The Falaise Pocket | The WW2 Corridor Of Death
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2023
- Was Moissy Ford the most deadly river crossing of all time?
During the Gulf War of 1991 (Operation DESERT STORM) an Iraqi column of 1,000 vehicles retreating from Kuwait into Iraq was destroyed on a desert highway - becoming known as The Highway of Death.
However, this event has its origins in WW2 with the German withdrawal from the Falaise Pocket, when up to 17 Divisions attempted to flee the Allies encirclement. In this video I take you to the very locations where the massacre happened, as we visit Falaise, Moissy Ford and Mont-Ormel.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this video please hit the like button. drop me a comment and subscribe to the channel.
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Развлечения
My grand uncle participated in this battle as part of the Polish forces. He fought for 3 days without sleep until his unit was relieved. Covered in blood he collapsed in exhaustion and was mistakenly taken for dead. And a telegram was sent notifying his fiancée of his passing. A medic luckily saw him breathing and he received treatment but his fiancée only found out he survived after the war. Thank you for showing this momentous battle
I’d love to go back and cover the Polish battle here. It really was so ferocious, facing desperate German forces either trying to retreat through the Falaise gap to escape or beating off counterattacking forces who were trying to prevent the collapse of the pocket. Very very brave soldiers
@@thehistoryexplorer 100 000 agaist 1500 -that was and Germans defeated in close quarters.
🤣🤣🤣
@@thehistoryexplorer
There were Pathe News footage showing women of Falaise brandishing hammer&sickle flags on the passage of Polish troops. The local red cells at work already.
It’s been taken down.
@@thehistoryexplorer
Please watch all the British Pathe News footage relative to the liberation of Falaise by Polish troops.
The mixture of historical photos and walking the battlefield gave a very clear picture of what happened there.
Thank you that was the intention and I hope it did the job. Appreciate the feedback 👍
One shouldn't forget who was responsible for the immense suffering in the "Corridor Of Death" as well as for the total extreme suffering of the entire war including the immeasurable suffering in the occupied countries by the Nazi army. Responsible for this unimaginable suffering was the completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated Nazi nation with its Nazi army with the pure, insane, megalomaniac and utterly amoral barbarism! In short, the Germans were responsible! In fact, this video serves to whitewash the Nazi army. For this reason the Iraq war at the beginning of the video was shown with the intention of implying that the two wars were comparable. So the intention is to mendacious suggest that that this was actually a war by an ordinary army comparable to the US Army of today contrary to the historical reality that this war was waged by a totally amoral criminal Nazi army. It is no surprise that such a disgusting propaganda video for German whitewashing only mentioned German casualties and that obviously pity for the Nazi soldiers should be created. But one thing is certain one should definitely have no pity for these barbaric and criminal Nazi soldiers.
However such videos have the intention of whitewashing the Germans and their army. German whitewashing has many facets, with videos like this being just one. Another particularly perfidious facet of German whitewashing is the use of the term Nazis instead of the term Germans which particularly clearly illustrates the whitewashing of the Germans. Western pro-German propaganda has many facets, one of which is using the term Nazi instead of the actual nation! In fact, Western pro-German propaganda is very consistent in using the term Nazis. The Nazis are the bad guys and the real Germans are their victims. The use of the term Nazis instead of Germans also in Hollywood movies actually serves to whitewash the Germans. The fact that the term Nazis is used instead of Germans has a reason that most people are not even aware of. This is why this German whitewashing propaganda is so very successful that most people worldwide now use the term Nazis and not the term Germans in connection with the 2nd World War. It is necessary to clarify why the term Nazi is even used for to understand all this. So it is necessary to clarify who a Nazi even was for to understand all this. Who is referred to as Nazis by western propaganda at all in this context. All Germans? Definitely not! No, the western propaganda differentiates very precisely between the evil Nazis and the other "good" Germans. The western pro-German propaganda spreads the lying myth of the few Nazis who were guilty and responsible, because it is generally concealed that the overwhelming majority of Germans since 1935 at the latest were follower and supporters of the German Nazi government, thus they were Nazis. So the overwhelming majority of Germans were since 1935 at the latest Nazis. It is concealed the fact that the vast majority were Nazis, giving the impression that it was the other way around, that contrary to historical truth there was only a relatively small minority of Nazis. True, the term Nazis is a synonym for this nation and and so it would be actually irrelevant whether Nazis or the name of the nation is used. But since the lie is spread of only few Nazis which were in this country, the impression arises that only a few Nazis were responsible for the crimes with Nazism and not in fact the vast majority of the population was responsible for that. Therefore, using the term Nazis instead of the name of the nation is misleading. So one should talk about the Germans in this context. But not about the Nazis. So the synonym Nazis would actually be justified for this nation. BUT...the intention to use Nazis instead of German has a very specific intention. Just for to whitewashing of the Germans. Because from this lying western propaganda the myth is even produced that the vast majority of Germans were actually victims of the evil Nazis themselves and that the Nazis were just a small minority. For this reason alone they differentiate between Germans and Nazis! The propagandists even claim that the Germans were liberated in 1945. I have read and heard this lie more often that the Germans were allegedly liberated. LIBERATED! As e.g. the title of this RUclips video shows. "Liberation of Munich April 30 1945" ruclips.net/video/RtCvjD56Kkc/видео.html the title is not the occupation of Munich by the Americans, which would correspond to historical facts. No, a lie is being spread about liberation! An unbelievable lie in which from the victory over this evil Nazi nation with the subsequent multi-annual occupation is made a LIBERATION. This is actually the end goal of that whitewashing campaign. Separating the nation from the evil Nazis and making the nation victims of the Nazis. This can also be seen from the fact that certain Germans are referred to as non-Nazis, such as Nazi general Erwin Rommel who was a willing tool of the German Nazi government and fought doggedly for the victory of this Nazi government. This way the Western propaganda distinguishes very conscious between the bad Nazis and the other good Germans like Rommel. It is then stated that Rommel was not a member of the Nazi party and thus he was not a Nazi. Because that's the common lie that's being spread, that only the Nazi party members were Nazis. A very useful lie. But in reality the correct definition of Nazi is supporters and follower of the German Nazi government and that was the vast majority of Germans at least since 1935 thus they were all Nazis. That was also Rommel, who made a great effort to ensure that the German Nazi government wins this war. He also benefited from his hard work for the Nazi regime and was promoted to Field Marshal. But despite this, Western propaganda and Hollywood portray him as a non-Nazi. Like Rommel, the vast majority of Germans had been followers and supporters of the german nazi government since 1935 at the latest, so they were Nazis. But these historical facts are not being propagated by Western propaganda, but the lie of the relatively few guilty Nazis!
Why is it done that way? Why is the lie being spread of the few Nazis who were responsible for the crimes so that most people by now say Nazis instead of the name of the really guilty nation? At first in 1945, the Americans had the right attitude regarding the Germans, as this educational film shows for the US Army. „Your Job in Germany - RUclips" ruclips.net/video/7OUR5uvs9aw/видео.html Then pragmatism prevailed over justice! Because after the war, the Americans believed the Germans would be useful as allies! So in the 50s, most of Germans became the ally of the West. (West Germany). However the problem was that this Nazi nation was completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated! The West could not be allied to a morally degenerate Nazi nation that has murdered millions of children, among other crimes. So they were practically systematically washed clean to be tolerable as allies. So they were washed clean by propaganda (Western historians / media / politicians / Hollywood etc.) and the blame was put on relatively few Nazis. So the term Nazis is deliberately used by propaganda, i.e. the media, historians, politicians, Hollywood to differentiate between the Germans and the Nazis. It is then said that only a minority were Nazis. But this does not correspond to the historical facts, because the vast majority of Germans were followers and supporters of the German Nazi government at least since 1936, thus they were Nazis. In fact, the Nazis is actually a synonym for the entire nation, but it is definitely not used that way, by the Western pro-German propaganda including Hollywood. A very successful propaganda! This is way also most people around the world because of this propaganda now use the term Nazis and not German in connection with the 2nd World War and the crimes. Yes, there are always good Germans in Hollywood movies about World War II. It was only logical that a movie was given the title "The Good German". There really is such a movie with the title "The Good German". Mind you in connection with the 2nd World War! Thus the completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated Nazi nation was whitewashed by the Western propaganda machine, which Hollywood is a part of.
But that propaganda didn't work for everyone, because Poles actually always say with reference to the Second World War, the German occupation, etc. GERMANS and not Nazis. Because the Poles know against whom was fought in this war. Because it was the fighting against the entire nation and a not only against a political party.
Antworten
Comment about Falaise gap makes sense in not closing gap entirely with chance of friendly fire. I do disagree on not worrying about killing as many Nazis as possible. Those same Nazis killed a lot of ours boys in the Ardennes in German Winter offensive. Of course hindsight is 20/20 I guess?
I had the chance to tour the area in 2010 as part of a Canadian battlefields tour. From Vimy, to Juno Beach to the Somme, to Dieppe, and Beaumont Hamel, the sense of slaughter and sacrifice only seemed amplified at this location. In the town of Trun, the locals found it next to impossible to dig post holes for fences without unearthing human remains. this was one of the most sombre places of the tour; and there were many.
That sounds like an epic battlefields tour! Wow! I’m a huge admirer of Canadian military heritage and their exploits. I’ve said in a previous comment that I’m desperate to get back to Saint Lambert but also to go to Authie and Saint Contest in upper Normandy
I was at Vimy in 2017 for the 100th. I wept. Visited Ypres, Dieppe and Juno Beach on that trip. As I visited I was struck by 2 main things. Firstly, the slaughter that took place and second was that life there was just that, people living life. For all that horror to have taken place but where I stood, it was peaceful. I felt it deep down. Odd, but wonderful feeling. Was to go back in May 2020 for the 75th of VE Day, but, well...
Oftentimes, people forget history. To them, it's nothing but names, dates, and dry statistics. Walking a battlefield, whether in person or virtually like in this video, gives a person a real sense of what happened there. Finding bits like buttons, empty cartridge casings, and things like that, make it even more real, at least for me.
Well done!
I couldn’t agree with you more. That’s why I love then and now photos too. I would spend every holiday at battlefields if I could but the wife might leave me! Ha!
@@thehistoryexplorer I can understand about the wife leaving you about that, lol!
Here in the mid-Atlantic region of the east coast, there is a wealth of old battlefields I can walk through from time-to-time.
I often pause at a particular site and recreate the sounds of battle in my mind, or try to watch a re-enactment of an event.
I guess I'll always be a history nut, thank God. 😄
@@oldgoat142 I’d love to visit the American Civil War locations. One day!
@@thehistoryexplorer It would be well worth it!
My father was a war hero.
Those thousand yard stares just tell the story all on their own. What one man can do to another is truly astonishing.
It really is terrible isn’t it
Years ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a former WW II Canadian soldier who'd seen action in the Falaise pocket. According to him, it was a slaughterhouse for the German troops trapped there. The wholesale death and destruction were nearly impossible to describe. The horrific memories of what he witnessed still haunted him, nearly 60 years later.
I can well imagine. What a fantastic opportunity to speak to a veteran who was there. I’d love to go back and film around Saint Lambert to cover the Canadian action. Such brave soldiers
It was a slaughter house for the Canadians under Guy Simmonds.
I had a great uncle killed at the Falaise gap with the Scottish Essex.
He is buried at Bretteville cemetery
@@oldredcoonhound2182 I’m desperate to get back there and cover the Canadian actions, Maj Currie included. Thanks for sharing your connection to this battle, have you visited?
@@thehistoryexplorer yes, was able to get there a few years ago before the world went nuts.
One shouldn't forget who was responsible for the immense suffering in the "Corridor Of Death" as well as for the total extreme suffering of the entire war including the immeasurable suffering in the occupied countries by the Nazi army. Responsible for this unimaginable suffering was the completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated Nazi nation with its Nazi army with the pure, insane, megalomaniac and utterly amoral barbarism! In short, the Germans were responsible! In fact, this video serves to whitewash the Nazi army. For this reason the Iraq war at the beginning of the video was shown with the intention of implying that the two wars were comparable. So the intention is to mendacious suggest that that this was actually a war by an ordinary army comparable to the US Army of today contrary to the historical reality that this war was waged by a totally amoral criminal Nazi army. It is no surprise that such a disgusting propaganda video for German whitewashing only mentioned German casualties and that obviously pity for the Nazi soldiers should be created. But one thing is certain one should definitely have no pity for these barbaric and criminal Nazi soldiers.
However such videos have the intention of whitewashing the Germans and their army. As the comments with pity for the Nazi army show, the whitewash propaganda of the Germans works. German whitewashing has many facets, with videos like this being just one. Another particularly perfidious facet of German whitewashing is the use of the term Nazis instead of the term Germans which particularly clearly illustrates the whitewashing of the Germans. Western pro-German propaganda has many facets, one of which is using the term Nazi instead of the actual nation! In fact, Western pro-German propaganda is very consistent in using the term Nazis. The Nazis are the bad guys and the real Germans are their victims. The use of the term Nazis instead of Germans also in Hollywood movies actually serves to whitewash the Germans. The fact that the term Nazis is used instead of Germans has a reason that most people are not even aware of. This is why this German whitewashing propaganda is so very successful that most people worldwide now use the term Nazis and not the term Germans in connection with the 2nd World War. It is necessary to clarify why the term Nazi is even used for to understand all this. So it is necessary to clarify who a Nazi even was for to understand all this. Who is referred to as Nazis by western propaganda at all in this context. All Germans? Definitely not! No, the western propaganda differentiates very precisely between the evil Nazis and the other "good" Germans. The western pro-German propaganda spreads the lying myth of the few Nazis who were guilty and responsible, because it is generally concealed that the overwhelming majority of Germans since 1935 at the latest were follower and supporters of the German Nazi government, thus they were Nazis. So the overwhelming majority of Germans were since 1935 at the latest Nazis. It is concealed the fact that the vast majority were Nazis, giving the impression that it was the other way around, that contrary to historical truth there was only a relatively small minority of Nazis. True, the term Nazis is a synonym for this nation and and so it would be actually irrelevant whether Nazis or the name of the nation is used. But since the lie is spread of only few Nazis which were in this country, the impression arises that only a few Nazis were responsible for the crimes with Nazism and not in fact the vast majority of the population was responsible for that. Therefore, using the term Nazis instead of the name of the nation is misleading. So one should talk about the Germans in this context. But not about the Nazis. So the synonym Nazis would actually be justified for this nation. BUT...the intention to use Nazis instead of German has a very specific intention. Just for to whitewashing of the Germans. Because from this lying western propaganda the myth is even produced that the vast majority of Germans were actually victims of the evil Nazis themselves and that the Nazis were just a small minority. For this reason alone they differentiate between Germans and Nazis! The propagandists even claim that the Germans were liberated in 1945. I have read and heard this lie more often that the Germans were allegedly liberated. LIBERATED! As e.g. the title of this RUclips video shows. "Liberation of Munich April 30 1945" ruclips.net/video/RtCvjD56Kkc/видео.html the title is not the occupation of Munich by the Americans, which would correspond to historical facts. No, a lie is being spread about liberation! An unbelievable lie in which from the victory over this evil Nazi nation with the subsequent multi-annual occupation is made a LIBERATION. This is actually the end goal of that whitewashing campaign. Separating the nation from the evil Nazis and making the nation victims of the Nazis. This can also be seen from the fact that certain Germans are referred to as non-Nazis, such as Nazi general Erwin Rommel who was a willing tool of the German Nazi government and fought doggedly for the victory of this Nazi government. This way the Western propaganda distinguishes very conscious between the bad Nazis and the other good Germans like Rommel. It is then stated that Rommel was not a member of the Nazi party and thus he was not a Nazi. Because that's the common lie that's being spread, that only the Nazi party members were Nazis. A very useful lie. But in reality the correct definition of Nazi is supporters and follower of the German Nazi government and that was the vast majority of Germans at least since 1935 thus they were all Nazis. That was also Rommel, who made a great effort to ensure that the German Nazi government wins this war. He also benefited from his hard work for the Nazi regime and was promoted to Field Marshal. But despite this, Western propaganda and Hollywood portray him as a non-Nazi. Like Rommel, the vast majority of Germans had been followers and supporters of the german nazi government since 1935 at the latest, so they were Nazis. But these historical facts are not being propagated by Western propaganda, but the lie of the relatively few guilty Nazis!
Why is it done that way? Why is the lie being spread of the few Nazis who were responsible for the crimes so that most people by now say Nazis instead of the name of the really guilty nation? At first in 1945, the Americans had the right attitude regarding the Germans, as this educational film shows for the US Army. „Your Job in Germany - RUclips" ruclips.net/video/7OUR5uvs9aw/видео.html Then pragmatism prevailed over justice! Because after the war, the Americans believed the Germans would be useful as allies! So in the 50s, most of Germans became the ally of the West. (West Germany). However the problem was that this Nazi nation was completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated! The West could not be allied to a morally degenerate Nazi nation that has murdered millions of children, among other crimes. So they were practically systematically washed clean to be tolerable as allies. So they were washed clean by propaganda (Western historians / media / politicians / Hollywood etc.) and the blame was put on relatively few Nazis. So the term Nazis is deliberately used by propaganda, i.e. the media, historians, politicians, Hollywood to differentiate between the Germans and the Nazis. It is then said that only a minority were Nazis. But this does not correspond to the historical facts, because the vast majority of Germans were followers and supporters of the German Nazi government at least since 1936, thus they were Nazis. In fact, the Nazis is actually a synonym for the entire nation, but it is definitely not used that way, by the Western pro-German propaganda including Hollywood. A very successful propaganda! This is way also most people around the world because of this propaganda now use the term Nazis and not German in connection with the 2nd World War and the crimes. Yes, there are always good Germans in Hollywood movies about World War II. It was only logical that a movie was given the title "The Good German". There really is such a movie with the title "The Good German". Mind you in connection with the 2nd World War! Thus the completely megalomaniac, mad, criminal, amoral and degenerated Nazi nation was whitewashed by the Western propaganda machine, which Hollywood is a part of.
But that propaganda didn't work for everyone, because Poles actually always say with reference to the Second World War, the German occupation, etc. GERMANS and not Nazis. Because the Poles know against whom was fought in this war. Because it was the fighting against the entire nation and a not only against a political party.
Antworten
I walked the highway of death in Kuwait about 10 days after it occurred. I have PTSD and nightmares related to what I saw and smelled there. The smell of dead bodies has never left me.
So sorry to hear that my friend. I’ve no doubt that was a horrendous scene to experience.
Jesus.
So sorry...thank you for your service.
It never will 😢
What possible reason did you have for walking there?
Thanks for a great video. My Grandfather was part of the Canadian 3rd Division (North Shore Regiment , New Brunswick, Canada) and took part in the Falaise battle. He would never speak about the war...never.
Many of the veterans didn’t, not until their later years when it seems people were more inclined to listen to
My father was a Sargent. One of the handful of times he spoke of his experiences, he said he went into the Falaise gap with 40 men and came out with 4. He had a scar on his left arm where it was nearly shot off. The History Explorer gives a very humane and moral view of what happened, but me, a cynical 70 year old Canadian who lost an uncle to a U-Boat, I say F those guys.
my father was with the Canadian Army at Falaise and he described the horror of the scene after the battle.He said the carnage was very hard to witness --- they came to one section of sunken road he said was approximately 800 yards long and you could not walk it because of thousands of dead German horses---many of his fellow soldiers were farmers from Southern Ontario and it broke their hearts to see how the horses had been slaughtered in such massive numbers.He also described the smell of death that hovered for dozens of miles in all directions from the Gap.
That sounds like the road down to Moissy Ford that I cover in this video. It must have been terrible
It is important to cover WW2. The world has not seen a war of this magnitude since, and the potential increases if the events fade from memory. WW2 is much more than a story of bravery, tactics, or tanks. It is a cautionary tale about how far out of control things can go when allowed to.
Great point C B
Truly well said sir it is indeed the most cautionary of events+should always be remembered+seen as such
@@craigoliver8712 you are quite right Craig
My father flew Hawker Typhoons in the Falaise gap german distruction. I have his log books and original images from that time. He did see the distruction, it effected him for the rest of his life. The aircraft had a 15 to 20 minute rotation to reload and go back again firing 4 x 20mm canons and 8 rockets per attack
Wow. I can barely imagine the things he saw. But it did lead to the destruction of Nazi Germany, for which we must be very grateful
Thank you for writing that. The video didn't show that much rocket fire and I knew at that stage of the war rockets were common on fighters in the ETO.
Speaking to the curator of the Mont Ormel museum a couple of years ago, he said that it took approximately twenty years to clear all the debri from the Falaise. Pocket.
Can you imagine how much that stuff would be worth today?! The amount of vehicles and equipment probably scrapped. There’s actually a private field nearby that used to be a scrap yard full of kit
@@thehistoryexplorer That was the Trun scrap yard.
It held many gems of which some were rescued and have now been restored.
Or parts from that yard have been used to help restore other vehicles back to static or running condition.
Some in museums or some in private collections.
@@brutter602 that’s the one! I’ve seen pictures of it. Presumably all gone now?
@@thehistoryexplorer Yes all gone now.
Picked clean. An old series of Magazines called Wheels and Tracks published by After The Battle Magazines did several stories on the Trun scrap yard, with many photos . Some of these photos were invaluable to military vehicle restorers such as myself as information/technical manuals were hard to come by.
@@brutter602 fantastic! Thanks for sharing
This was my first visit to your channel and I was not disappointed. I watched this on the heels of your recent presentation about Artillery during the Battle of Hill 314 at Mortain. It was fitting because it was the failure of that German counter offensive that ultimately led to the catastrophe at Falaise. Your work is informative and sensitive to the many lives lost. I finally have a sense of the way the terrain dictated the events thanks to your excellent photos and videos. I shall likely never get to walk these paths, but feel I have through your efforts. Thank you.
Thank you David. I’m still finding my feet on RUclips and trying to generate an audience. I’m so glad you enjoyed this video as it’s a subject I care deeply about. Thank you for the very kind comment
@@thehistoryexplorer Your very welcome. I will take a look at the other videos soon.
My father was in the 3rd Infantry Division during WW2. We had a picture of him that was taken somewhere near Colmar. He is sitting with a carbine in his lap surrounded by dead Germans. He said there were 10,000 dead Germans in the field behind him.
Wow what a legacy. Thank you for sharing!
O tam trzymać
The most comprehensive narrative of this Allied victory and Wehrmacht catastrophe I've seen. Well put together.
That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you Rod! 👍
THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES MAKE THINGS COME ALIVE AND BRINGS HISTORY UP TO OUR TIME. LIKE A TIME MACHINE
Absolutely! I’m glad you enjoyed it 👍
Great introduction to the topic. I went there a few years ago there is a lot more detail to tell about the Polish on that hill area acting as the cork of a bottle holding back the escaping Germans day and night and then attacked from the rear side by SS Hitler Youth to open up the pocket . As ammunition ran out and all the Sherman tanks were hit it literally came down to Polish fighting with bayonets and bottles that was observed by local French.
Thanks for the comment. Like I say in the video I need a separate video dedicated to Mont Ormel and the Polish action. Such brave soldiers
I went to mont omel in 1981 , I was in my early twenties then, looking through the bushes and scrub on the slopes there were hundreds of live German 7.92 rifle cartridges lying around, I could only find a handful of fired cartridges, a car stopped nearby with German plates, a gentleman in his late fifties got out and stood stareing over the countryside below, I wish I knew what he was thinking or remembering!
Charlie that is a haunting account! I do feel as though the battlefields are so sterile now but there are some gems around. I can't wait to go back this summer
9:04 Excellent video. There is another comment to be made about the number of Germans who escaped the partial encirclement which I don't think has been mentioned yet. Most of them were actually from support units rather than being fighting troops. Those 60,000 Germans killed and captured in the Falaise Pocket were all the combat troops of the German 7th army.
Thanks for the comment and you’re absolutely right about the fighting echelon forming the balance of the casualties/prisoners. This is due to a number of factors but not least due to local counter attacks to try and enable a break clean. Withdrawing in contact must be horrible.
Thank you
@@thehistoryexplorer Believe that withdrawing successfully whilst under fire is the most difficult thing you can do in the army.
@@blatherskite9601 is must be a nightmare. Especially when under constant harassment from the air and enemy observation
@@blatherskite9601 The US 7th AD withdrawl from St. Vith, during the BoB, is a classic example taught in military universities of how armor was used in support of the withdrawl.
there is a pretty good memoir of a german officer who lived through and escaped from the falaise pocket, worth a read for sure... he was also against launching the german counter offense, the failure of which lead to the faliase pocket...
Including the maps and actual locations is the only way to explain past battles and battlefields. Thanks great work.
Thank you my friend I’m glad you enjoyed it
If anyone is planning a trip to the Normandy beaches next year, we'll worth including a trip to Montormel. It is truly moving, and again the Poles were in the thick of it - Battle of Britain, Monte Cassino, Arnhem
Well said. I do intend to go back to Montormel to cover their action which requires an episode dedicated to them. What a fight they had on that hill
I just came back this week from my first trip to Normandy. What an amazing experience!
A fascinating & insightful reproduction of the “Falaise Pocket” battle. The great archival footage interwoven with modern day locations & animated maps bring some verisimilitude to the reconstruction.
Thank you Dean, I hope you enjoyed it
I have to say that I really appreciate the old footage mixed with the view today. It really helps you appreciate and understand it more....bravo
Thanks Douglas. There is loads more on the way so be sure to join in 👍
Great video. Really like seeing the Then and Now pics to put it in context.
Thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the video I make them for like minded history enthusiasts so it means a lot to hear you approve 👍
Only 5k subs eh?
That will grow quick if this quality keeps up. Beautiful mix of tactics, maps, raw footage, historical touch, and story telling. Well done.
That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you. This is a very new channel, although I started it over a year ago I’ve only been making videos for the last 4-5 months or so. Still finding my feet!
Outstanding.
The most clear overview yet.
Thanks.
Semper Fidelis...
Appreciate you brother 👍
*** If you enjoyed this video then check out my video on Op GOODWOOD, where I visit the location of the largest tank battle in Europe to that point ***
This EPIC WW2 Tank Battle In Normandy Changed How We Fight | OPERATION GOODWOOD
ruclips.net/video/xQCl-B4Xxm8/видео.html
Having recently finished James Holland’s Normandy 44 this video really brings the final chapter to life. Thanks
That’s fantastic feedback. Thank you! A very good book too
Thank you for showing the proper Canadian flag of the era: The Canadian Ensign with Green Leaves.
It was changed in 1958 to have red leaves, hence the name the Red Ensign; and later it was simply the Maple Leaf flag.
It's attention to detail like that that gives me confidence in the accuracy of your video.
You’re most welcome Richard. 👍
Both ensigns were called the ‘red ensign’ ,because of the main red field of the flag…not because the leaves changed to red (in 1957 not 1958).
Australia and NZ both now have blue ensigns, but they don’t have blue maple leaves on it 😉!
how do you feel about the eu flag flying superior to the national flags? keep in mind the eu is not a country, and not democratic either, not to mention they played no part as this bureaucratic entity did not yet exist...
I read articles that said 100,000 German troops escaped from the Falaise Pocket. General Patton was upset that so many Germans were able to escape and defend the homeland.
It’s believed between 50-100,000 Germans escaped. However very little equipment made it back across the Seine
@@thehistoryexplorer : It was a great video but it made it seem like no Germans escaped, or I think you mentioned 10k German troops made it back to Germany.
@@johnjames2470 100,000 is WAY too high a number and completely exaggerated.
In reality, it was somewhere between 20,000-40,000 men.
According to American Military Historian Martin Blumenson in his book *'Breakout and Pursuit':*
*"How many Germans escaped? No one knew. At the end of 20 August Army Group B reported that "approximately from 40 to 50 percent of the encircled units succeeded in breaking out and joining hands with the II SS Panzer Corps." This was an optimistic assessment. By the end of the following day, the strength of six of seven armored divisions that had escaped the pocket totaled, as reported at that time, no more than 2,000 men, 62 tanks, and 26 artillery pieces.*
*Later estimates of the total number of Germans escaping varied between 20,000 and 40,000 men, but combat troops formed by far the smaller proportion of these troops. The average combat strength of divisions was no more than a few hundred men, even though the over-all strength of some divisions came close to 3,000. The explanation lay in the fact that a partial exodus had begun at least two or three days before the breakout attack--when shortages of ammunition, gasoline, and other supplies had already become acute."*
@@johnjames2470 fair challenge. You could make a whole video on why so many Germans escaped and another video in the Mace and the Polish. But you make a good point buddy👍
No, nowhere near 100,000 Germans escaped. Doubtful if over 50,000 did.
Bradley stopped Patton from continuing north from Argentan to Falaise to close the trap shut because he doubted Patton's ability to stop a German stampede there. In his book A, Soldiers Story Bradley wrote later "In halting Patton at Argentan I did not consult Montgomery, however. The decision was mine alone. I much preferred a solid shoulder at Argentan to the possibility of a broken neck at Falaise".
What a fantastic video. Excellent production. I was in Normandy a few years ago and will go back this year to visit more WWIIsites, including Falaise Gap. Thanks and keep them coming.
You’re very kind Randy, if you enjoyed this video please check out my latest on Op GOODWOOD - at that time the largest tank battle in Europe. I hope you like it and I really appreciate your feedback 👍
@The History Explorer I will watch it very soon.
Very good at orientation of where things are - other war videos take note. Showing how it is now - brilliant!
Ian that is very kind of you to say and thank you for your positive comment. Appreciate you buddy
My mother was in the ATS and was one of six secretaries to the commander 21st Army Group. As such, she was one of the first women over to France after D Day, getting there before my father, who was in the Royal Engineers and had been posted to a 'secret location' in the Spring of 1944 to work on PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean). They actually got married in Brussels on the way to Germany. All that being said, neither of them really said much about what they had done and seen, but I remember mum telling us that she and her female colleagues were not allowed to go through the Falaise pocket after the defeat of the Nazis. It was deemed too terrible to allow the women to see. Terrible for anyone to see, I would have thought. Very interesting video.
That’s fascinating! What a story. Thanks for sharing
Great video. Thanks for covering this topic. It's great to see historical and location footage put together. I hope to be able to get my own footage of these sites soon for my own video.
Thanks Brad!
Hey Brad when are you visiting Europe and where will you go?
@@thehistoryexplorer I'm guiding on a tour at the end of the month in the Netherlands and Germany. No plans to go back to Normandy any time soon though.
@@OTDMilitaryHistory let me guess; The Scheldt?! I’d love to visit. We’ll have to confirm a slot for a talk about guns!
@@thehistoryexplorer No not the Scheldt unfortunately. Covering Operation Market Garden, the Nijmegen salient, Operations Veritable/Blockbuster, and parts of the Liberation of the Netherlands.
Great stuff - especially getting to the exact spots where some of the original photos were taken.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the kind comment. Appreciated!
Brilliant video mate, love the then and now perspective. Must've been a nightmare trying to make it out of that situation.
Thanks for the positive feedback buddy I really appreciate it. It must have been bloody hell for them, that’s for sure!
Great video thanks for making an sharing with us all 🇭🇲✌️
You’re a star, cheers David. It’s my genuine pleasure
Thank you for this video; I knew of the Falaise Pocket, I never knew its significance.
I’m so glad it’s getting to a new audience. Thank you for your very kind comment I hope more of my videos will be of interest to you!
Great format! Thanks and good luck
Thanks Jerry!
Excellent ,Thank You .I visited Normandy for a week [several yrs ago ] its the tour that for me is best to do alone ,to try to grasp the death and destruction ,despite reading many accounts of veterans who survived ALLIES AND GERMAN .
I also love to tour alone or in a small group. Thanks for the comment I really appreciate it. I hope you’ve subscribed as I’m heading back to Normandy next month 👍
Well done! My father was in action over Falaise, Typhoon Sqd 175, he and other pilots were taken to the site after the action, he said it was truly horrific.
Wow Peter that’s astonishing! Your father would have played a vital role in this battle
Oh! Don't tell that to the PTO zealots ! Just because the Nazis killed innocent people , as well as the Imperialistic/Fascist Japanese done , didn't mean the Nazi- German soldier wasn't formidable. My veteran of WW2 grandpa of USAs 82nd A/B would tell you the nightmarish , grim fighting he was in.
@@thehistoryexplorer Overated Field Marshall General Bernard Montgomery was timid , and dragging to close the trap completely , therefore nearly 60000 Nazi- German troops escaped to live , and fight another day; "Operation Market Garden"planned by Montgomery that almost lost the war for the Allies , "The Battle of The Huertgen Forrest's , Battle for Aachen , the Waicheren Island, and bitter fighting in Antwerp , The bitter fighting in Alsace - Lorraine , the Vosges MTN campaign , The Ardennes ( Battle of the Bulge . ETC.
@@john-sp3tr I’m planning to visit La Fiere bridge this summer. Always wanted to see where the 82nd had one if their most famous actions. You must be very proud of your grandfathers legacy
@@john-sp3tr he certainly has his detractors that’s for sure
Excellent video, sir - thank you.
☝️😎
I read in Anthony Beevor's account of the D-Day campaign that the bomber-crews could smell the dead in the Falaise Pocket as they attacked... 😔
That was likely from all the dead horses! Hundreds and hundreds of them
@@thehistoryexplorer
Horrible...
A local farmer told me the same thing. His parents said thesmell was so bad people litterally could not breathe. he also added they told him the ground was always moving, covered in a mat of flies.
Fantastic. Keep it up. Grateful from Texas. Clear, precise, and excellent video.
Appreciate you buddy. Always great to receive positive comments when I’ve just started out. Hopefully I’ll improve with each video 👍
Great video! Will be useful when I finally get there on my Normandy tour.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it and I wish I was going on your tour!
This was fantastic, not seen the actual location so well brought to vivid life. Its an often overlooked battle, but is up there with Battle of the Bulge in terms of defeat for the German forces. Also an opportnuty lost to close the gap and or to follow through before the Germans miraculously recovered for market garden.
So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the very kind comment
The Germans also recovered for the Hurtgen Forest and Lorraine etc. Those campaigns fared worse than Market Garden.
My father witnessed the Falaise Pocket battle. He said that thousands of German soldiers that had surrendered would march out of the pocket carrying their weapons, and then lay them down. He said it scared the s#!t out of him.
Oh my god I bet that was a horrible sight
Great video, found the channel after your show on WW2TV.
My man Gary! I hope you enjoy med the show and thanks for commenting
Excellent in quality and content. A great voice you have, sir.
Thank you kindly! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I really appreciate the kind comment
I have avidly been obsessed with the 2nd ww.and mostly about the Normandy campaign.im 57.my obsession started when was as young as 5_6.my uncle fought in many battles in europe.i have read a million books newsreels.thru out the years.and every one of them alwalways says around 40 thousand Germans escaped the pocket to fight another day.
Wow great comment! Without doubt many many Germans escaped but lots of equipment was left or destroyed, I think the number is very hard to pin down though.
Great vid bro. Thank you for highlighting Polish 1st ArmDiv effort💪
They would need a video all on their own to do it justice. The Mace and Mont-Ormel is a fantastic story to tell
And the Polish Div are a favourite of mine. What heroes
@@thehistoryexplorer yes indeed. I'm stunned how great person Maczek really was. During and after WW2
@@thehistoryexplorer you probably already have, but in case someone who reads this and didn't have a clue about Maczek's tactics which gave him such a popularity among french and dutch civilians, I drop this link below
ruclips.net/video/CPnWgUZhvrs/видео.html
@@sliceofjoy233 absolutely! A great man who commanded some ferocious soldiers
Thank you. Very comprehensive and the video and photos enhance the presentation
I’m glad you liked the video. I really enjoyed making it!
from various books that i've read. tiffy pilots said that below 2k feet the smell of rotting meat was over powering. they would take deep breaths in order to hold their respiration in the attack dive and then only breath again in their pull out.
Great comment. Terrible stuff. I’d imagine the smell was mostly from decaying horses bloating in the summer sun.
I,m currently reading Typhoon Pilot, Wing Commander Desmond Scott who commanded 123 Wing ( Typhoon ) , he states because of the amount of carbon monoxide constantly leaking into the cockpit Typhoon pilots had to always use oxygen.
@@frankvandergoes298 so it’s u likely they could smell the bodies/horses anyway!
That is backed up by local stories. Also the ground always appeared to be moving, carpeted in flies.
Great work
Thank you for the comment. I hope you enjoyed it
Thanks for putting this into perspective.
My pleasure! I’m so glad you enjoyed it
Excellent production. I too am a Gunner. Had the same thoughts as you when you mentioned the view from the Allied side of the Lines.
Right on! How true though when you see that plateau surrounded by high ground. Forward observer’s delight
I need to visit this place!
I once ran from the surf (starting in the waves) to the cliffs at Omaha Beach just to get a feel of the effort. Low tide. Of course no one was shooting at me and I wasn't carrying half my weight in gear and it was a nice warm day and there were no obstacles or mutilated horror to distract me along my journey. And journey it was. But hey otherwise it was a cakewalk. I am kidding. Even under those wonderful conditions I feel honestly as though I would have never made it. Nope, not me. Just the running alone wore me out as a 40 year old. Every one of those D-Day soldiers are freaking heroes.
It’s hard to imagine isn’t it. Consider the hours spent as sea in landing craft and larger transport vessels suffering from accrue sea sickness and the fear of what was to come. Horrific!
Very well done!
Thank you Kristopher! Appreciate your feedback brother.
Superb visualization and narration, juxtaposing what happened then with contemporary pictures, and portraying the terror the Germans felt at seeing their vaunted army shredded. I liked and subscribed
Thank you very much and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
My Father was a FAC, U.S. Army, ETA, Normandy to Vienna, 1944-1945. Like most combat vets, he rarely talked about his wartime experiences---which affected him deeply till the end of his trail......
Battle winning asset, the FAC. You must be very proud of his legacy
15 divisions trapped in the pocket, 10,000 killed, 50,000 taken prisoner, 100,000 escaped. Tremendous determination of the Germans to have escaped at all.
Strach przed karą za zbrodnie
Didn't even know about this. I mean I knew about the Falase Gap or Pocket but didn't know about the river and all the casualties. Sad really
Hopefully it has encouraged you to go and do some reading on the subject. Thanks for the comment
Good show . I look forward to more.
Thank John really appreciate your feedback. I plan on making a video a week when I can (I’m still serving so can’t always) but please subscribe and you’ll be alerted to new videos
Have visited this area twice, love Falaise itself, one of the most beautiful towns. Hard to believe so much death happened so close by.
It’s very strange to visit Moissy Ford in particular as it looks so beautiful today. Very tranquil. What that place has seen though!
In "The Guns of Normandy", the author was a Canadian artillery officer (doing some FO work as well as at the guns). They fired the 25 pdr. The crews were so good that some prisoners asked to see the "Hopper Fed" artillery. They thought they must fire from clips like a 40mm Bofors. A MASSIVE advantage, regarding the artillery in Normandy was that pretty much every gun was on sector and theatre grid due to superior surveying. Allied commanders knew where pretty much every gun was. You could call in artillery from all over the bridgehead. They'd even do a time on target barrage where the different guns from different locations would fire so that the shells arrived on target at about the same time, no warning, just hell. When possible they'd even get the naval guns offshore involved. Have a look at the # of shells fired, it is beyond imagining. Further proof of the Allies war winning production and supply system.
The best comment on the internet 💥 Thanks!
All guns on theatre grid fire TOT
called Victor.
A great video as others have commented the then and now footage was good. Very traumatic times, the German infantry, unshaven, dirty, tired probably hadn,t had a hot meal in days but still defiant and ready to fight. It must have been hell on earth. There were allegedly multiple divisions trapped in the pocket and example Hitlerjugend escaped with only 10 tanks and 600 men. But most of the Division had already been withdrawn north of the Seine. All support and logistic units, the supply battalion, medical battalion, bakery & butchery & field post companies, all maintainance and repair units, the Recconnaissance Bttn and SS Panzer Grenadier Rgt 26 were already out of the pocket. The units still inside did suffer heavy casualties, the Werfer Bttn lost all its vehicles and launchers, the Signal Bttn suffered heavy losses. Terrible times.
A brilliant comment. Thank you very much for the insight and for sharing here 👍
Thanks for your very well produced and informative video.
You are very welcome!
Good video and like the use of the historical photos.
Glad you enjoyed it! Lots more on the way
It's still a point of discussion, as to the decision of whether the gap should have been closed or not, the possibility of friendly fire casualties as the two armies approached each other was probably the right one.
Thanks for a very good video, especially the old black-and-white photos of the aftermath. I've not seen those before.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the very kind feedback. 🙏
It was easy enough to avoid. In a U shaped ambush, you reinforce the bottom of the U as the Germans fall back. They restrict their fire to a narrow arc along the path of German march. The sides of the U stay back so they are firing only into the centre and not a crossfire. It's not difficult but requires communication between the forces.
@@johnkidd1226 and there in lies the problem. Each Bn has a different net, let alone different divisions, corps and army groups. Easy at Coy or Bn level but not when you have the 1st and 3rd armies heading towards each other
@@thehistoryexplorer There were actually US, British, Canadians and Poles all involved so I agree, a coordinated pincer movement would have been a nightmare (not just American armies as Hollywood likes to depict).
@@johnkidd1226 I think we need to get things into perspective here. If you are a general commanding an army and next to you is another army commanded by a general allied to you and that army is not making the same sort of speedy progress as you (and actually I find the comments often said about about the Canadians and British by Patton worshippers quite offensive when you consider the sheer opposition of German forces involved, how hard they fought and the casualties they took) and you think "ah, screw this" and go storming on forward leaving a gap in the lines and part of your position open and then the enemy exploits this opening, it is NOT the fault of the allied army for "just going too damn slow", it is YOUR fault for overextending yourself and leaving your flanks open.
Your juxtaposition of past and present is very helpful to visualize the battlefield. I see in the comments that there’s quite a debate about how many Nazis escaped, but it’s a wonder that any did.
Thank you David I hope you enjoyed the video. The next one is on the ground at Op GOODWOOD SE of Caen
Nazis or German army
@@josephgraham4531 I don’t differentiate. Ain’t no nuance about it.
Top class video! Thank you 🙏🏽
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This was a fantastic video, very informative, thank you
Glad it was helpful!
The biggest corridor of death could be summer 1941 when Barbarossa campaign in the Soviet Union, the retreating red army columns bombed by the Luftwaffe in Belarus and Ukraine. The shear destructions was bigger than the Germans of Falaise pocket or Iraqi in the Kuwait highway.
That would be really interesting to look at. Thank you
My father in the US Army was at this massacre. He said you could walk for half a mile on dead men and horses. The Germans still used a lot of horses to transport their army. His unit,36 th FA Bn. 155 AKA The LONg Tom really poured it on in this battle. The Germans called this gun Whispering Death. Near the end of the war they captured two German Artillery officers. This Fan Club requested permission to see the guns firing in action. That request was granted under guard of course. I got that from story from his units day to day war diary.
That’s brilliant Kenn I’m an artilleryman myself and served in a 155mm unit too. You must be very proud of your fathers history
@@thehistoryexplorer You know the LONG TOm? His unit has a whole WIKIPEDIA page. 36th FA BN. They served as support to both British and Free French units In N Africa. The British unit was either 20 or 40 Commando . I think one Howard was the commander. To say thank you, some of the officers from Dads unit were invited to the officers mess. It turns out it was a formal dress affair and one fellow, Mcdonald was wearing a kilt.My father was sent along by his commander to chaperone He was older.. As a Seargent he was turned over to the British senior NCo to be taken care of,which he was. He managed to trade with someone for a pair of Brit desert shorts. These were the envy of his unit. The US Army did not issue shorts. Dad also said that they got liquor as part of their rations. Whiskey for officers. Beer for NCOs, rum for the rest. Is that true? My father had several funny stories about his interludes in England ,going home on leave on the Queens E or M.
Was it really a massacre ? OK , approximately 10000 Nazis were kia , but nearly 50-60000 escaped to fight on in more grim viscious battles.
Field Marshall General Bernard Montgomerys'slow / cautious move to close the trap would cost him a few months later @ "Operation Market Garden " ! The operation was a near defeat incurred on the Allies due to lack of , and bad intelligence from the Allies .! Little did they know 2 determined Waffen SS , Army , and some top notch Fallschirmjager (Nazi- German Paratroopers) were on RnR in Holland . Holland was the conduit for Montgomerys' plan to curtail the war in the ETO. Montgomerys' British Paratroopers were mauled @ Arnhem , and USA s 101st + 82nd A/BDiv.s faired slightly better , but didn't consumate the planned crossing of the Rhine River ito Nazi-Germany , and suffered high casualties , and has to defend the area against determined , harrowing Nazi-troops counter- Attacks! This was around mid-9/44.
There was the "Green Hell Of The Huertgen" ( Battle of the Huertgen Forrest ) fought from 9- 12 /44 by units of the USAs 1st , and 9th Armies where the Americans suffered about 30000 casualties , and about the same for the Nazi - German troops.
@@john-sp3tr well the St Valentines Day massacre only had 7 deaths?
Didn't the Imperialist/Fascist Japanese call the fast , and excellent fighter plane "Corsair " also " Whispering Death" !?!??
The "Corsair " was one of the top class fighter planes produced in the USA ? Its'top speed was approximately 410 mph. , and so was the USAs P51 Mustang , the P47 Thunderbolt , The P38 Lightning , The Navys'Hellcat , and Great Britain's Super Marine Spitfire too ??!!!??!?
Very informative and well presented video. Thanks.
you are most welcome and I’m glad you enjoyed it 👍
One of the more impressive and inspirational sites to visit. The Polish, Canadian and British forces were superb here, along with their comrades in the air.
Well said
Merci pour ce moment d histoire de mon pays la FRANCE 🇲🇫
What a wonderful country. I love how so much has been preserved and the people remember every day
*Bradley,A Generals Life,Page 299* Gen Bradley wrote "the news of the German escape from the Falaise Gap was a shattering disappointment - one of my greatest of the war.a golden opportunity had truly been lost.I boiled inside,blaming Monty for the blunder"*
Montgomery was not only the least essential officer but an absolute impediment to the Allies conduct of the war, squandering opportunity after opportunity in the face of vastly inferior forces.What he won he won with overwhelming superiority in men, materials,ULTRA and air support. And then barely and poorly.Britasin had much better officers - MUCH. Winston painted himself into a corner after messing with both O'Connor's successful operations and that of Auchenleck also
Not because of maneuver,guile or tactics.Monty had serious deficiencies in fluid battles, and had limited ability to adjust his methods to changing operational situations
That’s a very fair proposition but it requires more analysis. It’s a good idea for a video actually!
Woody baby still peddling your crap! Bradley failed to close the Falaise gap, read his book! Your still cherry picking articles written by failed journalists. Montgomery the most successful allied commander in the Western theatre of operations. Planned and commanded the successful battle of Normandy. After that Eisenhower took command of ground forces and the war ground to a halt . His broad front strategy failed , which resulted in market garden, Hurtgen forest , the Bulge and Patton's debacle at metz
Well put! Your analysis is quite correct. He was a media concoction for the sake of British morale and, for that reason, was unsackable much to the chagrin of General Patton et al.
What an interesting video. We drove from Wales down to Spain last summer and stopped off at the Montormel memorial. My father fought at Falaise during WW2 when with the Welch Regiment. Would never speak about the war.
I hope you had a brilliant visit. That sounds like an epic trip too!
WELL done production!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
For a perspective , ten thousand German troops killed in the retreat from falaise , which is half the number of British troops killed on the first day of the battle of the Somme .
Quite right. The horrors of WW1. As an example of my link with WW1 a battery I served in was overrun by Germans in 1918 and wiped out. We commemorate their ‘last stand’ each year
Always wonder what the clean up after a big battle must of been like for ones having to do it.
I’ve always wondered that. Turns out they were still savaging metals and equipment in the 80s
Outstanding video!
Thank you very much! So glad you enjoyed it
Subscribed. Well done.
Awesome, thank you! I hope I don’t let you down 👍
No one today could imagine the carnage of that time.
The closest thing I can find is the highway of death in Iraq. I think that could paint a pretty similar image
My best friends father (Polish soldier fighting with the Canadians) was seriously wounded in this battle..
Wow I’d love to know more
😮😮. Actually more polish were in the wehrmacht than the western 'allies' or the USSR combined. Around 700,000.
There’s a fascinating book that I read called “D-Day Through German Eyes”. The gist was that they weren’t expecting the colossal size of the force coming their way and distinctly remember one soldier stating the “shock and awe” moment when he saw the amount of ships coming their way. I had an mental sphincter clench and release for him it was that jarring.
It must have been terrifying. Followed by the preliminary bombardment of course!
I must say excellent job on this video thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome Video. Best explanation on why the Germans sustained massive loses retreating by showing us 1st person perspectives off the terrain advantage.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s funny the video you spend the least amount of time on has done so well
A school friend's father was there, and I clearly recall him telling us about what he saw. He was a despatch rider, having recovered from wounds suffered in combat, and having a motorbike he was sent to take a look and report back very soon after the Germans had either left or surrendered.
I remember him telling us about the thousands of dead horses, the Germans being short of fuel and hence relying on horses as draft animals to move supplies and their field artillery. Some had been driven until they dropped dead, so desperate were the Germans to escape. Some were still steaming with sweat, which may give you a clue how long they had been dead before he arrived.
The roads in the area were few, little more than unsurfaced farm tracks, and were utterly impassable, choked with vehicle wreckage. The columns of German vehicles had become a massive traffic jam and had been easy targets for wave after wave of ground attack aircraft.
As an experienced soldier, even he had never seen destruction on such a huge scale, almost impossible to put into words.
What a fantastic comment. Thank you. That is exactly how I picture the scene in my mind. You’re right about the roads too!
Most of the German Army was horse drawn.
@@randyneilson7465 absolutely! Something most people forget
Great video. Hopefully I can visit that region one day.
You should!
excellent piece. Thank you
Thank you too!
To be honest most of the German armoured formations had been decimated by Montgomery in the battles around Caen. Falaise Gap was their last throw of the dice, very few vehicles made it out. A great victory but some Allied commanders played the blame game.
Love this comment 👍
The Polish 1st Armored Division, commanded by General Stanisław Maczek, occupied a key hill, which the Poles called "Maczuga" (maced) due to its characteristic shape. The number of German prisoners was so great that they were handed over to neighboring Allied units whenever the opportunity arose. The Poles suffered heavy losses because they were attacked from two opposite sides, only the lack of coordination of these German attacks did not lead to the destruction of the Division, the fights were often carried out in close quarters, with bayonets, knives, spades and stones. The seasoned veterans, most of whom had been fighting since September 1, 1939, did not budge. Someone described their fight with the words: "The Germans were like in a bottle, and the Poles were the cork that closed it." Unfortunately, the bottle was not completely airtight, only thanks to which not all German soldiers remained locked in it.
I have plans to film some more at the Mace. I don’t have enough footage to do it justice. Fantastic and very brave soldiers
@@thehistoryexplorer I can't find it now, but there was at one time on RUclips an account by an English-speaking Polish officer standing next to a tank at the War Memorial of his time there and how they were very nearly overwhelmed by German soldiers. So it must be somewhere.
@@franc9111 it’s an astonishing story of bravery and determination. I will try to find the video too. Thanks 👍
Great presentation.Thanks.
You are welcome!
Great documentary. Love the music.❤
Glad you enjoyed it! Many thanks
Notice the lack of a Union flag at the memorial. All others represented..Canadian, Polish USA and even French...however no Union flag just that EU one replacing it...
The British didn’t really fight at Mont Ormel
@@thehistoryexplorer but neither did the French....ha...
I am not criticising but just passing on an observation....please keep your great contributions coming..
Just imagine the logistics required to take & hold 50,000 prisoners in such a short span of time.
Exactly! Good point
They sat in open fields for days, without water or food. It took weeks for the MPs to get their act together. This dropped on them on top of all the other prisoners they had to handle. Not as bad as the 300, 000 Russians the Germans surrounded and let die in a large field. Stalin would not let them retreat so the became surrounded and dead.
Great vid! War is awful between great powers. How soon we forget…
I’m so glad you enjoyed it John and that you for your kind comment 👍
Cool video. Kudos
Thanks Steve. Appreciate the comment. If you enjoy WW2 history then check out my other Normandy videos from a recent visit 👍
Your map video was outstanding, showing the incredible movements of the US Armies and realignments by the Germans that took place. Patton's forces were tasked to move south and then clear the Brittany area. Patton felt that would be a waste of his entire Army, so he sent only a Corps. The rest continued to clear areas to the south and then eastward. Hitler saw the same maps, and directed his generals to cut 3d Army off by attacking westward. That set the scene as Patton then moved NE and north. Bradly saw a chance to trap the Germans and showed IKE his plan. Both had to go to Monty's HQ and speak to him. (Monty was Too busy to leave) Monty's forces were directed to close the trap at Falaise, but as usual he failed. Patton would have, but Bradley had him stop past Argentan. That was why the Germans escaped, to fight Monty at Market Garden!!
haha hitler was responsible for getting a lot of his forces destroyed by encirclement
I’m glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for the comment. As a Monty fan I think there are factors and elements to your view of Falaise that have been omitted but I appreciate you’re probably used to the US narrative that Monty was indecisive etc
@@zionmarcelo So true. We all wonder what would have happened had Hitler stayed out of the way. By late 44 code-breaking knew where Hitler was almost all the time. Churchill refused to take him out, stating with Hitler running things we can't lose. If you want to learn more see my detailed work; FATAL FLAWS Book 1 1914-1945
@@thehistoryexplorer Actually I wrote a detailed History series called FATAL FLAWS Book 1-3 which traced 9/11 back to WWI. In my research I came across all types of books on WWII, some from the German side. No one thought much of Monty. His only success was in N Africa. In that battle he had a preponderous amount of supplies because every other place the Brits had fought in they lost. So supplies were plentiful. By that time of N. Africa , America was suppling even more to England, while the Afrika Corps lost 2 out 3 ships each week. Stay Well R
@@richardmeo2503 he certainly has his detractors and I’m not discrediting your research at all. Have a great weekend Richard