Why were Red Coats red?
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2018
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How is your comment a day old if this came out 2 minutes ago
No
Mojave Outpost
He releases videos a little earlier than you think.
If you become one of his Patreon sponsors, you’ll get to see some of his videos as early as a week before the rest of us.
Simple History PLEASS DO HEDD WYN WW1 WELSH HERO VIDRO PLEASE!!!!
Simple History chris kane what happened with pancho Vail
The guy in the thumbnail is wondering why the grapeshots were getting bigger
*Then it hit him*
Internet Bear *BOI*
Comment of the year
A little Boi *RIGHT IN THE T E A*
🤔
I was thinking that
Simple, if they weren't red then they would just be coats
Too true.
“The Coats”
Now *that’s* going to strike fear into the hearts of the world
The coats are coming, the coats are coming!
Truth.
Scalping and bayoneting an Englishman in any other color coat would just feel like murder.
“Red pigment was *red-ily* available*
That was good
just cuz of that i disliked it
Edit. they said that in the video
I love you
*sigh
Shut up, just shut up..
“So when we get shot our enemies think that we are screaming out of anger rather then pain, and so they don’t see our blood”
*Tour guide for my 5th grade field trip*
Reminds me of a joke I heard, in the 1800’s a pirate ship is sailing, all of a sudden, the captain hears from the crows nest, “one enemy ship on the horizon!” The captain turns to his first mate and says “ bring me my red shirt.” The first mate got the captain his red shirt, and then the battle ensues all day, at the end, they were victorious, and didn’t lose a single crew member. Later the first mate asked the captain, “why the red shirt before the battle?” The captain replied “because if I was to get shot, no one would see me bleed, and continue to fight on.” The next day, the hears from the crows nest, “40 enemy ships on the horizon. The captain turns to his first mate and says “bring me my brown pants.”
Give that guide a raise.
@@SamAx57 dang your old
Nope
CO: I didn’t see you bleeding out there today!
Soldier: Thank you Sir!
Ants Americana operating theatre gowns are green so blood looks brown, the same as darker sections on the bottoms of hospital walls...
CO stands for Commissioned Officer. OC is used when referring to the Officer Commanding the unit!! The same mistake is made on crime and military series.
While lays there fighting for his life
*30% bleeding but this but a scratch*
@@leondillon8723 CO stands for Commanding Officer too.
I didn't know they had thinking emojis in the 1700's
🤔
The 🅱️ritish Army
🤔
I spit my drink when I saw that thumbnail.
That's really what you take away from this video
How disappointing
The French Army uniform at the start of World War 1 featured red trousers and a dark blue jacket, which was eventually changed into a dull grey uniform by the middle of the war.
@Paul Mehoff
Low blow bro... low blow...
@Danny Isambard must ...resist...dont get... Triggerd...
@Frank Begbie says the clueless tool whose country hadn't been transformed into a killing zone.
@@carlost856 Not only that, but while the French government surrendered (Without much choice) there were still plenty of French people who fought both in the resistance, and in the Free French military forces.
You are for sure British, am I right gouverner? I see that you used "trousers" instead of pants. Did I get it right?
0:00
Don't mind those Redcoats in the background, they're just googling how to Colonize land they haven't even discovered yet.
They're looking at Google maps
They're looking at a Wikipedia page of the territories they have captured, and they are helping by expanding it.
Because red is a lit color
slade meme REEEEEEEEEE
Oh no don’t look at my 64GB Homework folder pls
Too late
Shoots. At least they won’t discover my other 12TB worth of sacred content in my hard drives that are scattered throughout the house...
You can't find me, I'm on Incognito mode
Title: why are redcoats red?
*MaYbE bEcAuSe ThEy ArE cAlLeD "rEd" CoAtS*
I don't get it
My brain hurts a little bit
@@crowbirdryuell the title asked why were the redcoats red. It's literally in the name. "Red" coats
@@dank6793 I know... lol
As yes floor is made out of floor
The concept that the Red coats made the British troops easy targets for the elusive American sharpshooter militia is something that really does not pass the sniff test. Even if it did, it was not a issue in deciding the outcome of the US War or Independence.
The vast majority of fighting in the US Revolutionary War was between formed troops on the open battlefield. They used muskets. If you were hit with a musket ball at over 100 yards, it was a pure accident for the most part. Accurate musket fire was probably closer to 30 yards on an open battlefield. You could be dressed like Elton John at a concert or in drab green and it would not make a difference - you opponent would see you regardless. Colour of uniform could not make you an easier or harder target at those minimal ranges.
Also, the British were not as inflexible as they are often portrayed to be. Their light troops made local modifications to their uniforms cutting down their coats and hats to be able to move through dense woods more easily during the war. They did not see the need to change the colour of their coats.
In the end, the US prevailed in the revolutionary war due to support from France and to a lesser degree Spain and the Netherlands. Cornwallis surrender to US and French forces at Yorktown. And there was the issue that it is very hard for a colonial power to stop a popular independence movement.
This is no criticism of the US sharpshooters but the idea that they were picking off dozens of British soldiers at long range due to conspicuous red uniforms is not the case.
As individual targets, red on say, forest, field green? Yeah, that sticks out like a sore thumb dude
druivm If it was not for French help we would be speaking English !
@@edgannon2868 er...
While red may not have been the sole role for the British losing against the colonists, it did play a role. There is a reason why Tarleton's Dragoons wore green instead of red, and it was because it better concealed them in the forests of North America.
@@howardbaxter2514 Howard, good sir - if this were the case, why did the US Continental Army continue to wear a conspicuous uniform throughout the war and for decades after? Google "US Revolutionary War Uniforms" and scan the images. The US army wore a blue coat because it was the cheapest dye available. That blue jacket often had red cuffs and red facings. The US soldiers wore white pants and a white waistcoat. On top of it they had two white cross belts - hardly inconspicuous. Take a look at what the US militia was wearing - largely civilian clothes which included these white pants as well.
The Brits wore red tunics in battle until 1879 and it was not because they were either stupid or stubborn. It just did not matter. Their record in battle proves it. The US revolutionary war was one of the very few that the Brits lost in several hundred years that they wore red uniforms.
As I said, the battles that won the war were decided by regular armies fighting by black power musket rules - max range 100 yards if you were lucky, fighting shoulder to shoulder in a dense fog of black powder smoke. Armies wore conspicuous uniforms for a reason - you had to pick out your comrades easily in the smoke. That is why bright uniforms lasted for 100 years after Yorktown.
There was fighting in the woods (skirmishes) between the light troops of both sides who as you noted - tended to wear more muted colours. This was fighting on the periphery of the main battle and was not the deciding outcome in the war.
The US won its revolution due to its will to fight. The aid of the French, Spanish and Dutch did not hurt either. Cornwallis surrounded to both the US and French army at Yorktown. Google images of the French Army at Yorktown and you will see quite a few Regiments fought in white from head to toe.
The US sharpshooter who took out a red coat in a forest skirmish and the British light infantryman or ranger who did the same to his opponent in blue and white each did their bit for their cause. The contribution of neither decided the issue.
As an American, take pride in the fact that you forefathers raised an army that won independence for a new nation - but that was a standing conventional army that decided the issue fighting shoulder to shoulder as their opponents did using muskets which did not have sights because the range was so short you did not need them. It was not the revisionist history of legions of nimble Kentucky sharpshooters taking out hordes of red jacketed Brits. Simply did not happen that way.
Fun fact: the red coats were dyed the same way roman legionaries used to dye their clothing. They used the same plant for dye and the same dying methods.
The Red Coat in the thumbnail and at the beginning is doing the Thinking Emoji. Must be #realthinkinghours.
Thefunmuffin
Really 🤔makes🤔 you 🤔think 🤔
Thonking
🤔
🤔
i just noticed that lmao
Why were blue coats blue?
Why were green coats green?
Why were yellow coats yellow?
Why are the purple coats so expensive?
Why were orange coats orange
Why were coats coats?
Finally the correct answer. I have been banging on about this for years! But people keep coming up with stupid reasons for the colour. As in most things in life it comes down to cost. Red dye was the cheapest and most readily available colour.
then wouldnt no dye be cheeper than that? white coats anyone?
@@dualityomk9854 even white coats were dyed white. If they were indeed they would get dirty and more quickly be worn out and rendered unusable, dye helped prolong the life of the clothes. And of course dye prices changed from place to place
You need uniforms so that people know you are soldiers. They can't abuse your men and get away with it if it is clear who they are. Second, muskets are very loud and their smoke lingers for where they stood for a time. So if the enemy are going to see that, they are going to you standing there.
I simply cannot imagine that style and the portrayal of Pride and Glory wasn’t a deciding factor as well for an empire. Look at uniforms of that age which all appear fancy to the max. Unnecessary fancy if it would only be a question of costs.
I feel ya on that one my man. People always tryna come up with crazy explanations for simple things. Ain't nothing like the power of a good ol' red coat to turn heads and get things done. And you're right, cost is always a factor. Gotta keep that cash flow rolling, ya know what I'm saying? But hey, as long as it looks good and gets the job done, that's all that matters.
I love how this channel pack in a lot of information in a relatively small amount of time. Definitely worth subscribing to.
Ths Fire Nation is proud of you Great Britain
Zuzu your everywhere
United Kingdom*
stop being everywhere
Henry G same thing
c HB it’s not
Love your vid very much, keep it up. Amazing entertainment.
Frank Miller112 their coats were red because they thought they were better then everyone else. Not. Their were beaten in battle. The fall of the British empire.
Gerry Adams ???
i love how the guy is thinking when everyone is dying in the backround
And because of the power of his thoughts bullets just pass by not hitting him :D
Just realized the soldier thinking in the thumbnail was actually the Thinking Emoji and now my life is in shambles
"So that they can't be seen bleeding".
Oof, now that's one way of losing a shitton of men.
brown shorts were issued also
How? If you are injured you will feel it
D C people nearby wouldn't know tho
Xx APolishGuy xX if you have rapid blood loss in those days you are as good as dead. Medics would have ignored you and would only help the people who have a strong change of living.
If you are close enough, you would see the blood, but the theory is meant for middle to long ranged combat.
Also, while it wasn't intended, it might've worked one or two times in battle. But that's just a guess.
Be honest there, you guys totally knew what you where doing with that thumbnail.
I love this channel. I would love to see a feature length video about any given historical topic as long as it's illustrated and narrated by simple history
Cause they didn't want to stain their coats with the blood of their enemies.
It says that was a myth
@@RandomAussieEmu it says myth was that their own blood wouldn't be visible for themselves and enemies not that the blood of their enemies wouldn't ruin the clothes. For a smartass you really are dumb. No offense but listen to the video and think before commenting next time.
@@damnsonwheredyoufindthis.3830 jeez calm down and I wasn't being a smartass
@@damnsonwheredyoufindthis.3830 cost was the primary reason, as for blood stains that was more of a bonus
Dried blood is much darker than their red uniforms
This is something you usually ask yourself when you’re high
Wubzy gets high, why are guns black and brown?
*hits blunt*
if water is wet and ice is made from water then why is there dry ice?
Salivar Ravilas why is Jesus?
If you can get high than get you get low 🤔
Wubzy uhhhhhhh, alchohol
*Top 10 questions science can't explain*
Herman Fegelein
Congratulations on your victory over shitler
I don't think Red hides the screaming after getting shot.
A cartoon is more educational than school. I love you guys.
"Oh wow the red coats army really is made up of red coats"
what do you expect. Is the Red army Red? or just a commie-folly?
still pls bless me for Jalter Summer.
Again it’s you...
They weren't called ''Red coats'' first and then chose to follow the name, but they wore red coats first and ''Red coats'' became a label for the soldiers. If they had blue coats first they would've been named ''Blue coats''. This video explains why red was the chosen colour.
Do they also die when they are killed?
I know really i cant believe it
love all these videos! Keep up the quality SimpleHistory!
Hmm, does this mean in the future, that space marine's uniforms will be chrome, aluminum color to blend in with the space ships they are on ?
I like how the guy in the thumbnail stops to think while under a barrage of bullets, not caring about his life at all
So glad you guys make videos like this, I really enjoy learning about history and you make it fun and interesting. Thank you.
Title: Why were Red Coats red?
Me: ummm, cause they're red?
Mohd Bakhtiar yeah me too
Comedian
Mohd Bakhtiar because, red is cheep
Why were redcoats red? Cause they were blue
Are you a professor of some kind or a scientist?
Thanks guys. Great video.
Those are some cool looking hats.
Dat face soldier
🤔🤔🤔
Sub or Gulag shut up fascist
Julius The Reformer What??? :D
History's Thoughts dude...
Sub or Gulag the swastkia
Conor Flynn Swastika or Gulag
Great video!
Thanks for your history lesson
didn't they wear red in the Zulu war, seeing how every painting I see they are wearing red
They wore red uniforms during the First Anglo-Boer War too.
Yes they did. They only changed very late 1800s
The Zulu war was in 1879 so yes they still wore red then.
@@lazyhazeldaisy9596 He's had eleven months to look it up.
@@stevek8829 Then why dod he make a comment eleven moths ago?
❤️ the soldiers watching the laptop. 😉
_"Better dead than red."_
hey simple history! i'm a fan of your channel. i got a lot of historical informations from your short animations which is really helpful and fun to watch. a suggestion here, make an episode about malayan emergency. it would be nice to watch that
Awesome Video,Awesome Info!
“Conjures up images of colonials picking off British with ease” Nope conjures up images of an unstoppable force of nature smashing through Frenchman and conquering land to the British Grenadier. 😂🇬🇧
Are you referring to the American Independence War ?
and going broke in the process
jigi I’d assume the French and Indian War
Most viewers are from the States.
@@kaziiqbal7257 going broke conquering Canada,Australia, New Zealand, Most of Africa , most of the Middle East. , a nice chunk of the Far East, the Caribbean, India etc etc. They might of made a little bit of money. 😂😂😂
1:22 "Red pigment required less work in the dying process"
I see what you did there.
Video game developer: "Red units require less work in the dying animation"
Love y'all videos
Redcoats were worn by English soldiers in Holland in their fight against Spain 1590's to 1600's they had Doublets (waistcoat) which were red this was the basis for the redcoat.
Why my coat is red ?
Top 10 last words before death.
Diệp Tất Thọ lol
Star trek reference
The British are coming! The British are coming!
Avery Lopez-Baines
Ag
SHUT UP, I AM TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!
P.S. In reality it was much more like a whisper-chain than a guy shouting from horseback. The colonial forces would have arrested him.
Fun fact: Paul Revere never said that during his famous ride.
The redcoats are coming..
Avery Lopez-Baines They never said that because they were British
they were amazing with their uniforms
I learn something when I watch this program.
Also, as many engagements ended in one side retreating, and with combat being close range and inaccurate making camo pointless (green was also pretty expensive to dye), uniforms also intended to intimidate the opposing force
In the early 1800's field trails were conducted with the colours green and grey. Grey was the winner as the better camouflage colour over green. And the armies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland wore grey into the second world war.
So Russia was rich
@almightyinferno True Sir, multi colour camouflage was used by French snipers on the Western front. These camouflage was hand painted on the fabric. However I am talking about single colour camouflage. Such as Olive Drab or SADF brown.
@@JonatasAdoM well the dye that was cheapest depended on the area
Not true
200 IQ title
Fashhan P lol
Love the videos but you should upload more often!
Thank you
Great video and you have amazing channel and you have taught me alot.
Gerardo Reyes kyfmbv
BETTER DEAD THEN RED
*Than
A very livid Moose But you need someone to waste their money on nuclear deterrents so you can save you’re own money.
Deadsec 33rd what does communism had to do with British Royal red coats?
TG7 Desert Rat
And we will nuke London off the map. Remember that you and France share like, 1 or 2 nukes.
The Firery Stool
Because you both tired to oppress us and our way of life albeit at different times. I’d rather be dead than be a colonial loyalist to that piece of jeweled metal you call the British Crown
I love Simple history you guys have the most interesting information regarding history and for someone me being a future history major i really appreciate these historical videos! And do you guys have social media?
The Turkey red dye was used near loch Lomond for these being the cheapest, but the drying fields needed to cure the colour.
0:13 Kind reminds me of this ➡🤔
Wow New video already thank you Simple History. Is Abraham Lincoln video coming soon?
AkselHelp Trans been waiting for a Lincoln video for a while.
Nobody wants an Abe Lincoln vid but u
T F say that to the 72 other people to liked the comment kiddo.
The Starman you mean 78..lol
TN BLITZKRIEG technically 79 ;)
love how the readcoat was like 🤔 in the beginning
Great Video!
You should do the Martini Henry
Roses are red, violets are blue,
The British just upgraded to breech loaders run for your lives!
In South Africa an English person is still called a " Rooi nek" meaning " Red nek" from the Brits uniforms with stiff red collars in the 1st Boer War.
Cool color
“Why are red coats red”
Me : * confused screaming *
I have a lot of respect for the British military! I grew up thinking that they were evil during the American Revolution. In truth, they were simply doing their duty for King and Country!
Very Good!!!
Good question
*Looks at thumbnail*. Me: “:thinketh:”
0:11 🤔
🤔
😶
🤔
🤔
🤔
Imagine an opposing army launching several bulls to fight off the redcoats
@Ted Hubert Pagnanawon Crusiothe redcoats then dispersed themselves and fled in terror with some of them shooting the bulls to no avail as it turns out that the bulls has bullet proof armour wrapped around their bodies then the redcoats got gored to death
Please do a video about JTF2!
British officer: "I'll bet you rebels are wondering why I wear a red coat. It's so you can't see me bleed.
Nope
I know the answer! They’re red because they’re dyed red. What do you expect?
Drunk Napoleon sir your name implies greatly here
Drunk Napoleon, nice pun
NAPOLÉON GLORY STRONK
I learned this by playing Victoria in Civ 6.
2:42 im related to a general who was killed in that war
Simple History: Why were red coats red?
Me: Because they're red, it's in the name lol
The red uniform is still in use in India too, mainly for ceremonial purposes.
Red has always been an iconic colour for the English. Their battle standard was always red during Anglo-Saxon times, and their flag was also red (the dragon of Wessex) then the Normans came, and they also used red and gold which were traditional colours favoured by the English.
Basically the English just liked red.
Except me. I like blue.
Because whatever happens, never let them see you bleed.
So the enemy can't see them bleed.
Why was red coats red?
Because they were not blue
@napoli then it's bluecoats
@napoli Actually for most 18th century French soldiers their uniforms were white or grey.
Lobster backs was the best nickname
That thumbnail was a gold
A fun fact, at the battle of Omdurman (1898, in the Sudan) a British artillery unit wore their red tunics making it the last known time red was worn in battle.
British Royal Artillery wore dark blue, with red trimmings, before adopting khaki.
Can you do the battle of zulu
Still damn cool in terms of looks.
the absolute madman.
They were fancy looking uniforms
Can you do
The indonesian war of independence?
BroodingSalmon 13 No one cares about that
Its not that interesting
BroodingSalmon 13 Indonesia is really the least relevant and interesting choice here you little nationalist
Bleu Bleu how can an entire country's struggle for independence that took many lives and impacted its future over many years of colonisation not be interesting? Literally millions of lives were affected by such an event and it's not interesting? You're just a dull person.
Enzo Swedianto no mate i now people a lot people dying yes i understand but the were lucky because the Japanes counquer them in ww2.when the japanese they now there gonna lose they don't their the occupied nation to be conquerd by the allies so they give indonesia independence even the Dutch didn't reconized until years later
I love this guys voice
It was first introduced to the New Model Army in 1645, the infantry regiments wore coats of Venetian red with white, blue or yellow facings.The adoption and continuing use of red by most British/English soldiers after The Restoration (1660) was the result of circumstances rather than policy, including the relative cheapness of red dyes.
1:02 Dead Pool.
oh yea yea
O yeah yeah
even the red army knew that wearing red would mean certend death.
there was a practical reason they where using the red star as a sign of the red army instead of the entire uniform.
fot ppd french still use red white and blue uniform in ww1. That didn't work very well
ooo
Yes but back when khaki didn't exist as unifrom colours it would blend together and confuse the enemy
Simply put in an age where your soldiers down hide or use camouflage red is as effective as any other colour
THANK YOU! This was driving me crazy until now. I finally know the truth.