Which Minor Country had the DEADLIEST & BRAVEST Soldiers of WW2
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- With the major Allied and Axis powers always taking the spotlight, we thought it best on this episode of The Front to give some of the smaller countries a chance.
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:25 Finland
2:57 Greece
4:05 Poland
5:35 India
6:35 Ireland
8:01 Canada
9:08 Australia
10:18 Conclusion
Really, this video should JUST have been about Australia, don't you think? If you want to argue otherwise (and get shown up), jump in our Discord server: discord.gg/qt68efP
The right music for your intro my friend
FYI I would join and talk in your channel, but you have to verify with your phone. Personally I don't want to do that.
@@natetheskate9948 Thanks for the feedback!
@@TheFront If you get rid of that, tell me and I will join.
Canada is not a minor contry the forces are a peace keeping force
As a Greek, my grandfather has always taught me to pay respects for the fallen Australian and New Zealanders , so thank you for your support and sacrifice for our country. 🇦🇺🇬🇷🇳🇿
Your grandfather is a good man
Thanks mate, proud to call Greeks our mates.
Onya mate
My grand father's older brother (he was from nz) was killed in the fighting in greece he was separated from his squad and came across a German machine gun outpost and threw a grenade which took out 3 Germans and then the officer who was in the dugout shot him he died as a corporal
As an Aussie I still pay respects to the Greeks for both world war 1 and 2. I see world war 1 as more of a fuck up on the British behalf and world war 2 where we truely United. Lest we forget.
My grandfather was a Canadian soldier in ww2 and once told me that after canadians won battles or secured a bridge or something, the news on the radio the next day would report that it was the Brits that did it , all the credit went to them even though it was all Canadian soldiers on alot of those. He said it infuriated him and his fellow soldiers.
Yes the British! We Poles have had bad experiences with them too. Not just the betrayal of 1939. For example Operation Market Garden! Unfortunately, it is a historical fact that the Commander of the Polish troops General Sosabowski and the Polish troops were made a scapegoat by the British for their own failures in the Operation Market Garden. By th eway, General Sosabowski was much more experienced than the British officers. The British only had the experience of WW1. Sosabowski also fought in the Austrian Army against Russia in World War I. But he also had experience from the Polish-Bolshevik War, where he was employed as a staff officer. He also has experience from Poland's war against the Germans in 1939, when he received the highest Polish military award, Virtuti Militari, for his merits in the defense of Warsaw. After that he also fought in France. So it's not surprising that he was much more qualified than the British officers. Sosabowski had in fact longest and probably most intense military and combat experience, including WW I, polish-bolshewik war and in the defense of Poland in 1939and the fighting in France. Except maybe General Horrocks who was perhaps just as experienced in war, because he fought in World War I and because of his service in the Russian Civil War and in the fighting in France. However during the planning for Operation Market Garden, the Polish general Stanisław Sosabowski expressed serious concerns regarding the feasibility of the mission. Among Sosabowski's concerns were the poorly conceived drop zones at Arnhem, the long distances between the landing zones and Arnhem Bridge and that the area would contain a greater German presence than British intelligence believed. Despite Sosabowski's concerns and warnings from the Dutch Resistance that two SS Panzer Divisions were in the operations area, Montgomery insisted on going through with the plan. By the way, "One bridge to far! was a warning from Polish general Sosabowski! Casualties among the Polish units were high, approaching 40%, and were at least in part, the result of the wrong decision to drop the paratroops 7 km from the bridge at Arnhem against which General Sosabowski also warned. 7 km can be damn long if one is being fired upon by enemy troops when advancing. Although when they arrived at the bridge the shelling certainly didn't stop! It was really bad after the hard fighting and the high losses to be accused of being responsible for the failure of the operation. Montgomery personally blamed Sosabowski and the 1st Independent Parachute Brigade for the failure of the operation! Incidentally, a letter from Montgomery after the battle to the Polish General Sosabowski, also shows how two-faced and mendacious Montgomery was. He had no honor! After the battle, on 5 October 1944, Sosabowski received a letter from Montgomery describing the Polish soldiers as having fought bravely and offering awards to ten of his soldiers. However, on 14 October 1944, Montgomery wrote another letter, this time to the British commanders, in which he scapegoated Sosabowski and the Polish troops for the failure of Market Garden. He also slandered the brave Polish soldiers, claiming that the Polish Para Brigade fought very badly and the men showed no keenness to fight if it meant risking their own lives. The Polish General Staff was forced to remove Sosabowski as the commanding officer of his brigade. Churchill could use this accusations to put more pressure on Polish Prime Minister Stanisław Mikołajczyk to cooperate with Stalin, because it could be argued that one of his most valuable assets, Sosabowski's elite brigade, was no longer useful to the Allied war effort. But that wasn't the only lousy behavior from our unfaithful "allies". When you have allies like that, you really don't need enemies! Churchill was just as dishonest and mendacious as Montgomery and the traitor Chamberlain who betrayed Poland in 1939. Polish soldiers should never have fought alongside this treacherous army! All the heroic fights of the polish soldiers on the side of these traitors was unnecessary. The British certainly did not fight to liberate Poland, but to conquer France and to liberate western countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands as well as the Scandinavian countries. The British didn't give a damn about Poland in 1939, and it was no different later in the war.
Operation Market Garden was one of many betrayals! The worst was in 1939 when these alleged Polish allies betrayed Poland when they did not attack the Germans in the west as agreed.
Yes my dad always said the British or Americans took the credit for battles won by Canadians. Canadians fought all the way to Rome then were pulled back so the Americans could take the credit for liberating Rome.
@@chrisshaw7235 They definitly played a big part in Italy.
It’s so true that Canada did not get its recognition Who was the only country to achieve their object during operation overlord at Normandy. Yes the Canadians made it all the way inland’s to their objective and even helped the British and Americans solidify their positions
Yes my great-grandfather was a Sargent while his wife was a nurse all they did was said that the Brits did it mostly at d day
My Father fought in WW2 as an 18 year old and to the day he passed on he would say "They never talk about the Canadians at War". "Didn't we fight"? His regiment lost half of their regiment fighting through France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. I always said my Dad was the last of the real soldiers. He served 33 years in the Military. The War docs of today at least have the Canadian Flag, our newer one displayed and there is more talk about what Canada did. Our Family has had 17 Men through the Wars and years serving in the British and Canadian Militarizes. My Grand Father and his 6 brothers all served in the British Army of various Regiments. 2 Great Uncles were killed in WW1 as teenagers and another 2 Great Uncles were wounded. We are still a proud Military Family. Every Army has Heroes in War no matter where they are from.
A great respect to the Polish soldiers!
As Greeks we are thankful to the Australians and New Zealanders who fought bravely so far from home.
I bow before the brave Indian Army.
Long Live the Allies!
As an Australian I must i admire the greeks bravery and out right defiance against the Germans and Italians i bow my head to your great nation and honour the sacrifices of the soldiers that fought to defend the country.🇦🇺🇬🇷🇦🇺
❤
Adolf Hitler said, “The Greek soldier, above all, fought with the most courage,” and Winston Churchill said, “Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.”
Ειναι μυθος αυτο με τον Τσωρτσιλ φιλε..ειπε κατι παρομοιο αλλα οχι αυτο.Αυτο που ειχε πει λιγες μερες μετα τον Ελληνο-Ιταλικο πολεμο στο parliament o Τσωρτσιλ ειναι.¨Ο τροπος που πολεμησαν οι ελληνες και οι γενναιοτητα που εδειξαν θα πρεπει να ειναι παραδειγμα προς μιμηση απ ολους μας.Η κατι παρομοιο..θα βρω και θα το βαλω.Αλλα δεν εχει και μεγαλη σημασια...
Хех
@@AnthonyA-zz2ji όχι δν είναι μύθος. Το είπε και αυτό.
@@chrisfromgreece9031 ειναι μυθος φιλε.. Σου ειπα τι ειχε πει. Αν πιστεύεις ότι είναι αληθεια δωσε μου πηγες
@@AnthonyA-zz2ji Peace! Το ότι είπε το ένα δεν σημαίνει ότι δεν πρέπει να είπε και κάτι άλλο ακόμα. Κι αν θες την γνώμη μου, μου φαίνεται πολύ κοντά στον τρόπο που χειριζόταν την γλώσσα ο Τσώρτσιλ. Αν είναι fake το έβγαλε κάποιος αρκετά έξυπνος.
Canadians and Greeks sounded like badasses.
Mate I am from Greece and I love history and I can tell you the Greeks fought with such heroism they destroyed the Italians and not only did they defend our country but the launched a counteroffensive and won until the Germans attacked when we lost but we lasted longer than many if not all of the other nations we inflicted so many casualties and fought with so much heroism that hitter himself was stunned and let the captured Greek soldiers return in their homes. The last battles took place in Crete where the Cretans men with indisputable courage slaughtered the German elite paratroopers with axes , shovels and often with rocks because not everyone had weapons. Greece was occupied but the Greeks formed armed forces and resisted until we were free and others fled and fought with the allies in egypt if you search El Alamein you will see that Greeks fought there. The people suffered very much in order to stop killing German soldiers they had a written law that said : “for every German soldier killed , 50 greek citizens will be executed “ and so did they they burned to the ground many villages but that did not stop us from fighting
Canada thanks you, kind stranger! I bet you'd like a gift of maple syrup as a thank you, eh?
@@chromewizard6421 we're generally good, polite folk, until you put a rifle or hocky stick in our hands. Then it's a bit of a Mr. Hyde thing
@@kylebrodie5860 As a canadian, I can confirm
@ryan churchill idk sounds like you're a bit biased
As an Australian citizen, I feel it's our duty to recognise the contribution of our Kiwi brothers and sisters who fought along side us at near on every significant battle with distinction - not to mention a few laughs along the way.
Also aussie, wondering how one can recognise Aussies for ww2 but not anzacs haha
We Indians what it means to be unrecognised for the World War brother. But, we do.
🇮🇳🤝🇦🇺
My grandfather fought in Vietnam and he said he would take a platoon of kiwi's any day, they were brave, strong and smart. Also enjoyed scaring the shit out of the green yanks that were stationed with them.
You now need to fight against your own fascist government
German commander Erwin Rommel was even quoted as saying: "If I had to take hell, I would use the Australians to take it and the New Zealanders to hold it. "If I'd had one division of Māori, I would have taken the canal in a week. If I'd had three, I'd have taken Baghdad."
I'm a Canadian and my Dad lied about his age, joined the Canadian Army when he turned 17. He fought in France
for 5 years and came home with shrapnel in his face. He lived the rest of his life with a facial tic. R.I.P. Dad.
Great men, all of them. cheers from Wales.
@@ianwilkinson4602 TY Ian.
Greeks faught with courage also in the korean war that follwed, a great achievement which south koreans are much obliged
Ο τολμών νικά
@@arberbibaj6718 afto einai
Canadians too
@@arberbibaj6718 όχι η Ελλάδα νικά
exaclty im also Greek
I am from Crete, Greece and there's a cemetery in Chania for soldiers who died trying to protect Crete from the Germans and the majority of the soldiers were Australians and New Zealanders. There were also Brits and for some reason a couple Indian soldiers and somewhere around 10 soldiers from South Africa.
Κρήτη λεβεντογεννα! Χαιρετίσματα φίλε μου από την Πελοπόννησο! 🇬🇷🔥
@@georgem7466
Bro can you please tell me the names of those two indian soldiers ? I want read about them.
@@hunterkiller4578 The sign didn't say their names. It just said how many people of each country died there.
@Hunter killer
I had visited this cretan cemetery. Some graves have a inscription - name and the nationality of the soldier. But many of them a sign: "unknown-known to god"
My grandfather told me about the Ghurkhas, and how feared they were. They would sneak into the enemy camp, do what they did, and leave without anyone waking up or knowing they had been there until they discovered the results of their activities. I imagine that resulted in a lot of sleepless nights. Brave and effective. Nice to see their efforts recognized.
As an Aussie, I can be biased, But there were heroes on all sides. But Australia has the distinction of being the country that delt both Germany & Japan their first major battle losses of the war. The ANZACS just didn't take crap from anyone.
Well said . And Beersheba had a lot to do with the end of the war in World War 1
@@James-kv6kb. I had a Great Grandfather that was in that great charge.
The first major defeat of German forces in WW 2 is considered the recapture of Narvik in Norway, 1940. That victory was won by British, French, Norwegian and volunteer Polish troops. There were no Australians there.
G'Day, mate!
@@JohnJohnson-pq4qz he’s talking about a German army vs any other allies. North Africa was that scene against Rommel
Any video: mentions greece
Me and da boys( iam from Greece)
Hipity hopity the comments section is now our property
Αυτό είναι αλήθεια.
Owning it
Are you ready to fight the Canadians for that there bud
Μλκ trueee
@MichaelKingsfordGray για ποιον μηλας ?
Don’t mess with the White & Blue Club 🇫🇮 🇮🇱 🇬🇷
@Duck my sick 876 my history teacher is a woman
@Duck my sick 876 ok incel
@Duck my sick 876 sure thing pal
Israel didnt exist in ww2
@Duck my sick 876 dont you have a wife and kids to rev chief ?
As a Canadian, I knew of many things accomplished by Canadians in both the first and second world wars etc. I'm embarrassed to say however, that I did not know of the bravery and accomplishments of several of the other nations mentioned. Very good job of researching these facts, and thanks for educating some of us.
Has your Southern neighbor I'm embarrassed over the ignorance of my fellow citizens for many reasons,but to not recognize the courage & respect our Northern cousins is unforgivable
@@user-wb4mq2fj8s Thank you for saying. Cheers.
As a Canadian whose dad served in the R.C.A.F. and my uncle in the navy. I am so proud of all the counties mentioned. These are true men of valour, who fought side by side to rid this world of a terrible evil. God bless each and every one of them.
No love for the Kiwis? Fought in Greece, Crete, North Africa and the Pacific.
Plenty of love for the Kiwis, but it was out of them or the Aussies, and I'm sort of biased.
go eat fush and chups ya bloody kiwi
@@TheFront ANZAC: oof
I feel like people who say that Aussies, Canadians, and Kiwis don't get enough attention are ignorant since I see them getting a lot of love, but that's just me
Canadian first airborne troop was the most elite airborne unit during ww2. Never once failed an objective.
Nakita Khrushchev wrote in his memoirs: "In our war with Finland, we managed to gain enough territory to bury our dead."
Njet molotoff
Khrushchev was no fool and a very honest man. Like most soldiers.
@@heatherdequetteville9184 he's probably the only good leader of the USSR
@@rohanmathew6317 The Cuba crisis was partly his fault but they pulled out after some concessions from JFK. Gorbachev was also a leader who tried to make the best of an impossible situation. Nowadays, USSR is no longer, but nothing has really improved in Kremlin.
@@dennislindqvist8443 I mean america can't be upset in their enemy placing warheads near them when they did it first in Turkey.
I am not Scottish, but very proud of Canada's Scottish Regiments (16) and get goose bumps when Scotland the brave is played on bagpipes. Yes we wear kilts as it is much easier to piss on your enemies.
Yes Scots are bravehearts!
My Dad fought beside the 16th in WW1. He was in the 10th. He told me they were usually sent over together.
As a Greek, my family lost a lot of its members during ww2. Many of whom fought in Pindos and Kleisura pass all the way up to pushing the Italians into Albania. Many of them turned to the resistance fighting groups and continued to wage guerilla warfare. Some of them became part of the NZ division in el alamein and they fought for their country and freedom. From this list only 3 out of 7 nations experienced occupation. I would like to pay my respects to brother nation Poland, which against all odds fought two superpowers. And in continuation managed to establish the most advanced resistance and guerilla warfare methods of the time. Salute to all of you magnificent Poles. GRPL
As a Canadian, I am amazed at what we have done, what we gave. My great grandfather on side was gassed and shot in WW1, was honored with several medals including disguised service medal for charging trenches as a dragoon on multiple battles and retrieving wounded men. He went lost over a dozen horses in that first war. Come WW2 he reenlisted at the first call and lived threw the hole blood and mud of the second including Juno. Married a younger woman near the end of WW2 who was a Canadian clerk in England. He died in the 50's due to complications of his gassing in WW1 and his several wounds that complicated surgeries to save him. His wife had 2 children and is Still alive at 98 in Ontario. She still has a huge amount of pride in her late husband.
That’s cool! My Great Grandfther was a mechanic in WW2. He was 19 in WW2, he died this year in September at 100 years old, a month off of being 101. (Im Canadian too, im also proud of everything we did)
What an awesome story, thanks for sharing
Man your grandpa was a hero, as someone from Canada this makes me so god damn proud. We don't get nearly Eno GH credit for what our country has done in both world wars.
after your grandfather and his men were gassed, how could you go through life normally after those men were still possibly walking free... i respect his dedication to his service and hope his death wasn't too long and painful o7
Imo Poland , they didn’t give up despite of tragic situation and fought everywhere . Hats off Poland 🇵🇱
The best pilots in the Battle of Britain was the squadron made up of Polish exiles. And Gabriel Gabreski of Polish heritage was the top American fighter ace in the European Theater.
@@luisaymerich9675 exactly and Poland never gets the credit that they deserve....like winning the battle of britain, and decoding that enigma code first.....or being the first country that was giving Germany a challenge before the Soviets helped them
@@gerhardschulzy 1. They didn't gain land, it just shifted over to the left....2. Even if they gained land (which they didn't) doesn't mean they shouldn't be given credit for the war...3. the Soviets gained land and they are praised....So you are wrong, and how about you stfu and go drink your maple syrup 😂😂
@@gerhardschulzy they lost more land then they gained thanks to Stalin. They lost almost everything, but the fighting spirit remained. Hats off to them. You should read a bit more about history and perhaps then there could be an intriguing discussion, otherwise youre just a provocateur and nothing else.
And with the Polish Lech Walesa and Solidarnosc, and Polish Pope John Paul II they provided the final push that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. 🇵🇱
As a proud Australian who has served myself the Kiwi’s deserved a mention in here, they also fought bravely in the Second World War conducting themselves with the upmost of honour.
I've read some of the accounts where the Aussies were fighting the Japanese over the Owen Stanley mountain range. Holy Snit. Those were incredible men.
It's nice that the Canadians are at least mentioned. But there was at least 1 other Canadian. He did more for his country, and was denied the privileges' of being the war hero he was until after his death. All because he was a native. Sargent Tommy prince. The most decorated soldier in the Canadian Army at that time.
Respect to Australia 🇦🇺 from Greece 🇬🇷 we fought well guys
And you fought well in Greece as well
Thanks mate
No worries, my father served in the Australian artillery as a sergeant
I’m Australian but you gotta give some respect to the kiwis
@@additionalguy9273 wdy mean some we were there as well
New Zealand too, we're called the Anzac's for a reason.
Google translated :
1939. Soviet - Finnish war. A large detachment of Soviet soldiers travels along the road near the border. Suddenly, from behind a small hill, they hear a voice:
- One Finnish soldier is better than ten Russians!
The Soviet commander quickly selects the top ten soldiers and sends them over the hill. After a while, the sounds of shots are heard, then there is silence. The voice says again:
- One Finnish soldier is better than a hundred Russians!
The furious Soviet commander hastily gathers a hundred of the best of the remaining soldiers and sends them over the hill. There are shots and after 10 minutes there is silence. The calm Finnish voice resounds:
- One Finnish soldier is better than a thousand Russians!
The very pissed off commander sends 1000 soldiers over the hill. Rifles fire, grenades explode, rockets fly ... Eventually, one badly injured Russian manages to crawl back to the commander. When dying, he gives his last words:
- Don't send any more of ours ... It's a trap ... there are TWO of them!
Can one be proud that one's own nation was allied with the worst gang of murderers in world history? Yes, the Finns fought valiantly together with the criminals. Even with a swastika as a badge. The Germans did not invade Finland either. The Finns were voluntarily the allies of the Germans. The Finns have invited the German troops into their country as allies. The so-called "winter war" from Nov 30, 1939 to Mar 13, 1940 was over with a peace treaty. Nevertheless then Finland took part in the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941. That is why Great Britain declared war on the Finns and attacked Finnish troops with bombers too. Finland was so the enemie of Europe's liberators because Finland has allied itself with absolute evil. With this, Finland took part in the criminal war of this monster. The Finns fought side by side with these criminal mass murderers. Finland did this to conquer territory. Apparently Finland not only wanted the lost territories of the Winter War, but also wanted to take other territories away from the Soviets. The Finnish parliament declared that the aim of the war was to restore the areas lost during the winter war and to gain more areas in the east in order to create a "Greater Finland". President Ryti said this to the Finnish Parliament in 1941.
By September 1941, the Finns recaptured the territories lost in the Winter War. However, the Finnish Army continued the offensive past the pre-1939 border with the conquest of Soviet territories, as well as halting only around 30-32 km (19-20 mi) from the centre of Leningrad, where they participated in besieging the city by cutting its northern supply routes and digging in until 1944. The Finnish fleet also participated in the sea blockade of the city. Incidentally, the Soviets made Finland an offer of peace. However, this was rejected by Finland and the Finns continued to participate in the inhumane siege of Leningrad. The blockade became one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history, and it was possibly the costliest siege in history due to the number of casualties which were suffered throughout its duration! A total of around 1 million people died, both soldiers and civilians. Mainly from hunger. Hundreds of thousands are starved to death. Finns were involved in the siege and thus also in the genocides on the Slavic nations in the city. Because the siege was part of the genocide against the Slavic nations of the Soviet Union. But also the genocides on Polish soil and elsewhere could have been completed through this victory. If the Germans and the Finns had won the war. Tens of millions more people would have died as a result of this victory. Fortunately, these aggressors lost the war together. One thing is certain, if the Finns had won together with the Germans, then as a Slavic Pole I would be not alive today. Because the Germans would have exterminated us all with the help of the Finns.
@@GreatPolishWingedHussars The continuation war started with the bombing of Helsinki though. It was well known at the time that Soviets would eventually attack Finland again so that's why Finland joined Germany in the offensive against Soviets because they thought they had a better chance with some allies rather than none. Nobody else than the Nazis was going to help Finland against Soviets in any major way like we saw already in the Winter war. Edit. You also act like Finland was some evil regime like the Nazis which was not the case. Sure they committed war crimes but so did every other country as well.
@@Ho_Lii_Fuk The term "the continuation war" is already mendacious. That was a new war, because the old one ended with the Moscow Peace Treaty of 12 March 1940. Actually everything about your comment is mendacious. First. The war began in 1941 with German attacks also from Finnish territory. The Germans started their raid on the Soviet Union from Finnish ports and from Finnish airports too! Therefore, for the Soviets, attacks on positions in Finland were fully justified as a backlash. It was only when the Germans attacked the Soviets also from Finnish territory in 1941 that the Soviets fought back and attacked both Germans and Finns because that was also an immediate danger for the Soviet Union that the Germans attacked from Finnish territory and the Finnish troops were mobilized and ready to attack at the border. Because before the German attack in 1941, the Finns mobilized for war and Finnish troops had taken attack position together with German troops on the border with the Soviet Union. So if someone allows allied troops to attack another country from their own territory, shouldn't be surprised taht this attacked country strikes back. The bombing of Finnish bases in response to the German attacks by the Soviets then served on June 25 in 1941 as a welcome reason for the Finnish declaration of war on the Soviet Union and for the continuation of the Finnish offensive together with Germany. So the German and Finnish troops from their attack position quickly advanced into Soviet territory. It was not the Soviets who attacked with ground troops, but the Finns and the Germans.
It is also a lie that the Soviets wanted to attack the Finns in 1941 because it's also a historical fact that the Finns have invited the German allied troops to their country and join them in attacking the Soviets. Finns and Germans did not defend themselves, but attacked the Soviet Union together. They were the aggressors in 1941. Nor was it a preventive attack by the Germans and Finns. Because the justification for a preventive attack requires the immediate danger of an attack. This imminent threat of war by Soviets existed neither against the Germans nor against the Finns because the Soviets signed with Finland in Moscow on 12 March 1940 a Peace Treaty that ended the war and Germans signed with Sowjets a non-aggression pact on 23 August 1939.
That's why Soviets didn't need any trouble in the north either. They definitely didn't want in 1941 war because they knew the Red Army was in a miserable state. This miserable condition of the Red Army has just been made clear by the previous war against the Finns, which only ended with a Pyrrhic victory for the Soviets. During the joint raid on Poland with the Germans, Soviet armies were even defeated by Polish border guards. Like in the Battle of Szack on September 28, where 1939, 4,000 men of the Polish Border Protection Corps defeated an entire Soviet division with 13,000 men with little artillery. Which was supported by 17 tanks. In the process he Polish Border Protection Corps destroyed or captured all tanks and also captured the headquarters of the Soviets. That was the Red Army performance in Poland. The Soviet leadership knew of the poor preformance of the Red Army both in the war against Finland and in the war against Poland. So it is therefore impossible that the Soviets wanted a war against Finland in addition to war with the Germans. The Soviets actually needed peace and quiet to in 1941 to secure the new conquests in Poland and the Baltic States. So don't tell fairy tales of a Soviet danger to Finland in 1941. Because the reason for Finnish participation in the German war against the Soviet Union was to conquer territories. Finland did this to conquer territory. Apparently Finland not only wanted the lost territories of the Winter War, but also wanted to take other territories away from the Soviets. The Finnish parliament declared that the aim of the war was to restore the areas lost during the winter war and to gain more areas in the east in order to create a "Greater Finland". President Ryti said this to the Finnish Parliament in 1941.
So stop telling mendacious fairy tales about Finnish self-defense that never existed
Besides, how could the Finns have kept the conquered areas? That was possible if they would have triumphed together with the Germans. This victory would have meant the destruction of the Soviet Union and various genocides against the Slavic peoples of the Soviet Union. It's a fact that the attack of 1941 served to support the Germans in completely destroying the Soviet Union. The Finns also knew what the Germans were doing, because they were there at the siege of Leningrad.
@@Ho_Lii_Fuk Nazis? As if whether only the Political Nazi Party had waged the war and not the entire German nation. To say the Nazis is wrong in this context. Because if one use the term Nazis, the impression arise that only the Nazis were responsible for the crimes. This is the reason why Germans and western historians and media etc. are constantly talk about Nazis and avoid using Germans and Germany in this context. Unfortunately, the lie is spread successful that only relatively few Germans were Nazis. So that gives the impression that relatively few Germans were guilty! As I stated above in fact, the vast majority of Germans were supporters of the German Nazi government and thus they were Nazis! Therefore it is necessary to use the terms German and Germany instead of the Nazis! Becuase there is always talk of the Nazis, seldom of the Germans in connection with the crimes etc. Also it is alleged that the Germans were brainwashed by Nazis. Of course that are lies, because it is impossible to brainwash an entire nation.
For example one also use Japan and not the Taisei Yokusankai! Taisei Yokusanka party was the fascist party in Japan, just by the way. So It is appropriate to use the term Germans! You also no say the Republicans to today Germans? Of course not! So it is therefore necessary to speak / write in this context of Germans/Germany and not of Nazis! GERMANS!
Why is it done that way? Why is the lie being spread of the few Germans who were responsible for the crimes so that most people by now say Nazis instead of Germans? At first in 1945, the Americans had the right attitude regarding the Germans, as this educational film shows for the US Army. „Your Job in Germany - UA-cam" ua-cam.com/video/7OUR5uvs9aw/v-deo.html Then pragmatism prevailed over justice! Becaus after the war, the Americans believed the Germans would be useful as allies! So in the 50s, most of Germans became the ally of the West. (West Germany). The problem, however, was that they were completely amoral and degenerate. The West could not be allied to a morally degenerate nation that has murdered millions of children, among other crimes. They were practically systematically washed clean to be tolerable as allies. So they were washed clean by propaganda (Western historians / media / politicians / Hollywood etc.) and the blame was put on relatively few Nazis. For this reason, a white washing campaign was launched relatively early after the war. Actually, their crimes are permanently relativized by Western propaganda. Yes, there are always good Germans in hollywood movies about World War II, according to the motto not all were Nazis. It was only logical that a movie was given the title "The Good German". As I stated above their propaganda now even claims that the Germans have been liberated. In the extremely successful hollywood movie "Captain America: The First Avenger", Stanley Tucci claims, the western propaganda, that the Nazis first occupied Germany. As if they were some kind of foreign invader. The movie has been seen by tens of millions worldwide and most of the viewer probably believed this propaganda lie, because it was probably not the first time that they had heard it. Hollywood is anyway a big propaganda machine anyway and this machine also spreads this pro-German propaganda. I could go on like this for hours and describe 1000 examples in which the Germans were separated from the Nazi guilt by Western historians / media / politicians / Hollywood etc.
Therefore, the use of the term Nazi instead of Germans and Germany is wrong.
@@Ho_Lii_Fuk Yes the term evil regime is really appropriate, when participating in a criminal siege that was part of genocides on the various Slavic nations of the Soviet Union. Incidentally, the statement evil Nation is more accurate, because as with the Germans, not only the government was responsible, but the entire nation.
By the way, The term "the continuation war" is already mendacious. That was a new war, because the old one ended with the Moscow Peace Treaty of 12 March 1940. The term continuation war is a propaganda term and reflects a continuity of the war that did not exist!
Incidentally, the attack was definitely not justified because the Soviets maybe might or maybe might not attack Finland. It is a lie that the Soviets wanted to attack the Finns in 1941 because it's also a historical fact that the Finns have invited the German allied troops to their country and join them in attacking the Soviets. Finns and Germans did not defend themselves, but attacked the Soviet Union together. They were the aggressors in 1941. Nor was it a preventive attack by the Germans and Finns. Because the justification for a preventive attack requires the immediate danger of an attack. This imminent threat of war by Soviets existed neither against the Germans nor against the Finns because the Soviets signed with Finland in Moscow on 12 March 1940 a Peace Treaty that ended the war and Germans signed with Sowjets a non-aggression pact on 23 August 1939.
That's why Soviets didn't need any trouble in the north either. They definitely didn't want in 1941 war because they knew the Red Army was in a miserable state. This miserable condition of the Red Army has just been made clear by the previous war against the Finns, which only ended with a Pyrrhic victory for the Soviets. During the joint raid on Poland with the Germans, Soviet armies were even defeated by Polish border guards. Like in the Battle of Szack on September 28, where 1939, 4,000 men of the Polish Border Protection Corps defeated an entire Soviet division with 13,000 men with little artillery. Which was supported by 17 tanks. In the process he Polish Border Protection Corps destroyed or captured all tanks and also captured the headquarters of the Soviets. That was the Red Army performance in Poland. The Soviet leadership knew of the poor preformance of the Red Army both in the war against Finland and in the war against Poland. So it is therefore impossible that the Soviets wanted a war against Finland in addition to war with the Germans. The Soviets actually needed peace and quiet to in 1941 to secure the new conquests in Poland and the Baltic States. So don't tell fairy tales of a Soviet danger to Finland in 1941. Because the reason for Finnish participation in the German war against the Soviet Union was to conquer territories. Finland did this to conquer territory. Apparently Finland not only wanted the lost territories of the Winter War, but also wanted to take other territories away from the Soviets. The Finnish parliament declared that the aim of the war was to restore the areas lost during the winter war and to gain more areas in the east in order to create a "Greater Finland". President Ryti said this to the Finnish Parliament in 1941.
So stop telling mendacious fairy tales about Finnish self-defense that never existed
Besides, how could the Finns have kept the conquered areas? That was possible if they would have triumphed together with the Germans. This victory would have meant the destruction of the Soviet Union and various genocides against the Slavic peoples of the Soviet Union. It's a fact that the attack of 1941 served to support the Germans in completely destroying the Soviet Union. The Finns also knew what the Germans were doing, because they were there at the siege of Leningrad.
My Grandfather served in The U.S./Canada First Special Service Force (The Black Devil's). In the Alutieans in the Pacific,The Rhineland,The Italian campaign and Southern France. One man in his Unit Tommy Prince was the most decorated Indigenous soldier in Canada. He also received the silver star from the U.S. Government.
You missed out the Kiwis - Captain Charles Upham - only Commonwealth soldier to win 2 VCs for combat.
Well here's one: Greek ace Mitralexis was hunting German bombers with his squadron close to the Albanian front, after taking one down his P24 plane's guns run out of ammo so he rammed the bomber with his plane, parachuted to the ground and captured the survivors .
A finnish pilot did the same but he died while doing it
Proud to be Greek
@@user-ss3qo3gd2z
Μόνο περηφάνια φίλε
Ιάκωβος Δασκαλάκης μακαρι όλοι οι Έλληνες να το βλέπανε ετσι και να μην υπήρχανε αριστεροί προδωτες
My grandfather was an AirForce Sergeant in WWII (NCO's were allowed to fly back then) and served briefly under Mitralexis on the 22nd squadron before being transferred to the 23rd squadron. He told me that all Greek pilots in WWII had the same attitude towards the operations. Disregarding danger and personal fear, they just went for it. My grandfather himself, in Mersa Matruh in Egypt in 1943 once landed a Spitfire with the landing gear missing one wheel... Those were the Greeks for you. Disregard for themselves on the line of duty.
The Greek sergeant Dimitrios Itsios stood along with one soldier, against the invading Germans killing 250 with his machine gun. He was killed when came out of the trench, probably due to ammunition shortage, to attack the rest with a short rifle all by himself. The Germans spared the soldier's life due to Itsios's heroism
He wasnt killed he was executed. After he run out of ammo he surrendered. It was a war crime
Οχι φυσικά. Υπάρχει η διήγηση συμπολεμιστη του σε βίντεο, είναι ζωντανός ακομα νομίζω. Δεν έριχνε ο ίδιος αλλά διοικούσε. Τους ζήτησαν να παραδοθουν όταν τελειωσαν οι σφαίρες και αυτός βουτηξε το όπλο και πεταχτηκε έξω. Τον σκότωσαν αμέσως. Οι 250 νεκροί Γερμανοί που γράφεις, ουτε για πλακα βέβαια. Κάτσε ψάξε ποσοι ήταν σε όλη την γραμμή Μεταξά και θα καταλάβεις....
@@spirosleon1 Μπες στην Wikipedia και πες αυτό το "ούτε για πλάκα" σε αυτούς. Αν δεν ήταν για πραγματικά μεγάλο νούμερο δεν θα κάναμε θέμα άλλωστε. Φαντάζομαι ξέρεις τι μπορεί να κάνει ένα και μόνο πολυβόλο σε εμμονικούς αντιπάλους για το πέρασμα ή το ύψωμα...
@@miltospep21 www.ww2wrecks.com/portfolio/%CF%84%CE%BF-%CF%808-%CE%BF-%CE%BB%CE%BF%CF%87%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%AF%CF%84%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82-%CE%BF-%CE%BC%CF%8D%CE%B8%CE%BF%CF%82-%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%B7-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%BC/ ε δεν ξέρει αυτός που ήταν μπροστα την στιγμη που τον σκότωσαν, και μέχρι περσι που πάρθηκε η συνέντευξη ήταν εν ζωή, και ξέρει η Wikipedia
@@spirosleon1 δεν ξέρω που διαφωνούμε με αυτά που έγραψα στη δημοσίευσή μου... άμα μου βρεις εσύ καλώς...
Up the road on my street, there’s a small Anzac memorial. If you look roughly north of it, you’ll see an olive tree, which was planted to honour the fallen Greeks, Australians and Kiwis who fought in the battle of Crete. Symbolic, in my opinion, as the olive tree represents peace.
I couldnt be more proud of poland.🇵🇱
"We dont beg for freedom, we fight for it"
@@MoreLikeNoObamasLastName - Szkoda, że się odzywasz.
@@danhorson4947 um i dont know polish
@@MoreLikeNoObamasLastName You're so funny man
@@ceron5400 tf
@@MoreLikeNoObamasLastName Comedian... Funny af
As a Greek myself, I am very proud of our soldiers in WW2 and the bravery they showed.
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
As a Russian I love the Greek people. We have our Orthodox religion from the Greeks, my name from the Greeks. Russia helped the Greeks with their independence from the Ottomans, Greece returned the favor and may have saved Russia. Hitler planned to invade the Soviet Union in April 1941, he probably would have even better results initially but in order to secure the Balkans and resistance by the Greeks, he had to bail out the Italians and secure Greece, delaying Barbarossa until June.
Turkey also sent resources like food to Greek people. Love from Turkey to all Greek friends
@Panagiotis Filippou I'll believe you only if you tell me the source
That is a fact, the Greeks fought valiantly against overwhelming odds.
“Until now we used to say that the Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say: Heroes fight like Greeks.”
Sir Winston Churchill
βασικα ειναι μυθος, δεν το εχει πει ποτε
@@lilakion αληθεια;
@@lilakion χαζος
@@nikolassaganas3111 εσυ ο εξυπνος, για στειλε μου εγκυρη πηγη που να το επαληθευει
@@lilakion περίμενε λίγο να ψάξω για έναν που δεν έχει όνομα.
Ausies and New Zealanders will always have a special place in our heart. CRETE belongs to all of its heroes.
I am a Canadian and very proud to be so. Two of my uncles, medical students, volunteered in World War One, to help with the wounded. One of them lost his leg as a result. The time line is weird in my family. Don’t go there! We Canadians volunteered at the beginning of both world wars as did all of our brave allies. The Americans entered both wars LATE! And yet so many claim that THEY are responsible for winning both wars. My Canadian response to that is that if it hadn’t been for the Allies who showed up at the start of it all there would not have been anything for the Americans to make that claim. Yes, they made the difference but had it not for the rest of us there would have been nothing to win. If they had shown up at the beginning with all of their fire power, possibly, the war would have been won much earlier with fewer casualties. Food for thought!
Your comment makes sense!
WWI was not our war until 1917, and I would argue that it never was, so please go ahead and fight for the British Empire.
WW2 was not our war until the Japanese Empire made it so and many wanted a Pacific War instead of a World War.
The Americans did not hand over the Czechs to the Nazis, nor did they abandon the Poles in 1939/40.
The British Empire fought for the British Empire. How many millions of Britons were in India, the Middle East or North Africa.
Canadians live under our protection making snarky, whingy comments and contributing little.
Snow speaks Finnish
Underground speaks Polish
The Snow Speaks Finnish
The Underground Speaks Polish
The Rubble Speaks Russian
The Tree Speaks Vietnamese
The Roof Speaks Korean
@@hannibalbarca7220 **roof koreans intensify**
Yea.
Mountains speak Greek
@@hannibalbarca7220 The sky speaks Japanese
The front door speaks German
The darkness speaks English
The leaf pile says "eh"
2 greek soldiers were the last remaining in a fight against Germans. They had a machine gun with 300 bullets and these 2 alone killed over 120 Germans only with this gun. When a german asked them to show their squad, they said they were only 2. This is bravery
There was 1 dude in Finland that eat whole squad worth of drugs. I don't remember the whole story but that dude survived 2-3 weeks alone in the winter forest. Oh I found the story in wiki
Koivunen was a Finnish soldier, assigned to a ski patrol on 20 April 1944, along with several other Finnish soldiers. Three days into their mission, on March 18th, the group was attacked and surrounded by Soviet forces, from which they managed to escape. Koivunen became fatigued after skiing for a long distance, but could not stop. He was also the sole carrier of army-issue Pervitin, or methamphetamine, a stimulant used to remain awake while on duty. Koivunen had trouble pulling out a single pill, so he emptied the entire bottle of thirty capsules into his hand and took them all.
He had a short burst of energy, but then entered into a state of delirium, and lost consciousness. Koivunen remembered waking up the following morning, separated from his patrol and having no supplies. In the following days, he escaped Soviet forces once again, was injured by a land mine, and laid in a ditch for a week waiting for help. After skiing more than 400 km (250 miles) he was found and admitted to a nearby hospital, where his heart rate was measured at 200 beats per minute, double the average human heartbeat, and weighing only 43 kg (94 pounds). In the week Koivunen was gone, he subsisted only on pine buds and a single Siberian jay that he caught and ate raw
One of the great mad lads of all of history. He just casually took 30 tablets of meth, stepped on a landmine (casually of course), ate a raw bird, and got admitted to the hospital with a heart rate of over 200 bpm. All in about 2 weeks :D
Those 2 they were executed from the German commander after this fight
The commander ask his remaining soldiers to bring those 2 in front of him
He pay them honor for Thier courage and execute them
I just add the last part
Bro only 120 indian soldiers fought against 10000 Pakistan soldiers and tanks .
In British time only 21 sikh soldiers fought against 10000 Afghan .
@@MrTuerte Man...imagine the thought of being a German knowing you would have to fight AGAINST the Allies. Madness!
That's the sorry of Itsios very badly twisted. Firstly they where 4 not 2 second they had like exponentially more bullets and lastly they more likely killed 20-30 Germans not 300. Although, they pinned them down for hours and stopped only after all their ammo and grenades where spent. Itsios then rushed our attacking them buy himself and was instantly killed. The story of the execution is fiction.
Might b biased as a proud Aussie but can't forget our kiwi brothers who have stood by us during times of war and as Rommell said" if I was to invade hell I would use Aussies and use kiwis to hold it " go the Anzacs
He did rate them but Rommel never said that
I'd add the soldiers of Norway who refused to give up. Like the commander of Oscarsborg fortress who sank the Blucher and the many men who retreated north from Oslo fighting all the way until the King fled on British warships.
As a Greek man I am proud for the courage of my grandfathers and I say that Australians and New Zealanders were excellent warriors and brave men.
Thanks. My father and 4 uncles fought in the Battle of Greece. They were all New Zealanders.
That is a fact, the Greeks fought valiantly against overwhelming odds. They deserve respect.
onya matie love them greeks makes the land down under proud
Your people are a much admired local community here in Australia 👍
Fighting for the freedom of those who stole our freedom and yet receiving more crosses than the country's own soldiers.🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
which country and _how._
@@nikolasbananaguyy He's saying that Indian soldiers fought in the British Army. But their contribution ended up getting overlooked by the British.
@@nikolasbananaguyy Try reading a book on British imperialism, specifically the chapters regarding India.
@@murraystewartj oh
True. And we got the bloody partition of India in return worse the Terrorist Republic of Pakistan came to being. Pakistan is the Terror Central of the world.
The Kiwis were tough blokes too
I’m a Canadian and my grandfather Clarence Brown was in the RAF and RCAF during the war. However, I agree that the Australians were the toughest soldiers the ALLIES had! 🇦🇺
"We will not say hereafter that the Greeks fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks!"
(Sir Winston Churchill)
A well known story that shows the Greek Bravery during the 2nd World War, is the story of Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios, who, alone, in April 1941 during the german invasion, killed alone almost 250 nazis...
*Germans, not Nazis
@Panagiotis Filippou Indeed. Our Polish cavalry (Uhlans) also gave hell to the Germans. Greeting from a Pole.
@Panagiotis Filippou Reminds me of a story my father told me, a friend owned a diner and two men with guns came in to rob it, he yelled to the kitchen in Greek " Get me a knife". They ran and the group of Greeks chased them with the knives.
Γειααα
@@KyriakiG Γεια σου Κυριακή!
Fun fact: Poland was the only occupied country to never collaborate with the Germans.
Allies collaborate, not countries that have been invaded, since their opinion is irrelevant at that point.
@@nk6043 Serbian Chetniks did cooperate with Germans.
@@nk6043 Exactly as you sad they were not only Serbs. All of ex-Yugoslav nations fought in the Partisans for liberation. And all had their own Nazi collaborators as well.
@@nk6043 That is not true that only Serbs were Partisans early. Slovenia had partisans from the beginning in 1941 led by OF (Osvobodilna fronta). And Tito was Croat-Slovene.
Bulgaria also didn't cooperate, the people refused to hand over their Jewish population
Soldiers from New Zealand were very brave and contributed a lot to the Allied war effort.
My great grandfather fought at the battles of the Somme and my grandfather fought in the Battle of the Atlantic. Brave Canadians ❤🇨🇦
As an Australian it is hard to mention the Australians without mentioning the kiwis it was called the ANZACs after all
"Give me the Maori Battalion and I will conquer the world.
"
Said by Rommel to Adolf Hitler after the Battle of Tobruk.
Everyone seems to think that Australian and New Zealanders have always fought together as the Anzacs. That's just not true.
Panzerkampfwagen I am aware of that however most of their largest military achievements were together
@@iestyntownsend7246 Not during WW2.
@@RandomStuff-he7lu NZ troops and Australian troops fought as ANZAC in Greece and Crete to Help The Greece campaign . however in tying up the German forces into Europe's spring and early summer ,the ANZAC And Crete people delays Barbarossa ,the German attack on Russia.If this attack had started earlier than the wars outcome would have been a German victory
Look up the Australian Army action in East Timor. 300 Australians against 30,000 Japanese and they held them there for 12 months. They were the men of the Independent Companies - 2/2 and 2/4 Independant Companies. Look for a Book titled Independent Company by Col Sir Bernard Callinan as he later became. Yes a relative!
Yeah East Timor was intense! Maybe a video on this is in order. And respect!
@@TheFront definitely a video on them!
The modern 300 battle
Great point, would love to see a video on this @The Front
300 reincarnated
Individual acts? How about Clive Hulme, a New Zealand soldier on Crete. He spent his days doing regular duty, and nights climbing hillsides. Every so often, there would be another flash, the result of him tossing another grenade into a German pillbox. He got a VC for that.
Maternal grandfather was gunner in 1st ww. Dad's family from eastern Ontario, he was at camp X in some capacity. Bought property after war from a Sinclair who has different initials than one whose farm was purchased by British intelligence.
(Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios) -Greek front
The Germans attacked with the 6th Mountain Division under the command of Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner. The attack on the location of the Beautiful Hill was relentless but the German troops were not able to advance. Still, they kept pressing on. Inside the bunker Π8 there was Sergeant Dimitrios Itsios. As the attack was continuous, it became obvious to him that that eventually they wouldn’t be able to stop the attack. He ordered his men to leave and go help the inner defense lines. He decided to stay and cover their retreat and take down as many Germans as he could. Two of his men disobeyed his orders and stayed with him. He fought for another four hours and every German attack against Π8 bunker failed.
But, eventually, after firing more than 38.000 rounds, Π8 went silent as the machine gun ran out of ammunition. By then Itsios alone had killed 238 German soldiers and one Colonel, the only high ranking officer killed in the “Battle of the Metaxas Line”.
When the German soldiers arrested the two Greek soldiers and Sergeant Itsios, the German Field Marshal along with a German officer who spoke Greek and acted as a translator, came face to face with him and as testified by the two soldiers that had stayed, the following dialogue took place:
Schörner: Who is the commanding officer of this bunker?
Itsios: Me, sir.
Schörner: You? A Sergeant? Isn’t there a higher ranking officer? A Colonel? A Major?
Itsios: No sir, only me and these two soldiers.
Schörner, then took Itsios to see the killing field with the countless dead Germans.
Schörner: Sergeant, this is your work. I congratulate you. Do you know, that you killed almost all of the men I sent against you plus one Colonel?
Itsios: I’m sorry, sir, but i was defending my country.
Schörner: I’m sorry too, but I have to do my duty as well.
He ordered his men to give honors to Itsios by presenting arms and then he ordered his execution.
The story of the execution is fiction. What really happend was after all the ammo where spent, itsios charged the Germans alone with his rifle and was killed instantly, favouring this heroic death to surrender. His men all lived.
Also the number of german deaths is largely exaggerated. In reality it was more like 30 or so. Although they where pinned for hours
I do must say, no matter what is true-- that's a lot of damage; as an advert once told me.
I just believe that the Canadians are just charging up all of their hate and rage for wars.
Or hockey
oh and hockey games
@@impunkos even though Canadian soldiers had the toughest beach to capture and pushed farther then any other Allied country and basically carried the us army during the Italian campaign
Same
Their anger goes into the geese when they aren't at war
Both of my Grandfathers enlisted from Canada, one being of Italian descent, and fought for the Allies in WW2. My Great Grandfather also volunteered from Canada and fought in France WW1, on horseback. That is badass.
So many here stating how well Australians did at Tobruk. Well the following might just give you an idea of how Rommel considered the New Zealanders - who beat German units (including the German 90th Light Division - the elite division of the Africa Corp.) in open pitched battles - not behind secure defensive lines:
I quote you from "The Desert War" by Alan Moorehead (the most respected WWII war correspondent in the African/European theatres). Moorehead was an Australian working for the Daily Mail at the time embedded with the Eight Army and who would later write the definitive account of the Africa campaigns in "The Desert War." An exceptional, factual read.
July 1942 in Alamein: Tobruk has just fallen, Rommel's forces out numbered the British forces two to one. He has just presented himself at Matruh near the Egyptian border.
Moorehead: "It was no longer whether we [the British army] could hold the Egyptian border but of whether we could hold the old fortress of Mersa Matruh, 130 miles back. In a statement issued to his senior officers Rommel had made an estimate of the relative quality of the Allied troops fighting in the Middle East. At the head of the list was the New Zealand division, which had all this time been quartered in Syria. It was this division hardened in Greece, Crete and the desert, and by common consent the finest infantry formation in the Middle East, that was flung into Matruh at the last moment to peg the Axis tide."
-----
In early 1943 Moorehead was following the Eight Army as they routed a heavily depleted Africa Corp. and came across the NZ division chasing the German army's 90th Light Division.
Moorehead: "At last we cut through a field of cactus and joined the main road north of Sousse. With the main road we hit the New Zealand division coming head on towards us - in a way the enemy would see it coming. They rolled by with their tanks and their guns and armoured cars, the finest troops of their kind in the world, the outflanking experts, the men who had fought the Germans in the desert for two years, the victors of half a dozen pitched battles. They were too gaunt and lean to be handsome, too hard and sinewy to be graceful, too youthful and physical to be complete. But if ever you wished to see the most resilient and practiced fighter of the Anglo-Saxon armies this was he. This wonderful division took a good deal of its fighting morale from its general, Freyberg, the WWI VC, who through two wars had probably been more critically wounded more often than any other living man."
Tunis May 1943: The final breakthrough and route of the Germans.
Moorehead: "In the Southern sector the New Zealanders and the German 90th Light Division broke off their fighting at last. These two divisions were the elite of the British and German armies. For two years they had mauled one another across the desert. We had killed two of the 90th Light's commanders. The 90th Light had almost killed Freyberg. They had charged up to the gates of Egypt in the previous summer, and it was the New Zealanders who broke the German division's heart outside Mersa Matruh. There is hardly a major battlefield in the desert where you will not find the intermingled graves of the New Zealanders and the men of the 90th Light. And now at last it was all over..."
The NZ division went on to fight in the invasion of Italy and was one of Montgomery's and Churchill's favourite divisions, and considered the elite division of the Eight Army. He had planned to pull them out of Italy for the D-Day invasion but at the time they were in action at Monty Casino and so were left in theatre.
Agreed. Shocked that the kiwis weren’t even mentioned for their formidable, fighting courage.
During ww2 a Greek soldier was drinking his coffee in harmony. Some time later a German plane started firing on his position. He was not injured but one of the bullets broke his cup of coffee. Being very angry he grabbed his machine gun and shot down the plane.
Never mess with a Greek and his coffee lol
saitama be like :
Love this post
That man is a legend
@@craz3inpu456 But legends are not facts ... just fantasy.
Bravery is being terrified yet still going forward and fighting the enemy. Fighting through your fear.
Yarp, nice!
I would say more like fighting for the things you love (family, friends, country) despite potential death.
The Greeks have always been fierce warriors and total badasses.
Romans?
Rommel also stated "If I had to storm hell, then I would take it with the Australians and hold it with the New Zealanders"
A wise ww2 Russian general said, Those armies who join late and 600miles from Berlin. would later talk arrogant, would say they are the bravest and make many insignificant dday movies;
@@PitcockFTW Australia, New Zealand, and the UK were already fighting Nazi Germany while Russia was busy making secret pacts with the Nazis to carve up Poland and Eastern Europe.
Rommel never said that
@@OldWolflad yet a quick google yields multiple returns on him being quoted as saying, exactly that....
@@elner934 half of Australia thinks he said it, but in serious military circles it has never been shown where from. Every Country makes up similar quotes about its troops. If you can show me the specific reference I will take this back of course, but I have searched long and hard and cannot find any genuine source.
Respect to brothers from Greece
We fought brave
as Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz said:
Ζήτω η Ελλάδα, Ζήτω η Πολωνία
You??
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
@@yomomaisnolongerfunny σκάσε αβάφτιστε.
@@happinessisnotaduty1918 English please
You mean great grandfathers from greece not brothers unless your 90 years old
Im an Australian and I fully believe U cant talk about the aussie forces without the NZ, there the reason why there known as ANZACS.
Wherever there were Aussie fighters NZ was there alongside
Yes rubbish list without NZ
As an Australian I don’t think either us or the Kiwis deserve more praise than the other. Whether talking about Aussie soldiers or Kiwi soldiers they should be referred to as ANZAC soldiers - been by each others side from the beginning and will be until the end
It's not widely known that it has not always been Anzac forces they have thought separately many times.
My Grandfather (Canadian fighting in the pacific) said the Gurkhas were by far the most impressive fighting force in WWII.
As being Finnish I know that it’s difficult having a big adversary up on your border and in out case the USSR and now Russia, however I do believe that the Irish men whom risked not just their lifes but their entire livelihood where some of the bravest men out there on that field. Respect to all those whom servers alongside my Finnish family and in general
I'm Canadian and EXTREMELY proud of my country's history in war. It's a tough thing to measure though tbh. All these countries and men who did what they could, deserve the same respect. Shout out to New Zealand for the harsh overlook 😅🙈
You should be proud. I'm an American and I'm proud that our northern cousins can put up a fight like us.
Thanks bro, I thought it was harsh too but I'll pretend it doesn't bother me at all 🤷♂️🤬😆😆
@@wisemonke194 Greek here, I have a question, in America, do you choose to have millatairy service? Because in Greece we have to. Just asking because I don't know if it's like that in other countries too.
@@nikolasbananaguyy Yeah, we get to choose to go to the military. There is a mandatory draft for the guys if something big happens. Other than that, no one forces you to get into the military.
@@wisemonke194 Oh okay, here in Greece all men have to serve in the millaitery.
"White Death"
"Coat of Arms"
"40:1" - "Inmate 4859"
"Primo Victoria"
SABATON?
@@drnknws εννοειτε!
@@Turgon92 ΑΥΤΑ ΕΠΙΘΥΜΩ
Thank you aussies and new Zealanders for your support !!! Greetings from Greece 🇬🇷
All of them deserve respect Finish , polish, Irish, Indians, Greece, Canadians
Polish troops' assault on Monte Casino ... deserves at least a mention, imo.
Yes
Mate we save the fucking UK we fought every where and the Hitler says give me polish soldiers and German technology and anyone could stop me. We lost our country so quick because pussy's alliance.. Every country I can see make own story what's happen.
When fighting with the Canadians they are the ones that closed the Falaise Pocket, swearing to die than let the German's pass. As a Canadian I have a tonne of respect for the Poles
Or Spaniards at the battle of Krasny bor 1943 and the Blue Division, or at the battle of la Madeleine, August 25th 1944, or "la Nueve". Or about Joan Pujol.
@@Bartkowski93 Naucz się pisać po angielsku albo użyj tłumacza jak nie potrafisz.
You simply can't leave out the men from New Zealand. The Kiwis often get forgotten or lumped in with their neighbours (the Aussies), but Charles Upham of New Zealand simply cannot be ignored. A double VC winner, in Crete and Egypt. Please read of his heroics, they are easy to find and are deserving of the highest level of remembrance.
Yes 100%the brave pakeha and intimidating Mighty Maori battalion were a force no one wanted to fight,also the mere fact that the Mighty Maori battalion were in ear shot of the Anzac and British troops lifted the moral of all of them knowing they had the badass Maori in front of them scaring and smashing the nazi,Maori battalion should have been awarded multi vc medals but weren’t
@@arohastipich9152 ,the Maori battalion were also a big reason they won at Monte Cassino and yes Charles Upham was the only SOLDIER ever to win the VC twice the other two were medics
It's funny even today some people think NZ is a part of Australia hahaha that's why NZ get left out.
It just seems too difficult for people to understand that New Zealand and Australia are separate countries and have performed amazingly without each other but also together. And while when the two countries join they are Anzacs they are their respective countries when they're not
@@Trajan2401 No, New Zealand got left out because this youtube channel is Australian and while there are those Australians who honour their brotherhood with New Zealand, there are those like the asshats of this channel who like to claim our actions as theirs, or outright pretend deliberately we do not exist. "The Front" is very consistent in it's prejudice
What an excellent video! So informative. God bless you, bro, please keep it up!!!
Don't forget the kiwis fort alongside the aussies The ANZAC. They will always be our brothers.
Australians held off the Japanese army with reservists while the full timers were holding off the Germans
And the HMAS sydney was off attacking aliens on venus. Seriously though, without the Australian reserves both Aussie and NZ would have fallen. Those Bob semple tanks would not have helped much
more like a formal militia, they weren't reservists in the modern sense of the word.
We did
@Legio XXI Rapax How does one 'literally annihilate' The Australians defending Tobruk, but fail to take the objective? Please enlighten me. Did the rats keep the Italians and Germans out, or was it the weather?
@Legio XXI Rapax The way you worded your first post made it sound like the siege of tobruk, which is the reason i even replied to you.
Dont need to read the rest of it, i have a few books on The North African, Greek and Syrian Campaigns, and trust me they are not always singing the praises, or cherry picking (what your doing) certain battles to fit a certain narrative.
Every single volunteer, regardless of nation of origin is the bravest soldier on the field. I thank each and every one of them for allowing me to live the life I do.
Even those who weren't in the front lines, everyone who stud up and was ready to serve their nation is a hero
Very true
I agree. This fools attempts at entertainment fail everytime.
yup, people give hate to the nazi soldiers and the Japanese ones but they gotta understand what you said
100% Every man that went to war in WW1 or WW2 gave us our freedoms and will always have our respect
My grandfather was one of those brave Canadians. Glad to see a mention of that and all the others.
“If I had Canadian soldiers, American technology and British officers, I would rule the world”
Winston Churchill
"mentions the battle of monte casino without mentioning Poland"
*You have committed crimes against the polish people. How do you plead?*
True and accurate comment. The Polish troops prevailed at great cost, yet no mention of their actions?
@@tedw.2594 They also fought on the both sides in that battle. Possibly they fought against each other
@@bakers2366 There are always exceptions, but by no means the norm. Pretty sure the majority fought against the Nazis. Your opinion that they fought against each other is a baseless supposition.
@@tedw.2594 Exceptions were in France, one of last soldiers fighting in Berlin against Polish and Soviet soldiers were French 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division. Not a single such unit was created in Poland!
Poland was the most etnicaly diverse country before the WW2 and the only country that opened borders for Jews so they could leave Germany...
So what Baker is talking about is German minorities that was joining German army after the invasion of Poland by the Germany! There was also compulsory conscription for some Polish citizens.
And paid internet troll like the Bakers are also happy to claim all that Polish soldiers that deserted from German army as Germans ressistance against nazi... There is simply no shame among people like Baker.
Any form of willing cooperation with Germany was punished with death by Polish Resistance.
For example Igo Sym, his mother was from Austria and he was born there but his father was Polish and he was well known Polish actor before the war and for colaboration with Germans he was executed by Polish Ressistance. So imagine what reward you would get for fighting on the other side if you were awarded with bullet for just making a movies for German propaganda...
@@tedw.2594 "Igo Sym's collaboration with the Germans contrasts with the conduct of his younger brother Ernest who, during his official activities as a chemist, clandestinely produced explosives for Poland's Home Army. "
Hill 731 needs to be a movie in the Battle of Greece
Hill 726, you mean.
@@StergiosMekras Was it 726? mixing things up i guess
@@philippesom5066 It was 731, now it's 726.
@@philippesom5066 the new Thermopylae but this time we won... In Albania. 731 Hill... 726 after bombing
@@philippesom5066 The hill was a bit shortened after the bombing... No kidding!
The history of Ww2 has given me a lot of pride in my country Canada.
Churchill said that if he had Canadian soldiers, British commanders and American technology, he could rule the world.
Winston Churchill said: " We will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks"
Churchill was a psychopath
@alpha where are you from ? 😀
@alpha Do you have a problem with your brain? Because I see you throughout the comment section making fun
@alpha It seems that you are either from the Balkans or a Turk. What did Greece do to make you so angry?
@alpha I'm not going to play guess which country you come from
"For The Sake of historical truth, I must that only the Greeks, of all the adversaries who confronted us, fought with bold courage and highest disregard of death" - Adolf Hitler
The Germans were terrified of Canada on the front but once they were captured they didn’t want to leave.
@@thegoosegaming4337 Stalin said without Greeks the outcome of the war would be completely different.
@@user-ue8bj9ie8e the italian invasion of greece stalled the NAZI invasion of the Soviet union by a month. Which would have given the germans enough time to take moscow before winter.
@@djkaibaxter419 I told this to my friends at school and they laughed.FINALLY SOME CLEVER PEOPLE
As a descendant of greek fighters i would absolutely refuse to accept any credit or sign of magnanimitly from that nazi SOB.
Leo Major taking a city single handedly in one night was more about righteous anger than madness. The Germans had just killed his best friend who was on a reconnaissance mission with him... So he went super saiyan mode, blasted his way through and saved the city not only from the Germans but also from getting bombarded by the Allies.
A pertinent point that you haven't mentioned was the fact that the Australians were the first to defeat the Germans in a land battle. Up until Easter Sunday 1941 the Germans had never been defeated, until they tried to breech the red line at Tobruk. There the men of the 9th Division devised the plan to counter the German Blitzkrieg tank tactics. Rather than place their limited anti-tank guns on the front lines they positioned them in corridors either side of the German advance some five to six miles behind the lines. The infantry on the front lines were told to let the tanks advance unchallenged, which they did, and once the trailing infantry support were through the wire they opened up on them absolutely decimating the tank's support troops. Once cut off from their infantry support the tanks attempted to advance to the harbour at Tobruk but were funneled into the choke points of anti-tank guns that lay in wait undetected. When they realised that their infantry were not behind them to deal with the guns the remaining tanks turned and ran back to the German lines. This proved to the world that the mighty German army were just human and could be defeated, especially by a rag tag untrained and ill equipped fighting force.
In another major point the Australians in New Guinea were the first force to defeat the Japanese Army on land at the Battle of Milne Bay in August 1942. Again up until then the Japanese had rapidly taken most of the Pacific and only needed the harbour at Milne Bay on the southern coast of New Guinea to be able to launch their invasion of Australia. Both actions resulted in the awarding of Victoria Crosses for Australian soldiers, the highest award for valour in the British Commonwealth. For our American friends a Victoria Cross is the equivalent of your Presidential Medal of Honor. As a VC would need to be approved by the English monarch (and English generals) it took a hell of a lot to get past the colonial road block and have such an honour bestowed upon an Australian.
I only learned, as an adult, my grandfather was at the Battle of Milne Bay and his younger brother was a Rat of Tobruk. Two major land victories and I am so proud of them. I wish I knew before they passed away.
My respects to Australians and New Zealanders from Crete...
My thanks, from Australia
@@tayloriousmaximus I remember my grandfather telling me stories how brave were the Aussies and you can see till today our gratitude towards the Aussies and Kiwis tourists. Thanks for all🙌
No wuckas matey
Thanks Billy Gr 🐨🇦🇺🦘👍
Thanks bro disappointed NZ didn't make this list
I’m Aussie but I can’t pick a favourite. All these countries were next level in their own ways and all deserve an honourable mention. Thanks for doing this but just admit that picking a winner out of this lot is like choosing your favourite child.
Greetings from Greece, I think you guys fought the bravest. Honestly, without you we would still be a Nazi nation, propably, maybe, yesn't, ok propably not but still
You got to give our “chocolate soldiers” props for being the first ground forces to push back the Japanese at the Kokoda track.
Rubbish list without NZ
New Zealand’s 28th Māori Battalion should be on this list.
Leo Major also went on do more of the same and earn even more medals in the Korean War. His life story is incredible.
Hail to our brothers from New zealand,Canada and Poland....honour for our dead heroes of war!!!united we stand..divided we fall
This video is an insult! Poland is called a minor country of World War II comparable to Finland. Finland had a tenth of the population of Poland. Indeed, Poland was a major country! Finally the war began in Poland. In addition, Poland had 1 million soldiers in 1939. So only half as many as the Germans.
My Grandfather was in Italy with the Canadian armed forces, he never talked about what happen. At the same time he would never let my brother and I forget about the sacrifices made by every man woman and child. That is why I served, because someone died for my rights. UBIQUE
My grandfather fought in Italy and was the exact same way, he never talked about it, but he would also never let my mom take anything for granted. Also never let her pretend to point a gun at anyone when she was playing games as a kid. I can't imagine what he experienced over there.
Polish soldiers: fighting in second World war since its beginning september 1 1939 till the end in 1945, over one million of soldiers during invasion of Poland in 1939, fighting in France, shooting down German airplanes during battle of Britain, fighting in Narvik, defending Tobruk, capturing Monte Cassino, organising Warsaw Uprising, liberating Breda and finally conquering Berlin side by side with Soviet Soldiers
The Front: calling Poland a minor nation in WWII
This video is an insult! Poland is called a minor country of World War II comparable to Finland. Finland had a tenth of the population of Poland. Indeed, Poland was a major country! Finally the war began in Poland. In addition, Poland had 1 million soldiers in 1939. So only half as many as the Germans.
@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Da da, Popov.
@@finntastique3891 What a meaningful comment. Obviously from a very intelligent person!
People forget that New Zealand has the ONLY soldier to win TWO VC no other person has EVER won two EVER. so I would say New Zealand had the BEST.
It was truly an allied effort. Every nation gave its all to defeat fascism in World War Two. My uncle was a Canadian artillery man in Western Europe. He was highly decorated. He married my aunt after the war and his two daughters were sometimes terrified by the trauma he exhibited in later life. He gave up part of his peace and sanity for us all to live in freedom.
Great post. PTSD was called shell shock in those days and little understood. Now we have Canadian soldiers with it,after coming from war zones, and fighting in Afghanistan. So sad. My sister in laws son was in Rwanda during the genocide and other conflicts. He was extremely ill and suicidal until he got help. He is alive and struggles, but he is better. 👍🇨🇦👵
By the way, Fascism is not the same as Nazism! Nazism was a German special way of fascism! With the Nazism it have been developed an ideology that completely contradicts the Enlightenment. In addition they made it their state doctrine. A complete break of civilization! This degree of barbarism has never happened in human history! The main difference between European fascism and Nazism is the far greater degree of radicalism. The circumstance can also be used to derive the far greater degree of brutality, to deduce the higher degree of barbarism, to deduce the higher degree of dehumanization of the victims, which resulted in industrial genocides, the higher degree of penetration of society with ideology, deduce the higher degree of willingness to sacrifice of the population, the higher degree of readiness to touse force and violence. The consequences of fascism are also not comparable with the consequences of Nazism.
@@GreatPolishWingedHussars Nazism is Fascism, its a Facist ideology. Sure in Nasism you would support the idea of a supreme german race but fundamentally Fascism is characterized by a form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism whose leaders usually have dictatorial power. In which the Fascist parties forcible suppress any opposition and use strong regimentation of its society and its economy.
Exactly we all had to help, without the allies America would've fallen to Fascism and vice versa.
@@chrisriverata1917 Wrong! There is a difference between fascism and Nazism that is not insignificant. There is a big difference between Nazism and European fascism. That was a German special way! Nazis was a special way of fascism! With Nazism, they have developed an ideology that completely contradicts the Enlightenment and made it their state doctrine. A complete break of civilization! Such degree of barbarism has never happened in human history! That was unique in human history. The main difference between European fascism and German Nazism is that the Nazism had an unprecedented and unique drastic nature and ruthlessness. So in summary a far greater degree of radicality.
The circumstance can also be used to derive the far greater degree of brutality, to deduce the higher degree of barbarism, to deduce the higher degree of dehumanization of the victims, which resulted in industrial mass murder, the higher degree of penetration of society with ideology, deduce the higher degree of willingness to sacrifice of the population, the higher degree of readiness to touse force and violence. The consequences of fascism are also not comparable withthe consequences of Nazism, which is known to include various genocides with millions of murdered children of various nationalities.
In my opinion it hard to say, but I would pick Poland. From the two front war in 1939, the Battle of Bzura, Siege of Warsaw, Battle of Wizna, defense of Hel and Modlin to the little known input of Poland into the allied cause, Poles fought in the Battle of Narvik, Battle of France, played a major role in the Battle of Britain, fought in the Pacific, Tobruk, Italy (taking Monte Cassino), the Neatherlands (they liberated Breda and many other cities), Operation Market Garden, they were also the only allied army in the east, supporting The Soviets in the Battle for Berlin. What is more, Poles orchestrated the biggest underground state in the world, while the Home Army, despite being outnumbered by the Soviet or Yugoslavian partisans, managed to organize the greatest Uprising of the war in Warsaw.
I cannot speak against Poland. It fought against impossible odds from the beginning, and never stopped. Indefatigable.
@@hazchemel this comment makes me so happy and it's good to know that some people think that ❣ respect
@@fffirewolf3959 are you connected to Poland?
Should you a part 2 of this be made, I would suggest including the Philippine Army. The Delay action in Bataan greatly upset the Japanese invasion timetable. Not only that, the eventual resistance campaigns they started became quite a thorn later on.
Someone may have mentioned this already, the Ghurkas of Nepal were left out, because in the dictionary under bravery and tenacity you should see a picture of a WWII Ghurka and his Khukri.
Thank you for this video!
From Greece :)
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When Canada and Poland teamed up some great shit happened.
I don't see how lol. Poland was a shit country after it was released during the peace deals of WW1, and Canada was little more than a subject of the british.
@@anatomicalx9355 lol sure poles fought until the last one and usually got tortured for information which they didnt give
@@anatomicalx9355 To call you an ignorant dummy should be a compliment to you after that comment. Educate yourself.
You're right. Both fought side by side. Very disciplined and brave both Canadians and the Poles.
@@anatomicalx9355 you are gay
It's worth mentioning that Polish fighter pilots joined Canadians and Brits during the Battle of Britain, serving with distinction.