I think there is enough stuff for the next months to cover. Besides it would realy ofputting with the continuity of the channel. Like you're watching the news today and suddenly they report about things happend that day but in 2014. But maybe when the war is over some animations with the fronts over the course of the whole war would be nice.
Trouble only is, in many places the lines were just wrong. For example the front line was never East of Colmar and Mulhouse (in Southern Alsace). The French never took Colmar during the war, they took Mulhouse twice in 1914 but were thrown out both times. The actual front line in the Alsace was far more in the West. And this is only an example.
I'm a bit late for this story but 100 years ago this week my great grand father was involved into an event that remains quite vivid in Belgium. He lived in the Liège region when the war broke out and he didn't have the time to enlist when Germany overtook the city. Since they were trapped behind the front line, he and his brothers had waited ever since for a way to join what remained of the Belgian army in Ypres. On the night of the 3 january, they went on board of the Atlas V, a tugboat on the Meuse river piloted by Jules Hentjens and Charles Balbour. Hentjens was a resistant since the beginning of the war and he wanted to help volunteers like my great grand father to cross the border with Netherlands so that they could join the front line. He had spent nights reinforcing his boat with steel plates while his wife and sister had recruited a total of 103 people for the expedition. It was very cold that night and the current was violent because of the recent bad weather. This was actually an ideal situation since the barrages on the river had to be lifted to avoid a flood. But it also made the navigation much more dangerous as the sand banks were now larger. When it went underway, the Altas could float for a while without making noise, drifting on the current. It passed Herstal and Jupille without getting noticed, but when it reached Hermalle (about 15 kilometers away from the border) the boat was spotted by a sentry who gave the alarm. They soon were chased by a german patrol boat that tried to approach the Altas by behind. But Hentjes suddently put the engine at full speed and the german boat got stuck into the wake and was sunk by the current. The Germans had set up machine guns and spotlights on the riverbank, so the Atlas was soon under heavy fire from both sides. In Visé, the Germans had built a wooden bridge to replace the railway bridge that was blown out by the army during the retreat. The Atlas was almost as large as the space between pillars! Hentjens went through anyway, tearing off a pillar and 20 meters of the bridge, throwing machine gunners into the Meuse. In the boat, the passengers are badly shaken by the impact. When leaving Visé, they were met by an armorer boat that barred the river and fired at them. Since they didn't have much choice, Hentjes and Balbour rammed the German ship and sunk it on the spot. Last obstacle : the Germans had stretched steel chains and electrified wires across the river at the border. Hopefully, the Altas had enough momentum to cut through. They crossed the border at Eijsden around 1am and nobody (I think) was hurt in the Atlas. In the morning, the German sent a commando to capture Hentjes, but he could escape. His wife and sisters were arrested tough, the rest of the passengers were greeted by expatriated families. My great grand father and his three brothers took a boat to England, enlisted in the army, then join the King at Ypres. They were lucky enough to all make it back after the war and I don't know much about what happened there, but when you compare the before/after pictures of them, you can see that something changed in their eyes.
They where there in exchange for rifles for the Russia army. That basically sums up just how f*cked up this war became. Russia traded soldiers just to get some rifles from the French who in turn where running out of manpower to fill the lines...
Love the new animations guys!!! that was probably the best map of the first world war that i have ever seen. It really shows the power of the central powers at this point
For The Great War: So now it's 1917, America is still to be seen. The artilleries ring, launching gas the dastardly thing. Trains now are part of the shelling and Soldiers are still yelling. As the French prepare to assault With their Renault. Which they are going to show, can pack quite the blow. For its tiny size, a revolution it will give rise. And above it all, A new hero will stand tall. His death his enemy will yearn, as they watch their allies burn. He is a mighty bane in his triplane. And to Patton we will thank, for giving the metal beasts their rank.
This is by far one of the best channels on here. Even compared to Discovery, History channel etc. these guys blow them out of the water by a mile stretch. Amazing work, this is exactly what patreon is for when serious people do what they do best!
The way the Entente treated Greece, AFTER putting up such a row about Belgian neutrality, really makes me mad. So, after making the claim that sovereign nations neutrality means so much to us, we will just go in and take full control of a nation, and force it into the war on our side. Yeah. That sounds real great.
Entente behavior towards Greece has indeed been harsh - disgracefully so, in my opinion - but the forces invading here seem to be strangely slow to adopt the striking example set by another Power very recently, in places such as Liège, Andenne, Leuven, Dinant, Aarschot, Andenne, Seilles, and Tamines. A proponent of Schrechlichkeit would also take exception to the failure to conduct slave raids to fill the forced-labor camps so useful in producing weapons of war, or even to plunder to help pay the wages of those doing the raping. The first casualty in war is not truth. It is decency. All lose some. Some lose all.
To be fair, Greece's elected government was all for joining the Entente in the war. It was the germanophile king who opposed that, and the Entente's measures were calculated to erode his authority, not control and humiliate Greece as a whole. Although they might have gone a bit overboard with the flag thing.
This is the best video on the great war so far. Man I love the animation and explanation of all the fronts and Romania was well covered. Romania was perhaps one of the greatest central powers victory of ww1 and an example of their combine teamwork.
Discovered the channel relatively recently, and have been marathoning ever since. I even eat my lunch at my desk, so that I can squeeze two episodes to my lunch break. It's astonishing realization for me, how criminally ignorant I was. I doubt that any horror movie will be able to scare me in my life anymore. THE BEST CHANNEL EVER!
I once spent a day visiting the ruins at Verdun. Douaumont, Mort-Homme etc. It's memorable. After a while you are almost in shock. It's a monstrous horror ..
Hey Indy and team. Love your show so much. Never heard so much about the war on the eastern front and Africa before. Thank you so much for focusing on this. Could you tell me something more or do a special about 'Ober-Ost'. I think that the war has never been coverd with such intense and passion as you guys are doing it. Thanks so much, greetings from Germany.
Excellent episode this week! My grandfather, who lived in rural Tennessee, recalled Wilson's Presidential slogan (He Kept Us Out of War) and comments about staying out of the European war. He said, "I didn't believe him, nor did anybody else I knew. We all figured the US would be in it by 1917." My grandfather went on to become a sergeant in the AEF, and served in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in 1918. I still have parts of his uniform and equipment, including his bayonet, helmet, canteen and tunic. Thanks again-I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
"We butchered a few million of our youngest and brightest, squandered our citizens' money and ruined their lives, let's agree on a draw and call this off, 'kay?" is not a message you want to sell back home. Especially after you've convinced your people that you're on the brink of winning against the devil incarnate. That quote about not allowing Belgium to become a British outpost is equally depressing. The same mindset and thinking in Great Power rivalry like before the War.
Hey, I only watch these videos every once in a while when I have time so what were you referring to at the beginning of the video by the biggest British military humiliation?
A marvelous, appropriate, moving, informative episode. One of the best, in an increasing accumulation of great great war episodes. Many thanks, wish I could reward you with moar!
"... but the war grows ever more bloody. Happy New Year." Why thank you, I needed that downer. Seriously that was perhaps the most powerful message yet, wrapped in a normally positive wish for others. Sombre to the point of depressing, more than previously.
I would greatly appreciate it, if 'The Great War' channel, can make a video focusing and pertaining *Iran* (Persia before 1935), it's geopolitical complexities etc in the war. I know it didn't have a big play/participation as much, compared to other Countries.
About that comparison of the Verdun battlefield and London's parks - here's another comparison: if you were to add up all the green spaces in London into one giant park, they say you would be able to fit Paris into it. If that's true, then the Verdun battlefield was roughly the size of Paris. Loving the channel, guys - have a great 2017!
FINALLY! I've been burning through the week by week vids for about a month and a half and now I'm FINALLY in the same year. Can't wait to officially watch along week to week and get the full experience.
Happy new year Indi and team :D so glad you showed us the fronts as they currently are. I only wish you could do it more often as its difficult to visualize sometimes :)
HOLY SHIT THESE GRAPHICS ARE INCREDIBLE Seriously I've been watching this channel for years and I am so excited you guys have funding for this kind of stuff!!!!!!! GREAT WORK GUYS!!
I've been watching this channel for a year and a half and can't believe we are at 1917. I've been so excited for each episode that time has slowed to a crawl. As I say this I am reflective upon how time must of passed on the front and how miserably slow time it must of been. The men and boys who fought in this war have my unending respect for continuing to trudge on through this living hell day by day. Happy New Year to the memory of all who fought, lived and died in this madness
Hi! Just wanted to say I love the show and it's editing! The footage is really nice, the maps are easy to understand, and it shocks me how you guys prepare these so quick. I find myself wondering about new Great War episodes more than TV now. PS: The intro never fails to give me chills, the music and the images make it so eerie. Is there a way I can download one of the images so I can use it as a wallpaper?
The Great War I bet it was like wow, we have come this far?!. I'm glad you guys have done well for telling history in a very non-bias way over two and half years.
the frontline map really gave me a sense of what was going on. I was a bit confused the last few months on the general positions of the different frontlines. Mabey this can be something that comes back once in a while. Keep it up!
***** I did a lot of research on Afganistan and the best videos I've found are on Funker580 which are real combat footage from helmet cams. Not that I don't agree with you that I don't know how it's out there, but I was trying to illustrate just how horrible Verdun was, and believe me it was probably one of the worst battles to be in since it's objective was to literaly kill as many people as possible. Were talking around 600 000 casaulties. Also my friends dad was an officer in Afganistan and in Croatia 1991-95.
Well it would make just almost anything pale in comparison but unfortunately not everything to follow. I swear people are looking for excuses to complain.
When this channel started I thought it would be great to have detailled maps with frontlines in them. Now you have them, exactly as I imagined it, that's really amazing!
Hi. I'm J. V. Stalin. I read your Reddit post about a WWII Channel, I read your arguments and I understand them. You could maybe, after The Great War ends, make a channel about other twentieth century wars that wasn't as huge as WWII (Like the Corean War, the Sino-Russian war, etc), that would be less expensive and easier to make. I know you have that other channel, It's History, that explains some other wars, but it would be good if some of them are more detailed in some sort of The Great War. sequel.
Indy and the team… you guys are doing such a good job! I am a huge geography nerd and those maps were really helpful. Keep up the good work and I can't wait for your videos as the year goes on
The capture of Braila must have meant a lot for the Bulgarians. This city was the location where one of the most popular Bulgarian books took place. The book was written by national hero Ivan Vazov and is about Bulgarian immigrants during the time their homeland was part of the Ottoman empire. There the immigrants lived in poverty and misery and showcased how the Romanians saw themselves as a stronger and more unified nation. But then the city falls to the Bulgarians and the Romanians are defeated. I have no idea what the Bulgarians must've felt like and thought when the city fell.
IMMEDIATELY noticed the uptick in animation quality. Well done, I'm excited to see how far you've come! Also, I got Peter Hart's "The Great War" for Christmas. I'm very nearly done with it. Excellent read, thank you for the recommendation!
Generally speaking, it's best to be the last side to join in a serious fight. If you imagine, say, you're trying to beat up Mike Tyson, it's a lot easier to do so after he's had to fight Evander Holyfield for an hour while you're still sitting comfortably on the sidelines.
Happy New Year. This channel is awesome. The history channels in TV, could really learn from the great structure you use here, when you handle subjects of the great war.
I did not know that the French had almost reached the Rhine in southern Alsace, all of my maps have the front in the Vosges west of Colmar and Mulhouse through Altkirch in the Sudgau region to the Swiss border.
+ Mark Haushahn Actually it looks like a 1914 map, not a 1917 one. There's the French advance in Alsace, and the German advance in Champagne too. Reims or Soissons were not in German hands anymore after the battle of the Marne in 1914. It's a cool map, but it would be better if it was more accurate
Mark Haushahn the "plan 17" was made to recover Alsace-Moselle from the Germans but it almost failed, French troops were rejected from Alsace-Moselle except for some lands. Thus the Western Front was not only fought in France, there was a small part of Belgium in the North and a very small part of Germany in the South
+Bart Provencal yeah, yeah, we will make it more accurate the next time. It was a major undertaking for our small team to get all this together, now we can fine tune it.
I was stationed outside of El Arish when serving in the MFO, 1989/90. The North Camp is to the east, and I cycled there a couple of times with a buddy.
Lol! I suspected the whole "Oh, that we had this then" notion. Unavoidable. With or without the animations, you are masters of your craft. What was already great just got better.
+Herp Derp no. they were simply a division sent over to the Western front when the Entente needed them. And they have been there for a while. We talked about them.
Did not mean to suggest they weren't normal infantry, just brave and skilled, some picked fighters from 1915. Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Commander of the French Army, awarded the Russian Regiment with a special flag after their actions on September 12, where the Regiment managed to pierce the German defenses, making its way through 3 lines of fortifications and capturing prisoners and materials, despite taking heavy losses.
I thought I would add that my Grandfather and his 3 brothers enlisted for the U.S. Army almost a 100 years ago today. According to his DD-214, my Grandfather fought in every major American engagement and it appeared that he was gassed at the end of the war. He died when he was 45 years of age reportedly just collapsing while hanging laundry. The rest of his brothers lived longer and as far as I know were not gassed. My question is, what sort of statistics if any were kept on those veterans who were gassed and lived passed the war? You guys are doing a great job! This will be a great resource for future generations. Excellent!
People keep talking shit about the EU, but fuck that, can you imagine how beneficial it is to have all of Europe be allies as opposed to THIS? imagine if the EU happened in 1914. Almost the whole would be united and there would be no more wars. alas we can only dream.
People forget... 40 years ago, a war opposing France and Germany was still seen by french and germans as possible. Now they are best friends (forever ?) People thinks it's not possible anymore, they think links are too strong among european countries. Well, to keep the France and Germany example, Germany was the first trade partner of France in 1914, so it is today ; it didn't stop them to make war. Finally, the most terrific of all, some people are just curious and wouldn't mind to destroy the whole EU, all those friendships created and preparing wars just to see what will happen
RoScFan The EU was was a great idea, but it has become an antidemocratic superstate that tramples the political and economic interests of the more peripheral countries in favour of Germany and to a lesser extent France. When you see sovereign national laws being quashed by unelected EU institutions, institutions that as preferred course of action _fine_ weaker economies (the classic paradox of debter's prison), it all brings home the idea that effective democracy must be reconquered, and the only way to force that on a bureaucratic and financial nightmare like the EU is to get out, and perhaps try again. It won't last long anyhow.
"The war goes ever more bloody- Happy New Year" that was something i didn't expect lol it's a very nice animation and the maps are getting better ... you're very good
Thanks for your continued work and research in helping us understand the monumental event that this war was. Hope you all had a great Christmas (or whichever holidays you celebrate) and please keep up the good work!
Thank you very much for your wonderful presentations! I sincerely hope you continue in your quest for historical accuracy. And a Happy New Year to you and your team as well!!
Everyone's asking for a WWII channel but I'm still holding out that you'll do a week by week coverage of the Hundred Years' War.
Kueller917J LOL
The Hundred Years War wasn't really a constant state of open war though.
come on, have a laugh
kueller I am interested in him doing a livestream narrating the Anglo-Zanzibar war....
I don't think our dear Indy want to live for that long, guys.
These fronts maps are amazing, awesome work :)
Would be rad if they could go back and redo some of the older episodes.
I think there is enough stuff for the next months to cover. Besides it would realy ofputting with the continuity of the channel. Like you're watching the news today and suddenly they report about things happend that day but in 2014. But maybe when the war is over some animations with the fronts over the course of the whole war would be nice.
François A In a few weeks after I write this the Soviet Russia would be created (February 1, 1917)
The animations for the front lines were marvellous. Well done TGW!
Trouble only is, in many places the lines were just wrong. For example the front line was never East of Colmar and Mulhouse (in Southern Alsace). The French never took Colmar during the war, they took Mulhouse twice in 1914 but were thrown out both times. The actual front line in the Alsace was far more in the West. And this is only an example.
I'm a bit late for this story but 100 years ago this week my great grand father was involved into an event that remains quite vivid in Belgium. He lived in the Liège region when the war broke out and he didn't have the time to enlist when Germany overtook the city. Since they were trapped behind the front line, he and his brothers had waited ever since for a way to join what remained of the Belgian army in Ypres. On the night of the 3 january, they went on board of the Atlas V, a tugboat on the Meuse river piloted by Jules Hentjens and Charles Balbour. Hentjens was a resistant since the beginning of the war and he wanted to help volunteers like my great grand father to cross the border with Netherlands so that they could join the front line. He had spent nights reinforcing his boat with steel plates while his wife and sister had recruited a total of 103 people for the expedition. It was very cold that night and the current was violent because of the recent bad weather. This was actually an ideal situation since the barrages on the river had to be lifted to avoid a flood. But it also made the navigation much more dangerous as the sand banks were now larger. When it went underway, the Altas could float for a while without making noise, drifting on the current. It passed Herstal and Jupille without getting noticed, but when it reached Hermalle (about 15 kilometers away from the border) the boat was spotted by a sentry who gave the alarm. They soon were chased by a german patrol boat that tried to approach the Altas by behind. But Hentjes suddently put the engine at full speed and the german boat got stuck into the wake and was sunk by the current. The Germans had set up machine guns and spotlights on the riverbank, so the Atlas was soon under heavy fire from both sides. In Visé, the Germans had built a wooden bridge to replace the railway bridge that was blown out by the army during the retreat. The Atlas was almost as large as the space between pillars! Hentjens went through anyway, tearing off a pillar and 20 meters of the bridge, throwing machine gunners into the Meuse. In the boat, the passengers are badly shaken by the impact. When leaving Visé, they were met by an armorer boat that barred the river and fired at them. Since they didn't have much choice, Hentjes and Balbour rammed the German ship and sunk it on the spot. Last obstacle : the Germans had stretched steel chains and electrified wires across the river at the border. Hopefully, the Altas had enough momentum to cut through. They crossed the border at Eijsden around 1am and nobody (I think) was hurt in the Atlas. In the morning, the German sent a commando to capture Hentjes, but he could escape. His wife and sisters were arrested tough, the rest of the passengers were greeted by expatriated families. My great grand father and his three brothers took a boat to England, enlisted in the army, then join the King at Ypres. They were lucky enough to all make it back after the war and I don't know much about what happened there, but when you compare the before/after pictures of them, you can see that something changed in their eyes.
Thank you for sharing. I never read these because I always assumed people online lie, but I'm happy I took the time to read this
What a story
That 1 Russian division on the Western Front is just like; "We do not really know why we are here, but okay"
+Comrade just saw a picture today where they have a few drinks with some doughboys
were here, because were here, because, were here, because were here, because, were here, because were here (sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne).
They where there in exchange for rifles for the Russia army. That basically sums up just how f*cked up this war became. Russia traded soldiers just to get some rifles from the French who in turn where running out of manpower to fill the lines...
Comrade CHEEKI BREEKI
Cáca Milis sa Seomra Spraoi Cue Slav Squat over No-mans land.
Love the new animations guys!!! that was probably the best map of the first world war that i have ever seen. It really shows the power of the central powers at this point
+Juan Henao but don't forget their food situation as pointed out in our Christmas episode. The map does not show this.
For The Great War:
So now it's 1917,
America is still to be seen.
The artilleries ring,
launching gas the dastardly thing.
Trains now are part of the shelling and
Soldiers are still yelling.
As the French prepare to assault
With their Renault.
Which they are going to show,
can pack quite the blow.
For its tiny size,
a revolution it will give rise.
And above it all,
A new hero will stand tall.
His death his enemy will yearn,
as they watch their allies burn.
He is a mighty bane
in his triplane.
And to Patton we will thank,
for giving the metal beasts their rank.
This is by far one of the best channels on here. Even compared to Discovery, History channel etc. these guys blow them out of the water by a mile stretch. Amazing work, this is exactly what patreon is for when serious people do what they do best!
The way the Entente treated Greece, AFTER putting up such a row about Belgian neutrality, really makes me mad. So, after making the claim that sovereign nations neutrality means so much to us, we will just go in and take full control of a nation, and force it into the war on our side. Yeah. That sounds real great.
It's almost like the British were looking for an excuse.
massaweed420 All world leaders, history or present, are bunch of hypocrites.
Entente behavior towards Greece has indeed been harsh - disgracefully so, in my opinion - but the forces invading here seem to be strangely slow to adopt the striking example set by another Power very recently, in places such as Liège, Andenne, Leuven, Dinant, Aarschot, Andenne, Seilles, and Tamines. A proponent of Schrechlichkeit would also take exception to the failure to conduct slave raids to fill the forced-labor camps so useful in producing weapons of war, or even to plunder to help pay the wages of those doing the raping.
The first casualty in war is not truth. It is decency. All lose some. Some lose all.
To be fair, Greece's elected government was all for joining the Entente in the war. It was the germanophile king who opposed that, and the Entente's measures were calculated to erode his authority, not control and humiliate Greece as a whole. Although they might have gone a bit overboard with the flag thing.
Greeks should have been AT LEAST ONCE (in their modern history ) united and optionally
take side .They would be treated with respect .
I really like how fast the quality of the production is increasing. This new maps are really helpful and nice to look at.
Their production is increased from the Hindemburg program.
The maps at the start really helped with understanding the war.
The Western front ziged ang zaged, as Indy said, but the Balkan front Zoged.
Get out of here! :D
+Stefan T You sir are a gentleman and a scholar and we salute you with Zoggian Salute
KNEEL BEFORE ZOG
Almost 500,000 subs, that's almost as many soldiers I killed with my shear stupidity.
Conrad von Hötzendorf hey, at least you're not launching the 7,963,479th battle of the Isonzo
Conrad von Hötzendorf Conrad how you doin'
You should add a zero to that number.
Podrick Payne there are actually no WW1 veterans alive to this day :( RIP
Almost??? You literally destroyed an entire generation of men
this channel is pretty much the the best resource for WWI
Here we are boys, the last full-year of war.
+Kevin O'Neal and it's going to be a wild ride.
The Great War thanks a lot god bless amercia
still plenty of a time to die...
What do you mean, the war won't be over by christmas 1917?
søren hulemose Oh yeah. We do join this year, don't we?
This is the best video on the great war so far. Man I love the animation and explanation of all the fronts and Romania was well covered. Romania was perhaps one of the greatest central powers victory of ww1 and an example of their combine teamwork.
+joey8062 well, we can't do that every episode but we felt that the new year was a good point to pull it off.
Discovered the channel relatively recently, and have been marathoning ever since. I even eat my lunch at my desk, so that I can squeeze two episodes to my lunch break. It's astonishing realization for me, how criminally ignorant I was. I doubt that any horror movie will be able to scare me in my life anymore. THE BEST CHANNEL EVER!
Welcome to the show.
I hear Russia is in for a good year.
Welcome to the revolution cyka.
I guess there is a first time for everything.
The Guy A very good year indeed. And the next were even better.
Some heavy duty politics are incoming...
Gew219 1928 was even better
(5 year plan)
This was both depressing and beautifully done.
The "year of battles" is over, but the war grows ever more bloody. Happy New Year :(
So begins the year of mutiny!
I once spent a day visiting the ruins at Verdun. Douaumont, Mort-Homme etc. It's memorable. After a while you are almost in shock. It's a monstrous horror ..
I too found it profoundly sad. My visit to Verdun and other Great War battlefields and cemeteries changed my life
Hey Indy and team. Love your show so much. Never heard so much about the war on the eastern front and Africa before. Thank you so much for focusing on this. Could you tell me something more or do a special about 'Ober-Ost'. I think that the war has never been coverd with such intense and passion as you guys are doing it. Thanks so much, greetings from Germany.
+Matt Baron Ober Ost und das Baltikum kriegen auf alle Fälle noch ein Special.
Thought the boys were supposed to be back by Christmas ;-;
Cosair I mean, they'll be home by Christmas of 1918
Just a Potato
٩(●˙-˙●)۶
Where they will unwittingly help spread the Spanish Flu to the far corners of the world.
Consequence is a real thing.
Read my comment above.... :/
+Arthur Brogden
No one goes to or leaves Kansas, so it's impossible a Pandemic started there :P
Great map graphics this week! Love it!
Excellent episode this week! My grandfather, who lived in rural Tennessee, recalled Wilson's Presidential slogan (He Kept Us Out of War) and comments about staying out of the European war. He said, "I didn't believe him, nor did anybody else I knew. We all figured the US would be in it by 1917." My grandfather went on to become a sergeant in the AEF, and served in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in 1918. I still have parts of his uniform and equipment, including his bayonet, helmet, canteen and tunic. Thanks again-I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
did anyone else get chills at the end when Indy said happy new year after that very sad quote?
My favorite part of this series is the detail and attention you guys give the Eastern Front. GREAT JOB!
Love watching these videos, keep em up
"Happy New Year", felt the chills there Indy your writing is both powerful and evocative, amazing channel!
"It's peace but I want to win something after all of this" so no peace at all.
+WilliamTanaka sunken cost fallacy in a twisted way
"We butchered a few million of our youngest and brightest, squandered our citizens' money and ruined their lives, let's agree on a draw and call this off, 'kay?" is not a message you want to sell back home. Especially after you've convinced your people that you're on the brink of winning against the devil incarnate.
That quote about not allowing Belgium to become a British outpost is equally depressing. The same mindset and thinking in Great Power rivalry like before the War.
Hey, I only watch these videos every once in a while when I have time so what were you referring to at the beginning of the video by the biggest British military humiliation?
The Siege of Kut.
A marvelous, appropriate, moving, informative episode. One of the best, in an increasing accumulation of great great war episodes. Many thanks, wish I could reward you with moar!
Great job with the maps!
"... but the war grows ever more bloody. Happy New Year."
Why thank you, I needed that downer.
Seriously that was perhaps the most powerful message yet, wrapped in a normally positive wish for others. Sombre to the point of depressing, more than previously.
World War 1 is so much cooler to learn about than World War 2
Vaunomax ya eh it's more interesting
I DO hope that the team gets back together in 2039 and make a follow-up channel for ww2
Alexandru Juncu christ, could you imagine?
pupulishus I already am :P
Well it is kind of the same war...
Keep it up Indy. I'm actually from Focsani in Romania. Cheers!
Greetings from Berlins
I would greatly appreciate it, if 'The Great War' channel, can make a video focusing and pertaining *Iran* (Persia before 1935), it's geopolitical complexities etc in the war. I know it didn't have a big play/participation as much, compared to other Countries.
+Persian Traditionalist definitely something on our list as the story of Persia in WW1 is very, very interesting
another country whose sovereignty was not respected
The animations are bloody amazing! The animator has my respect and so do the people who helped giving him information!
About that comparison of the Verdun battlefield and London's parks - here's another comparison: if you were to add up all the green spaces in London into one giant park, they say you would be able to fit Paris into it. If that's true, then the Verdun battlefield was roughly the size of Paris.
Loving the channel, guys - have a great 2017!
FINALLY! I've been burning through the week by week vids for about a month and a half and now I'm FINALLY in the same year. Can't wait to officially watch along week to week and get the full experience.
Happy new year Indi and team :D so glad you showed us the fronts as they currently are. I only wish you could do it more often as its difficult to visualize sometimes :)
HOLY SHIT THESE GRAPHICS ARE INCREDIBLE
Seriously I've been watching this channel for years and I am so excited you guys have funding for this kind of stuff!!!!!!!
GREAT WORK GUYS!!
great work on the maps!
I've been watching this channel for a year and a half and can't believe we are at 1917. I've been so excited for each episode that time has slowed to a crawl. As I say this I am reflective upon how time must of passed on the front and how miserably slow time it must of been. The men and boys who fought in this war have my unending respect for continuing to trudge on through this living hell day by day. Happy New Year to the memory of all who fought, lived and died in this madness
Hi! Just wanted to say I love the show and it's editing! The footage is really nice, the maps are easy to understand, and it shocks me how you guys prepare these so quick. I find myself wondering about new Great War episodes more than TV now.
PS: The intro never fails to give me chills, the music and the images make it so eerie. Is there a way I can download one of the images so I can use it as a wallpaper?
The animation is top notch, good work. I'm glad to see how far along the channel has grown in terms production since its inception in 2014.
+steelhammer103 yeah, we also watched our first animation today. Schlieffen plan
The Great War I bet it was like wow, we have come this far?!. I'm glad you guys have done well for telling history in a very non-bias way over two and half years.
The map animations are fantastic.
-Jen
the frontline map really gave me a sense of what was going on. I was a bit confused the last few months on the general positions of the different frontlines. Mabey this can be something that comes back once in a while. Keep it up!
Compared to Verdun, Afganistan looks like a field trip.
***** No, did you?
***** I did a lot of research on Afganistan and the best videos I've found are on Funker580 which are real combat footage from helmet cams. Not that I don't agree with you that I don't know how it's out there, but I was trying to illustrate just how horrible Verdun was, and believe me it was probably one of the worst battles to be in since it's objective was to literaly kill as many people as possible. Were talking around 600 000 casaulties.
Also my friends dad was an officer in Afganistan and in Croatia 1991-95.
I think he has the right to judge whatever he wants how he wants. Thoughts aren't crimes. Yet.
Well it would make just almost anything pale in comparison but unfortunately not everything to follow.
I swear people are looking for excuses to complain.
***** I didn't call it a field trip, I said it is a field trip compared to Verdun.
Cheers Guys been here from the beginning, and you've got me back into building my WW1 MK V Male and Medium A Whippet. Thanks
It makes me so sad. Another whole year of war. Such depressing times!
I always look forward to my Thursdays just for these episodes, even if I tend to leave them more depressed than when I came in.
Cool graphics of the fronts! I would like to add that Julian alps should be mentioned right after Gorica (Gorizia) and not just before swiss border.
What a first class series!!
That's what I mean with a Special like "1916 the Year of battles " Nice Video
+HATER !!! ah okay than we were speaking about the same thing in a different way, haha
When this channel started I thought it would be great to have detailled maps with frontlines in them.
Now you have them, exactly as I imagined it, that's really amazing!
Hi. I'm J. V. Stalin. I read your Reddit post about a WWII Channel, I read your arguments and I understand them. You could maybe, after The Great War ends, make a channel about other twentieth century wars that wasn't as huge as WWII (Like the Corean War, the Sino-Russian war, etc), that would be less expensive and easier to make.
I know you have that other channel, It's History, that explains some other wars, but it would be good if some of them are more detailed in some sort of The Great War. sequel.
Joseph Stalin, that's a fantastic idea.
Great idea, comrade!
Been watching since 2014 and the show has just gotten better and better, keep up the great work!
This program is more educational than any half assed high school class. ..
Maps now are magnificent! Thank you for your work from day to day for the last couple of years!
It's so sad that this series will end ;-;
i literally never spend money on the internet. but im going to donate to you because you deserve it. i watch everyday. thanks so much. срасиба
Thanks a lot for your support.
So the ones who have violated the suveranity of Greece speack about the German violation of Belgian suveranity....
Hipocrisy is on bouth sides !
one side*
@@patrick-sprachenmusikstudi5351 both
Indy and the team… you guys are doing such a good job! I am a huge geography nerd and those maps were really helpful.
Keep up the good work and I can't wait for your videos as the year goes on
+Christopher Mouawad glad you liked them
The capture of Braila must have meant a lot for the Bulgarians. This city was the location where one of the most popular Bulgarian books took place. The book was written by national hero Ivan Vazov and is about Bulgarian immigrants during the time their homeland was part of the Ottoman empire. There the immigrants lived in poverty and misery and showcased how the Romanians saw themselves as a stronger and more unified nation. But then the city falls to the Bulgarians and the Romanians are defeated. I have no idea what the Bulgarians must've felt like and thought when the city fell.
Look at that map! Look at that animation, this channel came so far and not just in history. Great work, everyone
+MeyRevived thanks!
Dat "Happy new year" at the end
They weren't kidding when they said animations take a lot of time.
Love the 2017 production value on those maps, keep it up, lads!
I can't be the only person rooting for the Central Powers.
Me too.
TechnicLePanther Looking by the way Allies treated Greece scrumbling to stay out of the war and suffering, it's understable.
Spoiler alert
We lose
Well, in the 20th century everyone decided to be assholes for some reason.
Central Powers all the way.
IMMEDIATELY noticed the uptick in animation quality. Well done, I'm excited to see how far you've come! Also, I got Peter Hart's "The Great War" for Christmas. I'm very nearly done with it. Excellent read, thank you for the recommendation!
I still dont get why america is always late to the history changing wars but always have a pop at devoloping nations
Beastly Form
cause they come only for fame, resources, money n' shit
Generally speaking, it's best to be the last side to join in a serious fight. If you imagine, say, you're trying to beat up Mike Tyson, it's a lot easier to do so after he's had to fight Evander Holyfield for an hour while you're still sitting comfortably on the sidelines.
Because back then, americans were smarter than europeans
Evilsamar
they have never been smarter
Well we were following a policy of isolation with some liberties like trading
Happy New Year.
This channel is awesome. The history channels in TV, could really learn from the great structure you use here, when you handle subjects of the great war.
Thanks and happy new year.
I did not know that the French had almost reached the Rhine in southern Alsace, all of my maps have the front in the Vosges west of Colmar and Mulhouse through Altkirch in the Sudgau region to the Swiss border.
+Mark Haushahn it could of course also be that our brush was slightly off. We're not perfect anyway.
More accurate than the history books in school at least.
+ Mark Haushahn Actually it looks like a 1914 map, not a 1917 one. There's the French advance in Alsace, and the German advance in Champagne too. Reims or Soissons were not in German hands anymore after the battle of the Marne in 1914. It's a cool map, but it would be better if it was more accurate
Mark Haushahn the "plan 17" was made to recover Alsace-Moselle from the Germans but it almost failed, French troops were rejected from Alsace-Moselle except for some lands. Thus the Western Front was not only fought in France, there was a small part of Belgium in the North and a very small part of Germany in the South
+Bart Provencal yeah, yeah, we will make it more accurate the next time. It was a major undertaking for our small team to get all this together, now we can fine tune it.
I was stationed outside of El Arish when serving in the MFO, 1989/90. The North Camp is to the east, and I cycled there a couple of times with a buddy.
Can you go back and do all of your previous videos again, this time including the new map animations? Kidding. Sorry. Love the new maps though.
+Otto Mattak sometimes we wish we could. I mean compare that to our Schlieffen Plan animation in week 1.
Lol! I suspected the whole "Oh, that we had this then" notion. Unavoidable. With or without the animations, you are masters of your craft. What was already great just got better.
I like the progression in quality, really shows how far the channel has come relative to the war.
the new visual effects are A+ great job guys
Oh boy! Tsar Nicholas II isn't going to like this year.
"Happy new year" ....that sent some nasty chill down my spine
1 western Russian Division? Is there a story behind them?
Rodion Malinovsky fought with them, they were thought to be very skilled and brave fighters kinda like German's stormtroopers.
+Herp Derp no. they were simply a division sent over to the Western front when the Entente needed them. And they have been there for a while. We talked about them.
I fail to see how our comments contradict each other to be honest.
They were not super special stormtroopers. They were normal infantry.
Did not mean to suggest they weren't normal infantry, just brave and skilled, some picked fighters from 1915. Marshal Ferdinand Foch, Commander of the French Army, awarded the Russian Regiment with a special flag after their actions on September 12, where the Regiment managed to pierce the German defenses, making its way through 3 lines of fortifications and capturing prisoners and materials, despite taking heavy losses.
Oh man I absolutely love the new animations! They're so good, thanks for always striving to improve!
Why did Portugal send troops to France I thought Portugal was neutral
+Rob Dunne they declared war a whole ago. You might have forgotten.
I thought I would add that my Grandfather and his 3 brothers enlisted for the U.S. Army almost a 100 years ago today. According to his DD-214, my Grandfather fought in every major American engagement and it appeared that he was gassed at the end of the war. He died when he was 45 years of age reportedly just collapsing while hanging laundry. The rest of his brothers lived longer and as far as I know were not gassed. My question is, what sort of statistics if any were kept on those veterans who were gassed and lived passed the war?
You guys are doing a great job! This will be a great resource for future generations. Excellent!
People keep talking shit about the EU, but fuck that, can you imagine how beneficial it is to have all of Europe be allies as opposed to THIS? imagine if the EU happened in 1914. Almost the whole would be united and there would be no more wars. alas we can only dream.
People forget... 40 years ago, a war opposing France and Germany was still seen by french and germans as possible. Now they are best friends (forever ?) People thinks it's not possible anymore, they think links are too strong among european countries. Well, to keep the France and Germany example, Germany was the first trade partner of France in 1914, so it is today ; it didn't stop them to make war. Finally, the most terrific of all, some people are just curious and wouldn't mind to destroy the whole EU, all those friendships created and preparing wars just to see what will happen
RoScFan The EU was was a great idea, but it has become an antidemocratic superstate that tramples the political and economic interests of the more peripheral countries in favour of Germany and to a lesser extent France. When you see sovereign national laws being quashed by unelected EU institutions, institutions that as preferred course of action _fine_ weaker economies (the classic paradox of debter's prison), it all brings home the idea that effective democracy must be reconquered, and the only way to force that on a bureaucratic and financial nightmare like the EU is to get out, and perhaps try again. It won't last long anyhow.
last time I was this quick I did not have my Conrad von hötzensocks. Keep you the great content.
New Year, New Battles, New Allies... same old dirty trenches.
"The war goes ever more bloody- Happy New Year" that was something i didn't expect lol it's a very nice animation and the maps are getting better ... you're very good
So basically the Allies were doing with Greece the same Germany was doing with Belgium...
Thanks for your continued work and research in helping us understand the monumental event that this war was. Hope you all had a great Christmas (or whichever holidays you celebrate) and please keep up the good work!
First!
The map transition is freaking smoooooooth
Best historical series on yt
We are just about to this era in our history class, where I shall maybe binge these videos...
My first video in ages I have watched. I need to keep up, amazing video
Thank you very much for your wonderful presentations! I sincerely hope you continue in your quest for historical accuracy. And a Happy New Year to you and your team as well!!
"The Year of Battles is over, but the war grows evermore bloody. Happy New Year."
...damn
Very nice sum-up of war so far. Thanks you for the continued epic content!
One of the best videos so far! Keep it up fellas!!
I love this channel. it is THE best WW1 documentary series I have ever seen! keep up the great work
+Liam East thanks
The Great War No, thank you! haha
Great Episode! Happy New Year ! Thx Indy!
another solid episode. your uploads are so epic Indy.
Happy New Year to you and your crew Indy.
Love the maps showing the outlines of the various fronts.