Why Did Germany Keep Fighting World War Two in 1944 - 1945?

Why did Germany fight til the end in 1945? Why didn't Germany surrender earlier in WW2? Why wasn't there a rebellion against the German leadership. Why did WW2 end in 1945? All these questions will be answered in this extensive video. You will learn about the July Plot (Operation Valkyrie) by the German resistance of WWII led by Claus von Stauffenberg. You will learn about the harsh measures of a totall war policy, like the German strongholds strategy as well as Germany's last army: the Volkssturm. This video will tell you all about the end of WWII. How WW2 ended.
History Hustle presents: Why Did Germany Keep Fighting World War Two in 1944 - 1945?
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SOURCES
- The End. The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944-1945 (Ian Kershaw).
- Battleground Prussia. The Assault on Germany's Eastern Front 1944-45 (Prit Buttar).
- Berlin: The Downfall, 1945 (Antony Beevor).
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VIDEO
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WW2 HQ Rare never seen before footage shows fierce fighting between Wehrmacht and Allied forces
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Königsberg 1945: documentary film (newsreel)
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Battle for Berlin WW2 Footage
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Goebbels - Do you want Total War
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[@HistoryHustle]

THE LAST GERMAN ARMY - THE VOLKSSTURM: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4bbnp-gipuCgZo GERMAN WONDER WEAPONS OF WW2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKGUc4SuZpynjtk LAST DITCH GERMAN FIREARMS OF WW2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnq3Ymaog997hNE

[@andrzejzie7046]

There is another and possibly the biggest reason why Germany fought to the end. Read letter of Albert Pike about future wars. Germany East/West division was done along religious lines. The East was protestant, mostly Lutheran, the West Catholic. Protestants had to be destroyed. Noticed that almost all carpet bombings were done on protestant population. Civilians was the target- look Dresden firestorm. Soviets did the rest. Why don't you research Jesuits involvement in wars and revolutions.

[@wittiza2102]

Not strange at all that they did not surrender before the end, is was total war. For example during the cold war a neutral nation like sweden had as a doctrine about the total war, to never surrender and even continue fighting the soviet union as resistance movements after the army had been defeted.

[@ariari4133]

DEUTSCHER best soldiors

[@ariari4133]

@@andrzejzie7046 its more compilcated from the Netherlands if i would. write my opinion i couldt write a book

[@ariari4133]

@@wittiza2102 dat was what Geubels askd wolt ihr den totaalkrieg. ja whir wohlen

[@mikespike3962]

In German there was a saying: Enjoy the war because the peace will be terrible.

[@HistoryHustle]

"See you in the mass grave" was another form of this gallows humor.

[@messerschmidt8834]

History Hustle that is bullshit bro

[@eltlaw]

Or, a soldier at the point of Combat Group Pieper to a comrade when the Ardennes attack commenced. "See you in New York."

[@reschi56]

@Polish Hero Witold Pilecki Not really, you're spreading misinformation. I've seen quite a few inteview of German Wehrmacht soldiers and higher officials. The reason they fought a lost war is because of their experience in the WW1 and the aftermath. The peace after WW1 was a disaster for Germany so they expected another peace to be just as disastrous.

[@Haya020265]

@@reschi56 True and it was again desastrous.

[@texd.g.682]

You forgot to mention that basically the whole population knew what a "peace" looked like after ww1

[@HistoryHustle]

Actually I covered more on that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3TVgniigq5npK8

[@DrGreenthumbPhd]

@samsong samsong And there is NOTHING wrong with that. No matter who you are.

[@ona3791]

@samsong samsong what's honorable about dying/killing for nothing

[@doubletapazh9081]

@samsong samsong hahahaha cope. Mayocide is inevitable.

[@McShag420]

@samsong samsong gross

[@someguycalledcerberus9805]

"Optimist generals learn English. Pessimists - Russian"

[@HistoryHustle]

I see.

[@someguycalledcerberus9805]

@Damian Matthewson It's supposed to be a German joke from '44

[@yuri_nazarenko]

@Tito I am Ukrainian, and for the last 7 years I have learnt that an American over my head is better.

[@blakeblack9892]

Lol it’s true we are in the shitter right now

[@sageironwood7418]

@Damian Matthewson r/wooooosh

[@patrickhell22]

This 19 minute video was more educational than the last 15 years of the "History" Channel

[@HistoryHustle]

Great to hear!

[@patrickhell22]

Yeah man keep it up! Love the content! And thank you for making it!

[@HistoryHustle]

Will do, thanks for your reply.

[@spike-4219]

More like 20. We're all becoming history, but don't count us ever being on a TV show unless it covers alien's or gossip.

[@carlosmpsenyorcapitacollon6977]

Yeah right, nazi education.

[@HappyFlapps]

By the end of the war, the Germans suffered between 200k to 400k deaths PER MONTH. If you take the rough average of 300k, that ends up being: 10,000 deaths per day 417 deaths per hour 7 deaths per minute 1 death every 12 seconds And we Americans thought Vietnam was bad.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes indeed.

[@deadby15]

If you hit someone first, and get clobbered, well, it’s sorta difficult to feel sorry for you tbh..

[@CrniWuk]

Well. Vietnam was bad. For the Vietnamese ...

[@LordVader1094]

Not all casualties are deaths.

[@lepatriote9498]

Yeah and in total 60 to 70 million people died, that's why we call it the second World War not some foreign war between two countries backed up by others, the proportions were not the same. But still you guys suffered a lot in Vietnam because no war is "fun" or "ok"

[@virvisquevir3320]

My father was nine years old during the "hunger winter" of 1944-1945 in North Holland. Everybody was starving. There was no food. Many died of hunger. My father and his brother, one year older, in desperation, stole bread from the back of German army trucks. More than once, German soldiers - mainly older men in their 40's and 50's - could have shot them dead as they were running away with their armfuls of bread. They chose not to. They let them run off with the bread. Thanks older German soldiers. Or I wouldn't be here. Not every German soldier was a mad dog fanatic. Some still had humanity and compassion. A decade later, my father did business with Germany. and Germans. I studied in Berlin for five years and wrote my Ph.D. there. Love affairs and good, loyal friends. Good professors. The winds of history. The storms of history. No hate.

[@rayphillips5578]

There are many good German people that did not support Hitler ...100,000 of them were put in concentration camps. They were called Jehovahs Witnesses and all they had to do was sign a piece of paper to state they were not a Jehovahs Witness any more. Most did not and suffered the brutality of one of the most evil regimes ever known to man.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing!

[@leroyhovatter7051]

Germany is a beautiful country.

[@dertrabant9078]

Much soldiers fought for Germany and not for Nazis. Thank you for your heart warming comment.

[@semd1575]

not the same in eastern front, we were undermen, and they killed our uncestors without regret

[@willoliver7172]

Please can we not only praise this guys incredible research, but also his ability to do so in English (which I’m assuming is his 2nd language)? Well done mate, incredible work.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for these nice words.

[@ericshelly2518]

My Opa fought from 40 to 45. He was in the 8th Panzer Division . He started the war with the winning mindset. But when the Wehrmacht lost Stalingrad and they were being pushed back his attitude was to survive. He no longer took unnecessary chances. His commander of Panzerjager Abt43 Maj Amsel, said he was going to get as many home alive as possible. They ignored many orders from Berlin to fight to the death. They stayed away from the SS as much as possible. They didn’t stop and surrender because they wanted to retreat into Germany and hold off the Bolsheviks until the US gets there first. Unfortunately, it’s didn’t workout that way. He was captured next to his friend and Commander Maj Amsel in Brno

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read, Eric. Thanks for sharing this!

[@africanlipplateandbonenose3223]

Look at the world today and you'll understand why they kept fighting.

[@gapshot5065]

@@africanlipplateandbonenose3223 there is never a reason to stop fighting communism👍🏻

[@icyycold1094]

@@gapshot5065 communism hardly exists in this world anymore

[@gapshot5065]

@@icyycold1094 don’t be stupid....ever heard of China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cuba with Venezuela right behind....Australia is basically a prison colony now with less freedoms then the aforementioned countries. You can’t be serious

[@2polev355]

"Better dead than red" was the mentality I assume.

[@HistoryHustle]

For some yes.

[@Matt-xj2bx]

i agree with that

[@letoubib21]

A pretty good reason for the _Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein_ and the _Unternehmen Nordwind_ while neglecting the Eastern fTont for quite a while *. . .*

[@letoubib21]

A pretty good reason for the _Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein_ and the _Unternehmen Nordwind_ while neglecting the Eastern fTont for quite a while *. . .*

[@binaway]

Before Hitler Socialism was popular in Germany. Across most of Europe as well.If not from the right wing support of the army and aristocracy it might have been the communists who over-through the Weimar Republic. Many had bought into Soviet/Stalinist propaganda lies . Although Germans kept quiet under the dictatorship most knew about the atrocities their own army had committed in the east and feared revenge from the Red army. Their military relatives on leave from the East told their families about what was happening.

[@MegaKaiser45]

- "Why don’t they just surrender?" - "Would you?"

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes

[@Barchenhund]

Fury

[@texeltexel2009]

@@HistoryHustle BETA!

[@DutchSteamboat]

@MegaKaiser45 - I've never seen that better put.

[@xavierkorir2580]

Never!

[@gunfighter3890]

This guy replies to every single comment. Thats showing love to his viewers and is really rare from any channel. ❤️

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍

[@gunfighter3890]

@@HistoryHustle Legend 💯

[@narokbarcraft434]

yes u r true

[@davidcook8382]

I believe the reason for German soldiers fighting to the end was that because of allied bombings, and allied encroachment, a great deal of these people had no where to return to, as well as no families remaining alive. Also, German units, unlike other forces, were made up of people from the same town/city/region. Peer pressure cancelled even practical dissertation or capitulation.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes and there was more to it so please watch the video.

[@forzajuve4845]

You pick ..be shot by allied forces or by your own soldiers because you surrender or retreat ?

[@leomarkaable1]

Germany was a unified state for two generations at best. For the majority of Germans, loyalty was to region, religion, and family. For most Germans, "Germany" meant Prussia. Not well known, but the word "Nazi" itself is a slur. National Socialism was a creation of Bavarians in revolt against the Communist regime in Munich early on. Berliners, eager to satirize the Bavarian Catholic shit-kickers, referred to them as "Nazis" because Ignaz was the Germanized name of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, the secretive and powerful group operative in the Catholic Church. So, rather than come right out and laugh at them, they referred to the followers of Ignaz contemptuously with a nick-name : Nazis.The Nazis themselves always called themselves National Socialists.

[@africanlipplateandbonenose3223]

Look at the world today and you'll understand why they kept fighting.

[@gingerbaker4390]

The Allies weren't there to differentiate who was who in the German forces. A lot of death and destruction, (blitz) was perpetrated particularly on the British Isles because they refused to surrender.

[@bennygarr5468]

Thankfully there's people like you that are still keeping history alive

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome.

[@darkson1969]

History teachers everywhere..."Uhhh"

[@Xorthane]

@@darkson1969 some of them don't even care and only their for the pay check not mine thankfully

[@Emess_902]

Facts man, I keep my focus on Art, Music, English, Biology, and History. If I were to ever go back to school even though I've acquired my grade 12 diploma, itd be something to go back at for old times sake. Pick more up off it than I did sleeply or in the clouds being like fuck we learning today

[@gunfighter3890]

You need to check out Mark Feltons channel aswell. Absolutely brilliant. Trust me

[@Lightbringer82]

My grandmother was born in 1935 and she also remembers that Soviet soldiers raped a young girl in the village. They hid another girl to escape that. My mother's aunt also described that the young girls were applying soot to their face and were hiding to avoid being raped. Looting also occurred. So that is first hand evidence for me. However, my grandmother remembers that this was with the first wave of Soviet soldiers. When the Cossacks came some times later, no such things happened, they were more disciplined. Also, not every Soviet soldier was like that of course. My grandmother described that a Soviet soldier made her younger sister to sit on his knee. They were afraid at first but the soldier show them a picture that he had a little daughter at home just like she was. So it also depends on the person in war and in peace how he behaves. Edit: this happened in Western Hungary early in 1945.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@hamidsurvi2452]

Very heartwarming

[@SadLittleTurkey]

@Andre Hpunkt The real truth of the matter is that the army of the USSR was in shambles as it moved into the offensive. Masses of conscripts with little training and discipline with plenty of PTSD from horrible fighting were now marching miles from home.

[@metalgoysolidgigagoyim8346]

My great grandmother just passed, she was 97 and she was around 8-10 years old when the germans marched through Belgium, she said they were singing songs, and smiling and they marched through without harassing anyone. The Russians, well the Russians marched through and ate every animal in the town. Horses, Pigs, Goats, Cats, Dogs, etc. I never asked about the rapes, but I'm sure it happened :/

[@ralphvon283]

@@SadLittleTurkey incorrect, some conscripts in second wave that formed "occupation," Soviet front line troops were well trained and some of the Soviets in the battle of Berlin were volunteers.

[@jordanastro4694]

Tbf if I was a German soldier & had experienced/known the aftermath of my country losing WW1, I’d probably rather just die fighting.

[@HistoryHustle]

Not another 1918 was a often quoted phrase.

[@johnburrows1179]

I know why. My father was in the Wermacht. They were fighting for their homeland, families and to keep the Russians the hell out

[@HistoryHustle]

Partially. More on that in this video. What can you tell us about his experiences in the war?

[@johnburrows1179]

@@HistoryHustle people don’t understand that after WW1, Germany was decimated. 60% unemployment, starving. Hitler came along and said screw Versailles, and in two years everything was going great. That’s why people followed him. They had no control over what he did, just as we don’t control what our government does. German people were told the Bolshevicks wanted to destroy what Hitler created, their way of life. My dad joined to defend his family and homeland. He died was I was only 5, so I never got the chance to pick his brain. Only stories passed on through my mom. It’s kind of like what happened w Trump. Americans were kicked beaten, told they were no good, economically in shambles. Along comes Trump and says we can be great again. Only in Weimar Germany it was 100 times worse the depression. He served on the eastern front, and again in the battle of the bulge where he was captured by the Americans. I have his medals to this day and photographs. He believed he was fighting for his country just as today’s American Patriots

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@ralphvon283]

@@johnburrows1179 never compare our President to Hitler !!!!

[@geschlechtspunkheiten4180]

@@ralphvon283 I know right? Hitler sounds almost rational compared to the Donald

[@stickman8859]

Last japanese soldier: hold my arisaka rifle

[@robjones1328]

lol funny even that "joke" is so worn out it's got holes in it

[@richardpowell4281]

Quite literally. The last Japanese solider surrendered his Arisaka rifle decades after the war was over.

[@toddmiller5656]

@@richardpowell4281 Yeah, wasn't that in the Philippines in 1974 or something?

[@Th3Mavr1ck]

Todd Miller yeah they had to find his old commanding officer and get him on a bullhorn so he would come out and surrender lol

[@toddmiller5656]

@@Th3Mavr1ck Well, the guy was told not to abandon his post until relieved by his commanding officer. His holding out shows kind of a perverse dedication.

[@williamweigt7632]

Two reasons: 1) the Treaty of Versailles 2) the refusal by each of the Allies to accept anything less than “unconditional surrender” How many who died in the last 18 months of this tragedy?

[@HistoryHustle]

Many.

[@lucasrem]

try to post a video, what do you mean?

[@orpheonkatakrosmortarchoft4332]

Germany inflicted more suffering on itself in those last months of war that Versailles ever did.

[@williamweigt7632]

@@orpheonkatakrosmortarchoft4332 Seriously? I’m not saying that they, collectively, didn’t start the war or anything; but I have to disagree. It may even have been necessary. But where were the bombs made that flattened German cities? The nearly million German soldiers that died on the Eastern Front didn’t commit suicide, now did they? I’m not making excuses for any governments choices. I’m just saying that after you blame and humiliate Germany, and Germany ALONE, for causing WW1...take their colonies for yourself...make them pay for the whole war...and ostracize their nation from the international community...and let 500,000 of them STARVE while you occupy their industrial centers to make sure you get this money... fighting to the last man doesn’t seem like the worst choice.

[@orpheonkatakrosmortarchoft4332]

@@williamweigt7632 Bro half of Germans WW2 dead were in the last 10 months of the war, they also suffered most of the civilian casualties in the last year aswell. If Germany had surrendered earlier it and it's people would have suffered massively less. The only reason they fought on was because of the nazi leadership wanted to put every man, woman and children in Germany between them and reprisals for their crimes. Leave WW1 revisionnist history out of that.

[@richardcheatham9490]

The manner of presentation here and even the intensity of the combat is felt in the speaker's articulate voice. Just my second video of his and quality of research is right up there with any video on the topic of WW2 heard thus far. May good luck and dedication stay with you in this work that suits you so well.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Richard, many thanks for these kind words. A warm welcome on the channel. If you're interested, I created two follow-ups on this video. Enjoy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4i7paloZcmkZ5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3TVgniigq5npK8

[@Loneranger670]

Well researched and well told with great footage - well done - thank you 👊🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

Any thanks, Lance.

[@louabbott7631]

Beginning in 1945, some commanders told their men to just go home. They saw the very large writing on the wall. Other commanders fought on to save the German units surrounded by the allies. Overall, the majority of German commanders stopped paying attention to Berlin.

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps on the west yes, in the east it was a different story.

[@jamestheotherone742]

@@HistoryHustle Yeah, there was no where to go with the Soviets in front and the SA behind than to just die in place.

[@TonySlug]

Even during the last few days of the conflict, many combattants in uniform who were found wandering in the ruins of Berlin were hanged from the nearest streetlight pole for "desertion" without trial. There were special units roving the streets (or what was left of them) especially for that purpose. Many German men (and in case of HJ, kids) who just wanted to go home and survive ended up getting lynched by their own in the last few days of the war.

[@alexandermelbaus2351]

The German Wehrmacht and the German lead army of the Waffen SS, which included 100,000's of volunteer soldiers from around Europe chose to fight. Even when Berlin was totally surrounded and it was clear that the war was coming to an end, they defended and continued to fight until the bitter end! Germany had been the leader of a death struggle with the Soviet Union, a fight that was waged to prevent the fate we are suffering today, to stop the Bolshivasation of European civilization and the entire world. The Soviet Union attacked Lithunia, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Romania and Sweden, most of them within 6 months of the conclusion of the war in Poland. That is almost every country along the Soviet Border, only Germany came to their aid. "The West", being the British Empire and the US sided with the Soviet Union, saving the Communist state from destruction and ensuring the Communist victory over Europe. Britain and France had refused all of Germany's generous peace proposals and the deputy Fuhrer himself piloted a plane on a radical mission alone, to try and stop the war between the U.K, France and Germany. If it was not for Germany and the many loyal soldiers in the East, which included many Russian's who wanted to remove the Communist nightmare from their beloved Motherland, the Red Army would have rolled over Europe. The war waged until the bitter end because Hitler and those in the highest positions could not be corrupted or compromised, the majority of the population and many from around Europe remained loyal to the bitter end! Look at the European countries now, everything the German's warned of, they were right, but no word of that! There was no diplomatic option for Germany to end the war, the Red Army would have pushed as far west as possible regardless.

[@alexandermelbaus2351]

@Rich H Today there is much language and talk of a "Shadow Government", back in time the German Leader spoke of a group of people that had gained power and influence in Germany, describing it as a "State within a State." The ridiculous comment previous to yours speaks of Freemasonry. In the Reich Freemasonry was totally outlawed in 1935 and those who continued to practice it were thrown in concentration camps. Lodges were raided and the contents were put on public displays. There was a movie made in 1943, an ex-Freemason was the director. After the war the producer, writer and director were found guilty with collaborating with the enemy. The movie is on KZbin with English subs, Occult Forces.

[@CaptainDerty]

I love how much you respond to comments. Keep up the good work brother

[@HistoryHustle]

Try my best, thanks!

[@bcamplite621]

"We shall consider our task fulfilled if American tanks strike us in our backs" - General Theodore Busse, while resisting the Soviets from entering Germany.

[@ArmorKingEmir]

because they knew what soviets would do to them. but americans hired all of the german generals and "scientists" that were burning people alive.

[@HistoryHustle]

The Germans fought more intense on the Eastern Front. Doesn't mean they didn't fight the Western Allies in 44-45 though.

[@themanwithnoname3636]

@Duke of Burgundy 🤣😂🤣

[@dickmonkey-king1271]

@@microchip9982 Come on. I'm British and somethings had to be done... but not Dresden. We created hell on earth for children who didn't even know they were German yet.

[@Mr.Plankton.]

@Duke of Burgundy what an idiot… seriously

[@youssefkhaledelhemali712]

Also 1 point to add was that the harsh terms of the treaty of Versailles after WW1 that destroyed the German economy made them even more reluctant to surrender without a fight in WW2. Adding to this a atrocities performed by the Russians and the high probability of USSR taking over most of Germany, there was simply no point of surrender. If you know you're *ucked anyway, you'll fight, a cornered enemy is a dangerous enemy.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for adding your point, Youssef!

[@mikefay5698]

War is an atrocity. The Nazi's were to weak and thought sheer horror will make enemy Civilians rendered impotent to resist, the opposite happens and is not forgotten for generations.

[@ksang2121]

Harsh treaty 🤡😂🤡😂. The treaty of brets-litovsk was far harsher than versailles. Versailles was normal for the times. The nazi Germans could have payed it off easily if it wasn't for the depression.

[@annoyingbstard9407]

Youssef Khaled El Hemali What harsh terms? Germany barely paid ten percent of the reparations they promised, ignored their,promises on rearming and were preparing for another war within a few years.

[@chrisshepherd1566]

@@annoyingbstard9407 And then emptied the coffers of conquered nations and twisted them for huge payments to the Reich!

[@christopherneufelt8971]

Very easy, political incorrect answer: they were fighting for their country.

[@HistoryHustle]

That certainly played a role.

[@Patop2002]

Why would that be politically incorrect?

[@johndarragh6017]

Do one bout bombing cities that had no value

[@killajakez]

@@johndarragh6017 Yes, the fire bombing of Dresden that left melted bodies of German civilians on the streets.

[@dertrabant9078]

Correct

[@noreoz1024]

0:20 he just didn't give a damn about his comrade walking by xD

[@HistoryHustle]

Yeah, I saw it!

[@Sultan-fk8wg]

🤣🤣🤣

[@crimson_scum7129]

💨

[@ME262MKI]

The soviet army on a nutshell

[@davidhoward7382]

I was an Army officer stationed in what was then West Germany from 1978-81. We had a fair number of German civilians working for us at U.S. Army Europe Headquarters in Heidelberg, many of them men who would have been of military age during WWII. Every one of them said that they were fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front. Not one would admit to having been in the fight against Americans. Once when this came up at a social event, I remarked that it was amazing that after D-Day how long it took for us to reach where we ended up in Germany since apparently there were no German soldiers shooting at the American soldiers! There was then an uncomfortable silence in the room.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@ppjw44]

there were just a lot more in the east than in the west.

[@buggibug9060]

In WW2 Americans where Anemys to Germans. They fought against each other. Later Americans became Friends, because of Berlin and the so called „Luftbrücke“. I am German. I will never forget, what Americans - formerly Anemys - did do to save our People espacely in Berlin. And i am shure, most of us do think so: We are just gratefull of this.

[@dafyddthomas7299]

Think you find it was also UK and commonwealth troops + allied airforce and navy fighting with the Americans to overthrow Mad dog Adolf and German Nazi party from the West.

[@andredeketeleastutecomplex]

Maybe it took USA so long because anglo rapists rather have the soviets do the hard work.

[@whynot-tomorrow_1945]

0:18 This is one of the most famous clips of urban warfare in WWII, and every time I see it, I can't help but pay attention to the guy absolutely decked by the cannon's recoil xD

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes indeed!

[@tomservo5007]

the guy in front of the blast, not sure if there's enough pressure difference to liquefy organs or burst lungs, but he probably went deaf.

[@neinnein9306]

when your son just died at the end of WW2 because he had to take part in a propaganda clip -.-

[@wadeh1031]

Was it the cannon recoil or the giant explosive surprise shit in his pants that took him off his feet?

[@theliam8909]

The man who shot the cannon is ass hat and deserves to get smacked

[@nzmonsterman]

Factual, unbiased, without drama or dramatisation. Well done. Its refreshing to watch your video's and here you talk. Things are never as clear cut as often previously written. Keep up the great work.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you!

[@Philtopy]

Great video. Just discovered your channel, you get my sub and I will recommend you! Ww2 education is so important to teach younger generations what happens if war is escalating and how greatful they can be to live in times of peace. Great channel

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for your reply. Welcome to the channel! What history are you most interested in?

[@Strifegar]

I love history so I appreciate your video and the work you put into it. I'd like to drop my opinion though, you'd be a lot easier to follow if you wouldn't put a period after each word you speak. None the less, awesome work, thanks!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. Try do to my best. Please watch one of my recent vids to see if there is improvement.

[@TheDevro]

Can't wait till the video releases!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! It's a longer video also, around 18 minutes!

[@disasterzone5143]

Great film mate, insightful & concise. Il definitely be checking out your catalog.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks. Welcome to the channel!

[@johnfisher697]

I have mixed German/British parents, when I was four and my Sister was nine we visited my Grand parents in Hamburg and my Opa had bought a big pile of sand for us to play on. It was placed close to a public walkway and separated by a wire fence, whilst playing three young German teenagers walked past and started jeering when they heard our English Accents. We all ended up throwing stones and sand at each other till my sister and my self ran away. After about twenty minuets my Mother came out and told us our Grandfather had seen what had happened and he was embarrassed that we had run away. My Grandfather fought in WW1 and was shot in the lung (loosing it) and in WW2 was in command of a AA unit near Hamburg, Growing up in the UK I heard many times how the German soldier was a very difficult soldier to beat, knowing what I know then and now and seeing videos like this one I suspect the option of running away was strongly discouraged in that and previous Generations in Germany. I am not saying this is the only reason they held on but Some times the answer can be quite simple.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your insights on this.

[@flightfight4241]

Running in any army is forbidden , you will be caught and persecuted for betrayal

[@johnfisher697]

@@flightfight4241 Of course running away is forbidden but the question in point,is why did the Germans' keep fighting,I gave a possible reason as to why they did not run away so easily. The Germans Accepted two things in war They would always be outnumbered. They would have to show a certain ternacity(which became legendary) in the pursuit of victory if these were the circumstances.and situation.

[@flightfight4241]

I wouldn’t agree on this matter, and your point is contradictory to History as the Soviet Union was quick to push back and encircle the German SS waffen and Allgemein Units with little resistance in Ukraine Hungary and Poland and they would proceed to surrender. I won’t even mention operation Bagration, that stands on its own. The only place where Germans did fight back was Prussia and fatherland And the only reason for that was that they were fighting for their land now. This gave more encouragement. To conclude , even Adolf said Feiglinge , Verräterinnen The reason why they still fought was not because of German soldiers wanting to fight. Hitler never wanted November 1918 to repeat itself.

[@johnfisher697]

@@flightfight4241 Why is my view on this contradictory to History. Only after Stalingrad and Kursk did the German forces fight a defensive war.by the time Ukraine/Hungary/and Poland came around Germany was so weakened they could never hope stop the Soviet advance. I would also dispute your comment on the Waffen SS units, how many actually surrendered to the Soviets? I am supposing you may be Russian?. if so did not the Russian army fight harder when they where in Russia,of course they did. Hitler may have said cowards and traitors about his troops but by then they had finished fighting a war on Four fronts against The British/French/Empires, the Soviets/and America.The four most powerful countries in the world for six years. Regarding your comment about November 1918 No German wanted a Armistice/ Peace like 1918/19.

[@lantao19]

Thanks for the work that you out into this video.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@johnwayne2898]

I just found this channel and I am very glad I did! Great video mate, you just earned a subscriber!

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel, Matthew. Thanks for your message. What kind of history are you most interested in? Lemme know!

[@johnwayne2898]

@@HistoryHustle I am interested in the US Civil War, the Satsuma Rebellion, Boer Wars, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Bush Wars, The Troubles, and the Yugoslav Wars. I like learning about the military conflicts of the modern era. 1860-present.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing, Matthew. In that case you might find these videos of mine interesting to watch: Rise & Fall of Yugoslavia: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6rShHSah654f6s kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKOwiWWYbbF_qrs Forgotten WW2 Battles playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXvUl3aMpM6kmLM

[@johnwayne2898]

@@HistoryHustle Thanks mate! I will watch them now.

[@oliverstianhugaas7493]

I think everyone outside of Europe must ask themselves this question when wondering why they did not surrender, *Would You?* After the Yalta declaration there was no question longer, the hatch had been closed and everyone knew that there was no pardon or negotiations.

[@HistoryHustle]

I'll dive into this in a future episode.

[@garysarratt1]

And? If they had surrendered earlier they would have more land, more money and more LIVING PEOPLE, regardless of it being unconditional.

[@nirfz]

@@garysarratt1 I think that is an unrealistic optimistic view. Take the negotiations of the Treaties of Verailles and Saint Germain after WW1. Those were not unconditional surrenderings, still the "looser countries" (surrendering ones) were not allowed in any negotiations ect. , were stripped of any land they gained and a lot of territory they posessed before the war. Harsh conditions and reapairment punishements were put in place that people living in those countries thought could never be fullfilled. No one of them could imagine that this time the peace would be "better".

[@quasimododisney8765]

Oh, no, I would fight a war I knew I was going to lose and keep the killing and dying going on as long as I could till my whole country was utterly destroyed, and only the good graces of my enemy could put it back on its feet again. I can't believe you Nazi fan-boys ... freakin' pathetic.

[@simontrigg2154]

That's a very good question given the totally dire situation they were in.Women being raped by Soviet soldiers in the East and possibly by Allied soldiers in the West too, while German cities such as Dresden were relentlessly firebombed into inferno's causing massive civillian deaths.

[@kilianfirebolt]

Actually, my great grandfather served in the african front and later in germany/netherlands. He always said (he died before i was born) that he would rather die fighting that die working as a slave.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yet he lived and wasn't put to work as a slave I guess.

[@kilianfirebolt]

@@HistoryHustle that is true, he didint become a slave, but he lived in poverty for a long time.

[@demonicusa.k.a.theblindguy3929]

I appreciate the work and perspective that goes into this channel

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks Andy!

[@Invictus888]

Well now....I am impressed. Finally a documentary that is factual, instead of the normal rubbish dispensed on KZbin.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@xvsj5833]

Excellent research , including photos, videos and narrative. Thank you for sharing 👍🇺🇸

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks. Are you new on the channel? In that case: welcome! :)

[@xvsj5833]

History Hustle , yes first time

[@furqan1915]

You're a very humble person Hope your channel grows even further!

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks!

[@chadczternastek]

What a great dude you are and I love this channel. Thank you for the great content. I've learned a lot by watching this channel.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you Chad!

[@jjohnson4341]

Your one hell of a story teller I really enjoyed this 👏

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you!

[@Nothing-ui7pj]

The most shocking piece of information for me was paying the wages until April 1945, absolute madness.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed.

[@americangoddess1939]

Wages were another reason to carry on.

[@Terry-yw2xv]

Paid with borrowed money!

[@davidreeves1408]

You present so well! Knowledgeable in your subjects, and I find your cadence very edifying, professorial. Your accent doesn't get in the way: your elocution in English is very good. I like your You Tube lectures!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your kind words, David!

[@drsjwhitman45]

What I enjoy in my 'just retired' state, is that we both are professors and enjoy history for the sake of knowledge and adding to our ability to understand humanity in all its goodness and insanity. My father and mother were in the U.S. Army in WWII; father a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, mother an Army nurse in Italy. So WW II is personal and a joy to study all my life. You give a very good explanation. Best reason for resisting the Russians was the hope the Americans and the British would capture them first.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply Jim! What can you tell us about your parents experiences during the war? How did they reflect on it? Love to know!

[@hiredmurderer6228]

Imagine killing million of citizens and the escaping from punishment

[@herbertvonsauerkrautunterh2513]

Being German myself, I have the feeling to go all the way and not give up when doing a lot of things... I just do...

[@HistoryHustle]

The Germans are good at doing stuff. Wonder if you can draw a line between this general idea and WW2...

[@herbertvonsauerkrautunterh2513]

@@HistoryHustle possibly. I know that if I were there at the time and young enough I would never gone along with it all the way.. my grandfather didn't. He was already older when he was drafted

[@virvisquevir3320]

Herbert von Sauerkraut unterhose - Same. Loyalty is a Northern European virtue - or vice. Depends what you're loyal to...

[@herbertvonsauerkrautunterh2513]

@@virvisquevir3320 yes I know.. just depends on the time and how people are and what they think.. But, a new adventure is always good and that's something we really can't do in this age

[@craigwall9536]

Sorry, but that's just intellectually lazy. It's also the result of Patriarchal mentality, where the local strong man is not the guy you want to argue with because he will turn your neighbors against you. The population is terrified of being kicked out of society, because everyone will turn their backs on you for fear of being forced to join you. It's very typical of island cultures, where society operates near the limits of their resources constantly- witness the bullying in England, Japan, the Philippines, etc....although in Germany it was historically divided into fiefdoms separated by rivers as defense boundaries, thus giving _"de facto"_ islanding. And thus the stereotypical Teutonic need to see everything as binary- right/wrong, black/white, yes/no. IT IS COWARDLY to force reality into "simple choices"; the world is more nuanced than that. If you feel you have to stay true to your original stated plan when new facts would argue for a re-evaluation, you are the kind of person who will sooner or later throw up their hands and vote for a "final solution", because if you voice doubt everyone around you will blame you for the increasingly obvious rain of ruin- you aren't being "honorable". It is THEY who are not honorable. They simply cannot stomach doubt- thinking it's better to be a dead zealot than a live second-guesser. But you should know what a zealot is: someone who, having forgotten their principles... _redoubles their efforts..._

[@tf9623]

Thank you - you have opened my mind even more. I knew Stalin had decimated his officer corps prior to WW2 for political reasons and thus initially during Barbarossa the Russian's were having difficulties. I am quite familiar with Operation Valkyrie but never realized that Hitler eliminated so many experienced officers - makes sense - but I didn't realize until today. Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome, thanks for commenting. In a few weeks more about Operation Valkyrie.

[@brennanhuff596]

I love HX. First time I’ve come upon your channel. Great stuff, thank you 👊

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel 👍

[@stevebrindle1724]

Stay with History Hustle, I have been watching for a couple of years and have not been disappointed. The best WW2 history on the internet without a doubt!

[@justanapple8510]

Wow het is echt wel vet om te zien dat je hier al meer dan een miljoen views op hebt, ik wist nog dat die uitkwam en dat ik onder de indruk was dat deze video 10K view had. Zeer tof👍🏻👍🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

Gaaf dat je al zo lang kijkt. We zijn an ver gekomen ja 👌

[@tommy-er6hh]

for many different reasons as there are people. One example: In Spykenisse, Netherlands, some German soldiers were re-assigned from the Russia to the Garrison. They were drunk every chance they got, wild & violent, and often sang "Alles is Verruckt" (everything is insane), my father remembered. But they kept on soldiering, because what choice did they have?

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for the example you give here. In this video I compare the western with the eastern front.

[@fredvanderploeg8180]

I am from Canada, my parents were from Holland, Friesland. Although they were to young at the time 14 & 11 at the Start of the war, I heard many stories as a child. How some German soldiers were ruthless, and others more human. I enjoy the history as you tell it and the films and all the information. It provides me with a new aspect to the War. After the War my father went to Indonesia. He served 1945 to 49 I believe. I view history of that as well and come to understand the times. I only wish he was alive to view and comment. Please continue your Awesome work . Thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Fred, thank you for replying!

[@ravarga4631]

I wonderwhat the various people of what is now indonesia, java, mollucca, celebese, thought about the dutch? The history of the dutch east indies is one of aggression, brutal oppression of the populace.

[@adifreitag8579]

You have a very one-sided view. A war is not a school trip for boarding school students. Every war develops its own dynamics and promotes the brutality of the warring parties. Canada was not an enemy of Germany in either the First or Second World Wars. The Canadians intervened in this war on the side of the British. The Dutch are not angels of innocence either. They were brutal and committed war crimes in the colonial war in Indonesia. Nobody remembers that. In my opinion, the bombing raids by the Americans and British on German cities, which were intended to specifically kill the German civilian population, is also a war crime. Likewise the Americans dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the expulsion of up to 15 million Germans from their homeland, in which around 3 million died, cannot be justified either. The Ruins of Berlin kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJinnneBoLmhaJI I do not want to justify the National Socialist ideology and the war crimes committed on the basis of this ideology, nor do I want to compare them with the war crimes of Germany's opponents, but I firmly oppose the very one-sided view that leaves out any historical context. After the Second World War, we Germans were made to believe that we were responsible for all the evil in the world since Adam and Eve. A broad trail of blood has run through the entire history of humanity, involving more or less all peoples in the world. No empire was created by persuading neighbors, but rather by war and violence. Something from my family history: Three of my male relatives died in the Second World War. One at the age of 19 as a paratrooper in Crete, a second at the age of 17 as a member of a tank division in Normandy and a third at the age of 20 as a pilot in the German Air Force in East Prussia. His mission was to protect the escape of the German civilian population from the invading, marauding Red Army, which raped and murdered women and girls. It was a kamikaze mission. He knew he wouldn't return alive. His body lies somewhere in the earth of East Prussia. His grave is in my heart. Friehelm's death kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZqZkJadfs2IidE German soldiers' graves in the Hürtgen Forest kzbin.info/www/bejne/bImuqpqZj5iDr9U My belief: No one can live with constant hatred in their heart without destroying themselves.

[@sacWeapons]

@@adifreitag8579 why did the Red army commit those crimes? we avenged our fallen brothers, sisters, Fathers, and Mothers. I know you are not going to hear this, but your family members fought for an evil war of conquest. Thank god the heroes of the Red Army and Polish Red Army avenged their fallen countrymen.

[@DefilarTheGreat]

Found this channel by accident - really enjoyed your voice/story and information - thanks a ton for this. I will keep watching.

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel, Philip. What history are you most interested in?

[@DefilarTheGreat]

@@HistoryHustle ww2

[@HistoryHustle]

Great. Perhaps you will like this content THE LIBERATION OF FRANCE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3ucnqaejqZ7aZo THE LIBERATION OF BELGIUM: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJnCeJeridWdhJo THE LIBERATION OF HOLLAND: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZiYeHh7gtl2qas THE CONQUEST OF WESTERN GERMANY: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKLNh3qhlNaIp68

[@DefilarTheGreat]

@will triumph Haha

[@Texaslonestargal]

Such a well done and educational video. Thank you, sir.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@icecoffee1361]

I couldn’t imagine the last few months of the war being German knowing the end is coming but the most bitter ferocious fighting was still to come , ty again 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed, thanks for watching!

[@jamesvandorpe3441]

Thank you for this explique. Beyond the usual good guy bad guy routine.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, James!

[@CharCanuck14]

New subscriber here Stefan. Thank you so much for the interesting and hard work you put in your channel. Groeten uit Canada.

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel!

[@bobj3251]

Hi Stefan hope you are well excellent informative and very interesting content love your videos

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Bob!

[@philipfreeman72]

My dad was in the U.S. TX artillery & he said the German trucks had no fuel. They were using wood fumes & could only go about tractor speed. The Howitser was having a turkey shoot.The worst battle for dad was Serlerno beach their gun was mounted on a boat so they could not hit.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@JStamato]

0:20 That dude just took out his own soldier with his artillery piece

[@HistoryHustle]

🧐

[@AS-dr1cp]

If you look closely he ducked at the last minute or just got blown away from the force of the explosion. If he was his directly by that shell he would have exploded into a million pieaces. Still a very close call though.

[@Celestial1000]

@@AS-dr1cp true, getting torned up by Artillery is beyond horrible

[@claydud271]

He was pasted the gun but was shocked and fell as others have said being that close to a launching shell would of fucked you up

[@johnhough7738]

Much appreciated. You tell it well, matter-of-factly and without sensationalism.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching John!

[@ba65007]

Thank you very much for the piece of information explained in very clear presentation 👍👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for your reply. Hope you will like tomorrow's episode! Premiere tomorrow.

[@Haya020265]

Topvideo man. Goed gedocumenteerd verhaal.

[@HistoryHustle]

Dank voor je bericht!

[@MrTPF1]

Excellent discussion and video. I never realized that so many died in the final year of the conflict compared to the rest of the WW2.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikeytoddure6382]

Excellent video mate..thanks so much 💯🥂

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for replying!

[@keithparrish6166]

You do a great job. Love your videos!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! :)

[@generalfeldmarschallerwinr849]

"We'll fight until the last man" - Unknown Female German Soldier

[@AryanSneed]

The easiest answer would be that they were fighting for their country. One of the last shortwave radio messages received from a soldier in the field during the last days of fighting reads: "We are the last survivors in this place, four of us are wounded. We have been entrenched in the wreckage of the tractor factory for four days, we have not had food for four days. I have just opened the last magazine for my automatic. In 10 minutes the Bolsheviks will overrun us. Tell my father that I have done my duty and that I shall know how to die. Long live Germany."

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes and there is more to it. Please watch the video.

[@marktreissman3244]

Dude - that quote is from the encircled German soldiers at Stalingrad. They certainly were not fighting for their own country when they are that far into Russia. Perhaps the German soldiers defending Germany in 1946 fought so hard because they appreciated just how badly they had behaved in Russia and they knew that Germany deserved no mercy whatsoever.

[@jaaackaissa1633]

@@marktreissman3244 How do you not deserve mercy? German crimes were committed by the army and the SS, what do people and civilians have to do with it? Terrorists and criminals justify the crimes of the Russians by taking revenge on the Germans, but the soldiers involved in these crimes were all pardoned with the aim of recruiting and profiting from them. They committed crimes against innocent civilians

[@marktreissman3244]

@@jaaackaissa1633 - did the German soldiers behave well towards women and children while on their 1941-1945 adventure ? No ! Mass murder, looting, rape, enslavement and utter hubris and destruction was delivered to the Soviets and the Poles. The German military knew that their homeland, their families and their children couldn’t expect good treatment from the red army - no mercy was given to Russia so none could be expected from the Russians.

[@julianciahaconsulting8663]

That sort of sense of duty seems so foreign to us now 80 years later does it not?

[@superretroshow9486]

and I love your accent bro, keep this up! Great content

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@linussvedlund7078]

Best as always very interesting discussions and thoughts

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Linus!

[@Wuei108]

They said to each other: Think practically - give a coffin as a gift for chrismas. - Praktisch denken - Särge schenken.

[@HistoryHustle]

Gallows humor was widespread.

[@hondolane7929]

I think you forgot one of the most important parts. The people were in fear. My dad told me of his uncle who was a pilot in the Luftwaffe. One time he was at home he told. Germany could never lose this war. Or the wrath and the revenge would be like nothing seen before. He was a pilot, but he has seen things and told at home. A lot of people knew of the stuff which happen on the Russian campaign and they feared the revenge.

[@HistoryHustle]

I do mention this. Thanks for sharing anyway.

[@dafyddthomas7299]

The German troops did start on murdering, torture and killing of Russian civilians and soldiers in captivity; what goes around, comes around.

[@hiredmurderer6228]

I wish Soviets were more savage against germans

[@patriciabrenner9216]

@@hiredmurderer6228 So do I...

[@neilwhitaker6284]

@@patriciabrenner9216 this is why civilized nations keep women away from politics and war.

[@craiglittle1437]

Great insight, thank you!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Craig!

[@jackmcdouglas4126]

Great video, hats off and keep it up.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@doriancanarelli3747]

Intresting fact: FESTUNG Breslau Was Still in german control after the fall of Berlin & only surrender the 6th of may

[@HistoryHustle]

Correct! Crazy right?!

[@sansoucci5394]

@Katrina Balanchuk Terrible. but understandable after what the Nazis and the jackals that ran with them did in the Soviet Union.

[@denisiodiderotti._.6962]

@@sansoucci5394 altelst they didn't rape... So....

[@sansoucci5394]

@@denisiodiderotti._.6962 Sory I dont know what you mean. At least who ,did not rape who,where?

[@denisiodiderotti._.6962]

@@sansoucci5394 the germans, racial policy didn't allow that...

[@bazzakeegan2243]

Stefan, keep up the good work....You breath fresh air into History, especially World War 2....German soldiers kept fighting until the end,because in reality, they had run out of options.....War,brings out the best and worst in the people involved....Let's hope,humanity will not have to endure World War 3........Peace from Ireland!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply.

[@africanlipplateandbonenose3223]

Look at the world today and you'll understand why they kept fighting.

[@georgetumino9652]

Thanks. Very interesting. filled in some gaps in my knowledge of WWII

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@Adam-yi2zq]

Great video, really enjoyed it.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍 thank you.

[@karstenpaulsen1665]

My father fought until 4th May 1945 where he was wounded and capured in the near of his home. His personal soldier honor forced him to defend home from enimy.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand his viewpoint. What can you tell us about his experiences in the war? How did your father reflect on the war?

[@karstenpaulsen1665]

@@HistoryHustle Hi! My father entered the German Kriegsmarine at 1. June 1941 at the age of 18. After training and education to Masch. Mot. he was locatet to the 8. und 10. Räumbootsflottile in France. This time was his best time he told me. They had some deadly combat situations with English Boats and Planes, but he was lucky. He answered my questions how his opinion about the war was, that his opinion was simple: Join the army, see the world. At July 1943 he came back to Germany for further education and becoming a trainer for other soldiers in technical ship motor things. At April 1945 he was a Member of Alarm-Batl. 1, where the rest of marine soldiers faught in the a area south from the city of Emden. This battles where hard, sometimes from house to house. He was wondet in the small village Oldersum. I have a lot of photos he made in France and elswhere from his time in the German Kriegsmarine. Copies of the Fotos went to the Marinemuseum Wilhelmhaven.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this, Karsten.

[@user-pu2om3wl8o]

@@karstenpaulsen1665 how many French civilians he did killed?

[@kevinhealey6540]

I was stationed in Germany in the 1960s. The Germans told me in 1943 they talked to soldiers who returned from the Russian front who were too debilitated to fight and were informed by them that it's just a matter of time. Germans told me when they heard Operation Operation Valkyrie on the radio, everyone knew precisely what it was all about and had hoped it had succeeded. I remember talking to WW 2 US army veterans. They said that very often when they were fighting in France, they would be met by an army of boys starting age 11. They said that the kids were more than willing to do it because they saw it as an adventure. One German told me he was 15 years old in 1944 He was handed a rifle and was told to use it when the impending attack comes from France. He later tossed the gun and made a run for it but the SS caught up with him. They were getting ready to hang him for desertion but they didn't have enough time to do it because the American army was moving in fast and they had leave him and move out immediately with minutes to spare. Then the American army moved in and got a hold of him and they were ready to shoot him because they figured he was a soldier. Eventually they just let him go. He said he got lucky that he was not given a uniform to wear.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read. MANY THANKS FOR SHARING!

[@kevinhealey6540]

@@HistoryHustle thanks.

[@kevinhealey6540]

I ended my military career with operation desert Storm, but I was never on the front.

[@jamesstevenson7725]

BS.

[@peskycat]

A good concise analytical examination. Thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍

[@georgealexander8523]

Great video! Thank you, very interesting

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@leroyhovatter7051]

One major reason is that when they had invaded the Soviet Union in operation bobberossa they wreaked havoc on the civilian population. Had the Germans played more of a liberator role than as of the oppressor I have no doubt that the Soviet civilians would have rebelled against the Soviet regime and aided the German Wehrmacht.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes. In fact, some Soviet citizens (Baltic people, Ukrainians) hailed the Germans as liberators, but soon would find out these were another oppressor.

[@leroyhovatter7051]

@@HistoryHustle The fact is the Nazi regime was a self destructive form of government that in any way shape or form can function in peace time. There ideology can't allow it. Strong takes from the weak etc. etc. There has to be war for the Nazi government to function.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, indeed, although the nazi government existed from 1933-39 in "peace time".

[@leroyhovatter7051]

@@HistoryHustle The only reason it did was to give Germany the time it needed to rebuild it's armament infrastructure and give it sufficient time to rearm to make her self a super power again.

[@HistoryHustle]

I agree although some historians tend to think otherwise.

[@Ash-gq7ni]

Liked for the vid and because your warm welcome actually made me feel welcomed. New viewer, new sub.

[@HistoryHustle]

Nice to read this. Thanks for your reply and welcome to the channel!

[@vp3970]

Thank you for this. 🌺

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching.

[@eff_gee321]

There's just something about a guy talking about world wars with a map behind him that I can't resist, here's a Sub

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel!

[@glennbeadshaw727]

Sounds kinky

[@brittislove]

The map calls Scotland gross I can only assume thats true

[@eff_gee321]

@@glennbeadshaw727 your comment drew an image in my brain that won't be easy to erase

[@eff_gee321]

@@brittislove behold the wisdom of the map

[@brianfergus839]

“‘’til” is the shortened form of “until” “till” means breaking up ground before planting

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for the correction.

[@brianfergus839]

History Hustle bitte schon

[@quasimododisney8765]

@@HistoryHustle That is NOT a correction - in fact, it is wrong: "til" is not standard English, while "till" is perfectly acceptable.

[@danielbjornstrom2624]

The hunchback is right. "Till" is correct, whereas "til" is not, unless you add an apostrophe. As Merriam-Webster says, "if you use till in writing and someone tells you that you have made an error, simply take the extra L off the end of the word and poke them in the eye with it." Source: www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/should-you-use-until-or-till-or-til

[@DeltaEchoGolf]

The Germans mutinied in 1918. British and French had mutinies as early as 1916.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, although these were surpressed.

[@craigwall9536]

@@HistoryHustle That's _suppressed._

[@j3lny425]

@@HistoryHustle The naval mutiny was suppressed? The fleet did not sail.

[@oldben5772]

What British WW1 mutinies? A few protests behind the lines.

[@letoubib21]

@@oldben5772 D'accord ...

[@kawythowy867]

Great stuff. Great perspective.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching.

[@paulbalogh4582]

Well done, thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@hijinx3608]

That was absolutely brilliant well done sir... I've learned more from this video that I had from dozens of other videos prior... I had always wondered why the Germans did this you couldn't have made it more clear thank you my friend I will be a new subscriber right now Looking forward to more of your videos

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. And welcome to the channel!

[@TheLocalLt]

It also has to be considered that a massive amount of people along with most of the civil service was living in the countryside, they watched allied planes bomb their cities from a safe distance. The concept of “Germany is being invaded” was less real outside of cities (which had been pummeled by bombs well before the Soviets made it onto german soil) until the actual enemy boots were on the ground nearby at which point state functions ceased. At the time of the surrender, parts of Germany were still under their own control, and the allies allowed the German government to continue operating out of Flensburg well past the surrender as the allies chose not to dissolve the German Realm, instead legalizing their occupation, though the did dismiss the Nazi cabinet at Flensburg and moved the government to Berlin, and sending British troops to the area, putting all of the country under one of the 4 occupations. So really the state never totally ceased functioning and I believe was not broken up. The allies spent several years reorganizing Germany’s incredibly complicated internal borders, many of which had existed for 1000 years, into more geometric units. The German Realm, which hadn’t been dissolved after the kaiser’s abdication, hadn’t been dissolved after Hitler took power, and had improbably not been dissolved to this point, was finally dissolved and the political differences between America/Britain and the Soviet Union saw the country divided into two new states. So the Prussian-based German Realm lasted through all manner of events, from 1867-1948, with the state becoming subject of a near-cult in itself in Germany, something that was too powerful to be overcome by the fact that Germany was losing the war.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for this extensive comment. Very interesting to read and inspiring for future episodes!

[@mikefay5698]

The Germans sent all their stolen gold to Switzerland accounting for the German "miracle!" economic revival. The British knew and said nothing since they borrowed that ugly gold from the Swiss to revive their own bankrupt economy! Today Germanys toddying to the USA resulted in a US bombing of the German Gas lines from Russia and the Eu's sickening genuflection to US Capitalism and immiserating all of Europe. The reason in my opinion was to spllt Europe from Russia since German manufacturing and Russian raw material would have advanced Germany and all of Europe in a synergy that would have ended any hope for the US Monopoly. Poland is the Geographical centre of Europe Russia is as European as Germany Spain or France. Europe ends at the Ural mountains. Poland and Turkey are in a dreamland of living in past glorious Empires!

[@darknice10]

My Opa was from Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and told me in 1943, at age 16, a German officer entered his classroom and told everyone it was their time to serve. Im glad he was able to tell me a lot of his stories before he died in 2013. There’s too much to tell in one comment, but this talk of super weapons that would turn the tide of the war and execution for “ deserters “ reminds me of some of his stories. Towards the end of the war, he said they did nothing but march and march and march. Their superiors told them the were heading to “ The Apline Fortress” which was impenetrable and they could hold out there forever. They marched nearly an entire day and hardly had any food or water. He said later they realized this fortress didn’t exist. They sat down to take a break and my opa passed out from exhaustion. Later he woke to his buddy telling him to wake up. He looked up and saw Katusha rockets flying in the sky next to the barn he slept by, and looked down the road and saw his unit already far down the road, marching away. He had to run to catch up. Eventually they stopped marching and the officers said they couldn’t go on and said something about being sick or something, but my opa said the officers were about to go into hiding because people were coming to execute them for being “ traitors”. The officers then told the soldiers they were leaving and it was now up to the men to decide what was best for them. Friends grouped together and decided on what to do for the rest of the war. My opa and his friend packed up their military clothes in a sack and walked around with civilian clothes on. They found a lot of tobacco near a farm and took as much as they could because they knew they could trade it for anything, because everyone smoked. They were able to get bread , meat and a compass. He was lucky he dressed as a civilian because they were walking through a field and over the hill came an American jeep with a machine gun on it. He said the soldiers watched them for a while , but kept moving. War is war, so if they were in their German uniforms they may have been shot on sight.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read. Amazing he told you these stories before passing away. Thanks for sharing this.

[@darknice10]

@@HistoryHustle You’re welcome, my older brother apparently recorded some audio of his stories and saved them to a computer. I hope my brother knows where they are and has preserved them.

[@paulroman3402]

thanks for the book recommendation The End, I'm reading it now, extremely interesting.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@blakel8121]

Mum can we get Indy Idell? "We have Indy Idell at home." Indy Idell at home *This guy

[@HistoryHustle]

An inspiring man.

[@stephencarroll9935]

*Neidell

[@JeroenHoningh]

Hi Stefan. Thanks for all your interesting video's so far. On this subject, do you think that after such a long time of fighting and destruction and suffering there were also parts of the men in the army that lost hope and couldn't imagine a world without war anymore a factor for keep on fighting? The so called hardened and veteran soldiers?

[@HistoryHustle]

Actually interesting enough, according to historian Anthony Beevor German veterans suffered less from post traumatic stress disorders compared to Americans. This was due to the fact that the Germans already used to live in a repressive state. They were "used" to it. While for the Americans they returned home were for a great deal not much has happened. The Americans returned to a world were there wasn't much to do for them. As for the Germans they needed to rebuilt the country, since most of their cities laid in ruins.

[@Haya020265]

@@HistoryHustle The Germans didn't had the time to digest the horrible things that happen in wars because of the rebuilding that's a fact. But i think these soldiers did suffer PTSS later on in their lives asthings settled down and returned to normal. War is ugly.

[@mikefay5698]

German soldiers surviving, many joined the French Foreign Legion and fought against the Vietnamese and Algerians. At Dien Bien Phu in 1954 the Viet Minh Broadcast in German to persuade them to surrender. I suppose War was all they knew.

[@mikefay5698]

@Pustekuchen Not just Germany many families when I lived in Scotland thought the Military a better outlook than factory work. Years ago I asked an old soldier what it was like in the British Army before the War he said," better than Prison but not much better" The British had a huge supply of men in the 30's by unemployment. I learned some kitchen Hindi from men I worked beside a lot were in India. I live in New Zealand but even here under US pressure they lost 10 men and women in Afghanistan. Stupid beyond belief. Cheers!

[@mikefay5698]

@@HistoryHustle I doubt if any in combat escaped stress. The British just ignored it the US maybe were better to their Soldiers. Incredibly a lot of German Soldiers joined the Foreign Legion and fought at Dien Bien Phu so many the Viet Minh broadcast for these men to desert in German.

[@rdc5182]

Great historical information and insights related to the bemused ferocity of the German soldier towards the end of WW2. Respectfully

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply.

[@walterchernicki9395]

This is so informative

[@HistoryHustle]

👍