Vauquois: The Site of 519 Mine Explosions during the Great War
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- Опубліковано 24 вер 2024
- Vauquois is one of the most unique battlefields in the world. Join me as I explore this hill that was the site of over 500 mine explosions during the Great War.
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#WW1 #History
I'm a University student in England currently doing my masters and before watching any of your videos I couldn't of cared less about American history, I just wanted to say that you're videos have got me so interested into American history that I'm doing my dissertation around the US civil war. Just wanted to say thank you for all the great content you've done
same man.
Welcome
Good luck!
U can do a degree on military history
I would love that
I continue to be amazed at how permanently altered these fields were by this war. I don’t know of any other war with such drastic permanent changes to the topography.
Actually there are a few locations in WW2. Look up Point Du Hoc in Normandy where the US Ranger Assault group made their attack. The area is just covered in bomb craters from the bomber raids done there to soften up the German defenses. Also look up Oradour-sur-Glane a small French Village that was the site of one of the worst Nazi massacres of 642 civilians. The village still stands today as it was left in WW2. A complete ruins as a reminder of the horrors of the war.
Yes WW1 more than any other war!
The main reason why it looks like this is not that it was altered that much, but that it was never cleaned up. The costs to make the land usable again was just too high to be economically viable. The main problem is that in areas where that much fighting happened there are huge amounts of duds, and in a WW1 battleground such duds could even contain poison gas. So it is a dangerous and time consuming task to clean the area. Too costly for some farmland.
@@xJamesLaughx Because of you I just learned about the massacre of Oradour Sur Glane.. I'm surprised that something that terrible isn't commonly mentioned when discussing Nazi war crimes.
@@Segador80 I'm French, I think it's because the Nazis did way worse in eastern Europe (even if I don't want to minimize the sheer cruelty, as only the scale was different). In fact, if I'm not confusing it for something else, this massacre and another similar one in France were done by troups that just came from the East (and that received vague orders), the East in which those kind of atrocities were (sadly) very common, to a scale difficult to imagine. The nazis had a "hierarchy" regarding races and thus, a hierarchy regarding those they conquered. Even if they committed a number of atrocities in the west and in the north, they never planned to annihilate those western/northern conquests. Hitler even kind of admired France to some degree. Meanwhile, Slavs in the east had the same status as Jews for the Nazis (sub-humans), and Eastern Europe was just meant to become the Lebensraum, to be almost emptied and colonized.
It's a touchy subject here in France, to even consider that the Nazi "went easy" in their occupation (for Nazis' standard I mean). But I think that's the reality, even if no country would want to be under nazi occupation.
Finally Vauquois! Thanks to you, I'm planning on visiting Vauquois this summer. To me, it sounds like the most fascinating place to discover.
It's absolutely worth your time. Amazing place.
My last visit there is about 5 years ago. I can see in your superb video, that the french-german association "les amis du vauquois" continued there work to clean up the terrain and the trenches. Well done.
What a huge difference between now and the 70 th last century. In those years nearly all was covered with bushes, even inside the craters, the trenches filled with stones and broken trees from bottom to top, no entrance to the galleries. On the surface here and there duds and splits of granades, ammunition, barbed wire, broken helmets, canteens, bayonetts, buttons of uniforms, rests of leather, heels of boots and...... bones of the fallen.
I went to some of these places you're visiting on a school History trip when I was around 12/13. I really didn't appreciate fully at the time what I was seeing, 1. due to my age and not having a great appreciation of history at that time and 2. the trip was an excuse to go abroad and we went to Disneyland on the last day (kids will do anything for that!). Seeing these videos is actually bringing back a lot of memories of that time and I am really appreciating the sites a lot more. I remember visiting both this site and the Lochnagar crater and being in absolute awe at the destruction
Thank you for giving up so much of your own time and efforts to share your passion with all of us and long may it continue!
I was always interested in history, but as a hungarian, I didn't know much about the CW and other aspects of american history. You opened my eyes to fascinating topics. Your humour, personality, and intelligence make this journey of learning really interesting!
It fascinates me how certain places that were associated with bloodshed and tragedy throughout history are beautifully peaceful today.
Yes, it is truly amazing how such a place that had such a battle is oh so peaceful
Seeing you travel to Vauquois and Verdun brought back many memories being there when I took my trip there. I was always drawn to Verdun but during one day me and my parents went to Vauquois and Bellau Wood. Glad you too also had the chance to go!
So glad that i told you about this place!
Great episode. And i didnt knew about the pre ww1 history, which i am glad you brought that up. Thanks Chris! 👍
Can I just say how much better you've become with the quality of your original content videos, it's superb! They've always been informative, but now they're far more polished and feel professional. I appreciate the effort that must go on behind the scenes to achieve this (research/editing etc.). Thanks
So much admiration for your work. Hard to find someone with so much knowledge and so charismatic teaching with passion. Don't stop! Keep going.... what you're doing is so important. Thank you for this...
Thank you Bruno!
Thank you so much for all the work you put into this series! To me, seeing the battlefields of the past really seems to bring forgotten stories and memories back to life in a way that books or words by themselves just can't. I can only imagine what it felt like to experience this up close. I really appreciate your insights and the way you're able to tell a story. I think this work is super important, and I became much more enthusiastic about history by watching your videos!
Crazy to think about fighting out of those trenches. Keep up the good work Chris . always love the on site video's.
I love your story telling style. It looks so effortless, and we know it's not! You're experience in public speaking comes through. Thank you for another great video. P. S. I haven't cried with this one yet 🥴😂
Those craters are HUUUUGE!!! Goodnight! I can’t imagine what it looked like right after it exploded. Those soldiers never saw it coming. It’s so awesome to hear you tell the stories while being right where it all happened. Well done sir! 👍🏼 Aloha 🤙🏼
Ive been visiting Vauquois for a while now and it's one of my favourite places on the Western Front. I was given a guide of the tunnels and it's staggering and most definitely not a place to go down without a guide. You could quite easily get lost or cause yourself a serious injury.
Those people who had the courage and strength to climb far down below the earth's surface are just amazing. Just imagine been so far down, in a small crowded hallway...
Really glad i found this vlog .
With every post I gain a little more appreciation and love for history, keep em coming!!
In the area where I live (south-west Germany close to the french border) there are a lot of bunkers and craters from battles and bombings (mostly WW2). This is on another level though, really interesting. Actually not too far from where I live as well, this is definitely going on my bucket list so thank you for that :)
nur 2 1/2 Stunden von KL. Vorher vielleicht mal nachfragen, ob/wann Führungen in den Gallerien stattfinden.
Little late to the premiere but loving the content!
Another wonderful video. I especially enjoy the music.
I really like you doing these types of videos. Amazing and informative content
I like the way that you vlogged the specific part of the area and talked about the history of it. honestly it deserves as much attention as your other reaction videos. Love your vids!
I better not go there... I wouldn't be able to stop myself from going in there... Guide or no guide...
Amazing stuff brother
Amazing video Chris!!
Chris,
Great content again.
I visited the battlefields in Europe about 20 years ago, with some of my friends; back then there was little information about visiting some the sites, "The Web" was not an all embracing information tool yet, so you relied on both general tourist guidebooks like "Michelin guides" and the battlefield guides. Sometimes your plans don't match the timescales of the volunteer's availability, so you cant go into galleries and buildings.
I have been fortunate to go into several like "Fort de Fermont" (a Maginot fort from WWII) and the Citadel at Verdun, because we were in the areas on a day and time when they were open. However we were not so lucky when in Belgium, where we were unable to visit the Fort Eben-Emael (site of the German Glider Troop assault in 1940) as that was closed at that time we were there.
I think I have said before, that "Vimy Ridge" is well worth a visit and I know you have that in your plans for the next trip, if its still open take the underground tour and if you intend plan a video for us ...have external lighting for it (it was quite dark in those tunnels!).
Another classy video mate, love fae Scotland 🙌
Awesome footage!
Superb video, loved it. Great editing and musical tracks as well :). Its mind boggling to think of the effort made there, and all the countless lives lost in appalling conditions in the trenches.
Remarkable. Thank you.
Always great content! I didn't know that they had used mines in the war until seeing them covered in your videos. WW1 just isn't covered enough.
It really puts into perspective how the war actually changed the topography of the map. I can only imagine seeing this in person; one day I hope to make it to France to see these battle grounds.
It seems interesting that they ended up using larger and larger mines to disrupt each other’s lines. It’s also interesting that they created the specialized mortars to fire at those short distances. It’s really funny that in some of the segments where you talk Chris, that there’s a group of people in the distance.
It was actually the 138th inf AND 139th that took the hill, during the attack there was a thick fog and you could not see further then 40 yards.
Fantastic!! Can’t wait for the next part
Very cool video!!! I was wondering and maybe I missed it but assuming the site is a National preserved site? A lot of history and happy to see you were able to visit and present us with your thoughts and insight. WW2 is always discussed so much that WW1 is sort of kept on the back burner but I've been following your channel among other channels to learn more. Seeing the trenches in a video like this really can have you imagine a little what it was like back in early 1900's.
Great video.
Another masterpiece, if I would start a real study of history you would be among the top of teachers I would pick. Together with Sabaton & Indy of course :)
Wow that's a lot of fire power
Thanks for all your vids- so hard to imagine such a peaceful and beautiful place in such violence- but I guess that’s true all over
What a beautiful place!
Great vid
very informative
Hello Chris, this 2nd of April will be the 40th anniversary of the Argentine invasion and the beggining of the Falklands War, as someone personally affected by this unnecesary loss of lives on both ends, I'd love to see your reaction on the video by The Armchair Historian on The Falklands War from the Argentine Perspective, i feel like it could be very valuable to get your insight and with the date coming up i feel like it would be the perfect opportunity to check it out, i love your work, much love!
Fascinating video as always. I’m curious about the music- it’s beautiful. Did you compose and play it? I know you’re a musician so I wondered.
No, I get the music from a service called Epidemic Sound. A monthly subscription to get royalty-free music for things like this.
It’s amazing that 104 years later the field is still scarred from the war.
Hey Chris.
First of all I would like to say that this is a really good video, I really like this deeper insight on ww1 battlefields that I'm not really familiar with.
Second, since you're traveling again, I think this is a good place as any to ask.
Do you speak any other language appart from English?
When I went to Uni it was mandatory to take foreign language classes.
I've also been told that being polyglot is a necessity for some historians, especially for those who dig through historical archives. Wanted to know if you're in that category?
I know enough French to understand what people are saying but I’m far from fluent. Working on German. I know enough German to get by when doing research here in the states but I want to become fluent.
C'est super ça!
you are correct that allemande is the French word for German
Well done!
Ah here we are
Since it is almost Pesach, can you react to the ERB Moses vs Father Christmas rap battle?
The most fought over bit of land on earth 🌎
How do you choose music for each video and where do you get it from?
German engineering… BMWs, aspirin, and WW1 trenches, always superior ! I guess it’s a good thing for the allies the British have the navy, cause, if no blockade, no victory.
Wait, is that why "mine" as in "minesweeper" and "mine" as in "Minecraft" are the same word?
Amazing video, but watching war stories hearing the air raid siren is a little… uncool 😒
Vlogging trough history, is there a nickname we can give you ? Because I always speak about you to my friend but your channels name is long lol
Well his name is Chris.
Chris or some people just use VTH
i wonder who planted all these mines or who defused all these mines
I think you misunderstand his use of the word mine here slightly. The use of the word mine here is the equivellant of tunnel, not a mine you step on which then explodes. Tunnels were dug, and they planted explosives which had fuses. They lit the fuse and blew up the hill from underneath time and time again. Forgive me if I mistook your meaning :).
@@EmpireFanatic ohhh, thanks for explaining
@@v3ryp0ggers Your most welcome, I got confused myself at the start :)
Great video