Biggest Logistical Flex Of All Time - Berlin Airlift

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  • Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 4,5 тис.

  • @the_fat_electrician
    @the_fat_electrician  5 місяців тому +1992

    F Communism shirts available now in merch store!
    Also i started a B channel for angry rants called “the fat files” go check it out
    -Also it was 92 million miles not thousand

    • @TacticalFloridaman55
      @TacticalFloridaman55 5 місяців тому +11

      Do the Do335

    • @dimoivanov9673
      @dimoivanov9673 5 місяців тому +56

      F socialism too

    • @Tooinsecuretousemyrealname
      @Tooinsecuretousemyrealname 5 місяців тому +118

      Humor is like food
      Communists don’t get it

    • @BoiStudio
      @BoiStudio 5 місяців тому +3

      Yes.

    • @19112011100
      @19112011100 5 місяців тому +16

      Love the content Bruddah! Would Ronald Spiers from the Airborn be a good one? Maybe the design of the P51 Mustang and how it was idea to prototype in 4 months?

  • @bofwappy
    @bofwappy 5 місяців тому +5194

    Side note about the candy for the kids. A pilot received a note from one of the kids. That said he was smaller then the rest and not getting any candy. He drew the pilot a map to his house and on his next run he flew the route and dropped the candy at his house. Captian Ernest Evans deserves a story. Great video!!

    • @grigoris.7732
      @grigoris.7732 5 місяців тому +383

      I had the great pleasure of meeting him at an air show in Utah. Nicest old legend ever.

    • @Volvith
      @Volvith 5 місяців тому +366

      Heroes don't wear capes.
      They do, on more than one occasion however, wear the star spangled banner. o7

    • @camillepowell5937
      @camillepowell5937 5 місяців тому +85

      Gale Halvorsen!!! He presented at my school!

    • @mcm95403
      @mcm95403 5 місяців тому +59

      @the_fat_electrician - here is your next video..........

    • @phoenixx913
      @phoenixx913 5 місяців тому +21

      That's actually pretty dope.

  • @NATO32Nations
    @NATO32Nations 5 місяців тому +2908

    1 Australian, 39 British, and 31 American cargo pilots died during the Berlin Airlift.
    May they rest in peace.

  • @steviemaster
    @steviemaster 5 місяців тому +699

    as a german i have to say that i didn't know about at least half of this. Yes we learned about the Berlin Airlift in school but knowing this extent, knowing that kids in the UK and USA were raising money for the children of the "big bad evil guys"... it honestly makes me tear up. Thank you for sharing this kind of knowledge because school refuses to

    • @tiagodecastro2929
      @tiagodecastro2929 5 місяців тому +97

      Even in school in the USA, they gloss over the Berlin Airlift a bit. It's mentioned, but nothing was taught beyond the fact that it happened. I consider that a huge shame because of what an incredibly impressive feat it was, logisitically and economically. The actual numbers were mind boggling

    • @jjx9316
      @jjx9316 4 місяці тому +10

      This event truly shows how different the American and German people are. One side wants to unlife a race and the other feeds and clothes the defeated enemy.

    • @BayouBoy2443
      @BayouBoy2443 4 місяці тому

      The schools are controlled by communists who are actively trying to hide or downplay anything that shows communism for what it truly is: pure evil. So it makes sense most people today don’t really know these things

    • @je__.
      @je__. 4 місяці тому +7

      ikr its wonderful and the whole story is literally the one of the most beautiful piece of histories ever recorded imo.. wonder why they havent made a movie bout it yet

    • @Jesus_is_THE_king_of_kings
      @Jesus_is_THE_king_of_kings 4 місяці тому +7

      ​@@tiagodecastro2929thats history in general in the us especially when it comes to government failing its hidden deliberately

  • @Kreigsmen
    @Kreigsmen 5 місяців тому +428

    Soviet logic: Wait for winter and if winter doesn’t fix it we’re fucked

    • @HANKSANDY69420
      @HANKSANDY69420 3 місяці тому +40

      I mean it stopped Napoleon & the Germans, so if even _that_ doesn't work, then yeah, *they're pretty scewed.*

    • @tricot6468
      @tricot6468 3 місяці тому +9

      and add more bodies

    • @airplanemaniacgaming7877
      @airplanemaniacgaming7877 3 місяці тому +9

      @@tricot6468and make it harder for people who want to actually have a decent life to escape from their hellhole of a home.

    • @user-jp6ij1uk4y
      @user-jp6ij1uk4y 3 місяці тому

      You forgot the Swedes. I didn't even know that one until I saw a YT video a few years back.@@HANKSANDY69420

    • @gusramos3620
      @gusramos3620 3 місяці тому +8

      @@HANKSANDY69420 Napoleon lost, because he couldn't stretch out the supply lines to the front. Soviets were kept afloat with Western supplies. Winter had little to do with it and the Winter War is the proof

  • @txusmc69
    @txusmc69 5 місяців тому +2768

    Msgt Roy Benavidez deserves a video. Legendary Green Beret Texan that jumped into hell with just a med bag and a bowie knife. Was wounded 37 times but saved 8 men. His call sign Tango Mike Mike is now used as a moral boost when a Green Beret unit is in a desperate situation and let's them know help is on the way.

    • @HistoryNerd808
      @HistoryNerd808 5 місяців тому +194

      Guy was seriously the embodiment of the phrase "never say die."

    • @gunswiththedutchman
      @gunswiththedutchman 5 місяців тому +94

      He absolutely deserves a video. Incredible warrior. The man is a legend!

    • @justinlawson1621
      @justinlawson1621 5 місяців тому +46

      I just listened to the book about him "Legend" and really liked it.

    • @scottlangseth8823
      @scottlangseth8823 5 місяців тому +54

      I met hiim. He talked to my class in my high school.

    • @valkyriemedic
      @valkyriemedic 5 місяців тому

      ​@@scottlangseth8823Lucky! He never came to my high school but my US History teacher got a guy who survived the Bataan Death March to come talk to his classes every year.

  • @nickcruz8748
    @nickcruz8748 5 місяців тому +713

    Russian: Winter is coming
    American: So fucking what? Here's another thousand blue whales.

    • @kaymurray8010
      @kaymurray8010 3 місяці тому +10

      😅

    • @CordaroBlu
      @CordaroBlu Місяць тому +25

      Winter? Sounds like a problem... for a BROKEY

    • @arthas640
      @arthas640 Місяць тому +23

      America: you're about to find out why we call this plane the "Sky Train"

    • @tanall5959
      @tanall5959 Місяць тому +23

      Russia: Winter is coming...
      America: That sounds like a 'you' problem.

    • @DeflatedMeatball
      @DeflatedMeatball Місяць тому +18

      Russia: winters coming that'll stop them from doing this.
      America: maybe it'll stop you, sounds like a skill issue to me fam.

  • @michaelritzen8138
    @michaelritzen8138 5 місяців тому +220

    Somehow, the Soviets were surprised that the US was capable of doing great logistical feats, while they had been one of multiple nations receiving lend lease aid, the US was building up their own forces, fighting on two fronts, massively expanding naval operations and still had shit over to convert supply ships into icecream ships for the troops just a couple of years prior. Geez, it's almost like that was a large part of what helped the soviets and allies win WW2.😅

    • @andreatomasi3755
      @andreatomasi3755 Місяць тому

      This is a little biproduct of capitalism at war a proper fuckton of expandable resources that are just waiting to be leased at anyone remotely aligned with us for political bargaining power

    • @atoriusv5070
      @atoriusv5070 Місяць тому +18

      A little known fact is that the US provided several million tons of food, fuel, guns, etc each to the Soviets during lend-lease. The Russians would've collapsed and lost their war by starving to death, running out of fuel, and not even having boots for their troops to prevent them from losing their feet to frostbite/etc if the US hadn't backed them up and supplied them. All of this while supplying and funding Britain, France, and the Europe, Africa, Chinese, and Pacific military theaters plus two oceans of navy forces. The US ability to supply goods, weapons, and ammo is utterly mind boggling.

    • @michaelritzen8138
      @michaelritzen8138 Місяць тому

      @@atoriusv5070 that is why it is so mind numbingly stupid when people go "surprised Pikachu face" whenever the US pulls of a little full scale invasion from the other side of the globe.
      With all the historical precedent that has been established, WHY ARE YOU STILL SURPRISED WHEN YOU FUCKED AROUND AND ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT!

    • @JoeSevy
      @JoeSevy 23 дні тому

      @@atoriusv5070 As was their ability to destroy German supply lines insuring the ghastly liberation photos from the camps.
      US and British... communist sympathizers handed the "Eastern Block" to the Soviets and planned to starve or otherwise exterminate 30 million German people. The targeting of supply lines to concentration camps was deliberate and the outcome of preventing supplies to reach the "victims" was no surprise. All they had to do was paint that outcome as "Nazi atrocities" to avoid responsibility.
      What the Soviets attempted to do with Berlin was SOP "allied" tactics and the Berlin Airlift demonstrates what the Nazis would have needed to be able to do in order to overcome that tactic.
      Hoover was pretty much a relatively nice guy who'd inherited his generation's version of JR Biden's CF ministry.
      If Roosevelt were still president I feel entirely confident that Berlin would have fallen entirely to the Soviets.

    • @samhouston1288
      @samhouston1288 15 днів тому +2

      It's also worth mentioning just how much the US was building up our own forces. Before the war, the US military was smaller than Portugal's. IIRC, it was like 18th or 19th in the world with around 334,000 personnel. At the end of the war, it was one of the largest at 8 million strong.
      To say the US was an economic powerhouse during WWII is a massive understatement. Pretty much every factory was devoted to the war effort. Sewing machine companies (Singer) were making M1 Carbines while typewriter companies (Remington Rand) were making 1911 pistols. Ford was cranking out B-24 bombers, M4 Shermans, and M10 Tank Destroyers.

  • @joshuaemig9988
    @joshuaemig9988 5 місяців тому +344

    I'm a former Air Force Logistics, spent some of my service in Ohio and volunteered at the Air Force museum every year at the cold war wing. I consider the Berlin Airlift to be by far one of the greatest victories of all time and had been waiting for you to cover it. Not disappointed in the slightest!

    • @liesdamnlies3372
      @liesdamnlies3372 5 місяців тому +22

      It’s easily one of the victories of all of history, because the US and UK didn’t have to fire a single shot to achieve it.

    • @andrewyork3869
      @andrewyork3869 3 місяці тому

      ​@liesdamnlies3372 One of the most important because of that.

  • @heylolp9
    @heylolp9 5 місяців тому +1315

    As a German I must say
    "Then the Soviets got all pissy and built a wall through Germany(...)" sounds like the best summary of the entire european cold war

    • @scurreith3667
      @scurreith3667 5 місяців тому

      When communists build a wall to starve people, nobody bats an eye, but when orange man wants to build a wall, so that criminals stop coming into the country he’s “literally Hitler“
      God I love watching the Hypocrisy play out from these wannabe utopian communists.

    • @aylbdrmadison1051
      @aylbdrmadison1051 4 місяці тому +1

      No country has ever claimed to be Communist. That's blatant Capitalist propaganda.
      Communism is a _classless, moneyless,_ and _stateless_ society.
      This guy is too scared to simply read any source material. Don't be as weak as he is obviously is. There's not even any reason to think Communism is something to worry about. He's even just making shlt up along the way.

    • @HATECELL
      @HATECELL 4 місяці тому +12

      Wall? That's a weird way to spell antifaschistischer Schutzwall. Or did you mean antiimperialer Raumteiler?

    • @scurreith3667
      @scurreith3667 4 місяці тому +38

      @@HATECELL Nah, we mean the anti escape communisminator

    • @TFP360
      @TFP360 4 місяці тому +15

      They got pissy pretty often

  • @USofA
    @USofA 5 місяців тому +2818

    I love that not only did the Berlin Airlift show just how capable the West was, but also how incapable the Communists were and how little they cared compared to the West.

    • @magnustheman524
      @magnustheman524 5 місяців тому +221

      More than that, it was an example of what Communism itself wants to be. Self sacrifice, each man has his skill and role, people of all walks of life joining together to make a single project bigger.
      And most of all to do it without charging the recipients for it.

    • @Mtshaw1103
      @Mtshaw1103 5 місяців тому +24

      ngl it seems not much has changed lol

    • @candle86
      @candle86 5 місяців тому

      ​@@magnustheman524just don't tell the communists about this because they pointed to the Soviet Union is not real communist like they do with China in Cuba and Venezuela in North Korea. None of them are true communists because anytime that communism fails to uphold the ideals that people have for it. It's never real communist

    • @toddoverholt4556
      @toddoverholt4556 5 місяців тому +12

      I don't know what's so great about capitalism. It's all bread and circuses here

    • @shanewhite1977
      @shanewhite1977 5 місяців тому

      ​@magnustheman524 self sacrifice right I remember it now all the Joseph Stalin told others to do for him like if he told you to disappear you would self sacrifice out of history or how all of the kgb and the ussr leadership they had to self sacrifice so much that they became millionaires and billionaires during and after the ussr or the self sacrifice of the Ukrainians in the Holodomor or in the battle for Stalingrad where Stalin Refuse to evacuate the civilians At the time where he could evacuate them all numbered four hundred thousand by the end of the battle, there was anywhere between ten and sixty thousand of them left so much self sacrifice

  • @QuantumS1ngularity
    @QuantumS1ngularity 5 місяців тому +160

    When WW2 ended and my country was overtook by the soviets, my grandad was 14 years old at that time. While he was still alive, he used to tell me stories about how the soviets marching through our land as "saviors" and "liberators" were 100 times worse than the Germans, marching there 3 years earlier as so called "occupators". Everything our country had keeping its economy stable was drained from the USSR. Rose oil and tobacco alone were worth more than $5 billion... in 1947. That's $71 Billion in todays money. That is just from 2 products from the national reserve in less than 3 years. Btw the rose oil was sold to France a month later at quadruple the price. All of the reparations we had to pay to Greece and Yugoslavia over the period of 8 years, worth $70 million, were HALF of what the USSR was taking for their "liberation" service EVERY SINGLE YEAR. He spent the majority of his life living under soviet regime and hated every single piece of that rotten ideology. My other grandad was the same age and he was a colonel in our army. In 1968 he was just rising through the ranks and was sent to then Czechoslovakia alongside 10 000 other men from our army to support the "voluntary change of power" that was taking place there. When they got there they saw people wearing jeans and nice jackets, walking around all fancy looking. He asked them what were they celebrating, if there was some major national holiday and they responded that this is just how they dress and walk around everyday. This is to the bright contrast of the people here walking around with what they could've made themselves or have someone stich them something together. There were some clothing factories, but of course most of the products instantly left the borders towards Moscow. This was 23 years after WW2 and people here were still queuing with coupons for stuff like bread, flour, milk and some meat. That's when my grandad got his views turned 180 degrees and understood that communism is a system that exploits everyone for the benefits of the few and their ideology isn't to improve, but to prevent others from improving and keep everyone as miserable as them. So yeah - fuck communism is about as clear as i can put it.

    • @songhan1586
      @songhan1586 4 місяці тому +23

      to many ppl nowadays don't understand this. Hopefully it turns around before its to late

    • @aylbdrmadison1051
      @aylbdrmadison1051 4 місяці тому +1

      Yea, it was the U.S.S.R. Not the U.S.C.R. This guy is lying because he's too scared to read source material, and instead is a shill for the wealthy elite. I don't think he knows it, but he's pushing blatant lies because he's too scared to learn about reality. Have the tiny bit of courage it takes to read source material. No country has ever claimed to be Communist: a classless, moneyless, and stateless society.

    • @aylbdrmadison1051
      @aylbdrmadison1051 4 місяці тому +1

      @@songhan1586 : Are you really afraid of a classless, moneyless, and stateless society? To be fair, humanity is far from being mature or responsible enough to handle such a utopia, and this "electrician" is proof of that. He's too scared to even read any source material of he'd know that no country has ever even claimed to be Communist. Stop worrying about something that's never happened, and likely won't for centuries.

    • @aylbdrmadison1051
      @aylbdrmadison1051 4 місяці тому +6

      To be clear, I've read the history and you're not wrong about the USSR (not the USCR, lols) being an Authoritarian dictatorship, and like all dictatorships, it was anti-freedom. But don't believe the propaganda that convinces people there is only one political axis. There are at least three completely different axises at play in politics. Not just one overly-simplified axis that is incapable of explaining how any government functions.
      One axis is left/right (socialism/capitalism). Another is egalitarian-liberal/authoritarian-totalitarian (liberty/oppression). And another is progressive/conservative/regressive (progress/status quo/reversion).
      Here is another way of putting it..
      1) Wealth distribution: left/right (socialism/capitalism).
      2) Power structures: liberal-egalitarian/authoritarian-totalitarian (freedom/oppression).
      3) Social ideals: progressive/conservative/regressive (progress/status quo/ reversion).
      To further clarify the third category, progressives want progress (not afraid of their own species evolution), conservatives want to keep things as they are (most democrats are conservative now) and regressives want to drag society backwards (most republicans are now regressives; _make America great _*_again)._*

    • @TimeCircleBlue
      @TimeCircleBlue 4 місяці тому +1

      @@aylbdrmadison1051I see thank you for that explanation, friend.

  • @rudatkatzn9171
    @rudatkatzn9171 4 місяці тому +55

    British and American Kids raising Money was something I didn't know. But I did shed some tears when I heard it. I wasn't there of course, but hearing that so many people helped really warms my heart. Danke.

  • @zara658
    @zara658 5 місяців тому +280

    "The American and RAF pilots are flying with the confidence of knowing that if one of these Soviets shoots them down that President Truman is going to bitch slap their entire country with the Sun." This line goes hard

    • @andreatomasi3755
      @andreatomasi3755 Місяць тому

      See Russian plane putting himself on a intercepting course:"touch me, I fucking dare you bitch"

    • @joez.2794
      @joez.2794 16 днів тому +3

      Which is why he should've just done Option A from the start, IMO. Screw anybody who thinks *we* started it.

    • @yeboxxxchannel2505
      @yeboxxxchannel2505 10 днів тому

      ​@@joez.2794I don't know who you represent but I badly wanted to comment lol.
      If you Are talking about USA, yeah I mean, true.
      If USSR? Meh, really not a good country or a one that cared more than USA about people.

  • @rafisanders
    @rafisanders 5 місяців тому +1101

    I miss this type of America. When everything we did, was just to absolutely flex on the rest of the world.

    • @voodoovince8001
      @voodoovince8001 5 місяців тому

      We no longer have reasons to flex anymore. Russia is a paper targe- i mean tiger, China is an economic manipulator that we have thousands of plans to deal with and the middle east is still the sandbox it once was.

    • @script_crafter
      @script_crafter 5 місяців тому +81

      Now we have to “keep the peace” and all that boring (but very important) shit 😔

    • @chrisferguson1911
      @chrisferguson1911 5 місяців тому +66

      ​@@script_crafterwe do it...but we don't have to. Plenty of problems in the states that could be helped before sending all of our...ummm..."aid" overseas.🇺🇸👍🇺🇸

    • @SolidKore
      @SolidKore 5 місяців тому +1

      We still do. Watch Habitual Linecrosser
      I believe our military still stands for the right thing, it's the politicians that are cowards.

    • @REDI____
      @REDI____ 5 місяців тому

      ​@@chrisferguson1911did you miss the bitch slap that was America, literally making up anti air systems for Ukraine out of shit they have in storage

  • @BigBrotherMateyka
    @BigBrotherMateyka 2 місяці тому +25

    The Airlift, in my opinion, was one of the most -- if not _the_ most -- heroic flexes in all of human history.

  • @saltwatertaffybag
    @saltwatertaffybag 5 місяців тому +32

    A story I had relayed to me, that I will probably butcher in retelling.
    In the 90s, a Russian naval ship broke down while on a training exercise and the US Navy towed her into the closest port. The US Navy invited the Russian officers aboard their destroyer and they exchanged gifts of wine and food. They also gave medical attention to several of the Russian sailors. While on the US destroyer, the US fleet was taking on fuel, taking on munitions, taking on mail, had mooreing lines to another ship to exchange personnel from a hospital ship, and was towing the Russian warship. While all this was going on, the aircraft carrier was launching and recovering aircraft for combat air patrol, and the enitrety of the enlisted seamen seemed to be in great spirits. In absolute awe of this display of logistics, the Russian admarial with his jaw agape muttered something to the effect of "My God... How fucking stupid we were to think we could have won the cold war"

  • @alexcannell9796
    @alexcannell9796 5 місяців тому +1545

    Gail Halvorsen was actually reprimanded by his command until the press got ahold of it. He kept on doing it until the press got wind of it. He would wiggle his wings to indicate a candy drop from all the other planes flying into berlin. He died last year and was still doing candy drops in his 90's at air shows. Fucking cool guy.

    • @SD457500
      @SD457500 5 місяців тому +46

      I met him at an airshow many years ago; super cool man!!

    • @davidharing6475
      @davidharing6475 5 місяців тому +41

      I met him too as the Candy Bomber plane stopped by Waynesburg where my parents live and did a little candy drop of their own for the kids. Great guy.

    • @jbjstyx
      @jbjstyx 5 місяців тому +28

      I actually went to high school with his Grandson, So I met the guy a fair number of times

    • @therasco400
      @therasco400 5 місяців тому +15

      Not really. His command ended up with letters from the children addressed to the candy bomber they had no clue who was dropping them for ages.

    • @TeufelHandlanger
      @TeufelHandlanger 5 місяців тому +16

      Halvorson was also dropping candy into East Berlin since there were kids there too, but that made the Soviets look even worse so they registered a formal complaint and Halvorson was ordered to stop the candy bombing into the Soviet sector.

  • @reaperking2121
    @reaperking2121 5 місяців тому +965

    I’m Half German and Half American. And this is my favorite story in US history. My German moms loves it equally as much. Why ? Cause Berlin had no tactical purpose . 0 . Miles behind enemy lines it only had propoganda value and even there those could have been dealt with by simply evacuating civilians and then supplying the soldiers with food till the blockade broke . But the US did none of those things . Instead we sacrificed men, and airplanes to keep Berlin alive and to keep its people fed . Berlin stands today as a prosperous capital of a United Germany because the US was willing to sacrifice its own to make it happen. If you ask me it is the greatest triumph of the US millitary.
    Also I cannot understate how massive of a propoganda win this was for the US. It was the Berlin airlift that turned the US and England from an occupying enemy into friends. The fact that even today europe is still friendly with the US is a testament to success of the doctrine which created the Berlin airlift. Kindness creates friends l.

    • @That9one1Guy
      @That9one1Guy 5 місяців тому +134

      "By its very existence and character, Berlin remains the most compelling argument for an open world. We are reminded of the many traditions of openness and democracy that have marked the history of this city. *Balloon pops in the background.* Amer- missed me."
      -Ronald Reagan, 1987, two months after he was shot.

    • @MrVvulf
      @MrVvulf 5 місяців тому +21

      My sister and I were both born in Germany while my father served at Teufelsberg (intelligence) until 1969.

    • @Brandonthesnifferofall
      @Brandonthesnifferofall 5 місяців тому +8

      ❤️🇺🇸

    • @aaronbold8715
      @aaronbold8715 5 місяців тому +3

      @@That9one1Guy😂

    • @KnightsWithoutATable
      @KnightsWithoutATable 5 місяців тому +42

      It was also the ethical thing to do, which was major factor in the decision to do the airlift. The US and UK had destroyed these people's homes, their city, and their country during the war and now they occupied their country as victors of the war. It was their responsibility to care for them and defend them as if they were now members of their own country now. Asking them to leave Berlin, what little was left of their how would have been devastating and a failure to defend this new territory that was under the care of the US and UK. So, bringing in food and other needed supplies was the correct answer, as long as it was feasible. Thankfully it was and it let the UK and US show the people of Germany know that they were not going to be treated poorly and that their country would be rebuilt, just like the rest of Western Europe.
      Funny how doing the right thing also lets you practice for doing the right thing later and being prepared for preventing world wars from breaking out later. The Berlin Airlift taught the US and UK a lot about rapid logistics into a single airfield. I don't know how much is still used to this day, but I know that both militaries can do air bridges for ground force assaults and supply surrounded troops if they have an airstrip or even just a small field for air dropped supplies. There are some crazy things air supply has allowed post and even during WWII.

  • @samschellhase8831
    @samschellhase8831 5 місяців тому +92

    There were also several planes making trips from the US and Britain to west Germany to ferry supplies and cargo. One such plane was the C-121 “Bataan.” That aircraft was recently restored, and flew to the Oshkosh Airshow this year
    I got to see it do a flyby, land, and taxi right up in front of the crowd. The roar was insane, and the aircraft is so sleek looking. It’s honestly incredible that at least one plane that helped with the Berlin Airlift is still flying today

    • @garymcalea3815
      @garymcalea3815 5 місяців тому +3

      The Dakota on the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was also there and still flying. After the war she ended up at the RAE Boscombe Down do trials work. When she was put in for heavy maintenance before going to the BBMF coal dust was found in some areas from Berlin Airlift

    • @the_retag
      @the_retag 5 місяців тому +2

      I bet some dc3 /c47 is still flying too

    • @airplanemaniacgaming7877
      @airplanemaniacgaming7877 3 місяці тому

      @@the_retagbut of course! You really think something as great a workhorse as the Douglas DC-3/C-47 wouldn't have a fairly large amount still flying to this day?
      I mean, plenty of them have been converted from their old Pratt & Whittney radials to turboprops, but they're still the C-47.

  • @AndorRadnai
    @AndorRadnai 5 місяців тому +49

    2:38 that is actually quite a beautiful way to look at it.
    What I also find beautiful about the airlift, apart from the whole thing essentially (I am half German, and I used to spend a lot of time in Berlin during my childhood, learning about the cities history), is that during the whole ordeal, the German people and allied forces worked together to make it work. People who were fighting to the death mere years before were now working hand in hand to supply the freezing and starving population.
    The whole thing is an absolutely beautiful display of love and humanity.

  • @timrogers2638
    @timrogers2638 5 місяців тому +676

    As a retired Marine Corps Logistician, I'm not ashamed to say I get a little choked up at the herculean effort to accomplish the Berlin Airlift. Those people were heroes.

    • @ANwk-eh7mg
      @ANwk-eh7mg 5 місяців тому +11

      How difficult it all was. Every 3 minutes loaded and gone clearing the runway for the next 3 minute green light. The one thing that surprised is no alternate field or highway for a malfunctioning plane to land.

    • @Gmorktron
      @Gmorktron 5 місяців тому +5

      Tim Rogers... as a veteran and one who reads... thank you... to you and all those in logistics.

    • @bransonwalter5588
      @bransonwalter5588 5 місяців тому

      The funny thing is that the communists had their own reasons to believe it would fail: the Germans failed to do it for Stalingrad and they failed a year prior.
      No one at that point had above 25% success on deep cargo delivery... except the USA into China but the Russians didn't believe them.

    • @madcrowlad3635
      @madcrowlad3635 5 місяців тому +10

      Yea thats a funny thing people don't tend to think about just how stress inducing it is to get all the things grunts need from point a to point b be it air rail road or boat. and doing it in a timely manner get kinda queesy thinking about it.

    • @cloudyaperture4910
      @cloudyaperture4910 5 місяців тому +19

      Man, I know logistics isn't as sexy as ground pounding but as they say, soldiers win battles, logistics win wars. Can't put warheads on foreheads if the warheads don't make it to the front line. Also food. Also fuel. Etc.

  • @halonut96
    @halonut96 5 місяців тому +437

    the entire operation is honestly one of the most beautiful acts of humanity we have ever done

    • @howto1537
      @howto1537 5 місяців тому +25

      I agree! Reminds me how important it is to support Ukraine now.

    • @RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus
      @RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus 5 місяців тому +23

      I remember pilots talking about how they were not proud of what the did surfing the war but by god were they proud of their rolls in the Berlin airlift.

    • @deeeeesp.
      @deeeeesp. 5 місяців тому

      ​@@howto1537shut up

    • @PROVOCATEURSK
      @PROVOCATEURSK 5 місяців тому +1

      Why was USSA to weak to destroy communism? Like you have an army in Europe, you have nukes, just figth them. Democracy loves to support criminals.

    • @davemccage7918
      @davemccage7918 2 місяці тому +3

      And one of the best examples of how great communism can be! 🤗 I think my non-binary, gender studies, community college professor was right! I’m so sick of capitalism and being able to eat!

  • @dwbro1
    @dwbro1 5 місяців тому +22

    I was a loadmaster on the C-141B during Desert Shield/Storm. They told us then that we carried as much cargo to the Middle East as the entire Berlin Airlift in one week. Hats off though in those old planes back then the cold, they did a fantastic job. I am surprised they did not airdrop back then would have saved a ton of on-the-ground turnarounds.

    • @ellencook1658
      @ellencook1658 4 місяці тому +9

      Air drop in a high density city.
      1) Still not very accurate & no one wants to be squished by pallets of food even if you’re hungry
      2) the accuracy wouldn’t have been pin point & the soviets would have stolen as much as possible of anything that landed in the east.
      3) we did airdrop the candy
      4) they needed to control the distribution to avoid a chaotic pork barrel frenzy.

    • @elduquecaradura1468
      @elduquecaradura1468 Місяць тому +1

      ​@@ellencook1658yeah, in fact it already happened in Gaza not so long ago. It wasn't funny 😐

  • @mitchellshepherd9053
    @mitchellshepherd9053 5 місяців тому +37

    I knew Gail Halverson in his last years and talked with him regularly, the man was a saint and a personal hero of mine.
    He would get in a helicopter every Halloween and drop Hersey bars.

  • @phantomwraith1984
    @phantomwraith1984 5 місяців тому +201

    Russia: **closes all the land routes into berlin**
    America: "You know that the airport is on our side of the wall, right?"

    • @lairdcummings9092
      @lairdcummings9092 5 місяців тому +29

      Russia: *"Blyat!"*

    • @lsswappedcessna
      @lsswappedcessna 5 місяців тому +40

      Germans: "Don't forget the other airport that's also on their side of the wall"
      Russia: "Wait, what other airport?" *looks out the window and sees a bunch of West Germans building an airport quicker than the Amish can build a barn* "Well, fuck."

    • @davemccage7918
      @davemccage7918 2 місяці тому +4

      Russia: “FUCK!” [🤦‍♂️]

  • @andrewmichaelson252
    @andrewmichaelson252 5 місяців тому +784

    The Candy Bomber guy passed away just last year in our town. He would do local news interviews and was super involved in the community literally until he died. Mr. Halvorsen was truly an incredible man.

  • @redbloodedamerican7256
    @redbloodedamerican7256 29 днів тому +5

    USSR: "Screw you guys we're gonna lock down Berlin, everyone's gonna starve"
    US: *airlifts millions of tons of supplies into Berlin almost like it's nothing*
    USSR: *lifts lockdown*
    US: "Yeah, that's what I thought"

  • @b3rz3rk3r9
    @b3rz3rk3r9 5 місяців тому +12

    So let me get this straight: in a time of struggle and strife in a Soviet-surrounded city, one of our boys decided to deliver payloads of candy to the children?
    BY WASHINGTON'S WIG, THEY HAD BETTER GIVEN THAT MAN A MEDAL!
    Jokes aside, this was one of the most amazing story of how humanitarian our operations can be.

    • @Banthisyoutube-zs6sx
      @Banthisyoutube-zs6sx 3 місяці тому +6

      People seem to forget the american military saves more lives then it takes in most years......naval convoys rolling into disaster areas and blackhawks flying the red cross should get more credit then they do. I worked with a gentleman who served in iraq he had two small daughters at home and was heartbroken by the conditions of iraqi kids especially the girls his wife would send hik care packages of toys and school supplies out of his own pocket that he would hand out on patrol. I should add that this gentlemen was born and raised in poland behind the iron curtain. His father was an olympic coach and his mother a nurse. The minute they could get out of there they emigrated to NYC to give the kids a better shot, his father became a carpenter and his mother a maid and they were happy to do it. He had a special hatred against the people in thia country preaching the glories of the soviet system......he would merely say "they would lose all their taste for communism if they lived it for a month". To paraphrase my favorite stephen ambrose quote, "in 1945 a patrol of armed teenage men was sonething to fear at that time......unless they were american GI's"

  • @brendanrisney2449
    @brendanrisney2449 5 місяців тому +195

    "They always talk about 'seizing the means of production.' What they never bother to tell you is that _people_ are also a part of that means of production and that they will seize you, too."
    That is an _amazing_ quote

    • @PROVOCATEURSK
      @PROVOCATEURSK 5 місяців тому +1

      They always talk about freedom. They never bother to tell you that the 5% will exploit the 95% and you can´t vote for good people or be free, ever. It´s a dictatorship.

    • @KekusMagnus
      @KekusMagnus 5 місяців тому +1

      it's completely idiotic and entirely misses the point

    • @brendanrisney2449
      @brendanrisney2449 5 місяців тому +5

      @@KekusMagnusThe quote or actually "seizing the means"?

    • @TOH_Fan
      @TOH_Fan 5 місяців тому +5

      No it isn’t. If you’d ever bother to read Marx, you’d realize that he is referring the *workers themselves* seizing the means of production. It’s a moronic take based entirely on American propaganda. I don’t even like Marx that much, but treating his philosophy as evil is stupid and purposefully ignorant. He had salient points in the 1860s and 70s, and much of his philosophy still applies, however limited it is.

    • @brendanrisney2449
      @brendanrisney2449 5 місяців тому +23

      @@TOH_Fan Regardless of the original meaning is the actual practical effects. You don't have to be evil for evil to use you. And even then, Marx's philosophy _itself_ was ignorant. It completely ignored the possibility of those with power in this new system just... doing the same shit as before, but under a new guise. Which is exactly what's happened each and every time.

  • @donhaney7753
    @donhaney7753 5 місяців тому +536

    My great uncle (grandmother's oldest brother) Col. Victor Sandacz was a B-17 pilot during the war, then held the record for fastest run during the Berlin Airlift. He continued flying, was the first man to log 1000 flying hours in a B-52, participated in Operation Chrome Dome, and by the time he retired, was second in command of an airbase outside of Arlington, Tx.

    • @jjohansen86
      @jjohansen86 5 місяців тому +45

      With a name like Sandacz I assume he was Polish, or at least had Polish ancestry, which... look, the story you're telling already puts him at about 3000 points on the awesome scale, but in the context of WW2, any Polish connection is a couple more points.

    • @gabrieltanner670
      @gabrieltanner670 5 місяців тому +33

      I reckon the chubby electron guy is planning on doing a video on your great uncle now

    • @etlarm5514
      @etlarm5514 5 місяців тому +11

      ​@@gabrieltanner670 i love the "Chubby electron guy" 😂
      May i add a "tubby charge dude" too that name😂

    • @candle_eatist
      @candle_eatist 5 місяців тому +8

      Sounds like a badass man with a cool story to tell. Maybe the large potential fella can make a video on him one day.

    • @tannernagley2887
      @tannernagley2887 5 місяців тому +4

      Electro-Santa better do a video on him now

  • @cameronjames3772
    @cameronjames3772 5 місяців тому +13

    You should do a video on Léo Major. He was a Canadian sniper during ww2 and the Korean war. He took over a whole town by himself and captured 93 waffen ss in one night because they killed his friend. Then in the Korean war he led 20 of his men to defend a hil from Chinese forces for 3 days and even called artilery strikes many times on his location. To make it even better he did all of this with one eye cause the other was blown away from a grenade and quote he "only needs one eye to aim his rifle".

  • @danielreed1859
    @danielreed1859 5 місяців тому +6

    Dude, Gail Halvorsen was a badass, he got the idea to drop candy after he was standing around the border and saw a group of kids standing by the fence asking for food. All he had was a box of gum, he gave it to them and they all divided it up amongst themselves and the ones that didn’t get any where content to just sniff the candy wrappers. One of those German kids grew up and moved to my tiny town in the US, and every Christmas he would fly the Spirit of Freedom down and do a candy drop for the local kids and he would give a talk at the school. He flew until he passed, and never stopped dropping candy, fucking awesome

  • @macoyreiber4482
    @macoyreiber4482 5 місяців тому +335

    While we're talking about airlifts, we should also mention the American version that ran concurrent to Berlin: Operation Haylift during the winter of 48/49 in the western US. In the first few weeks of 1949, a major blizzard hit the majority of the American West. Road and rail routes were blocked as snow built up, leaving communities, ranchers, and copious herds of livestock stranded without supplies. The national guard, regular army, and countless private contractors were brought in to clear snow and get to hay stacks. Loose hay is baled and hauled to air bases, where it is loaded into C-82 cargo planes and flown to stranded livestock. While many head still perished, this action saved incredible amounts of cattle and sheep. So not only were we so well trained and equipped that we could literally fly in the face of communism, but at the same time provide the same service we gave the Germans to American livestock. If that doesn't highlight the incredible ability of the US military in peacetime, I don't know what does!

    • @josiahjosiah534
      @josiahjosiah534 5 місяців тому +26

      Texas air national guard were here dropping round bales out of c130s after hurricane Ike, pretty awesome to watch and no cows were hit either

    • @macoyreiber4482
      @macoyreiber4482 5 місяців тому +9

      @@josiahjosiah534 that's awesome! Carrying on a heck of a legacy, too!

  • @wynnmatthews1858
    @wynnmatthews1858 5 місяців тому +190

    I met Col. Halverson once. His plane is a flying museum and gets maintenance at our local airport. He came to town once and recreated a candy bomb run for a bunch of school kids. He was an incredibly humble and genuinely approachable guy.

    • @Gilhelmi
      @Gilhelmi 5 місяців тому +11

      I know he went to rest last year.
      Do you know what they decided to do with the plane?
      I hope it will remain a flying museum, or at least go to a good home.

    • @wynnmatthews1858
      @wynnmatthews1858 5 місяців тому +9

      @@Gilhelmi I believe she's still flying. Shed a tear and raised a glass when I heard of his passing

  • @jinxhead4182
    @jinxhead4182 5 місяців тому +8

    Never underestimate the beauty and purity of humans working together in the face of cruelty and adversity. Per aspera ad astra.

  • @David1Eskin
    @David1Eskin 5 місяців тому +4

    You have to imagine the Berliner's must have been overawed, not just at the length's their recent enemies were now going to save them, but also at the sheer audacity they themselves had to think they could have ever defeated a power capable of this feat of logistics. This is possibly the biggest peacetime flex of warfighting capability, ever; demonstrating logistical capability in terms of both production and far more impressively transportation, piloting skill, organizational agility and discipline, and determined men at the top giving the orders to get it done all the way down through the steely eyed men flying within feet of buildings and brushing off any suggestion that the building might be in their way. Incredible.

  • @rdionne
    @rdionne 5 місяців тому +197

    My grandfather is the current president of the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association, unfortunately so many of the veterans are now gone or too frail to travel but this year is the 75th anniversary and they must not be forgotten. Thank you fat electrician for doing this video!

    • @simonp.316
      @simonp.316 5 місяців тому +8

      Their actions will never be forgotten!
      (even by an 80ies kid like me 😅).
      My parents and their families only endured these times because of great servicemen, pilots, ground crew etc.
      I will always be thankful for their service and sacrifices!
      Greetings and saluts from Berlin, Germany.

    • @jimreilly917
      @jimreilly917 5 місяців тому +2

      Your gramps is a LEGEND.

    • @jackthorton10
      @jackthorton10 5 місяців тому +4

      To the men who Airlifted a Miracle and showed Communism whose boss

    • @andrewjohnson6907
      @andrewjohnson6907 5 місяців тому

      FART ELECTRICIAN!!!!!

    • @traphimawari7760
      @traphimawari7760 5 місяців тому +3

      I salute them for their service, but most of all bless their souls for they truly are genuine kind people, they are literally the Mr.Beast of their era

  • @thecringeinspector5636
    @thecringeinspector5636 5 місяців тому +156

    As a Czech, I have to say I love America. It's ability to do shit fast is criminally underrated especially by my generation which only knows how to shit themselves and cry about the fact nothing's free. (I own 4 American flags, largest of which is 150 by 90 cm. Call me a westoid as many times you want, I believe in western values and I am proud about it).
    Bůh Žehnej Americe! ❤

    • @ronaldrobertson2332
      @ronaldrobertson2332 5 місяців тому +3

      🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

    • @ragingjew8345
      @ragingjew8345 5 місяців тому +18

      Dude, stop by a few states so we can buy you a beer.

    • @halo129830
      @halo129830 5 місяців тому +8

      Bro I don’t drink but if you showed up drinks on me

    • @timrunion
      @timrunion 5 місяців тому +13

      Remember, America is not a country. America is an idea. The idea that everyone can succeed. We are one of the few places on the planet where you can move here, take the oath of citizenship and become an american. I could move to poland, I could live there for years, I would never be polish. I will always be american. If you believe in the same values as we do, then you are as American as I am. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

    • @thecringeinspector5636
      @thecringeinspector5636 5 місяців тому +6

      @@timrunion I don't believe in god but I certainly believe in the US Military Budget. Also I have to agree with your theory there. Though whenever I go anywhere abroad I'm still a proud Czech. (A freedom loving one to be precise)

  • @joeblow5037
    @joeblow5037 5 місяців тому +7

    My dad was in on this as a flight engineer on C-54's in the Air Force.
    I helped finish them off on the Nimitz (1976/77) as a Radar Tech on Marine Phantoms.
    Reagan took it from there 😁

    • @TOH_Fan
      @TOH_Fan 5 місяців тому

      Reagan took the US economy and dumped into the death spiral of “trickle down economics” is what he did.

  • @The_Cranky_Painter
    @The_Cranky_Painter 21 день тому +1

    My grandfather was part of Operation: Manna from Heaven during WW2, the precursor to the idea of the Berlin Airlift. The commemorative medallion he got in the '70s meant more to him than his Bronze Star or Distinguished Flying cross he earned over Germany. The amount of amazing things the Army Corps did during that time frame never ceases to amaze me.

  • @raikbarczynski6582
    @raikbarczynski6582 5 місяців тому +264

    East german resident here: first of all. thank you for this amazing video about this event. It cemented the friendship many germans feel towards the former western allies ( well except france because.. their are french :P ). A little addition to the vid: at first the former luftwaffe technicians didnt even have a german manual for repairing 20 different types of aircraft. they just did what they could and sent the plane back up. later they got manuals for them and well... those planes left the airfield in top condition after being serviced by men who a few years prior were their enemies. and to the point of the Candy bombers: in germany they had a nickname as well: Rosinenbomber meaning raisin bombers. and that little clip you showed of playing kids. yeah.. german kids were playing fucking airlift :)

    • @raikbarczynski6582
      @raikbarczynski6582 5 місяців тому +50

      Oh and we made a movie about it. the english title simply is Berlin Airlift. but the german one: Die Luftbrücke - Nur der Himmel war frei meaning the airbridge - only the sky was free (translated literally) a better translation would be: only the sky remained because it was the only remaining way to get in those supplies

    • @RoughNek72
      @RoughNek72 5 місяців тому

      Nobody likes the french!!! 😆 🤣 😂

    • @farrightintensifies14
      @farrightintensifies14 5 місяців тому +20

      To be fair, nobody likes the French. 😂

    • @liquidrockaquatics3900
      @liquidrockaquatics3900 5 місяців тому +7

      @@farrightintensifies14beat me to it

    • @adrianmartinez9406
      @adrianmartinez9406 5 місяців тому

      Yeah screw the French and their stupid baguettes 😂

  • @whitepeaches2
    @whitepeaches2 5 місяців тому +142

    Growing up in berlin i remember hearing my grandmother telling me the story of the luftbruecke (german for air-bridge) and how she was always excited to see the little parachutes with the candy bars fall from the sky as a child. Even 4 decades later she teared up at the end and said she couldn't believe there are ppl in America and great Britain that cared about whether or not a little berlin girl starved to death.
    Now it made me tear up to see ppl still care about what happened all those years ago
    Thank you chubby electron guy

    • @willdenoble1898
      @willdenoble1898 5 місяців тому +6

      Man…..as someone who works in the field of nursing, and works in a Long-Term Care facility, visualizing your grandma tearing up about whether Americans and the English cared about starving German kids made me tear up. Peace be with you.

  • @_Devil
    @_Devil 15 днів тому +5

    It's weird that you never saw the inverse, you never saw the Soviets airlifting food and supplies into West Germany. All they did was punish and scold them.

  • @Joker-no1uh
    @Joker-no1uh 27 днів тому +2

    What makes this story even better is knowing that they just got done killing and destroying each other in war, but coming together and pulling this off is truly beautiful.I know the Berlin Airlift is touched on in history, but we should learn a lot more about this. What an amazing accomplishment. This would be difficult to pull off today, let alone 80 years ago. W for humanity 🇺🇲 🇬🇧 🇩🇪

    • @yeboxxxchannel2505
      @yeboxxxchannel2505 10 днів тому

      Something to truly understand and inspired ourselves to try whenever possible.

  • @MrVedderman
    @MrVedderman 5 місяців тому +179

    You're doing more for American History than our education system has done in a few decades. Thank you.

    • @user-mc6gf7gr2l
      @user-mc6gf7gr2l 5 місяців тому +8

      I’ve learned more about American history because of him compared to my teachers

    • @PROVOCATEURSK
      @PROVOCATEURSK 5 місяців тому +1

      The history of weak capitalism being scared of strong communism and never attacking. Giving half of Europe to communism because capitalism doesn´t have any money to win a war.

    • @excellentcomment
      @excellentcomment Місяць тому +2

      Can I get an Amen?!

  • @philipbaker5386
    @philipbaker5386 5 місяців тому +274

    My grandfather was a rail gunner on a dauntless for the Corps in Ww2, got out and hated civilian life so he re-enlisted into the USAF as a Loadmaster and was a part of the Berlin airlift.

    • @nightraven836
      @nightraven836 5 місяців тому +15

      Tons of ex-military hate civilian life if I remember right, what with the lack of discipline and structure (not to mention job security) in the civilian sector..

    • @rustomkanishka
      @rustomkanishka 5 місяців тому +3

      Guys like him make your country proud.

  • @bootygrease2796
    @bootygrease2796 5 місяців тому +52

    General Tunner's logistics system is the grandfather for modern aviation flow control including standard arrival and departure procedures.
    That's how great his idea was.

  • @anlydaly5726
    @anlydaly5726 5 місяців тому +4

    The CANDY BOMBER 🍬 is my favorite part of this story. Just a random act of kindness that just spiraled into becoming one of the most memorable parts of the biggest humanitarian effort in history ... just ... legendary.

  • @NovusDawn1
    @NovusDawn1 5 місяців тому +94

    Halvorson was also known as "Uncle Wiggly Wings" as he would rock his aircraft gently to signal to the children which plane was his in the beginning before operation Little vittles was officially started. When you become a cherished figure that brought joy and happiness to a generation of children during one of the darkest points in their lives you've done something right.

  • @sproutpits
    @sproutpits 5 місяців тому +139

    Even a modern 747 cargo plane can only carry about 250 tons. And they require a 2-mile runway.
    And even with the established lanes, flying planes of that era in such crowded skies was a huge skill of its own. These folks were badasses.

    • @masterch1ef297
      @masterch1ef297 5 місяців тому +10

      To be fair it would be better to compare the C-47 to the C-130 or C-17 than the 747

    • @Wot50202
      @Wot50202 5 місяців тому +1

      A two mile runway are you serious? None of what you said was even remotely being accurate.

    • @liwojenkins
      @liwojenkins 5 місяців тому +5

      @@Wot50202 According the Google, minimum is 1 mile at sea level. 1.5 mile recommended minimum in most other situations. 2 miles for a safety margin would seem absolutely correct. Also flying planes in a crowded area is difficult, period, are you simple? As for the 747 max cargo capacity, it seems to sit closer to 100-150 tons, depending on configuration and source, so that was wrong. You got 1/3 on "None of what you said", good job little buddy.

    • @sproutpits
      @sproutpits 5 місяців тому +3

      @@Wot50202 A fully-loaded 747 requires 10-12k feet of runway to take off. That's about 2 miles lol

  • @cameronblackburn8183
    @cameronblackburn8183 5 місяців тому +8

    That’s the last time I procrastinate watching a new TFE video. This was a gem. Dogging on communism, exceptional non-profit humanitarian efforts, history lessons and America being part of the solution in the most badass way possible. A tier-one quality Christmas present! Cheers to you, sir!

  • @spotdogharley
    @spotdogharley 5 місяців тому +8

    WOW ,WOW,WOW,....Buddy you nailed it !! that was by far the BEST explanation of the Berlin airlift that I have ever heard !!! story close to my heart ! my Dad flew both the Hump and the Berlin airlift !! GOOD JOB !!

  • @FaulconDeLacy
    @FaulconDeLacy 5 місяців тому +146

    To put it in perspective, they teach all the new Airmen in BMT about the Berlin Airlift. And to this day, its seen as one of the Air Force's most successful operations to date. As an Air Force veteran, I think it's cool people get to see another side of our service.

    • @AMoistBum
      @AMoistBum 5 місяців тому +1

      I was an AF vet as well and was a 2T2 (Air Trans). This airlift was apart of our heritage and it's cool to see my career field getting some light!

    • @oz_jones
      @oz_jones 5 місяців тому +2

      For good reason. This was a huge flex

    • @aj3751
      @aj3751 5 місяців тому +2

      "Airpower anytime, anywhere" 🇺🇸

    • @Fadaar
      @Fadaar 5 місяців тому +1

      Don't remember learning about it when I went through in Jan-Mar 2010 but it's been a while so maybe I just forgot about it. Good history lesson though, shows the true frightening power of American logistics when push comes to shove. Hell the whole of the 1940's was.

    • @stuckgrenadepin.225
      @stuckgrenadepin.225 5 місяців тому

      And yet, 60 some odd years later, the Air Force wouldn’t even deliver mail to American troops for months on the front lines because they *MIGHT* get a flat tire and have to stay overnight while a spare is flown down by helicopter.

  • @ytucharliesierra
    @ytucharliesierra 5 місяців тому +160

    There is actually an Airlift Memorial (Luftbrückendenkmal) in Berlin for this. The German term for this undertaking is "Luftbrücke" meaning airbridge and the German term for the candybombers was "Rosinenbomber", which translates into raisin bombers.
    Another both informative and entertaining video. Bravo!
    Cheers from Germany.

    • @raikbarczynski6582
      @raikbarczynski6582 5 місяців тому +4

      we also made a movie about it in 2005

    • @cbroz7492
      @cbroz7492 5 місяців тому +3

      ..the other memorial is in Frankfurt.

    • @thedyingmeme6
      @thedyingmeme6 5 місяців тому +1

      ​@@cbroz7492Michigan? Or germany?

    • @ytucharliesierra
      @ytucharliesierra 5 місяців тому +2

      @@thedyingmeme6 Three actually: next to Berlin, Frankfurt at the Main (not at the Oder) and Celle/Hannover.
      Due to their shape they are nicknamed "Hungerharke" which translates into "hunger rake".

    • @TheWabbitSeason
      @TheWabbitSeason 5 місяців тому +4

      There is also a display about The Berlin Airlift in the National Museum of the USAF at Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton, OH).

  • @NoknOnDors
    @NoknOnDors 5 місяців тому +6

    My dad visited Berlin in the 80's on a school trip, the east german economy was so bad, when you crossed from west Berlin to east Berlin, they made you exchange a certain ammount of money into east german marks, "so you could spend in their country" and then on your way back in to west Berlin you couldn't exchange them back because they were worth nothing.
    The west german 1 mark coin was made like a normal quarter or half dollar you'd see in America, copper and nickel sandwich. The east german 1 mark coin looked identical except it was stamped on an aluminum blank so it was super light and flimsy like some kind of token

  • @Annakaydyct
    @Annakaydyct 5 місяців тому +4

    This story was really cool to hear. My dad who was born in 1944, was deployed to Germany while the Berlin wall was being built. He was in Bamburg

  • @TheMagusOfTheMagnaCarta
    @TheMagusOfTheMagnaCarta 5 місяців тому +33

    Do you know what, despite all the transatlantic rivalry and name calling, i absolutely love it when the US and UK fist bump and say to each other "good job, dude"

  • @chesspuppeteer
    @chesspuppeteer 5 місяців тому +342

    Honestly. It's stories like this that make me wish our country's leadership still had this sort of respectability and overall skill.

    • @PROVOCATEURSK
      @PROVOCATEURSK 5 місяців тому +1

      USSA was weak, never had any skill to attack communists directly, they were scared and woke.

    • @Fractured_Unity
      @Fractured_Unity 5 місяців тому +35

      It takes the people educating themselves and holding each other to a higher standard. We get the leaders we deserve. Learn how the system works and run for office. It’s what we need.

    • @chesspuppeteer
      @chesspuppeteer 5 місяців тому +11

      ​@Fractured_Unity Agreed completely. I plan on running for local congressman in Ohio once I'm old enough. Hoping more people are making the same plans.

    • @Fractured_Unity
      @Fractured_Unity 5 місяців тому +5

      @@chesspuppeteer R’s are stronger there, but more difficult to work with and riskier for the long term compared to D. I or third party is difficult without most people in your electorate knowing you. What’s your plan? I’m in California so I have to do D.

    • @chesspuppeteer
      @chesspuppeteer 5 місяців тому +8

      @Fractured_Unity Ohio thankfully. I plan on running D even though my beliefs are more R than D these days. The one thing I plan on doing immediately is start some accountability all around. If we started forcing accountability to be taken and not make the punishment more of a fee and instead actual deserved jail time I feel like we could start filtering through these politicians a lot faster.

  • @hwithoutaname3629
    @hwithoutaname3629 3 місяці тому +2

    As he’s describing them dropping candy, I’m just imagining a Soviet commander watching from a distance and getting extremely angry at the sight, just to have his assistant scoot up to him eating a Hershey bar.

  • @OhNo4Sho
    @OhNo4Sho 5 місяців тому +4

    Your history lessons and comedic value added are a huge bright spot in my week. Thank you. Keep it up man, you are already a legend.

  • @Dudley_91
    @Dudley_91 5 місяців тому +20

    “Babe why do you take so long in the bathroom?”-My GF
    “I’m learning history from a electrician from Iowa”-Me

  • @fishanhunter
    @fishanhunter 5 місяців тому +32

    Imagine starting and loosing a war, only to have the dust wiped off of you by the victor and stood back up on your feet, and handed a candy bar, i love it

    • @markfinley3703
      @markfinley3703 5 місяців тому +6

      That's why there was no insurgency to speak of in Germany or Japan. Berlin Airlift and Marshall Plan won the peace. We have forgotten how to win the peace. We need a new branch of the U.S. Military just to win the peace. Using combat troops to occupay an area does not work well, they have the wrong mentality for it. The right mentality for winning the war, but not for winning the peace. They should be kept on standby in the area to support the Peacekeeper branch.

    • @yeboxxxchannel2505
      @yeboxxxchannel2505 10 днів тому

      ​@@markfinley3703Am I thinking what you Are Thinking?
      Que the new Psychological and Psycholo-Physical Operations.

  • @MrStarFlex
    @MrStarFlex 22 дні тому +2

    Still greatfull to the western powers that they helped out my ancestors even after this horrible war that just had happened.
    My grandma used to talk about all the airplanes flying over them and hearing on the radio that they dropped supplies into berlin.
    Much love from Germany

  • @SirMevan
    @SirMevan 2 місяці тому +2

    In high school I read a book of the first-hand accounts of survivors of the Atomic Bombs in Japan, and in the literal hours and days after the nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the Japanese survivors (and one German pastor) saw American ships closing in and were TERRIFIED the Americans were coming to "finish them all off" and then were in utter shock when they saw medical teams and engineers leave the ships, repairing the city, trying to rescue trapped survivors, and patching up the wounded. My teacher remarked that, "We wanted to end the war, not destroy the country." Once Tokyo surrendered, we went in to save as many as we could. America sure as hell ain't perfect, but I have never heard of a victorious nation showing such support for their defeated enemy.

  • @Golden_Spike
    @Golden_Spike 5 місяців тому +257

    I’m glad you mentioned the candy bomber. Colonel Halvorsen lived about 20 miles from me and I got the chance to meet him a couple of times. Very kind-hearted gentleman. Tremonton, Utah has a large mural on the side of a building downtown recognizing his accomplishments.

    • @Khemtime
      @Khemtime 5 місяців тому +11

      He’s the Fat Electrician. He’s not going to miss out on the opportunity to talk about free candy dropping from the sky.

    • @Redbikemaster
      @Redbikemaster 5 місяців тому +5

      I live in Utah and never knew this. Will be planning a drive out to there to see it, thank you.

    • @HANKSANDY69420
      @HANKSANDY69420 3 місяці тому +1

      *W*

  • @PNut8421
    @PNut8421 5 місяців тому +72

    My great Uncle flew with the USAF as a.... yeah... Loadmaster.. with the Berlin airlift. he was in charge of making sure each plane had the right set of cargo to ensure proper delivery runs. this plane gets water, this plane gets coal, this plane gets food, this plane gets a little bit of everything. he told my dad that his crews were so good at sorting the cargo to be loaded that he effectively wasn't needed on the runways or the warehouses anymore. so he would hop into a couple of the planes to fly to Berlin and help organize the cargo as it was being unloaded and distributed.

  • @juliomendoza3210
    @juliomendoza3210 5 місяців тому +4

    One of the greatest storytellers of our time!! I look forward to these. I even take a beak so I can have something to binge watch at work!!

  • @shinomori69
    @shinomori69 4 місяці тому +3

    War is always about willpower and logistics. I was a logistician for the Army for 14 years. We're pretty good at that shit

  • @robertlewis8295
    @robertlewis8295 5 місяців тому +161

    What I love about the Berlin airlift was the fact that they had seaplanes landing on the lakes to increase the amount of cargo they could fly in.

    • @EeBee51
      @EeBee51 5 місяців тому +25

      I remember reading how RAF Sunderland flying boats were used to fly in coal for home heating and fuel for the power station.

    • @therasco400
      @therasco400 5 місяців тому +7

      One of the key things was there was no go arounds.
      The planes either landed or they flew back to France.

  • @williedog1127
    @williedog1127 5 місяців тому +77

    Hey there Fat Electrician, Man Im almost 67 years old and I get the biggest kick outta your untold history vids. I am a blue collar history buff and you hit a lot of topics that I have read and studied. The most important thing is you call it the way you understand it. And I haven't found anything wrong yet. Just wanted to wish you anf your family great and safe holidays. Keep up!!!! Oh I have your decals on all my vehicles and my wife had me put the Quack bang on her 4 runner. Enjoying my new coffee mug also. Keep us laughing. the world needs more of that. You otta run for president, you got our vote. Thanks, willie Dog!

    • @the_fat_electrician
      @the_fat_electrician  5 місяців тому +25

      Thank you happy holidays to you to

    • @Andrewleedy133
      @Andrewleedy133 28 днів тому

      3​@@the_fat_electrician I like your videos and I found you from Brandon hererras video on the North Carolina broken arrow

  • @VonBrachsenbruegge
    @VonBrachsenbruegge 3 місяці тому +2

    And thats just one reason why we love you guys, greetings from germany.. :)

  • @mauricestevenson5740
    @mauricestevenson5740 5 місяців тому +4

    Just found The Fat Electrician. Immediately watched this piece about the Berlin Airlift. Enjoyed it immensely. Like, really really enjoyed it. Well researched, well delivered. A couple of witty asides thrown in for light relief. And I learnt some new stuff. Thank you.

  • @armynation31B5V5P
    @armynation31B5V5P 5 місяців тому +167

    I am a US Army W-Berlin Brigade Soldier (89 to 91). It was the best duty with a great history. As a Military Policeman, working Checkpoint Charlie, it was so crazy looking at Russian and East German Soldiers every day. Then when Nov 8 hit and East Berliners were walking over. It was the biggest party ever. Even got me a few chunks of that asbestos wall near Charlie gate. I hope you didn't mind... I had wished to share with you. Tango~

    • @simonp.316
      @simonp.316 5 місяців тому +7

      Thank you for your service, Sir!
      👏
      I am a born Berliner (1981, born in the district of " Tempelhof" where the airfield / airport was and raised in the district of "Neukölln" just some 800m from the border river of "Teltowkanal").
      Always felt safe and protected because of guys like you.👍
      Loved the open house days at Tempelhof airfield as a kid, the 4th of July parades, the Turner Tankers with their M60 Pattons and my late dad always liked to have a chat with some GIs as customers of his optician shop.
      The insignia of the famous Berlin Brigade is my favorite 😍.
      P.S.: There is an interesting book of the US SF detachments of the Berlin Brigade out there.
      "Special Forces Berlin" from James Stejskal.
      Super interesting 👌

    • @rightcross
      @rightcross 5 місяців тому +5

      You guys used to pick fights with us (Blue-Corders) at the Friendship club outside of Andrews barracks so you could arrest us, and then the CO would come get us out... XD Good times!!!

    • @simonp.316
      @simonp.316 5 місяців тому +1

      @@rightcross 🤣 great story! 👏 I can imagine it, the MP arresting everybody.

  • @g3arjammer837
    @g3arjammer837 5 місяців тому +146

    Please do a video on Francis Marion aka the Swamp Fox. He’s arguably the father of modern guerrilla warfare. The Rangers still use some of his tactics today IIRC. Guy is quite interesting and a military genius. Anyone who doesn’t know about him I highly suggest looking into him.

    • @109FF
      @109FF 5 місяців тому +2

      Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, tail on his hat
      Nobody knows where the Swamp Fox at
      Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, hiding in the glen
      He runs away to fight again

  • @LtNduati
    @LtNduati 3 місяці тому +2

    The Berlin Airlift is one of my favorite stories from history, sometimes it can even bring a tear to my eye

  • @jimmyb2655
    @jimmyb2655 3 місяці тому +2

    This needs to be a movie. There would be plenty of action. It would be an epic war movie, and not a single shot would be fired. The "chocolate bombs" would be cinematic gold.

  • @MsBritanie73
    @MsBritanie73 5 місяців тому +27

    My undergrad is in History. Focus was on Medieval/ Renaissance Europe. You are the best U S. History Prof I've ever had.

  • @DocMedic
    @DocMedic 5 місяців тому +205

    Had the pleasure of meeting Col. Halvorsen before he passed. He was my hero, and just so happened to live in the same senior living facility as my grandparents. I cannot stress enough how kind and tender of a man he was. One of those folks that could just by smiling at you, turn the worst day for the better. A true heart of gold, and I daresay a saint. If I can be even a quarter what Col. Halvorsen was, I'll die happy. God rest his soul.

    • @mitchellshepherd9053
      @mitchellshepherd9053 5 місяців тому +12

      Hey I worked at that retirement home while he was there and I agree the man was a saint

    • @user-jp6ij1uk4y
      @user-jp6ij1uk4y 3 місяці тому

      What was the man like? What stories did he share of the Berlin Airlift that aren't well known?@@mitchellshepherd9053

    • @atoriusv5070
      @atoriusv5070 Місяць тому

      Wow that's amazing!

  • @arcm4210
    @arcm4210 8 днів тому

    this almost made me cry. i love hearing stories about people working together in the face of adversity

  • @danion6840
    @danion6840 5 місяців тому +5

    I am not sure of how you get your ideas for content, but a trip down to the local VFW, or American Legion or any of the veteran service organizations would be a treasure trove of ideas and some laughs. Love your content, keep it up

  • @Moyfedaykin
    @Moyfedaykin 5 місяців тому +26

    Don’t forget the US Navy was flying too, my grandfather flew 141 successful missions in the Berlin Airlift for the USN.

  • @thelion7210
    @thelion7210 5 місяців тому +184

    This one was heart warming, good job Chubby Electron Guy!

  • @Allan_aka_RocKITEman
    @Allan_aka_RocKITEman 8 днів тому +2

    FWIW: I worked on Lockheed C-130 Hercules 4-entine turboprop transport aircraft in both the US Navy and US Coast Guard.
    It AMAZES ME that the US Air Force was able to do what they did during the Berlin Airlift with the DC-4/C-54 {and the smalker DC-3/C-47}.
    I often wonder how well they could have done during the Airlift if they had C-130s.

  • @lesflynn4455
    @lesflynn4455 4 місяці тому +1

    I'd heard of the Berlin airlift but I'd never heard any details of it. Even in high school, when we spent an entire term in history on WW2, the Berlin airlift wasn't covered, because it was after the war. Thanks for posting this, and going into such detail. You do some very cool videos Mr Nick.

  • @martinwestphal3238
    @martinwestphal3238 5 місяців тому +19

    German here. My Parents grew up in Berlin during the Airlift. Thanks for everything !

  • @chrisyoung8301
    @chrisyoung8301 5 місяців тому +27

    Should give Michael Thornton a consideration for a vid. He was a seal in Vietnam who, after a botched mission, swam carrying his injured senior officer and an injured south Vietnamese soldier for 3 hours in open water until he was rescued. He's the most decorated navy seal in it's history.

  • @madfartman6186
    @madfartman6186 5 місяців тому +2

    easily my favorite history channel to watch. I bet that I got an extra 10% on my final for american history from 1877 to now because of you and your videos.

  • @kurumachikuroe442
    @kurumachikuroe442 5 місяців тому +28

    Typical democracy W and communism L

    • @John2r1
      @John2r1 15 днів тому

      The US isn't actually a democracy. At least not in the classical sense. The US is a Republic.
      And the UK is a Constitutional Monarchy in which the king or queen is the head of state but does not make any open political decisions. All political decisions are taken by the government and Parliament.
      So, neither the US nor the UK are by definition democracies. Though representative of the people are elected through a democratic process.
      The difference between a Republic and Democracy is simply how the vote is done.
      In a democracy everyone gets a single vote on everything. Think Athens in ancient Greece.
      In a Republic people come together as a group and elect a representative for each group within the nation ie states with a nation vote for representatives. Who then vote in their groups interests at least that's how it's supposed to work.
      Roman Republic which the US got the ideal for a representative democracy or Republic from.

  • @Veritas.0
    @Veritas.0 5 місяців тому +52

    2:36 Don't forget, the soviets were right there with them at the beginning. Just a little over two weeks after Germany invaded Poland, the Soviet Union did as well. (Sept 1 1939 for Germany, Sept 17 1939 for USSR) The Soviets *helped start World War 2.*

    • @HypnoticChronic1
      @HypnoticChronic1 5 місяців тому +1

      Don't you just love how that is so conveniently forgotten in US history books these days? TFE really should do a video on how us Poles bitch slapped the commies in 1919-1921 and at the very least postponed them from taking over most of Europe for 20 years.

    • @Chunkieta
      @Chunkieta 3 місяці тому +8

      Yes, Germany would not have attacked Poland without the non-aggression pact and their splitting that country with the USSR, so no Soviets, no WW2, btw in Russia you will go to prison for stating that fact

    • @airplanemaniacgaming7877
      @airplanemaniacgaming7877 3 місяці тому

      @@ChunkietaBecause making any claim about "The Great Patriotic War" as they call it over in shit hol- I mean Russia that is ANYTHING other than "Nazis bad Soviets gud Soviets win entire war" is a crime.

  • @BGamer-mx1nq
    @BGamer-mx1nq 5 місяців тому +28

    I had the honor to have met and be acquainted with Gail Halverson (The Candy Bomber) back in my time living in Arizona. I’ve never met anyone with that big of a heart. His love for his country and his fellow man is apparent. You meet him once and you will feel like you’ve known him forever.

  • @anickode
    @anickode 5 місяців тому +3

    2.3 million TONS. That's like 70 THOUSAND Sherman tanks. During the whole of WWII we built 50,000 Sherman tanks.

  • @chrismitchell446
    @chrismitchell446 5 місяців тому +3

    Gail Halverson was an incredible human being. God rest his soul. Thanks for covering this, TFE!

  • @WhiteIkiryo-yt2it
    @WhiteIkiryo-yt2it 5 місяців тому +87

    I lived in Germany for a short time when I was a kid as my dad was stationed there with the RAF and since then I have always felt a special connection with Germany and damn, did this being tears to my eyes. God bless all involved in this amazing effort. When America, Britain and the Germans come together, we.can do anything. 🇬🇧🇩🇪🇺🇸

    • @lsswappedcessna
      @lsswappedcessna 5 місяців тому +9

      British wit, American industrialism (and a touch of war profiteering), and German engineering! They go together like leaves on a tree!

  • @rebelcycle
    @rebelcycle 5 місяців тому +66

    I'm crying at how touching this 15-month long humanitarian support was, and laughing at , once again, your comedic quips and delivery! I absolutely love your videos. I so can't wait to hear about the Berlin Wall next week!

  • @WolfFenrirHelix
    @WolfFenrirHelix 28 днів тому +1

    My dad's dad's older brother (my late Great Uncle Ron), was part of the RAF contribution dropping all those Blue Whales-worth of supplies into Berlin. Makes me feel proud that my family had a part to play in this logistical and humanitarian middle finger to Communism.

  • @stenbak88
    @stenbak88 5 місяців тому +2

    The Berlin airlift is easily one of my favorite parts of military history and history in general

  • @wxexw
    @wxexw 5 місяців тому +16

    When a 12 year Hollywood vet tells you that you are a great storyteller - belive them. Absolutely fantastic video again.

  • @mightymikethebear
    @mightymikethebear 5 місяців тому +128

    Logistics personnel can make military operations easy or damned near impossible. The tonnage of supplies that were delivered is so impressive. That was a heart warming story, thanks for sharing.

    • @lordlongstroke5989
      @lordlongstroke5989 5 місяців тому

      Keep drinking that Soy. Believe what the 1950's media tells you, they were so fair and balanced back then... SMH

    • @morgans7704
      @morgans7704 4 місяці тому +2

      Being a former Army logistics specialist, I'll tell you straight up, logistical strength will be your deciding factor in 99% of operations, on both a tactical and strategic level.
      "Without supply, the bullets don't fly"

    • @chrisj7656
      @chrisj7656 4 місяці тому

      @@morgans7704 clearly, you've never heard "We fly because we CANN!"

  • @Tryst1982
    @Tryst1982 5 місяців тому +1

    I love how pretty much the US Airforce was born and figuratively the next day asked to pull off the Berlin Airlift.
    Like....hold my beer I guess.