Rearguard (Military Tactic) - Heroic Sacrifice at Dunkirk, 1940

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  • Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
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    Rearguard is a type of unit formed during operations of tactical withdrawal. In essence, rearguard units are standard military units, most often infantry, but with a specific task.
    Rearguard units were formed when a military formation was forced to evacuate its troops or to withdraw from the battlefield, very often under strong pressure made by enemy forces. In these cases the withdrawing main body of the formation would not be capable of fighting back. Quite opposite, it was very vulnerable to enemy attacks and in great danger of being destroyed.
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    Credit:
    Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
    Script: Dejan Milivojevic
    Narrator:
    Chris Kane
    vocalforge.com/
    Sources:
    Dildy, Douglas C., and Howard Gerrard. Dunkirk 1940: Operation Dynamo. Osprey, 2010.
    Sebag-Montefiore, Hugh. Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man. Viking, 2017.
    Small Unit Tactics including Communications: The ROTC Manual for Senior Division Army ROTC Units. Military Service Pub., 1953. retrieved from
    Small Unit Tactics, Including Communications
    : United States. Department of the Army

Комментарии • 1,6 тыс.

  • @Simplehistory
    @Simplehistory  2 года назад +343

    Receive an Amazing New Player Pack, only available for the next 30 days! Play Conflict of Nations for FREE on PC or Mobile 💥 con.onelink.me/kZW6/SimpleHistory

  • @ihavetowait90daystochangem67
    @ihavetowait90daystochangem67 2 года назад +3842

    “A Strategic Retreat”
    “What’s That?”
    “It’s like Running away but manlier”

    • @ommsterlitz1805
      @ommsterlitz1805 2 года назад +237

      "Dunkirk fights provides the proof that the French soldier is one of the best in the world." Commander of the Wehrmacht General Georg von Küchler

    • @Foreign0817
      @Foreign0817 2 года назад +12

      King?! What are you doing here? 😮

    • @cloaker1619
      @cloaker1619 2 года назад +24

      @@ommsterlitz1805 didnt the red baron say the french where pathetic?

    • @canthi109
      @canthi109 2 года назад +86

      @@cloaker1619 red baron die in ww1 bruh

    • @spiffygonzales5899
      @spiffygonzales5899 2 года назад +114

      @@cloaker1619
      To be fair when you've killed over a hundred trained pilots and destroyed between 80 and 110 aircraft, one by literally just throwing a rock at them...
      Pretty much everyone seems pathetic to you.

  • @walsingham-xxiii
    @walsingham-xxiii 2 года назад +1455

    British, Dunkirk, 1940: “Destroy all equipment we cannot take with us.”
    US, Kabul, 2021: “… errr…”

    • @cloaker1619
      @cloaker1619 2 года назад +315

      Honestly that whole evacuation was gigantic embarrassment.

    • @kurousagi8155
      @kurousagi8155 2 года назад +153

      @@cloaker1619 a blind monkey could have planned a better end to the war.

    • @naenae669
      @naenae669 2 года назад +245

      Say it with me everyone:
      *LET'S GO BRANDON*

    • @ussenterprisefromazurlane1696
      @ussenterprisefromazurlane1696 2 года назад +38

      @@naenae669 Can you stop saying that because it f**king annoying

    • @walsingham-xxiii
      @walsingham-xxiii 2 года назад +74

      @@ussenterprisefromazurlane1696 I prefer the original too.

  • @m3gawither7734
    @m3gawither7734 2 года назад +2405

    A salute to the 18,000 French soldiers who died so that their British comrades could return home, the French were not cowards in ww2, they were some of the bravest

    • @plaguecrow754
      @plaguecrow754 2 года назад +194

      Transaltion:the french had balls as tanks and were recognized to have balls as ping pong balls

    • @spiffygonzales5899
      @spiffygonzales5899 2 года назад +378

      Britain: France! I won't leave you!
      France: Go! But tell them of my bravery! Tell them how we suffered and fought to the bitter end and beyond!
      *3 years later*
      Britain: So there I was holding the line saving this cowardly dingus!
      France: 😠

    • @the-little-napoleon
      @the-little-napoleon 2 года назад +161

      Finally, someone who doesn't rub dirt in my countrys face in ww2

    • @entezami777
      @entezami777 2 года назад +62

      @@the-little-napoleon your user name cracks me up lol

    • @KyuMachi
      @KyuMachi 2 года назад +95

      Honestly dont understand why france gets that reputation

  • @mehmetdemir4858
    @mehmetdemir4858 2 года назад +1618

    "We're not retreating, we're advancing in another direction"

    • @cloaker1619
      @cloaker1619 2 года назад +13

      LOL

    • @DraftTheHippies
      @DraftTheHippies 2 года назад +53

      Didn’t USMC General Oliver Smith say that during the Korean War?

    • @mehmetdemir4858
      @mehmetdemir4858 2 года назад +38

      @@DraftTheHippies Yes. At Chosin Reservoir

    • @spiffygonzales5899
      @spiffygonzales5899 2 года назад +33

      My troops never rout, the simply charge bravely in the opposite direction!
      -Me in Total War

    • @ryanrong495
      @ryanrong495 2 года назад +8

      Bois We are retreating but the opposite of direction

  • @myballs24
    @myballs24 2 года назад +838

    One of my relatives were a rear guard soldier in a Scottish unit at Dunkirk, he was wounded in the leg and was saved by a German doctor who saved his leg, he was captured and escaped 3 times before finally walking to Spain and getting back to Scotland.

    • @whompus3639
      @whompus3639 2 года назад +66

      what a legend.

    • @omarkarim7426
      @omarkarim7426 2 года назад +22

      total legend

    • @WastdTrashPanda
      @WastdTrashPanda 2 года назад +89

      You say "walking to Spain" like it's a sunday hike lol

    • @arjusarauis9901
      @arjusarauis9901 2 года назад +30

      He’s a mad lad if he manages to escape back to Scotland, when did he made it back and did he see furtherer action?

    • @SpookyScarySkitarii
      @SpookyScarySkitarii 2 года назад +12

      That's why the scots are the best people of the british island

  • @spidermandemintheends
    @spidermandemintheends 2 года назад +1620

    “Retreat now for victory later” - the British, 1940

    • @cloaker1619
      @cloaker1619 2 года назад +52

      Its extreamly effective!

    • @diabolofraise59
      @diabolofraise59 2 года назад +143

      The British fights until their last Frenchmen...

    • @ichbinhans76
      @ichbinhans76 2 года назад +26

      @@diabolofraise59 hahahahaha my belly hurts from laughter

    • @ananditotugarisman9122
      @ananditotugarisman9122 2 года назад +47

      Imagine if the british were japanese, they would exactly refuse to retreat and sacrificed themselves for no good. Then there would be no chance to win for the allies.

    • @johnblagden5625
      @johnblagden5625 2 года назад +39

      Love the US stars on the 'British' vehicles, when anyone with a brain knows it wasn't until late 1941 that the US entered the war.

  • @IrishTechnicalThinker
    @IrishTechnicalThinker 2 года назад +756

    So brave to fight until the bitter end, knowing you're fighting to the death. No matter what or who it is, deserves massive respect!

  • @Auscan_Octrice
    @Auscan_Octrice 2 года назад +1390

    The poor French who covered the retreat for the British who are barely honoured anymore and their nation is only known for its capitulation instead of their brave sacrifice, making sure those boys made it back across the water just for the chance that their country may exist in the future after the fall of the 1,000 year reich

    • @redconman2144
      @redconman2144 2 года назад +25

      well said

    • @pierre-etiennebechard-vien5542
      @pierre-etiennebechard-vien5542 2 года назад +22

      The ones Who knows don't forget they Also don't forget the treason vive la France !

    • @SirAntoniousBlock
      @SirAntoniousBlock 2 года назад +84

      Just like the British remembered the Polish servicemen who helped in the final victory and refused to be intimidated by the USSR into refusing allowing them to march in the victory parade.
      Oh wait........

    • @SirAntoniousBlock
      @SirAntoniousBlock 2 года назад +9

      @@spiffygonzales5899 "Germany brought down the Mongols and Napoleon." 😂

    • @theknightwiththen-wordpass7084
      @theknightwiththen-wordpass7084 2 года назад +3

      @@spiffygonzales5899 Oh and also Crusades were just a way to help Byzantium regain territory,while helping Kings to get rid of belligerant knights causing troubles.If anything,crusader are know for their horrible and inhuman deeds,notably cannibalism for no reason on civilian(en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Ma%27arra),so i wouldnt be too proud about that

  • @elsonplanilla1755
    @elsonplanilla1755 2 года назад +359

    They are the real heroes for me, just to protect your entire unit,staying behind in defensive position,chances of survival is 50/50 they can hold or annihilated.

  • @nerome619
    @nerome619 2 года назад +665

    The actions of the French army in this regard around Dunkirk is VASTLY under appreciated

    • @Fulcrox
      @Fulcrox 2 года назад +9

      The Germans, the only one whose opinion matter regarding Dunkirk didn't comit that mistake, that says a lot

    • @joenodwell9157
      @joenodwell9157 2 года назад +2

      St vallery never get mentioned where the French ran away in their thousands

    • @Wazouille
      @Wazouille 2 года назад +10

      @Neil The Dunkerk movie triggered me to no end.

    • @adankmeme651
      @adankmeme651 2 года назад +5

      @@joenodwell9157 stereotype

    • @adankmeme651
      @adankmeme651 2 года назад

      @@joenodwell9157 ruclips.net/video/7PwDCoswn_A/видео.html&ab_channel=TheFront

  • @averageman9424
    @averageman9424 2 года назад +141

    Very proud of my grandad serving with the Green Howards (Yorkshire regiment) holding the cordon at Dunkirk until the 3rd of June, he would often recall Dunkirk and say how they were fighting tanks with rifles and until the day he passed was haunted by the noise of stukas, he went on to serve in Africa being present for the battle of El-Alamein and fighting in Italy before being captured where he was forced to fix train tracks while the allies were bombing them. He was a kind gentle man who was unbelievably humble, he worked building clocks until he was 99 years old when he decided to retire and passed away a few weeks after receiving his 100th birthday card from the Queen. He only joined the army to learn an instrument...

    • @enalche2
      @enalche2 2 года назад +9

      WoW!

    • @vermicelledecheval5219
      @vermicelledecheval5219 2 года назад +13

      That's a man...

    • @sontapaa11jokulainen94
      @sontapaa11jokulainen94 2 года назад +19

      *joins military to learn an instrument*
      *gets thrown into largest war ever fought*
      Well that sure was a surprise for 'em but glad he didn't die in the war. 👍

    • @VictoryAviation
      @VictoryAviation 2 года назад

      Do you know what he played? I’ve been a military musician my entire career!

    • @nayten0324
      @nayten0324 2 года назад

      Damn, respect to him

  • @AuRoaraAnimations
    @AuRoaraAnimations 2 года назад +537

    When you realize running away takes
    more strategy and ⚽️ ⚽️ ‘s then fighting head on

    • @canthi109
      @canthi109 2 года назад +43

      When they came closer, we ran....away-The emu

    • @diegoontour
      @diegoontour 2 года назад +26

      @@canthi109 Sir... You are a genius.

    • @ididntaskverified3663
      @ididntaskverified3663 2 года назад +3

      yeah it doesnt, running into the jaws of death is way manlier

    • @Green-mo1hz
      @Green-mo1hz 2 года назад +23

      @@ididntaskverified3663 running head first into a knowingly losing battle when you have the option to strategically withdraw and preserve more lives, isn’t manly and just sounds plain stupid.

    • @robertg.durant8489
      @robertg.durant8489 2 года назад +5

      @@ididntaskverified3663 Yeah until they run away and the ones that were in the back are now fighting for them

  • @Colk13
    @Colk13 2 года назад +76

    We also need to mention the French forces who fought to the very end at Lille during 6 days, despite being encircled and fighting a foe 2 times superior, and especially to General Louis Janssen, who died with his men in Dunes fort,
    It held off 110 000 men and 800 German tank which, if they had been used in Dunkirk, could have caused a lot of damage

  • @stevencolor3389
    @stevencolor3389 2 года назад +211

    Watching this I kept thinking of the the many times I used riflemen as rearguards in company of heroes so the flimsy enginners and the slow as heavy units could flee, then when the squad was down to only 1 or 2 men hit the retreat button so the survivors could sprint home

    • @Gloria-victrix99857
      @Gloria-victrix99857 2 года назад +18

      "Volksgrenadiers God dammit, try actually aiming!!!"
      I like the Volksgrenadiers, my personal favourite.

    • @pyrobytee
      @pyrobytee 2 года назад +9

      Try Men of War Assault Squad 2, much better than COH (in realism and gameplay) theres custom maps that uses rearguard tactics

    • @excalibur1251
      @excalibur1251 2 года назад

      @@pyrobytee you do get more men in mowas 2. So thats Really a plus. But a Small Careless move on your part can End Up With an entire flank Being overran

    • @pyrobytee
      @pyrobytee 2 года назад

      @@excalibur1251 a well timed nade can also change its tides

    • @colonel_yuri
      @colonel_yuri 2 года назад

      o7

  • @whompus3639
    @whompus3639 2 года назад +577

    can we please pay some respects to those french soldiers that sacrificed their lives so people that weren’t even french could escape their country? They weren’t cowards, they fought to the death in hopes that their country could be freed in later years.

    • @nathansellars3757
      @nathansellars3757 2 года назад +32

      don't act like the French did it to do the brits a favour, they had n choice. the brits also saved 70k Frenchman

    • @vermicelledecheval5219
      @vermicelledecheval5219 2 года назад +33

      @@nathansellars3757 They could have surrendered when hearing firecrackers... Like the stupid jokers on the internet would say...

    • @Thesmil.
      @Thesmil. 2 года назад +15

      @@nathansellars3757 To send them immediately back in France to fight alone against Germany and Italy

    • @charlestonianbuilder344
      @charlestonianbuilder344 2 года назад +5

      @@vermicelledecheval5219 its just a meme/joke that most dont say or take seriously, but since its the internet some take it seriously

    • @aveteranplayer6403
      @aveteranplayer6403 2 года назад +3

      Don't act like the French did to the brits a such big favour, not only the brits also saved 70k frenchman but they were also there to really help France to go against Hitler's machine. Also it is their own fault most of the times for not taking Adolf to seriously, Brits and French thought that is unlikely that they would have another great war. Hitler, Mussolini and Hiroto was already doing some expansion even before the war breaks out between the Allies and the Axies in '39.

  • @gamalabdelnasser4087
    @gamalabdelnasser4087 2 года назад +528

    Can you do a video about Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich? Please?

    • @rc59191
      @rc59191 2 года назад +41

      Beautiful day in Czech history makes me proud to be a Czech.

    • @James-jl4jt
      @James-jl4jt 2 года назад +4

      @@rc59191 And me (albeit only 1/2 Czech)

    • @antonhinz2557
      @antonhinz2557 2 года назад +5

      @@rc59191 STUP PARTISAN

    • @caroleansoldier382
      @caroleansoldier382 2 года назад +3

      @@antonhinz2557 joe mom german

    • @sera_sarzad
      @sera_sarzad 2 года назад +7

      This was really interesting.
      The massacres that happened because of it though...

  • @vadimbutsyk9750
    @vadimbutsyk9750 2 года назад +377

    "It's not called retreat It's called a tactical withdrawal!" - British dudes at Dunkirk, 1940

    • @bizon4129
      @bizon4129 2 года назад +7

      But at least they did something not like french just running away. French and their two tactics surrender or run away, that's why they lost

    • @carmenpuddinpop8642
      @carmenpuddinpop8642 2 года назад +45

      @@bizon4129 The French, with her Allies, were unprepared for the Germans’ Blitzkrieg tactic, which heavily affected their organization (like poor logistics due to fleeing civilians crowding roads, and horrible radio communications due to sabotages) at the early sequence of the war. In some areas, French command was poor but army divisions didn’t just ‘surrender or run away’ when they were being overwhelmed by the Germans. As for example, French soldiers held positions surrounded by Germans near Dunkirk, but they fended off overwhelming German forces from reaching the evacuation zone, which bought time for the Allied soldiers to evacuate to Southern England’s coast.
      Retreating doesn’t mean completely pussying out of the war - it’s saving yourselves from complete slaughter, getting to a better position and fight the enemy another day.

    • @nobudgetcomments2742
      @nobudgetcomments2742 2 года назад +2

      It really was tho. The battle of France might have been a defeat but the evacuation of Dunkirk was a huge success. France was lost, getting as much men as possible back to Britain was the only way the war could be continued.

    • @SpookyScarySkitarii
      @SpookyScarySkitarii 2 года назад +3

      @@bizon4129 Swimming back to the british island is something ? UK just wait on its island for the US and soviet to do the job

    • @gaetanbonnemayre8420
      @gaetanbonnemayre8420 2 года назад +18

      @@bizon4129 Dude the french army and belgian army covered all of the dunkirk perimeter and the french troops left at Lille didn't surrender they fought till the end and for this bravery they got medals from the germans

  • @rc59191
    @rc59191 2 года назад +114

    I performed a beautiful rearguard action in Grand Tactician Civil War the other day. Rebels had me outnumbered 4 to 1 but managed to save the Army of Kentucky by holding 2 bridges with cavalry armed with Sharps carbines. Was a loss but goodness was it a glorious stand lol.

    • @Bucky1836
      @Bucky1836 2 года назад +3

      Ive done the same here in the western division as dismounted Cav 4th Iowa Hawkeyes (union) and the 36th Texas Dismounted Cav 🤠

    • @carlospolanco9521
      @carlospolanco9521 2 года назад +4

      Sounds epic, which I could have been a part 🙏

    • @rc59191
      @rc59191 2 года назад +1

      @@Bucky1836 that a reenacting unit?

    • @Bucky1836
      @Bucky1836 2 года назад

      @@rc59191 yep its my re enacting unit here in texas one of many 🤠

    • @Bucky1836
      @Bucky1836 2 года назад

      @@rc59191 we are union and confederate dismounted cav depends in if they need yankess 🤣 we run em off down here

  • @TheDutchMole
    @TheDutchMole 2 года назад +71

    Finally some recognition that there were also Dutch troops at Dunkirk that wanted to continue the fight!

    • @thatperformer3879
      @thatperformer3879 2 года назад +1

      Hard to believe there were any Dutch left, those guys got pushed out of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, truly exceptional courage to keep fighting.

    • @bouchacourtthierry8506
      @bouchacourtthierry8506 Год назад

      Honnor those Dutch soldiers !!!

  • @tylers1996
    @tylers1996 2 года назад +80

    “Set his his sights to 200 yards and killed the Captain instantly.”
    When you’re a man of your word.

    • @sontapaa11jokulainen94
      @sontapaa11jokulainen94 2 года назад +5

      Captain = ☠️

    • @sharpspoon7371
      @sharpspoon7371 2 года назад +3

      Just straight up murdered him

    • @Sneakyboson
      @Sneakyboson 2 года назад +7

      @@sharpspoon7371 not murder when you defy a military order punishable by death. That's what they signed up for.

    • @sharpspoon7371
      @sharpspoon7371 2 года назад +5

      @@Sneakyboson Wtf? Murder's still murder lol. Don't dehumanize

    • @indianknight4809
      @indianknight4809 2 года назад +9

      It's not an act of bravery shooting someone from behind, it's same as the Russian runners who refuse to go to frontline as they knew they will get killed so the Russians superiors shoots them and that is cowardly but in British case it's manly?

  • @bebased1785
    @bebased1785 2 года назад +81

    Thoughts to the 18,000 Frenchmen who gave their lives for the allies to evacuate. French were far from cowards during the Second World War. God bless.

  • @kenan511
    @kenan511 2 года назад +144

    "...this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." -Winston Churchill

    • @sosig6445
      @sosig6445 2 года назад +12

      bold words coming from the butcher of gallipoli

    • @doogleticker5183
      @doogleticker5183 2 года назад

      So where did the rank Rear-Admiral come from...duh.

    • @estoylaroca
      @estoylaroca 2 года назад +6

      Only has weight if it was said by a person who actually put his life on the line.
      Instead, it was said by a person who was sitting far away from action, and died due to his easy going lifestyle.
      What a load of quack.

    • @Fulcrox
      @Fulcrox 2 года назад +5

      Ah yes, Churchill the butcher of Galipolli and the one who starved half India to death, a symbol of honor

    • @isengard1500
      @isengard1500 2 года назад +2

      @@Fulcrox churchill was not to blame for Bengal, that is a Marxist myth

  • @MadLeon97
    @MadLeon97 2 года назад +147

    Stuff like this is why it makes me upset when people make fun of the French for surrendering. If it wasn't for all these brave men, a lot more lives would've been taken.

    • @doolittle555
      @doolittle555 2 года назад +24

      I'm actually surprised to see someone who's not french speaking like that.
      Thanks.

    • @fredtuturo1793
      @fredtuturo1793 2 года назад +6

      Merci beaucoup Monsieur / Thank you very much Sir

    • @main8824
      @main8824 2 года назад +11

      @@doolittle555 even though I’m not French, I get frustrated. They stereotype hundreds of thousands of soldiers as cowards, ignoring the fact that some of these soldiers that they label as “cowards” fought till the very end. If anything, blame some of the French generals and government, not the soldiers.

    • @JBLFC92
      @JBLFC92 2 года назад +2

      @nathan smith Yes, this is what I was going to say. I would never insult any soldier by calling them a coward, and you’d have to be pretty stupid to characterise any allied soldier in this way. But the French government generally did a terrible job.

    • @miguelantunes8785
      @miguelantunes8785 2 года назад +3

      french its not coward they fight like others like germen or british they just fight until the last men so .. respect to french

  • @z-man1237
    @z-man1237 2 года назад +64

    “We must fight! To run away.”
    -Captain Jack Sparrow, potc3

  • @thehistorybox1163
    @thehistorybox1163 2 года назад +71

    Thank you guys, I was looking for some motivation on making a great WW2 Model Diorama. And becuase if this I will now understand what the Reguards went through and their mission was.

    • @bl4k4tt84
      @bl4k4tt84 2 года назад

      Make a rear guard model on the French one that would be dope

  • @josephbrown4768
    @josephbrown4768 2 года назад +29

    I swear, the quality of Simple History's videos has greatly improved overtime. The narration, sound effects and background music really tie everything together. This is a fantastic way to learn history in a quick, yet enjoyable manner. The hard work put into these videos is truly appreciated. Well done!

  • @johnruddick686
    @johnruddick686 8 месяцев назад +2

    My Grandad was at Dunkirk he was put on a train and sent into France whilst the divisions equipment was sent in trucks, the train got through but when they arrived at their destination they found out the trucks hadn't got through. The trucks were blown up so as not to fall into enemy hands. They obviously couldn't go back by train as it would have been attacked by aircraft so they snuck back through enemy lines to the beachs. They had 120 men with Lee Enfields and 2 Bren Guns in the division. My Grandad was one crazy brave guy. He fought from Dunkirk across Africa all the way up italy and was on sword beach on D-Day and fought till the end of the war. I still miss him every day.

  • @frencharmedforces8615
    @frencharmedforces8615 2 года назад +14

    My great-grandfather was one of them, he was captured in Dunkirk, respect to these men !

  • @pointly
    @pointly 2 года назад +186

    The Rear Guard
    British soldier: I'd never thought I'd die fighting side by side with a Frenchman.
    French soldier: What about dying side by side with a friend?
    British soldier: Aye, a friend.
    British Officer: Hold the line lads. For King and Country!

    • @ValacircaTN
      @ValacircaTN 2 года назад +7

      When is the second breakfast?

  • @andrewmontgomery5621
    @andrewmontgomery5621 2 года назад +23

    Like the French Rearguard at Dunkirk.

  • @zinnadahodges6766
    @zinnadahodges6766 2 года назад +35

    You guys should do a video on strange and mysterious things soldiers saw on the battlefield.

    • @Briselance
      @Briselance 2 года назад

      Mysterious? What do you mean, pray tell?

    • @zinnadahodges6766
      @zinnadahodges6766 2 года назад +2

      @@Briselance, I mean like aliens or time travelers on the battlefield. Or weird tech.

    • @lamarmottequimetlechocolat848
      @lamarmottequimetlechocolat848 2 года назад

      Nah alien theory is bullshit and time travel will never exist and

    • @stynershiner1854
      @stynershiner1854 2 года назад +2

      @@lamarmottequimetlechocolat848 And? Complete the sentence, man.

  • @tysmi04
    @tysmi04 2 года назад +15

    I was hoping for a bit more French inclusion in this video but this was top notch. Was telling my mate about how the French guarded our British fellas to the end because it's just one of those things that are overlooked.

  • @arrow1414
    @arrow1414 2 года назад +19

    There was also the Chesseley Massacre of 50 Senegalese troops by the SS on June 19, 1940.

    • @vermicelledecheval5219
      @vermicelledecheval5219 2 года назад

      Yes, their french captain decided to die with them but I'm unsure of this... It would have been a final "pied de nez" to these racialist bastards...

  • @lancercaptainspadez6306
    @lancercaptainspadez6306 2 года назад +22

    Hey Simple History! I just wanna say I appreciate your development as a channel! I can definitely say I've seen an improvement on your animations and I'm pretty sure on behalf of the community we thank you for such amazing and quality content your channel puts out. Thank you again! 🤟

  • @Boxmaterial
    @Boxmaterial 2 года назад +2

    My great grandfather was in the Royal artillery regiment that was left behind at Dunkirk and March to Poland. My teacher in primary school and most documentary deliberately overlook it. Its good to finally hear what he went through. Thanks

  • @John-Ginger
    @John-Ginger 2 года назад +12

    Captain walks away.
    Order 227 in now in effect.
    Wait what! That not even a thing yet!

  • @arnoverhagen7411
    @arnoverhagen7411 2 года назад +23

    Rest in peace all soldiers, you will never be forgotten

    • @denzelb1333
      @denzelb1333 2 года назад

      @@splizzex its not about the names, its about the fact that there are people who did this courageous acts

  • @bryanjones7379
    @bryanjones7379 2 года назад +5

    My grandad was part of the rear guard at Dunkirk he was part of the Manchester fusiliers. He was unfortunately captured. Good video mate.

  • @flame9828
    @flame9828 2 года назад +4

    3:45 recoil so strong it sent that soldier back 10 years

  • @animeyahallo3887
    @animeyahallo3887 2 года назад +15

    Marshal Michel Ney is proud of the strong and brave rearguard units in Dunkirk.

    • @boi483
      @boi483 2 года назад +1

      Yes he would be.

    • @Eric..Cartman
      @Eric..Cartman 2 года назад

      Bravest of the braves

  • @ronanmoore5536
    @ronanmoore5536 2 года назад +3

    Thank you so much for making this video. My Great Great Uncle William Melville Scullion was a member of the Royal Scots 1st battalion and was assigned to the Dunkirk rear guard sadly he was killed a day before the battle ended but I’m sure he would appreciate this vide👍

  • @woiace
    @woiace 2 года назад +8

    This video has done justice for the British and French troops who bravely held out until the rest of the British and French forces can safely evacuate.
    They were not cowards.

    • @vermicelledecheval5219
      @vermicelledecheval5219 2 года назад +3

      Not at all... But maybe for some keyboard heroes standing comfortably behind their screens and smartphones...

    • @desertfoxxx98
      @desertfoxxx98 2 года назад

      @@vermicelledecheval5219 nicely said.

  • @crusader.survivor
    @crusader.survivor 2 года назад +2

    Simple History is my favorite military history channel!
    I salute the brave men of the Rearguard!
    Because I have a berserker fighting attitude, I'd greatly appreciate the Rearguard position if I'm ever deployed. Tried enlisting back in 2008, got rejected. Only way to fight a war now would be in mandatory conscription. Looking forward to that! Even though I've considerably aged, still got some fight left in me.

  • @icycreamfrommc_1745
    @icycreamfrommc_1745 2 года назад +2

    I like how the machine gunner had a beard then when he was reloading, it disappeared 3:45

  • @bryangonzalez1398
    @bryangonzalez1398 2 года назад +67

    One of the least talked about parts of the evacuations from Dunkirk were that French colonial forces such as the Senegalese Tirailleurs who were captured would face executions and additional hardships due to the racist ideology of the Nazis and a desire to avenge the occupation of the Rhineland during the inter war period when the French used African colonial troops which was seen as a national insult due to racist attitudes of the time.

    • @thatperformer3879
      @thatperformer3879 2 года назад +3

      Well they did rape a bunch of German women, and then did the same thing again in WWII when the allies invaded Italy. Obviously there’s no justification for war crimes but stop acting like they were innocent. It seems like wherever multiculturalism goes, rape follows. Just take a look at the state of Europe right now.

    • @bryangonzalez1398
      @bryangonzalez1398 2 года назад +8

      @@thatperformer3879 might want to recheck your history on that one there. The myth of the mass rape of the Rhineland is just that, a myth. There were some cases of sexual assault but nothing even close to what is reported and the majority of those labelled as bastards were either children of mixed marriages from former German colonies who were equally mistreated by the Nazis or from unions between French troops and German women. And for WWII the most famous case is that in Italy and those were Moroccan troops not the troops from Senegal. The thing is the French colonial troops at Dunkirk who were executed and ill treated were innocent, they were not the same men who occupied the Rhineland (which again major myth of the Rhineland bastards), nor does the Italian campaign come into play as that hadn't happened yet you colossal pinhead.
      I suggest you crawl back into the hole you crawled out of, read some real history, and take your hate filled speech somewhere else.

    • @psycho4207
      @psycho4207 2 года назад +4

      @@thatperformer3879 whilst i dont support your "It seems like wherever multiculturalism goes, rape follows" stance, you are right with the rest.Rapes were widespread. but you could also say thats a given in war..

    • @space4166
      @space4166 Год назад +1

      @@psycho4207 Senegal troops got trolled bro. ALLTHOUGH most black or people of colour solders in North Africa (British side) when they got captured I heard that most of them stayed in Africa and the white British solders were sent to Europe. So basically people of colour pows were lucky they got liberated meanwhile common wealth solders stayed in Europe (Germany and Italy sending black pows in Libya actually backfired as one black pow blew up a ship with a tin can)
      Dear twitter I don’t hate black people or brown people

  • @openthinker6562
    @openthinker6562 2 года назад +15

    12:06 It would be interesting to see how the regular Wehrmacht soldier would react to the atrocities of the SS, especially ones as brutal as these ones.

    • @youri4097
      @youri4097 2 года назад

      They probably didnt care much for it lol

    • @yolo7051
      @yolo7051 2 года назад +2

      Actually, since many were actually kind of "brainwashed" by the Reich's doctrine since childhood, the regular soldiers often took part in committing such atrocities and replicating SS's behavior. That was especially the case in Poland, and was a concern for the officers, not because of the actions taken by the soldiers, but the lack of discipline the implied.

    • @space4166
      @space4166 Год назад

      Wait wait I am confused.
      So the Wehrmacht and Whermacht SS were better then the German police called SS and gestpo? Right? So did the Wehrmacht SS do the warcimres or the German police SS?

  • @astackz6858
    @astackz6858 2 года назад +1

    as soon as I saw the title I clicked on the video. I love hearing / reading about moments and people like this. Unsung heroes that made the ultimate sacrifice for others and most are forgotten in history or forgotten completely. Atleast by knowing I can honor what they did since many couldn’t tell the story themselves

  • @sonnythegoring8145
    @sonnythegoring8145 2 года назад +28

    The east Lancashire regiment is one of the bravest regiments to have served the British army for its noble history

  • @LOeuffy
    @LOeuffy 2 года назад +7

    Finally the french role at Dunkirk got recognized. Thank you.

  • @jackthesmack2657
    @jackthesmack2657 2 года назад +3

    You guys should do a video on the West Virginia Coal Wars and the battle of Blair Mountain

  • @MisterPrata
    @MisterPrata 2 года назад +23

    Thanks to Simple History, ive been able to learn a lot

  • @secretbaguette
    @secretbaguette 2 года назад +10

    Barracades: Yep, makes sense
    Sandbags: Same as the other one, but alright
    Exceptional Bravery:Alright, simple history, now you're just taking the piss

  • @loyalpiper
    @loyalpiper 2 года назад +27

    You should do a video about the 51st highland division, an undeeded sacrifice to the French after France was already doomed

  • @beng7654
    @beng7654 2 года назад +4

    My grandfather was sort of a rear guard in the second war, he was a Volksturmm man at Berlin.

  • @anoriginalname410
    @anoriginalname410 2 года назад

    The animations have gotten so good over time, great animation plus a great subject go together so well!
    Great video, keep up the good work!

  • @TheVincentVanGogh
    @TheVincentVanGogh Год назад +3

    My great grandfather of the British 2nd Division stationed at La Bassée canal he would get moved to Hazebrouck during the night of May 25th to support the town, the town was overruned at the morning of May 26th, he stayed behind along with a few dozen soldiers to cover the retreat of the wounded rear gaurd units. He will never come home again. Rest in paradise, pops.
    edit: the 2nd infantry division had 13,000 men at the beginning of May 25, the following day of May 26 the 2nd Division had only 2,500 men.

  • @memazov6601
    @memazov6601 2 года назад +28

    The rear guard were mostly the french

    • @SirAntoniousBlock
      @SirAntoniousBlock 2 года назад +8

      Yep, and then Dunkirk lauded as a great British "achievement".

    • @Bullet-Tooth-Tony-
      @Bullet-Tooth-Tony- 2 года назад +10

      @@SirAntoniousBlock Yet in the film dunkirk its french troops being shown in the opening holding the rearguard

  • @kudoodle1085
    @kudoodle1085 2 года назад +4

    I wished the rearguard actions were covered more in the Dunkirk Movie

    • @vermicelledecheval5219
      @vermicelledecheval5219 2 года назад +1

      That wasn't the purpose of this movie... Although you have a blink of an eye just at the beginning of it.

    • @whatdatechnodogedoin
      @whatdatechnodogedoin 2 года назад

      Yeah, tho like the guy above me said that wasn't the main focus of the movie but we did see a bit of it.

    • @lordwintertown8284
      @lordwintertown8284 2 года назад

      Pretty sure the first dunkirk film from 1958 has the centre group of the film run into a group of rearguard troops that tell them to keep moving an moments later those rearguard troops come under attack from Ju 87's.

  • @aliwhitwell
    @aliwhitwell 5 месяцев назад +1

    My wife's grandfather was killed on 26 May 1940 defending Dunkirk as part of the rearguard and lies buried in Le Paradis cemetery. He was 36 years old and acting Regimental Sergeant Major in the Royal Scots. R.I.P.

  • @Absinthis
    @Absinthis 2 года назад

    The animations have visibly gotten better. Good job!

  • @ives3572
    @ives3572 2 года назад +9

    Huge respect to all these men who served in the rearguard units until the end despite the overwhelming odds.

  • @morganbrowning9899
    @morganbrowning9899 2 года назад +3

    A brave but ultimately sad end for many. Great video. Loved the format and content.

  • @Autumnlight91
    @Autumnlight91 2 года назад

    The animation in the episode is really top notch. Like the most fluid I've seen y'all do.

  • @enovos3138
    @enovos3138 2 года назад

    Simple history's animations have come so far! Good on ya!

  • @dimitrypetrenko3470
    @dimitrypetrenko3470 2 года назад +7

    Imagine fighting and making a Last stand for your Allies to retreat only to be ridiculed for surrendering and dubbed as "cowards" 70years later

    • @phlm9038
      @phlm9038 2 года назад

      Do you know who started this propaganda of "the French surrendered without a fight" ? It was the Collaborative Government of Vichy France (to justify to French people the Armistice and the collaboration). Today all the trolls are just repeating the motto of a shameful government.

  • @louisbarraud7853
    @louisbarraud7853 2 года назад +25

    The SS horrific executions are really contrasteted by the whermact who helped them afterwards, always why people should remember the difference between the two

    • @theknightwiththen-wordpass7084
      @theknightwiththen-wordpass7084 2 года назад +3

      Sorry to break you man,but its a know fact between 60 to 80% of the Whermacht participated to war crimes.They werent clean,most of them were war criminals.Here,have fun:en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes_of_the_Wehrmacht

    • @cyrosubod2317
      @cyrosubod2317 2 года назад

      @@theknightwiththen-wordpass7084 not a lot of wehrmacht wehrmacht is a huge armed forces so it was estimated 40% of those in the eastern front commited war crimes but the ss can do anything they wanted they are fanatics

    • @FIVEBASKET
      @FIVEBASKET 2 года назад +1

      There still human

  • @lambda1690
    @lambda1690 2 года назад +4

    The french defence of Dunkirk is so underestimated and underrepresented.

  • @saechabashira8380
    @saechabashira8380 2 года назад +29

    It is mentioned that the French troops even counterattacked in many areas. A bit sad you didn't include Georg Von Küchler's words, he was leading the German 18th army: "Despite our crushing superiority in numbers and materials, the French counterattack in many places. I don't manage to understand how these soldiers, fighting in many places outnumbered one to twenty, still find the strength to launch any assault. That's astounding. I find again in these French soldiers the same ardour of those of Verdun in 1916. We can't penetrate anywhere, and suffer terrifying casualties."
    Also, if you want a really heroic defense that once again allowed the British army to survive and reorganize, check the battle of Bir-Hakeim. 3300 men of the 1st Free French Brigade led by General Koenig held the entire Afrika Korps and Rommel, around 35000 men, for SIXTEEN days. Rommel was chasing the British and inflicting heavy casualties, sending only the Italians to get rid of the French at Bir-Hakeim. It didn't work, the Italians got shred, and the French came out to attack Rommel's rear. From this point he fully focused the 1st Free French Brigade, and it'd last like this for sixteen long days, allowing the British army to reorganize and build up defenses that would lead to the success of the first battle of El-Alamein.
    Adolf Hitler himself said about these French soldiers : "You hear gentlemen? It is a new evidence that I have always been right! The French are, after us, the best soldiers! Even with its current birthrate, France will always be able to mobilize a hundred divisions! After this war, we will have to find allies able to contain a country which is able of military exploits that astonish the world like they are doing right now in Bir-Hakeim!"
    Remember, the government surrendered, but the soldiers never forgot they were fighting for their country, and not a puppet of the Third Reich.
    VIVE LA FRANCE !

    • @doolittle555
      @doolittle555 2 года назад

      Tu as regardé Blackraven mon ami.
      Belles références.

  • @cooperhaney3949
    @cooperhaney3949 2 года назад +8

    Please do the Rats of Tobruk story at some point regarding the Australian soldiers in WW2! It's so interesting, and I know you guys would do a great job!

  • @basedkaiser5352
    @basedkaiser5352 2 года назад +45

    “The English will fight to the last French”
    - a common joke among German soldiers after the events at Dunkirk.

    • @greva2904
      @greva2904 2 года назад +4

      …Apart from the captured and defenceless British soldiers our SS units heroically murdered in cold blood, obviously.

    • @Englishman-_-Mongolia2022
      @Englishman-_-Mongolia2022 2 года назад +2

      @@greva2904 the French need a scapegoat to feel better

  • @LiamBennett1655
    @LiamBennett1655 2 года назад

    Every video you guys up the animation quality this video looks great especially the soldiers cocking the bolt of their rifles keep it up guys!!

  • @ThirdRock777
    @ThirdRock777 2 года назад +3

    Hope you can consider the 1941-1942 Battle of Bataan in the Philippines. Would consider that as major rearguard move to allow McArthur to escape.

  • @darkadrien14
    @darkadrien14 2 года назад +34

    8:24 : leaving 35,000 french soldiers behind...

    • @canthi109
      @canthi109 2 года назад +5

      they cant do anything...

    • @demonprinces17
      @demonprinces17 2 года назад

      Most of the french army evacuated returned to France as refused to join the free french army

    • @darkadrien14
      @darkadrien14 2 года назад +7

      @@demonprinces17 hum no, they had to return to France because the war was still going on at that point.

    • @demonprinces17
      @demonprinces17 2 года назад

      @Your Kark that's a laugh ended up in Germany as slave labor helping them

    • @demonprinces17
      @demonprinces17 2 года назад

      @@darkadrien14 as civilians

  • @JackGaz44
    @JackGaz44 2 года назад +4

    Keep up the great stuff!!

  • @jamesp8459
    @jamesp8459 2 года назад

    Great job making this video and great job on the graphics!

  • @samuel9272
    @samuel9272 2 года назад +1

    My great grandfather, Gnr. Victor Palmer who served in the 91st Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery at the start of the war fought a rear guard action, his last orders where to sabotage the 25pdr Artillery guns. He'd already served his 9 years prior to ww2 but he wanted to server his country. He went on to server in North Africa with the 8th army and I belive parts of sicily which by 1943 he had returned home. Mentioned twice in dispatches, he refused his Medals. We now have his Medals. There is not a day that goes by where I wish I'd met him he's an inspiration to me and my reason sign up once I've finnished my yr 11 GCSEs and college

  • @krishm16
    @krishm16 2 года назад +11

    Can't imagine the stakes in this battle... Incredible feat by the French, British and all other allies.

  • @dovidell
    @dovidell 2 года назад +3

    The amount of kit left behind by the British at Dunkirk was staggering - Ed Nash's military matters gives a detailed list in one of his videos , and the list is jaw- droppingly long

    • @Swift-mr5zi
      @Swift-mr5zi 2 года назад +1

      Its not jaw dropping it was replaced in a few months

  • @casasworks6350
    @casasworks6350 2 года назад

    Loving to see hints to the movie, excellent episode as usual.

  • @juliorenteria4941
    @juliorenteria4941 2 года назад +1

    The new content they are producing is do entertaining. Their skill in the cartoon improved so much. It looks so good. I love it

  • @landonbrown9943
    @landonbrown9943 2 года назад +10

    Another classic from simple history ❤️

  • @rosaria8384
    @rosaria8384 2 года назад +5

    This map animation is like Eastory 2.0 and I'm digging it, here's to more solid videos with this map animation!

    • @robberbarron7602
      @robberbarron7602 2 года назад +1

      An Eastory 2.0 is the youtuber TIK and his Battlestorm StalinGrad series, so good

  • @JonersBean
    @JonersBean 2 года назад

    I love that I had one of simple history's video in one of my classes as a video to watch.

  • @akiyoko5932
    @akiyoko5932 2 года назад +1

    Very nice animations! I see you have worked a bit on some specific animations. It looks very cool. Keep up the good work!

  • @Madkklown
    @Madkklown 2 года назад +16

    People will always remember the mistake.
    Rather than the greatest contribution.
    Salute to the brave french soldiers.

  • @no0bhuntter59
    @no0bhuntter59 2 года назад +5

    The most heroric rearguard unit was the polish unit at Wizna. The unit was outnumbered by 40 to 1 and hold the germans three day off. The hope was that Warsaw would have more time to prepare itself.

  • @jeddkeech259
    @jeddkeech259 2 года назад +1

    All my life, ever since I was a young boy listening to my grandfather talk about the Pacific, I have wanted to go out this way.

  • @bobbiemanueldelapena4997
    @bobbiemanueldelapena4997 2 года назад +2

    Battle of Tirad Pass during the Filipino-American War was a rearguard action by a small Filipino force of 60 soldiers under the command of the Boy General, Gregorio del Pilar, against a force of 300 American soldiers.

  • @scripe1957
    @scripe1957 2 года назад +7

    Hello simple History! ive watched your channel for quite awhile. since about 2018. the quality never fails to amaze me. keep up the good work

  • @SpaceMonkeyBoi
    @SpaceMonkeyBoi 2 года назад +3

    "It's not retreating! It's running away with style!"

  • @oliversherman2414
    @oliversherman2414 2 года назад

    I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!

  • @nicolasmartinezh.4117
    @nicolasmartinezh.4117 2 года назад

    10:32
    Bon voyage angle ...
    That line hits hard everytime that i watch Dunkirk

  • @fanwtn5124
    @fanwtn5124 2 года назад +13

    Wehrmacht: “We just following the order”
    Waffen SS: “We are the order”

    • @cyrosubod2317
      @cyrosubod2317 2 года назад +2

      Based

    • @whatdatechnodogedoin
      @whatdatechnodogedoin 2 года назад +5

      Pretty true, usually the Wehrmacht only did crimes cuz orders from high command which were loyal Nazis

    • @cyrosubod2317
      @cyrosubod2317 2 года назад

      @@whatdatechnodogedoin not a lot of high command most german high commands comes from a prussian military families

    • @psycho4207
      @psycho4207 2 года назад

      @@Dougulas322 well, give me one example where the wehrmacht did anything that the ss did. Rape etc was punishable and would take you straight into a strafkompanie.
      ofc some things happend for the wehramcht aswell as like in any other army in the war, but majority of the warcrimes was the SS.
      and btw: "the "i was just following orders" myth has been debunked many times." who debunked that?:D you? haha.

  • @combataesthetics4177
    @combataesthetics4177 2 года назад +8

    12:10 the Wehrmacht gained more respect from me, treated the allies way better than the SS

    • @frags7792
      @frags7792 2 года назад +3

      Yeah I would say the SS are the real nazis. Wehrmacht are just young men forcing to a fight old men battles…

    • @youraveragescotsman7119
      @youraveragescotsman7119 2 года назад +2

      @@frags7792
      That's what we call "The Clean Wehrmacht Myth".
      80% of the Wehrmacht were complicit in war crimes and directly helped the Holocaust occur. They didn't silently stand by, they actively assisted in it.
      The SS and Wehrmacht were very similar, one just had a little more good people in it than the other one did.

  • @iang257
    @iang257 2 года назад +1

    You can definitely tell how much the animation has improved from the older works. It's so cool to see.

  • @josephbritt6890
    @josephbritt6890 2 года назад +1

    Another awesome show

  • @mr.pissedoff1903
    @mr.pissedoff1903 2 года назад +7

    Damn, that shows how brutal the SS was.

    • @sidexmabaho
      @sidexmabaho 2 года назад +2

      it also shows that some germans(including the ones in Wehrmacht) were not the same as the Nazi's
      just clarifying because sjws can't seem to make those things up

    • @mr.pissedoff1903
      @mr.pissedoff1903 2 года назад +3

      @@sidexmabaho , They really weren’t the same, in my personal opinion. Most of the Wehrmacht were drafted from my understanding, so they weren’t as likely to be brutal to fellow soldiers that most likely didn’t want to fight, either.

  • @palious13
    @palious13 2 года назад +4

    I feel a great rear guard action was the sacrifice of the Folgore Italian paratroopers at El Alamein. They were practically wiped out, but bought time for the rest of the Afrika Korps and Italian army escaped.

  • @yatiyeets4180
    @yatiyeets4180 2 года назад +1

    Thank you simple history !