Operation Zipper - The Last WW2 Invasion
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- This the story of the very last amphibious invasion launched during WW2, the much-delayed Operation Zipper, made by British and Empire forces into Japanese-occupied Malaya in September 1945. Discover the full story here.
This is an AUDIO PROGRAMME. For videos, visit Mark Felton Productions: • Circle C Cowboys - Ame...
Help support my channel:
www.paypal.me/...
/ markfeltonproductions
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of War Stories with Mark Felton. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. War Stories with Mark Felton does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
This man just narrated 55min of vivid history over a map projection of South-East Asia and I sat through the entire thing not even bothered by the fact I only had a still image in front of me for the entire playtime.
That just goes to shown what an absolute legend of storytelling Dr. Mark Felton is.
There was a map? Why was I not informed? Too captivated by the story, I guess.
Well this is of course. The audio book channel 🤣
I found it useful to refer to the map while I was listening. This is a superb video shining a light on a part of WW2 I had only a sketchy knowledge of until now.
no cap?
I just now saw the still image......I've been watching the story. Great job Dr. Felton!
My uncles best friend, who live a few blocks from us, served in the Marines in the Pacific. He was badly injured during a nighttime bonsai charge. He hated the Japanese with a passion when we went to visit him after the war.
bonsai??--banzai, I'm assuming.
Sir Mark I will keep this short.
Sheer Excellence 🏴🇬🇧🇺🇸
As something of a companion to this feature. KI have the Late Eric Lomax' autobiography "The Railwayman" which give an harrowing accoiunt of the lives of those Allied/British POWs that were forced to build the infamous Burma Railway.
So, while MacArthur was an egotistical swine, he saw the bigger picture and has to be admired for what he achieved in post-war Japan. Mountbatten on the other hand, remained true to himself to the end - perhaps less egotistical but unflinchingly prejudiced.
There was nothing prejudicial about Mountbattens views on the Japanese. They were entirely deserved.
@@kingmalric6571 What you probably missed in the video, is that Mountbatten on his 1st visit to Japan in 1921 already expressed his disdain for the Japanese then - a full 20 years before WW2 and the atrocities that were to follow. I bet he had the same feelings towards the Irish!
Philip Jooste : why?
@Edward Goodman Disdain is different from hatred, and he indeed preferred living at Classiebawn Castle - after all, it was conveniently close to the Kincora Boys' Home!
@Edward Goodman Close and convenient are relative in this instance - close enough for the boys to arrive fresh and far enough for them to not run away, and hey, Enniskillen is along the way!! Makes one wonder if it was really the IRA who blew up the old perv's boat.
Coming from Singapore here, thank you Dr. Felton for highlighting Operation Zipper. It is still mostly unknown today even here in modern day Singapore and Malaysia. Most of the history books tend to gloss through this period and go straight into the Japanese surrender ceremony at City Hall in Singapore.
Have read about the landings at Morib and always assumed that everything went smoothly from there. Never knew about the bogged tanks at other landing site(s). Were they Shermans?
I knew about it during a visit to the battlebox at Fort Canning. Kinda surprised as a history buff. Few weeks later this video appeared & so happy to listen to it
My grandfather was the captain of the HMS Sussex that sailed into Singapore during its liberation in September 1945
Excellent!
How wonderful!
Tell us more about it.
Do share more information please. Thanks.
Theres so much depth to the Asian theater of the war that you never hear about in the mainstream. I love this stuff. Thanks Mark.
I can tell you why an image that a certain country has and will play the victim card nevermind their brutality and other things we'll never know about they still play and cry victim
"The mainstream" - it's become a despicable, loaded term, suggesting censors are filtering what info is available. In fact, this information has been available. If you think it hasn't been, it's because you haven't been looking, and/or perhaps you've been waiting to be served it.
In fact, everything mainstream is inherently diluted to some extent. Mainstream means "mass appeal," "least common denominator." Mainstream tends to prefer single-factor analysis, because multifactor is harder to understand, and time-consuming to explain. By the same token, nuance and subtlety are lost in the mainstream.
(Newswise, don''t get me started on breathless TV reporters who have expertise in nothing.)
Finally, rather than complain about the use of the term, I'd prefer to commend you for recognizing the gap between Mark's reports and "the mainstream." (Yes, really.) It shows you have the capacity to handle multifactor concepts. Good on ya!
This was especially enlightening, since most historical references gloss over the details of the surrender, and just cover the “big picture” of the formal surrender in Tokyo Bay. Kudos to Mountbatten for trying to save his countrymen’s lives in POW camps. As for MacArthur, I’m yet again reminded of his supreme arrogance and hubris. His ego had no bounds. Thank you, Mr Felton!
Never understood MacArthur's supposed "greatness" and medals.
* He was insubordinate against President Truman and the Joint-Chiefs during the Korean War.
* He prematurely ordered use of force against Bonus March Veterans, leading to unnecessary death.
* He screwed up defense of the Philippines in 1940-41.
* During Korea he ignored intelligence on Chinese incursions and massing of forces.
MacArthur was grossly overrated. A lot of Generals and Admirals are.
MacArthur was certainly the best general the Japanese ever had, but allied POWs were fortunate that Mountbatten did not get his way. The Japanese would have slaughtered them before allowing them to return British or Commonwealth (Imperial?) control.
@@ironroad18 Dug out Doug.
Weapons grade arrogance.
@ TD Hawk I agree with you entirely about MacArthur, but you have to weigh that in balance with the immense good accomplished by transforming Japan compare that to the tragedy unfolding in Afghanistan.
Dr. Felton inspires me to learn so much more. 👍🏼
My Mother was on Mountbatten's personal staff during the War. All his staff needed to be weapons proficient, and she reached sharp shooter status. I know that for sure as during Navy Days in my Youth, I saw her put 5 rounds through the half circle at 50 yards, all through two holes, with a bolt action Lee Enfield, standing. The Navy Gentleman on duty did not believe it until he checked the target.
Rather tangential but understandable that you like to share this story featuring your mother.
@@rogerpattube Words of the day: Pompous, windy, self-important, supercilious. Sorry ol' boy, I'm rather fond of a tangent myself.
As a Malaysian, thank you for covering this forgotten theater of war in the Pacific!
It’s interesting how Dr. Felton’s visuals are extremely basic, _yet they don’t distract a bit._ His narratives are so incisive, detailed, and circumspect that his videos still command a well-deserved faithful audience. Each seems like an audio book, free for the clicking. Priceless. 💛🙏🏼
The visuals are a side story to main event, Mark's ability to tell a story is beyond reproach.
@@Ob1sdarkside Exactly. Agreed. 💛🙏🏼
@@Glen.Danielsen I disagree. Why not add every location he mentions to the map visual ?
@@colinthompson2335 Yah Colin, I see your point; I have thought same. Yet I think of the immense work and immersive research Dr. Felton must do to create the narratives he produces-the quality of analysis and depth of real understanding inlaid in the storytelling. Visuals with effects are a whole other time-consuming endeavor. But heck, maybe Mark will hire a graphics assistant!
God bless! 💛🙏🏼
Compared with the doctor's previous vids the graphics here do seem a bit spartan. Admittedly I'm only at the 10 min mark and so far still on the same SE Asia view from outer space.
It’s probably safe to say Lord Mountbatten did not appreciate the Japanese….
@DeeMuda sounds like they did. To be honest, I know nothing of that. Would you have any sites you could recommend for researching that incident?
Nobody did
....or the Irish
*Mountbatten:* “As ‘Supreme Commander,’ I get to make all the decisions-right?”
*America:* “Well yes but also no. Actually, mostly no.”
After the failure of his Canadian raid on Dieppe harbor American leadership had little faith in his lordship.
You can always count on the yanks to make a mess
@@scrubsrc4084 Of course, its what I do best. My fuckup in afghanistan just proves that
@@scrubsrc4084 Because Britain was doing very well before November 42.
@@nickdanger3802 we'll enough
The idea that Zipper would have led to earlier liberation of POWs depends on an assumption that the Japanese Army would allow these prisoners to live. It seems far more likely that they would have transported the prisoners further to the rear, or if unable to do so, they would have executed them. These were after all their orders. The only reason prisoners survived to be liberated was due to a surrender by the Emperor, which put execution of POWs into a grey area as to Japanese military honor, and thus restrained the more murderous of Japanese officers.
Possibly. If we look at American efforts to rescue POWs in the Philippines we see the same concern.
I have not studied this theatre in any great depth, but while I accept that Japanese intentions at the local level were uncertain, Dr Felton goes into great depth over the orders issued after the surrender regarding the POWs which points to their own uncertainty. There were instances where the prisoners were just abandoned when the Japanese forces withdrew. I think that this is one of those "we can never know for certain" subjects.
I do think that it is disgraceful though that a civil servant can destroy military plans for his own self-aggrandisement but we shouldn't be surprised as the same thing happened in the Great War too.
@@andybelcher1767 if you study modern War, civil servants have always had a central controlling role in strategic warfare plans.
Agreed.
To liberate them,it’s better to use covert units.Once,liberated they should be recruited,immediately,if possible.
@@Russia-bullies recruited for what? POW’s held by the Japanese were in a *TERRIBLE* physical and emotional state. Just to *SURVIVE* Japanese internment was a miracle.
Well my commute has significantly improved this morning. Thanks!
I'm stuck waiting for a ferry. Works for me as well.
Arrived a bit late for my commute. However, It will be a great lunch hour companion!
Thank you Mark Felton for this story about Operation Zipper. My father Ian Corlett 5th Para was in Rangoon waiting to drop into Singapore race circuit with his comrades ,to draw fire from the Japanese garrison while the Marines were attacking the 2 beach heads. The Paras were writing farewell letters to loved ones when they were told about the 2 Atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Zipper was called off. The Paras then went into Malaya to disarm the Japanese and Malay Communists . The Malaysian Emergency ensued. My father was in fire fights with both parties, saved on 2 occasions by the Gurkas who he and his mates had great respect for. He lived to 94, and past away in May 2021. A proud Para.
As you have always delivered, a detailed, complete, and very interesting and informative description of the events. Thank you.
I have never liked MacArthur, and I never will understand how face/politics/power can so warp someone.
MacArthur wasn't just warped, he was also corrupt. Research the payments he received pre-war from the Philippine government and how he _behaved_ after he moved back there when he _returned._ He was an absolutely disgusting person.
Look at today s democrat party!
He was worried about the USSR trying and take parts of Japan, there is still a heated land issue today in 2021 so you can see the issue there.
I mean, he advocated starting a nuclear war during Korea. The guy was a legitimate psychopath.
Thank you again for telling a story I have not heard. This was a fascinating story about a little known part of the war.
A full Mark Felton documentary, lets go
Yet another reason why MacArthur is hated in the U.K. and Australia to this day.
@Liam Thomas You mean Dugout Doug? Peleliu?
American here, and I can't say I blame you.
The history of Macarthur in America parallels the history of WWII Japan. When mentioned in school the bad stuff is glossed over. Only those who choose to look deeper into it, or who take more specialized classes in college begin to see the truth.
When I was younger the stuff I read or saw about him always showed him as having a bit of an ego problem, and often brushing other officers the wrong way. Later it became obvious he was a narcissist and there were legitimate reasons other officers didn't like him.
MacArthur’s strategy was highly overrated. We could have bypassed the Philippines and went for Formosa and cut off all the Japanese territories south of there and ended the war even sooner.
Yet in an interesting twist many in Japan and South Korea love him.
What an outstanding historian Dr. Felton! You deserve your own Netflix series. You put the pathetic network called the History Channel to complete shame! Thanks for all you do.
The bombs did more to shame the Japanese military then any prolonged battle in homeland Japan ever would have. Such a battle would have made the Japanese military into unbeaten martyrs. Such a situation could have produced a movement within the Japanese population to continue the fight for decades even as an underground activity.
I tend to agree--a "glorious" fight to the death would have directly fed into this preeminent samurai warrior mystique prevalent in Japan, and, instead of being viewed as Japan's armageddon, become part of some kind of vainglorious legend .
Could you imagine the overwhelming relief you'd feel being rescued from Japanese troops. Loved the video.
@FL KRAKER right , many probably had already made peace with death , probably be in shock as well.
@FL KRAKER i heard that as well
Watch the liberation scene in "King Rat"as it unfolds in dubfounded silence . . .
DOUGout
The Japanese elite military were sometimes more brutal than the Nazis, but only now are the stories coming out. Lord Louis Mountbatten expressly stated that he did not want any Japanese representatives at his funeral. His wishes were respected..
@@paulleckner9148 I heard of this, definitely interesting
Lord Mountbatten should have ignored MacArthur’s orders and executed Operation Zipper to liberate the POWs. The United States military and administration were seeking to replace the British Empire as the only world superpower after the defeat of Japan and Germany. This was the beginning of the American Empire under the control of the military industrial complex still powerful in American politics today.
I love this quote from Sir Winston Churchill which best describes American attitudes: “Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else.”
_"the American Empire under the control of the military industrial complex still powerful in American politics today."_
The American empire is disintegrating, as is their country internally.
Yes he should have.
Strangely Britain never called America's bluff- what would Truman have done nuked London had Eastern Fleet just steamed forward and unleashed hell?
What would Eisenhower have done at Suez-nuked London when he couldn't even nuke Manchuria or firebomb Dien Bien Phu? Really crash the British economy and risk Britain and France ordering US forces off their soil and bases?
America however isn't an empire, sadly- it didn't have sense to use it's massive power usefully or wisely, opting instead for pointless police actions instead of proper nation building.
Things weren't always thus. Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Polk, Lincoln/Seward, Grant, McKinley, and Teddy Roosevelt were all proponents of manifest Destiny, until Wilson idiotically implemented America Last internationalism, and ever since American national policy has morphed into a straw man argument between interventions without victory and running away as the only options.
America went from brilliant nation building, and incidentally until 1945 almost uninterrupted military triumphs, to geopolitical ineptitude and since 1945 (while still never having "lost" a war militarily) being unable to win a war under seemingly any conditions.
Ironically a standup set piece fight against a peer competitor like China, which despite a large air force and big fleet is probably somewhat overrated in lacking any real world battle experience, is probably the only type of war the US can win. Like Mussolini in 1940, China would be mistaking a sick lion for a dying one- America could print a couple trillion dollars, draft several million people, warp speed a wholesale ramp up of military production to several times current levels, get tens of millions of underemployed people and illegal aliens into a wartime economy, and reduce China's and it's allies militaries and economies to ruins.
Imagine if Japanese had slaughtered all POWs as they intended to. Would MacArthur have reacted differently?
No. MacArthur didn’t give a shit.
He was well aware of the conditions in the POW camps. Though they didn't have direct conformation of official orders, allied commanders had been informed the Japanese weren't going to allow the repatriation of prisoners if they could. They had enough reports from areas they had already taken that, as US and UK troops approached, Japanese guards killed many of the people under their control. It happened often enough that they knew it wasn't a few fanatical officers, but an accepted policy.
No he wanted movie cameras in Tokyo aimed at him
You have touched on a little known aspect of the "special relationship" between Britain and the US during and subsequently after the war. The US began to obstruct British activities to keep them at arms length in the far east and with the ultimate aim the end of empire. They saw the Pacific and far East as being their new back yard and they didn't want to share it. As soon as the war ended so did a lot of cooperation, sharing of technology and political support., The special relationship has always been there on the ground but not always in the White House
Trying to imagine my thoughts after hearing that I would not come to the aid of my countrymen until a formal surrender was conducted weeks later and thousands of miles away. Openly disregarding such a request based in a such a disconnect from stern reality was the only right thing to do.
Lord Mountbatten seems to have been a `decent fellow' in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Whereas MacArthur seems to have been the vanguard in the new breed of cynical political player that has come to dominate the world...
Maybe read his Wikipedia page? You will never say that again.
@@benwilson6145 Who's Wikipedia page...?
Lord Mountbatten: Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia in 1944, describes Mountbatten and his wife Edwina as "persons of extremely low morals", …Mountbatten was known to be a homosexual and had "a perversion for young boys".
@@XxBloggs One person's criticism is just that. It proves nothing. An inquiry dismissed the allegations of paedophilia. If he was homosexual, I don't see that as a fault. His concern for the allied prisoners of war and the efforts he made to protect them - even effectively disobeying orders - and his utmost contempt for Japanese cruelty, all indicate a character of higher than average moral quality...
I didn't know about this Doc.Thanks for spreading very good historical knowledge.
You have to respect a man who stands by his principles. Salute to Lord Mountbatton.
How many thousands of lives were sacrificed to MacArthur's ego. Philippines, here, Korea...
Malaya and Singapore fell in nine weeks, US Forces Philippines held out for six months.
The more I learn about McArthur the less I like him.
and then it got worse...
@@landontesar3070 Exactly.
Thank you Dr Felton, you have completely changed and reversed my view of Lord Mountbatten. Previous histories I'd read were not particularly complementary of the man but now I have a new perspective and respect for the man and his service. His death as part of the ongoing Irish conundrum was and is to my mind unconscionable; particularly with his young relation on board. I postulate that given a choice; he'd have said get the innocents off and then do what you wish w me. Hero's are few and far between, especially when we find out decades later that some never deserved the accolade. Lord Louis Mountbatten certainly was one; through his command and concern for his troops and for the pain he must have felt for the prisoners, while not being able to nurse to their needs sooner, he deserves the recognition.
Only 2min in and I already hear "Stilwell"...this is going to be a shitshow isnt it :D
Mark, this one was, if not the best of your presentations, certainly close to it!
Here in the states there has not been much published on the Commonwealth side of WWII, particularly in SE Asia.
Having always been a “fan” of General MacArthur I feel his refusal to let the Brits enter Singapore until AFTER the formal Japanese surrender In Tokyo bay inexcusable! He must have been running for President even then!
He was a brilliant General, but a insufferable narcissist!
Thanks for all you hard work researching these videos. Seems history vindicated Mountbatten! What little I know of him he was a pretty special man!
His actions also in the Philippines that led to the bombing of Manila is also a wasteful act. It essentially destroyed the historical Intramuros and guess what, his pledge to account for the war damages the Americans incurred in the Philippines was never paid! That is how scummy the American leadership (this case MacArthur) be when it comes to the "allies" that they can bully around.
"Fortune favors the Bold"
Powerful piece Prof Mark Felton . I have known the Pacific war since reading about it as a teenager but could not stomach learning as rich details about it due to the endless Horror Stories of the Allied POW's and nurses of all Injured Troops . Like the Bangka island massacre . But to respect our Diggers and Allies and medics we must get into it
The content is just so refreshing and capturing to listen to. Bravo Mark you make some of the best ww2 content I've seen.
Who are the 6 jabronies that disliked this video? Chiynas 50€ commentors i guess
It's hard to believe that the POW lives that might have been saved wouldn't have been dwarfed by invasion casualties.
Insightful. My impulse was to criticize Mountbatten for compromise of principle.
Agreed. I guess the way events unfolded (Japanese surrender without original Zipper) was one of the better outcomes. Given the Japanese military's track record and the fate of Manila, a full-scale invasion like this would have cost the lives of many local civilians and POWs regardless.
Yeap just look at Philippines.
And in Japan today they don't teach anything about the war.
The don't hate themselves like Eurabia or cuckmerica
@@ChristianAuditore14 the japanese facing the truth about what they did is not "hating themselves"
@@bluetopguitar1104 lmao everyone did what they did
As an American, I'm shocked at how the American military leaders seemed to feel that the British could "play in the Pacific playground, but only if you follow American rules". I can't understand the reasoning behind not helping free those many prisoners. It seems to me, that extra Allies would only help the war effort, even if only a small percent could return to active duty.
Excellent.. as usual. Well done the 136! Many ex servicemen, POWs and family relatives of those killed in Australia never forgave the Japanese of that generation till their passing. R.I.P .. Those that could've been spared the death marches had Zipper proceeded makes me ill. Thankyou for this insight.
Then we sent for Mac Arthur
to come to Tulagi,
but General Mac Arthur said no.
I'll tell you the reason,
it isn't the season,
Besides there is no USO.
USMC version of Bless them all.
"F*#% 'em all, f*#% 'em all, the long and the short and the tall. There'll be no promotions, this side of the oceans, so cheer up dear lads, f#*% 'em all. At least that's the part I remember singing.
As an Australian, , i officially salute and bring Lord Louie Mountbatten in to the fold of great honorary Australians..... a man of of Honor and decency. Well done Mark Felton as an avid long time fan i think your best work yet.
Brilliant
Dr. Felton have you considered covering the story of the British spy Noor Khan? One of the most fascinating, if not lesser known, stories of WWII in my opinion. Would love to hear your take on it.
Sounds like a story worth reading.
I'd rather Dr Felton tells the story.But I agree with you
@@joebl0w67 Me too. Thats why I requested it from Dr. Felton instead of just posting here in the comments.
Where are the camps Derek?
Where are they Derek?
You have failed to mention that the Chiefs in London preferred Sir Alan Brooke's proposal for a British/Australian task force operating out of Darwin to retake Ambon, Borneo and Singapore with American support from Macarthur's forces in the SWPA. Churchill objected to it because he did not want to base British forces in Australia.
Brooke details the acrimonious dispute between Churchill and the Chiefs over whether to base forces in India or Australia in the later years of the war in his war diaries.
Brooke's proposal for the task force would make an interesting video.
When the war ended the Australians in Borneo were much closer to Singapore than the British in Rangoon.
Interesting? Do you have a source for that.
Alan Brooke was always spot on and outspoken with it
The only reason Churchill never sacked him is because he knew that if he did the 'Cheif' would expose his many blunders and his reputation as Britain's 'saviour' would have been ruined .
A great video about a complicated subject. McArther was a giant egotist. Truman was right to cashier him later on.
On seeing the length of this piece, I did not think I was going to remain through to the end, but the intensity of the story would not let up, and only kept building to the end.
I'm from Malaysia and a ww2 buff .I have never heard of Operation Zipper. I'm from Negeri Sembilan, was surprised when Dr Felton mention my hometown
first!! excellent upload as we have come to expect thanks proff Felton
But, you haven't seen it yet.
I found out a few of the blokes at work were avid Mark Felton fans by mentioning one of his videos (British involvement in Vietnam after the Japanese surrender) we all agreed he's one of the best youtubers and historians on the subject.
These kind of documentaries are sorely needed in today's world given the amount of junk pumped out by more traditional, mainstream media outlets - they're effectively stupefying the population.
We didn’t need your Fleet Carriers for the Pacific War.
You should have stuck with Malaysia 🇲🇾, although it’s still too hot in those non-tropicalized Carriers to even sleep.
The map is confusing. A map, contemporary with 1945, would have been much more informative.
I'm with you definitely better with 1945 map. Burma not Me and Ma and Malaya not Malaysia.
audio only would have been better. I was constantly waiting for pictures. And it took me 5 minutes to remember, what happened to Burma. it's gone. Myanmar now xD
The map is fine. You're just complaining just to complain.
@@WALTERBROADDUS It is not a complaint, it was constructive criticism. You should learn the difference.
@@rkelsey3341 whining is whining.
At the same time the US was deeply involved in the planning and preparations for the first half of Operation Downfall. That was Operation Olympic due to take place in October 1945 with landings on Kyushu in the area of Kagoshima iirc to secure a forward base to support the second half of Downfall, Operation Coronet.
Plus the US had it's own agenda in the Pacific War. One that did not include preserving or restoring the British Empire. Especially at the cost of the lives of US servicemen.
Unless there were other instances of combat post August 15, 1945 the last ones I know about were in the Philippines on Luzon.
Plus when the war ended there were still huge areas of Southeast Asia, China and the Indonesian Archipelago under Japanese control.
My pap said after the battle of Iwo Jima which he was on for all 35 days , soon as hey went to ship they started pting for an invasion where they expected to lose 95% in first wave of mainland... therefore I am happy Truman dropped them bombs because if not there’s a 95% chance I would not be here !!!!! Rip pops
Thought I would le you know I was on a deep sea rescue tug HMS ASSIDUOUS in the armada that left Trincomallee we eventually did some rescue journey bringing out Dutch ciilians from sourabaya and later padang we all got a special medal with clasp SOUTH EAST ASIA1945-46
It isn't difficult to understand why so many members of my parents' generation felt no remorse or sympathy over Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and why so many of them refused ever to buy Japanese manufactured goods.
I find it incredible that ego-driven politics got in the way of so many POWs and internees being saved.
As always, a fine, if sombre video, Dr Felton.
BRIT ISH ET TU your selection Herr Felton
Marcus Anthony or Cassius Clay Pontious Pilot or Nero? PHILO OR XENO OR TITUS?
I wish another display of arrogance by McArthur had be surprising. He HAD to have his historical pictures, a few more lives could not get in the way of it. However, I had already read that during the Korean War, his staff would have to beg him not to have reporters take a picture of himself firing a piece of artillery at the start of an offensive as this would be an official announcement to the Chinese forces of the start of the operation. And we thought that addiction to pictures of oneself was a modern phenomena.
My Uncle Jerry, a Marine sniper scout fought from Macon Island and Guadalcanal all the way to Iwo Jima , 17 yrs old to 21, always carried a key chain with him with a mushroom cloud on one side and Peace for Japan on the other side. Out of his company of 250 only three made it to the end of the war. After showing me the keychain he said: "Ya know , if not for that cloud I would not be here. It's funny, we were stationed in Japan in 1963 and I had many Japanese friends. It just goes to show you. My Dad was on B-25s in North Africa and was shot down, bailed out in desert wandered for 3 days with a half canteen of water and his 45 and was picked up by a British Rat patrol, so I wouldn't be here without the British.
That's a hell of a family story!
I can understand Mountbatten's attitude and desire for revenge. It was warranted, but it would have been a costly mistake. Much as I dislike MacArthur, he had a greater appreciation and understanding of Japanese culture. His decision to delay Operation Zipper was wrong, but his handling of the Imperial family was right. Had they been executed, the whole of the Japanese people might well have risen in revolt, leading to a needless bloodbath on a massive scale. By treating Hirohito as just another man, he managed to greatly diminish his godlike image in the eyes of the average Japanese.
This is an interesting episode highlighting a little known aspect of the Pacific campaign. I think the British efforts in the Pacific theatre are under represented. The episode is a bit Anglophyllic, however. FDR, George Marshall and Harry Truman were opposed to colonialism, either British or French and the failure to support Operation Zipper from the US perspective is a reflection of that policy. Additionally, how many thousands of Indian casualties would Operation Zipper have created if it had gone as planned? Certainly far more than the POW’s that died because liberation was delayed.
On the other hand there is no excuse for MacArthur to delay the surrender of Singapore to feed his inflated ego. The man’s hubris knew no bounds. Likewise it’s ludicrous to bemoan the use of atomic weapons in order to defeat the Japanese in the field so that the defeat was symbolically complete. The US calculated that the invasion of Japan would cost over one million US casualties.
Well said.
All fair enough, although the US was perfectly happy to incur thousands of casualties to reclaim their own Pacific imperial possession in the Philippines...
@@1892StJames Well there were three reasons to liberate the Philippines. 1) It did cut off a lot of Japanese troops to the south (plus all the resources to the south). 2) The Filipinos had been promised their independence by I believe 1946 so it wouldn't do to have them under Japanese occupation when that year came around. 3) MacArthur's ego. The first two reasons were valid.
Just not American colonialism like in Guam, Phillipines, American Samoa, Mirconesia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands etc etc etc.....
@@alanbrooke144 You could have made a more convincing argument regarding functional American imperialism ie supporting autocratic governments while exploiting foreign resources but comparing Guam and Peurto Rico to India, Burma, Singapore, Hong Kong, in addition to numerous African and Caribbean colonies is specious at best. Britain was in decline and the US ascendant in the world order. The structure of 19th century colonialism was coming apart and the old generation of colonialists like Churchill and Mountbatten were on the way out. The United States leadership had no interest in slowing their departure.
Thank you for the video on Operation Zipper, the British liberation of Malaya and Singapore. Greetings from Singapore!
Babe wake up, Mark Felton just posted a new video
Hello from Malaysia. Never knew of this history. Keep up the good work.
This is a very well done and factual description of the end of the War in Southeast Asia. A very informative contribution to a neglected topic. It correctly depicts MacArthurs grandstanding lack of compassion for POWs that he himself was not liberating. Although insufficient credit is given to the immensely important effort to transform Japan.. Hirohito should have been prosecuted as a war criminal, but justice in that instance may have seriously comprised the transformation of Japan--a remarkable achievement.
Yes, Japan did a remarkable job of helping ITSELF back from defeat & destruction; aknowledging its horrific treatment of its victims much less so. I see their sense of "honor" as misplaced, being self-centered & self-serving.Their "honor" did not extend to their treatment of other's when they had control & responsibility. Further, perhaps due in part to MacArthur's NOT holding them to a full accounting, they have never seemed to own up or teach their younger generations the true picture of their behavior in WWII. The depravity--beyond warfare--was disgraceful, and not honorable. I see unwillingness to honestly come to grips with this to be some kind of national limitation, as if it's all about them and their feelings.
Note to self. Pass on a invite to a hand grenade party....🙀
The mental imagery is horrifying. Especially with that many present 😱
A work colleague of mine had been in the RAF when British forces occupied French Indo-China after the Japanese surrender, and he told me that they re-armed the Japanese in order to keep law and order amongst the indigenous population.
Yet another remarkable chapter of history seemingly left out of history books and channels, but thoroughly researched and told by Dr. Felton. Much thanks.
Do one on the invasion of Borneo. That was the last major contested amphibious invasion of the war.
I am an American, but I hate Gen. MacArthur and Gen. Monty.
Thank you Mark. One of my wife's family members was a British surveyor in Malaya prior to the Japanese invasion and ensured vital mapping and land registry information was evacuated to Australia rather than fall into IJA hands. Once in Australia himself he served with the RAAF at a relatively lowly non-commissioned rank for a while near Bendigo but some time later, around the same time as Zipper, he 'reappears' in the family history as a British Lieutenant Colonel and my wife remembers his tales of having had the good fortune to have taken part in an invasion "the day after the war was over". I have shared your fascinating history piece with 3 generations of his descendants.
MacArthur was a prima dona. A general who worried more about his persona than his troops. Or anything else for that matter. We should not forget that the atomic weapons alone were only part of the reason Japan surrendered. Russia attacking from the north in occupied China was devastating too. I believe Mark has a story about this also
Thank you. This history is hardly covered in USA.
Need video of “ almost “ invasion of Japan proper my old division was to spearhead. The 40th Infantry Division
As Dr Felton alludes to here and elsewhere, there was the unpalatable sight of Japanese soldiers acting as policemen in Singapore, with pictures of them standing on street corners weapons drawn. As a child I lived in Singapore on an RAF base in the two years leading up to its Independence, so I was particularly interested when I was working for a generalist advice agency in the UK 20 years later and assisted a Malay woman who had married a British Army sergeant after the war and moved here. She still had the scar on her thigh where she had been bayoneted by a Japanese soldier. We tried to get help for her from the Royal British Legion, but I got a very poor response, the man on the other end of the phone basically disbelieving what she had described.
Thank you DrFelton for all your hard work to bring these documentaries to us we truly appreciate it God bless you and your family
Great story! A particularly important part of this saga is the descent of the British Empire under American influence. The relationship between MacArthur and Mt Batton sets the stage for the end of British Empire and subservience to the US.
Britain had the resources to get Culverin, and then Zipper, going. It was merely unfortunate that they were unable to be brought to bear at the right time.
Just as American Admiral King had got his foot in the door by attacking Guadalcanal with whatever forces could be scrounged up and thus committing the combined chiefs to the Solomons, the transfer of Britain's main carrier force to the far east by spring of 1944 was just the tool to initiate Culverin.
Tirpitz being neutralized, and thus containable by RAF and a combination of escort carriers and older battleships (Revenge, Resolution, and an untransferred Royal Sovereign), by January 1944- after North Cape at latest, a full four (not one) fleet carriers, and 1-2 more modern battleships, could have been in Somerville's hands by April.
A doubled eastern fleet in early 44 would give Mountbatten and Somerville the clout to launch more sustained operations. At least one Indian division would have sufficed to occupy some of the Nicobars, and thus committed SEAC to ever expanding operations. Having half a dozen fleet carriers and 4 or 5 modern battleships on hand by summer 44, Eastern Fleet could cover mopping up in the Nicobars, and follow up invasion of Sabang. Most likely Kurita would not have been sent out against Somerville because TF58/38 was the main threat to Japanese homeland, and if it had, Somerville would have had the firepower (Anson, Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth, Renown, Richilieu, Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious, Indomitable, Indefatigable, and even Unicorn as she had operated as a light fleet carrier at Salerno) to deal with them.
With Nicobars and Banda Aceh in allied hands by fall 1944, and RAF/FAA planes operating from regional airfields, British carriers would be committed to continued support operations. After Leyte, and likely transfer of the carrier force to join Nimitz, escort carriers and land based air would have been sufficient to launch Zipper in early 1945, resulting in capture of Singapore well before 1945 British election.
Churchill wasn't Atlee, and completion of Culverin/Zipper would have been smashing victories equal to the reconquest of Burma- a firm re-assertion of British control, severe treatment of Indian National Army survivors, and the discrediting of local nationalists would have been the major results. Civilian casualties would have been large, more ships would have been lost or damaged (Though likely none of the fleet carriers sunk, as they proved durable against Kamikazes), and many pows lost.
However, to restore British power in the far east, fully avenge Force Z and Singapore, and achieve a more complete British victory in the war, successful launching of Culverin and Zipper would have been worth the cost.
Ironically, from the British point of view, had the daring September 1943 midget sub raid failed, and Tirpitz joined Scharnhorst for the death ride to North Cape, even had Duke of York spent half of 1944 in dockyard as a result, some form of Culverin in 1944, in place of Tungsten and Goodwood, would have been the likely result.
Mark,
your the MAN 👨
Thank you very much.
👍🙋♂️🐈🙂🌞⛱
It would be interesting to hear about Soviets and Stalin’s crimes against humanity during WW2.
Love stories like these, the USA got far too much from the war.
Thank you Mark, very interesting documentary. War is politics by other means. MacArthur should have been charged with war crimes with regard to his orders on the 19th of August 1945.
Wow, totally fascinating. Just when I think WW2 history is exhausted, Dr. Felton crushes the idea.
After Tokyo, it was all downhill for the US. Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Middle East, Crimea, and now Afganistan, the worst of them all.
MacArthur, like Patton, was quite the prima donna
If the British had enough resources they could have taken Singapore back without American approval.
Explain the logic underlying that conclusion?
You have got to speak to a veteran of the 'forgotten ' Army to understand the Hatred we had for the Japanese at that time !
Great story, it pissed me off though hearing my country stabbed our cousins in the back.
I’ll never understand why the US hated empires, in particular the British empire. They seem to forget that they were and still are an empire. The word seems to bring an allergic reaction for the yanks.
They had the Philippines as a colony, treated them good but also horribly. They cannot accept the fact they were an Imperialist power regardless of their label. What I do admire about the US is that their Constitution made exceptional advances to what I see as a very good political ideology that is Classical Liberalism.
ruclips.net/video/7fcqhU-23TA/видео.html
An American account of how cruel and imperialist they can be if they can brush off things from the public eye.
ruclips.net/video/PctdUtse6f8/видео.html
A Filipino who corroborated and corrected some of the inaccuracies made by the American who posted the video "How the US Stole the Philippines".
52:02 - 52:36 Based Mountbatten. Normally I’d see that to be horribly bloodthirsty, but considering what the Japanese did to British POWs, I can fully understand his rage.
"in their continuing efforts to be re-admitted into the human race ..." that's one way to describe Japanese post-war diplomacy. I have a new appreciation for Lord Mountbatten now.
I feel that this position glosses over a key issue: the British strategy to recapture Malaya might have hurt the Japanese, but it wouldn't really have contributed to their final defeat the way the American strategy was. The US goal was, at it's core, to secure island bases in order to construct airfields from which bombers could start hitting the Japanese home islands, crippling their war effort at its core. Malaya, while an important Japanese asset, wouldn't deal as major a blow to Japan's offensive capabilities. And on the subject of POW's, the best thing that could be done for them was see to Japan's final defeat, which, again, would come from attacking them at home.
Not to mention that the UK, as seems to be a recurring theme with their battle plans, seems to think they'd just roll across Malaya with no impediment from the Japanese resisting them, nor that the Japanese, as occurred with American POW'S in the Philippines, would simply massacre the prisoners as the Allied forces came closer.
We didn't need to attack the Philippines ether
@@demonprinces17 the Philippines had some strategic value in their use as a staging area for the expected invasion of Japan, which, I must point out, was the final objective of the American efforts up until the Atom Bomb changed the strategic playing field. And that wasn't until July 1945, 10 months after the US landed in the Philippines.
@@Soundwave3591 too far south
The British Pacific Fleet was assisting the US troops in Okinawa. Without it, it is highly unlikely the USA would have secured Okinawa, 400 miles from Japan, before the Soviets were firmly on Hokkaido.
Britain's responsibilities were to the peoples of those occupied territories. The BPF should have assisted the British in Burma, Indonesia and Malaya. Japanese rubber and oil would have been cut off. It was pretty clear what the Yanks were up to. The US island hopping was also assisted by the British merchant feet which was over the horizon, packed with supplies.
@@johnburns4017 Japanese Oil and Rubber WAS cut off...by the Allied Naval campaign severing Japan's supply lines delivering raw materials to the home islands. US Submarines were exacting such a decisive toll on Japanese shipping that the home islands were facing starvation before the landings on Okinawa even began. Again, the overarching goal of the Allied war effort was driving the Home Islands Into submission, and the British fleet, especially its carriers, were far more useful in operations to take the war to Japan itself rather than a strategically limited Operation against Japanese troops who were basically already trapped where they were: it wasn't like they could reinforce the home islands.
Thanks Mark. I really loved this rendition of shared knowledge, especially as it is in my back yard :)
No one can predict what would have happened to British and Commonwealth prisoners of war if the Emperor had not ordered his troops to surrender, but Japanese soldiers massacred Allied prisoners at Wake Island before the surrender. Zipper might have not saved many prisoners at all.
Good on you, Mr. Felton. "Knuckle draggers" indeed. You can't make this stuff up. I salute your unflinching facing of controversy.
Excellent, informative presentation. Mountbatten gone up slightly in my estimation. McArthur's self agrandissement indefensible. These things only seem to come to light when the protagonists are dead, to save embarrasment to the establishment.....and it still goes on.
Hey mark would you cover the Cowra breakout- the largest and bloodiest pow prison break of the war?
That sake & grenades party is something out of a horror movie 😳
Bet the Maid had her hands full that day.