Hellfire in Paradise: Tarawa, Makin and the Gilbert Islands Campaign
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- Опубліковано 18 тра 2024
- Tarawa the crucible. Perhaps, with the exception of Iwo Jima, no other piece of ground in the Pacific is there a greater concentration of American sacrifice. In fact, this tiny island, which is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, would see some of the most ferocious and intimate combat of the Second World War; a battle that was fought with machine gun, flamethrower and grenade. But why was a battle fought here, in this pristine tropical paradise in the middle of the pacific ocean? Part of Operation Galvanic, the invasion of Tarawa and Makin atolls were the opening blow in the central pacific campaign, one that is legendary for its ferocity. The establishment of bases in the Gilbert Islands was a critical first step on a road that would lead the United States to Guam, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. At Tarawa, the men of the 2nd Marine Division almost met with disaster; a nightmare of coral reef, barbed wire and heavy machine gun. Their story is one of horror, heroism and sacrifice, and it was only through the bravery and initiative of the men and the officers who led them that victory was clinched from the teeth of bloody defeat.
0:00 The State of the Pacific War in 1943
22:00 The Planning for Operation Galvanic and Preliminary Operations
39:00 The Battle of Makin
1:01:34 D-Day: Tarawa the Crucible
1:33:43 D+1: Victory or Defeat
1:49:18 Bloody Mistakes and Lessons Learned
Never, please, never become a 10 min history vid channel. I look far and wide for this kind of channel.
Dan Carlin is right up your ally
I couldn't agree more! The depth of information in this "long form" video is invaluable
Nobody does this kind of in-depth historical analysis better on the tube.
TIK History does
For general Naval history up to the Cold War, try Drachinifel’s Channel.
History-Tube has *many* fine "content creators" (why not just call them historians?) with videos raging from the 5-minute guides of Drachinifel (when he does not indulge in engineering minutiae for 2 hours) to the 9 hours of Tik History's "Operation Crusader".
"Better" is a subjective judgment, and so largely a matter of taste, but depth is easier to evaluate. And if it is depth you seek, you really can't beat "Greg's planes and automobiles'" 8 episode series on the P-47 Thunderbolt.
But other channels that might interest the History-minded are Historia Civilis, Kings and Generals, Dark docs, Dark Skies, The History Guy, Dr. Mark Felton, Dr. Alexander Clarke, Dan Carlin, Invicta, Military History Visualized, Military Aviation History, Forgotten weapons, and finally (I shit you not) "Animarchy: The History and Anime Channel".
TIK is awesome, also.
@@Intercaust Mark Felton is pretty good too
As a couch military history lover for 60 plus years, in my opinion Tarawa waß the most violent 72 hours in wwii..!! I've reàd several different accounts of the authors experience during the battle I still can't imagine the horrors!! The deafening noise must have been incredible!!!!
I lived on Tarawa for 5 years with my family when I was a teenager. It was quite routine to find shell casings lying around in the sand along with all the other abandoned, rusting and ruined remnants of the battle.
This was only 30-odd years after the battle, and there were people there who had been alive during the Japanese occupation. Those soldiers were sadistic monsters: murdering, torturing and raping at will, and yet somehow no-one talks about their crimes in those tiny islands. There was, and still is, a leper colony there. The Japanese put the islanders who had leprosy in boats, took them out into the lagoon and shelled them. They were murdered simply because they had a disease. Utterly evil.
The courage of those US soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who exorcised the island of those devils is unbelievable.
Thankyou for this wonderful documentary.
Wow! Thank you for the info. My mom and dad were under Japanese occupation in the Philippines. I didn't know this went on in Tarawa.
I have noticed how the Nazi's get all the publicity, while the Japanese, who I think were incredibly cruel and sadistic, get a relative pass.
The interned Japanese in the US were in a Luxury Hotel compared to the prisoner or interned people they had conquered.
Read the book "Gold Warriors" to see how the be US passed a law so US prisoners of the Japanese couldn't sue Japan OR be huge companies like Mitsubishi for damages for slave labor and lifelong health damages from inhuman treatment. The US GOVERNMENT. We needed Japan on our side to fight communism!!!! Whew!! I could go on!!!!
Where did the people on Betio hide during the attack. Aerial photos don't show anyplace big enough to be safe. What did your parents do to be living there for 5 years ?
@@billotto602 my parents were in the suburbs of Manila, and thankfully NOT in Manila proper. The Japanese weren't out to kill civilians during most of the time they occupied the Philippines, but toward the end, the 20,000 or so Japanese troops in Manila killed about 200,000 civilians.
Thankfully by the time of the mass killing in Manila, the Americans had surrounded Manila and had liberated the suburbs, otherwise Mom and Dad could have been killed. Toward the end of the war, Dad became a guerrilla, and was actually part of the support for the battle of Luzon at Tagaytay Ridge February 3, 1945.
The biggest risk, according to Mom was starvation, not being gunned down.
@@EvidenceandReasons God bless your dad ! ♥️🙏
Can't imagine the amount of work that go into these gems. Probably the best military/WW2 channel on the Internet.
3 weeks of work mate; 21k word script.
@@hypohystericalhistory8133 And you still manage to keep up your academic studies. Amazing!
I wish Binkov Battlegrounds, Covert Cable and Hypohystericalhistory could collaborate.
reconnaissance photos helped with tides low ,high and accurate imperial Japanese army strength . Now in modern times aerial photography is granted prefrance of the highest priority
@@hypohystericalhistory8133 I've shared this video with vets and historians. Their responses include; "unbelievable detail," "amazing content," and "the best we have ever seen." Your work is truly appreciated by many and helps some piece together untold stories.
Do you have any plans to cover the Marshall Islands campaign specifically Eniwetok? The combined Amy and Marine Corps operations and changes in tactics is unique to the Pacific Campaign. The lessons learned in the Marshalls solidified American amphibious doctrine for the rest of the war.
(Plus, my grandpa was Army Medical Corps attached to the 27th ID and participated in Makin, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Okinawa campaigns.)
Thank you for providing the best content on UA-cam! I'll be sure to get the word out! Cheers!
I was the RAN maritime surveillance adviser in Kiribati from 2000 to 2003. It was amazing how many relics were still there
I was there 88-91ish and was disturbed to see trash everywhere, including around the monuments.
I'd so love to see all that!!! I feel like I was born at the wrong time and I should have fought in WW2!!!
My dad, who built air fields in WW2 died of what we now know as PTSD when I was 9.
My step dad was a US Marine joining up December 8th 1941. His 1st battle was
Guadalcanal were he was badly wounded and later transferred to a hospital ship were he was operated on and spent time aboard recovering.
I remember him telling me about Tarawa and how so many Marines drowned and others gunned down because many of the landing craft didn't get close enough to the beach.
Iwo Jima was another island he fought and was wounded on this time he was sent to Hawaii for surgery and R&R, the final island he fought on was Okinawa
( Oldest grandson"s 1st overseas assignment, USMC) , there he was wounded and this time shipped back to California for medical care.
I wish I could remember more these days of his time in the Pacific.
I remember his uniform hanging in the closet, the red Sgt strips standing out against the dark green, the medals, campain ribbons on the left brest.
I do remember 3 Purple 💜, Bronze Star a Silver Star and a small poorly made and badly stained American flag in a glass & wood frame hanging on the bedroom wall.
One day at school we learned about our flag, how it became the flag we all know and love, its proper care including its disposal when damaged or stained.
I told him about the class and asked why he hadn't burned it.
He explained why it was so poorly made, a village elder made it during a time of Japanese occupation, how making it could have cost him his life, the man made it as a symbol to his village that America would free them.
He told me that he led his men in to the area driving back the Japanese soldiers, when he and his men entered the village,all the people came out so excited to see Americans. It was when the Elder gave my step dad the flag he had made.
He explained the stains were a mix of sweat, dirt and blood, his blood. He had carried it in his left breast pocket through the conquest of the island, how he had been wounded, how the boold had stained it from his bleeding.
I wish I could remember what island it was on, to ask and to hear again his stories of combat in WW2.
But like my dad and my uncles who also served.
1 uncle was on DD417 during the disasteruos night action off Guadalcanal, later serving on the USS Augusta.
Another uncle spent the war in the Pacific as well.
He was in the Army Air Forces , ground crew chief on B17s, later on the B29s.
My mom helped build Boeing 17s along with an aunt, another aunt worked in the Pentagon, another one on Navy dive bombers, uncles who fought in Europe, my father in law fought with the British 8th Army in North Africa, later in Jerusalem when the war ended.
Each one had so many stories they shared with me, but only when I would ask.
Their voices are forever stilled now, only in pictures and memories do they still live.
Growing up my world was full of Vet's even a WWI vet, I never imagined a time when they would all be gone.
My father was in the 2 marine division. I knew he experienced horror, but he never talked about it. I do hope he's now resting peacefully. Thank you to all those who served. Thank you for this well researched analysis of Tarawa.
God bless him!!!
So was mine father Went in at Red Beach One
@@nyclivemedia4707Your father was definitely a brave man ! I hope he made it out alive and well . All the military forces men that engaged in this huge war definitely deserved so much more recognition and appreciation for the commitment and down right sacrifices they made for our nation in all these battles . None should have had to work again in their lives and should have been given an allotment every month sufficient enough to support them and their families. Fighting one year in a World war like this for your country should constitute that allocation. You have done more than enough in your lifetime for societies benefit and should be able to live a free happy life doing whatever you please after enduring such a horrific war. Many Thanks to your father 🤜🫡
2 hour history video essay. You are the goat.
IMO, the quality of these videos should put you among the top military history channels here on UA-cam. Thanks for all the time and research that goes into these things, the product is absolutely top notch
Thank you for the most comprehensive account of the war in the pacific
I have been a World War II history buff for 60 years. I think this is one of the most detailed documentaries I’ve seen on a World War II related topic. Thank you for putting this in UA-cam and making it available.👍
These docs have really impressed me. You generally don't get this kind of detail, analysis and narrative outside serious history books. It's a real treat to find someone serious *and* talented here on YT. Kudos!
Your collation and retelling of so many important aspects of modern history is clearly a work of passion. I suspect 28K subscribers doesn't go anywhere near to covering or rewarding your effort financially. As another Australian watching your videos with great interest I can't help but see the parallels in today's world. In your intro you said (paraphrased) - Japan's Oil supply was cut off with a stroke of a pen by the US President, and then logically, Japan calculated it had two years of bunkered oil stored and went to war. This brings me to today and Australia's reliance on oil with the almost total loss of refining capability one of the world's richest countries (by any economic metric) is a puppet state when it comes to our oil supply self sufficiency capability. Yet across the globe we see another potential war looming over what, resources again - territory and natural gas. It seems we love to repeat history and prove we have learnt little along the way.
100% agree with these comments.
Especially that 28K subscribers isn't going to generate much revenue
Yeah i'll do a post on australia's energy security, i actually wrote some reasearch on it four or five years ago but it got knocked back by peer review (or I think i got something else knocked back and I didn't submit that one). I'll put it into a vid.
If Teddy Roosevelt had included Japan in the mutual pact this war may not have happened. The pact was all western countries and excluded all Asian nations. His racial prejudice had undesirable results.
Absolutely right,Trump had the right idea, restore our gas ⛽️ production
Care to explain why the big evil old US placed sanctions on Japan?
Yeah, I didn’t think so
Dude, this is by far the best video I have seen on the battle of Tarawa. I always knew the battle was bad for US forces, but you explained it in such a way, I am shocked that men can do such things. The Japanese fighting to the death, and the Americans wading through 100’s of yards of water, into machine gun bullets, is just so unimaginable. Thank you for the effort you make, and bringing the battle of Tarawa to life!
What blows me away is that half the kokoda force were AIF militia, basically army reserve types with absolutely minimal formal battle training. But what they lacked in finesse, they more than compensated for with sheer testicle power.
They were the greatest generation. I've talked to some of these guys. Unfortunately there's not many still alive. Tough men for sure. God bless them all.
My grandpa was a marine at tarawa. Great man. He died when I was nine, just a simple cattleman. What I will never forget was my amazement at Marine Corps honor guard. Creases sharp, every button shined like sun. They fired the rifles folded the flag and presented it to my grandmother with the deepest respect.. God bless America 🇺🇸
Those were days when men were men & women were women, no social cancer of "gender politics" that infects society of today. When I look at the "groomers" serving me at a shop with their pigtails & painted fingernails, my stomach churns thinking how did we sink so low. But the answer can be found in our school systems which have been infiltrated by these Marxist leftist teachers infecting the children at school. I salute the greatest generation.
It's amazing that these men can even Walk with Balls that Big!
Just want to take a moment to appreciate the people of this comments section.
Unlike most, they're people you can actually have a good conversation with.
Equallly importantly, H3 - absolutely incredible work as always!
Being a Retired U.S. Marine, I have always enjoyed learning about WWII in the Pacific. I feel a deep pride for all those who served there regardless of what allied service or branch they belonged too. They gave their all for our freedom. Your very intelligent and concise coverage of what took place there is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Thank you so much for the work you put into researching and presenting this sad but fascinating time in history.
Thank you for your service. There is an amazing book you may know off but if not it's With the old breed at peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge.
@@matthewsatalic2751 Very good book A friend was in the second attack on "Sugar Loaf Hill" grenades and bayonets each time a tunnel opened three feet away. He is still alive 2 of three sons served in the Marines.
Your description of the ineffective main naval and air bombardments at Tarawa, contrasted with the subsequent very effective fire support provided by the two destroyers, rang a bell for me. I seem to recall that six months later, a similar pattern of events unfolded on a larger stage: Omaha Beach. There too, a tremendous bombardment by capital ships and a huge raid by high-altitude heavy bombers were thought to have pulverized the frontline German positions. But when the landing craft arrived, they found the beach defenses mostly intact, with notoriously awful consequences. What finally took out the most stubborn beach fortifications was-as at Tarawa-the impromptu intervention of destroyers coming dangerously close to shore to fire their relatively small-caliber guns almost point-blank. If the foregoing is a fair sketch of both operations, it's sad that that costly lesson of Tarawa-that the fire support of destroyers was indispensable in coping with the actual battle conditions of amphibious landings-seems not to have made it into the preparations for Overlord.
Small caliber??? Naval guns are usually the biggest guns around!!!
All we had was a 5 inch 54 on our ship but it packed a hell of a punch!!!
Small at least in comparison to the 14 and 16s on the battleships.
Was on a cruise ship 3 years ago and it stopped in at Rabaul, this place was a defensive fortress. Every mountain had been tunnelled out so both sides of the mountain could be used for artillery. It was clear as day that anything coming from any direction could be fired at. The tunnels and active volcano are interesting as with the concrete bunkers around the beaches, very worthwhile trip to these little pockets of paradise in the Pacific. 😎🇦🇺🙏
This was absolutely outstanding! OUTSTANDING! Thank you so much for bringing us this excellent, detailed program about this extraordinary battle in ww2. I can't express how much I learned and how much I appreciate seeing this. I am so glad I found this channel.
Yeah, this aussie guy has really done his homework, ay.
Hats off, for your fairness and respect.
When it comes to in-depth analysis and plain good story telling, you re in a class of your own. Oustanding.
I'm spellbound.. never knew about Tarawa .. This recording has blown me away ... It'll haunt me for some time..
RESPECT for this Documentry SIR
C W ESSEX ENGLAND 🇬🇧
Exquisitely written, no hyperbole, I finally understand the intricacies of this most critical battle.
Your videos are exceptional in research, presentation, objectivity, and assessment, and I wish more people had the privilege of seeing them. I learn so much from them. Thank you!
Your criticism of Lt.Col. Shoup for landing reinforcements on Red 2 left out an important fact. Shoup advised the assistant Division Commander General Hermle to have the 1st Battalion 8th Marines land on Red 2 ADJACENT to the pier where the Marines had been much more successful in making the beach than the rest of Red 2. General Hermle, who had landed at the pier and stayed there to organize the landing of supplies omitted that critical but important information from the message when he transmitted Shoup’s request to land 1/8 on Red 2. By all accounts, Shoup did an outstanding job.
While it may not be idea for the UA-cam metric of shorter videos being better, I love the long format of you videos. You get the whole, detailed story in your videos instead of the Readers Digest abridged version that leaves out so much important information. Keep up the great work and thanks.
Thank you for such quality narration and analysis. Your description of these historical events is by far the best I have ever heard. Great research and a high quality program.
Wow!! The VERY BEST ACCOUNT OF TARAWA IVE EVER EXPERIENCED....IN BOOKS OR OTHERWISE!! VERY WELL DONE AND THANK YOU!¡
I've watched a lot of WW2 docs and I'm in agreement with the other comments here. This is by far one of the best. Thank you for you time, effort and expertise .
Thank you.
Another superb video.
Appreciate the level of detail, insight, and clear maps while always keeping the larger picture in view.
My uncle was attached to K Company of the 105th. I am not sure but I believe he might have been with the force that fought on Butaritari. As for the criticism of Ralph Smith moving too slowly, the animosity between Holland Smith and Ralph Smith would come to a head on Saipan in the drive north through Death Valley. Holland Smith once again thought Ralph Smith moved the 27th Division too slowly, leaving his, Holland's, Marines exposed. So he sacked him and replaced him with George Griner. A few days later, on July 1st, my uncle was killed in action in the push north. It's an horrendous choice between proceeding too cautiously or moving with reckless abandon. Perhaps my uncle's number was up either way. Had he survived that night, the following week he would have been with the 105th in the middle of the greatest banzai charge of the war, and after that Okinawa, where the 27th was cut to pieces.
Outstanding work, thanks, even though some of this is hard to watch. Go Marines!
Great video. I thought I knew a lot about Tarawa and this campaign but you proved me wrong. Nice job!!!
Very few you tubers can keep me interested for more than 20 minutes. Your script, the presentation and the visuals make for compelling viewing. Also impressive is the balanced view that you present, not preachy, not overly critical and in the context of the times. The only problem is having to wait for your next video.
Brother.... you did a truly amazing job
In Australia we will never forget the great sacrifices made by the USA in the Pacific War to liberate the region and ensure our security. Always your brother in war and peace.
Americans have always been fond of our Aussie cousins. Politicians in both nations suck or we could be closer yet.
@@fla-gypsy57 Cringe
Every place you find Americans fighting / you will find Australians right beside them. Always have always will
These are amongst the best history related videos on UA-cam. Keep up the great work!
Its hard to imagine the fear and bravery of these men.
Amazing content provided on the early pacific island warfare. Well documented and described moment to moment. Thank you for narrating such a detailed account of these island assaults.
Alexander Peña, 3rd Battalion,6th marine regiment, 2nd marine division, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian, He was KIA July 30th 1944 on Tinian, the Island was declared secure Aug 1st,he almost made it home, R.I.P Uncle Alex, the Greatest Generation of all time, God bless America!!
That was fantastic. So detailed and fantastically illustrated. The amount of work required to get this out must be enormous. Have to be a true enthusiast to produce such an effort for all to see freely.
Just wonderful,......as are all your productions.
My grandfather was on a Liberty ship and Tarawa was his first appointment. He was part of the reconnaissance and clean up afterwards. He never got over it either.
Such a fantastic video, such high quality work. We all leave knowing so much more than when we entered
fantastic documentary on one of the most interesting phases of WW2
Man, these videos are just amazing
Interesting and informative. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better understand what/whom the orator was describing. Special thanks to veteran soldiers/civilians sharing personal information/combat experiences. Making this documentary more authentic and possible. A loud shout out to the often forgotten. Medical 🚑 personal medics/stretcher bearers risking life and limb. Tending to the wounded soldiers. Doctors/nurses working tirelessly tending to the wounded soldiers.
I have to say, I love your work.
Thanks!
Fantastic video! Thank you so much!
As ever a brilliantly researched , in depth production covering another part of the war in the Pacific . Thank you sir .
Awesome quality and content as usual - you have raised the bar so high!
Macarthur was one of the best generals the japanese had!
Thanks for the continued exceptional content.
Well done ! Lest we Forget.
We have
@@halojump123 Are you a 'Yank' ?
So glad you've made another.
Cheers Hypo another incredible video, thanks
Thank you very much, your endeavours are appreciated. 🇬🇧👍🇦🇺
❤
Superb account of the Gilberts campaign, covering both strategy and tactics down to the company level. Very well-chosen photographs and film clips.
I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy your lectures, thank you.
Superbly done! Very well researched. This is the best narrative I've ever seen on the battles of Makin and Tarawa. Thank you very much for making this outstanding, one-of-a-kind video! 1757, Hawaiian time, 19 May 2022, Andy McKane, Maunaloa, Hawaii.
This is the second to last WW2 video of yours that I haven't seen yet and it makes me sad. Your content is among the very very best.
Very well done. I'm certainly going to look for more
Excellent if sobering to experience from afar the difficulties these brave Marines faced. You are very fair in your assessments.
Good work as usual, keep it up, you have become to go to guy for military history and it is appreciated.
Very detailed. Nicely done. Takes patience to wade through but worth it...
Excellent show.
fantastic analysis! great video!
Great series, keep up the good work!
What a beating these real Heroes took and Never gave up. God Bless 🙏🏼🇺🇸💪🏾
One of the many lessons learned from Tarawa, was how the IJN/IJA used fortifications. So much so, that the US built replicas of these fortifications on one of the smaller islands in Hawaii, and used it for further training of the USMC prior to the upcoming invasions.
A couple of things I would like to add to this excellent video. First, President Roosevelt decided to allow footage of the battle for Tarawa and its aftermath to be shown to the American public and not censor it. When the American public viewed the images they were stunned. Secondly, the U.S. decided to recreate the coconut log bunkers the Japanese used in order to see how best to defeat them. They found that these types of bunkers were very hard to destroy if they were freshly built, but that overtime the were not as resilient as the coconut logs deteriorated. I have coconut trees were I live and they are very tough, it takes a couple of years for the logs to begin to break down noticeably if kept above ground even with a lot of rain, eventually after years they fall apart but so would the longs of regular trees if buried and wet. Third, Tarawa convinced the U.S. that they needed more tracked landing craft for their next assaults in the Pacific and they would use them far more extensively in future invasions, even mounting 75 mm howitzers on some for close fire support.
I truly hope that you are planning to continue this excellent series of the war in the Pacific theater. Thank you for the time and effort put into this wonderful documentary.
Yes I am Charles, I have a series on the Papuan and New Guinea campaign of WW2 that i'm also working on (check them out if you liked this, they are very similar), I just felt like starting a series on the central pacific as well.
Terrific work. 1st Class.
It is still baffling how anyone with both Air and Sea superiority (as well as the close proximity of easier less fortified islands in the atoll) would choose the riskiest possible plan of a direct frontal assault straight into the teeth of the defenses that they knew existed at Betio. They had the massive benefit of very good intel. It all smacks of pig headed arrogance high up the chain of command at this point in the war.
Informative, entertaining, and concise.
BRAVO!
This is the best doco that I have ever seen, fantastic work mate.
A very good upload. So much and well organized and presented information. It was a pleasure to watch!
Beautiful work. Much appreciated.
Truly a top quality history video. Such details as the image on screen actually matching the event being discussed, unlike too many other channels I could name (I'm looking at you Simon from Wargraphics.)
Excellent work again. I find the photos and Video clips very illuminating in getting an understanding of the hell it must have been on Tarawa. Thanks
Great documentary. Thanks for making it.
Excellent program.
Definitely worth the time, excellent presentation
Amazing as usual. I look forward to every video.
Another triumph - very well done.
Absolutely brilliant.
Superb - thank you!
Excellent history. Thanks for your presentation...
A very most excellent doc. First one I've watch from you guys. Most good. Will be looking for more.
How cool. Glad to see a new video. I love your work.
Great presentation!
Absolutely amazing documentary, it gets no better Thank you for all the work put into this. My grandfather fought there. Its hard to fathom how such a gentle man participated in something so brutal. Love and miss you Poppy
Excellent presentation,well researched,thanks!
Thank you
A really good 2 hours spent learning history. Ages ago I came across a VHS tape that had a wartime newsreel about Tarawa. I think there was another battle also chronicled in it. It had cheesy production values, but was a very interesting record of combat footage. And it gave a sense of the horror of this battle.
High quality as usual. Well done. I remember seeing 'Beach Red' many moons ago and being horrified by the carnage. Grim times. My father was taken POW in North Africa and had a tough time in Germany, but not as bad as the Slavs housed next door who were just starved to death. He lost his talented brother (my uncle) on the Polyanthus corvette in the Western approaches.
Great research on this.
Outstanding research and presentation.
One of the best videos on the subject.
These videos are great 👍🏻 Really in depth. Thank you. 🇬🇧