I spent three weeks in Brussels in the late 1990's on a business trip. The Belgians' appreciation of history is second to none. Their museums are phenomenal and were inexpensive to tour. Also, walking around Brussels, around nearly every corner you turned was a statue of Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley or Montgomery.
Netherlands and Low Countries consider the British and American as liberators from WW2. The Dutch people generally like America and Americans. The burial grounds in American military cemeteries there are voluntarily maintained by Dutch families into the 3rd generation. Many Dutch families started in 1944, their children later and now the grandchildren have assumed the role. It is horrible that Trump and his disciples trash our European Allies and our friends. During D Day, 3 of the 5 Beaches were landed by Canadian and British troops and their troops were assigned the mission to tie down the German panzer and mobile forces so the Americans could land as much troops and equipment to breakout. In the Normandy campaign, the British suffered 60,000 casualties and lost 2,000 tanks fighting the SS panzer divisions so the Americans could gather forces to conduct Operation Cobra. The Dutch still regard their liberation as made possible by UK and America.
The Artilleryman manikin was using an aiming circle, which allows all the howitzers point the same known direction. It is not used for distance. Your guide also didn’t cover that the Belgian Army had tactical nuclear missiles- the American Lance. The Belgians owned the missile, but the American army owned the warheads. Additionally, the warheads were locked with a code. Without the proper code, no really big boom. The US President was the only one who could release nuclear warheads for use. Until then, they were guarded by Americans soldiers who also controlled the code books used to decode the “Permissive Action Link”. The Americans also inputted this into the warhead. Then the Belgians fired the missile. ( I had a friend that was assigned to a Warhead Detachment). Some lesser know facts of the Cold War
Excellent! This bunker complex sure is in pristine condition. Born in 1955, I'm most certainly a child of the Cold War. A lifelong student of military history, I was acutely aware of MAD. Places like this give me the creeps. TFP
Christ, That guy must have been 6'7". I always love seeing the bunkers. A few good urban explorers out there that get into some of these things, that are not open to the public. very interesting to see these time capsules. (also as an aside, He pronounced it the real way and it threw me off, since I'm used to bastardized pronunciations of it, that is an RL-83 Blindicide if you are looking for more info on it.)
Thanks so much Soph for bringing us along to yet another fascinating local overseas. For myself and I am sure other disabled people who have an insatiable appetite for a first person experience going to world war era as well as cold war era sites you become an enabler for us. I really can't thank you enough for all the wonderfully made videos. Having the tour guide really helped me really get a feel for what a cold war era emergency headquarters would be like to live through. So fascinating.
Another great Cold War museum is the Minuteman museum near Tucson, AZ. I took the tour there when I was stationed at DM AFB crewing A-10's. It's a dry heat out there, like sticking your head in an oven. Great stuff here Sofi, I love the old Cold War museums!
Very interesting stuff. Great insight how they expected the Russian solder to react in the west and how they have in the Ukraine today. As always excellent content and production.
Shame we dident have you doing a short Q&A at the end, but excellent camera work and editing as usual. Which makes your work so easy and enjoyable to watch.
Here in the UK we have a similar time period bunker called Kelveden Hach, also advertised as the secret bunker. A 3 story building under ground 25 miles east of London in the county of Essex closes to were I live. Similar to this one but not so well presented as it is just as it was when it was decommissioned. If you like your bunkers and your passing a must see.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. In Finland we have lots of WW2 era museum sites (bunkers etc) but not that much of Cold War related places which are open to the general public.
Sofi , that was very cool seeing 👀 this !!! I enjoyed getting to see their system below . I was over in West Germany in the early 80s during the Cold War . There quite a number of tense times there. We rotate up to the Fulda Gap and patrol along the border ...watching the Russians and East Germans and they us . I have slept in old WWII German bunkers there and also on the West Wall at times .But nothing this fancy...smile Thank-you for showing this Sofi .
I had no idea you liked to visit command bunkers from the Cold War. This is a fascinating place and it reminded me of a place I have been to called Kelvedon Hatch in the UK. Whenever I go through these sorts of places, or watch videos of them, I always think of the events that could have led to these bunkers being used. In addition to that, the people who would have used them. How would they have felt? Especially when they realised there were no basic amenities, apart from toilets. It seems silly they didn't have a place to sleep. In a time of all out war it isn't a very good idea to sleep in a hotel up the road. Thank you for showing us around the bunker.
Interesting to make comparisons between this bunker and Swedish bunkers I've visited. The Swedish bunkers was prepared for chemical attacks all ready in the forties. Every swedish bunker built in the fifties was built with atomic weapons in mind. The guide mentioned that the bunker can use diesel generators for several days. Seems short too me. Swedish bunkers had to have diesel for 30 days around the clock usage. Very interesting to see 👍
Is echt mooi bunker, paar jaar geleden geweest en is van binnen nog mooi ingericht . Tevens is in de omgeving en op de Kemmelberg ook aardig gevochten tijdens de eerste wereldoorlog. Dit omdat hoog punt was om het slagveld te overzien.
The operation room , looks very much a copy of the British RAF operation setup from WWII on how the track movement of the attacking Aircraft.. We would also be buying time for American Soldiers to come from Stateside. We were also told we would have to buy time . We were vastly out number by the Russians and East Germans . Units at the Fulda Gap would be nothing but a speed bump for attacking Russian Armor . We would then fight the best we could in delaying actions and then if force to fall back across the Rhine River and to hold the Russians there. This is what we were told back then and practice during the regular REFORGER Exercises, where Soldiers from America were brought quickly by the Air Force ,plus NATO troops would be in the action also . Sorry for getting long winded, bought back memories of those days there....cool to see . Sofi , you do get around to some very cool places . Sofi ,very nicely done and good information at the end too. You be safe Sofi .
Sooo, any chance since you're in Belguim we could get a tour of a brewery? I hear Tucked away in Westvleteren, Belgium lies the St. Sixtus Monastery Abbey where Trappist monks have been brewing exceptional beer since 1838. Not Tank related, where do you think they store the beer...in tanks. ;) I tried...
Where those asbestos plates all around the bunker? When I was in basic training in Cologne in 1995 we still had the mission to defend the airport against russian speznas and paratroopers. When you ever make your way to Berlin, you could visit the partially destroyed FLAK tower that you can see on the WOT Berlin map.
As a person who has a passion for military history I really enjoy your content. But I would like to see a 30 second intro for the video about to be presented. Do a quick hello, I'm here, this is what here with me, let's get to it.
I spent three weeks in Brussels in the late 1990's on a business trip. The Belgians' appreciation of history is second to none. Their museums are phenomenal and were inexpensive to tour. Also, walking around Brussels, around nearly every corner you turned was a statue of Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley or Montgomery.
Absolutely!! Gorgeous country and absolutely worth the trip for the history
Netherlands and Low Countries consider the British and American as liberators from WW2. The Dutch people generally like America and Americans. The burial grounds in American military cemeteries there are voluntarily maintained by Dutch families into the 3rd generation. Many Dutch families started in 1944, their children later and now the grandchildren have assumed the role. It is horrible that Trump and his disciples trash our European Allies and our friends. During D Day, 3 of the 5 Beaches were landed by Canadian and British troops and their troops were assigned the mission to tie down the German panzer and mobile forces so the Americans could land as much troops and equipment to breakout. In the Normandy campaign, the British suffered 60,000 casualties and lost 2,000 tanks fighting the SS panzer divisions so the Americans could gather forces to conduct Operation Cobra. The Dutch still regard their liberation as made possible by UK and America.
Might be needing this place again very soon
Soooo happy you did visit my country and this particular place ! ^^
Awesome country, loved the trip. It was a treat to learn some of your history :)
As we can see in the video, an introduction to base commander Leopoldess Sofi-Lionell the 1st. ( 1952 colorized)
Awesome! Looking forward to the video.
Thanks, Sofi! Really enjoyed this content expansion!
Usually we get the unorthodox tour from shiey but this is good too.
The Artilleryman manikin was using an aiming circle, which allows all the howitzers point the same known direction. It is not used for distance.
Your guide also didn’t cover that the Belgian Army had tactical nuclear missiles- the American Lance. The Belgians owned the missile, but the American army owned the warheads. Additionally, the warheads were locked with a code. Without the proper code, no really big boom. The US President was the only one who could release nuclear warheads for use. Until then, they were guarded by Americans soldiers who also controlled the code books used to decode the “Permissive Action Link”. The Americans also inputted this into the warhead. Then the Belgians fired the missile. ( I had a friend that was assigned to a Warhead Detachment).
Some lesser know facts of the Cold War
Thanks to both the museum and yourself for making this available to us.
Lived in Belgium for 3 years. I grew to love this little country. So much history. My youngest son was born here. And…best beer in the world!
The Chech would have a word with you about the beer ^^
Waiting to see it, and I know it's going to be great. 🌹🌹
Excellent! This bunker complex sure is in pristine condition. Born in 1955, I'm most certainly a child of the Cold War. A lifelong student of military history, I was acutely aware of MAD. Places like this give me the creeps. TFP
Great tour and wonderful information!
Christ, That guy must have been 6'7". I always love seeing the bunkers. A few good urban explorers out there that get into some of these things, that are not open to the public. very interesting to see these time capsules. (also as an aside, He pronounced it the real way and it threw me off, since I'm used to bastardized pronunciations of it, that is an RL-83 Blindicide if you are looking for more info on it.)
Thanks so much Soph for bringing us along to yet another fascinating local overseas. For myself and I am sure other disabled people who have an insatiable appetite for a first person experience going to world war era as well as cold war era sites you become an enabler for us. I really can't thank you enough for all the wonderfully made videos. Having the tour guide really helped me really get a feel for what a cold war era emergency headquarters would be like to live through. So fascinating.
Good tour of the facility, another hidden gem of history i wouldnt have known about.
Another great Cold War museum is the Minuteman museum near Tucson, AZ. I took the tour there when I was stationed at DM AFB crewing A-10's. It's a dry heat out there, like sticking your head in an oven. Great stuff here Sofi, I love the old Cold War museums!
That one is definitely on my list!! Big respect to ya
Very nice video with a lot of interesting information about the history of the bunker in the cold war. Thank you very much
Thank you Sofilein, Jan et al. Great video.
Very interesting stuff. Great insight how they expected the Russian solder to react in the west and how they have in the Ukraine today.
As always excellent content and production.
Shame we dident have you doing a short Q&A at the end, but excellent camera work and editing as usual. Which makes your work so easy and enjoyable to watch.
Here in the UK we have a similar time period bunker called Kelveden Hach, also advertised as the secret bunker. A 3 story building under ground 25 miles east of London in the county of Essex closes to were I live. Similar to this one but not so well presented as it is just as it was when it was decommissioned. If you like your bunkers and your passing a must see.
Great work as always! Twas really nice to see content like this alongside the tank videos!
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. In Finland we have lots of WW2 era museum sites (bunkers etc) but not that much of Cold War related places which are open to the general public.
When he said: "the bunker is not nbc protected because it was too expensive" I would say: ok and go away.
Thanks Sofilein. We love your videos.
Thanks for the insight , General Sofilein. 😊
That is awesome and cool
Sofi , that was very cool seeing 👀 this !!! I enjoyed getting to see their system below . I was over in West Germany in the early 80s during the Cold War . There quite a number of tense times there. We rotate up to the Fulda Gap and patrol along the border ...watching the Russians and East Germans and they us . I have slept in old WWII German bunkers there and also on the West Wall at times .But nothing this fancy...smile Thank-you for showing this Sofi .
Thank you Sofilein. It was a interesting video about the cold war.🌹🌹
I had no idea you liked to visit command bunkers from the Cold War. This is a fascinating place and it reminded me of a place I have been to called Kelvedon Hatch in the UK. Whenever I go through these sorts of places, or watch videos of them, I always think of the events that could have led to these bunkers being used. In addition to that, the people who would have used them. How would they have felt? Especially when they realised there were no basic amenities, apart from toilets. It seems silly they didn't have a place to sleep. In a time of all out war it isn't a very good idea to sleep in a hotel up the road. Thank you for showing us around the bunker.
Great video. I enjoy seeing Cold War operations facilities. That guy has the coolest job.
Oh, it’s you. I though it was a Thunderbirds puppet sitting in that chair.
Interesting to make comparisons between this bunker and Swedish bunkers I've visited. The Swedish bunkers was prepared for chemical attacks all ready in the forties. Every swedish bunker built in the fifties was built with atomic weapons in mind. The guide mentioned that the bunker can use diesel generators for several days. Seems short too me. Swedish bunkers had to have diesel for 30 days around the clock usage. Very interesting to see 👍
Is echt mooi bunker, paar jaar geleden geweest en is van binnen nog mooi ingericht .
Tevens is in de omgeving en op de Kemmelberg ook aardig gevochten tijdens de eerste wereldoorlog. Dit omdat hoog punt was om het slagveld te overzien.
Ik wist niet eens dat em bestond! ik moet em nu gaan zien
@@F4Wildcat je kan der op eigen snelheid door heen lopen zonder gids. Is wel grappig,dat er echte militair bij de ingang zit.
Is that Sofi manning that desk...tactically?
Sofi I have to say I found this video very interesting and well done.
Thanks for showing off a bit of my country's history :)
It was my pleasure to visit and learn. The WHI sites are gems
The operation room , looks very much a copy of the British RAF operation setup from WWII on how the track movement of the attacking Aircraft.. We would also be buying time for American Soldiers to come from Stateside. We were also told we would have to buy time . We were vastly out number by the Russians and East Germans . Units at the Fulda Gap would be nothing but a speed bump for attacking Russian Armor . We would then fight the best we could in delaying actions and then if force to fall back across the Rhine River and to hold the Russians there. This is what we were told back then and practice during the regular REFORGER Exercises, where Soldiers from America were brought quickly by the Air Force ,plus NATO troops would be in the action also . Sorry for getting long winded, bought back memories of those days there....cool to see . Sofi , you do get around to some very cool places . Sofi ,very nicely done and good information at the end too. You be safe Sofi .
I bet Sofi was conceived in a Top Secret Commandobunker!
Can’t beat a good bunker. Loads here in the UK for you to visit too😀
Sooo, any chance since you're in Belguim we could get a tour of a brewery? I hear Tucked away in Westvleteren, Belgium lies the St. Sixtus Monastery Abbey where Trappist monks have been brewing exceptional beer since 1838.
Not Tank related, where do you think they store the beer...in tanks. ;)
I tried...
Those desk are still in use today.
Echt bach tibor buunkar estebal roct steeban jor Sofi!!!
Was waiting for: "Hey you cannot fight in here!! Its the WAR room!!!'
Thanks!
Where those asbestos plates all around the bunker?
When I was in basic training in Cologne in 1995 we still had the mission to defend the airport against russian speznas and paratroopers.
When you ever make your way to Berlin, you could visit the partially destroyed FLAK tower that you can see on the WOT Berlin map.
Great Video. If you ever find youreself in Denmark. You should Check out the Regan Vest Nuclear Bunker. Which is opening in Fall. :)
If your tall, you really got to watch your kronnoggin on the overhead.
A red chair for CoS ??? Shouldn't it had been blue ? 🙃😉 Interesting tour .
🙏
The Cannenberg Nato Bunker is even bigger, as there were almost 1500 employees inside during exercises.
As a person who has a passion for military history I really enjoy your content. But I would like to see a 30 second intro for the video about to be presented. Do a quick hello, I'm here, this is what here with me, let's get to it.
Can’t beat an interesting bunker. Loads here in the UK too……hint, hint😀
These bunkers are almost like the levels they put in fps games
I had the same thought
I certainly hope we don’t have to start using these thing’s again! Bunkers have great acoustics.🤣
No rhodie shorts on display?
👍
Protected against nuclear attacks? I hope that question came from a child.
Algorithm.
FIRST!!!