AFTER ARNHEM 1944 | Q&A 9
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Sources and notes will be in the pinned comment. Videos EVERY Monday at 5pm GMT (depending on season, check for British Summer Time).
Monty asked - “What happened AFTER Market Garden?" And while he was asking exclusively about the military side, I thought I'd expand the question to include what happened in Arnhem and the Netherlands after the Battle of Arnhem. So here's the answer. We'll be covering Operation Pegasus, Operation Pegasus II, the Dutch famine of 1944-45, and asking why the Allies didn't advance further into the Netherlands after Market Garden.
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Here’s some other videos you may be interested in -
The REAL Operation Market Garden | BATTLESTORM Documentary | All Episodes • The REAL Operation Mar...
Montgomery vs Eisenhower on Operation Market Garden's True Purpose | History Debate • Montgomery vs Eisenhow...
Who to Blame? John Frost on Operation Market Garden's Failure WW2 • Who to Blame? John Fro...
The BAD BOY of Operation Market Garden | General 'Boy' Browning • The BAD BOY of Operati...
"Arnhem" by Antony Beevor Book Review • "Arnhem" by Antony Bee...
My BATTLESTORM WW2 Documentaries • BATTLESTORM WW2 Docume...
And my Q&A Series • TIK Q&A Series
History isn’t as boring as some people think, and my goal is to get people talking about it. I also want to dispel the myths and distortions that ruin our perception of the past by asking a simple question - “But is this really the case?”. I have a 2:1 Degree in History and a passion for early 20th Century conflicts (mainly WW2). I’m therefore approaching this like I would an academic essay. Lots of sources, quotes, references and so on. Only the truth will do.
This video is discussing events or concepts that are academic, educational and historical in nature. This video is for informational purposes and was created so we may better understand the past and learn from the mistakes others have made.
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This video was demonetized by UA-cam after manual review without any explanation as to why. The conclusion we must assume is that UA-cam clearly doesn’t want to promote videos talking about military history or events like the Hunger Winter (is UA-cam Denialist?). For this reason, I am 100% reliant on my Patreons for support, who really are allowing videos like this to be made. Thank you! All questions are from Patreons donating $5 or more on my Patreon - www.patreon.com/TIKhistory Please consider supporting me and allow this channel to continue.
Dutch strikes gripped the country in response to Arnhem being evacuated. This was the excuse used by the Germans to cut food and supplies to the Netherlands. The Hunger Winter was the result. It seems that some blame the Allies for not advancing into the Netherlands quicker to relieve them from the hunger. But Allied strategy was focused on knocking the Germans out of the war, which would then solve the starvation issue by itself. Was this a right strategy? Could the Allies have done more to help the Dutch?
And I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the board front vs narrow front strategy, and whether you think either was right or wrong. There are clearly flaws to both. But which was the better strategy? And, once again, who’s really to blame for how Market Garden turned out? Let me know in the comments!
*Selected Bibliography / Sources*
(I have more books on the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden, but these were the most relevant to this particular discussion)
Beevor, A. “Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges.” Penguin Books, 2018.
Ambrose, S. "Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest." Simon & Schuster, Kindle 2001.
Citino, R. “The Wehrmacht's Last Stand: The German Campaigns of 1944-1945.” University of Kansas, 2017.
Eisenhower, D. "Crusade in Europe." Doubleday, Kindle 1948.
Hunt, V. "Blood in the Forest: The End of the Second World War in the Courland Pocket." Helion & Company, 2017.
Middlebrook, M. “Arnhem 1944: The Airborne Battle, 17-29 September.” 2009.
Montgomery, B. "The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Montgomery." Pan & Sword Military, 2014.
Neillands, R. “The Battle for the Rhine 1944.” Kindle, 2014.
Internet sources -
www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/RepPegasus.htm
www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/depth_aftermath.htm
Full list of all my WW2 and related books can be found here docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/114GiK85MPs0v4GKm0izPj3DL2CrlJUdAantx5GQUKn8/edit?usp=sharing
Thanks for watching! Bye for now!
Not pinned
And what is next weeks video
Thanks! Pinned now. And next week, no idea. I'm trying to figure out if I can do the first Courland video next week, but I'm not sure I can. It's close, but probably not quite that close. But we'll see...
Sad to see UA-cam being a jerk again, they never cease to amaze
UA-cam should be ashamed of themselves, this is happening more and more often to excellent channels.
Dad was wounded by shellfire near to Elst on 15/10/44. He was attached to 130 brigade, 43rd Wessex Div. He’s 98 this year and still remembers a lot about his time.
May God bless Dad!!
Thank him please for his actions! We Dutch are grateful to all Allies.
Montgomery actually had an alternative plan to Market Garden on the 9th/10th September. This was for a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected this alternative proposal and decided on Market Garden instead.
Montgomery had zero jurisdiction to decide airborne operations. Brereton and Eisenhower had the say so.
I never heard about that many deserters from the US Army in 44! Could be an interesting topic in itself!!!
An interesting read for that: historywithatwist.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/how-u-s-deserters-sowed-terror-in-world-war-ii-paris/ (dunno how accurate the source is though)
Yes! Fifteen thousand American deserters is what most “popped” out at me from this video. I had never heard anything remotely like this before!
He failed to mention the rapes and the murders committed by US troops against French civilians.
ur2c8...Probably because that was a rare or non existent problem; severely punished when it did occur! May be best if you were to keep your Leftist, anti-American Bullsh!+ out of what was an honest discussion?!
@Robert Dougherty @ur2c8 Or maybe one could support his controversial claims with facts/historical evidence and the other with counterarguing instead of dismissing it as "leftist antiamerican bullshit", if it is supposed to be a honest discussion.
It would be great to see a piece on the 15,000 deserters spoken of in this video. It would also be interesting to see a piece on the German ports that held out for long periods of time. Thank you.
Dunkerque never surrenderd till May ´45.
There is a man I know in Canberra Australia who has a "post Arnhem" story of his own. Jumped into Arnhem but failed to escape. Wounded and taken as a PoW, he tried to escape twice and ended up in a camp in Poland. Was freed by the Russians and, seeing he was able to drive, impressed him into their transport corp. In December in 1945, still driving for the Russians, he heard the war was over. News apparently travels very slowly in the Russian army it seems.
Nice one. Thanks for sharing. 👍
so many personal stories to be told. Thank You, sir @@dermotrooney9584
A camp in Poland in 1944? There was no Poland in 1944. Poland reemerged as a country in 1945 - a Soviet satelite state this time round. During WW2 Germans occupied Poland, German government was the government in Warsaw or Cracow.
@@wr7503 Well then he probably meant, "a camp which was in the geographical area which was called poland before and after the war as well as by many people during the war while it was under german control." The people in the camp at the time probably said it was in poland too because they were not going to let the germans tell them it was now germany.
@@macmcleod1188 There hasn't been a real Poland for centuries if not longer. What you're calling Poland, post WWII Poland, was as much of an artificial state as the post WWII Poland. One thing you can say for sure, the "occupied" are now the "occupiers." Most of present day Poland is really occupied 🇩🇪 Germany.
On behalf of a Dutchman thank you so much for sharing this. After this The German high command punished the Dutch hard.
No worries, Market Garden is one of my favourite battles, and the causes and effects of it are really interesting. Once day I hope to visit the area.
Excellent summary. I have often wondered what the aftermath was. Thank you.
Very interesting video, i hadn't heard about german frogmen, especially not of a mission to blow up the nijmegen bridge.
Thanks, a very informative video. I will show this to friend of mine who's a 97 year old Arnhem veteran who's attending the 75th anniversary at this moment.
Respects to them all.
The delivery of food to the civilians in Holland began WAYYYY before the timeline you stated TIK, the prince of the Netherlands pleaded with IKE to come to an agreement with the German commander Johannes Blaskowitz, for a ceasefire to allow air drops of food.
The USA name of the plan was called ‘operation chowhound’ the Brit’s/Canadians named their half of the operation, which name escapes me right now.
However, the Prince of Holland managed to contact both Churchill AND FDR, to get an OK for the operation, and in return, got the cooperation of German forces under the command of Blaskowitz like I said earlier. Now, this occurred DURING HEAVY combat operations, and Blaskowitz agreed to a specific flight path where allied planes were not to be fired upon, as long as the allied food planes remained in this very specific air corridor, they would be safe from German anti aircraft fire, and fighter attacks.
And true to his word (Blaskowitz) NO allied planes were lost to enemy fire during this humanitarian operation which delivered AT LEAST 11,000 tons of food. Only 3 planes were lost due to operational accidents.....
IN ADDITION, because the air drops were still not sufficient to feed so many people? The Germans also allowed a convoy of 200 allied trucks (lorries) to deliver food behind German lines.....
This cooperation from Blaskowitz likely had an effect on his acquittal on all 4 charges after the war at Nuremberg..... however, he committed suicide nonetheless in 1948 by throwing himself off a balcony on the way to the trial.
Why he did this? Who knows, like I said, he would go on to be acquitted of the 4 charges in the High Command trial, after his death.....however, I HAVE read that he was possibly implicated in some war crimes, executions, civilian retaliatory measures against partisan attacks on the eastern front earlier in the war, this is likely his rationale for killing himself.....
But yeah, I just thought I’d correct your timeline for the famine relief operations in Holland towards the end of the conflict.
Other than that? Cheers, all the other info and opinions you presented sounded correct based on my own individual research and knowledge about operation market garden and it’s aftermath.
Well done, and keep up the good work TIK! Cheers!
Nice one. Thanks for sharing. 👍
@Scott Natale I think you're searching for the name of operation Manna? Perfect name, in my opinion as they really where a godsend for the people living in the large cities of North and South-Holland. The area's more in the east / north had distinct advantage as being surrounded by more rural area's.
Blaskowitz is such an interesting figure - I wish he wrote a memoir before he offed himself.... or a fucking suicide note so we'd know why he did it. He's probably my 'favorite' German officer of the war, just because he disproves the lame "if I opposed the Nazis I would've been killed!" excuse many German officers used after the war - Blaskowitz opposed the Nazis directly several times.
@емза братот "most" - nein
Great video thank you - too often the Hunger Winter is overlooked - some of my cousins were born with holes in their hearts attributed to the malnutrition suffered by their mother as a child during that winter in Amsterdam. Her family survived by eating tulip bulbs. The stakes for a successful outcome of Market Garden were so high for everyone.
Thankfully my family either had farmer friends or owned a bakery, so they themselves didn't suffer as much as many others.
It was very bad. In the month of February 1945 around 1500 people died of starvation in the city of The Hague.
This division symbols could be a in a card game
You mean like Magic or Pokemon? That's an interesting thought...
@@TheImperatorKnight I was thinking on something like a quartet. A new Pokemon or magic the gathering would be a bit too much ^^'
I think they look great, but I also think TIK should review his symbol for 1st Canadian Army at 8:54. It appears to show the 1st Canadian Armoured Infantry Division, which didn't exist. Harry Crerar's mug shot is correct.
@@TheImperatorKnight Oh man, imagine a WW2 military tactical card game.
Kind of like the tabletop wargames, but with rules abstracted to the level of a card game.
Go fish
Excellent video. One 'pick'; the U.S. flag you're using has 50 stars; it should only have 48, as the 50 star flag was adopted after the 1960 election.
Wow, thank you! I would never have realised that, so thanks for pointing it out
48 stars is correct for 1944 and up until July 4, 1959 when a star for Alaska was added. (49 stars) Another star was added July 4, 1960 recognizing the statehood of Hawaii. Alaska became a state Jan 3, 1959 and Hawaii August 21, 1959. Nothing to do with the 1960 election. I had to look up the exact dates, but recalled 50 states having been achieved before the 1960 election.
Very interesting video. Thanks. My father in law was Dutch and served in the Dutch merchant marine. Was in at least one convoy to Murmansk. He wound up working for the New York Dutch Naval attache's office. His relatives were very bitter about the Nazis when I met some of them as late as the 1970's.
The 49 star flag - 7x7 stars - was used for only one year.
A few Hawaiians fly it as a cheeky way to thumb their nose at the other 49 states.
BTW, that's why the old TV series (and the recent remake) "Hawaii Five-O" got their name - Hawaii was the 50th state to be admitted to the Union.
@@TheImperatorKnight literally unwatchable
The 50-star flag was formally adopted July 4, 1960. The election was November 8, 1960
Realy interesting video once again, though the Zuiderzee incident did take all the credibility out of the video ofcourse
Of course haha
What's a Zoiderzee? :)
(congrats on some of the pronounciations by the way... but that 'ui' sound will ever elude you English types :) ).
Imagine trying to get across the southern Netherlands later on in worse weather and with tougher German defences. Market Garden got to Nijmegen (where the British and Canadian advance into Germany in 1945 kicked off from) in less than 3 days.
I suspect it would have taken far longer and with considerable killed and wounded in, say, November.
What a treat to have you continue your Arnhem documentary a bit!
And BTW, if you look at detailed maps of the scheldt. It looks a bit suicidal to attack there frontally. Maybe that's a good reason why they didn't want to do it.
Awesome video. I have heard a lot about Market Garden, but very little about what happened afterwards, so this video was really interesting.
Good video. Couple of picks; A "Räumungkommando" is not about repossession but about clearing out an area of all possible valuables. its pronounced as "roymung" as it has an umlaut on the A. The town of "Ede" is pronounced as "Ayduh". "Zuiderzee" is pronounced as "Zowderzay". Good call on the "Seine..!! "Waho Mohammed" ..!!
Beware of "Brother Ambrose". His books were written solely with profit in mind. Historically accurate facts were often sacrificed for sake of a good story - making the task of HBO mini-series writers easier. Check out "The Road to Arnhem" by Donald R. Burgett for an accurate description from an enlisted paratrooper's (A Company 506 PIR - 101st ABD) point of view.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
You wrote the book on getting things wrong - you embellishments are all over the comment sections
Yes- a populist author of no real historical merit.
10.26 'fortress' garrisons in the ports meant supplies had to be driven by truck from the Normandy beaches. Red Ball Express
Thanks for this, I too have wondered what happened after the Paras surrendered.
It seems too much of history is dominated by glorious battles, won or lost, and not enough on what happened next.
There is a few bits I'd add. Digby Tatham -Water was my great uncle and part of the story is that whilst he was waiting to organise the escape he was going around with a local and pretended to be defe and dum!
I just watched this video with the intent of finding context for a memoir I am reading written by a member of A Company of the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, Private Donald R. Burgett. He jumped into Normandy and survived as an active member of the 101st through to the end of the war. His account of A Company's experience on the Island post Market Garden was complementary to the Band of Brothers Easy Company story but different and more harrowing. Your video, concentrates on the eastern end of the Island and does not fully address their defense of the western end around Opheusden against the entire 363d Volksgrenadier Division. So I recommend Burgett's memoir, which I have in three short volumes, Currahee, The Road to Arnhem and Seven Roads to Hell. I believe the memoir was originally published in the 60s and proclaims Burgett as the first enlisted man to write a history of the American Airborne. I am finding Burgett's memoir as riveting as Ambrose's Band of Brothers and related publications that added to Easy Company's history.
I also have his Arnhem and Bastogne volumes and found Don Burgett a reliable witness to events he was involved in, and I would say it's more reliable than some of Ambrose's work. Episode 4: Replacements of Band of Brothers is somewhat compromised in conflating two different actions at Opwetten and Nuenen into one battle. Episode 5: Crossroads is much better, thanks to Winters' detailed account of the 5 October action practically writing the script for them.
My own research into the German units involved was greatly helped by his testimony that clearly shows he knows the difference between a Tiger II and a Panther tank when he sees them (they have very similar profiles), and helped identify the German units, because he described a "Royal Tiger" leading a column of Panthers at Opheusden. This also lent credibility to his later account of meeting a Tiger II face to face at Noville near Bastogne, when most historians doubt the vehicles were even used in the sector. Evidence the schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 were in the Bastogne area are substantiated by a Tiger I wreck outside the town that had belonged to Panzer Kompanie 'Hummel' at Arnhem and then subsequently incorporated into s.Pz.Abt.506 as their 4.Kompanie for the Ardennes offensive, so I have no doubt Don was on the money.
The Germans apparently used this tactic of having the heavy Tigers spearhead attacks by columns of divisional medium tanks on more than one occasion and this happened near Arnhem in support of the October 1944 attack by 363.Volksgrenadier-Division as well as the first attacks and by-passing of Bastogne at Noville in December by 2.Panzer-Division.
There's also a video on UA-cam of Don travelling to the Nijmegen 'island' with author Mark Bando to locate the famous orchard rest area in which Don participated in the battle with a battalion of 363.VGD that had penetrated the American lines and established a position nearby, so I'm across most of the locations described in Don's books and the Easy Company stories as well.
Nice you finally learned the Zuiderzee is actually the IJsselmeer (since the ‘30) . I also noticed there was another big battle going on in the Netherlands. That was the allied offensive to the Maas, the battle at Overloon and Roermond, in the same period (October November 1944). Good video though. Thumbs up and go on :)
Couple of points. The German 363.Volksgrenadier-Division is located in the wrong place on the video map. It was not attached to II.SS-Panzerkorps in the Arnhem area (with 10.SS-Panzer, 9.Panzer and 116.Panzer-Divisions), it was subordinated to the newly arrived XII.SS-Armeekorps based in Ede, which controlled the newly reformed 363.Volksgrenadier-Division (an army infantry division reorganised with less manpower but more automatic weapons) from Germany, and the in situ Division von Tettau that controlled various training units under German Armed Forces Netherlands during the Airborne battle.
363.Volksgrenadier-Division, having arrived in Ede by train, was deployed across the Rijn to the west of Opheusden, and it was units from this Division that attacked the US 101st Airborne in the Opheusden area, while faint attacks like Oelker's SS training unit (from the SS NCO school) crossed in the Doorwerth area (between Renkum and Driel on the map) as described in the video. These feint attacks were to draw attention away from attacks by II.SS-Panzerkorps in the east that were hoped to retake the Nijmegen bridges. It was even hoped that if all these attacks succeeded, they would link up and clear all Allied forces on the 'island' between Arnhem and Nijmegen. It all came to nought because Allied units on the island were too strong.
To avoid any confusion, the 9.Panzer-Division in this video is the army unit relocated to Holland from Aachen along with 116.Panzer-Division, and not its SS counterpart the 9.SS-Panzer-Division, which had been in the process of entraining for Siegen in Germany to be refitted when the Airborne attack took place. After the Airborne battle was over, it completed its move to Germany, leaving its sister division the 10.SS-Panzer-Division in Holland.
The second point was that while the Germans controlled the civilian Dutch telephone system, there was another telephone system in the Province of Gelderland that the Germans were completely unaware of. This was an advanced internal network belonging to the PGEM electricity company that used communications cables on the electrical transmission lines running across the province. Since the southern half of Gelderland was in Allied hands and the northern part still in German hands, the Dutch resistance had a secure means of communication across the frontlines the Germans didn't even know existed.
Interesting sidebar - one of the switchboards for this system was in a PGEM office building that had been occupied by the SD (the SS Security Service) in Arnhem. The Dutch resistence had to pose as PGEM workers (those with the necessary knowledge worked for the company anyway) to gain access to the building for 'regular maintenance' of 'essential equipment' in order to make their calls to Allied held Nijmegen.
How long did the Germans hold Dunkirk in 1944? Is there a lot written about it?
The irony
As far as I know, Hitler ordered his troops to stay in their "fortress" to force the allies into a bloody and long battle however the allies were not interested so they let some troops in a siege
It held out until the end of the war. The Germans had a significant forces in Dunkirk and were able to even counter attack the allies there late in the war. Check out Operation Blulcher: The Last German Attack in France, April 1945 ua-cam.com/video/FXqg-6YKU7Q/v-deo.html
@@scottperry7311 That is fascinating, thank you for the info
I have been waiting on a chance to discuss Market Garden with you!
Because you are wrong! Even Beevor misses it, disliking Montgommery. But he actually touches the reason in his book "Battle for Normandy"
During the Normandy campaign Montgommery gets a lot of stick from the americans in particular for pussyfooting during the battle for Caen.
To be fair the Brits saw the brunt of the german forces, as they were seen as the biggest danger, mainly as if Caen was taken, the road would be more or less open to Paris. And due to the fact that the americans was unexperienced and bogged down in the boccage in the Cotentan peninsula.
The main reason for this pussyfooting was the simpe fact, that Montgommery was under direct order by Churchill not to bleed his troops, as he (Churchill) expected that western forces would have to fight Sovjet later on, and if Britain bleed to many troops, it would loose influence. This orders went well with Montgommery as he pr nature was a causious and meticulous planner. He was also known as a stickler for detail and once a plan was laid, he would stick to it come hell or high water.
So why did he propose Market Garden? It was so unlike him at all. We know, he preferred a narrow front to the North, as he had put that idea forward more than once, but to propose an hugely ambitious plan with only a week to plan and execute it. That is so beyond his thinking!
Many does claim, it was because he wanted to cross the Rhine before Patton, them having a race for glory. I have never seen anything stating that Montgommery was compeeting with Patton! In fact it was Patton compeeting with Montgommery. He was the one hating Montgommerys guts. Montgommery was obliviant to other generals being an arrogant ass as allways.
You claim it was to incircle the german 15th army. I state, that you are all wrong on this!
The reason for the rushed planning of Market Garden and the dismissal of going for the Shelte Estuary to free up Antwerp port was yet again .... CHURCHILL. This time is was not an order to perserve troops. The reason was the V2 Rocket! Germany had started launching V2 rockets by the 7th of september and by the 9th London was under V2 attack. Churchill did his most to keep the truth from his citizens, as he feared a public panic. The explosions was called gas pipe explosions. Very soon londoners called the V2's flying gas pipes. Churchill needed these attacks to stop here and now. Thus Montgommery was ordered to take the lauch sites in the area below Südersee in order to puch the V2's out of reach of London.
This is why the planning was rushed, this is why they were so keen, that they disregarded dutch resistance reports of armor in the area. Montgommery was ordered to do so, to stop the Rockets hitting London. Hence the Early start at 17th of september.
Churchilll suppressed the knowlegde of V2 Rocket attacks until 10 of october, as Hitler had announced their use on the 8th.
John Cornell If I remember correctly, this report caused Monty to suggest a different plan with some elements of the Market Garden operation but nowhere as ambitious. Eisenhover was dismissive of that proposal. Market Garden was rushed through after the 10th. I am sure, Eisenhower was informed of the urgency to stop the V2s both for the English fear of widespread panic and the direct threat to his supply bases in southern England. For no other reason would they have pressed home such ambitious operation in just 7 days. The reason why this never went public was first the absolute need for keeping the V2s from the public, and then later it would be demoralising to tell the public, that they failed in that particular objective. Later again there was no need to try to alter history.
Any larger operation took either weeks after weeks or even months to put in place. But this was after only 7 days, and suggested and planned by a general that never would allow him self to gamble this hard. Only dire need can explain the rush, and the dire need was the V2 rocket launches.
Frodo Nifinger: You're quite right that Monty entered Normandy with a mandate to conserve British manpower. Unable to capture Caen in the first day or two post invasion, he found himself facing the bulk of German forces, particularly panzer units. Monty would have been justified to conserve British manpower by shifting to a defensive strategy in the east. He could pin down the German units facing him, minimize casualties, while reducing pressure on American units in the west. Instead, Monty adopted a strategy of methodical direct assault across the city in a grueling house to house campaign -- thereby suffering over 50,500 Commonwealth casualties. It was a price Britain could not afford to pay.
Caen exhausted British reserves. After that, replacements could only come from dismantling and combining existing units.
Virtually all V-1's and V-2's were launched from the French coast. Rocket suppression might justify priority for a northern thrust, especially one that cleared the Scheldt. Market Garden wouldn't have a direct impact on the rocket campaign.
Cassandra B The V2 rocket first became operationel by 7th. of september 1944. By that time the French West coast was In Allied hands except for garrisons at major ports.
V2 rocket was launched from mobile platforms in woods in the area south of Südersee and north of the Shelte estuary. Occupation of that area would push the V2 out of operational reach from both the staging area in southern England and London.
The Canadians got a lot of troops shot up outside Caen versing SS Troops in the wet fields . I only just realised a while ago the US Landings at Normandy inevitably allowed a large sweeping movement across France which includes the Liberation of Paris .How fortunate ? A huge show in front of cameras opportunity . As it was there was a tussle who was to enter first , who paraded down the The Avenue des Champs-Élysées in front of the world
@@frodonifinger2628 Precisely! Stopping V-2 launches would require an attack to the northwest, north of the Scheldt, not northeast toward Arnhem. It would require elimination of the German 15th Army, which defended the Scheldt and northwest Netherlands (Holland). Even after the capture of Nijmegen (20 Sept 1944), Breda (29 Oct) and Walcheren Island (6 Nov), clearing the area around Hague / Rotterdam was never really attempted.
At 2:40, I have to agree with you, because I do like a good rump too, but I prefer mine bouncing up and down vigorously...........
And I prefer Fillet steak, to eat, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t bitten the odd juicy rump, when she wants that, that is............ ;)
Very well presented and thought-provoking video. Thank you.
Could you make a video about the German panzerturm or tank turrets that were used as static emplacements in the Atlantic wall and on the eastern front thanks its one of those topics that very few information is available online
Although I know quit a bit about the battle of Arnhem it is always good to see your step-by-step map TIK. The battle comes alive and one can suddenly grasp how it unfolds. Good video again TIK, but I know that you know there has being much more fighting on 'The Island' between sept '44 and april '45. (Remember Dick Winters battle at the Dike at Driel/Heteren). The whole episode is worthwhile a separate video. As a matter of fact a Dutch director Bram van Workum is preparing to shoot a movie called Betuwe '44. TIK, although I am not able to patron support you yet (credit card issues) I would like to invite you to come to my hometown Arnhem and I will guide you, drive you around, feed you and make sure you get a decent bed to sleep in.
TIK on tour. That would be great.
My recently deceased friend served as a sapper in 1st SAS and told me whilst we were in Arnhem that he and three or four others had joined the Americans and dropped just outside Nijmegen to assist in removing demolitions on the bridge. He could name all the other sappers and recounted his actions with clarity I can find no official record of SAS involvement.
@Cloud Burst 117 It was the Belgian SAS who was in the Arnhem area as pre-Ops-recon for the operation Market. All revealed in the book "Belgian SAS at Arnhem". arjanatwork3@gmail.com
lol what a crock of lies
Missing Jerrie cans As I understand it. The US made little effort to collect and return empty cans for reuse.
I don't believe there was anything the Allies could've done after Arnhem to help the Dutch citizens, Hell's Highway is still a single road which is still being attacked, 3 German divisions are blocking an exhausted XXX Corps and they still have to deal with a very long supply line now extended by the operation.
The Allied strategy was basically all they could do.
I think the broad and narrow fronts both work well but in terms of getting across the Rhine the narrow front was probably the better option.
If Market Garden succeeded then it would've denied the Germans a Army(the 15th) if the Allies crossed it, the 15th Army would be weakened by being cut off from Germany and losing any supplies it might've been getting(which might have been Montgomery's idea, take out a German army and secure entrances to Antwerp in one blow), they could try to escape across that road to the north that connects Southern and Northern Netherlands but that place is a bombers dream.
It would of given the Allies the perfect location to bypass the Siegfried line which might've made it less difficult for the troops about to cross into Germany and the Rhine, might not have been an Operation Varsity if Market Garden succeeded.
It seems like a chance worth taking.
For who's to blame, I would say Gavin for not sending a larger force to the Nijmagen bridge.
Why couldn't they retreat from the halls highway
YathytheCanuck if you mean the Allies then that would be a terrible idea, not only would it be terrible on the troops moral but that would give the Germans the perfect opportunity to destroy an entire enemy Corps and 2 Airborne Divisions.
Retreating down one road being chased by 4 German divisions, 3 of them panzers, plus any coming from the 15th German army and that's not including any divisions the Germans might send from the east, it would be the equivalent to a death sentence.
@@L24-h8i ok I meant the allies and thanks for answering my question
@@yathusanthulasi Staying in place was pretty sound. The German counter attacks in the north played to allied strengths and (I think) caused more German casualties than the main Arnhem battle.
This was pretty dark. The retaliation against the Dutch civilians was just like how the Germans treated the Slavs in Eastern Europe.
Bad lottery ticket due to geography. In remote areas, people were able to flee the battle or the authorities evacuated them.
Definitely, in the east the population fared worst considering its basically a war of annihilation there
@@Schmusekatze42 you might want to read about the Hunger Winter. Tens of thousands and perhaps a hundred thousand dutch died of starvation.
The Germans took some 260 civilians as hostages in Finnish Lapland, but they later released the prisoners unharmed. Although the Germans' delaying scorched earth and land mine strategies devastated Finnish Lapland, military impacts were relatively limited.
Interestingly, at that time, it was said that the Sami people had Asian blood. Recent genetic studies have indicated that the "Nganassan" autosomic component now makes up more than 25% in the Sami.
The are alot of stories of American soldiers looting civilian houses in Belgium and The Netherlands
This is NOT Holland. It is the Netherlands, North and South Holland are two provinces in the west.
15,000 US deserters... Wow. That's a decent fraction of all the US forces in Europe.
Deserves a video?
Over 2 million Americans served in europe during the war. 15,000 isn't a decent fraction no matter how much you would like it to be.
@@Fuzzy_nutstein Whaddya mean, "like it to be?"
I bet there weren't 2 million US troops in France and the Netherlands.
@@Fuzzy_nutstein Anyway 15,000 seems like a lot in just a few months. Especially for Americans, who wouldn't be tempted to just walk back home the way Europeans could. Plus, the allies had already effectively won at that point.
Now I wonder how many Canadian, Australian, New Zealander, Polish and French deserters there were in Europe at the time. Or British for that matter.
@@twirlipofthemists3201 I agree with that for sure.
@@twirlipofthemists3201 over 100.000
In the movie "A Bridge Too Far" we last see the man with the umbrella mortally wounded after the final surrender in Arnhem. So I'm surprised to learn he not only lived, but managed to getaway with a decent number of his comrades.
If you believe that film, you'll probably be in for a lot more surprises, tbf.
Digby Tatham_Warter was portrayed as a bit of a pratt in the film. He was one of the bravest, and would use his military rational to inflict without flinching. After the war he moved to kenya where he was one of the first to open a bloodles safari where folk could actually study the animals. He died in 1993.
I'd love to see TIK cover the Battles surrounding the capture of Walcheren Island.
The whole Sheldt situation was a cockup, everyone at the top knew it and no one wanted the blame.
The only ones who had a clue as to its importance was the German command.
But the Scheldt suceeded. In fact it was the only allied compaign of autumn 1944 to actually achieve its objectives, whereas the Lorraine, Hurtgen, Operation Queen etc all failed and with higher casualties.
Wow back when colonels actually served on the front and didn’t just make appearances for morale
this is such good shit, I watch all the WW2 docus, this is the most intellectural and historical stimulation, many tanx!!!!
Another really interesting video, were the Deserters ever punished?
I'm amazed at the number of Deserters and the selling of military fuel. I can understand stealing food, but abandoning your fellow soldiers and actively denying desperately needed military resources from reaching your side must be as bad as spying behind enemy lines. Did any of them get punished, even executed?
Private Eddie Slovak was the only US Army soldier executed in WW2 for desertion. The rest who were charged were courts martialed for various offenses and punished.
@@Idahoguy10157 - thank you for that, I guess after the experiences of the First World War, attitudes where very different about executing men in combat zones. I think if I'd seen my comrades killed at Arnhem and then heard about deserters making money from our supplies, I don't think I'd have been as forgiving.
John Doe .... Courts did order executions for desertions. Executions had to be approved by Eisenhower which he’d overturned. Slovak was repeatedly warned by Officers to change his defense and refused too. He was a victim of himself.
Slovak brought it upon himself. He wrote a letter stating his plans to dessert and that he had no intention of fighting and would rather be in jail. He was given numerous opportunities to recant but refused to do so. Yes he was made an example.
Hello tik . I was wondering if you may be able to point me in the right direction on some research .
My grandads brother was in the oxford and Buckinghamshire regiment and was in the first air drop of Parachuter's that came in an hour after the gliders landed at what is now known as Pegasus bridge . he died there and we thought for years he had died almost immediately on landing . it was only many years later , when my grandad went to France on one of the d-day anniversary's to find his head stone , did we find out he died on d-day + 9 and from speaking to a veteran who was there and knew Stanley , that they had been repulsing a German armoured assault on the right of the bridge when a stug assault gun crashed though a bush on the road where he and a friend where sat in a fox hole , turned towards them and blew them both up . I want to know more about what the paras did after the orne bridge when fighting purely as infantry .
Thanks for your efforts and please concentrate on ww2 , it is the biggest event in human history after all .
Martin
Monty's purpose for Market Garden was an allied spearhead all the way to Berlin and an end to the war by Christmas as crazy as that sounds. When Monty didn't get approval from Eisenhower, he threw a fit and Market Garden was the consolation prize. There was no consideration made in regards to the German controlled Scheldt estuary or all the islands along the way. Given the allied supply problems, it's so obvious the Scheldt should have been the objective and the opening up of the port of Antwerp.
Actually Montgomery had an alternative plan for Market Garden, which was a paratroop drop at Walcheren Island to clear the Scheldt, but General Brereton of First Allied Airborne Army flat out rejected it and chose Market Garden instead.
Eisenhowers broad front strategy was a disaster. It prolonged the war by months and caused the failures in the Lorraine, Hurtgen Forest, Operation Queen and the retreat in the Ardennes.
The what happened after market garden question remembered me of the fight for S-Hertogenbosch, that would make a cool mini battlestrom video in the future
The answer is, 30.000 Dutch people died due to hunger and Lack of fuel and resources.
The west of the country was cut of and all means of transport where destroyed in the region.
So when a harsh winter came the west of the country couldn't be supplied and lots of people died in the hongerwinter.
When the English claimed the mission to be an succes the Dutch prince Bernhard commented: the Dutch people can't take anymore British success.
It was 18,000. Far more people were liberated by MARKET GARDEN than died in the Winter of 1944-45 under German occupation.
The ex SS man Prince Bernhard was rightly shown the door by both British and US intelligence services. Only his Royal connections kept him out of prison in the 1970s, in the wake the Lockheed scandal.
11.10 How many civilian cars were there by that time?
Oh boy, I love Monday’s now, thanks TIK
Happy to make Mondays that little bit better :)
Thank you for highlighting this front after the big operation
No worries, I really enjoy talking about Operation Market Garden :)
One more question! Where were allied planes during MG couldnt they support Brits at Arnhem?
Where were the Allied planes during MG, they were there supporting the ground troops including the 1st airborne div.
Pretty unknown part of history. Great vid!
Yes, a lot of the Market Garden books don't really mention it, and the details are sparse. It's a shame.
Western front is always always a major success with no drawbacks whatsoever in those books. Wonder why, hmm
Hi TIK, I hope you get this. You asked me to inform you when the report on the Finnish Waffen-SS volunteers investigation is complete. It is done and been published. I have a PDF on the report if you would like it. My youtube messaging is open.
Great job. I'm going to check to see if any got charged for starving the Dutch. Super evil.
Thank you for this video brother man.... didn’t know the Germans had frogmen... also not to nit pick a quality video I can’t remember the time stamp but I believe I saw a mistake when you were covering the escape in which Easy Co. assisted in... you had Easy Company 3 battalion 506th 101 the correct identifier should be Easy Company 2 Battalion 506th 101st.... if I am mistaken I apologize.... again amazing video
Great job on this. When I read or hear the value of Market Garden questioned, part of my answer is that at least it spared the southern Netherlands from the Hunger Winter.
It wasnt just the Canadians that took Antwerp. My Uncle. Badged Essex but with No4 Commando was awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross for his actions at Walcheren!
Blame Gavin and the Reichswald? Maybe Brown had some intelligence concerning the area that wasn't known to the Americans? So many commanders involved had doubts concerning this operation. I know Horrocks was against the whole idea. Hell, he didn't understand why Monty stopped the advance in the first place. According to him, there was plenty of fuel. He stated that there was fuel enough, with and in the rear of 30 corps, to carry an advance over the Rhine.
Jesus, shoulda sent just easy company and let them win the war themselves. THEY WERE EVERYWERE!
Thanks for posting.
A very thorough and informative presentation about the aftermath of operation Market Garden.
I did learn a lot.
I may well be wrong but I think that the mad colonel of Arhem's name is pronounced "doebee" like toby is, but with a D.
I stand to be corrected.
British rations really have been terrible.
An old friend - long dead - was involved in the airlift of food for the Dutch civilians. He told me that some of the more humane (although in the situation I am not sure that word is well used) German officers got a message across that the bombers involved wouldn't be fired upon if they were flying with they weapons fully elevated to make it clear that they were not belligerent.
Does anyone know more about this? He was there so it is a first hand account - pretty sure he would know if he was being shot at - but i struggle to reconcile this with the overall attitude to the Dutch displayed by the Wehrmacht at this time.
A mostly good description of that period after Market Garden, but not in all aspects correct.
After the retreat of th 1th Airborne the Germans ordered a total evacuation of the Arnhem area and the German occupied parts of the Betuwe, the land between the Rhine and Waal river. The allied did the same in their area, also the Betuwe part between the rivers (later called Manneneiland / Man island) and the villages along the corridor. The people evacuated by the Germans were expected to go to the northern part of the Netherlands (some had to travel partly trough Germany), the people in allied occupied territory were brought to the liberated southern parts of the Netherlands.
The city of Arnhem was indeed systematicly robbed of all furniture, food, stores and factory equipment by official German (half) civilian organisations. The goods were used to re-equip German civilians who were bombed out in the German cities.
But the picture in the allied occupied territories wasn't much better. Almost everywhere were the civilians had left their houses these were completely robbed by the American, English and later the Canadian soldiers and (almost) nothing was done about that. German soldier were punished hard for looting, even shot, but on the Allied side it was so common, that high command looked the other way. There is a Dutch very well documented book written about this dark side of the liberation. "Bezet, bevrijd & geplunderd", (Paul Klinkenberg, Paul Thissen en Paul van der Heijden) ISBN 978 94 6004 5059
The subject was difficult to talk about after the war. People were very thankfull for the liberation and allied soldiers were seen as heroes.
The region stayed frontline from September '44 until end of April '45 so over 6 months. Many soldiers but also civilians were killed or wounded in this period. Nowhere in European theatre the frontline was almost unchanged for such a long time. Most of the destruction of the region was done in the period after Market Garden!
"An army fights on its stomach" - Napoleon; someone who had a problem with supplies. Monty seems to have never really studied logistics.
One point I think everyone forgets is there is a tendency for offensives to out run their supplies and grind to a halt. If the defenders can still retreat they can wiggle off the hook and reset themselves.
Montgomery was a master of logistics and supply. He was more savvy than any other commander in that aspect of war.
He was simply told by SHAEF intel at the end of the second week in September 1944 that the Germans in front of him were down on their knees. That's why he immediately decided on a quick advance.
The point of the thrust northward would be to not just get the Scheldt area but to also put the port of Rotterdam in play, plus the German units in Holland. IMHO Market Garden was the best move to make given the logistical situation. It put two major ports within reach and would directly threaten the Ruhr.
15000 American deserters on the rampage behind the Allied lines. Guess major Winters and his band of brothers weren't the example for every American service man of the time. Would be interesting to know what happened to these people during and after the war had ended. Were they eventually rounded up and court-martialed? I do know that from 1944 up to 1947 some 250.000 American deserters had gone "underground" in the UK. Enough screenplay material for some Hollywood movies I would say.
Depending on circumstances they might have been able to turn themselves in with a BS story of heroic battle, getting captured, then later heroically escaping.
About 50,000 Americans deserted. About 100,000 Brits. Good book on the subject is The Deserters by Charles Glass. You can hear an extended interview with the author here: www.npr.org/2013/06/17/189275754/wwii-deserters-stories-of-men-who-left-the-front-lines
@@Taranaki66 Thanks for the tip. 👍
Desertion happens with all factions and nations, throughout military history. Adds a very strong dimension to what "MIA" can mean.
@@Taranaki66 Thanks for the useful info.
Was it a coincidence that I watched A Bridge Too Far today
There are no coincidences these days.
15,000 US deserters in Paris? That’s a full division. That sounds crazy, but I’m sure it happened. A retired US Army MP said all the deserters started coming out of the woodwork when the US were pulling out of Vietnam.
I believe the wide front approach was incorrect, simply put they did not have the supplies for it, they should be ready to adopt and use it at opportuny moments however, but not as a main strategy... obviously the americans believed it was wrong too as they later changed away from it.
I do believe it is a massive error not to focus more on the coastal areas, they should have learned and seen the problems Rommel had in africa because he had not captured tobruk and should have seen they were in the same situation. Due to the coasts proximity to england the smaller ports should be enough to give supplies to a dedicated unit just focusing on the coast, thus getting enough supplies to keep going.
Yes, a 40 division attack through to Berlin would have finished the war earlier and would have prevented Russian occupation of Berlin and the unfortunate situation in Europe after the war. Roosevelt was hopelessly outclassed and out manoeuvred by Stalin.
Thanks for a Great video
My father Fred Pearce was a sergeant in 1st Airborne Ox & Bucks defence platoon in trenches surrounding the 1st Airborne HQ at the Hartenstein hotel
He was shot in the leg & taken prisoner of war for nine months until the end of the war
He never spoke a word about Arnhem for 46 years except he once said he & other paras ate raw eggs from a farm when trying to evade capture from the Germans
I have his name on a one page list of sergeants taken pow signed by Colonel Warrack & the date is 6 days after the official end of the battle
Although you say fighting did continue for some time
After dad died in 1990 I did lots of research & assumed the 6 days was because they hid from the Germans in the countryside
I have learned so much from TIK history and amazed that on two occasions the Germans were ready to wipe all of Ist Airborne out completely because they refused to stop fighting but on the second occasion the poles were landing
Thank you for an amazing video
My surveying teacher from trent polytechnic 1982 was captured at Arnhem. He maintains he was the only man shot in rhe arse whilst advancing. He was sent to a pow camp and the germans had less food than they had and let him just walk out of the gates. After two days of no food he was forced to walk back in, get fed and wait to be liberated. Nobody cares by that time apparently but anly a month before the fighting was so bitter. I wish i could remember his name. A huge scotsman, probably and sadly passed by now.
Thankyou for sharing you very informative video ! - My father fought for Caen -Eindhoven -Nijmagen - Dad has spoke of the war & Dad knew so much about things you know he had to be there ? - He was the most honest person I ever knew - So I never doubted any thing he told me ?
But when Dad got started to get poorly - He agreed that when he came out of hospital - He would sit down with me and talk about his war years & After the war when he signed up for the British Control Commision - Andvlet me tape - His conversation ! - Joining the Control Commision I Think I was my Dads way to make amends for the destruction ! He had caused while fighting axis forces - That wonderful opportunity was snatched away from us ? - Because Dad never came home from hospital ?
Many thanks SB British Isles
This explains a lot about the characters in the film "Kelly's Heroes" which, although a comedy - had to be based on tale tales from the ETO in 44/45. Roving gangs of Allied soldiers et al.
My Dad’s unit was attached to a British unit in North Africa or Anzio. He said their rations were horrible. He spoke of a fish paste, that was particularly horrible.
My Dad’s unit was attached to a British unit in North Africa or Anzio. He said their rations were horrible. He spoke of a fish paste, that was particularly horrible.
This video answered my question as the film ABTF seemed to indicate a complete failure and subsequent withdrawal. Not surprised as to the treatment of the Dutch population. British citizenry on the Channel Islands (Jersey et al) were subjected to the same treatment. Had it not been for the Intl. Red Cross provisioning two shipments of food during that 44-45 winter the outcome would have been catastrophic. After Liberation the British found the Germans had squirreled away 5 years supply of food and sundries, once they were cut off from resupply with the fall of western France coast. Narragansett Bay.
I always found the info about this to be scarce, thank u. The channel is growing healthy!
Little correction:
The Dutch "Zuiderzee" had been renamed "IJsselmeer" by this time, due to the completion of the "Afsluitdijk".
Zee = sea and meer = lake. Because it was no longer in direct contact with the "Waddenzee" and/or the "Northsea", it turned from a sea into a lake, now named after the IJssel river (a side branch of the Rhine), that flows into this lake.
Correction? Yeah, keep watching the video. You'll understand when you see it
Bram van den Heuvel he points this out in the video
@@TheImperatorKnight Sorry, I always watch your videos at double speed and that part, though I was specifically listening for it, must have slipped through...
It is surprising that the Aflsuitdijk went unmolested, I would have thought both sides might be tempted to destroy it.
@@mahlapropyzm9180 I wouldn't know why anyone would want to destroy it. There wasn't any fighting near it.
Besides, it would take some substantial efford to blow it up or dig a hole in, as it is much more sturdy than a bridge.
I think that Montgomery, having failed to convince Ike of the merits of his single thrust plan, decided to take it on on his own, and force the issue, although Ike wrote later that he would not have allowed Monty to push on alone, and Antwerp was top priority.
Montys single thrust plan did still include US 1st and 3rd armies sticking alongside his 21st Army group. So even though it was a, single thrust it would still have been hundreds of miles wide involving 4 armies. Montgomery just didn't want to waste men and resources in the Lorraine, Alsace and southern Germany. He, rightly, wanted a single very powerful thrust in northern Germany, firstly against the Ruhr area and then to Berlin.
Southern Germany was a side issue to him. Germanys strength was in the north.
Great episode, greatly appreciated. I knew an old boy Fred Bennett (from Chichester) who had fought at Arnheim. He was in the main town & hidden by, in his own words "2 lovely girls...who hid me until the Dutch Resistance got me out". Fred was one of those who crossed the Rhine.
Thanks TIK for this vides. I'd wondered about this question myself for quite some time.
Could you discuss the German withdrawal from Warsaw in Jan ‘45? It never gets discussed? I never see maps or find a clue abou5 how they managed to slip away or what they left behind.
it is funny how all histtory guys dont mention the "the batle foor overloon" (aintree)., but that might be why it is also called the forgottem batle ot he only tankbatle in the netherlands. Aintree was all about reaching "Venlo"where there was still two bridges left standing and it was to be reached by Oveloon and Venray. Overloon was situated to the right of the route to Arnhem (and it is actualy visseble and mentioned on youre map
it might be due to the fact as it wnet down even worse than Market Garden itself. First the american tried but had somuch losses the brittish had to take over, Althaugh Overloon was completly wiped of the map they too didnt take oveloon and the plan was abandoned. mostly because Antwerp needed to be secured by now and all soldiers where needed in Walcheren and the westerschelde.
So yup they tried to find an alternative route, and yup this one was even worse for the alies...
Interesting story about American deserters going rogue. No surprise. Remember the TV show “Sgt Bilko”?
This video begs the question.. is a "Black Market Economy" a creation of Capitalism?
I waiting for you to say the dutch bartered with the 15,000 deserters from the US armed forces. I didnt know the US had that many deserters in France. And they looted their own convoys to sell on the black market.
Entirely possible, and even very likely that Dutch "black merchants" (in Dutch: zwarthandelaren) bought stuff in Paris from the 15,000 deserters.
Fifth
The irony - you were first! Congrats
Stug. Not sure what you mean by 'all Air Borne' ( I assume you mean Airborne ). Anyway, all SAS troops are parachute trained and my friend, Derick Baker, was no exception. His stick dropped with American engineers because they ( SAS) had already had experience of dealing with German demolition charges. How do you know for certain there was no SAS involvement in Market Garden ? Derick told me that there is no official record of his team's activities there and I have checked the SAS History record of operations book and he is correct. Does that establish fact ? All one can say with certainty is that there is no official record. I can only repeat what an honourable man told me.
Have never heard a citing about when Germans occupied the Shelte.... weren't born there... or, well, just relevant to the Shelte controveries...
Blohm and Voss is were my uncle ended up as forced labour. He came home like a skeleton but still alive. My dad ended up by becoming a teacher of the German language and contacted Blohm and Voss a letter 20 years later. Surprise surprise my uncle received his back pay with interest. This time they paid nacht der Krieg (after the war) a story like many.
My father fought at Arnhem, he swam the Rhine to escape from the encirclement at Oosterbeek. He made his way back to Britain and was returned to his unit (Royal Artillery) with whom he fought till the end of the war. He was a good man but suffered with what we now now as PTSD. On his way out of Arnhem he was in a house that was strafed, he couldn't sleep inside for months afterwards. I wish I knew more about his experiences but he couldn't or wouldn't talk about. Even watching the Alan Ladd film about the battle which used to be shown every year gave him nightmares.
What could we say about the Englanders - 2 Divisons was not enough - the Russians would have sent 10 Divisions and would have shelled the place for days.
What the fuck were the "Two russians"????..........."Hiwis".....scaped prisoners???
Howdy!
Excellent conclusion video, but I'd love to hear more about what happens next.
Perhaps a video on the engagements during the last months of 1944 between the end of Market Garden and the start of Wacht am Rhein; the fighting in and around Aachen in November and other occurrences leading up to the Ardennes counteroffensive?
In the middle of such tragedy, your description almost could be comic for some of the outcomes. Might all those young people rest in peace. War is a tragedy, those that instead of calming the hot heads just fuel more hatred may rest in hell )past and present. At the end what is terrible is that old people with their life ending, commit to death so much young and full of to live yet young kids. Curse on them. I cannot let to refer President Biden, among many others, he’s the pinnacle of a person without any future left but dictates the ill fate of hundreds per day. he will have his reserved place in hell near so many other human butchers.
There was indeed an Allied obsession (hyper-focus in fact) with the Rhine. I suspect that Monty's apparent lack of interest with clearing the Scheldt had to do with the extremely built-up nature of the geography, and Monty's possible disinterest in getting involved in a protracted urban campaign (c.f. Stalingrad) to me this partially explains the relative lack of interest in pushing through the rest of the Netherlands til close to the end of the war.
Good topic. One suggestion for improving it would be to have the place names in the narrative on the map (some were some weren't) and to have the map coincide with the narration more closely. I was having a bit of difficulty trying to follow a detailed narrative and visualize the detailed geography at a fast pace. I have a pretty good general geographical knowledge of the area but not enough to follow the narrative as well as I would have liked as it was being given. Take care. Doug
Hi,
This video which acts as a nice conclusion to the battles of Arnhem. The Battle of the Scheldt by 1st Canadian Army is often forgotten in the North-West Europe campaign. For historians 70 years removed, it is hard to imagine how difficult the canal crossings were, or the flooded fields to cross, and the pillboxes dominating the passageways to overcome. The German army deliberately flooded the fields which ensured allied soldier could not dig in nor find cover. To add to the general misery of the situation was the cold as this operation was conducted in October and November. Thank you for this video and mentioning this campaign.
There are one or two documentaries on UA-cam, but yes, it is often overlooked. Monty's diffidence caused a lot of problems at the front and he almost got fired for it.
The valor of the Canadian divisions during 1944 cannot be exaggerated. They took on the dirty high casualty work at Caen and at the Schedlt. Other than elite (airborne, ranger, amour units) Canadians were the arguably best infantry troops under Ikes command that year. As for Monty, I had always been under the impression he was avoiding casualties as much as possible at this point. Given the truly dire British manpower shortages on western front at this time , a far less mobilized america that had fought for two less years , and not been blitzed, cant be too dismissive.
Couldn't even be bothered to gat the umlaut over the correct letter in Raumungs kommando. Sloppy attitude.