@TheHistoryChap I'd love to hear those sub-stories because it's a different side of the war, not just trench warfare but guerilla warfare and desert warfare and many more. But I honestly haven't heard of that Mesopotania side of the war.
An excellent account! I was hoping you might mention the attempt to resupply Lettow-Vorbeck by zeppelin in 1917. That was a grueling adventure in itself and may be worthy of a later program. Thank you for your work!
A true legend. In the biography I read a few years ago. There was a story that impressed me quite a lot. Towards the end of his life, he returned to East Africa as an anonymous tourist. Apparently the word had gotten out that we was coming, so that when he landed, those few remaining Askaris and hundreds of their decedents where there to meet him. All standing at attention in perfectly formed rows, and executing a very military salute. Brothers in arms.
A long time ago (1987), as a young Captain, I did a presentation on Lettow-Vorbeck at Squadron Officer School. Not a single member of my class of fifteen junior officers had ever heard of him.
My great uncle served somewhere in Africa in the Great War. I'm not sure of the exact location but they never heard of the Armistice until February 1919. No email back in those days, they had to wait for their supplies to be delivered months later to receive the news, letters from home and perhaps a Christmas present if they were lucky.
The movie "Shout at the devil" with Lee Marvin and Rodger Moore based on the book of the same name was a good one too. There was also a part in Out of Africa that showed this campaign. This is a very interesting forgotten campaign of WWII. Thank you for sharing this interesting and informative video. Cheers Ron
Interestingly we travelled across Namibia for 2 half months last year but never realised until we travelled around that there was a lot of commonwealth cemeteries there and we ended up visiting quite a few of them interestingly a lot of the soldiers in them died of the Spanish flue. Thank you for your stories they are brilliant and you tell them so beautifully. Best wishes Martyn Wren
YES, you fulfilled our wishes on the intent of a video (which I believe you did promise in the first one of your four videos done while I was out there in Kefalonia, Chris old bean, being the aweing one telling of the Battle of Lake Tanganyika itself) about THIS, the section of WW1 that, as someone else has quite rightfully pointed out, is SO underrated, as EVERYTHING ya hear about that war makes ya think instantly of only the horrors of the trenches in Europe, don't it, and damn right I'd say in accordance agreement that it deserves more recognition. Cos WOW, forget about the trenches and our terrible costly battles in Europe against the mad withered armed cripple of Kaiser Wilhelm II, THIS story, a four year long jungle warfare and guerilla conflict which certainly I knew absolutely NOTHING, zero, zilch, about, until YOU finally brought it to light, our British military history RUclips superstar Chris dear chap, I would give ANYTHING for a film or TV series, either proper or just documentary, about much more than the continuously tiresome giving of just Europe and the trenches. Hats off and salutes to the German commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, commanding a small army of German colonial troops and African allies who successfully held out against a multi-national Allied army, consisting of us Brits, the Belgians, the Portuguese AND African nations allied to/with us, who surrounded him and German East Africa and was nearly 10x his size for the entire 4 years of the Great War, and finally did surrender TWO WEEKS after the armistice of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 was signed... WHAT an incredible fete by him for sure, as he certainly knew the terrain and how to live off the land. And of course, RIP to all of the soldiers on both sides of the conflict, the MANY many thousands, civilians too, who succumbed to all sorts of dreadful causes, and not just German bullets. Seriously, Chris old bean, you've done yet it again with another wonderful video about a part of history many of us knew anything about either remotely or absolutely NOTHING at all, the latter applying to me personally, THIS was the big video I coulda needed to welcome me back from my now sadly over two weeks in the paradise of Kefalonia, my return from there being last Sunday of course. Another video on this, the German East Africa Campaign, I'd totally be up for from ya, our superstar figure
What a guy that German Paul and what a guy Chris for bringing us stuff we don't know about. As an aside, you, Chris, and Chris from Redcoat Military History are my two favourite youtube historians. Despite the geographical differences, you guys should get together ❤❤❤
lol, we learned it in history class.... but also the massacre of the Indians by British troops in India 1946! some stuff they dont teach you in some countries!
Very interesting to learn about this part of the war. I knew nothing about this. You can keep this up and make a complete series. Then move on to other obscure theatres of British History. Thank you. Cheers!
Wow, what a history of warfare which I knew nothing about, I have to salute the German commander. He knew the terrain and how to live off the land. RIP to all of the soldiers on both sides of the conflict 🙏 Chris, my friend, you have done it again with another wonderful video about a part of history many of us knew anything about remotely. In America we are taught rudimentary facts about World War I and all of it concerns the conflict in Western Europe. It is wonderful that you're shining a light on a forgotten part of history so that we may learn from it. Bravo, amigo y vaya con Dios.
My grandfather on my mother's side was in abercorn as a trainee tobacco planter in 1920 and related stories of former troops of van lettow voorbeck having settled in that area after the war
Great story, thanks. I know it from reading the books of Arthur Heye, a German photographer who went to East Africa 110 years ago to shoot first pictures of wild animals just before the Great War, and got into the German army, wonderful storyteller who also mediated some real life war and nature experience. Thanks for reminding me of that. Seems his books are hard to find, especially in English, might deserve a retranslation maybe.
I keep seeing the bookshelves behind you and would love a series of videos on books that cover some of the episodes you have done from the Zulu Wars, Rhodesia, Mao Mao uprising, Sudan, to Yemen, to Sikh Wars, Afghanistan, China, WWI in Africa etc.
Thank you for this story. It is well-balanced and based on facts. Lettow-Vorbeck wrote a book about his time in German East Africa. The title is "Heia Safari" and it could be found at any German library. Back then it was considered a good read. I do not know what would happen today if somebody asked at a library for this book.
As usual another superb video. Very well done mate. I would love to see you do a video(s) on the nineteenth century explorers in Africa, Burton, Baker, et al . . . Any chance . . ? Cheers!
@@TheHistoryChap its old..... and US soldier thought that the Hitler family been rich like JP Morgan... and they tried to rob their fortune, but they found only normal people! Hitler´s brother been like a Trump, a conman!
Always love your work sir, i know this video will be to your usual high standards. The best thing about Lettow was he told Hitler to go do something inappropriate with himself. But according to another individual, Lettow's actual response to Hitler's offer wasn't so polite. Shame about both his sons dying in WW2, I cant imagine how much that tore at him.
I'm a little surprised he officially surrendered. I was expecting the story to end with "The war's over? I'm going home then. Don't try to stop me, you know it won't work out well for you."
A great great uncle Lt. Bob Fairweather was an officer in the KAR in East Africa. He was likely a Tobacco Farm Manager in E Africa before WWI. I have 2 photo albums of his experiences in the war, which we showed Peter Charlton, author of “Cinderella’s Soldiers: The Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve”. Peter said Bob’s albums are unusual in that they name some of the native soldiers he fought with. Peter commented he owned some of the men’s medals, but had no idea what they looked like until he saw the albums, Given what my Grandma said about Bob, he wasn’t progressive or enlightened for his time, so Lord knows why he named those brave men when no-one else did. I also have a very detailed bronze statuette Bib’s company won in a rifle competition after the war. One thing you don’t mention Is that the Askaris tended to still be armed with last generation black powder rifles, while even the KAR let alone Indian or British troops tend to have the excellent SMLE. The statuette is holding such. Bob did well out of empire, earning enough to equip the Glamis Pipe Band, I also have a picture of with my Grandma in frame. He’s probably buried in Malawi though we know not where. TBO my siblings and I are a bit conflicted regarding a relative who may have played a not insignificant bit part in WWI vs what Europeans were doing there in East Africa first place. I doubt tobacco made any of its labourers rich. But Bib as well to do…
In past comments i have supported the idea of chris telling this story. Paul Emil von Lettow Vorbeck is one of 2 german military of the 20th century who i have total respect for. Vorbeck as one of the best tacticians in history and Hans Langsdorff as a humanitarian. It is interesting to note, that when Hitler offered vorbeck an ambassador's role he refused because he was against the nazis (another reason for my respect) and as a result effectively had his bank accounts frozen, that one person who supported and bankrolled him was non other than Jan Christian smuts ( who my father once met on table mountain!) I know naval history isn't really your speciality chris, but would love to see your take on the battle of the river plate. As ever..... superb
Check out the "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" which dedicates a couple of episodes to the conflict in Africa during WW1. Historic fact is that the Nazi's confiscated surplous Askari and tropical German army uniforms after WW1. Hence "Brownshirts".
I still am of the belief most of the South African forces never tried too hard to find him? There is no way anyone will ever convince me how a bunch of African Boers failed to locate a bunch of foreign Germans on African soil.
The extent of British commitment in WW1 was quite extraordinary. As well as the French front there was the Middle East against the Ottoman Empire, the East African campaign and of course the naval campaigns in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Lettow was not the last German commander who surrendered. This was Hauptmann Hermann Detzner, who surrendered to the Australians on 13th of December in Deutsch-Neuguinea.
Lettow-Vorbeck is seen critical today in Germany. He took part in the genocide of Herero and Hottentot 1904 in Namibia. He was a typical product of prussian militarism, coming from a nobleman family with generals since 200 years. He was believing in the right of the white race to colonialize Africa. In 1920 he took part in the Kapp-Coup. With general Smuts he developed a long friendship. As an old man he was not a staunch opponent of the Nazi-regime. But more a monarchist. He lost 2 sons in WW2. Barracks with his name and colonial monuments are a problem for us modern germans. The last Lettow-Vorbeck barrack became a new name lately.
Unfortunately in modern times there seems to be an ever growing movement intent on destroying, ignoring and perverting history. No reasoning modern european would believe that it was right to enslave others to work in sugar fields or cotton farms etc and this history should be accepted and learned. BUT alongside this we must also accept that more africans enslaved other africans than than europeans did. We must accept that the ottoman empire enslaved more humans than the europeans and that the arab world had more than the rest put together. ( excluding europe between 1935 and 1945) History must be taken in context and we must understand that perceptions change but if we rewrite history to suit modern values we cannot learn by mistakes of the past.
If I recall correctly, Lettow-Vorbeck never had more than 17,000 troops, and, for much of the war, had around 11,000. Also, as I recall, he didn't surrender until Germany sent a delegation aboard a Zeppelin to confirm the war had ended.
While the Germans did send a Zeppelin to Lettow-Vorbeck, it never reached him. tt was supposed to bring him supplies, but had to turn back due to bad weather.
Im an aircraft technician that used to work on what i call Rich Mens Toys*, mostly 1st and 2nd generation jets. However, also in our hanger we had the majority of the wreckage of the replica Vicars Gubus made for the film. One of the struts and various other bits had a lthe holes where the sqibs used to make bullet strikes were placed. *Mens Toys, because women are smart enough not to buy a money pit like a jet fighter*
It was many hunters serving in various ways . Denys Finch Hatton , Blixen , Karen was a lorry and transport driver . She had papers stating she was civilian in case she would been captured. But things would probably gone good since she knew Lettow Vorbeck very good . After their several week long boat tour down there . One could speculate if she had been Mrs Vorbeck , she would have run a country instead of a farm and been a dear friend of all the colonies then . And Bell , the elephant hunter and philanthropist he was pilot scouting there also . I have been looking into some other things, and that may be that Germans had gotten delivered Gew 98 sniper rifles that issues to good shots , and a Boer was the one behind Selous fall
There are a couple of major books dealing with this also the failed British raid on Tanga in 1914. We could do with more info on how we and South Africa took the German colony of Southwest Africa. Ironic that all the trouble Kaiser took to build oversea empire lost it all without hardly a fight. German East Africa held out right to the end of the war the only success Germany had.
A funny twist to this story, Denmark fought 2 wars 1848 and 1864 with Germany, lost in 1864 southern part off Jutland to germany, in a bid to supply and help Von Lettow, Germany constructed a small warship for lake tankanyika,that could assembled after transport overland in Africa, and to run past the british blockade,they disguised the ship as Danish and used some personel from jutland, now officially germans to crew the vessel, they got to east africa, but was then blockaded there, and went to fight with Von Lettow to the end, the lego ship never made it to the lake, and the remaining Danes surrendered with Von Lettow!! (after the war 1920 half off the lost land was voted back to Denmark)
There was a WW2 unit called Selous Scouts of armoured Cara and in the 1970s a Special forces unit. A former Selous Scounts in the 70s-80s was later a Football player in Liverpool
Vorbek was offered by Hitler in the 1930s the position of Ambassador to the Court of St James Vorbek told Hitler allegedly to 'go and do one' He held the rank of General of special purposes during ww2 but did not partake He was kept under surveillance during the war When he died in 1964 two Askaris where flown in as part of the Honour Guard
The other great loss was the Germans in Namibia, who decided to kill most of the San people it was a genocide. Of which, to this day, i believe the German government has never apologised.
I'm curious as to why you believe the current German government should apologise? It may interest you to learn about the efforts of both the German government and private German NGO's and Churches in regards to development and training in Namibia stretching back over 100 years.
I heard that when a post Second World War had finished a lot of Asakaris where elderly and the onrs in Nambia lobbied the West German Govt for a backdated pension So a West German Rep went out there to see which ones where eligible unfortunately most of the 'old Asakiris' didnt have there certificates or maybe an epaellete or a capbade for proof So they where all lined up given sticks and there proof of service was there rifle drill with a stick because all these old soldiers didnt forget their drill and whete duly paid
This part of ww1 is so underrated, and i think it deserves more recognition.
There are so many sub-stories. having said that, the war in mesopotania, Palestine & Salonika Front are all worth telling too.
@TheHistoryChap I'd love to hear those sub-stories because it's a different side of the war, not just trench warfare but guerilla warfare and desert warfare and many more.
But I honestly haven't heard of that Mesopotania side of the war.
Or at least a Battle Field 1 expansion.
Super Chris👍👍👍
Many thanks.
An excellent account! I was hoping you might mention the attempt to resupply Lettow-Vorbeck by zeppelin in 1917. That was a grueling adventure in itself and may be worthy of a later program. Thank you for your work!
Another nice story. A subject i didn't see many videos talking about out there. Thank you.
My pleasure. I find the "little" wars away from the Western Front fascinating.
This was a great documentary! I have a suggestion: The Salonika Front. It was a deadly but largely forgotten part of WWI. Thank you!
A true legend. In the biography I read a few years ago. There was a story that impressed me quite a lot.
Towards the end of his life, he returned to East Africa as an anonymous tourist. Apparently the word had gotten out that we was coming, so that when he landed, those few remaining Askaris and hundreds of their decedents where there to meet him. All standing at attention in perfectly formed rows, and executing a very military salute.
Brothers in arms.
he made sure, his Askari soldiers got retirement payment from West Germany after WW2!
Thank you for the telling of this part of war history. Peace and goodwill.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
A long time ago (1987), as a young Captain, I did a presentation on Lettow-Vorbeck at Squadron Officer School. Not a single member of my class of fifteen junior officers had ever heard of him.
My great uncle served somewhere in Africa in the Great War. I'm not sure of the exact location but they never heard of the Armistice until February 1919.
No email back in those days, they had to wait for their supplies to be delivered months later to receive the news, letters from home and perhaps a Christmas present if they were lucky.
All life is a lesson, thank you for today's, Professor!
My pleasure. I'm glad that you found it interesting.
The movie "Shout at the devil" with Lee Marvin and Rodger Moore based on the book of the same name was a good one too. There was also a part in Out of Africa that showed this campaign. This is a very interesting forgotten campaign of WWII. Thank you for sharing this interesting and informative video. Cheers Ron
Interstingly, I have read that Karen Blixen was a fellow passenger on the ship that von Lettow-Vorbeck travelled on to Africa .
@@TheHistoryChap small world
WW1....its another war....!
Interestingly we travelled across Namibia for 2 half months last year but never realised until we travelled around that there was a lot of commonwealth cemeteries there and we ended up visiting quite a few of them interestingly a lot of the soldiers in them died of the Spanish flue.
Thank you for your stories they are brilliant and you tell them so beautifully.
Best wishes
Martyn Wren
Martyn, Spanish flu ripped through both armies in East Africa after the end of the war.
@@TheHistoryChap many thanks for the reply 👍
First-class story-telling, Chris. It is these little-known tales that make your channel so special.
Thank you so very much Chris
You are very welcome
YES, you fulfilled our wishes on the intent of a video (which I believe you did promise in the first one of your four videos done while I was out there in Kefalonia, Chris old bean, being the aweing one telling of the Battle of Lake Tanganyika itself) about THIS, the section of WW1 that, as someone else has quite rightfully pointed out, is SO underrated, as EVERYTHING ya hear about that war makes ya think instantly of only the horrors of the trenches in Europe, don't it, and damn right I'd say in accordance agreement that it deserves more recognition.
Cos WOW, forget about the trenches and our terrible costly battles in Europe against the mad withered armed cripple of Kaiser Wilhelm II, THIS story, a four year long jungle warfare and guerilla conflict which certainly I knew absolutely NOTHING, zero, zilch, about, until YOU finally brought it to light, our British military history RUclips superstar Chris dear chap, I would give ANYTHING for a film or TV series, either proper or just documentary, about much more than the continuously tiresome giving of just Europe and the trenches. Hats off and salutes to the German commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, commanding a small army of German colonial troops and African allies who successfully held out against a multi-national Allied army, consisting of us Brits, the Belgians, the Portuguese AND African nations allied to/with us, who surrounded him and German East Africa and was nearly 10x his size for the entire 4 years of the Great War, and finally did surrender TWO WEEKS after the armistice of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 was signed... WHAT an incredible fete by him for sure, as he certainly knew the terrain and how to live off the land. And of course, RIP to all of the soldiers on both sides of the conflict, the MANY many thousands, civilians too, who succumbed to all sorts of dreadful causes, and not just German bullets.
Seriously, Chris old bean, you've done yet it again with another wonderful video about a part of history many of us knew anything about either remotely or absolutely NOTHING at all, the latter applying to me personally, THIS was the big video I coulda needed to welcome me back from my now sadly over two weeks in the paradise of Kefalonia, my return from there being last Sunday of course. Another video on this, the German East Africa Campaign, I'd totally be up for from ya, our superstar figure
Max, I really do love reading your missives. Thanks for your support.
Here here
Great story again, Chris, thank you...!
Thanks for that, what a story!!! Stay well.
What a guy that German Paul and what a guy Chris for bringing us stuff we don't know about. As an aside, you, Chris, and Chris from Redcoat Military History are my two favourite youtube historians. Despite the geographical differences, you guys should get together ❤❤❤
We do chat on a reasonably frequent basis and have discussed making a joint video.
lol, we learned it in history class....
but also the massacre of the Indians by British troops in India 1946!
some stuff they dont teach you in some countries!
Great work! Can't wait to see the upcoming vids that you mentioned.
So many stories that I want to tell.
Very interesting to learn about this part of the war. I knew nothing about this. You can keep this up and make a complete series. Then move on to other obscure theatres of British History. Thank you. Cheers!
Interesting thought. Thanks for the idea.
I love your narrative telling of these historical events. Your delivery is very entertaining and informative.
Thank you sir!
Thanks for watching.
Wow, what a history of warfare which I knew nothing about, I have to salute the German commander. He knew the terrain and how to live off the land. RIP to all of the soldiers on both sides of the conflict 🙏
Chris, my friend, you have done it again with another wonderful video about a part of history many of us knew anything about remotely. In America we are taught rudimentary facts about World War I and all of it concerns the conflict in Western Europe. It is wonderful that you're shining a light on a forgotten part of history so that we may learn from it. Bravo, amigo y vaya con Dios.
Harry, thanks for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
My grandfather on my mother's side was in abercorn as a trainee tobacco planter in 1920 and related stories of former troops of van lettow voorbeck having settled in that area after the war
fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent story!!!
Keep up the great content!
Thanks, will do!
Very interesting and undercover topic thanks for all your hard work sir
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.
I absolutely love your work! Professional, well researched, and well delivered. Thank-you for all you do!
The Allies respect him and his army, the army was parade by the British Army after the war.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.
Great story, thanks. I know it from reading the books of Arthur Heye, a German photographer who went to East Africa 110 years ago to shoot first pictures of wild animals just before the Great War, and got into the German army, wonderful storyteller who also mediated some real life war and nature experience. Thanks for reminding me of that. Seems his books are hard to find, especially in English, might deserve a retranslation maybe.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
"African Kaiser" by Robert Gaudi, 2017; gives an excellent account of the East African campaign.
I keep seeing the bookshelves behind you and would love a series of videos on books that cover some of the episodes you have done from the Zulu Wars, Rhodesia, Mao Mao uprising, Sudan, to Yemen, to Sikh Wars, Afghanistan, China, WWI in Africa etc.
Great idea. Maybe a live show?
Thank you for this story. It is well-balanced and based on facts. Lettow-Vorbeck wrote a book about his time in German East Africa. The title is "Heia Safari" and it could be found at any German library. Back then it was considered a good read. I do not know what would happen today if somebody asked at a library for this book.
Id love to read a translation, but probably banned today for being imperialist
As usual another superb video. Very well done mate. I would love to see you do a video(s) on the nineteenth century explorers in Africa, Burton, Baker, et al . . . Any chance . . ? Cheers!
My aim is to tell one 19th century story each week, plus another from WW1/2 or Napoleonic periods.
Tangentially, my younger brother's grade four teacher was a Miss Vorbeck.
Did you know that a Hitler served in the US Navy during WW2?
@@TheHistoryChap its old.....
and US soldier thought that the Hitler family been rich like JP Morgan...
and they tried to rob their fortune,
but they found only normal people!
Hitler´s brother been like a Trump, a conman!
Always love your work sir, i know this video will be to your usual high standards.
The best thing about Lettow was he told Hitler to go do something inappropriate with himself. But according to another individual, Lettow's actual response to Hitler's offer wasn't so polite.
Shame about both his sons dying in WW2, I cant imagine how much that tore at him.
Yes, a gentleman in the old sense.
Beautifully explained, once again. I only missed the letters exchanged between Von Letow and Smuts, if they are real at all!
I'm a little surprised he officially surrendered.
I was expecting the story to end with "The war's over? I'm going home then. Don't try to stop me, you know it won't work out well for you."
A great great uncle Lt. Bob Fairweather was an officer in the KAR in East Africa. He was likely a Tobacco Farm Manager in E Africa before WWI. I have 2 photo albums of his experiences in the war, which we showed Peter Charlton, author of “Cinderella’s Soldiers: The Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve”. Peter said Bob’s albums are unusual in that they name some of the native soldiers he fought with. Peter commented he owned some of the men’s medals, but had no idea what they looked like until he saw the albums, Given what my Grandma said about Bob, he wasn’t progressive or enlightened for his time, so Lord knows why he named those brave men when no-one else did. I also have a very detailed bronze statuette Bib’s company won in a rifle competition after the war.
One thing you don’t mention Is that the Askaris tended to still be armed with last generation black powder rifles, while even the KAR let alone Indian or British troops tend to have the excellent SMLE. The statuette is holding such.
Bob did well out of empire, earning enough to equip the Glamis Pipe Band, I also have a picture of with my Grandma in frame. He’s probably buried in Malawi though we know not where.
TBO my siblings and I are a bit conflicted regarding a relative who may have played a not insignificant bit part in WWI vs what Europeans were doing there in East Africa first place. I doubt tobacco made any of its labourers rich. But Bib as well to do…
In past comments i have supported the idea of chris telling this story.
Paul Emil von Lettow Vorbeck is one of 2 german military of the 20th century who i have total respect for. Vorbeck as one of the best tacticians in history and Hans Langsdorff as a humanitarian.
It is interesting to note, that when Hitler offered vorbeck an ambassador's role he refused because he was against the nazis (another reason for my respect) and as a result effectively had his bank accounts frozen, that one person who supported and bankrolled him was non other than Jan Christian smuts ( who my father once met on table mountain!)
I know naval history isn't really your speciality chris, but would love to see your take on the battle of the river plate.
As ever..... superb
Fascinating! Well told.
In fact due to your telling me what the movie was about, I'm going to watch "Shout at the Devil" tonight.
Check out the "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" which dedicates a couple of episodes to the conflict in Africa during WW1. Historic fact is that the Nazi's confiscated surplous Askari and tropical German army uniforms after WW1. Hence "Brownshirts".
You are absolutely correct re. the Brownshirts.
My grandfather fought there with the Natal Light Horse. I wish I had asked him more about it.
I still am of the belief most of the South African forces never tried too hard to find him?
There is no way anyone will ever convince me how a bunch of African Boers failed to locate a bunch of foreign Germans on African soil.
The extent of British commitment in WW1 was quite extraordinary. As well as the French front there was the Middle East against the Ottoman Empire, the East African campaign and of course the naval campaigns in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Lettow was not the last German commander who surrendered. This was Hauptmann Hermann Detzner, who surrendered to the Australians on 13th of December in Deutsch-Neuguinea.
Lettow-Vorbeck is seen critical today in Germany.
He took part in the genocide of Herero and Hottentot 1904 in Namibia.
He was a typical product of prussian militarism, coming from a nobleman family with generals since 200 years.
He was believing in the right of the white race to colonialize Africa.
In 1920 he took part in the Kapp-Coup.
With general Smuts he developed a long friendship.
As an old man he was not a staunch opponent of the Nazi-regime. But more a monarchist.
He lost 2 sons in WW2.
Barracks with his name and colonial monuments are a problem for us modern germans.
The last Lettow-Vorbeck barrack became a new name lately.
Unfortunately in modern times there seems to be an ever growing movement intent on destroying, ignoring and perverting history.
No reasoning modern european would believe that it was right to enslave others to work in sugar fields or cotton farms etc and this history should be accepted and learned. BUT alongside this we must also accept that more africans enslaved other africans than than europeans did. We must accept that the ottoman empire enslaved more humans than the europeans and that the arab world had more than the rest put together. ( excluding europe between 1935 and 1945)
History must be taken in context and we must understand that perceptions change but if we rewrite history to suit modern values we cannot learn by mistakes of the past.
If I recall correctly, Lettow-Vorbeck never had more than 17,000 troops, and, for much of the war, had around 11,000.
Also, as I recall, he didn't surrender until Germany sent a delegation aboard a Zeppelin to confirm the war had ended.
Ae you sure about that last bit? I've never read it in any of the books that I have on the subject.
@@TheHistoryChap It has been almost 40 years since I last read about this. As I said, iirc, I could well be misremembering.
While the Germans did send a Zeppelin to Lettow-Vorbeck, it never reached him. tt was supposed to bring him supplies, but had to turn back due to bad weather.
Im an aircraft technician that used to work on what i call Rich Mens Toys*, mostly 1st and 2nd generation jets. However, also in our hanger we had the majority of the wreckage of the replica Vicars Gubus made for the film. One of the struts and various other bits had a lthe holes where the sqibs used to make bullet strikes were placed.
*Mens Toys, because women are smart enough not to buy a money pit like a jet fighter*
And several of his troops went on to serve in Abwehr and Brandenburgers .
Thanks for sharing.
It was two large safaris ,can say . Both with tropps,askaris and native porters moving around the areas .
Certainly not a luxury safari when you consider the casualty figures.
It was many hunters serving in various ways . Denys Finch Hatton , Blixen , Karen was a lorry and transport driver . She had papers stating she was civilian in case she would been captured. But things would probably gone good since she knew Lettow Vorbeck very good . After their several week long boat tour down there . One could speculate if she had been Mrs Vorbeck , she would have run a country instead of a farm and been a dear friend of all the colonies then .
And Bell , the elephant hunter and philanthropist he was pilot scouting there also .
I have been looking into some other things, and that may be that Germans had gotten delivered Gew 98 sniper rifles that issues to good shots , and a Boer was the one behind Selous fall
Maybe next you can talk about the war in the Middle East. That theater of operations is sadly neglected.
There are a couple of major books dealing with this also the failed British raid on Tanga in 1914. We could do with more info on how we and South Africa took the German colony of Southwest Africa. Ironic that all the trouble Kaiser took to build oversea empire lost it all without hardly a fight. German East Africa held out right to the end of the war the only success Germany had.
A funny twist to this story, Denmark fought 2 wars 1848 and 1864 with Germany, lost in 1864 southern part off Jutland to germany, in a bid to supply and help Von Lettow, Germany constructed a small warship for lake tankanyika,that could assembled after transport overland in Africa, and to run past the british blockade,they disguised the ship as Danish and used some personel from jutland, now officially germans to crew the vessel, they got to east africa, but was then blockaded there, and went to fight with Von Lettow to the end, the lego ship never made it to the lake, and the remaining Danes surrendered with Von Lettow!! (after the war 1920 half off the lost land was voted back to Denmark)
Vorbeck Rules!
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
There was a WW2 unit called Selous Scouts of armoured Cara and in the 1970s a Special forces unit. A former Selous Scounts in the 70s-80s was later a Football player in Liverpool
I have done a video about Selous (the man not the scouts). Are you referring to Bruce G?
Vorbek was offered by Hitler in the 1930s the position of Ambassador to the Court of St James
Vorbek told Hitler allegedly to 'go and do one'
He held the rank of General of special purposes during ww2 but did not partake
He was kept under surveillance during the war
When he died in 1964 two Askaris where flown in as part of the Honour Guard
Once again Dr Felton has been outflanked😂
Compliment indeed. Thanks.
Chris a cheeky little question for you...
Who was the best commander...
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck or Felix von Luckner for what they did in World War 1?
The other great loss was the Germans in Namibia, who decided to kill most of the San people it was a genocide.
Of which, to this day, i believe the German government has never apologised.
Thanks for watching my video & your feedback.
I'm curious as to why you believe the current German government should apologise?
It may interest you to learn about the efforts of both the German government and private German NGO's and Churches in regards to development and training in Namibia stretching back over 100 years.
Ah yes the great German Empire consisting of one small sausage factory in Tanganyika.
I heard that when a post Second World War had finished a lot of Asakaris where elderly and the onrs in Nambia lobbied the West German Govt for a backdated pension
So a West German Rep went out there to see which ones where eligible unfortunately most of the 'old Asakiris' didnt have there certificates or maybe an epaellete or a capbade for proof
So they where all lined up given sticks and there proof of service was there rifle drill with a stick because all these old soldiers didnt forget their drill and whete duly paid
❤
Thanks Bill.
👍
Thank you.
But how many local africans died due to his scorched earth policy and his use of native bearers .