Ardennes: Hitler's Final Gamble On The Western Front | Greatest Tank Battles | War Stories
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2021
- The Battle Of The Bulge. In December 1944, German forces launch a surprise attack through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. This is the story of the American tankers who helped defend the American line against Hitler's final gamble on the western front.
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Injoy ako sa story ngsecond world war
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My grandfather, Harold E Burgess was in the 4th armored division. The last part of the video where they had to build the bridge at night and then crossed over and the three companies went into bastogne is the story that he told me. He was inside one of the Sherman tanks that got hit he took scrapnel to his rear end and one piece of hot metal scrapnel went directly over top of his thumb over the joint. He had the one removed out of his rear kept the one in his thumb and went back to the battle. He had the piece of scrap metal just under the skin above his thumb knuckle until the day he passed. I would feel it under his skin just above his knuckle. He brought home a piece of History. He was the greatest man I have ever known.
My gramps fought in WW2 as well. He died honorably. And ever since then guard towers at concentration camps had much increased safety.
@@r.m.5548 It's a terrible thing to lose your grandfather like that. Total war was a horrible time for most people. The only reason I put that comment in there was in hopes that maybe someone may have known my grandfather or maybe their grandfather was part of that division.
@@gregburgess6884 killem all, let the dog sort them out
Your grand father veer he. Salute him and his brevry. Salute from 🇮🇳
Im really sorry for your loss buddy. I sure do have the upmost respect for the courage of those young gentlemen and we truly owe everything to their sacrifice as well as the countless other men and women of the allied forces. I served in Afghanistan and then later in Iraq and I remember thinking about the heat and I once complained to sarge about it and turned out his father served in D-Day and the battle of the bulge too and he had frost bite so bad they had removed several of his toes and part of several fingers and sarge gave us such a talking to about the virtues of staying warm no matter how warm . I felt instant regret that I opened my big mouth especially when I woke up the next morning because my legs and arms were completely exhausted from running and doing my pushup punishment lol. I didn't ever complain again though I'll tell you guys that. May all these heroes rest in peace
Thank you for interviewing ex-German soldiers, everyone in history needs their voice heard.
God bless
My Dad was there, Bastogne 101st airborne. Bronze Star with an Oak Leaf cluster. I have a photo of him leaning against the Bastogne city sign. 19/20 years old. Couldn't be any more proud of him and all the others, an amazing piece of history.
That’s amazing. Do you have any clue as to what battalion/company he was part of? I believe my father served with the 101st as well.
My dad was 101st 502, I'm right with you brother. Dad passed at 100 2 years ago. Question, did your dad mention Bastogne every time it was real cold out like mine did?
@@mac11380 They were all brave men you have the right to be proud, No to your question about the cold, he never mentioned the war much, kept it in. Also he had three brothers, and they all saw active duty overseas.
👍That is so cool I bet he has some amazing stories you better take care of those pictures.
That's amazing thank you for sharing
The comments from the family members of these veterans are just as precious an amazing as this video
My grandpa, Robert Carl Clark, was injured in this battle. Thank you grandpa for your heroic sacrifice
When i was a little kid I asked my mom why my uncle Louis walked 'funny'. I later came to understand he lost the front of both his feet to frostbite during the winter of the campaign in the Arden. He was a humble, sweet guy who made it home and raised 3 kids.
I met a man in West Covina, CA never got his name. I was behind him at a gas station and his license plate said battle of the bulge. I asked permission to shake his hand and filled up his tank. He said he never had anyone ask him for permission to shake his hand. I told him well that was their loss and it was my privilege and I thanked him for his service. He had his military cap and smiled and told me to thank my parents for raising a respectable young lady. My eyes watered.
Good for you Christine! That is such a cool thing to do.
Are you filipina?
@@molloong married to Filipino. LoL last name like the falls right?
This is what the History Channel should be. Not reality shows about dumb aliens and driving trucks on ice.
Even back when they did focus more on actual history, it often wasn't of very good quality. For example late 1990s History Channel WW2 documentaries were not the most accurate.
You mean shooting alligators in the face isn't History?
Or Pawnshops
Technically the Wehrmacht was driving through ice here as well lol
@@WheelsRCool they were still pretty entertaining though. I love in search of and history's mysteries.
One of my grand fathers fought and survived the fierce battle of the bulge. Because he took a drink from his water canteen. The unseen German soldier fired his rifle at him. The bullet deflect from the top of his water canteen saved his life. He would keep the water canteen as a souvenir to become a great reminder of the battle of the bloody battle of bulge.
Damnit
Thanks for sharing, wow.
lies a bullet would go right through a canteen like a knife through butter 😅😅
@@larryflint8351 will the canteen is still there today in safe keeps. My relative is still alive. Because of that surviving situation. Differently not the us military guy took his helmet off our the battlefield of Omaha beaches the saving private royan action war movie. My great information for today. Have a great fabulous wonderful day.
@@larryflint8351it has to do with the angle that the bullet strikes the canteen like sloped armor. It could have also been a pistol caliber fired.
My uncle PFC Hugh Clement of Greensboro NC was at the Bulge. He and another soldier were surrounded by Germans, they hid out in a damaged tank for two days until the Germans moved on and they were able to get back to their lines. He passed away in the early 2000s, he used to attend reunions every year
My Uncle Gordon from Ingold NC was there too
So was my Uncle Frank Cardinale share the story with the family
Jesus thats nuts
@@huasohvac Totally
My uncle PFC James G Murphy of Bryan, Texas is the guy above the star at 43:20 in this documentary. He was the loader on the Cobra King 26 Dec. 1944. Killed outright on 19 March, 1945 at the Rhine River in Germany.
Greatest tank battles this is when the history channel was worth watching
Captain Leach must have had a guardian angel,to survive a bullet through his helmet.A big salute to all those brave American Tankers.
Read a time for trumpets
Saluting murderers and getting liked for it. The pinnacle of mankind.
@@marmitaa8619 what's wrong with that?
@@marmitaa8619 It was the Nazis who launched a brutal war of aggression on countries that did not desire to go to war. What were we supposed to do? Just let the Nazis take over all of Europe and then go on to possibly dominate the entire world? The allied forces were not murderers. They used NECESSARY force to defeat an evil aggressive enemy. If you can't see that then I don't have much hope for your poor soul.
@@jeffreycarroll1632 I do not blame them for that, i do blame them for the aftermath. A capitalist frenzy that hasn't stopped to this day.
My uncle Fred was wounded in the Battle Of The Bulge by German mortar fire. My uncle Wil was a trained bombardier and Mustang pilot. My dad crossed the English channel D-day + 60. All survived. The greatest generation.
my neighbor was tank commander in the battle of the bulge. they got high sided underneath their tank onto a tree stump in an open field in the ardennes and could only turn in circles. he opened the turret hatch to have a look around with binoculars and when he did, a german shell hit the turret and the shrapnel hit him in the head. he had to be medivac'd out, recovered from his wounds but his right foot was paralyzed for the rest of his life, he had to have his cars he drove modified with the gas pedal on the left side.
Yes, true, hit with an 88mm shell from a tiger
I’d hate to be in his shoes
Interesting stuff.
Ive heard part of this same story before. These hero’s didnt always talk much but i love every story they did. I wish i could thank them all still. Keeps my american sprit strong. 😊
This Major Albin Irzyk of 4th Armor who led the column to Bastone died in September 2018 at 101 yrs old.Good for him RIP Albin
They have a tank memorial in Salem Massachusetts for him
I don’t intend to take any valour away from the tank crews, but it’s important to remember the infantry making the same trip on foot in the freezing cold.
@@heinleinsghost6080 you are correct
@@heinleinsghost6080
Incorrect. Tank Crews had a much lower casualty rate compared to the Infantry.
You're in an armoured box and safe from small arms, MGs, Artillery (somewhat. Direct hits will obliterate you) and potentially other Tanks.
@@heinleinsghost6080 Tank Crews had a casualty rate of 3% in WW2. Infantry had an 18%. Despite all the media to the contrary, being a Tanker was far safer than most other occupations in the war.
You act as if driving around in those 80 year old tanks was like driving around in a Rolls Royce. Aside from being one of the most dangerous jobs during the ENTIRE war, operating those tanks were EXTREMELY laborious. They were also loud, freezing cold inside, and they stunk of sweat, diesel fumes and death from past, deceased tank operators.
@@danieldevito6380 willys jeeps are actually really fun to drive. Really slow by today's standards but for the time was the perfect for off road high speed firefights.
The price paid was so extraordinarily high. I didn't know this was the costliest battle of the war...
Bless the heroes who never came home, too.
80,000 Casualties from Dec 16th 44 until Jan. 25th 45. When the Bulge was back to its starting point. Most American causalities in any other war. Including any 6 week period during the American Civil War. And as you know both armies in our civil war were our own.
If I am not mistaken the invasion of Okinawa costs more American combat casualties. Also there were only about 40,000 combat deaths in the American Civil War. By far the majority of deaths were the results from other causes.
Battle of the Bulge. Greatest WW2 victory by the American army, but at a terrible cost. Hitler's last gamble failed, shortened the war in the West. Great presentation.
These bloke's had it harder than we will ever know. Freezing cold, wounded, faced a fierce enemy. Thank God for them or the world would be a very different place..
Watch the this Doc about Russia's "Operation Bagration" on June 22 1944.
ua-cam.com/video/rJAEdLnZsgI/v-deo.html
Even if there was no D-Day the Russians were going to Berlin.
Nothing happening in the west mattered at this stage of the war.
Oh don't worry we might get to live through some real fun yet!
Imagine being the guy walking outside the tank. For every tank in the bulge there were 1000 outside with ice and snow everywhere and you have no gloves or winter boots hoping you wake up from sleeping because the guy you are sharing a bomb crater with didn’t. Engine heat in a tank was a little help. Worst case you could heat your food with it.
@@COACHWARBLE My uncle was in the Cobra King Tank. They were like deep freezers. the warmth came from the exhaust.
The Germans were done. Once the skies cleared the thunderbolts tore them apart!
Thank you commenters for sharing stories of the heroes in your families , more is owed than can ever be given !!!!!
That battle cost my family US infantryman Pvt. Davey Krutsch. RIP to all the soldiers that fought that battle.
My good friend Don was in the battle,he's 96 and still kickin.
And you?
God bless him and God Bless America 🇺🇸
God bless him
Those men are a testament of a bygone era
I remember watching the Greatest Tank Battles videos as a kid. I was utterly fascinated. Now I have thousands of hours in world of tanks and warthunder and I regret everything.
Dad drove a Sherman with Pattons 3rd army. From D day,
Battle of the Bulge until the end of the War. 4 Campaign medals 6 bronze stars.
I have to say it makes my blood boil to see people giving away the freedom these heroes and all veterans sacrificed so much for.
What are you talking about? What freedoms are being given away?
@@dreamswet8019 Probably freedom to yell racial slurs at minorities. These are what triggers boomers
@@user-dd8vo7or2d more like freedom to bear arms and protect ourselves from the dregs that sometimes escape the ghetto to go and steal stuff from the suburbs. That's as racist as it gets.. and that's not racist, it's just true.
Watch 1984 for further education, I would tell you to read it, but I am 100% sure that you're not a person who reads... not past Facebook posts and false rhetoric from mainstream leftwing media.
Perfect timing, I have a post right now that UA-cam won't let me post because of their inane "woke" algorithm. I'm going to have to do it in segments and isolate what's getting filtered out. If you don't see this as a problem, you don't care about free speech.
Just to clarify, where I live, our town is about 80% white, so I would use force to stop anyone that walked in my home in the middle of the night uninvited and armed, or even just uninvited and dangerously erratic in some way,
Fascinating video! Thank you for uploading!
A brother of my Grandfather survived the war in the Jagdtiger as part of the 512th heavy tank destroyer battalion and attacked some American armor vehicles. His unit later surrendered to the U.S 9th infantry division in May 1945.
My Grandfather was captured along with the 6th army at Stalingrad he was part of the 44th infantry division and had lost 80 pounds moving around different Russian labour camps before finally released in the mid 1950s.
It’s quite amazing your Grandfather survived, that certainly wasn’t the norm for the men who went to Stalingrad.
Wow, Yeah that's insane that he survived at all Not quite sure on the numbers quick google search could fix it for me but not many men returned from the gulags who were captured at Stalingrad, like 5000? could be wrong
Glad he survived.
Very interesting. Do you know your Grandfather's unit? Was your Grandfather an officer? I'm only asking because I've read that for German enlisted men the chance of surviving Soviet captivity after surrender at Stalingrad was only 1 out of 20.
- many if-not-most -? Russian POWs lost 'more' than 80 pounds in German hands
My grandfather, Daniel DiSalvo was under General Patton at the Battle of the Bulge. He had just turned 19 years old at the time.
My Pap was there. I use to listen to him tell storys about ww2 when i was younger.
You were lucky to hear them. my pop was fighting in the Philippines......crazy to hear those stories....
Same with my grandfather, William F Clark from Merrill, Michigan. He survived that winter and made it home a year later. I wish he was still here to talk with and learn more.
There are no words to describe the bravery of these men!
Those who survived, and those who were lost, will forever be honored and respected.
It's no wonder they are the Greatest Generation.
"I advice you to to surrender immediately otherwise you will be destroyed inevitably!"
"Nuts."
the best part is the Germans were genuinely confused
originally he said nuts to express his lack of options and the dismal situation... as in oh damn we are screwed ....
If it is true, but the siege was by a small holding company with few tanks, most of the Germans had carried on with their mission, they were not concerned about Bastogne.
Every person who got involved on the allies sides are my heroes ,now and before , god bless yous for allowing us to live free !
The officer standing in the commander's cuppola at 4:00 was named Horst Scheibert, and he survived the war. And even wrote the book, literally, on King Tigers. "The King Tiger Tank" it was called.
Idk why, there was only a couple produced that were used in the war and they were SO big they actually became useless. Also, they werent used til damn near the end of the war
This is the time when i realized that Tiger II's were massive af
I am American and just thank these brave men for their service. I am ex-army and have nothing but respect for the Germans that fought. Soldiers don’t decide who to fight in War, these enemy combatants deserve our respect and honor.
Best of mates....LOL, they supported the regime that killed millions of people and you have respect for them.....take no prisoners I say.
Fick em nazis
Men fight because they are told to
So yes we have to have respect for all soldiers and what they had to endure
Exactly we dont know what they were told. Many had NO clue WHY they were fighting. They fought for what germany demanded, not unlike the US and any other military country. Soldiers and soldiers, they are not responsible for the reasoning, just the result. Nothing is more dangerous than a man in a suit
I'm a heavy ww buff & when I see vets with thar white Eagle head on them representing the 101st i have the utmost respect for them,who's ever thought one word " NUTS" would become so renowned, sums American soldiers up, fight till fighting is no longer an option,& fight some more, & I'm scottish, thanks for the ww, we woulda lost both without your massive amount of soldiers ,technology, manufacturing power, they made a big mistake declaring war on Anerica, Winston Churchill spent that night singing & drinking, no doubt with several ladies, everyone knew that was the beginning of the end,
My dad was in the infantry , north Africa, and Italy , but these young men of steel went on to be some of the best Americans we'll ever know .
My 2 grandpas never saw combat in ww2, but I still have mad respect for all veterans. 👍👍
Very few actually see combat. Most, by that I mean around 94% of those that serve do not see actual combat. They all have jobs that contribute to the mission, and that is important. So, your grandfathers may well have done something that helped more than they know.
I never see anyone in the comments that talk about their german grandfathers that served in the war, maybe most just dont want to talk or are even ashamed to talk about it. My great grandfather was a german soldier but i dont have much to tell about him. All I realy know is that he supposedly died in a mine field
@@ddm_gamer You should live in the US and have ancestors that fought for the Confederacy. They want to kill you.
Mein grandpapa served with the 8th panzer grenadiers during this battle. His exhausted and depleted unit was captured on the last days of their retreat. He said he was glad finally being captured by the Amerikans after months of hearing horrible stories about the Russians in the east.
Many German prisoners were very badly treated by the Americans due to Eisenhower. They were kept in open camps. Many died from ill-treatment.
Senseless stupid wars killing young men.
Unfortunately the Russian civilians didn't have the Americans to save them from the atrocities committed by the German invaders
@@starcorpvncjdon’t pity him, the Germans treated people at concentration camps much, much worse.
My great great grandfather, havildar Bheem bahadur lama also fought along side the british gurkhas in the British indian army in the campaign of france, onlynhe and few of his numberis(colleagues) mainly from takdah and kalimpong areas of darjeeling, india made it back home, my father says that nearly 1.5 lakh gurkhas participated in that war and nearly 30k were KIA and many/mostly others wounded . Proud be be born in such a family of brave warriors, not only my family but all my people, the "gorkhas".
I had the honor of belonging to 3rd Army which later became US ARCENT. They still wear the same patch you saw in the movie “Patton”.
Respect to all the soldiers That fought in this battle they were real men
The Animated Scenes are simply Fantastic. I'm actually there with them it feels
God bless all these brave men, these brave heroes.
The young new soldiers were thrown into a brutal mess and were not prepared. Repo depo
Whoever had the idea of making a TV show about this, deserves an Emmy and a pat on the back!
Whoever decided to make a show about the Kardashians, deserve to be hit in the head with a sledgehammer.
Pls elaborate about those Kardashians,who were they?...
I was in high school when the movie came out. My best friend's father had lost part of a hand in the Battle of the Bulge. He never talked about the war to his son so we were most interested when he decided to go see the movie. Like it was just yesterday, we were laying on the living room floor when he came home. Don asked him: "What did you think of the movie?" Howard looked at us and said quietly, "Not enough snow." Few words for a college professor!!!
Europe is a cold place. Icey spray in the air.
God have mercy on those souls Lost. Thousands and millions at a time. Gracias LY. Your s John boy. Walton
To all who served many people service in E. M T. Church s. Choir s. Some way. People. Loving people. Enemy of. Evil
People. Loving. People. God bless us. All. Everyone. Christmas Carrol. Welcome 🤗🤗🤬😡🤬🤬🤬
Huge bravery and gallantry on both sides.
To the generation of Americans that fought this war - thank you.
That was awesome guys ! Thank you all for your service and your sacrifices.
La guerre c'est la honte des humains. Pas cool
i just love learning about this stuff.
It's amazing that we got some of these men's storys on camera
we owe these soldiers so much
You can't really take down a tank with a phosphorus grenade, until you do.
Yeah, but magnesium is BETTER
😭🤦♂️⚔🤦♂️😭
Ask the FINNISH 1939 & Watch ''The Winter War'' Documentary then you will know how Lucky You Are !!! Probably the Greatest Defence Ever in our Time of A David & Goliath situation ... since the Bighorn .......... JBX
I Just want to say the soldiers of Finland Stood Up & Crushed An Angry BEAR & Major Respect to you All !!! An Immence Feat of Courage And Bravery that Not many People know About ?? But My Love And Respect & Heartfelt Losses to all of your People & Families..........Love JBXXXX
During the Battle of Lyte gulf one of the destroyers having run out HE and AP rounds fired Star Shells, which are normally used for illumination at night, at the Japanese ship. They turned out to be suprisingly effective at setting the supertructure on fire.
@@readhistory2023 that's because they burned so hot... & if you put water on something like magnesium when it's burning, it only burns HOTTER, which makes fire-fighting a nightmare...
This video series is what enabled my special interest in tanks all those years ago
Excellent documentary.What a brutal conflict.
Great story and unmeasurable amount of respect and love to these men. I think the soldier’s name was John, he was in the tank lost looking for the line I’d really like to know what they did for fuel? Being away from support for days and clearly not just sitting at a idle somewhere they had to need fuel
No tank was away from fuel for days. Most of the battles within battles during the bulge were finished in a day and a half max. Fuel is the main factor today as it was then, armor has to have it.
@@akgeronimo501 if you watch the video he talks about how he was lost behind enemy lines. So ya, i wonder how they got fuel too.
I had the same question; my dad said they just shut down the engine whenever they're not moving to save fuel. But he was in the far east, in the tropics, so with the engine off, at least they wouldn't freeze. I don't know how long the inside of the tank would stay warm in the Ardenne forest, without the engine running, but perhaps because there's so much hot metal, it would stay at least a little warm?
I’ll be honest I’m no one to call the man out but it sounds like a lot of his story is quite unbelievable, but as I said I can’t call the man out on it he’s done more than I probably ever will for his country
@@notme7486 Yeah, there are thousands and thousands of fights in war that are so incredible, that it wouldn't be believable if made into a movie. If you can find them, read the declassified after action reports of the SEAL teams combat operations in Vietnam. Also Green Berets and LRRPS.
You just really say that kid had stumps for hands. Man is a Savage.respect
Great story and thanks again for the info 👍👍👍👍👍👍
EXCELLENT !!! THANK YOU !!! DSC
My Grand Father was an infantryman at the Arden's and the battle of the bulge.
I had two great uncles who fought in World War II don't know much about the details one was wounded. This is why they call this generation The Greatest generation.
Very brave men. I couldn't imagine doing this at 20 years old. Can't say it enough, very brave men
The German tanker talking about how the US was firing white phosphorus at his Panzer tracks was absolutely amazing. But it was kinda sad how they couldn’t leave the tank unless it was on fire…..probably dead by then.
I lived in Luxembourg in the 90's. When visiting Bastone the direction markers in many areas were still old TANK TURRETS! With the Barrels pointing to the direction! I also visited the dioramas of the bulge and snow. Weather there now is much less harsh; we never had any deep snow in my four years there! I can also say I've been to Patton's Grave.
It is not a "simple solders grave". It is in the American Cemetary in Luxembourg City and sits at the HEAD of all the other graves and is well decorated! There are markers all over Luxembourg that sit on corners, they mark the day and date that area was liberated from Germans! And all the German's "brag" about American's running away. One only has to see the pictures of the DEFEATED GERMANS walking to there war prison back into GERMANY!
15.30 very cool to see the tank still there with damage. It quite amazing to see both side the war in these cases.
Found it on Google maps, it’s located in houffalize, Belgium on the corner of Rus du bourg & Rue du Tilleul
My grandfather Robert C. Phillips 142nd Infantry Rainbow Division, was taken captive n POW by the German prison camps during battle of the Bulge... n escaped n got help from a British soldier during his run. He got frostbite on his feet running through snow on the ground... his mother (my great grandmother) received a letter from the white house stating that her son (my grandfather) was presumed dead... he was not. All glory to God! Grandpa was and IS an inspiration to all...
I remember watching this on the History Channel twenty years ago. Good series.
I had the privilege to meet Rocky Jones from price utah. He had lost both legs at the battle of the Bulge.
The Germans were not going to change the course of the war in the West. The Soviets had already decided that at Kursk-Orel July-43 and Bagration June 1944. Some of the bloodiest fighting of WW-2 took place in Germany,s former Eastern Provinces, Poland and Hungary. Jan-May 1945.
Not many of Hitler’s decisions had anything to do with wise strategy. Had he listened to his generals more he may have actually gotten a lot further. The one thing about evil is that it has a propensity to overreach.
Change the course of the war in the "West" for a moment they could have, the east and the Soviets didn't matter at that moment.
@@berd2485 yeah true after defeating the americans, some regemints would go to the easter front. But at the end it was the lack of petrol that the attacked missed, also after that offensiv germans had barly reserves at the west front so americans could mostly go easy
The terrain, strategic area, geography, topography and weather a very perfect places.
Each and every of this well documented history makes you know what happened during ww2
Wow that's amazing how the guy survived a gunshot to the Head knocked him unconscious God is with him 🙏
this should be playing on the history channel and not some awful sword making show for 10 hours straight on repeat
😂😂😂😂😂😂 truth
What about the stupid "Storage Wars" show LMAO? I don't even understand why that channel is still called the History Channel. It's absolutely ridiculous.
@@horsepower523 Yeah someone should be fired.
but it's complete fantasy
I’ll take sword making over 10 plus hours of storage wars, alien invasions and conspiracy theories, and pawn stars.
My grand uncle was 18 and a .50 cal gunner. He was on the front lines and his CO ordered him and his loader to stay put to cover the retreat. The last truck drove off and he thought "Well, ill be dead in a few hours". The truck stopped, backed up and the officer in the truck ordered them to get in just as they saw German tanks rolling in about 2000 yds off.
Thanks for sharing history should not be forgotten
What a video thanks bro
When Patton was told that the commander at Batogne replied with "nuts" when Germany ordered him to surrender, Patton said "a man that elegant deserves to be saved" 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Maybe the american commander should have arranged
A xmas truce rather than a surrender
Celebrate as fellow anglo saxons
Then politely tell the germans to
Disengage and go hold back the
Ruskies
That wasn’t the actual word he used. It wasn’t that elegant which is why Patton, with a penchant for profanity, commended him so.
@@mat4410 well, if you have more insight, I'm all ears. That's the story that's always been pushed, since forever.
Patton may have his negatives but nobody id rather fight for. Basically the feelings of his men
15:18-holy smokes. That is just incredible.
Thank you for the video. Please reduce the background music ( I have trouble hearing some of the dialog).
Just visited Bastogne Belgium a truly epic experience and highly recommended.
God bless you sirs
This is going to be my 4th time watching this video. Each time I picked up something new that I missed the previous time. This is absolutely one of the best documentary videos around. You'd think we'd learn from it. but similar mistakes are made. The only logical answer I can think of is that it is done purposely to keep humanity ascending to higher levels of consciousness. It's the mythical Battle of good against evil. Only it's no longer a myth.
Might help if you did not drown out the veterans comments with bloody loud music
I had just turned one year a day on that Day. I never knew my Father was there on my birthday till I was a man. He never talked about. He did talk to my Mother about it at sometime early on. She told me some a few years before she passed in 2013. I think she wanted it not forgotten and also to explain his drinking and behavior after he came home.
He was close to St. Lo.
Excellent documentary.🧡
Patton anticipated this move by the Germans and had plans ready just in case. That is why he was able to disengage his army and turn North to relieve Bastogne quickly. It was a magnificent feat of arms and logistics.
Disengage? Patton was facing few Germans so not much to disengage from and it took him 5 days to reach Bastogne most of the way through US held territory and only meeting a small holding company with few tanks at Bastogne.
@@barrierodliffe4155 there is the fog of war, so he did not know that for certain. Otherwise, why wouldn't he had advanced? (which he eventually did. ) I am not a fan of Patton per se and I do think he expended men's lives for glory whether they wanted it or not.
For the record, Mongomery did the same thing, except in his case it was swinging Horrocks south.
Neither Patton or Montgomery waited for, well, *orders* before doing the right thing ;)
Patton was so overrated. He never actually faced a significant enemy armoured force anywhere.
@@douglapointe6810 there were significant German armour in the battle of the bulge, whether they were spent by the time Patton had gotten in, is likely. But in terms of doctrine, it's not a bad thing. Strike where opponents are weakest and let them spend their energy on your strongest defenses.
If Patton and Montgomery didn't have such massive egos, they could have worked together to end the war. Monty's tendency to lure enemy forces in one direction to create create weak points for someone else to exploit would have been a good complement to Patton's drive forward.
But no, in the end, it was just wearing down the Germans and luck.
EXCUSE ME...WOULD YOU MIND KEEPING THE VOICE LOUDER THAN THE NOISE?
I like the noise buy yeah I get what you meant
Thanks for sharing.
12:39 That is the scariest thing a sherman crew could ever see
Unless you’re in a jumbo
The American performance during the battle of the Bulge, makes me very proud to be an American!
What? Including the performances of Bradley and Hodges.
Absolutely, and all through WW2... God Bless America 🇺🇸
Why ???
Because it caused the Germans to thin their Eastern Front, resulting in a major Russian breakthrough and advancement that together with the later American successful campaign helped end the war at-least three months earlier than if the Germans had used its troops to stop the Russian advancement and held them behind the Fortified German defenses.
@@alanle1471
Many of the German formations that fought in the Bulge were created in the Autumn of 1944. After Eisenhower had given the the Germans the two things they most wanted then, time and space.
Montgomery warned that Eisenhower that his policies would leave the allied forces too thinly spread out, one of Bradley's subordinate commanders, Patton specifically warned about the danger in the Ardennes just before the German attack.
Come the battle, Bradley lost control of events, Hodges went to ground. To his credit, Eisenhower seems to have learned by previous mistakes, he went straight to Montgomerey, who postponed Operation Veritable and sorted out the northern half of the bulge. The American troops on the ground seem to have acquitted themselves well.
Here is Alanbrooke's observation on the battle.
‘There was no doubt that the Americans had had a severe shock. Their commanders had chosen to ignore the two most elementary rules of war - concentration and the possession of a reserve to counter the enemy’s moves and keep the initiative.’
German commanders had given the German plan at best a 5% chance of success.
The later successful campaign was British, Canadian, French and US.
Thanks for invalueable documentaries
Why is it that Battle of the Bulge is always about Bastogne, 101st & Patton's 90° relief. I believe, more importantly the blocking of the Northern shoulder was key, the strongest formation was kampgruppe peiper of 6th SS panzer, blocked by the 10th armored, 82nd airborne, & other units. Northern shoulder was the quickest route to Antwerp.
Probably due to unwillingness to give any credit to Montgomery.
Prior to the battle it was considered safe enough for war correspondents and many of them were not evacuated.
I think the telling point about Patton is West Point has a statue of him, Eisenhower and MacArthur but not Bradley. Patton was America's hero of WW2 and wasn't backward in praising the many US soldiers who lost their lives.
@@peterlewerin4213 "Although Léo Major (Canadas' most decorated soldier) was offered a Distinguished Conduct Medal, an award second only to the Victoria Cross, he refused it. Allegedly this was due to his low opinion of General Montgomery, who would have been the one to give him the medal."
A Mad Major: The Canadian Hero Who Captured A City page
@@nickdanger3802 Sources differ:
* he didn't get it
* he got it and accepted it
* he got it and refused it
* he got it with a seven-day leave, and came back late and so wasn't awarded it
I wouldn't be surprised if Major disliked Montgomery personally: a lot of people did. I'm sure I would have if I had been in his command.
The 99th infantry held the northern shoulder of the bulge. Holding ground while now addressing their flanks. Later this same combat unit became the first "complete" division to cross the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen relieving the 9th armored division who took the bridge and held that bridge head for a week while as many units crossed over into Germany until the bridge collapsed.
Thanks for the great war history! Saluting you, John Marshall!
My uncle Bull was in this battle with scares that he showed me when i was a little boy. RIP Uncle Bull, I am now 60 and now see why you have that name.
45:40 Minor mistake. Germany actually launched ANOTHER final last-ditch offensive after Battle of the Bulge but against the Russians called Operation Spring Awakening. This attack was almost completely comprised of Germanys last remaining SS divisions and was supposed to recapture the Hungarian oilfields, the very last source of fuel the Germans had. The attack only had minimal gains and pretty much failed immediately.
because it was the 6 ss panzer that was gutted by the battle bulge
the oil fields were in rumania not hungary
@@josephberrie9550 The vast majority were but there were still a few of them in Hungary near Lake Balaton.
Just think, when Christmas comes, just remember that the Battle of the Bulge happened during this time. Starting on 16 December, 1944 to 25 January, 1945.
The Battle of the Buldge lasted for nine days. It took about 90 days for American forces to secure Okinawa.
These are the men that us younger generations look up to. Stand tall gentlemen you earned it
I knew two U.S. Army vets that were in the Battle of the Bulge. They told me things that were never in any movie. It was that bad.
Not sure I agree with this premise of this title and “history” unless you say it was pivotal to the western armies. It was a futile German attack as they had no gas and could not supply or reinforce their troops affectively without air supremacy. Also, Russia was already destroying Germany day after day causing a vast majority of German casualties.
Absolutely, the nasties were pretty much a spent force by the time Hitlers lunatic offensive was launched.
without western trucks and trains there push would not have got as far and the western bomber offene pull german combat airplane to defend the homeland
Agree totally, too late to make any difference. In fact likely shortened the war by expending material in a futile assault instead of a dogged defence.
You could say it was pivotal in that it was a major use of supplies and manpower that the country was in serious lack of. This useless push to the sea made the defense of Germany itself even more futile.
Agree with you. This channel always opts for the sensational, is sometimes factually questionable.
The Battle of the Bulge was not a pivotal battle, the Germans were already on the ropes, it was a Hail Mary by the Germans that failed.
wrong. It was one of the most incredible displays of strategy and desperation ever in the history of warfare. THIS was the straw that broke the back of Germany.
@@philwaller4379 I beg your pardon, it was so desperate, it was based on capturing Allied fuel supplies for the plan to even work, it was last ditch attempt! And as you say yourself, it was the last straw and it didn't work! No brilliant strategy, just a all out desperate attempt.