Monte Cassino: The Brutal WW2 Battle That Exacted A Staggering Human Cost | Monte Cassino | Timeline
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- Опубликовано: 16 май 2017
- In March 1944 the 1st and 4th Essex Battalion's were enmeshed in one of the most bloody, dramatic British engagements of the war - five brutal days of fighting for the key obstacle on the allied route to Rome. This is the story of the men who captured the mountain top.
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One side: 'British '?
Ffs....morons 🤔
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Š DD %
What about the Brazilian troops?
My grandad was in this battle, in the polish 2nd corp. He’s still alive to this day very proud
William Szmydt hero!!!
God bless your grand dad. I became good friends with 2nd corp vet, he was a tank man but was assigned as a motorcycle runner during the battle. Being a tanker he didn't have a steel helmet and when he ditched his bike under artillary fire a soldier taking cover with him told him he was crazy and lent him his helmet, on his way back he wanted to return the helmet but when he found him he didn't have a head anymore. Was an ugly fight.
Has your grandfather ever mentioned Wojtek the Polish war hero of Monte Cassino?
salute !!!
All the Poles in the allied forces are heroes, same as the Poles in the Warzawa uprising.
My father was there, with the American 339th Infantry. Unlike so many returning vets, he spoke of his experiences often. He fought along side of the Polish, Anzac, British, and Gurkas. He learned to respect/admire them all, especially the Gurkas. Twenty years after the war, my father met a German vet who had fought across from him in nearly every battle from North Africa up past Rome. They became friends as they had so much in common (battle experience/suffering).
That's an amazing story..... hope they got to heal a bit from their friendship.
We had the best Father's.WW2children like us.
I'm half Dutch, half Polish. I've grown up in Holland, but my mother used to sing "czerwone maki na monte cassino" as a lullaby when I was young. I used to just love that melody, but since I became old enough to understand the meaning I cannot hear it without tearing up. My mom sometimes says it's nostalgia that lives in Polish blood.
Hi there, thats lovely story, i was singing this song on Today automatically
Whats the meaning
@@tenktorypisze thanks alot for this. Awww this is deep. Without CHRIST we all useless . Let's LIVE FOR HIM, love our selves. Let's not fink we better than other humans. What happened and still happens where others think they are better than others cos of skin colours or class or privileges is a shame. A big shame. Shame on all racists and opportunists who are cos of skin colours or class. We all In the same class. U are rich in ""currency"""but, he is rich in character and being there for his brother or friend or even strangers. Yes helping strangers speaks of how rich u are, even when u not rich in currency.
@@tenktorypisze Thank you.
I don't know anyone who is Polish and doesn't know the song. All the best !
🇨🇦R.I.P. Charlie Glencross of the Carleton and York regiment R.C.I.C. of Canada he was my grandmother's brother died at Cassino May 23, 1944. You won't be forgotten I'm teaching my 7 year old son about you.🇨🇦
R.I.P.
Truly a Great Canadian life lost to the horror that is War.
My father joined the marines but was given a medical discharge due to an elbow issue from a childhood injury. So he joined the American Field Service and became a medic, assigned to the British 8th Army. He was at Monte Cassino throughout the siege. In 1989 I visited the British Cemetery and wept at the graves of young men he no doubt tried to save.
Montecassino now in February.A nice city but also mournful.Such a shame that young lives were lost, for what?
Can't get a better documentary than told by the soldiers themselves. Great quality and much appreciated.
my great grandfather was polish, he fled and made his way to England at 14 when his mum dad and sister were rounded up and taken away whilst he did what his mother told him and hid up the chimney, he then joined the British army after two years, lying about his age and served at Monte casino as well as many other places and was given the Monte casino cross among many other medals, god bless him. What a great man he was.
He’s a hero!
God bless.
Brave men all. My dad and I worked with a Pole who lost a leg in this battle. We also worked with a crusty Brit whose forearm was grazed by a German 88, and was considerably thinned as a result. At the very same company a former Wermacht soldier also worked. So did a guy who was on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, and showed me a picture of himself on a lookout tower. None of them cared to share their experiences. We were all engineers. It was surprising how much those older guys had in common. GREAT video, SAD story.
I was with my high school class back in 1981 when we researched the battle of Monte Casino in-depth followed by a trip to the rebuilt Monastery. The experience was life changing, it was almost like going back in time and reliving the battle. I will never forget it.
The polish fitting was unique, brave men, my grand dad told us about it, saludos from 🇵🇷🙏they should talk about the polish soldiers too!
My uncle was a para at Cassino. They were seconded as infantry to the eighth army after the drop in Sicily and fought the germans all the way up. He lost both legs in a mortar blast and lay wounded in the snow.He was 19. German paratroops captured him and treated him very well and their surgeons completed the amputations. He spoke highly of the German paras. He suffered from wound pain and ptsd all of his life and hated war.
My uncle Thomas died at the Rapido crossing, another ,Maurice was wounded at the Ldendorf RR bridge at Remagen. uncle 'Mo" was cared for by frauRommel and young Manfred in Herlingen.. He always remembered their kindness.
My great grandfather was an Italian soldier in ww2 and he fought in Italy against the allied landings on Sicily. He survived the war.
No more brother wars
My grandpa was with the 3rd Army at Bastogne.
I can relate to your Uncle's plight, Paul..I served in 2Para in the South Atlantic of '82. Airborne Regiments the world over are a different breed to others - it doesn't make us any more elite per se, but there's an unwritten code (& I'm not just talking about the Geneva Convention on rules of engagement, here). I don't doubt that the Fallschirmjager (German Paras) treated all the wounded with fairness - & the respect due to each others valour in battle - by & large, they were not Nazis - in fact, historically, they despised the SS, SD & the Gestapo. They were soldiers first & foremost, & on the whole, were apolitical. As with all those who fought at Monte Cassino, they have my respect.
What brave men who fought on this battlefield. may they never be forgotten.
My Father fought with the 34th division.151 fa. But because he spoke fluent Polish he was a liaison office assigned to the polish army at Casino. Still have his metal footlocker with that writing on it.
My Dad was there
Bravo!!
My uncle, John H. McCree was at Monte Cassino, he died a war hero. He held off the Germans so his own troops could move to safer ground. He did this alone. He finally ran out of amunition and was killed. He got a silver star and purple heart. Our family is still trying to get him a congressional medal of honor after all these years.
He gave his all so we may live.
May all the men who fought and died on that hill rest in peace.
AMEN.
Amen
Amen
The germans defended this small hill for 5 months. This battle was one of the craziest battle in ww2
My Grandfather was in the 7.kp 10.Btl of the 4.FschJDiv. In 2011 I was with my father on behalf of my grandfather in the monastery of Monte Cassino - a very memorable place where the many soldiers involved have their final honor. My grandfather actually wanted to go there while he was still alive, because his experiences hadn't let him go, but unfortunately he couldn't do it anymore. Regardless of nationality, I am glad that the descendants of former enemies can exchange ideas here. Never again war in Europe! Merry christmas to you all
The honourable behaviour and warrior spirit during the temporary armistice was moving to hear about.
My great uncle was at Monte Casino and he came back with what we know now as PTSD. I remember him when I was a child, he never really came back from that place. God keep him and all the others.
Well this shows that he has a sensible soul.
My father was in this battle but as an ambulance driver. He survived but had to be a very brave 22 year old ♡
If you're going to to tell the story of only TWO units at Monte Cassino, one of those units should be the one that actually won the battle and captured Monte Cassino, the Polish II Corps. Better yet, if you're going to tell "the soldier's story" that soldier should be Wojtek, the soldier bear, easily one of the most compelling soldier stories of WWII.
French corps was the one who won the battle though
So the New Zealanders take the castle , then get told to go take the town? And it’s just a foot note
@@samarkand1585 Read which flag was put on the monastery after victory, and which units entered there as first.
Polish troops.... ruclips.net/video/m1htPhhNMqY/видео.html
@@samarkand1585 yeah, right. And the Earth is flat too.
My grandfather was there when they bombed the abbey. He was just coming over the hill when the bombs dropped. He took me there when I was 17 and told me the story. The abbey was completely rebuilt, brick by brick. It looks exactly the same as it did before the bombs hit. We stayed at a small youth hostel. I remember the wonderful family that ran it. The wife kept trying to feed me more and more spaghetti because I was so skinny and tall and I had lost 50 lbs backpacking through Europe. That was the best trip of my life. RIP grandpa.
My grandfather fled Austria in 30s to America.then enlisted.his tour ended here when he was wounded due to shrapnel.he was an artillery gunner and due to German heritage he would Interigate pow's.we owe these men everything
I thank you and your family deeply for whats your grandpa did snd for the nice words about our hospitality...!
Sad to say is that the bombing was a bsolutely unecessary under every mitary aspect... And as usual, soldiers like your grandpâ paid the price... Unfortunately “ politic “ runs the world even during war Times... and the history books are written by the winners independently of the specific truth!
God bless you and your family, big hugs from an Italian historian and touristic guide!
Peace and respect to all the heroes (no matter the flag colors and designs) that fought on the ground, and special respect to the two Germans who against all odds saved "all Monte Cassino" all his history and treasures and human lives, and all the architectural plans that was there, so afterwards it was possible to rebuild it brick by brick.
My father was an Engineer building the bridge across the River Rapido at this battle, it is a miracle I am here, terrible conditions.
I think the US 34th inf. Division got a bloody nose crossing the Rapido!
Of all the battles involving the Māori Battalion in the Second World War, none was more brutal or costly than the struggle for Cassino in early 1944. Several Allied attacks had failed before the New Zealanders arrived. On the night of 17/18 February 1944 the Māori Battalion attacked the town's railway station, but when supporting tanks were unable to get through they were forced to withdraw under heavy fire. A and B Companies suffered terrible losses, with 128 out of 200 men killed, wounded or captured. After another unsuccessful attack in March, which saw desperate close-range fighting in the ruins of the town, the New Zealanders were withdrawn in early April. Cassino eventually fell to Polish troops in mid May 1944.
This made me tear up, god, war is so senseless. I pray for these brave souls. May we never forget what they were put through, why, and who put them through it. RIP.
we are on track to repeat history unfortunately
My grandfather fought in this battle he told me Gurkhas didn't like the way the allies plan to attack from front so they disappeared into the dark knowing took a safe route and made it through all the way into hills.
People these days have forgot Monte cassino was the bloodiest fight in ww2. The gurkha rifles reached closest to the castle but germans bombed supply lines which cut the ammunition. There's a book by German general rudolf bomhler who has written about this war. He has described how gurkhas were the fiercest in the battle
Yeah, from everything I've heard and watched, the Gurkha's were some extremely skilled, badass warriors. Nothing but respect for them.
@@abhi739 my father fought with ghurkas..he said they were the best soldiers britain had...father british sas WW2
My grandfather fought in Monte Cassino as "Tirailleurs Algériens" with the Free French forces.
He never told about his war to his sons and to us, his grandchildren. It was a taboo thing. Surely because he has seen too many atrocities and suffered a lot.
R.i.p. Grand Pa 😥
R.i.p. to all soldiers, you will never be forgotten.
My father was a Canadian navigator and bomb aimed in WW2 who was unable to speak about the war for the rest of his life.
Mine too 😢
As a former Royal Engineer, who's first troop was named after the Battle of Monte Cassino, this film fills me with enormous pride.
Well earned. We owe you our thanks and respect. You have both from me for sure
The bombing of the monastery at Cassino was one of the biggest blunders by the Allies in WW2, which killed hundreds of civilians seeking refuge in the monastery. Another blunder was the landing at Anzio, which was omitted here and which resulted in the recall of the US Corps commander in command of the landing. The third blunder was committed by Mark Clark, who, instead of turning his army to the east, thereby cutting off the escape of the German Army from the Gustav line, drove straight to Rome, because he was a glory-seeker and wanted to be the first man to enter the open city of Rome.
another blunder was Australia supporting there dictator in England to stop a dictator in Germany
@@johney3734Churchhill throwing millions of men away into a meatgrinder because an Austrian Painter wanted a little piece of Poland returned. Millions of dead for Danzig, amazingly ridiculous.
Amazing, I’ve just been reading comments for like an hour now. What those men went through, I salute them.
You should read about the saving of the values (ancient books, manuscripts, pictures, statues, and some monks) from Monte Cassino, look around in the internet, you won't regret.
My dad, Cpl Clifton Moody (New Zealand Inf.), was a stretcher bearer who fought in the Battle of Casino. He never spoke of it until just before he passed away in his 90’s. The experience affected him greatly, 😢
My Dad Ken Morse served with the 2nd NZEF
He too never spoke of it until his late 80s. There is a muesem in Gisborne commemorating Maori Battalion Kia Kaha
My grandad was a Lancashire fusilier he went to Dunkirk then El Alamein then Malta then Sicily then monte Cassino he fought with Sikhs gurkers poles newzelanders he told me when he gave me all of his medals that the Italy star was his most precious medal cause it was by far the hardest won medal and then to get called the D day dodgers broke his heart.
A young Englishman assigned to fight with the Gurkhas in the 8th Indian Infantry Division and who would later go on to join the SAS, described the battle for the monastery as the toughest combat he'd experienced. Later, he would use the memories of that first night when requiring inspiration in his later career, as the actor Christopher Lee (Saruman in LOTR to younger fans).
Is that true?
@@ExplicitRenz It is. Look it up.
So many heroes on both sides. Nobody hates war as much as the soldiers who must fight them.
motorcop505 So true
You are really a wise person. You describe the essence of war experience. There`s an aphorism, I think from Platon, sounding like:" Only the dead soldiers have seen the end of war". Those who suffered in war experience are the only ones to tell what war is about. Those who experienced war in a quite convinient manner, far away from danger, are those, who always claim for war again and again.
motorcop505 i was a soldier in combat and i agree with all you say
motorcop505 "Nobody hates war as much as the soldiers who must fight them." You're an idiot.
EJStormful Wrong on all accounts.
Polish, usonians, british, newzelanders, french, algerians, indians, canadians, nepalies, moroccan, italians and germans. They all fought in that battle.
Brazilians too.
Germany Vs the world
Jaunty Duggan, yes and many (most?) of the Americans were ethnically Japanese!
@@lolo-om9rs love the name you chose bro, that is awesome!!
@@lolo-om9rs kind of hurtful there man, I am a non jee that studies the tanakh and loves everyone that beleieves in sonething greater than him or her self. I didnt think a fellow lover of the creator would take offense to me liking his name. I apologize if my loving your name choice offended. I wish you well.
My dad was at Monte Cassino. He said it was the most intense fighting he ever saw, including North Africa,
salute to your dad!
my Grandad was also in Cassino and Africa i wonder if there paths crossed RIP Grandad
I doubt it. The Germans were bogged down in the abbey. In Africa, my dad's battalion was wiped out when the panzers rolled over them. There was nothing like that at Cassino.
No he wasn't
@@zygmuntzielinski6195 Huh? The Germans withdrew, when the French Moroccans encircled them.
This makes me sad, not just for the loss of lives that took place in these wars, but also for the loss of cultural/historical buildings too. Monte Cassino Monastery, built in the 11th century AD. An absolute religious jewel for nearly 1000 years. And then completely destroyed, in under 4 hours, by enemies that were the best of friends again just 5 years later. There should be war crimes for doing such acts.
what is also amazing is how the monastery was rebuilt , what is there now is basically a replica,
An amazing achievement considering the damage that was done.
An entire generation of fighting men, on both sides, lost their youth. The first casualty of war... innocence.
The first causality of war is the infantry
The first casualty of war is truth
My Grandfather fought at Monte Cassino, shattered for life after. He sent back all his medals in disgust of what he'd witnessed and orders he'd had to obey. A sergeant and true man during - afraid to leave his home, ever, on return to England. Dreadful - for allies and Germans alike. True horror. God bless all of you who gave and offered your lives in this diabolical war.
I never found a statement, so wise and reflected, miles away from any chovinism, only people, who really experienced, what war is about, could gather. And to have sons and sons to promote this lesson, about what war really is. God bless your Grandfather and his sons to promote this message of humanity, I myself had a grandfather, which always told me only of the horror of War, not one spark of excitement or honor. He served as a Luftwaffe-pilot in Russia, and I myself, did my duty 18 month in the west-German infantry, after that I was a real pacifist.
Only one remark to your post; be careful what you write, it can't stay "blessings" and "diabolical" together in the same sentence; God isn't our idol that "will do" what we would like him to do, no matter how good and elevated are our wishes; he blesses whom he blesses, and don't blesses whom he don't blesses, hope your grandfather is in the first category, I believe it can be, reading your writing how he felt afterwards.
@@EJStormful i would say my father hated war...british sas. He was your enemy....but hated it. He forbade me to join the military
Very well put together documentary film. It got the view from both sides and also explored the human aspect.
Thank you All for your sacrifice and service to each of your countries . I salute you.
The battle wasn't "for the Abbey" as stated in the title. It was to capture the heights from which the Germans were stopping the Allied drive up the boot of Italy
My dear late father was seriously wounded in the battle of Monte Cassino .. He was a true hero ..
My dad was a sapper, building bridges across the river under full view of the Germans who commanded the heights. He was also a stretcher bearer during and after the battle. Said he saw some terrible injuries.
My great grandad dillon fought in this tragic battle and made it out alive god bless him and all the other soldiers that fought in monte cassino
R.I.P to all who fought in this battle we owe you more than we could ever give
Beautiful to see there can be these moments of peace in the middle of a war.
My Grandfather fought in those mountains. Terrible bitter fighting I'm sure. To mention it, or hear about it, I could almost feel it take over him, consume him. Everytime I watch those old veterans reliving those battles in their mind in through their eyes, and when I see proud men weep, it only instills the understanding and appreciation of what these young men all did for us. Yet like fools we are, we continue to let history repeat itself.
When will we ever learn....we all live, breathe, bleed and die the same & almost always we war for the same damn things, over & over again.
But, as always, that's just my opinion! :(((
I appreciated this documentary! Thank you! I wish that you had also touched on the days between May 20 and June 2, focusing on how the Allies crossed through the Liri Valley and the Melfa river into Rome after the Battle of Ortona.
The Canadians did that opened Liri Vally and crossed the Melfa river and finally opened the road to Rome, then Clark the POS that he was told Canadian Army to Stop and pull over so his glorious US Troops could pass by and he thought he would get all the Glory of Liberating Rome, unfortunately for Clark, Normandy happened a few days later and stole all the headlines, and Canadian Troops in the 1st SSF " Devils Brigade" had already passed thru Rome
The German paratroopers were an elite force.
@@kowalski8 So you Kowalskis had that much trouble with "cowards"?
No film about them
most elite fighting force ever known
@@teddyQuake waffen ss liebstandarte division was the most elite force along side with Nordland.Paratroopers was elite as well but they were not that good as SS
@@kowalski8 So you were there A dumb ars
Thank - you . Survivors . Excellent recreations/re-enactments and acting with some little reality film.
Thank you for the documentaries..!
My Grandfather served with The First Special Service Force in Italy. He said he was at Monte Casino not sure if The Devil's Brigade participated in the battle for the Abbey. I remember him talking about it how The U,S, Airforce pan caked it by carpet bombing the Abbey making strong defensive positions for the Germans in the rubble
Such men.Human courage at it's finest.And yet, I expect they all,to a man,would have described themselves as just ordinary fellas.And they were.And capable of extraordinary actions.I have great respect for them all.
Thank you for posting this very interesting video.
My Grandad was Pole in Anders Army, Fought the Russians as a cavalry ensign in 1939, captured though lucky not to be murdered by the soviets, walked from Siberia to Palastine with the rest of the Poles and eventually fought at Monte Cassino.
All the way from Siberia? It's a shame that so little people liked your comment, respect
"a real hero is a drunk or an idiot"
by this logic, I must be a super hero!
I'll drink to that!
At 2:25, "For over 3 hours Allied bombers drop a thousand tons of bombs on the town of Cassino and the german paratroopers inside...", And let us not also forget, all the citizens living there.
My Father was there, he was a Tank Commander with the 20th New Zealand Armored Regiment. His Tank got hit by a shell from a Stug, how I know this is by reading both sides of the battle. The Sherman survived and the Stug retreated to get more ammo and refuel.
My Father had fought in Greece, Crete and North Africa before fighting through Italy.
My Mother and Father went to a Reunion with the the famous Fallschirmjager in Munich.
The 20th NZ Battalion was the most decorated Battalion in the British Empire, Charlie Upham, Jack Hinton.... my Dad got an Oak Leaf Bar, the 20th Battalion had suffered 397 KIA.
My father was in this batel. It changed his life and afected him for the rest of his life.
Yet another wartime story to show quite clearly what a bloody waster of lives, war really is. Great to see that vets of both sides telling their stories. Thanks for sharing.
Glory to Pólish troops who fought like lions and extreme bravery at Monte Casino ! Compliments from France !
That means a lot comming from frenchman i guess better than from an italen
@@@AaBb-od3ig : Why do you say that ? Italians are ( almost ...) as good catholics as the Poles and in this harsh battle of Monte Cassino, the Poles had nothing against the Italians who were following the Germans reluctantly and hoping secretly that they would be defeated ! As for the History between France and Poland it is a long "love ( and sometimes hate....) story ". A French king ( Henry III ) was elected King of Poland in the XVIth century ( not appreciated by the Poles...and with good reasons...), Napoleon fought for the freedom of Poland but then dropped them after he retreated from Russia, but the Napoleonic episode had two further consequences on the Polish/French relationships : Napoleon had a ( ravishing ! ) young Polish girl as mistress, Mrs Walewska, with whom he had a son who 50 years later became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France ( Count Walevski ) with Napoleon´s nephew, Napoleon III. This count Walewski who hated Russia was he who convinced Napoleon III to join the Brits. in the Crimea war against Russia...But more peacefully, the retreat of Russia from Napoleon I troops had an enormous consequences on the history of music : a wounded French soldier was left in a Warsaw hospital and married his Polish nurse....He was the father of Frederic Chopin...The good side of wars...
Don't give me that! The Poles marched into an empty abbey and raised their flag. You French troops won the battle. Us New Zealanders were there also, but we lost, unfortunately (twice).
@@@peace-now : "Victory is a child with many fathers... whilst defeat is always an orphan child !" ( French Marshal Foch in 1917 after the Somme battle ).
@@Wottan007 Vive la France!!! Napoleon Bonaparte to his soldiers - "Drink like the Poles but also fight like the Poles".
ONE OF THE BEST NARRATED CHANNELS ON YOU TUBE.. WELL DONE SIR!
The Father in Law from my Sister Hans Duwe told me he was heavly wounded in Monte Cassino in Service as a Paratrooper, his Neck was hit by a Granatpiece and he lay nearly 2 days in front of the own lines before he was recovered by his comrades.
He showed me his Neckwound and while he told me that Story tears running from his eyes , he said he lay alone in front of the German lines and no one could reach him for 2 days he tought he would die there.
He was a old Man as i met him but he was fitter then most youngsters driving more then 100km per day with his old Bicycle, a tough Man and a lucky one because he survived the War, my grandfather member of the Luftwaffe too did it not home he is missing in Action in Sept. 44 in eastern Romania, a father of 4 lil Children with no intentions to be a Soldier he was a soft Man his only interest was his Family.
My Father served as a born Algerian in the French Army during the independence War in the desert.
Sturminfantrist what a horrible experience he had. War is a terrible thing.
I hope we never forget these story’s
My grandfather fought in this war but i never understood as a kid why he never wanted to talk about te war. He took his secrets in his grave, rip grandpa.
Combat soldiers usually only talk wit their equals. Only they can really understand the conversation. War is ugly to say the least. Your relative gave us all our freedom, an incredible legacy.
This film just treats about one episode of the battle of Monte Cassino. The authors did not bother to mention how many waves of formation and which formation in particular did attack Monte Cassino. It is worth to mention that there were many troops not only British. On attacking side were also Americans, Poles, New Zealanders, South Africans and French including colonial Moroccan and Algerian troops and also Gurkha (India ) . German army were finally conquered by Polish II Corps which in heroic battle lost excess of 1000. At the end of the film, it was mention that Polish entered the ruins of the kloster , however , no detail followed
cpppak thanks for standing up for everybody who was not properly given full benefit I don't like this timeline documentary it seems chopped up I'm not sure where they come from and they do not seem fully informative of the complete picture that they're trying to tell I've been very disappointed in them. As I am a historian at heart and in my profession it disturbs me to see this as something that our youth is learning from. It was not like this 40 years ago there was more information out there that was true then there is today.
The polish went in and killed every german ? Out of spite for killing 10,000,polish officers!later they found out the russians killed the officers but said the germans dit it!
The Canadians also had their fingers in this mess of a pie.
No more of these myths. The French and Moroccans won the battle, not the Poles. The Poles were no better than the Kiwis - both lost.
@B Whit You have to read about the Battle of Cassino. There were four battles in all. New Zealand was involved with battles two and three.
The biggest honor is when you have respect of your enemy 💯🙏💪
I have heard of a story , when during the fight, Christians came, and for that day, they sat down together, both sides Polish and Germans, and had the Christians dinner together. To me, that is one of the most beautiful stories from those times.
I also remember, when I went on a school trip to the museum at the concentration camp. A group of students was there from Germany, and I have seen them cry, at the " death wall". That I will never forget for the rest of my life. All the best
Polish losses in this battle: about 900 dead and about 3000 wounded. Detailed and eyewitnessed descritpion of this battle from Polish side in Melchior Wankowicz's three volume "Monte Cassino Battle" - very rich in photography
I'm Canadian and my grandfather was there. He fought with the Poles and said they were excellent soldiers and fierce fighters. A strong bond formed between the Canadians and Poles and it's part of the reason why there is such a large Polish population here today. (Particularly in Ontario) I was happy when Poland finally got Its freedom and I was happy when Poland joined NATO. If anyone ever threatens us, Poles and Canadians will fight together again.
www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-monte-cassino-the-hope-that-bloomed-in-the-rubble-of-war/
Michał Kasprowicz Polish bear soldier
@Hoang Jet We are won the war but lost the country to soviet in Jalta and Potsdam , Poland was left behind Red wall. Polish nation suffer 70 years of soviet regime.
@@djs164 But first you have to get rid of Justin Trudeau. He morally is not fit to be your Prime Minister. Greetings from Sydney.
@@djs164 You have right, there was some kind of link between our nations. Look at relations between Polish pilots from 303 Squadron and their flight commander John Alexander Kent. ; ) I suppose you know Janusz Żurakowski and Władysław Potocki, a test pilots of first canadian jet qaircrafts (Avro Canada ) ; )
My uncle died here on May 11th 1944 during an offensive. His official date of death was the 12th when his body was finally found and buried.
Rest in Paradise🙏🏻
My father was there..Brunon Bogucki...very.proud...kind regards.from.the netherlands
My father was with the Canadian PPCLI (Princess Patricia's Canadian LIght Infantry). Like most soldiers, he didn't talk much about it but he told me after the battle was finally over and a role call was made, only 18 of his Company B survived. I have a picture of that Company taken in Surrey. It saddens me almost everytime I look at it to think that most of the 100 men or so were killed in that one battle. BTW - he did survive the campaign!
People here should watch the documentary *Hellstorm.* Probably an insight into a side of WWII you haven't seen.
I've seen it 3 times and it really makes you think about the phrase: "history is written by the victor"
does it relate to the fact that Britain targeted german citys etc? every one had a camp, Russia was far worse and murdered more? out tech comes from Germany after? also how the german London attacks as far as bombing the city goes comes from retaliation of Britain bombing civvies
@@quarreneverett4767 Just what point are you making? Of course the allies targeted German cities - it was total war and it was fought totally. The Germans were the first to bomb the cities. Rotterdam was bombed by the Luftwaffe - why would the British or anyone baulk at bombing German civilians - Foolish statements. None of the above was in any way secretive or covered up. RAF Bomber Command did what was expected of them.
The allies underestimated the Germans at this battle. Gotta give 'em credit for their tenacity.
German elite forces were truly fierce.
The Allies consistantly under estamated the Germans. Thinking about WW2 in an unbiased fashion, one has to be awed by what they accomplished, and what they almost accomplished. Tremendous commitment and courage. Hats off to all who fought for their countries. The Greatest Generation, not to be seen again, ever.
@@tobyfiver4117 they didn't fight for their countries, multiple ppl of different countries fought for an evil idealology. nazis had more divisions then USA, UK, France, Italy and Poland had COMBINED, and they were allied with only country who had more, then they turned on them and we know how that ended up.
Not ALL German soldiers were NAZIS ... This is a Stupid thinking.
The regime and ideology was rotten, but absolurely not ALL soldiers were Nazis at all !!
A very moving program, one of my uncle's fought there. Let us not forget those Germans that died there. We may be celebrating 75 years since VE-Day this week, but we should also remember those in Germany who suffered and died in the same conflict.
When I was a kid my grandfather used to tell us about WWII. He was in the 3rd Marine Division in the Pacific. He told us about trying to sleep on Iwo Jima. They couldn't even dig out a proper foxhole. They slept in craters from bombs. He said all night you would hear people moving or running and, of course, that's when the Japanese would come out and toss a grenade or fire into a crater.
On Guam he said you could hear everything in the jungle. I can't imagine being totally exhausted and then trying to sleep in the middle of a battlefield. Yea, you have 1 guy awake to keep an eye out but you are totally vulnerable when you are asleep.
I have a letter my grandfather wrote to my grandmother right after he got back on a ship after Iwo. He said he slept on the floor of a storage room that was only 4 feel long.
The last few weeks he was on Iwo, they did have proper camps set up but there were still Japanese in tunnels on the mountain and they would take pot shots towards American camps. That's not as bad as sleeping in a crater but I still can't imagine sleep was easy.
He said guys were sleeping everywhere on the ship. He happened to find a little closet and opted for that over sleeping on deck.
I mention this because we often think about the battle and forget about things like having to sleep and there is no easy way to do that on a battlefield.
My father finally told me that in addition to the previously mentioned, the elevation and cold weather made sleep almost impossible.
@@barbaraguntfat2699 Oh, I never thought about that. I grew up in the Colorado mountains at 7,000 ft altitude. I now live in New Mexico at 5,000 feet. That isn't a big deal but you have to be used to it, your body needs time to adapt to altitude.
I just looked it up, Monte Casino is at 1,700 ft and going up the mountain is probably another 300 to 500 feet. That's not a huge factor but if you are coming from sea level, you are going to feel that, especially in physically and mentally stressful situations. One more thing to add to the misery.
R.I.P Francis McGinn, Gunner: 1st Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery. May 23, 1944
My great uncle died there the 23 of May as well his name was Charlie Glencross from Canada Carleton and York company R.C.I.C.
@@trevorfillmore698 So sad they made it this far in the war and the end was so near.
@@XtremeCanada your right my wife had a great uncle that only had 2 days left till his leave and was going to meet up with her grandfather but got in a rigged vehicle and was killed after the war was over. His name was Melvin Collins if we keep saying there names they won't be forgotten we are teaching our 7 year old boy about his ancestors that were in the war he has his great grandfather's medals in a shadow box something I look at all the time.
@@trevorfillmore698 They are all heroes forever. Thanks for sharing your family story. "Lest we forget"
17:04 😢
Needless brother wars... terrible.
all wars are terrible and needless mate
2nd European Civil Suicidal War.
Me and my family went to a trip in Italy for visiting Rome , Venice , Sorrento and other popular cities. We would travel with a travel bus and the entertainer asked if we wanted to stop at a cemetry , turns out it was the Cassino cemetry. It's the biggest cemetry of canadian soldier's I've seen ever. And now they're talking about it on my history class. What a time to be alive!
Why the Canadians attacked the Germans?
My grandfather James Hall was there a fought all the way too the Po River Valley where he earned his 5th Bronze Star.
Cassino was hold from Fallschirmjäger , and at the end one Tank. (Sturmgeschütz). Against an anemy with tanks and a lot of artillery. They hold the mountin over months. The german loss rate was 95%! One of the greatest feats of arms in WW2.
bombin that monastery creates the perfect hunting ground for Fallschirmjäger
Next the Poles would say they bombed the abbey.
Like Stalinngrad it was turned into a wilderness of rubble, the perfect conditions to defend, a nightmare to attack.
@@peace-now Why don't you leave Poles alone, Ober SturmFurer. GET A LIFE !
love this stuff.
On my travels through Italy, I purposefully went to Monte Cassino. Loved it.
I've never seen a doc on this. So interesting to get both points of view for each event
That's not to say anything about you directly. i just appreciated your comment.
Hope you bloody joking
First learn your history lessons, then have a discussion, your ignorant.
6 million? Lol, you mean 11 million. It wasn't just Jews who died by the way. The Fallschirmjaeger who fought at Monte Cassino had nothing to do with that.
Snake The NZ 28th Maori Battalion.Iv seen a still of some Fallscrimjager prisoners being covered by a Maori soldier with a thompson.Lest we forget🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿
Extrange to hear the mexican song "Bésame Mucho" (Kiss me a lot) in that place.
A brazilian relative of a friend lost his life at Cassino. He was part of the Brazilian Force fighting there.
Brazilians never fought at Monte Cassino, they fought the battle of monte castello some months later.
I had family there at that time. I finally get to learn more about it.
Never understood the word "casualty". The word originates from 'casual' - a chance occurrence. Most of these poor men who ended up casualties in this brutal blunder of a battle had no chance at all in one stupid frontal assault after another. Great doc.
Casualties are not the same as killed. Casualties is the sum of both wounded and killed.
Etymologically, the word "casualty" does come from "casual", but from a different meaning from it. Casual is one of those irritating words in the English language that has dual meanings. On the one hand, it can mean "relaxed" or "carefree", but on the other hand also means "chance happening". Casualty, hence, literally means "chance event", in reference to the chance event of a person injured in war or through other means.
Ty, I Googled it. From the Latin root word "casus" meaning 'event,' casualty has evolved several usages in English. Get in an accidental event in Britain and they don't take you to ER, they take you to the Casualty Department. In California, you might buy insurance against the chance of an accidental event from California Casualty Company. You might say that land line telephones will eventually be casualty of the proliferation of cell phones. However, I hope you are never a casualty in the event of a war, because we will all be so in the next big one. Unlike royal-ty, or penal-ty, cruel-ty, or liber-ty, casual-ty has lost touch with it's un-suffixed base word, casual.
actual the base word casual is the idea of chance events, so when you are "carefree" you are being casual. casual dress is carefree and you are "taking your chances" with your dress. the Latin would be the derivate of the word.
My grandfather fought in this battle with the British Royal Fusiliers. Glad he was only wounded and not killed, as I wouldn't have been able to write this comment. Have a nice day ! :)
My late father was in this (Canadian) and wounded. He suffered from PTSD all his life.
As I wrote above, this shows that he has a sensible soul.
Thank you.
The German Fallschirmjager (Paratrooper) were not part of the Heer (Army) but the Luftwaffe (Air Force
).
The Green Devils.
The Fallshirmjager(paretroopers) were pretty tough in Normandy too!
@@hugbug4408 they were very tough everywhere they fought.
Lest We Forget, i am thankful i hav'nt had to experience what they lived thru because they live on thru their story echoing down da corridor of Time
Monte Cassino was taken by Poles under general Anders. The only cemetery at the foot of Monte Cassino is a Polish cemetary.
wilhelm grueth and a german one
If it weren`t the polish, the english, american, Indian or northafrican or French or newseeland soldiers would have taken the rest of Casino. German paratroopers had almost left the mountain, when polish soldiers came. It was just another brick in a wall that meanwhile existed only by wholes.
The Commonwealth cemetery is about half a mile south of town. Look it up.
My Grandad's brother was killed at Monte casino and is in the Commonwealth cemetery there and he was English not Polish !
Monte Cassino was not taken, the Germans evacuated it.
Excellent production! Much respect for both the Germans and the English. No more brother wars!
I visited the rebuilt monastery atop Monte Cassino in 2004 as well as the city of Cassino and the Commonwealth and German cemeteries. I could see how this terrain became a complete hellhole.
Am glad to see the graves and some remain weapons and pictures of the 2nd world war and now one of the greatest town in Italy cassino
12:50 "No one will expect a frontal attack, it will surprise the enemy."
-Last words, British Major, WW2.
Sounds like something from 'Blackadder goes forth'.
WWI especially
Cheeky little doc on monte casino pops up and I'm like yeah okay 👌
It's interesting the level of honour among enemies held within this battle. Quite remarkable