Great work. Really enjoyable. One thing boss, The Germans offered heavy resistence at Anzio. The Rangers suffered greatly. The Germans nearly pushed the Allies onto the beach and they had the beach zeroed with artillery.
As a proud son of the youngest polish 2nd corps tank commander who survived this battel but succumbed to corvid 19 I thank you for the insight of what he endured and somehow survived .
I am sorry to hear what happened to your father. I am thankful for his service and bravery. Did he ever mention seeing Wojtek during his time with the Polish 2nd corps?
@@fireworksfactoryshow Thank you for the comment . He knew of him but from what I understand Wojtek " served " with an artillery regiment in the 2nd Corps . I say served as I believe he was " enlisted " and given service papers . After the war he was " demobbed " and ended his days in a zoo in Scotland
My father was with the PPCLI (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) at Monte Casino. After the battle was over, 18 of his company answered roll call. I'm grateful my Dad made it!
A seriously under appreciated channel. It’s hard to come by quality content of seemingly forgotten fronts that aren’t just reruns of biased history channel docs or glance over ten minuet videos that never get follow ups.
My dad saw the bombing of Monte Cassino. He was in the Calgary Tank Regiment of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade which attacked past Cassino up the Liri Valley. He said when passing the town of Casino there were so many bodies in the ruins that the stench was terrible.
Yes and why did he have his armies at anzio just sitting there playing with themselves, when they could have been creating a pincer from the north behind the gustav line making gustav line fall much quicker a useless general.
Speaking as a grizzled wargaming veteran of the old "cardboard mapboard & unit counters" days, this is a terrific video... Would love to see your channel cover the Battle of Salerno!
@@ww2-epicbattles huge fan of Warhammer, civil war wargaming, and other stuff. If your ever in NYC stop by my friends shop, The Complete Strategist. Tell them "Hacker Black" sent u
This battle is like a religion to us Poles. We have proved time and time again that if you give us time to train and proper equipment we will destroy everyone. A Polish soldier fights bravely to the death but also fights with honour and respects the rules of war. Its not only this battle, there is still the tale of the 1st Armoured Division in the West under Gen. Maczek who fiercely defended the germans in 1939 and managed to escape to romania with his whole division and equipment, achieved impossible objectives during the French campaign on french armour without time to retrain the crews. This was seen by the British and they allowed us to form the 1st Armoured who had one of the most impressive battle trails in the west. They started off in Normandy during Overlord and ended the war in Wilhemshaven (Germany) and secured the Polish occupied zone of germany on the Dutch border. Even recalled 1 city to Maczkow and populated it with Polish slave labour that was working in the area. On the way to Wilhemshaven they liberated cities like Ieper, Ghent, Antwerpen, Breda, Tilburg, Emmen and other minor ones. Real Heroes
Is no one gonna mention how the 34th Division fought well in this Battle? Look it took the combined forces of 5 Allied Divisions to finish what the U.S 34th Division had almost accomplish on its own
My uncle Gene was one of the 770 POWs saved the day after the Rapido crossing. He survived being shot by an MG 42 and being bayonetted by a Falschimjagger in the calf. Right after the failed attack, the FJ were ordered to 'dispose' of the wounded. My uncle knew he had to be still or he would be killed. He didn't flinch when he was stabbed. Elsewise, he would not have meet my aunt who was a nurse for the Afrika Korps. But, that's another story.
Evos, I heard it from his lips and saw the scar. I heard that story from my mom , aunt's, and cousins. I know what you are thinking evos. Yes, the 98K bayonet is huge! Make that HUGE! Check out the bayonet on the FJ42. It's not teeny weeny by any means. But, it's cruciform and really pointy on the end. The choice is death, if you flinch. Life if you don't . It's freezing cold and dark. How would you choose, evos. How would you hold up?
@@chrishansen4541 Not fake, as I told Evos, I heard the story from his lips, saw the scar and heard the story of my uncle's bravery from my aunt's and cousins. What would you endure to survive a similar situation?
On February 6th, 1944 the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment made the assault on Hill 593. The initial attacked failed. Second Lieutenant (later Major) Sylvester J. Hunter of Company-G, rallied a platoon of 18 soldiers to dislodge the German 1st Paratrooper Division; which they did upon reaching the wall at the crest of the hill. 10 soldiers were killed. For the next two days Lieutenant Hunter and seven soldiers held the position against six counterattacks. Captain Alden S. Lance of Company-F described the engagement as; “…a particularly wild, unorthodox, grenade and rifle fight that raged for days…”
My grandfather fought here. He and his friends used to sew engineer gloves into booties so that the kids had shoes. I watch every one of these videos just to see if he's in a videos somewhere. I miss him.
It is so sad that this battle took place because the Allies believed the Germans were using the abbey as an observation post to direct fire when that is in fact false. They used the hills around the Abbey. Many men of many nations died for no reason at all. So in a twist of irony the allies killed their own men by sending them up to die on the slopes over a lie.
It's ironic that with the taking of Rome, the allies had basically reduced the Axis armies by nearly one of their nations (Italy, forcing Mussolini into northern Italy). It's a pity that it's not remembered more. Thanks for doing this video. I'd love to see a video like this showing how the allies managed to secure to Anzio beachhead and create a base of operations there.
@@anicrowsenjixd8918 Well Im sure it wasnt a vacation for him either. I heard some Germans, who were at both Stalingrad and Monte Cassino, say the conditions were just as bad, if not worse at Monte Cassino.
@@brentondudley3925 Yes, but I don't think he was also at Stalingrad but maybe I should ask my relatives about that. I'm glad he came back alive and I hope your grandfather did the same :)
In spite of the stiffening enemy resistance, the 2nd Moroccan Division penetrated the Gustave [sic] Line in less than two-day's [sic] fighting. The next 48 hours on the French front were decisive. The knife-wielding Goumiers swarmed over the hills, particularly at night and General Juin's entire force showed an aggressiveness hour after hour that the Germans could not withstand. Cerasola, San Giorgio, Mt. D'Oro, Ausonia and Esperia were seized in one of the most brilliant and daring advances of the war in Italy ... For this performance, which was to be a key to the success of the entire drive on Rome, I shall always be a grateful admirer of General Juin and his magnificent FEC. give the moroccans credit where credit is due
My Grandfather was a Canadian member of The First Special Service Force (The Black Devil's). He was in Italy at Anzio,The Mussolini Canal Monte La Difensa and the drive to Rome. I don't know if he was at Cassino or participated in that Battle. He told me The U.S. Airforce carpet bombed Monte Cassino into Rubble and the Germans used the Ruins of The abbey to their advantage. The Polish and New Zealanders got the credit for taking Cassino I believe.
I just learnt my great grandfather fought there in some polish division. He was left behind in Poland by my great grandmother who came to Argentina with their son. He later realized they would not come back, he was already enlisted, sent to England to train and sent to Montecassino.
Thank you! Follow the channel for more. The patreon page now includes a documentary about the battle of More which is something no one has ever covered before!
22:55 "surely the last thing the germans didn't expect was an armoured attack at 500 meters height" Ermmm, that was exactly what the Germans did in the Ardennes offensive.......
@@Awesomeduud Let's say, a mountainous landscape with much forrest in it. The Germans still attacked France using this passage, they did not really care about such details. 😉
Poles did NOT kill prisoners of war! In WW2 it was German specialty approved by Wehrmacht generals. Why in this somewhat superficial documentary it was not clearly stated that Polisch troops did not execute even one German soldier? Poles fought bravely and with honour. Which was as ussual. There is beautiful Polish war cementary on Monte Cassino. And famous song was composed after this heroic battle "Red Poppies on Monte Cassino".
He didn't say that Polish troops were killing prisoners of War. Nazi propaganda stated that, which is why Germans thought that they would be killed by Poles. That's what propaganda is used for. But documentary never states that. It only says that Germans were under the impression that Poles would not spare them.
@@justynagorka3972 Would some soldier do it? Possible. Would it happen en masse to regular Wehrmacht soldiers? Doubtful. Poland didn't kill prisoners of War in WW2 on any large scale AFAIK. At least not German ones. There was much more hatred towards Russians, Ukrainians, Jews (nothing but propaganda for 6 years), Belarusians, Lithuanians etc. Because apart from Russians - their soldiers were mostly guerrillas who helped Soviet Union invade and occupy Poland and commit atrocities on large scale. And of course as a larger country with inflated ego's we looked down on some of those "lesser nations". That was the unfortunate attitude that was fostered before WW2.
@@jannegrey after what happened to Poland and was still going on during that battle, being a Nazi I would ve also been afraid of the revenge. Now I understand why Poles were so reckless. They suffered heavy casulties. It was a war of " spirit" for them. They did not however take the revenge. God bless their souls. It is sad that those soldiers were released from Stalin's gulag after gen. Anders' arrangement just months or weeks earlier and were so eager to fight the enemies. They were released just to die soon after. What a waste.
@@justynagorka3972 True. A lot of good people were killed in that War. Even more were murdered in occupied Poland. Every single time we are occupied, the enemy tries to eradicate our culture and also educational culture. That's why even today we have not regained the "Political" culture - hence having problems with our Democracy.
I just wanted to point out that despite being bombed and attacked from multiple directions. The Germans, particularly the Fallschirmjaeger, still gave the Allies hell. Great video.
My grandfather was here one of the Polish army but he never talked about it so I don't know what he did all I do know from my gram was he lost a bunch of friends after the war was over they moved to the states anyone know where I could look him up his name was B.Patykowski if anyone can find anything or has any info I could u.z
You could search in the US National archives. If you're too far away you can pay them for this service. I don't know how much it costs but I have heard good things about their work. If they somehow find any photographs of him you can purchase copies of it.
.my Mother's 1st Husband, 3rd FALLSCHIRMJAEGER Regiment, Fought at MONTE CASSINO, where he Survived to Die in action , march 1945 , at FRANKFURT am Main .R.I.V .., Left me a half sister HEIDI .
I found a old book about the 337th and the 85th infantry Division. And in that book talking about hills 66-69 “mostly 69” a man wrote in pencil around paragraphs “I was here” “Germans ran out of there fox holes and we killed them all” “40 out of 200 men walked off hill 69.” He wrote by tons of peoples names in the book stuff like “He was killed in the hole next to mine” “Severely wounded” “Killed by GI” “Killed” He wrote many times next to some paragraphs talking about food and water and rations and how there were none. He also wrote down next to some paragraphs talking about the 92 infantry division? He wrote next to it in 2 places saying “All Black” and “No good” All the names he marked by that died where from may 12-15th. Absolutely crazy I found this with all this hand written notes in it. He said in there he became a casualty on May 16th at 4pm and got to the hospital the next day at 3 am. If you have any more information on hill 69 that would be awesome. Thanks for the video as well :)
*The ugly thing is .... that the battle for the way to the top of the Monte Cassino Monastery ...., unfortunately it was partially the Polish - "Polish" kinda battle !!!! Why ?? Because that gallant German Parachute Unit partially contained native Poles. They were being drafted by force by German occupants into the German Army. Those Poles in German uniforms, they were originated from occupied Polish territories of Pomerania and Silesia Regions. These Polish territories had being incorporated into the III Reich, after successful to Germans & Soviets the Polish September campaign in 1939 !!!! It was the time, when the whole World WAR the second just started, with the German and Soviet invasions on the territory of the Second Republic of Poland !!!!*
Sure the polish are the bravest an d best fighters in the world. And in every battle like Kursk it was pressed polish soldiers who make the difference. Everybody know that.
An excellent account of this is The Battle of Cassino by Fred Majdalany. Hard to understand why the strategy was to constantly throw your best troops against the Germans strongest point with all the terrain in their favor. Horrendous amount of friendly fire casualties compounded the problem
Exactly plus what was the point of anzio if US General clarke forces just sat at anzio. He should have been attacking from the north to link up with allied forces moving from the south some stupid strategies and generals in that theatre.
Sounded average to me his reasons for bombing the abbey only made things worse. Only knew of frontal attacks apprently not even how to flank or pincer some general.
Before Hamburger Hill, there was Monte Cassino. How many time the monastery base on the mountaneous Monte Casino got bombed/napalm'ed and how many time the Allies struggled to went up and got pushed back down before they finally secured it, 4 month later¿?! That was pretty similar to how US struggled in Hill 937. I'd say again, Monte Cassino isn't only the Italian version of Stalingrad but also Hamburger Hill on steroid and still make the actual battle of hamburger hill in vietnam looks like a holiday jungle trek
Hitler's regime knew how to squeeze the Prussian virtues into the German youth and thereby turn them into hard, disiplinated soldiers who fought to the point of self-defeat. In the end, the survivors had a rude awakening. That was also the case for my father. He was born in 1924. Hitler boy at the age of 14 and then into the Wehrmacht at the age of 17 and full of enthusiasm. He fought as Tank soldier in Africa and then came into French captivity. He did not tell anything about the events of the war. Only occasionally funny stories from captivity. In his few stories he paid tribute to the English soldiers. He considered the Americans to be very spoiled and the Italians, sorry, too fun-loving and not very willing to fight. He also liked the French, which was probably due to the fact that they treated the captured Wehrmacht soldiers well. My father was a man who judged other people by their character and not by the color of their skin.
They got their military ideals from the Jesuits more soldiers than priests/monks thats what Napolean said and its true. Although Prussian Junkers no longer exist as an influential marshal class, baveria is still full of militant jesuit german catholics, Iron cross , maltese cross originates from catholic warrior orders since middle ages. Waffen ss was based on the Jesuit order.
Went up hill 15 -03-1944’ in the town of monte Cassino Came do wounded ! 24-03- 1944’ ! 28 cee company 18’th of March !!! Three days later! Was the date C company 28 went in ! And was wiped out , ! But took the last survivors of two German Companies to heaven !!!! In the cellars
The biggest congregation of D grade generals it sounds like in one place for the allies. Maybe thats what was meant when Churchill called it a place distract german armies.
My dad killed an escapee ! From the C company 28 battalion! ,! He was from C company! 24 battalion He went in / up /\ on the IDs of march ! C company 28 Battalion! ( Māori) joined the attack on the 18th of March 1944’ ! My dad was watching that side of the hill ! Down ! Behind where they actually were !
Mi stupisce come i commenti siano improntati su come si sono distinte le varie divisioni su chi è stato più bravo, ma qui non si è trattata di una guerra di soldatini di plastica ma di persone vere, senza contare delle grosse problematiche che sono state create alla popolazione che se non era per i tedeschi che hanno aiutato nell'equazione credo che ora c'era un 4°cimitero di guerra quello della popolazione. Ecco perché non se ne parla tanto
A good graphic-map's overview of the battle.. Also: Peter Caddic-Adams: Monte Cassino.Ten Armies in Hell, 2012. An important detail on the ferocity of the battle: after capturing the Monte hill, the Polish paramedic was knifed to death.by a wounded German soldier while trying to help him.
Stanislaw Koralewicz, my great uncle fought there 😥 fought for the country that he could not return to because of the russian trash. Settled in the UK 🇬🇧 Stories I've heard, can't be fully comprehended by us, in our times. Although, russians are doing everything to bring those times alive again.
SOLDADOS BRASILEIROS ERA SOLIDARIO COM CIVIS ITALIANOS DIVIDIA A COMIDA SOLDADO BRASILEIRO NEGRO E BRANCO LUTAVS JUNTO NO MESMO PELOTÃO NÃO ERA RACISTA JÁ AMERICANOS LUTAVA SEPARADOS BRANCO RACISTAS
americans, polish, algerians, british, french, morrocan, kiwis, australians, indians and a few more nations, superiority in man, armament, logistic and much more and the only reason the allied could take the monastery was because SE germans left !!!!
This video is a little harsh on Freyberg. He was expected to take Cassino with a 3 division corp. This was never going to happen. When it was finally taken, it was by a much larger unit over a much wider front (and at that stage the Germans were significantly worn down). Nevertheless, if you read German reports, Freyberg nearly succeeded.
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Thanks brosef, nice to see it all together.
Thank you, guys.
Great work, thank you!
Great work. Really enjoyable. One thing boss, The Germans offered heavy resistence at Anzio. The Rangers suffered greatly. The Germans nearly pushed the Allies onto the beach and they had the beach zeroed with artillery.
As a proud son of the youngest polish 2nd corps tank commander who survived this battel but succumbed to corvid 19 I thank you for the insight of what he endured and somehow survived .
I am sorry to hear what happened to your father. I am thankful for his service and bravery. Did he ever mention seeing Wojtek during his time with the Polish 2nd corps?
@@fireworksfactoryshow Thank you for the comment . He knew of him but from what I understand Wojtek " served " with an artillery regiment in the 2nd Corps . I say served as I believe he was " enlisted " and given service papers . After the war he was " demobbed " and ended his days in a zoo in Scotland
@@watchalot4103 our boys didn't want him to end up in USSR Zoo, also if he would come back to Poland, he would become a Russian hero.
My great grandad survived this battle
@@Qwertyisgajidbd he was a hero ,
My father was with the PPCLI (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) at Monte Casino. After the battle was over, 18 of his company answered roll call. I'm grateful my Dad made it!
The best documentary about the Monte Casino fights .Thank you and God rest the souls of those who fought and died there , both allies and germans .
What about the people who fought and LIVED / survived ! there ? Where’s point 202’ ? And 24 battalion ,C Company ,Aucklanders ?
I remember watching these a year ago. Very good series about a usually forgotten battle during the italian campaign. Bravo.
A seriously under appreciated channel. It’s hard to come by quality content of seemingly forgotten fronts that aren’t just reruns of biased history channel docs or glance over ten minuet videos that never get follow ups.
thank you so much.
My dad saw the bombing of Monte Cassino. He was in the Calgary Tank Regiment of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade which attacked past Cassino up the Liri Valley. He said when passing the town of Casino there were so many bodies in the ruins that the stench was terrible.
Mark Clarke was a glory hound he ordered the Polish and Canadians to halt their advance so the Americans could swan into Rome.
Yes and why did he have his armies at anzio just sitting there playing with themselves, when they could have been creating a pincer from the north behind the gustav line making gustav line fall much quicker a useless general.
youre unironically my favorite youtube channel
Good to know. There is at least one then :D
@@ww2-epicbattles Make that two! 😋
Speaking as a grizzled wargaming veteran of the old "cardboard mapboard & unit counters" days, this is a terrific video... Would love to see your channel cover the Battle of Salerno!
These mapboard games inspired me to start this channel.
Yeaaaa
@@ww2-epicbattles huge fan of Warhammer, civil war wargaming, and other stuff. If your ever in NYC stop by my friends shop, The Complete Strategist. Tell them "Hacker Black" sent u
Wow,what a battle.Thanks for posting this great video.
Indians fought like lions during Diadem, securing the bridgehead for Canadian armour to pass was horrifyingly challenging.
My grandfather fought in montecassino with the polish corps. He was only 16.
song
monte cassino sabaton Union Slopes of St Benedict
This battle is like a religion to us Poles. We have proved time and time again that if you give us time to train and proper equipment we will destroy everyone. A Polish soldier fights bravely to the death but also fights with honour and respects the rules of war.
Its not only this battle, there is still the tale of the 1st Armoured Division in the West under Gen. Maczek who fiercely defended the germans in 1939 and managed to escape to romania with his whole division and equipment, achieved impossible objectives during the French campaign on french armour without time to retrain the crews. This was seen by the British and they allowed us to form the 1st Armoured who had one of the most impressive battle trails in the west. They started off in Normandy during Overlord and ended the war in Wilhemshaven (Germany) and secured the Polish occupied zone of germany on the Dutch border. Even recalled 1 city to Maczkow and populated it with Polish slave labour that was working in the area.
On the way to Wilhemshaven they liberated cities like Ieper, Ghent, Antwerpen, Breda, Tilburg, Emmen and other minor ones.
Real Heroes
Was the 1st armored called Polish? I never heard of this unit escaping intact, much less twice.
Is no one gonna mention how the 34th Division fought well in this Battle? Look it took the combined forces of 5 Allied Divisions to finish what the U.S 34th Division had almost accomplish on its own
My grandfather was wounded at casino. He said it was Hell on Earth.
Allies: we cant captured that Mountain. Its impossible.
Poles: Potrzymaj mi Wojtka.
My uncle placed the Polish flag on the ruins
I'm Polish. My grandfather lost his leg in the battle of Monte Cassino. I have never met him though...
My uncle Gene was one of the 770 POWs saved the day after the Rapido crossing. He survived being shot by an MG 42 and being bayonetted by a Falschimjagger in the calf.
Right after the failed attack, the FJ were ordered to 'dispose' of the wounded. My uncle knew he had to be still or he would be killed. He didn't flinch when he was stabbed. Elsewise, he would not have meet my aunt who was a nurse for the Afrika Korps. But, that's another story.
odd if he didnt even flinch when stabbed in the leg :/
Evos, I heard it from his lips and saw the scar. I heard that story from my mom , aunt's, and cousins.
I know what you are thinking evos.
Yes, the 98K bayonet is huge! Make that HUGE!
Check out the bayonet on the FJ42. It's not teeny weeny by any means. But, it's cruciform and really pointy on the end.
The choice is death, if you flinch.
Life if you don't . It's freezing cold and dark. How would you choose, evos. How would you hold up?
@@johnking1463 I trust you. And I'd do anything to survive too. Lot's of unbelievably crazy stories from the wars.
sounds fake but ok
@@chrishansen4541 Not fake, as I told Evos, I heard the story from his lips, saw the scar and heard the story of my uncle's bravery from my aunt's and cousins.
What would you endure to survive a similar situation?
Great Video!!!!
WWII EPIC BATTLES: **Post Monte Cassino History Video**
Sabaton Fans: **starts singing Union**
On February 6th, 1944 the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment made the assault on Hill 593. The initial attacked failed. Second Lieutenant (later Major) Sylvester J. Hunter of Company-G, rallied a platoon of 18 soldiers to dislodge the German 1st Paratrooper Division; which they did upon reaching the wall at the crest of the hill. 10 soldiers were killed. For the next two days Lieutenant Hunter and seven soldiers held the position against six counterattacks. Captain Alden S. Lance of Company-F described the engagement as;
“…a particularly wild, unorthodox, grenade and rifle fight that raged for days…”
My Dziadzio was there in the 3rd Carpathian unit of Poland.
🇵🇱monte cassino sabaton Union Slopes of St Benedict
My grandfather fought here. He and his friends used to sew engineer gloves into booties so that the kids had shoes. I watch every one of these videos just to see if he's in a videos somewhere. I miss him.
🫡
My great grandad fought here with the 1/4 Bat essex reg after he left Egypt . He survived but sadly died two years before i was born .
Awesome video mate. Love your work. Keep it up!
It is so sad that this battle took place because the Allies believed the Germans were using the abbey as an observation post to direct fire when that is in fact false. They used the hills around the Abbey. Many men of many nations died for no reason at all. So in a twist of irony the allies killed their own men by sending them up to die on the slopes over a lie.
It's ironic that with the taking of Rome, the allies had basically reduced the Axis armies by nearly one of their nations (Italy, forcing Mussolini into northern Italy). It's a pity that it's not remembered more. Thanks for doing this video.
I'd love to see a video like this showing how the allies managed to secure to Anzio beachhead and create a base of operations there.
Anzio is something I should do. And the final drive into Rome as well.
The greatest generation. Absolutely impressive. Thankfully, it will come again.
My father was hit by mortar fire on that mountain, it took most of his calf off, God Bless all those great men
great video !
What's the name of music at 14:14 ??
Just recently found out that my grandpa was at Monte Cassino
what unit?
@@ww2-epicbattles I'm not sure. I just know he was in Clark's fifth army.
@@brentondudley3925 My great grandfather also was at the battle of Monte cassino but on the German side😅
@@anicrowsenjixd8918 Well Im sure it wasnt a vacation for him either. I heard some Germans, who were at both Stalingrad and Monte Cassino, say the conditions were just as bad, if not worse at Monte Cassino.
@@brentondudley3925 Yes, but I don't think he was also at Stalingrad but maybe I should ask my relatives about that. I'm glad he came back alive and I hope your grandfather did the same :)
Dude change the thumbnail, put something else I was scrolling up and down and did not even see it.
This video helped alot, information about Monte Cassino is hard to come by on the internet!
It's pigeoned holed for a reason, namely allied war crimes. Alot of allied war crimes. You born yesterday?
Great Channel
Thank you. The next video has been delayed significantly.
In spite of the stiffening enemy resistance, the 2nd Moroccan Division penetrated the Gustave [sic] Line in less than two-day's [sic] fighting. The next 48 hours on the French front were decisive. The knife-wielding Goumiers swarmed over the hills, particularly at night and General Juin's entire force showed an aggressiveness hour after hour that the Germans could not withstand. Cerasola, San Giorgio, Mt. D'Oro, Ausonia and Esperia were seized in one of the most brilliant and daring advances of the war in Italy ... For this performance, which was to be a key to the success of the entire drive on Rome, I shall always be a grateful admirer of General Juin and his magnificent FEC.
give the moroccans credit where credit is due
My dad's uncle was there in the seaforth highlander trod on a land mine buried in minturno war cemetery
Very proud
My Grandfather was a Canadian member of The First Special Service Force (The Black Devil's). He was in Italy at Anzio,The Mussolini Canal Monte La Difensa and the drive to Rome. I don't know if he was at Cassino or participated in that Battle. He told me The U.S. Airforce carpet bombed Monte Cassino into Rubble and the Germans used the Ruins of The abbey to their advantage. The Polish and New Zealanders got the credit for taking Cassino I believe.
I just learnt my great grandfather fought there in some polish division. He was left behind in Poland by my great grandmother who came to Argentina with their son. He later realized they would not come back, he was already enlisted, sent to England to train and sent to Montecassino.
Fantastic!
Pro Gamer Move when the Germans used red smoke to get supplies
:D
Nice video ! I Saved it for a long time !
Brilliant breakdown of a critical battle doing justice to all participants. Kudos.
Thank you! Follow the channel for more. The patreon page now includes a documentary about the battle of More which is something no one has ever covered before!
22:55 "surely the last thing the germans didn't expect was an armoured attack at 500 meters height" Ermmm, that was exactly what the Germans did in the Ardennes offensive.......
Ardenns are a forest, not a mountain
@@Awesomeduud Let's say, a mountainous landscape with much forrest in it. The Germans still attacked France using this passage, they did not really care about such details. 😉
@@j.zingler6735 no the Ardennes are not mountainous at all, it's just a big forest, I live in France and visited it. It's different from Italy.
It was pointless and stupid without accompanying infantry may as well have not been done at all.
Poles did NOT kill prisoners of war! In WW2 it was German specialty approved by Wehrmacht generals.
Why in this somewhat superficial documentary it was not clearly stated that Polisch troops did not execute even one German soldier? Poles fought bravely and with honour. Which was as ussual.
There is beautiful Polish war cementary on Monte Cassino. And famous song was composed after this heroic battle "Red Poppies on Monte Cassino".
He didn't say that Polish troops were killing prisoners of War. Nazi propaganda stated that, which is why Germans thought that they would be killed by Poles. That's what propaganda is used for. But documentary never states that. It only says that Germans were under the impression that Poles would not spare them.
@@jannegrey after what Germsns did to Poles It would not be a surprise that their lives would not have been spared.
@@justynagorka3972 Would some soldier do it? Possible. Would it happen en masse to regular Wehrmacht soldiers? Doubtful. Poland didn't kill prisoners of War in WW2 on any large scale AFAIK. At least not German ones. There was much more hatred towards Russians, Ukrainians, Jews (nothing but propaganda for 6 years), Belarusians, Lithuanians etc. Because apart from Russians - their soldiers were mostly guerrillas who helped Soviet Union invade and occupy Poland and commit atrocities on large scale.
And of course as a larger country with inflated ego's we looked down on some of those "lesser nations". That was the unfortunate attitude that was fostered before WW2.
@@jannegrey after what happened to Poland and was still going on during that battle, being a Nazi I would ve also been afraid of the revenge. Now I understand why Poles were so reckless. They suffered heavy casulties. It was a war of " spirit" for them. They did not however take the revenge. God bless their souls.
It is sad that those soldiers were released from Stalin's gulag after gen. Anders' arrangement just months or weeks earlier and were so eager to fight the enemies. They were released just to die soon after. What a waste.
@@justynagorka3972 True. A lot of good people were killed in that War. Even more were murdered in occupied Poland. Every single time we are occupied, the enemy tries to eradicate our culture and also educational culture. That's why even today we have not regained the "Political" culture - hence having problems with our Democracy.
20:22 thats what i call big brain move
I just wanted to point out that despite being bombed and attacked from multiple directions. The Germans, particularly the Fallschirmjaeger, still gave the Allies hell. Great video.
Everybody said the battle of Montecino in Italy wasn’t that bad
My grandad said it was so bloody
@adenscoolvideos part of the next video will also cover Monte Cassino again. Wait for it later today.
@@ww2-epicbattles thank you so much ☺️
My grandfather was here one of the Polish army but he never talked about it so I don't know what he did all I do know from my gram was he lost a bunch of friends after the war was over they moved to the states anyone know where I could look him up his name was B.Patykowski if anyone can find anything or has any info I could u.z
You could search in the US National archives. If you're too far away you can pay them for this service. I don't know how much it costs but I have heard good things about their work. If they somehow find any photographs of him you can purchase copies of it.
Clarke was a Diva and a complete Asp Whole.
Go Poland! 😀🤘🏻
.my Mother's 1st Husband, 3rd FALLSCHIRMJAEGER Regiment, Fought at MONTE CASSINO, where he Survived to Die in action , march 1945 , at FRANKFURT am Main .R.I.V .., Left me a half sister HEIDI .
a black bear named Wojtek fight this battle with Polish forces enlisted at the rank of corporal
Is this where that bear soldier was stationed lol ?
Wojtek the bear yes he was in the battle supplying ammunition and drinking beer like seriously he drank beer
can you do a aummary version please. Would help a lot with my school work.
I found a old book about the 337th and the 85th infantry Division. And in that book talking about hills 66-69 “mostly 69” a man wrote in pencil around paragraphs “I was here” “Germans ran out of there fox holes and we killed them all”
“40 out of 200 men walked off hill 69.” He wrote by tons of peoples names in the book stuff like
“He was killed in the hole next to mine”
“Severely wounded”
“Killed by GI”
“Killed”
He wrote many times next to some paragraphs talking about food and water and rations and how there were none.
He also wrote down next to some paragraphs talking about the 92 infantry division?
He wrote next to it in 2 places saying “All Black” and “No good”
All the names he marked by that died where from may 12-15th. Absolutely crazy I found this with all this hand written notes in it. He said in there he became a casualty on May 16th at 4pm and got to the hospital the next day at 3 am. If you have any more information on hill 69 that would be awesome. Thanks for the video as well :)
*The ugly thing is .... that the battle for the way to the top of the Monte Cassino Monastery ...., unfortunately it was partially the Polish - "Polish" kinda battle !!!! Why ?? Because that gallant German Parachute Unit partially contained native Poles. They were being drafted by force by German occupants into the German Army. Those Poles in German uniforms, they were originated from occupied Polish territories of Pomerania and Silesia Regions. These Polish territories had being incorporated into the III Reich, after successful to Germans & Soviets the Polish September campaign in 1939 !!!! It was the time, when the whole World WAR the second just started, with the German and Soviet invasions on the territory of the Second Republic of Poland !!!!*
@Nimadan
Sure the polish are the bravest an d best fighters in the world.
And in every battle like Kursk it was pressed polish soldiers who make the difference.
Everybody know that.
@@konradlllstaufer156 >> *I shouldn't respond to your BS sacrasm :o(*
@Das Boot
monte cassino sabaton Union Slopes of St Benedict
BS
My grandfather fought in this battle w the 88th Blue Devil infantry
Lots of similarities with the italian failed invasion of Greece in the Pindus mountain in 1941.
Yeah, pushing into rough terrain across a relatively narrow front is hell even when you outnumber and outgun your enemy
An excellent account of this is The Battle of Cassino by Fred Majdalany. Hard to understand why the strategy was to constantly throw your best troops against the Germans strongest point with all the terrain in their favor. Horrendous amount of friendly fire casualties compounded the problem
Exactly plus what was the point of anzio if US General clarke forces just sat at anzio.
He should have been attacking from the north to link up with allied forces moving from the south some stupid strategies and generals in that theatre.
HEAD!! ON!! NORTH!!!
The narrator for this is SO familiar but I cant place where Ive heard him before.
Edit: Simple History maybe?
Gen Freyberg was indeed a Brave Man He had been awarded a VC during WWI....but in 1944 He should have been herding sheep back in NZ.
Indeed…not his proudest moment, but Narrator, please…a little homework before stepping up to the mic. The man’s is not “Fray-burg”, but “Fry-burg”.
@@karameaD Typo
Sounded average to me his reasons for bombing the abbey only made things worse. Only knew of frontal attacks apprently not even how to flank or pincer some general.
@jeffpliskin really average..what would u know mate ...nothing
i really liked ww2 battle explanation like this....a mapping tnx for this...its like panzer campaign or conflict series android game
the most of the work was done by colonys and not colonisers wich show us that ww2 was mostly by the colonys
Even more ironic was the Japanese American 100th Infantry battalion that was part of the 34th Infantry Division
Before Hamburger Hill, there was Monte Cassino. How many time the monastery base on the mountaneous Monte Casino got bombed/napalm'ed and how many time the Allies struggled to went up and got pushed back down before they finally secured it, 4 month later¿?! That was pretty similar to how US struggled in Hill 937. I'd say again, Monte Cassino isn't only the Italian version of Stalingrad but also Hamburger Hill on steroid and still make the actual battle of hamburger hill in vietnam looks like a holiday jungle trek
This battle was famous for adding Private Wojtek Smiling Warrior a brown bear that scared Germans under Hitler so badly they fled.
my father received his first purple heart there.
Hitler's regime knew how to squeeze the Prussian virtues into the German youth and thereby turn them into hard, disiplinated soldiers who fought to the point of self-defeat. In the end, the survivors had a rude awakening. That was also the case for my father. He was born in 1924. Hitler boy at the age of 14 and then into the Wehrmacht at the age of 17 and full of enthusiasm. He fought as Tank soldier in Africa and then came into French captivity. He did not tell anything about the events of the war. Only occasionally funny stories from captivity. In his few stories he paid tribute to the English soldiers. He considered the Americans to be very spoiled and the Italians, sorry, too fun-loving and not very willing to fight. He also liked the French, which was probably due to the fact that they treated the captured Wehrmacht soldiers well. My father was a man who judged other people by their character and not by the color of their skin.
They got their military ideals from the Jesuits more soldiers than priests/monks thats what Napolean said and its true.
Although Prussian Junkers no longer exist as an influential marshal class, baveria is still full of militant jesuit german catholics, Iron cross , maltese cross originates from catholic warrior orders since middle ages. Waffen ss was based on the Jesuit order.
I wished you given the lil squares the color of their countries. My eyes are bleeding from trying to follow.
The Germans defended intelligently!
Did Italians help fight in monte cassino?
No
Hay my was on point 202 ! Apparently the Germans had not relinquished
Went up hill 15 -03-1944’ in the town of monte Cassino
Came do wounded ! 24-03- 1944’ ! 28 cee company 18’th of March !!! Three days later! Was the date C company 28 went in ! And was wiped out , !
But took the last survivors of two German Companies to heaven !!!! In the cellars
What a waste of good men. I am somewhat reminded of Galepoli.
At least there was some progress in Italy.
The biggest congregation of D grade generals it sounds like in one place for the allies. Maybe thats what was meant when Churchill called it a place distract german armies.
There was no Arabs in Algerians and Moroccans divisions they were all Berbers from the Atlas Mountains.
My dad killed an escapee ! From the C company 28 battalion! ,! He was from C company! 24 battalion
He went in / up /\ on the IDs of march !
C company 28 Battalion! ( Māori) joined the attack on the 18th of March 1944’ !
My dad was watching that side of the hill ! Down ! Behind where they actually were !
Not even a mention to Brazil?
Mi stupisce come i commenti siano improntati su come si sono distinte le varie divisioni su chi è stato più bravo, ma qui non si è trattata di una guerra di soldatini di plastica ma di persone vere, senza contare delle grosse problematiche che sono state create alla popolazione che se non era per i tedeschi che hanno aiutato nell'equazione credo che ora c'era un 4°cimitero di guerra quello della popolazione. Ecco perché non se ne parla tanto
A great "pack"!
A good graphic-map's overview of the battle.. Also: Peter Caddic-Adams: Monte Cassino.Ten Armies in Hell, 2012. An important detail on the ferocity of the battle: after capturing the Monte hill, the Polish paramedic was knifed to death.by a wounded German soldier while trying to help him.
The Moroccan army was so brave !!
War criminals and animals
@@Samsok013 you mean the Germans?
@@Samsok013 Oh,someone is pissed,it seems. Everything is fair game in war.
subhumans and bad solider
The moroccans were absolutely brave.
Even the haters cant disagree with that!!
Stanislaw Koralewicz, my great uncle fought there 😥 fought for the country that he could not return to because of the russian trash.
Settled in the UK 🇬🇧
Stories I've heard, can't be fully comprehended by us, in our times. Although, russians are doing everything to bring those times alive again.
🇵🇱song
monte cassino sabaton Union Slopes of St Benedict
SOLDADOS BRASILEIROS ERA SOLIDARIO COM CIVIS ITALIANOS DIVIDIA A COMIDA SOLDADO BRASILEIRO NEGRO E BRANCO LUTAVS JUNTO NO MESMO PELOTÃO NÃO ERA RACISTA JÁ AMERICANOS LUTAVA SEPARADOS BRANCO RACISTAS
ITALIA COMEMORA TODOS ANOS OS PRACINHA MORTOS NA GUERRA O MUNDO GOSTA DO BRASIL POVO SOLIDARIO E ALEGRE
Clark did not capture Rome. The Germans declared it an open city.
americans, polish, algerians, british, french, morrocan, kiwis, australians, indians and a few more nations, superiority in man, armament, logistic and much more and the only reason the allied could take the monastery was because SE germans left !!!!
All parts ? Not complete ! 😂
Dear narrator there is no D in Italy!😂
BRASIL LUTOU 2 ANOS DE GUERRA
BRASIL FOI 25.000 SOLDADOS PARA O FRONTE ITALIA
80 thousand died for a pile of rubble? Makes sense. 🤔
@@violagentsch watch my positional Warfare video. Cassino is mentioned there too
3 failed attacks NOT involving the Poles.
4th attack: "...the arrogance of the Poles..."?
This video is a little harsh on Freyberg. He was expected to take Cassino with a 3 division corp. This was never going to happen. When it was finally taken, it was by a much larger unit over a much wider front (and at that stage the Germans were significantly worn down). Nevertheless, if you read German reports, Freyberg nearly succeeded.
Fallschirmjägers were bad ass 😏
Really? They Were beaten.
@@ericmailander3361 only because the allies had better production rates for supplies. Look at the battle Kill to Death ratio
That stupid frame is very distracting.
🤪
Polacy, bardzo dumny i nie pokonany narod
15.000 SOLDADOS ALEMAES SE RENDERAL AOS SOLDADOS BRASILEIROS
MONTESE CASSINO E MONTE CASTELO FOI OS SOLDADOS BRASILEIROS QUE CONQUISTOU DERROTOU OS ALEMAES
Algerians and morrocans are fighting on the streets of paris😂😂😂