: People, including your viewer's comment that spurred this video, assume that Hitler was the dungeon boss that, had he been stopped earlier, would have kept everything rainbows and kittens. Hitler was, in fact, the horse that won the race amongst a field of people wanting to destroy the Weimar Republic and initiate some variance of dictatorship. Off hand, I can immediately name two - Kurt von Schleicher and Franz von Papen. Removing Hitler, from the timeline, wasn't going to stop anything because the bulk of the German military leadership wanted to get back into the fight and the Soviets were coming west, regardless of Germany making moves. The 1930's, in Europe, was a pit of nastiness and it is remarkable that the world made it through all of the turmoil and atrocities. On a side note, I find it interesting that General Walther von Brauchitsch conspired with, of all people, Franz Halder, to deport Erich von Manstein to the East because they didn't like the idea of his "sickle cut" plan (Fall Rot) encouraging Hitler to invade the West. I had no idea that Halder was, at one point in time, in the anti-Hitler camp. It is interesting that they agreed with his war mongering but detested his anti-everyone-not-Aryan stance while leading armies whose leaders committed the atrocities that they so abhorred. I swear, peeling back this onion is enough to give me a migraine!

[@danielzamora5335]

Have you ever thinked of writing a book? I think that you have a wide knowledge of WW2 and the political context that led to it. I also think that a book explaining the narrative that you explain in your videos would be very interesting.

[@ParabellumStoria]

When italy invaded Ethiopia the biggest issue after was that Uk didnt sell italy anymore coal, (uk back then was the biggest coal supply for italy) this is where Germany promptly intervene by offering to be a new supplier for italy in exchange for no italian opposition about the Anschluss, unlike 1934 where Mussolini sent the divisions at the Brennero pass showing Hitler that italy would military intervene if he tried anything against Dolfuss wich was also a very good friend of Mussolini, Mussolini guessed that by doing that France and Uk would be more lenient towards italian wishes of expansion in africa. So mussolini not was mad for the Anschluss it was mad 4 years before, italy was already shifting towards the german sphere of influence both politically and economicly. (even if pretty much every diplomatic or high rank in italy despised germany, Ciano/Balbo where pro France and Dino Grandi pro UK so it was a marriage by convenience more then thrue love even in 1940 Ciano was used to say: war at the side of germany never! fun considering he signed the pact..)

[@slickslyke1870]

I lost it when Hitler said the word of power

[@davidturner4407]

Brilliant video we need this reminder thank you.

[@oceanmadrosci3381]

1:36 Quite embarrassing photo, I read somewhere (I don't know if it's true) that Hitler did not allow taking photos when he was in a bathing suit

[@offthemountains]

¨No politician should ever let himself be photographed in a bathing suit¨ - Adolf Hitler

[@bezahltersystemtroll5055]

whats so embarrassing about that photo? Both men have ok or even good build 🤔 arguably Dollfuß looks embarrassed and he's the one without bathing suit

[@evil1143]

Knowing mussolini it was probably a deliberate photo.

[@oelbaron5772]

I disagree with your statement that the 3 assasination plans you mentioned were the only ones that had a chance of succeeding. There was another one in 1943 on the "Heldengedenktag" (heroes memorial day) where Hitler visited a presentation of captured russian weapons. The guide who presented the collection to Hitler had a time bomb literally strapped to his waist which was set for approx 20 minutes (the presentation was scheduled to take much more time than that) but for some mysterious reason Hitler left after just a minutes, and the guy managed to disarm the bomb on the toilet just in time (he survived the war). There also was another attempt when Hitler visited smolensk in 1943 and officers smuggeld a bomb disguised as a bottle of Cognac onto the plan, but it didnt go off because the temperature in the luggage room was too low.

[@oelbaron5772]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2LKeoZ5bpd4aKc

[@calumdeighton]

Hindsight is a really large contributing factor into anything when looking back at History. The one thing I found in this video, sickening is the British Government. Our Government. And I didn't really have much on Chamberlain till you started doing stuff on him. And my view on him is rather dim. Interesting video still. Will give it another watch and think on things. "Learn from History, is the First steps of wisdom."

[@13StJimmy]

Why kill baby Hitler when we could just get him accepted into art school

[@oceanmadrosci3381]

18:30 mussolini could speak 4 languages (Italian English French and German) polyglot

[@robertreynolds580]

Yes, and still stupid.

[@nicholasconder4703]

@@robertreynolds580 He is one reason that proves the veracity of D&D separating the stats Intelligence and Wisdom. Mussolini probably had an intelligence of 14-16, but a wisdom around 5-7.

[@tonys8243]

Looking forward to what ever you post..

[@hendriktonisson2915]

Was the German economy unsaveable at late 1938 or could it have been saved with big budget cuts to the military and austerity policies?

[@dragosstanciu9866]

The German economy could have been saved if the Nazis were eliminated from power and the army kept in a tight leash with a drastically reduced budget and size.

[@BlackpilledBuddha6476]

Hitler's foreign policy was exclusively the only problem. The economy was based on production instead of consumption. The old myth that hitler's economy pushed him to war is just that: a myth. The American economy for example has massive debt. Why does it not invade Mexico or Canada to pay the debts back to China? Just making you think.

[@hendriktonisson2915]

@@BlackpilledBuddha6476 Well I guess the Americans learned from the German experience and do not invade countries that would push the US into wars with other major global powers. To my knowledge the US massive debt problem escalated after WW2.

[@hendriktonisson2915]

@John Beige Yes I know that. What I meant was if the German leadership had cancelled the plans of conquests after Munich Agreement could the German economy have been saved without war?

[@stevewatson6839]

@@hendriktonisson2915 Are you nuts? Invading others for made up reasons has been a US national pass time since 1776. How many wars are they fighting at the moment and how many hundreds of military base do they have here there and everywhere. Th US is a War Addict.

[@doctoronishispsychosislab1474]

this wa epic! Salute 07

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

TIK, you should totally write a summary book about the political side’s machinations of what is going on prior to WW2 and during it by all noteworthy countries. Because this side of history is over-glossed.

[@DaveSCameron]

One has to acquiesce that Spitzy is one heck of an interesting character and most humerous along with dry charisma. RIP Herr R. Spitzy.

[@jorinton]

I literally talked about this earlier today with a friend. TIK are you watching...?

[@TheImperatorKnight]

YES. I. AM.

[@davidburroughs2244]

TIKnet is active ....

[@synthetictechnocrat9270]

One more assassination attempt I think did have a very good chance of succeeding was Operation Spark, when Wehrmacht officers loaded a timebomb on to an aircraft Hitler was taking, but the detonator didn't trigger, likely due to the cold conditions at the altitude the plane was flying.

[@synthetictechnocrat9270]

Oh man, this is so tragic. Many other events like WW1 or China falling into warlordism may have been pretty much inevitable, but this just makes me want to cry. Kudos for mentioning Georg Elser, his story was certainly an interesting one to learn about :D I'm now seriously considering writing a Hoi4 mod where Germany's military strength (and that of its neighbors) is much more realistic; right now Germany just roflstomps everyone even in 1938...

[@Fruzhin5483]

If you can make the AI not retarded I will support you

[@PurpleCrownVic]

Although not on this video, on some kf your stuff I disagree with some conclusions you comr too but overall I find your channel to be quite refreshing because of how in depth you go into this stuff.

[@54032Zepol]

We so early you can join us and invade Czechoslovakia!!

[@albusvoltavern4500]

I can imagine the flip out a HOI4 MP game would have if Germany sent equipment to Ethiopia because “it’s historically accurate”