Things are coming to a head - Hitler is dead, and it looks like a German collapse is likely any moment - but the war is far from over. In Asia it looks like many things are only beginning… but even when that ends, we won’t be going anywhere. We will continue to satisfy your WW2 needs for as long as you’ll have us… there will be specials, mini chronologies, and even a new weekly long series. To not mention that Indy begins covering the Korean War on a dedicated channel on June 25 youtube.com/@KoreanWarbyIndyNeidell
In another post we talked about this needing to be a movie (although I think one was done a while back). Perhaps your team might consider writing a good screenplay and start shopping it around...
@@poorwotan The other incident mentioned by Indy where American & German troops fought side-by-side against the SS (Operation Cowboy) did have have a film based on it, called Miracle of the White Stallions. I haven't seen it so I can't comment on how accurate or good it is, but Disney made a film out of it back in 1963.
Thank-you SO MUCH for giving this one some special attention :) This is my favorite WW2 story as it is just so bizarre, beating out even the story of Corporal Wotjek and that time a Finnish soldier took his entire unit's supply of Prevertin. This battle is a LOT weirder than Indy was able to give it credit - at one point, a former French Tennis Pro, who was a prisoner at the castle, sneaks out to look for American reinforcements after the radio goes dead. Who does he run into in the village? Future Quebec Premier Rene Levesque, who was a war correspondent at the time and recognized him. War is Hell, but it can also be very, VERY weird...
Imagine going through the whole war from the battlefield of France to the USSR and then back to France just to die in the final hours of the conflict... Heartbreaking.
I would add an even more epic fun fact: among the french VIP prisonners is Jean Borota, a famous tennis player, former vichy sport minister. Contrary to the old politicians there like Reynaud or Dalladier he is very fit. And so in the heart of the battle he voluntered to cross the enemy lines to seek help. And he managed to do it! It is him who guided the american relief force. If it was the plot of a movie, people would say its unbelievable.
So many weird things happened in that war that, if written into a fiction novel or screenplay, would get the author laughed out of a publisher's or producer's office.
Borota was Vichy Minister responsible for effectively banning rugby league, the professional, working class version of rugby, that had shot to sudden popularity in France in the 30s. Assets of the rugby league were transferred to the rugby union, and have never been returned. He also crippled table tennis, real tennis and badminton. A complex character indeed, a villain in many arenas.
What i like about this event: you could turn in it into a serious contemplation of the complexity of war in a style similar to "Saving Private Ryan" ans similar movies... or you can turn the battel into a Wes Anderson comedy. I would go broke watching that movie.
@@jonaz7312 It was a bit of a comedy of errors. Could start off with how Lee kept on having to whittle down his force until he got to the castle. How there was another effort to get to the castle was mired in delays and obstacles. How this trio defending the castle was so unlikely, and how the french "prisoners" at the time weren't altogether enthused by the situation.
In my mind, I'd like to say a movie was made which is probably why I knew of this event before. One of that slew of somewhat unremarkable WW2 pictures made in the 60's/70's? No blockbuster by any means. That said, this is definitely one that could be done (re-done?).
A little anecdot about the French prisonners's life at Itter. Paul Reynaud had to cope with the presence of Edouard Dalladier, long political rival. Reynaud and Dalladier had left each others in bad terms after the defeat of 1940 and tried to avoid each other but Reynaud could'nt stop complaining about what he saw through his window. Indeed, Dalladier was a staunch nudist and used to make a nude walk in the Itter garden quite often.
One more important thing to note: the 12th Armored Division was one of the only American divisions that had mixed white and black soldiers so not only did you have the pre-existing cauldron of people involved you also had African American soldiers taking a hand in it as well which I feel is important to note.
I remember reading a few times that Europeans being liberated from Nazis loved to see the black soldiers because it was a clear sign that it was the Americans and the Allies coming.
@isaiahkayode6526 to do Leyte Gulf justice, it would require well over $200 million in production budget alone, and no studio today would ever risk that, even for a story far better than the entire Marvel Cinematic Multiverse... ...this movie could be done far less expensively, as this would be on the scale of "The Dirty Dozen", and even if Christopher Nolan directed it, it would probably be ok with a production budget of $120 million, and this, in IMAX? NOLAN, SHUT UP AND MAKE THE MOVIE AND TAKE MY MONEY!!! 😂
@@brenokrug7775 Not really John Basilone, an American marine, was awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions on Guadalcanal. One of his photos served as a portrait for generic Italian generals (Basilone was of Italian origin) Even though he does not smile as clearly as Gangl, you can still see it preview.redd.it/zjkvikjtih961.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=19c82030ded3fd04e8cacbecd0127cb0989e52fd
About the French prisoners: they included not only Reynaud and Gamelin (who Reynaud fired during the Battle of France in 1940), but also former Vichy politicians who fell out of favor and were imprisoned by the Germans. Naturally these prisoners worked together during the battle, but they did not get along before the battle, and they did not get along after the battle (as witnessed by René Lévesque, a reporter who went on to become the founder of the Parti Québécois in Canada and an advocate for Quebec sovereignty).
@ryanprosper88 Yep, René Lévesque was one of two reporters traveling with the relief force. In his memoirs, Lévesque noted that, after the relief force arrived, the French dignitaries separated themselves into separate groups disinclined to talk with one another. Relations between Reynaud and Daladier were particularly icy, with each one in turn declining to comment beyond indicating that they would deal with each other after they returned to France.
I was about to write a comment on this, but now I see you've beaten me to it. As a Canadian, I find his participation by far the most surreal part of it all. BTW, we should give kudos to Levesque for his war service. As a Quebec nationalist, he refused to serve under King George, so volunteered for the US Army, who put him to work as an embedded war correspondent. He was also present at the liberation of Dachau. I don't like that he nearly destroyed my country, but the man had integrity.
"After the Downfall, a Castle besieged, Facing the Nazis, awaiting relief! Gangl and Lee, And their men set the Prisoners free!" -Sabaton, "The Last Battle"
Absolutely deserved it's own episode .. and beyond time for getting it's own movie. This would be epic if done in a Band of Brothers format (and care for the historical record).
I am homeschooling my daughter and have used this channel as part of my curriculum. I sometimes think she "tunes me out" but luckily she hangs on every word she hears each video. Thank you Time Ghost team for your help with teaching my daughter.
Your daughter is getting a much better history education than you can possibly imagine. There are literally young American adults and teenagers that don't know who bombed Pearl Harbor for instance. I've heard of high school history classes having something like being able to name the 13 colonies as part of the final exam. It's absolutely insane.
Just a few days before the end of the war! I just finished lecturing about WWII this week. My students knew so little about the war. They did not even know the term Blitzkrieg. They never heard of the Nuremberg laws. They could not name a concentration camp. I appreciate any channel that is telling the story of WWII. As a history professor I felt a sense of responsibility to explain to people why this Holocaust Remembrance Day is different than all others. So, I made a short video and included many resources for people to learn more about the Holocaust. Soon the entire generation of survivors will be gone. Now is the time to learn the lessons of the past.
This new generation can’t even recognize the swastika or the SS insignia because they only consume social media, which is heavily censored, so they either never saw the symbols, or they don’t know exactly what they mean, much less the history behind it.
I hope you got them all interested in this channel told theme to subscribe to it! I can imagine the reaction to the holocaust that’s something we learned the first time it leaves you shocked for days on end.
When you consider how much of the US has German heritage, it was about time indeed. There has been so much German immigration to the old colonies and the US that when one tries to identify waves of immigration, you find that it has basically been happening since the beginning of European settlement in North America, with the first "German-American" arriving with the Jamestowns colonists in 1607.
@@FleetAdmiralDouglas I once heard that there was a vote about whether English or German would become the first language in the USA, and English won only by a narrow margin. Imagine how WWI and WII would have played out if the USA had been a German-speaking country.
Thank you, Indy. My father father’s unit (261st Regiment of the 65th Infantry Division) met the Russians at the Enns River in Austria about this time 79 years ago. While he did not find himself fighting along side Germans against nazis, he had many stories of strange combinations of soldiers, refugees, displaced persons and bewildered civilians. One of my great regrets is that he refused to write down his memories. Perhaps that is the reason I have followed you every week since the start of your great endeavor. You tell the stooge is not here to tell.
That point at the corner referencing a familiar thumbnail finally did it for me. You'd think it would've been Hitler's death or something else with a finale impact but no, it was recognizing a "5 year" old video and having the points in it come back to me in a faded memory. Wow, I've actually watched every video of this series every day or whenever I could and barely missed any. It really was in real time, and I only just now felt where that time had gone. I am sure it will make a lasting impact but, wow, it's really coming to a close.
I fear that people who did not know the history would find it far too unrealistic. Even I struggle to grasp this really happened and is well documented. But truth is often far more bizarre than stories
@@joakimbjorkgren3511it sounds like every “ war movie “ I saw on television as a kid. The Guns or Navarone, The Dirty Dozen. Believably wasn’t what those movies ran on. Just because for once the plot would be actually be based on a true story, doesn’t matter, that’s not what makes a good movie.
One of the interesting things about the battle was that it had people like Reynard actually doing the fighting themselves. Early in the war, he commanded one of the mightiest armies in human history. At the end, he was another grunt with muddy boots.
I was glad you covered this battle, especially with a special episode. My dad was in the 12th Armored Division, which went by the nickname The Hellcats. He wasn’t involved in this battle, but it’s undoubtedly the most famous one the 12th was in. It was also nice seeing his unit’s marker on some of the maps showing the fighting around Colmar.
The whole battle of Itter Castle reads like a dark comedy by Taika Waititi, in the same vein of Jojo Rabbit. I can imagine a scene introducing the defecting German soldiers, burning every piece of Hitler memorabilia they have on them. A lone private, clutching his prized Hitler plushie, forced to throw in the fire as he's consoled by his fellow soldiers.
So a US Army officer, an SS officer, a German Army officer, and a French prime minister walk into a bar. Just kidding, the bar is a castle and we're under attack by the Waffen SS. Grab an MP 40.
Meanwhile the Georgians are still fighting against the Germans on the Dutch Island of Texel, their leader Shalva Loladze is killed on April 25th but fighting continues even after the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands on may 5th or for that matter in Europe on the may 8th, it is not until may 20th when the Canadians arrive on Texel that the fighting stops.
@@Southsideindy 🤫🤫 I've been following since the Guns of August... I know it hasn't been you alone, so let everyone on the team know... Thank you. 🤙 edit: You're a good dude
What this amazing story details is that anyone can be evil but anyone can fight evil as well. May the last battle be a reminder to all of us that there’s always good in the world even in the darkest times.
This incident has always intrigued me. I first heard of this on Mark Felton's channel some years back and now I'm about to get a second dose here! Great stuff!👍
One of the most dramatic events of the war. I had heard of this before but your retelling captures the intensity of the battle. Needs a movie. I remember a movie starring Burt Lancaster titled “Castle Keep” - one of my all time favorites- but it is about trying to save art treasures if my memory serves. Thanks for all the great educational content!
I always wondered what happened to Schrader after the battle since almost every record I've found glosses over his future after Itter. I eventually found out almost immediately after the battle he was nearly taken captive by Yugoslavian soldiers who would likely have summarily shot him as a suspected war criminal. Luckily, Lee and the others protected him and convinced the Yugoslavians to let the Americans keep Schrader as a POW. After he was released from captivity he returned to his hometown and built a life and family there as well as becoming a master bricklayer.
@@TaxEvader08 I think there was a unit of Free-Yugoslavian soldiers with the Americans. This wasn't unheard of after the war started and especially after the fall of France when numerous men from multiple countries fled to Britain and were reorganized into expat units according to their nationality.
Once again, you guys at Time Ghost tell stories that I never heard of before- and I thought I was pretty well informed on WW II... not anymore- you guys consistently kick my butt! GOOD JOB!
The only reason I knew of it was the Disney movie, Miracle of the White Stallions, which came out when I was 12. Although I remembered the event, I'd forgotten about the movie until just now.
I read a book about this event and all I can say, “Why hasn’t it been made in to a movie yet.” It literally has everything. So much of the story couldn’t be done justice in just 10-12 minutes.
Let's not forget the part of the story where former international tennis star Jean Borotra vaulted the castle wall in the middle of the fighting to summon help from a nearby town and then returned with the liberating force to fight alongside them. And let's also remember the mistress of one of the former French prime ministers (I don't recall if it was Daladier's or Reynaud's) who remained to help the wounded and pass out ammunition.
I'm following you guys for months and I just would like to say THANKS for all...your tone, your deep culture of the combats all this sounds good fair and last but not least I would like as a french patriot say to you both ( and the brits as a whole) a great thank you so mutch for the job done, we shall NEVER FORGET - Peace and Love - Vince
Awe you didnt mention of my favorite parts of the story! One of the prisoners was tennis player Jean Borotra. When Lee pulled his troops back to the keep, Borotra was sent out to help guide the Americans to the castle. He ran into the Americans and was recognized by a French-Canadian officer who recognized him because he was a fan of tennis. That officer would eventually be the Premier of Quebec. They then followed Borotra back to the castle. The Americans could have taken longer if it werent for him which could have meant that there wouldve been more casualties.
One of the American officers that was involved was a French-Canadian that eventually become the premier of Quebec? A strange incident with a bizarre mix of characters just got stranger.
I was flown home injured from Itter. Okay, it was a skiing trip. On the last day, I returned my skis, went to buy an ice cream and slipped on some ice! Itter is a pretty little village. I recommend a visit - but beware of the ice cream!
This battle was batshit crazy and awesome, and I'm so happy you gave it the attention it deserves. Looking forward to the next episode, on my birthday!
I quite like Besotten Jenny also. That could work as a good name for a boat or race horse as well. I wonder who the real Jenny was. I bet when she became besotted with some American tanker she never expected her name to become immortalized in one of the Second World War's strangest events.
There were instances where Wehrmacht deserters joined resistance groups such as in a joint raid with British, Italian, Russian and Spanish fighters along with a Dutch member who raided the German 14th army headquarters in Italy two months previously.
There were also Germans who had fought in the International Brigades (on the Republican side) in the Spanish Civil War. After that war ended many of the fled to France and after France was occupied many joined the French Resistance (as they didn't have many options).
I literally just read about the Battle of Castle Itter seconds before I watched this video! I wondered if Indy would cover the events that occurred on May 5, 1945.
This might be one of the most famous "funny" fact of WW2. It amaze me that nobody did a movie about it yet. Especially us, French. Seeing Reynaud or Gamelin fighting side by side in an Austrian would be like seeing MacArthur and Truman fighting side by side for Americans.
I was hoping you'd talk about this battle! It's a fascinating story I stumbled across during a Wikipedia binge. I hope you will also do a special on the Japanese holdouts after victory in the Pacific. Some hid in the woods for decades!
This guy does the best WW2 videos on RUclips top notch stuff at all times. I only watch this video show on RUclips the rest nadda just this guy only keep up the good work and video's
I first found out about the Battle for Castle Itter well over a year ago and I became enamored with the story. This would be a great comedy-drama-action movie with complicated enemy soldiers turned heroes with awesome redemptive arcs, an average cook risking his life to save the prominent prisoners, an American officer leading a small band to save the VIPS, the politicians, army generals and other prominents arguing with one another but banding together for their survival and an action-packed Hollywood ending! Like Indy, I am out of breath!
Things are coming to a head - Hitler is dead, and it looks like a German collapse is likely any moment - but the war is far from over. In Asia it looks like many things are only beginning… but even when that ends, we won’t be going anywhere. We will continue to satisfy your WW2 needs for as long as you’ll have us… there will be specials, mini chronologies, and even a new weekly long series. To not mention that Indy begins covering the Korean War on a dedicated channel on June 25 youtube.com/@KoreanWarbyIndyNeidell
Hope you guys covering some post war situation too, cuz this war is getting very cold 😊❤
@@danendraabyantara2931 🥶🥶🥶
In another post we talked about this needing to be a movie (although I think one was done a while back). Perhaps your team might consider writing a good screenplay and start shopping it around...
@@poorwotan The other incident mentioned by Indy where American & German troops fought side-by-side against the SS (Operation Cowboy) did have have a film based on it, called Miracle of the White Stallions. I haven't seen it so I can't comment on how accurate or good it is, but Disney made a film out of it back in 1963.
Thank-you SO MUCH for giving this one some special attention :) This is my favorite WW2 story as it is just so bizarre, beating out even the story of Corporal Wotjek and that time a Finnish soldier took his entire unit's supply of Prevertin.
This battle is a LOT weirder than Indy was able to give it credit - at one point, a former French Tennis Pro, who was a prisoner at the castle, sneaks out to look for American reinforcements after the radio goes dead. Who does he run into in the village? Future Quebec Premier Rene Levesque, who was a war correspondent at the time and recognized him. War is Hell, but it can also be very, VERY weird...
An American army officer, a German Waffen-SS officer, and a German Werhmacht officer walk into a castle.
Upon hearing the news, a Soviet army officer promptly had a heart attack.
@kistler1994 Hilarious!
«Never thought i’d die side by side with a kraut.»
«How about side by side with a friend?»
«Yeah, i can do that»
The reference we all wanted to see!
But who got tossed then? -TimeGhost Ambassador
my favorite line from the whole film
From which movie it is? I can't remember.
Oh yeah, Gimli and Legolas talk, thanks.
@@Healermain15 Actually it's from return of the king
Meanwhile a Soviet officer looking from his scope from a mile away:
- THE FUCK ??
"Ivan, come take a look" -TimeGhost Ambassador
Molotov would've had an aneurism if he caught wind of that story
@@briceoka5623 You kidding? He would've uncorked some champagne. Perfect excuse to legitimize the Soviet Union's naked annexation of Eastern Europe.
"...блять?"
"..."
"...сука ебать!!!"
(google translate, forgive me vodka friends)
@@_ArsNova it had already been legitimised at yalta lol
Imagine going through the whole war from the battlefield of France to the USSR and then back to France just to die in the final hours of the conflict... Heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking indeed, a sad reality of war.
Very much, indeed -TimeGhost Ambassador
It was a heroic redemption arc. While most of the war he had been fighting to conquer and enslave, in the end, he died defending life and liberty. 😢
@@shawnjohnson9763 and defending someone who had been his enemy.
He redeemed his immortal soul.
I would add an even more epic fun fact: among the french VIP prisonners is Jean Borota, a famous tennis player, former vichy sport minister. Contrary to the old politicians there like Reynaud or Dalladier he is very fit. And so in the heart of the battle he voluntered to cross the enemy lines to seek help. And he managed to do it! It is him who guided the american relief force.
If it was the plot of a movie, people would say its unbelievable.
So many weird things happened in that war that, if written into a fiction novel or screenplay, would get the author laughed out of a publisher's or producer's office.
Borota was Vichy Minister responsible for effectively banning rugby league, the professional, working class version of rugby, that had shot to sudden popularity in France in the 30s. Assets of the rugby league were transferred to the rugby union, and have never been returned. He also crippled table tennis, real tennis and badminton. A complex character indeed, a villain in many arenas.
He crossed the enemy line twice in fact!
The fact that Hollywood has yet to turn this story into a blockbuster film is a travesty.
What i like about this event: you could turn in it into a serious contemplation of the complexity of war in a style similar to "Saving Private Ryan" ans similar movies... or you can turn the battel into a Wes Anderson comedy. I would go broke watching that movie.
@@jonaz7312 It was a bit of a comedy of errors. Could start off with how Lee kept on having to whittle down his force until he got to the castle. How there was another effort to get to the castle was mired in delays and obstacles. How this trio defending the castle was so unlikely, and how the french "prisoners" at the time weren't altogether enthused by the situation.
In my mind, I'd like to say a movie was made which is probably why I knew of this event before. One of that slew of somewhat unremarkable WW2 pictures made in the 60's/70's? No blockbuster by any means. That said, this is definitely one that could be done (re-done?).
Same with the battle of Leyte gulf the largest naval battle in history.
And each of the people involved have their own fascinating history that's perfect for character development. The flashback scenes would be epic.
Clemenceau, old tiger of WW1 getting some action now is really stuff of legends...
What a life he had! -TimeGhost Ambassador
His son*
The WW1 prime minister Clemenceau died years before WW2.
@@bbenjoe yes but the son took part in ww1 too. He was in his 40s at the start of the first world war
@@giannisv.4472The Tiger was the nickname of Georges Clemensceau.
A little anecdot about the French prisonners's life at Itter. Paul Reynaud had to cope with the presence of Edouard Dalladier, long political rival. Reynaud and Dalladier had left each others in bad terms after the defeat of 1940 and tried to avoid each other but Reynaud could'nt stop complaining about what he saw through his window. Indeed, Dalladier was a staunch nudist and used to make a nude walk in the Itter garden quite often.
One more important thing to note: the 12th Armored Division was one of the only American divisions that had mixed white and black soldiers so not only did you have the pre-existing cauldron of people involved you also had African American soldiers taking a hand in it as well which I feel is important to note.
Makes this story even more unusal and cool! 🙂
I remember reading a few times that Europeans being liberated from Nazis loved to see the black soldiers because it was a clear sign that it was the Americans and the Allies coming.
The Battle of Castle Itter...
Why this incident isn't made into a movie is beyond me.
The same with Leyte Gulf.
@isaiahkayode6526 to do Leyte Gulf justice, it would require well over $200 million in production budget alone, and no studio today would ever risk that, even for a story far better than the entire Marvel Cinematic Multiverse...
...this movie could be done far less expensively, as this would be on the scale of "The Dirty Dozen", and even if Christopher Nolan directed it, it would probably be ok with a production budget of $120 million, and this, in IMAX? NOLAN, SHUT UP AND MAKE THE MOVIE AND TAKE MY MONEY!!! 😂
Deadline Hollywood reported a lot of studios have looked into turning this into a movie. I imagine it’s only a matter of time
Ive been to that Castle...what knockers!
As soon as I visited a castle near me I wanted there to be a reenactment of this battle.
Fun Fact: Gangl was included in the video Game Hearts of Iron 4 as the picture for a generic General.
Probably the only one to be smilling, too
@@brenokrug7775 Not really
John Basilone, an American marine, was awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions on Guadalcanal. One of his photos served as a portrait for generic Italian generals (Basilone was of Italian origin)
Even though he does not smile as clearly as Gangl, you can still see it
preview.redd.it/zjkvikjtih961.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=19c82030ded3fd04e8cacbecd0127cb0989e52fd
aaaaaah! I knew I recognised his picture from somewhere! Thank you!
About the French prisoners: they included not only Reynaud and Gamelin (who Reynaud fired during the Battle of France in 1940), but also former Vichy politicians who fell out of favor and were imprisoned by the Germans. Naturally these prisoners worked together during the battle, but they did not get along before the battle, and they did not get along after the battle (as witnessed by René Lévesque, a reporter who went on to become the founder of the Parti Québécois in Canada and an advocate for Quebec sovereignty).
Seriously?!? Rene Levesque was here?
@ryanprosper88 Yep, René Lévesque was one of two reporters traveling with the relief force. In his memoirs, Lévesque noted that, after the relief force arrived, the French dignitaries separated themselves into separate groups disinclined to talk with one another. Relations between Reynaud and Daladier were particularly icy, with each one in turn declining to comment beyond indicating that they would deal with each other after they returned to France.
I was about to write a comment on this, but now I see you've beaten me to it. As a Canadian, I find his participation by far the most surreal part of it all.
BTW, we should give kudos to Levesque for his war service. As a Quebec nationalist, he refused to serve under King George, so volunteered for the US Army, who put him to work as an embedded war correspondent. He was also present at the liberation of Dachau.
I don't like that he nearly destroyed my country, but the man had integrity.
@seanlawrence6519 dang, a Quebec without Canada would have been MUCH better off!
@@ryanprosper88 This story just keeps getting more insane.
"After the Downfall, a Castle besieged,
Facing the Nazis, awaiting relief!
Gangl and Lee,
And their men set the Prisoners free!"
-Sabaton, "The Last Battle"
@@whenyoucantfindanameWARSAW, RISE!
Sabaton! Sabaton!
It's the end of the line of the final journey
Enemies live in these past,
It's American troops and the German army,
Joining together at last!'
GOTT MITT UNS
JENNY AT THE GATES!
Absolutely deserved it's own episode .. and beyond time for getting it's own movie. This would be epic if done in a Band of Brothers format (and care for the historical record).
People nowadays: *Infinity war is the most epic crossover in history*
Me, an intellectual:
Thank you! -TimeGhost Ambassador
Wait until you hear about the siege of the International legations in 1900
Allies! Assemble...
@@darkobg9997 EVERY country that fought in WW1 against each other, fought that battle together. wild.
I am homeschooling my daughter and have used this channel as part of my curriculum. I sometimes think she "tunes me out" but luckily she hangs on every word she hears each video. Thank you Time Ghost team for your help with teaching my daughter.
Your daughter is getting a much better history education than you can possibly imagine. There are literally young American adults and teenagers that don't know who bombed Pearl Harbor for instance. I've heard of high school history classes having something like being able to name the 13 colonies as part of the final exam. It's absolutely insane.
Just a few days before the end of the war! I just finished lecturing about WWII this week. My students knew so little about the war. They did not even know the term Blitzkrieg. They never heard of the Nuremberg laws. They could not name a concentration camp. I appreciate any channel that is telling the story of WWII. As a history professor I felt a sense of responsibility to explain to people why this Holocaust Remembrance Day is different than all others. So, I made a short video and included many resources for people to learn more about the Holocaust. Soon the entire generation of survivors will be gone. Now is the time to learn the lessons of the past.
Professor, it is so important that these events are not lost to history, lest they are repeated.
This new generation can’t even recognize the swastika or the SS insignia because they only consume social media, which is heavily censored, so they either never saw the symbols, or they don’t know exactly what they mean, much less the history behind it.
I hope you got them all interested in this channel told theme to subscribe to it! I can imagine the reaction to the holocaust that’s something we learned the first time it leaves you shocked for days on end.
not to be that guy, but there's still the Pacific
in which country? in Europe or elsewhere?
ah finally
the crossover moment where the two enemies team up to take down a bigger threat
The end of World War Two - when the Germans and Americans fighting with each other against other Germans to rescue horses is not the weird one.
🎶 "And its American Troops and the German Army, joining together at last"! 🎶
*Sabaton Intensifies* -TimeGhost Ambassador
Exactly what is was thinking!
When you consider how much of the US has German heritage, it was about time indeed. There has been so much German immigration to the old colonies and the US that when one tries to identify waves of immigration, you find that it has basically been happening since the beginning of European settlement in North America, with the first "German-American" arriving with the Jamestowns colonists in 1607.
@@WorldWarTwoindy knows about that event more than anyone else (sabaton history)
@@FleetAdmiralDouglas I once heard that there was a vote about whether English or German would become the first language in the USA, and English won only by a narrow margin. Imagine how WWI and WII would have played out if the USA had been a German-speaking country.
Thank you, Indy. My father father’s unit (261st Regiment of the 65th Infantry Division) met the Russians at the Enns River in Austria about this time 79 years ago. While he did not find himself fighting along side Germans against nazis, he had many stories of strange combinations of soldiers, refugees, displaced persons and bewildered civilians. One of my great regrets is that he refused to write down his memories. Perhaps that is the reason I have followed you every week since the start of your great endeavor. You tell the stooge is not here to tell.
RIP Gangel
So many episodes this week! No complaints ofc keep it up
We hope you enjoy them all! -TimeGhost Ambassador
Always!
Stalin - “I TOLD you they were getting ready to work together!”
That point at the corner referencing a familiar thumbnail finally did it for me. You'd think it would've been Hitler's death or something else with a finale impact but no, it was recognizing a "5 year" old video and having the points in it come back to me in a faded memory. Wow, I've actually watched every video of this series every day or whenever I could and barely missed any. It really was in real time, and I only just now felt where that time had gone. I am sure it will make a lasting impact but, wow, it's really coming to a close.
'Kings and Generals' channel has done a video on the battle of Castle Itter too. It's worth watching.
Thanks for the intel! -TimeGhost Ambassador
And a really good one! Even more detailed.
Someone needs to make a movie about this!!
I cant believe it hasnt
same -TimeGhost Ambassador
I fear that people who did not know the history would find it far too unrealistic. Even I struggle to grasp this really happened and is well documented. But truth is often far more bizarre than stories
@@joakimbjorkgren3511it sounds like every “ war movie “ I saw on television as a kid. The Guns or Navarone, The Dirty Dozen. Believably wasn’t what those movies ran on. Just because for once the plot would be actually be based on a true story, doesn’t matter, that’s not what makes a good movie.
@@WorldWarTwoLeyte Gulf as well.
It’s nice to see Paul Reynard again, last time I remember hearing him mention was during the battle of France all the way back in 1940
One of the interesting things about the battle was that it had people like Reynard actually doing the fighting themselves. Early in the war, he commanded one of the mightiest armies in human history. At the end, he was another grunt with muddy boots.
I was glad you covered this battle, especially with a special episode. My dad was in the 12th Armored Division, which went by the nickname The Hellcats. He wasn’t involved in this battle, but it’s undoubtedly the most famous one the 12th was in. It was also nice seeing his unit’s marker on some of the maps showing the fighting around Colmar.
The whole battle of Itter Castle reads like a dark comedy by Taika Waititi, in the same vein of Jojo Rabbit.
I can imagine a scene introducing the defecting German soldiers, burning every piece of Hitler memorabilia they have on them. A lone private, clutching his prized Hitler plushie, forced to throw in the fire as he's consoled by his fellow soldiers.
So a US Army officer, an SS officer, a German Army officer, and a French prime minister walk into a bar.
Just kidding, the bar is a castle and we're under attack by the Waffen SS. Grab an MP 40.
My mind went to Three Kings.
You are all lifesavers. This series has been such an honor to experience. Thank you so much for all your hard work. 👏
Thanks a lot for those kind words! -TimeGhost Ambassador
YES! I was really hoping you guys would do a special on this amazing story. How has this not been turned into a film yet?
8:37 how is this not a film already!
I’ve heard of this several times in the past but it still amazes me. Love it 😍
Meanwhile the Georgians are still fighting against the Germans on the Dutch Island of Texel, their leader Shalva Loladze is killed on April 25th but fighting continues even after the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands on may 5th or for that matter in Europe on the may 8th, it is not until may 20th when the Canadians arrive on Texel that the fighting stops.
And you think I won’t cover that why?
@@Southsideindy 🤫🤫 I've been following since the Guns of August... I know it hasn't been you alone, so let everyone on the team know... Thank you. 🤙 edit: You're a good dude
another wierd and tragic coda to this war
5TH OF MAY, VE DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
1945, the Führer's reign's at its end
Jenny at the gates, as the SS open fire
And not short enough it was! -TimeGhost Ambassador
@@WorldWarTwoMaster Yoda, you survived.
What this amazing story details is that anyone can be evil but anyone can fight evil as well. May the last battle be a reminder to all of us that there’s always good in the world even in the darkest times.
This is about as crazy as that time during WW1 when the Germans and the Ottomans fought a battle against each other in the Caucuses!
? Some key words to find this in the internet?
Azerbaijan expedition 1918@@micumatrix
This incident has always intrigued me. I first heard of this on Mark Felton's channel some years back and now I'm about to get a second dose here! Great stuff!👍
"And it's the end of the line of the final journey
Enemies leaving the past
And its American troops and the German Army
Joining together at last"
Man, this deserves a movie. At least a series episode
Phenomenal story telling as usual
Thank you! -TimeGhost Ambassador
Thanks!
One of the most dramatic events of the war. I had heard of this before but your retelling captures the intensity of the battle. Needs a movie. I remember a movie starring Burt Lancaster titled “Castle Keep” - one of my all time favorites- but it is about trying to save art treasures if my memory serves. Thanks for all the great educational content!
Was listening to Sabatons ‘The last battle’ earlier on and now this! Great episode as usual TG crew
RIP
Josef Gangl
(1910-1945)
I always wondered what happened to Schrader after the battle since almost every record I've found glosses over his future after Itter. I eventually found out almost immediately after the battle he was nearly taken captive by Yugoslavian soldiers who would likely have summarily shot him as a suspected war criminal. Luckily, Lee and the others protected him and convinced the Yugoslavians to let the Americans keep Schrader as a POW. After he was released from captivity he returned to his hometown and built a life and family there as well as becoming a master bricklayer.
Glad to know he lived a good life after, but how'd he end up in Yugoslav hands? If he was in Itter, wouldn't he have been an American POW?
@@TaxEvader08 I think there was a unit of Free-Yugoslavian soldiers with the Americans. This wasn't unheard of after the war started and especially after the fall of France when numerous men from multiple countries fled to Britain and were reorganized into expat units according to their nationality.
I always hoped that you would bring out a video about this very interesting battle.
Glad to know that you *never* disapoint.
Once again, you guys at Time Ghost tell stories that I never heard of before- and I thought I was pretty well informed on WW II... not anymore- you guys consistently kick my butt! GOOD JOB!
That should be a film! Great episode.
In years of studying WWII but I never heard this or the Lippezaner story! Thanks for finding EVERYTHING about this war. Simply the best source!!
The only reason I knew of it was the Disney movie, Miracle of the White Stallions, which came out when I was 12. Although I remembered the event, I'd forgotten about the movie until just now.
@@stevebarrett9357 I will look for that on the Disney Channel!
Outstanding video and presentation
What a brilliant story, told brilliantly of course!
Thanks a lot! -TimeGhost Ambassador
I read a book about this event and all I can say, “Why hasn’t it been made in to a movie yet.” It literally has everything. So much of the story couldn’t be done justice in just 10-12 minutes.
Let's not forget the part of the story where former international tennis star Jean Borotra vaulted the castle wall in the middle of the fighting to summon help from a nearby town and then returned with the liberating force to fight alongside them. And let's also remember the mistress of one of the former French prime ministers (I don't recall if it was Daladier's or Reynaud's) who remained to help the wounded and pass out ammunition.
Thanks for this and everything else too. I've been watching since '14.
Glad to have you with us since then! -TimeGhost Ambassador
Díky!
I'm following you guys for months and I just would like to say THANKS for all...your tone, your deep culture of the combats all this sounds good fair and last but not least I would like as a french patriot say to you both ( and the brits as a whole) a great thank you so mutch for the job done, we shall NEVER FORGET - Peace and Love - Vince
Love the way you present it - going to have to go back and watch them all now - spot on
Wow was not expecting this
No one really did I think -TimeGhost Ambassador
WOW. Good job. Informative and your narration was EXCITING. Again, Good Job.
Awe you didnt mention of my favorite parts of the story!
One of the prisoners was tennis player Jean Borotra. When Lee pulled his troops back to the keep, Borotra was sent out to help guide the Americans to the castle.
He ran into the Americans and was recognized by a French-Canadian officer who recognized him because he was a fan of tennis. That officer would eventually be the Premier of Quebec. They then followed Borotra back to the castle. The Americans could have taken longer if it werent for him which could have meant that there wouldve been more casualties.
One of the American officers that was involved was a French-Canadian that eventually become the premier of Quebec? A strange incident with a bizarre mix of characters just got stranger.
@@ahorsewithnoname773 no there was just a few Canadians with the Americans.
I was flown home injured from Itter.
Okay, it was a skiing trip. On the last day, I returned my skis, went to buy an ice cream and slipped on some ice!
Itter is a pretty little village. I recommend a visit - but beware of the ice cream!
This battle was batshit crazy and awesome, and I'm so happy you gave it the attention it deserves. Looking forward to the next episode, on my birthday!
"Boche Buster" is a great name for a Sherman tank.
I quite like Besotten Jenny also. That could work as a good name for a boat or race horse as well. I wonder who the real Jenny was. I bet when she became besotted with some American tanker she never expected her name to become immortalized in one of the Second World War's strangest events.
Perhaps she was a donkey once owned by him.......who had a drinking problem.
How has there not been a movie made about this.
There were instances where Wehrmacht deserters joined resistance groups such as in a joint raid with British, Italian, Russian and Spanish fighters along with a Dutch member who raided the German 14th army headquarters in Italy two months previously.
There were also Germans who had fought in the International Brigades (on the Republican side) in the Spanish Civil War. After that war ended many of the fled to France and after France was occupied many joined the French Resistance (as they didn't have many options).
Those two operations are my favorite episodes of the war! I'm so glad you gave them a mention. Now I have a craving for Sabaton.
Great video, as always. The role played in the Battle of Itter by French tennis star Jean Borotra is also fascinating.
I literally just read about the Battle of Castle Itter seconds before I watched this video! I wondered if Indy would cover the events that occurred on May 5, 1945.
If you want a bit more on this battle, Indy has a more in-depth version on the Sabaton History channel, from a few years ago.
ruclips.net/video/PX9y7z1qndQ/видео.html
Oh my god I’m so glad we’re getting an episode on this story. It’s so good, thank you Indy and TimeGhost team
Fantastic show. Your work is excellent.
I was hoping you'd mention this and, yeah, it's totally bizarre. Well done!
I cannot understate the enjoyment and knowledge that I have gained from this channel. It is absolutely superb. My huge thanks to you all.
I love this story. Your telling of it was spellbinding. Great work as always, Indy.
That was an amazing story
Thank you! -TimeGhost Ambassador
This might be one of the most famous "funny" fact of WW2.
It amaze me that nobody did a movie about it yet. Especially us, French. Seeing Reynaud or Gamelin fighting side by side in an Austrian would be like seeing MacArthur and Truman fighting side by side for Americans.
Wow, never heard of this incredible battle before. Thank you!
Always glad to share knowledge! -TimeGhost Ambassador
What a great story! This is one of my favorite episodes. Thanks Indy!
What a great story. Thank you ❤
3 episodes in just 7 days, truly blessed. Can’t wait for the rest and the years beyond
Really happy to get an episode on this. Loved the story since I heard the Sabaton song and read the book, “The Last Battle” by Stephen Harding
Stories like this is why I'm glad I found this channel. Why hasn't this been made into a movie yet!?
Brilliant coverage as always. I had never heard this story before
This wholeheartedly needs to be a movie. This story is forgotten too much.
I was hoping you'd talk about this battle! It's a fascinating story I stumbled across during a Wikipedia binge. I hope you will also do a special on the Japanese holdouts after victory in the Pacific. Some hid in the woods for decades!
Thanks again Indy for a great history lesson.
Thank you.
I love these unlikely WWII stories.
This battle would have made for an outstanding pulp war movie
Been patiently waiting for ages for this episode. Thanks Time Ghost crew.
This guy does the best WW2 videos on RUclips top notch stuff at all times. I only watch this video show on RUclips the rest nadda just this guy only keep up the good work and video's
Great video. It'd be great if you could do another one about Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler. Cant get enough of that stuff!
Those 3 first minutes (like the rest imho, actually.) Are ,just, priceless. Thank you for Sharing
Love You All
Sunday morning ww2 video!? Nice!!!!
Go nuts! -TimeGhost Ambassador
Maurice Gamelin and Paul Reynaud have had a rough five years.
I'd guess Daladier too.
I’ve heard of this before, but your description is, as always, great !
I first found out about the Battle for Castle Itter well over a year ago and I became enamored with the story.
This would be a great comedy-drama-action movie with complicated enemy soldiers turned heroes with awesome redemptive arcs, an average cook risking his life to save the prominent prisoners, an American officer leading a small band to save the VIPS, the politicians, army generals and other prominents arguing with one another but banding together for their survival and an action-packed Hollywood ending!
Like Indy, I am out of breath!
Great episode! This is why I fund your efforts.
A combined hour of Time Ghost! What a weekend!