When I was visiting Greece, a college mate showed me his "family trophies" two Mauser rifles, one MP40 (very well maintained I must say), knives with the swastika, nazi helmets, and other personal military items, then took me to the basement of his family's farmhouse. in a old closet, there were a pitchfork and and an ax with dark stains on them, I was told it was nazi blood, from those paratroopers killed as they landed, and by wish of the grandfather nobody was to clean them or use them , unless the turks come. i still remember the chill down my spine !
@@jrickducking6685 hahaha, that's a good one. As far as I saw and told, most family houses in Crete have their own modern gun collection. I got the impression that in Crete and the area around Sparta, are the equivalent of Texas as far as gun ownership and military feelings go.
@@hackilic8306 international Relations students can write much better english than you Haci. I am not going to discuss the Obvious with a Troll. People outside turkey can check the news and see for themselves what a dictator Erdogan is, that sells pipes dreams to his islamist followers about resurrection of ottoman empire , while he is enriching his family and picking fight with all his neighbors.
My great grandfather fought at Crete. He served for the New Zealand army. He has told me that he remembered, while happy that they had the tactical advantage over the Germans, he felt really bad for the defense less paratrooping Germans that his battalions were just mowing down. He also told me that the Greeks were very brave people for helping them defend the against the Germans with minimal supply. He was eventually evacuated to Egypt when the island fell. I remember him telling me “Though the soldiers were fighting for awful people and a despicable cause, they are still just men, normal men, that all had a long life ahead of them, cut short by this pointless war”
Robert Kruse sorry the Greeks didn’t directly aid in attacking the Germans. What I meant is that the brave people of Crete supplier the allied resistance with things like rations and supplies
A couple of years ago two families from New Zealand went to greece for summer holidays. After they ate at a local small restaurant in Crete they asked to pay the check. Well the owner made them exactly 19,41€ discount and all the drinks were for free to honor New Zealands soldiers that fought alongside with the Greeks.
I was in Crete... They are not forgotten... No one forgets what happens on Crete... So when you go there come in peace and enjoy the friendship, but if you come with bad thoughts in mind you get a unmarked grave.
@@chucknormalaid Kiwis is a euphemism for New Zealanders, i forgot to mention our Aussie friends as well, who have played a critical role in these events.
@@thomaswoschke1553 Hi Thomas ! I am a Maniot from southern Peloponese but indeed that is the stance we have. Come in good will and we shall welcome you as more than family. Mi
The very fact that the Greeks survived from the Persians,the Romans,the Ottomans,the Germans and still exist as a nation while fighting like their ancestors and preserving (to whatever extent possible) their Hellenic culture is a miracle all by itself.
@@Someone-hd4yj The Persians didn't occupy Greece because they got beaten badly, thankfully, in 2 decisive battles taking place in Greece (Salamis and Plataea after the Spartans managed to stop them in the middle of Greece, Thermopylae). Otherwise, we would now did not exist anymore. Persians would have exterminate us all and everything Greek, as they vouched. Later, when Alexander attacked back, he basically did it to secure Greece. Persians would have tried again. They should be thankful we were civilized and didn't try to exterminate them all. He even adopted Persian customs which made his entire Greek army, mad, but the point stands. Lucky he had Aristotle as a teacher. That made him educated and smart. He wasn't only military genius.
Actually, relying on paratroopers isn't a good idea. You've probably heard of the D-day landings, but the post mortem analysis the allies had suggested that there was almost no material effect these had on the Germans as these paratroopers _also_ failed to take their objectives before regular infantry caught up to them. The top command realized this after the fact, but didn't make a big fuss out of it. The famous 101st? Well, for most of its engagements members of it did little more than get stuck behind enemy lines and the Americans would waste manpower on full frontal assaults to extricate the pockets since the trapped soldiers meant they couldn't attack on their own timetables. That division did have many successes... when it was used as a regular infantry division!
@@drunkgrizzlybear9431 In some sense the paratroopers in Market Garden actually accomplished more (which was little before getting trapped, but actually managed to inflict a few more casualties than the vaulted 101st did at Normandy if you count what they accomplished before the regular infantry met with the pockets). It's just that the Normandy landing the rest of the attacking force didn't suck. Market Garden as a whole wasn't exactly the best planned idea.
Alex Zetsu Still, the chaos and confusion created by the paratroopers nipping all over the Germans’ heals behind their own lines caused a lot of their own troops to have greater hesitancy to move into defensive positions against the invaders. Had the paratroopers not been used, the local German forces would have been able to concentrate all of their forces on the beaches, thus costing us more time and casualties before successfully overrunning the coastal defenses. Omaha may well have been a disaster.
Overrated! They only muderet unarmed and also woundet soldiers. At the time the FJ landet, they had no rifles etc. for defending. The greeks made hunt of singel soldiers, woundet and murdert them. Thats it. @@originalcriminalgangster7350
I am researching so much of it now. Lots out there, just not a lot in English. Although more needs to be told. The Greeks paid a heavy price and wanted to move on but the long term effects certainly resonate until.today.
To be fair, it's only small parts of ancient Greek history that ever gets attention. Thermopylae and the war between Athens and Sparta. That's pretty much all they ever focus on. All the rest of ancient Greek history gets ignored too.
Damian Cunliffe So true. Byzantine period? - Starts middle-ages with the construction of Constantinople. - Great schism. - Ends middle-ages with the fall of Constantinople.
@@srfrg9707 Even if you take away the Byzantine period, there's still a huge amount of awesome ancient history from Greece that gets ignored. Even the tiny ancient Greek city states like Rhodes have such rich, exciting history that nobody ever hears about.
Dropping in with only a knife and pistol and you gotta find the better weapons scattered across the map...... It's historically accurate battle royal mode!
A journalist was interviewing a old man telling the story how he got blind by defending Heraklion by the germans...journalist asked him if he got some kind of pension reward for this... he answered -no I didn't ask for any....journalist asked why ... he answered -are you crazy? I am going to ask money for defending my country ???
I personally had a teacher whose mother, at the beginning of the invasion of Crete, axed a German soldier immediately after he made landfall. He told us his mother would never forget that she removed the life out of young boy, who was sent to fight in favour of a madman.
@Soldat Kaiyodo imagine you were just a teenage boy in 1939 germany,and you were chosen to go to the army.it would be terrible to be with millions of psychos .and you wouldnt have a CHOICE.
They’re shouldn’t have been young boys dropping into Crete. Germany still had a sufficient manpower pool in 40-41, and fallschirmjagers were on the older side because they had to do airborne training
@@erichschneider4759 he's jealous of the bravery that Cretans and Greeks in general showed during WW2, while his country hide behind the shadows and remained neutral, because they were afraid of another defeat...
I'm from Crete and when i was a boy i used to hear war stories from my grandfather and other old men who fought in battle of Crete and generally in ww2. I have only respect for those men! They faced the Nazi's airbornes with their own hands and courage!
My grandfather was in the belgium resistence, he joined when he was only 15, I hear also a lot of stories cause he fought them for 5 years till the war ended. But one thing that stands out is how high he talks about the Cretans how they fought. He said Churcill was right with his statment about the greeks but the Cretans are something of the next level. My grandmother also says that. She "only" fought after the liberation of Belgium, she was with the AA. Trying to shot down V1 and V2s. They both are glade that I go often to Crete. They said I can learn a lot from those people.
@@evangetz my grandfather was once walked twenty chilometres to take some documents from one Cretan spy who lived among the Nazis..these documents were about exploding Nazi fight airplanes and boats with supplies in heraclion, Crete..after he took the papers, one nazi guard saw him, shot him high in the back..he managed to escape the nazi guards, brought the documents back to those who were in charge, and the Nazi planes and boats destroyed a few days later..all because my grandfather walked back twenty chilometres with a bullet in his back..he died when i was 9...may he rest in peace ❤️
I firmly believe this is why Greece still stands , because no matter who invades their land civilian and soldier alike will stand tall and proud to protect their homeland , I know it's been said a million times but Greece has my respect
@@musiccreationstv2732 3000 yrs tf are you talking about everyone from the Macedonians to the Romans to the Ottomans ran through Greece like she was a thot in a high school locker room 🤣
@@sethgaston8347Bro Macedonians back then are not the same people that leave in North Macedonia. Back then the kingdom of Macedons were Greek. The part of land where they lived is still part of Greece today. North Macedonia today gets its name because during the Roman empire the Macedonia area expanded, so more tribes begun to live in so called Macedonia with zero connection to the Greek Kingdom of Macedon. Also although the Romans conquered Greece yes , after the cut of Rome to Western and Eastern Roman empire and the move of the capital from Rome to Constantinople (now Instabul) , essentially Greeks controlled the Eastern part. Im sorry but your comment was very offensive to Greek history, imagine if i said stull about slavery and the history of your people.
My father's village is two kilometers from the Maleme airfield, my father has donated the skeleton of a German plane to the chania war museum. If you ever visit Crete, pay a visit at the German cemetery, it lies at the hill 107 were the battle of Crete was won for the Germans. Also visit the Allied cemetery at Souda bay and search for the grave of Pendlebury.
@Hans Gunsche he's jealous of the bravery that Cretans and Greeks in general showed during WW2, while his country hide behind the shadows and remained neutral, because they were afraid of another defeat...
@@nomad8166 sounds good and all...but will probably be too busy swimming and stuffing your face full o ντακο( dako)( great dish ask for if you ever visit )
You could say that's just the likely fate of any paratrooper - training so hard to be the best, then dying from circumstances that are out of your control (like plane being shot down, or being shot down while parachuting with no way of defending yourself).
Greeks’ greatest weapon in history ever is the underestimation the opponents show on them. Keep it up guys. Thousands of years of existence and glory and part of that we owe that to you. Thanks ;)
@@ΓιάννηςΧαρικαπολυς you lost several times, Even when you attack Turkey to create a big Greece empire you got mauled by the Turks and defeated drastically.
We lost only due to our greed and that was bad but we have won many wars and also ww2 was a collective fight against nazis we got defeated but it gave enough time for the red army to get ready and actually win against hitler.
One of my great Grandfathers was POW in Russia and one on Crete, the one in Russia had to eat raw Rats in order to survive, the one on Crete however got fat from all the delicious food the Greeks fed him, on one of his Birthdays our Family even gifted him a trip to revisit his "prison Guards" Greeks man, steadfast at Battle, respectful to the enemy
treating your prisoners as equal to your own residents even though they were sent to kill you, is truly a great thing to witness and proof that all soldiers are still human behind their uniforms.
To understand russian view on treating enemy, that came with a sword to your land, you should read "War and peace" by Leo Tolstoy. "Noble" and friendly attitude towards enemy soldiers is regarded by author as a hypocrisy and bravado. So rats for a dinner were well deserved.
@@michaelsundarev5818 oh, so the way nazis treated russian POW was also well deserved then? Or the treatment of pur good old „enemys“ the jews? No my friend, it was not well deserved Our ancestors did mistakes by not understanding the „Enemy“ where humans as well, defending their homes and families
Well USSR's behaviour is understandable considering that nazis destroyed a ton of villages, killed innocent civilians and performed other tyrannical acts towards them.
I love HoI but damn does it treat divisions like orks. In real life having an entire division get destroyed was a devastating blow all but the largest militaries. Yet in the game Germany has 5 divisions get encircled and destroyed and the only inconvenience is having to replace them.
@@joeysimek7707 If you look at his comment, he was saying it from the perspective of the Germans. Therefore, my comment was accurate. It did work for the Germans.
The Greeks have always won some and lost some, but one thing is certain if you go up against them, they will always put up a ferocious and courageous fight and will certainly make you bleed. Never in history were they cowards or surrendered without a fight.
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but in Maleme there is a war cemetery for the Germans who lost their lives during the battle of Crete. As a Cretan, this place makes me feel proud of my ancestors' legacy. There are stories about old women who had seen their sons, husbands or brothers die, but they still lit the candles for the fallen enemies. I have been there and when I saw the ages of the dead soldiers I almost cried. There are no real winners in a war.
Those are not stories. They still light candles and perform eulogies there. Those soldiers where and average age of 19-20 yo back then. The Nazi high officers and the SS members are another matter altogether... you won't see marked graves for them in Crete ;-)
My father fought with the Australian army in Greece and Crete. He had huge respect for the Greek and Cretian people also the Kiwis and to some extent the German soldiers. He died at age 91hating Winston Churchill who he considered had a penchant for sacrificing Commonwealth Roopa in futile actions.
@@srfrg9707 Don't think he would use"please, or honey" ,rather ::::Woman !!!!::::give me the axe,grab the pitchfork, here we go. Where s that "kopeli"???==(youngster ),there ,go go go go go!!!!!!!!!
@@digenhsakritas1337 "our cup of tea" or "my cup of tea" is a typical English expression for someone's preference. Doesn't have to be about a literal cup of tea.
My grandpa sometimes talks about this, when he remembers. People hid in mud lakes and farmers attacked everything on sight, with anything they could. Pitchforks, kitchen knives, shovels. It was a bloodbath. Parachuters got caught in trees and where killed immediately by any soldier close. He said that, even if it was war, it was a horrible thing to see, hanging bodies falling to the ground as men who could’ve lived to see their children fell for the ambitions of dictators.
My Grandma's brother was a german paratrooper who landed in Krete. He said, they all dropped their handgrenades as fast as possible in air because everybody was so afraid of getting hit by a rifle into the grenade and thereby exploding. He also said, of his platoon did only 13 people reach the ground alive. Miss his stories
@@dasher787 So, its completely hypocritical of him to be against suppression of knowledge and history if he's a communist. Since that's exactly what they do to a extreme.
Like was said in the video, many paratroopers lacked weapons of their own in the landing. If they would've had their weapons, I'm pretty sure the heroic tales of the greek farmers would've sounded differently. German troops: "Surrender or I will shoot with my mp40!" Greek farmers: "Ok."
My grandfather helped English soldiers to escape from nazi using his boat (he was a fisher man living in a south village of Crete called Rodakino, near hora sfakion). The english government after the war, recognized his efforts and awarded him. During nazi occupation he was also carrying/transferring war equipment hidden in baskets with wheat, loaded on donkeys, to help allies. Once, his load was checked from nazis, but they did not manage to found anything even though he had pistols hidden at the bottom of a basket. He lived 1914 - 2010.
Pretty much yeah,they actually kept fighting with shovels and bayonets,without having any ammunition left.When the allied troops left the island,a great number of greeks were dead.But!The nazi germany never again attempted an airborne attack which is good I guess¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@xrhstospex8106 It wasn't because of fear of the people that he didn't go back it was the fact he no longer considered his plans to be secret and counter attacking paratrooper when you have knowledge of their position is too easy for the defenders to pick off .
Oh niBBoi the herman paratroopers have no guns, but think what a cache there could be If we could create, a nice safe space, that landed planes on the island of Crete...
Leo is a bell I am the man who dodges the shells, that fall onto me from on the hill. They speed down, and I hide in the ground, and we hear the sound of more men killed.
Sometimes it seems that to kill troops it’s fine and defense will hold down as they fall Then I see, that the troops breached the lines, and we still need supplies after all
@@flameohotman324 girl what 😐 next thing we know is you're gonna say mfs were paid by the Greeks to say good things about them 😭😭 please log out and go get some air
My father was at Rethymno (known then as Retimo) during this action with an Australian artillery unit. As one of the rear guard that held the line for the others, he was captured and forced marched to Maleme. Within days he and three others went under the wire and escaped to the White Mountains of Crete near Kandanos. The others made it off the island and back to Australia but Dad had 'flu and could not go with them. He met up with the partisans and was nursed back to health and then fought with them for about 18 months. He told me that when he heard of the massacre at Kandanos he knew that he had to leave to protect his friends. By then the Nazi hold on Crete was so tight that he was, inevitably, captured again but he was able to resist interrogation by the Gestapo and kept his secrets about the partisans. He was shipped into to the Reich as a POW for the rest of the war. Thus began a friendship with his friends on Crete that lasted the rest of their lives and continues into the following generations. I have visited the places Dad went to and so have my children. We are in touch with his friend's children and my children are in contact with his grandchildren in Greece.
That is actually a great story mate. I currently live in Rethymno because I study History here and there is a small square near the city centre. In the centre of the square stands a memorial called Hellenic Australian Memorial and is dedicated to the Aussies that lost their lives protecting Rethymno from the Nazi invaders. I walk by it almost every day but I never had the chance to learn the background of the story of those soldiers. So that story really is something interesting for me. And I would like to thank your Dad for fighting for the freedom of Cretan soil. He is a true hero!
@@ΓιώργοςΜουστακλής-λ4ψ We visited my father's friends in 2018 at least his grandchildren. Of course I looked in on Rethymno and paid my respects at that memorial before continuing on to stay with them down at Paleochora.
@Tarmi Rićmi It is a true quote, and there is even a recording of said quote. However, this is irrelevant since it was Churchill that pretty much instigated and inflicted a bloody civil war on the Greek people...
My father was in the defence at Chania, and then fought in the rear guard as it retreated across the island. He was one of the five thousand that were captured. When I was young I asked my father if he had killed anyone in the war (childish question). My father looked at me and said the men on a heavy machine gun had been killed and he ran up to it and took over. He said the sky was dark with parachutes and the gun sent a stream of bullets out like a hose. He praised the Creteans for their courage and steadfastness. The only thing that ever irked him was that he wanted the rearguard to be evacuated and he was told to stay so that the navy could take off some Royal Marines.
@@hariszark7396 the greeks are the heroes... you guys gave the world freedom through democracy... something that will never be taken away from you all in greece... what an awesome country and one day i hope to visit hania. The birth place of my name. From New Zealand.
@@caneanukunuku9158 Thank you my friend. New Zealand seems like a nice place too. You are welcome to visit Greece and stay as long as you want. I hope our country and people will meet your expectations. Be well !!
@@hariszark7396 thanks friend. I read alot of books on history through out the world but i always come back to ancient greek and modern greek and all the arts, philosophies, and democracies. We in nz are divided like else where in the world when it comes to democracy and nationalism. but for some reason, the left over powers the right. I love it. For the people. By the people. Be well brother. NZ.
@@caneanukunuku9158 I'm not going into politics but "left" and "right" are lost their ways and the things are complicated around the world. Bottom line, they all try to get people manipulated and easy to control.....sadly. Here in Greece we have a rotten political system and corrupted politicians that are not deserve to be the rulers of our great historical nation... Anyway. Thank you again. Be well also.
@Markus Assaleh it's going through a ton of internal trouble, and also lost a significant amount of military equipment since its attempt on invading Azerbaijan
REAL modern STORY: I served my duty at the Paratrooper Squadron in Maleme. At a celebration for the Cretan resistance, Greek paratroopers were dressed like WW2 Germans and jumped to simulate the assault. A sergeant was about to land, he saw an old man running to kill him with a rake. He survived with some serious wounds. I am from Athens... We Greeks are crazy, but Cretans... Man! They are OUT of this world!
Growing up with parents who lived through this invasion and subsequent occupation of Crete, its awefully difficult to imagine the horror that the local civilian population were subjected to. Immediately after the occupation, my mothers parents and one of her older brothers were rounded up and executed just outside of Chania Crete. My father and his friend (age 12 at the time) were locked up for several days in a cell before they were removed and escorted to a field where they were forced to dig their own graves at gun point. Fortunately, a local villager intervened and negotiated their release. Until his dieing day, my father relived this dreadful experience again-and-again in his mind.
@wigha 27 Firstly, the massacres that occurred near Chania were immediately after the paratroop invasion as a reprisal......not post the invasion and the establishment of partisan groups. Furthermore, civilian deaths and casualties occurred well before the deployment of paratroops as many of the towns and villages were bombed leading up to the invasion
Respect from Greece, Turkish people have our support in theese difficult times. We also had a dictaroship and we can understand what you're going through.
I was told a story from a Cretan man during that time a group of German soldiers were found hung upside down somewhere in the forest with their throats cut
@@tylororlowski3097 It backfired on us Greeks though. As late as 2014, a German historian blamed these Kiwi tactics on Greeks, and accused Cretans of "war crimes", "atrocities" and things like mutilation, which, according to him, justified mass executions of civilians. This actually got him invited to the German Finance Ministry to do a lecture on modern Greece.
@Philip Manousakis Because blood-feud and eye-for-an-eye 75 year after a conflict is SO important to the creation and maintenance of a developed and peaceful world...? Witless thinking like that destroyed and has maimed the paradise of Cyprus; where I lived in Ammachostos as a child pre-invasion I'm German now (duel with British), my sons have mixed heritage, my families fought and died in several wars against Germans. How does your medieval logic work for this situation?
LOL. My mind is much more primitive than that Philip, but it has knowledge that you may only get with maturity. You carry-on and fight your wars on YT, FB and whatever other 'weaponised' talk-tech you are armed with. You will learn and change SO much... ;O)
My grandmother when the war was on,on our village,wanted to see her father,cuz she was sure something didnt go well,and saw him on one house with many dead villagers,took a bed sheet,and covered him after crying so much time on his dead body,she is 90 years old and remembers it like yesterday
Το τι είδαν οι πρόγονοι μας τη δεκαετία του 1940 δεν θα μπορέσει να συγκριθεί ποτέ με ότι περάσαμε σαν λαός μεταγενέστερα. Ούτε κατά 1%. Να σου ζήσει η γιαγιά σου.
As a Cretan huge respect to the Aussies and Kiwis. They fought decisively to defend my homeland and the future of Europe, far away from your continent. Your ancestors' sacrifices can never be forgotten and there will always be a special place for you here.
The bravery of the Greeks is a sadly undervalued part of the Second World War. Also, guys please buy Armchair History TV to support Griffen because YT demonitized this.
It is not overlooked everybody talks about it,stop making it seem like noone is noticing. I am glad that this video showed that the 2 sides had problems. And that victory could have gone either way.
I just watched the video like 3 seconds ago and had to go through 3 you ads as well as AH's own add, so don't worry, he's had my full support and his video was not demonetized.
**sigh** The only videos wherein I hope ads pop up are in history channels. These people are massively underrated and censored even though they're educational.
After Julius Caesar cried in front of Alexander the Great Statue. Also after Romans used Aetolians and other Greeks to fight each other & destabilize them But Before Greeks took the reigns of the Roman Empire in the East while the Latin west was conquered & ruled by Germanics Nice 👍
But the thing is the Roman empire never included only Italy. Italia was really only that important because it was the capital's location. And even then, Italy was actually colonised by Rome. But if you ask me I'd say Germans and Italians primarily were they military muscle of the empire.
Mussolini: "I will revive the Roman Empire." Julius Caesar: (jumps up from grave excited) "Great, here are my notes on logistics." Mussolini: "Logistics, what the hell is that??" Julius Caesar: "errr, why did i wake up for this?" (lays back down in grave).
Wow, this is a masterpiece. I'm glad you gave Greece the spotlight. I'd love to see you talk about the Battle of San Lorenzo and the story of Cabral, the soldier who sacrificed his own life to save José de San Martín. Latin American wars of independence are very interesting
He didn't give greece a spotlight as usual. He always pulls a hat trick on every video about the greeks historically. All he focused on was about new zealand. This guy is a historical con artist
As a son of a Cretan Father....I was told about the exploits and bravery of my Grandfather and other relatives during this invasion. It makes me a proud son to know that my blood originates from these brave people. Further, as an Australian....the proud tradition of the ANZACS and their sacrifice is nothing short of HEROIC.
Actually they were a lot of locals who killed the paratroopers when they landed with anything they had even with axes, axines and anything it was sharp enough to kill someone
My great grandfather was an MP of the greek army during the battle of crete. Uploading this video is a great way of honouring him and his fellow comrades, so thank you!
@B Whit we never forget we will always pay respect to kiwis , but that with the farmer was also true my grand father were in battle of Crete and he saw farmers with his children with knife 🔪 in their hands
@Kafee Republic As rude as this retribution might have been (and was), you already know that such a retaliation would not come from the sick mind of a psycho, but was general martial law? You know, the Allies invaded Germany (with nearly none resistance from the civilian population)? Were they psychos, when they shot that few non-combatants on the spot?....Dont get me wrong, this is not a comparsion, but maybe you rethink your statement in its generality...;)
@Kafee Republic No, I said, that burning a village and execute the "appropriate" number of people, was (and even is) a law of war. Every beligrent nation have this right. Germany even did not signed the Hague Relation, but acted strictly according to the rules, except in Russia (Stalin also had not signed that Regulations). No doubt, that this is a crime against humanity (like war initself). I know, you did not explicit claimed, only Germany did this "lawful crimes", but when you read some comments here, I am going sick of this onesided view. There is allways that qlique, wich divides the people, do not let them live in peace....we need true reconciliation....and some comments do not help....Please excuse, when I was a little bit....rude..:)
@@whafflete6721 Italy attacked - INVADED Greece but failed and Asked Hitler for Help , Crete was > occupied by British ,Australian & New Zealand forces < ,,,, now that's a different context too !
If he could build a state house and had seen a tractor you'd better believe he could get some corrugated iron and number eight wire and knock up a tank.
A Bob Semple tank or two could've turned the battle actually. It's not like the German paratroopers dropped with heavy weaponry. One single tank would've been a major obstacle for them, even if it was a homemade one or a WW1 relic from a museum.
@@Aethelhald He was being sarcastic. But other than this the Bob semple was a pile of junk only effective against infrantry. That is if they didn't have anti tank weapons or anything above the standard issue rifle in which case it would be utterly useless.
@@giorgosx5838 That's exactly my point - the German paratroopers didn't drop with any portable anti-tank weaponry. Best they probably had was mortars, and even then a lot of them got lost in the drop. One or two tanks, even shitty Bob Semple ones, could've presented a genuine problem to the Germans.
0:10 fun fact the thing he wears on his head is called (Sariki) and the small lines that hang are the tears and the reason of those tears is the fall of the byzantine empire 1453
The history channel does good work bro. Did you know that the moon is hollow and Hitler is living inside it, hoarding alien technology for an eventual re-conquest of Earth? Did you know about the pyramids? Built by aliens dude! Aliens!
It's like: Who would win... an camping fool or an injured soldier Yeah, those injured Fallschirmjägers won, after an long and brutal fight against cowards
@@erik6280" cowards", the locals literally rushed to attack in the open of the battlefield to defend their own land. You assume that the German troops are injured but that's just a shitty way to generalize in order to make the Nazis look as the ones worth of respect. If the locals did not fight against them, the Germans would do massacres afterwards, and that's what happened. Search massacre of kondomari. And please answer if you actually want to defend your poorly structured point of view
My grandfather was from Crete and fought in the invasion. He would tell me how they rushed to the weapons crates that were dropped along with the paratroopers and shot up at them as they were coming down. He would go on to be part of the resistance up to the point when the germans came up to his village. Anyone part of the resistance fled to the mountains but the rest of the villagers were rounded up. Women and children were put in the church and told not to come out whilst the men were lined up outside and shot. Then the church and the rest of the village was set on fire and almost everyone died. Some people, like some of my grandfather's siblings, survived because their mother suspected something was off and hid them in their cellar instead. My grandfather was eventually caught and forced to build military installations but he and his family survived the war. The amount of destruction caused by the germans is remembered to this day as they massacred many more villages.
Elio Militello I too went t Greece in my summer holidays and visited the mentioned cities Heraklion, Rethymnon and Chania. We also visited a ravine the allies used to flee
For most if its history Crete has been in uprising, revolutions , wars againt occupation & the Turks..The Germans should of studied some history about Crete. The people of Crete have a reputation for fierce resistance...& love of song.
Why should the Germans have done that? The war goal was to withdraw Crete from the Allies as a base, not the fight against the locals. Militarily, the Greeks were never a serious threat ...
@Flare cuz thousands of them died and German high command dubbed the place their graveyard and proceeded to never ever again deploying them on such a large scale, dumbass.
@Flare yeah you are right. Why would the Germans think that the actual people of this land would have an objection to accepting their occupation and that they 'd fight back, elite soldiers against them or not. It's not like any civilian population there or anywhere else had done it without orders spontaneously and en masse before😏😏😏...
Incorrect, units that were still a fighting force had priority. Sadly there were a lot of soldiers who had turned to rabble... they got left behind 'at gun point'.
Like the allied commander being convinced that it would be a sea invasion and so didn’t have adequate defences on the airfields. This was a fight the allies could have easily won.
@@xpictos777 Thats one way of looking at it. Another way is that he couldn't compromise Ultra... and the possibility of a sea landing was a concern... its an island after all, bigger than most people think. Point 109 was the issue...
@@gumbyshrimp2606To be fair the main point of this video was to cover why the germans sufferd so many dead. But i just find it so utterly cowardly and selfish what the british officers did that i would like to have seen it pointed out
Fun fact: The 1st year class (who do not fight in case of war unlike the 2nd,3rd and 4th year classes) of the Hellenic Army Academy disobeyed orders to go home. They grabbed the Academy War Flag and requisitioned vehicles to get from Athens to Crete. They survived Stuka plane attacks and eventually participated in the battle of Crete. The survivors either participated in resistance groups or got to Egypt (by ship or by land through Turkey)
They fought for their homeland just like us, and every man or woman who fights for their homeland, even if they are my enemy, even if they are my friend, will always have my respect. Turks snd greeks are not really so different, we can be friends despite the cultural and historical differences, our division is as big as we let it be.
Respect for the amazing work! Here's a traditional cretan song about the battle, roughly translated: "Hitler You shouldn't praise yourself That you conquered Crete You found her unarmed Her children were far way Fighting at Albania But even so We fought you" -Most Cretan soldiers were enlisted in 2d infantry division and send to fight the italians in Albania (hence the reference of Albania in the song). No legit Greek soldiers fought in Crete, just civilians, mostly farmers. -Appart from that, the dictator Metaxas, in fear of a democratic uprising in Crete, had soldiers confiscating every gun they could find in the island. British soldiers in their memoirs say that Cretan farmers were begging them for rifles, tying to exchange them with food and wine... Thus, cretans fought with old, illegal guns hidden in their houses (a tradition still kept to this day in cretan villages, "just in case"), mostly family relics from the uprisings against the Turks -so,not exactly from museums...Even sticks ("Katsunes"), knifes and agricultural tools were used. I've heard the eye witnessed story of an old, fierce woman in the traditional mourning black dress, joining a battle with a "Kladeftiro" (Something between an axe and scythe) in each hand!
I remember a Greek Soldier who immigrated to the U.S. after the war and he lost both legs fighting the Italians in Albania. He was shot and the Italians left him in the mountains to die of exposure. He lost both legs due to frost bite. Somehow he was rescued by Albanian partisans and he was returned to the Greek Lines and he made it back to Greece. After the War he came to the U.S.
sorry for the invation but they were not any Albanian partizans ,they were allied and became a protectorate of the Italians ,instead they were fighting with them against the Greeks because they hoped to gain Greek territory after the war ,on the other hand there were the Greeks pushed back the Italians in south Albania still live many people who identify themselves as Greeks and they were celebrating when the Greeks entered their towns holding Greek flags ,that could be an explanation for the story you ve been told.
@@DizzyGuard σίγουρα θα υπήρχαν όσο υπήρχαν και Γερμανοί μη ναζιστές ,Ιταλοί μη φασίστες ,Τούρκοι που δεν ενέκριναν τις σφαγές του Κεμάλ κ.ο.κ. ,μία δυστυχώς οικτρή μειοψηφία δεν αλλάζει την ιστορία
Greek here. My grandfather lived his childhood and adolescence years (1940-1944) in the island of Crete. Since he was not yet at fighting age, he became part of the resistance. Alongside with other teenagers, among other things, he was sent by the adults leading the resistance (after Crete's occupation in 1941) to the airport of Iraklio in order to monitor how many german airlpains were landing and taking off and then reported back to the liaison. For his contribution to the fight for freedom he was officially recognized as a member of the Greek resistance (the organization of ΕΑΜ-ELAS). These credentials are still in my possession. I also have taped recordings of him narrating the events. My other grandfather, being at the age of 25, when Italy and then Germany waged war against Greece, joined the ranks of the Greek army fighting at the battle of Pindos of the Hellenic-Italian war. After the german occupation and the disassembling of the Greek regular army he joined the resitance (organization of EDES). For his contribution to the fight for freedom he was officially recognized as a member of the Greek resistance apart from being venerated as a war veteran. These credentials are still in my possession. I had the honor to meet both of my grandfathers. They both lived full and long lives passing on peacefully at the ages of 95 (2022) and 92 (2004) respectively and apart from being my beloved grandfathers they are a source of great inspiration for my life, being paradigms of valor, responsibility and unwavering resolve.
The Cretans are memed even by the rest of the Greeks about how scary they can be if they are mad at someone as well about how often they possess firearms up there in the villages.
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Epic.
@@theredgoof1939 Epic
Can you do a naval battle next?
Yay notif squad here
Bom Very Epic indeed.
I'm gonna be honest here: another cinematic masterpiece. I'm amazed by how much further the quality of this content has been going up. Cheers!
You're very kind man - always leaving nice comments.
It's you right here!?!? I am a sub
:)
True
And another video in 21:9 frame ratio, IIRC.
When I was visiting Greece, a college mate showed me his "family trophies" two Mauser rifles, one MP40 (very well maintained I must say), knives with the swastika, nazi helmets, and other personal military items, then took me to the basement of his family's farmhouse. in a old closet, there were a pitchfork and and an ax with dark stains on them, I was told it was nazi blood, from those paratroopers killed as they landed, and by wish of the grandfather nobody was to clean them or use them , unless the turks come.
i still remember the chill down my spine !
Brake glass In case of turks
@@jrickducking6685 hahaha, that's a good one. As far as I saw and told, most family houses in Crete have their own modern gun collection. I got the impression that in Crete and the area around Sparta, are the equivalent of Texas as far as gun ownership and military feelings go.
@@hackilic8306 who violates your borders?
@@hackilic8306 i think you should read some Real news, and not only the Erdogan Daily Propaganda.
@@hackilic8306 international Relations students can write much better english than you Haci. I am not going to discuss the Obvious with a Troll. People outside turkey can check the news and see for themselves what a dictator Erdogan is, that sells pipes dreams to his islamist followers about resurrection of ottoman empire , while he is enriching his family and picking fight with all his neighbors.
I don’t know who the animator/artist is or if he’s new, but that person is doing a great job.
Upvoted
Patrick Kelly It’s a redditor thing I think
8:50 although germans didn't stopped para trooping after they captured the airbase?
@Patrick Kelly lol down voted
@@forgetful9845 lol, upvoted
Even today the Cretans kill themselves for half a square meter of land. Imagine them seeing that some random dudes landed at their property.
I'm from Crete and is so true!
Nice go fight turks
lol you are right we are territorial creatures:)
lmao accurate af
or a woman for dumping them...
My great grandfather fought at Crete. He served for the New Zealand army. He has told me that he remembered, while happy that they had the tactical advantage over the Germans, he felt really bad for the defense less paratrooping Germans that his battalions were just mowing down. He also told me that the Greeks were very brave people for helping them defend the against the Germans with minimal supply. He was eventually evacuated to Egypt when the island fell. I remember him telling me “Though the soldiers were fighting for awful people and a despicable cause, they are still just men, normal men, that all had a long life ahead of them, cut short by this pointless war”
Salute to these soldiers and resistance fighters.
But... to fight as a unmarked civilian in a war is against the Hague Conventions.
Robert Kruse sorry the Greeks didn’t directly aid in attacking the Germans. What I meant is that the brave people of Crete supplier the allied resistance with things like rations and supplies
Did he fight in operation Crusader
Man At Arms He did. He fought fiercely in the 2nd New Zealand Expiditionary Force
Frank Sisson honestly I don’t know.
Everybody gangsta until the Greek civilians pull out flintlock muskets
Untill they pull out a 2 meter long spear
just imagine being one of the best from the army only to be stabbed while hanging on a tree
Lol
LOL😂🤣 Did anyone notice that poor German Paratrooper who's parachute got caught by a Spitfire, all while crying out the Wilhelm scream?
that would suck imagine you are one of the most elite and highly trained units in the Luftwaffe and you get shanked by a kid with a pointy stick
They have aircraft, machine guns and are over running the allies.
Greeks: Go to the museum and find me a weapon.
Go to the basements and bring all the wapons you can find,plus axes ,pitchfork, shovel,pickes, whatever.
No no go and get me the shovel i will show them who is the boss
My grandpa has hydrogen bomb in the basement.
@@nicostheocharous1990 Your grandpa is now on the FBI watch list
@@seventoejoe3307
My grandpa says: tell them to choose side.
Greece or Turkey?
And tell them to choose wisely 😈
A couple of years ago two families from New Zealand went to greece for summer holidays.
After they ate at a local small restaurant in Crete they asked to pay the check.
Well the owner made them exactly 19,41€ discount and all the drinks were for free to honor New Zealands soldiers that fought alongside with the Greeks.
Awesome
Respect for the Greeks, they defeated the Italians and even when they were facing the German war machine they fought till the end
Thanks 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
They are a perfect example of great people led by horrible politicians.
They have Spartan blood
Just like finish
@@Armadauzbekistan you haven't won our navy once. One ship managed to liberate most of the Aegean islands.
Crete is like the texas of Greece
Everyone has a gun in Crete lol
Too bad Metaxas confiscated their guns. Taking a Cretan's gun is like taking a piece of his/her soul.
@@mithridates8890 he didn't take them he asked them to donate them to the Greek army for the Greek resistance against italians
I’m Cretan and can confirm lol
As a greek i think Texas is way more hardcore because of the gun laws compared to greek gun laws but the comment is still very accurate.
@@likemyice3710 thx
As a Greek huge respect to the Kiwis for defending our homeland as one . Your fallen shall never be forgotten
I was in Crete... They are not forgotten... No one forgets what happens on Crete... So when you go there come in peace and enjoy the friendship, but if you come with bad thoughts in mind you get a unmarked grave.
What was the kiwis
@@chucknormalaid Kiwis is a euphemism for New Zealanders, i forgot to mention our Aussie friends as well, who have played a critical role in these events.
@@thomaswoschke1553 Hi Thomas ! I am a Maniot from southern Peloponese but indeed that is the stance we have. Come in good will and we shall welcome you as more than family. Mi
@@andrewflare1361 ok thanks
The very fact that the Greeks survived from the Persians,the Romans,the Ottomans,the Germans and still exist as a nation while fighting like their ancestors and preserving (to whatever extent possible) their Hellenic culture is a miracle all by itself.
The Persians didn't occupy greece only some cities in Asia minor
As a priest said here in Greece "greece isn't a single country greece has a miracle given by God "
Greeks didnt actually had to survive Romans, they became the eastern Romans and inherit eastern Rome xD
@@Someone-hd4yj The Persians conquered Athens at some time in History.
@@Someone-hd4yj The Persians didn't occupy Greece because they got beaten badly, thankfully, in 2 decisive battles taking place in Greece (Salamis and Plataea after the Spartans managed to stop them in the middle of Greece, Thermopylae). Otherwise, we would now did not exist anymore. Persians would have exterminate us all and everything Greek, as they vouched. Later, when Alexander attacked back, he basically did it to secure Greece. Persians would have tried again. They should be thankful we were civilized and didn't try to exterminate them all. He even adopted Persian customs which made his entire Greek army, mad, but the point stands. Lucky he had Aristotle as a teacher. That made him educated and smart. He wasn't only military genius.
Germans: Relying on paratroopers for strategic objectives isn't a good idea
Allies: Hold my beer
It was, hold my OUZO
Actually, relying on paratroopers isn't a good idea. You've probably heard of the D-day landings, but the post mortem analysis the allies had suggested that there was almost no material effect these had on the Germans as these paratroopers _also_ failed to take their objectives before regular infantry caught up to them. The top command realized this after the fact, but didn't make a big fuss out of it. The famous 101st? Well, for most of its engagements members of it did little more than get stuck behind enemy lines and the Americans would waste manpower on full frontal assaults to extricate the pockets since the trapped soldiers meant they couldn't attack on their own timetables. That division did have many successes... when it was used as a regular infantry division!
Cough cough “market garden” cough cough
@@drunkgrizzlybear9431 In some sense the paratroopers in Market Garden actually accomplished more (which was little before getting trapped, but actually managed to inflict a few more casualties than the vaulted 101st did at Normandy if you count what they accomplished before the regular infantry met with the pockets). It's just that the Normandy landing the rest of the attacking force didn't suck. Market Garden as a whole wasn't exactly the best planned idea.
Alex Zetsu Still, the chaos and confusion created by the paratroopers nipping all over the Germans’ heals behind their own lines caused a lot of their own troops to have greater hesitancy to move into defensive positions against the invaders. Had the paratroopers not been used, the local German forces would have been able to concentrate all of their forces on the beaches, thus costing us more time and casualties before successfully overrunning the coastal defenses. Omaha may well have been a disaster.
“Get off my lawn!” - the last thing some poor paratrooper heard
Turkos:GET OUT GREECE
Greeks:GET OUT GERMANY
history repeats itself
i cried hahahahhaah
imagine training for months as an elite german paratrooper just to get stuck on a tree and stabbed by an angry cretan farmer with a pitchfork
pitch fork .. really even then Crete was the Texas of Greece
Same you can ask yourselves by operation Market Garden but there it ended in a defeat for the allies.
"Years of Academy training wasted!"
@@roadmaster96. imagine if he got killed by a wrench
*MANIACAL TEXAN MAINTENANCE MAN LAUGHTER*
Yes!
We Greeks will fir ever be grateful to the New Zealanders ,Australians and Brittish soldiers for defending Crete. Thank you
“You choose the wrong farm fool”
-A greek civilian, 1941
Underrated
OHOH YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD SEE THE BATTLEFIELD HUH NOPE PITCHFORK
"Ay ay ay it's me, the aryan übermench calm down-" fucking dies
Picked*
Overrated! They only muderet unarmed and also woundet soldiers. At the time the FJ landet, they had no rifles etc. for defending. The greeks made hunt of singel soldiers, woundet and murdert them. Thats it. @@originalcriminalgangster7350
I'm honestly so glad that they are paying attention to modern Greek history
I've gotten tired of seeing only ancient greek history getting attention
Eunoia dianthus you have said it best.
I am researching so much of it now. Lots out there, just not a lot in English. Although more needs to be told. The Greeks paid a heavy price and wanted to move on but the long term effects certainly resonate until.today.
To be fair, it's only small parts of ancient Greek history that ever gets attention. Thermopylae and the war between Athens and Sparta. That's pretty much all they ever focus on. All the rest of ancient Greek history gets ignored too.
Damian Cunliffe So true. Byzantine period?
- Starts middle-ages with the construction of Constantinople.
- Great schism.
- Ends middle-ages with the fall of Constantinople.
@@srfrg9707 Even if you take away the Byzantine period, there's still a huge amount of awesome ancient history from Greece that gets ignored. Even the tiny ancient Greek city states like Rhodes have such rich, exciting history that nobody ever hears about.
Dropping in with only a knife and pistol and you gotta find the better weapons scattered across the map...... It's historically accurate battle royal mode!
Lmao
Pubg:battle of crete
Ah
More like Its Cod Vanguard Warzone Lol
@@pancakes2098 yep lol
A journalist was interviewing a old man telling the story how he got blind by defending Heraklion by the germans...journalist asked him if he got some kind of pension reward for this...
he answered -no I didn't ask for any....journalist asked why ...
he answered -are you crazy? I am going to ask money for defending my country ???
I personally had a teacher whose mother, at the beginning of the invasion of Crete, axed a German soldier immediately after he made landfall. He told us his mother would never forget that she removed the life out of young boy, who was sent to fight in favour of a madman.
@Soldat Kaiyodo imagine you were just a teenage boy in 1939 germany,and you were chosen to go to the army.it would be terrible to be with millions of psychos .and you wouldnt have a CHOICE.
War is were the young and stupid are tricked by the old and bittest into killing each other-Niko bellic
They’re shouldn’t have been young boys dropping into Crete. Germany still had a sufficient manpower pool in 40-41, and fallschirmjagers were on the older side because they had to do airborne training
@@williamcalley5593 Nah, drafting wasn't introduced then, Nazi Germany still had high manpower. But I do agree on you saying the german army was bad
Hell yeah man
Crete: Exists
Germany: Hippity hoppity oh scheiße theyre shooting me!!!
As you do
@Mohammad Samadpouriejavid Are you dumb
@@erichschneider4759 he's jealous of the bravery that Cretans and Greeks in general showed during WW2, while his country hide behind the shadows and remained neutral, because they were afraid of another defeat...
@@Ellinas_gayros 🙌🙏
@@CrazyNikel please stop using cringy emojis
I'm from Crete and when i was a boy i used to hear war stories from my grandfather and other old men who fought in battle of Crete and generally in ww2. I have only respect for those men! They faced the Nazi's airbornes with their own hands and courage!
My grandfather was in the belgium resistence, he joined when he was only 15, I hear also a lot of stories cause he fought them for 5 years till the war ended. But one thing that stands out is how high he talks about the Cretans how they fought. He said Churcill was right with his statment about the greeks but the Cretans are something of the next level. My grandmother also says that. She "only" fought after the liberation of Belgium, she was with the AA. Trying to shot down V1 and V2s. They both are glade that I go often to Crete. They said I can learn a lot from those people.
Can you share some of the stories? Sounds amazing
@@evangetz my grandfather was once walked twenty chilometres to take some documents from one Cretan spy who lived among the Nazis..these documents were about exploding Nazi fight airplanes and boats with supplies in heraclion, Crete..after he took the papers, one nazi guard saw him, shot him high in the back..he managed to escape the nazi guards, brought the documents back to those who were in charge, and the Nazi planes and boats destroyed a few days later..all because my grandfather walked back twenty chilometres with a bullet in his back..he died when i was 9...may he rest in peace ❤️
@@samcro9177 - My deepest sincerest RESPECT to your Grandfather and family.
@@stevekostakis2983 thanks!!
I firmly believe this is why Greece still stands , because no matter who invades their land civilian and soldier alike will stand tall and proud to protect their homeland , I know it's been said a million times but Greece has my respect
We own this land for 3000 years we aint giving it to anyone😂
I mean historically there’s more instances of that being false than true, but in WW2 that was very true
@@musiccreationstv2732
3000 yrs tf are you talking about everyone from the Macedonians to the Romans to the Ottomans ran through Greece like she was a thot in a high school locker room 🤣
Well to be honest they don't stand economically 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@sethgaston8347Bro Macedonians back then are not the same people that leave in North Macedonia. Back then the kingdom of Macedons were Greek. The part of land where they lived is still part of Greece today. North Macedonia today gets its name because during the Roman empire the Macedonia area expanded, so more tribes begun to live in so called Macedonia with zero connection to the Greek Kingdom of Macedon. Also although the Romans conquered Greece yes , after the cut of Rome to Western and Eastern Roman empire and the move of the capital from Rome to Constantinople (now Instabul) , essentially Greeks controlled the Eastern part. Im sorry but your comment was very offensive to Greek history, imagine if i said stull about slavery and the history of your people.
My father's village is two kilometers from the Maleme airfield, my father has donated the skeleton of a German plane to the chania war museum. If you ever visit Crete, pay a visit at the German cemetery, it lies at the hill 107 were the battle of Crete was won for the Germans. Also visit the Allied cemetery at Souda bay and search for the grave of Pendlebury.
Saving this, now I know what to do in Crete if I ever visit!
@Hans Gunsche he's jealous of the bravery that Cretans and Greeks in general showed during WW2, while his country hide behind the shadows and remained neutral, because they were afraid of another defeat...
@Hans Gunsche hahaha η καλύτερη απάντηση εβερ
@@nomad8166 sounds good and all...but will probably be too busy swimming and stuffing your face full o ντακο( dako)( great dish ask for if you ever visit )
@Mohammad Samadpouriejavid φωτομπομπινγκ
>trains for months to become a paratrooper
>lands on island
>gets shot by old guy with musket
>dies
Feels bad
Gets beaten to death by a rock*
Propaganda can be so hilarious at times... XD
You could say that's just the likely fate of any paratrooper - training so hard to be the best, then dying from circumstances that are out of your control (like plane being shot down, or being shot down while parachuting with no way of defending yourself).
Also aplies to Normandia
Greeks’ greatest weapon in history ever is the underestimation the opponents show on them. Keep it up guys. Thousands of years of existence and glory and part of that we owe that to you. Thanks ;)
You lost though.
@@spittle8 did we? No nazi flag exists anywhere so..
@@ΓιάννηςΧαρικαπολυς you lost several times, Even when you attack Turkey to create a big Greece empire you got mauled by the Turks and defeated drastically.
@@FinnishHammerItOn yes we made that mistake once. We underestimated them. The mistake that makes any failed attacker. But that is reversed now.
We lost only due to our greed and that was bad but we have won many wars and also ww2 was a collective fight against nazis we got defeated but it gave enough time for the red army to get ready and actually win against hitler.
One of my great Grandfathers was POW in Russia and one on Crete, the one in Russia had to eat raw Rats in order to survive, the one on Crete however got fat from all the delicious food the Greeks fed him, on one of his Birthdays our Family even gifted him a trip to revisit his "prison Guards"
Greeks man, steadfast at Battle, respectful to the enemy
treating your prisoners as equal to your own residents even though they were sent to kill you, is truly a great thing to witness and proof that all soldiers are still human behind their uniforms.
To understand russian view on treating enemy, that came with a sword to your land, you should read "War and peace" by Leo Tolstoy.
"Noble" and friendly attitude towards enemy soldiers is regarded by author as a hypocrisy and bravado. So rats for a dinner were well deserved.
@@michaelsundarev5818 oh, so the way nazis treated russian POW was also well deserved then? Or the treatment of pur good old „enemys“ the jews?
No my friend, it was not well deserved
Our ancestors did mistakes by not understanding the „Enemy“ where humans as well, defending their homes and families
@@matthiasfuchs6150 greetings from sparta Mattias
Well USSR's behaviour is understandable considering that nazis destroyed a ton of villages, killed innocent civilians and performed other tyrannical acts towards them.
They didn't even lose a division? Hearts of Iron me is impressed.
ikr
Even tho its the basic unit in the game,a division is actually a big unit.Its hard to destroy an entire division.
@@aegeanharrier6648,
I know. I like a lot of what You gives us, but it's so lacking in other areas.
General Lee, I have no divi- oh wait they're still here
I love HoI but damn does it treat divisions like orks. In real life having an entire division get destroyed was a devastating blow all but the largest militaries. Yet in the game Germany has 5 divisions get encircled and destroyed and the only inconvenience is having to replace them.
Germans: * arrives in crete*
The locals: were going to show those guys why the Italians got their asses collectivly quicked.
*Flintlock weapons from the 1700s intensifies*
A well supplied and entrenched enemy lost to parachuted infantry without artillery support...let that sink in.
@@Cyricist001 they were barely supplied and that is stated in the episode
Ma stai zitto ignorante!
Cyricist001 they were running out if supply and badly out numbered.
It’s amazing you can maintain this type of quality while releasing vids this fast, you’re channel has improved so much. Keep it going guys!
It’s called drugs...
This is misinformation
NOTICE: The individual on this account that has claimed misinformation has been sacked.
Thanks man, we've been trying to release THREE times a month now! It's tough, especially when everyone went on vacation this month!
@@cryptosporidium1375 lots of caffeine + nicotine
The Armchair Historian sounds like a strategy
@@TheArmchairHistorian When griffin makes a good joke
The Greeks always showing that they are a brave people, respect from Colombia
"I'm telling you this is going to work, they're just farmers they'll *never* expect it"
"so you have chosen *death* "
Cheese Truck justice or death and Crete always prefers to fight for Crete
As was attributed to Lord Cornwallis in "The Patriot"..."They're FARMERS...with PITCHFORKS!"
I mean, it did work. I don't know how, but it did.
@@evanmoore3114 How did work if Crete was conquered.
@@joeysimek7707 If you look at his comment, he was saying it from the perspective of the Germans. Therefore, my comment was accurate. It did work for the Germans.
The Greeks have always won some and lost some, but one thing is certain if you go up against them, they will always put up a ferocious and courageous fight and will certainly make you bleed. Never in history were they cowards or surrendered without a fight.
Here is the key factor. They were always severely outnumbered. Like 10 to 1 or worse. Yet they won many of these wars
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but in Maleme there is a war cemetery for the Germans who lost their lives during the battle of Crete. As a Cretan, this place makes me feel proud of my ancestors' legacy. There are stories about old women who had seen their sons, husbands or brothers die, but they still lit the candles for the fallen enemies. I have been there and when I saw the ages of the dead soldiers I almost cried. There are no real winners in a war.
Those are not stories. They still light candles and perform eulogies there. Those soldiers where and average age of 19-20 yo back then. The Nazi high officers and the SS members are another matter altogether... you won't see marked graves for them in Crete ;-)
My father fought with the Australian army in Greece and Crete. He had huge respect for the Greek and Cretian people also the Kiwis and to some extent the German soldiers. He died at age 91hating Winston Churchill who he considered had a penchant for sacrificing Commonwealth Roopa in futile actions.
Should be troops
Greek peasent:What is that in my backyard a german soldier
Honey pls give me the axe and the fork!!!
It's rather : Honey, pls give me the axe and take the fork!!!
I know what I'm talking about. Grand'ma was from Crete.
The Cretans are not forkive
@@srfrg9707 Don't think he would use"please, or honey" ,rather ::::Woman !!!!::::give me the axe,grab the pitchfork, here we go. Where s that "kopeli"???==(youngster ),there ,go go go go go!!!!!!!!!
What Irene said ;p
@@havocgr1976 are you of kretan origin ?????? Εγώ είμαι.....μάλλον είσαι και συ !!! Χαρώ το !!!!
"We shall fight in the fields..."
Cretans be like: "That sounds like our cup o' tea!'
Use these in the clone wars
We drink raki/rakja,not tea
@@digenhsakritas1337 raki is for dudes escaping to Egypt
@@digenhsakritas1337 "our cup of tea" or "my cup of tea" is a typical English expression for someone's preference. Doesn't have to be about a literal cup of tea.
@@reginabillotti Thanks for the clarification,mate.
My grandpa sometimes talks about this, when he remembers. People hid in mud lakes and farmers attacked everything on sight, with anything they could. Pitchforks, kitchen knives, shovels. It was a bloodbath. Parachuters got caught in trees and where killed immediately by any soldier close. He said that, even if it was war, it was a horrible thing to see, hanging bodies falling to the ground as men who could’ve lived to see their children fell for the ambitions of dictators.
My Grandma's brother was a german paratrooper who landed in Krete. He said, they all dropped their handgrenades as fast as possible in air because everybody was so afraid of getting hit by a rifle into the grenade and thereby exploding. He also said, of his platoon did only 13 people reach the ground alive. Miss his stories
I can’t believe RUclips is demonitizing this historical masterpiece
Not yet
Says the dude with the communist flag as his profile picture
b so?
Demonizing or demonitizing? I suppose either one is a despicable act on RUclips's part.
@@dasher787 So, its completely hypocritical of him to be against suppression of knowledge and history if he's a communist. Since that's exactly what they do to a extreme.
German troops: Greeks! lay down your weapons!
Greek farmers: *germans! come and get them.*
Like was said in the video, many paratroopers lacked weapons of their own in the landing. If they would've had their weapons, I'm pretty sure the heroic tales of the greek farmers would've sounded differently. German troops: "Surrender or I will shoot with my mp40!" Greek farmers: "Ok."
@@carpetclimber4027 way to ruin a joke
@@georgelambrou504 @ABoredJojoFan YT I'm fun at parties too!
Ah yes, a famous spartan one-liner
Greek farmer: give them nothing, but take from them, everything!
Greeks: 2500 years war experience
From which most being conquered by the Macedonians or Romans or Persians
@@houseplant1016 all of these were influenced by greek cultures
PS : Maceedonians is greek and a was a greek empires
@@users10116 Greek was influenced by Egyptian,the Persians and Greeks h*ted eachother too much +Persian is older.
@Veliskiotis They were seen as something seperate,they conquered much of Greece and today they are a seperate country.They have similarities.
@Veliskiotis Well,that guy said Macedonians are Greeks so tell him.
My grandfather helped English soldiers to escape from nazi using his boat (he was a fisher man living in a south village of Crete called Rodakino, near hora sfakion). The english government after the war, recognized his efforts and awarded him. During nazi occupation he was also carrying/transferring war equipment hidden in baskets with wheat, loaded on donkeys, to help allies. Once, his load was checked from nazis, but they did not manage to found anything even though he had pistols hidden at the bottom of a basket. He lived 1914 - 2010.
Greeks when the Fallschirmjagers landed: Hippity, hoppity...
*G E T O U T O F M Y P R O P E R T Y*
Underrated comment
Technoblade smp earth bio hippity hoppity get out of my property
Pretty much yeah,they actually kept fighting with shovels and bayonets,without having any ammunition left.When the allied troops left the island,a great number of greeks were dead.But!The nazi germany never again attempted an airborne attack which is good I guess¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fallschirmjagers : joke's on you, zis is our property now !
@@xrhstospex8106 It wasn't because of fear of the people that he didn't go back it was the fact he no longer considered his plans to be secret and counter attacking paratrooper when you have knowledge of their position is too easy for the defenders to pick off .
To Crete i came, seeking fortune, but they’re shooting me down, till I’m dead...
The Allies all have it so easy. The Greeks are all coming for my head...
Oh niBBoi the herman paratroopers have no guns, but think what a cache there could be
If we could create, a nice safe space, that landed planes on the island of Crete...
Leo is a bell
I am the man who dodges the shells, that fall onto me from on the hill. They speed down, and I hide in the ground, and we hear the sound of more men killed.
Sometimes it seems that to kill troops it’s fine and defense will hold down as they fall
Then I see, that the troops breached the lines, and we still need supplies after all
"Greeks don't fight like heroes, heroes fight like Greeks." -Winston Churchill
@dianna k Adolf Hitler said: “The Greek soldier, above all, fought with the most courage.”
@dianna k it was Churchill. Funny that you are pretty sure 😂
Too bad there's no evidence he actually said that :/
That's just greek propaganda to feed on the greek's nationalism. Open a book
@@flameohotman324 girl what 😐 next thing we know is you're gonna say mfs were paid by the Greeks to say good things about them 😭😭 please log out and go get some air
I'm Australian but my ancestry is Greek and I can't feel but proud when I read or watch stories as these 🇬🇷🇦🇺❤
Aye mate greetings
But that’s not even the Aussie flag
@@Craq_ Yes. It is.
@@harryblaney8571 he edited it
Same here I’m Australian and I give Greece a huge respect they never give up
My father was at Rethymno (known then as Retimo) during this action with an Australian artillery unit.
As one of the rear guard that held the line for the others, he was captured and forced marched to Maleme. Within days he and three others went under the wire and escaped to the White Mountains of Crete near Kandanos. The others made it off the island and back to Australia but Dad had 'flu and could not go with them.
He met up with the partisans and was nursed back to health and then fought with them for about 18 months. He told me that when he heard of the massacre at Kandanos he knew that he had to leave to protect his friends. By then the Nazi hold on Crete was so tight that he was, inevitably, captured again but he was able to resist interrogation by the Gestapo and kept his secrets about the partisans. He was shipped into to the Reich as a POW for the rest of the war.
Thus began a friendship with his friends on Crete that lasted the rest of their lives and continues into the following generations. I have visited the places Dad went to and so have my children. We are in touch with his friend's children and my children are in contact with his grandchildren in Greece.
@Ιωάννης Βασιλείου As soon as I saw your name I knew you understood.
That is actually a great story mate. I currently live in Rethymno because I study History here and there is a small square near the city centre. In the centre of the square stands a memorial called Hellenic Australian Memorial and is dedicated to the Aussies that lost their lives protecting Rethymno from the Nazi invaders. I walk by it almost every day but I never had the chance to learn the background of the story of those soldiers. So that story really is something interesting for me. And I would like to thank your Dad for fighting for the freedom of Cretan soil. He is a true hero!
@@ΓιώργοςΜουστακλής-λ4ψ We visited my father's friends in 2018 at least his grandchildren. Of course I looked in on Rethymno and paid my respects at that memorial before continuing on to stay with them down at Paleochora.
May God rest his soul. We remember, we respect.
We thank your dad for his heroic efforts.
RIP. 😟
Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.
-Winston Churchill
@@likemyice3710 Nobody cares, shut up.
@Tarmi Rićmi are u Turkish?
@Tarmi Rićmi It is a true quote, and there is even a recording of said quote. However, this is irrelevant since it was Churchill that pretty much instigated and inflicted a bloody civil war on the Greek people...
@Tarmi Rićmi Open up . You talk nonsense.
How many remember that any more. .......
My father was in the defence at Chania, and then fought in the rear guard as it retreated across the island. He was one of the five thousand that were captured. When I was young I asked my father if he had killed anyone in the war (childish question). My father looked at me and said the men on a heavy machine gun had been killed and he ran up to it and took over. He said the sky was dark with parachutes and the gun sent a stream of bullets out like a hose. He praised the Creteans for their courage and steadfastness. The only thing that ever irked him was that he wanted the rearguard to be evacuated and he was told to stay so that the navy could take off some Royal Marines.
Thanks to all the heroes who defended our land.
@@hariszark7396 the greeks are the heroes... you guys gave the world freedom through democracy... something that will never be taken away from you all in greece... what an awesome country and one day i hope to visit hania. The birth place of my name.
From New Zealand.
@@caneanukunuku9158 Thank you my friend.
New Zealand seems like a nice place too.
You are welcome to visit Greece and stay as long as you want.
I hope our country and people will meet your expectations.
Be well !!
@@hariszark7396 thanks friend. I read alot of books on history through out the world but i always come back to ancient greek and modern greek and all the arts, philosophies, and democracies. We in nz are divided like else where in the world when it comes to democracy and nationalism. but for some reason, the left over powers the right. I love it.
For the people. By the people.
Be well brother.
NZ.
@@caneanukunuku9158 I'm not going into politics but "left" and "right" are lost their ways and the things are complicated around the world.
Bottom line, they all try to get people manipulated and easy to control.....sadly.
Here in Greece we have a rotten political system and corrupted politicians that are not deserve to be the rulers of our great historical nation...
Anyway.
Thank you again.
Be well also.
I am Greek and I fully appreciate the fact that people from different countries came and risked their life to defend our country. Thank you
RESPECT THE GREEK OUR BROTHERS IN ARMS FROM ARMENIA 🇦🇲🤝🇬🇷
hate armenia from azerbaijan
@Markus Assaleh lololo mate your country is in ruins
@Markus Assaleh it's going through a ton of internal trouble, and also lost a significant amount of military equipment since its attempt on invading Azerbaijan
Armenia and Greece both trash thoe 😆😆
United in hating the Turks. I'm not either, but my respect anyway.
REAL modern STORY:
I served my duty at the Paratrooper Squadron in Maleme.
At a celebration for the Cretan resistance, Greek paratroopers were dressed like WW2 Germans and jumped to simulate the assault.
A sergeant was about to land, he saw an old man running to kill him with a rake.
He survived with some serious wounds.
I am from Athens... We Greeks are crazy, but Cretans... Man! They are OUT of this world!
και να λες " ευτυχώς " , με όσα γίνονται , Μελέτη !
Crete is to Greece what Florida is to the US...the craziest motherfuckers of the land!!!
That’s amazing. Yeah cretans are extremely aggressive and have a gun culture about them to this day
Μλκ ναι εχω ριζες απο εκει αλλα τι στον πούτσο
@@pots_83 yeah basically
Growing up with parents who lived through this invasion and subsequent occupation of Crete, its awefully difficult to imagine the horror that the local civilian population were subjected to.
Immediately after the occupation, my mothers parents and one of her older brothers were rounded up and executed just outside of Chania Crete.
My father and his friend (age 12 at the time) were locked up for several days in a cell before they were removed and escorted to a field where they were forced to dig their own graves at gun point. Fortunately, a local villager intervened and negotiated their release. Until his dieing day, my father relived this dreadful experience again-and-again in his mind.
@wigha 27 Firstly, the massacres that occurred near Chania were immediately after the paratroop invasion as a reprisal......not post the invasion and the establishment of partisan groups. Furthermore, civilian deaths and casualties occurred well before the deployment of paratroops as many of the towns and villages were bombed leading up to the invasion
Well i am Turkish but still massive respect for the Greek brothers🇬🇷🌟🇹🇷
Respect? Erdogan and Turkey want nothing less than the genocide of all Greeks, and the destruction of Greece.
@@nikosr265 I never said i support Erdogan and i never will,
@@nikosr265 άσε τον ο Ερντογάν είναι σαν τον Τραμπ στην Τουρκία, δεν τον συμπαθούν όλοι
Thank you. Love from Greece 🇬🇷❤🇹🇷
Respect from Greece, Turkish people have our support in theese difficult times. We also had a dictaroship and we can understand what you're going through.
Every German gangsta until the olive trees start speaking Greek.
LMAO
Vietna...*cough*
Good
Every Greek feeling gangsta until Olive trees turn into firewood by Refugees .
I was told a story from a Cretan man during that time a group of German soldiers were found hung upside down somewhere in the forest with their throats cut
I think those Germans got it easier than some others... 😯
Properly us kiwis. Fear tactics in war is apart of our culture
@@tylororlowski3097 It backfired on us Greeks though. As late as 2014, a German historian blamed these Kiwi tactics on Greeks, and accused Cretans of "war crimes", "atrocities" and things like mutilation, which, according to him, justified mass executions of civilians. This actually got him invited to the German Finance Ministry to do a lecture on modern Greece.
@Philip Manousakis Because blood-feud and eye-for-an-eye 75 year after a conflict is SO important to the creation and maintenance of a developed and peaceful world...? Witless thinking like that destroyed and has maimed the paradise of Cyprus; where I lived in Ammachostos as a child pre-invasion I'm German now (duel with British), my sons have mixed heritage, my families fought and died in several wars against Germans. How does your medieval logic work for this situation?
LOL. My mind is much more primitive than that Philip, but it has knowledge that you may only get with maturity. You carry-on and fight your wars on YT, FB and whatever other 'weaponised' talk-tech you are armed with. You will learn and change SO much... ;O)
My grandmother when the war was on,on our village,wanted to see her father,cuz she was sure something didnt go well,and saw him on one house with many dead villagers,took a bed sheet,and covered him after crying so much time on his dead body,she is 90 years old and remembers it like yesterday
Από πού είσαι ρε σύντεκνε;
Το τι είδαν οι πρόγονοι μας τη δεκαετία του 1940 δεν θα μπορέσει να συγκριθεί ποτέ με ότι περάσαμε σαν λαός μεταγενέστερα. Ούτε κατά 1%. Να σου ζήσει η γιαγιά σου.
As a Cretan huge respect to the Aussies and Kiwis. They fought decisively to defend my homeland and the future of Europe, far away from your continent. Your ancestors' sacrifices can never be forgotten and there will always be a special place for you here.
thank you friend and I thank your people too for fighting with us Together for Victory.
The bravery of the Greeks is a sadly undervalued part of the Second World War. Also, guys please buy Armchair History TV to support Griffen because YT demonitized this.
It is not overlooked everybody talks about it,stop making it seem like noone is noticing. I am glad that this video showed that the 2 sides had problems. And that victory could have gone either way.
I just watched the video like 3 seconds ago and had to go through 3 you ads as well as AH's own add, so don't worry, he's had my full support and his video was not demonetized.
**sigh** The only videos wherein I hope ads pop up are in history channels. These people are massively underrated and censored even though they're educational.
@@dapperfield595 Just to be clear, I'm not complaining about the ads. I'm just saying it's not true that this video was demonetized.
Doigt Well, pretty sure it was
Mussolini: I will revive the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar: Someone please stop this fool. He's embarrassing us all.
Greeks: Yes my Caesar.
After Julius Caesar cried in front of Alexander the Great Statue.
Also after Romans used Aetolians and other Greeks to fight each other & destabilize them
But Before Greeks took the reigns of the Roman Empire in the East while the Latin west was conquered & ruled by Germanics
Nice 👍
But the thing is the Roman empire never included only Italy. Italia was really only that important because it was the capital's location. And even then, Italy was actually colonised by Rome. But if you ask me I'd say Germans and Italians primarily were they military muscle of the empire.
Caesar: dude it’s the 1900s, things don’t work that wa-
Mussolini: TO WAR, TANKS GO!!!!
Hahaha yeah something like that
Mussolini: "I will revive the Roman Empire."
Julius Caesar: (jumps up from grave excited) "Great, here are my notes on logistics."
Mussolini: "Logistics, what the hell is that??"
Julius Caesar: "errr, why did i wake up for this?" (lays back down in grave).
Wow, this is a masterpiece. I'm glad you gave Greece the spotlight. I'd love to see you talk about the Battle of San Lorenzo and the story of Cabral, the soldier who sacrificed his own life to save José de San Martín. Latin American wars of independence are very interesting
I see you everywhere
He didn't give greece a spotlight as usual. He always pulls a hat trick on every video about the greeks historically. All he focused on was about new zealand. This guy is a historical con artist
You are the Justin Y. of history videos
As a son of a Cretan Father....I was told about the exploits and bravery of my Grandfather and other relatives during this invasion. It makes me a proud son to know that my blood originates from these brave people. Further, as an Australian....the proud tradition of the ANZACS and their sacrifice is nothing short of HEROIC.
I legit clicked on this because of thumbnail showing a Nazi get forked by an angry old Greek man
I am not disappointed
The power of peasants
I kid you not some people fought them with fricking Flintlock muskets from the 1821 War of Independence
Flashbacks that’s insane man
Actually they were a lot of locals who killed the paratroopers when they landed with anything they had even with axes, axines and anything it was sharp enough to kill someone
Stelios Tade okay man your scaring me
My great grandfather was an MP of the greek army during the battle of crete. Uploading this video is a great way of honouring him and his fellow comrades, so thank you!
Oreos!
Who would win
Schnitzel boys
Or
Ultra instinct Cretan farmer
guess at the end, somebody got heavily schnitzel'ed
Nobody calls them a malaka except their own dad!
So, this is where the farmer with the shotgun meme came from?
@B Whit we never forget we will always pay respect to kiwis , but that with the farmer was also true my grand father were in battle of Crete and he saw farmers with his children with knife 🔪 in their hands
A well supplied and entrenched enemy lost to parachuted infantry without artillery support...let that sink in.
We invented the “Pyrrhic victory” - the Greeks: we put the “Hell” in Hellas.
Fallschirmjager: * *Lands* *
Some Greek boi with a rake: *"I'm about to end this man's WHOLE CAREER!"*
...and after they found the maimed body of that paratrooper, you can guess what, according to the Hague Relations, happens in the nearby village.....
@Kafee Republic As rude as this retribution might have been (and was), you already know that such a retaliation would not come from the sick mind of a psycho, but was general martial law? You know, the Allies invaded Germany (with nearly none resistance from the civilian population)? Were they psychos, when they shot that few non-combatants on the spot?....Dont get me wrong, this is not a comparsion, but maybe you rethink your statement in its generality...;)
@Kafee Republic No, I said, that burning a village and execute the "appropriate" number of people, was (and even is) a law of war. Every beligrent nation have this right. Germany even did not signed the Hague Relation, but acted strictly according to the rules, except in Russia (Stalin also had not signed that Regulations). No doubt, that this is a crime against humanity (like war initself).
I know, you did not explicit claimed, only Germany did this "lawful crimes", but when you read some comments here, I am going sick of this onesided view. There is allways that qlique, wich divides the people, do not let them live in peace....we need true reconciliation....and some comments do not help....Please excuse, when I was a little bit....rude..:)
@Kafee Republic I agree 100%.....:)
@Kafee Republic You too....:)
*DEFENDERS OF SPARTA,ATHENS, AND CRETE*
@Stavros Stamelos To arms!
Facing defeat!
There's no surrender, there's no retreat!
Time after time forced their enemies back to their line
Greeks, Aussies and Kiwis fighting bravely together against totalitarian fascists 🇦🇺💙🇳🇿💙🇬🇷💙
Only to be ruled by them at home later.
I am from Greece
Shooting at defenseless Paratroopers isnt Brave . Loi
@@motorrebell Shooting at invading paratroopers....now that's a different context.
@@whafflete6721 Italy attacked - INVADED Greece but failed and Asked Hitler for Help , Crete was > occupied by British ,Australian & New Zealand forces < ,,,, now that's a different context too !
Never underestimate the determination of a people defending their homeland and freedoms.
Never underestimate the determination of a people defending their homeland and freedoms for more than 4000 years
If the New Zealand defenders had their bob semple tanks over there’d be no chance of victory for the Germans
If he could build a state house and had seen a tractor you'd better believe he could get some corrugated iron and number eight wire and knock up a tank.
Ya know, all things considered, it probably would've.
A Bob Semple tank or two could've turned the battle actually. It's not like the German paratroopers dropped with heavy weaponry. One single tank would've been a major obstacle for them, even if it was a homemade one or a WW1 relic from a museum.
@@Aethelhald He was being sarcastic. But other than this the Bob semple was a pile of junk only effective against infrantry. That is if they didn't have anti tank weapons or anything above the standard issue rifle in which case it would be utterly useless.
@@giorgosx5838 That's exactly my point - the German paratroopers didn't drop with any portable anti-tank weaponry. Best they probably had was mortars, and even then a lot of them got lost in the drop. One or two tanks, even shitty Bob Semple ones, could've presented a genuine problem to the Germans.
0:10 fun fact the thing he wears on his head is called (Sariki) and the small lines that hang are the tears and the reason of those tears is the fall of the byzantine empire 1453
No,it's called "kritiko mantili"====kretan karcheef,or bandana......
@@Irene-iu9sj sariki ??
@@Irene-iu9sj yep, it's called sariki, I have relatives from Crete
It comes from (πετσα) petsa that Cretans wore way before the turks occupied the island in the middle ages.
@@cliffbooth1620 Είμαι από την Κρήτη. Ποτέ δεν το άκουσα να το λένε σαρικι.....
Hitler be like: Nobody stabs ma favourite homeboy Rommel in the back but me.
Hitler be like :whe gone to Blichgreck creete!
Greek civilian :bich we have no roads....
@@efirizaki5656 Civilians be like: You're in the wrong hood fool. We ain't bitch made.
A well supplied and entrenched enemy lost to parachuted infantry without artillery support...let that sink in.
@@Cyricist001 well supplied? the greek navy couldnt supply the island due to the italian naval blockade the defenders only had a few days of ammo left
@@leonardorivelorivelo9253
The British navy controlled the east Med.
You know, Egypt, the Suez canal...
Someone: *Wants to attack the Greek*
Greek: Yeah I’m not so sure on that one chief.
That moment you realize some history channels in RUclips have better production values and quality than most shows on the actual History Channel
At least other history programms don't make funny jokes took from instangram or stereothypes about the troops fighting.
The history channel does good work bro. Did you know that the moon is hollow and Hitler is living inside it, hoarding alien technology for an eventual re-conquest of Earth? Did you know about the pyramids? Built by aliens dude! Aliens!
COAT OF ARMS
BANNERS FLY IN THE WIND,
FOR THE GLORY OF HELLAS.
COAT OF ARMS
SAYING: "FREEDOM OR DEATH!"
BLOOD OF KING LEONIDAS!
Coat of Arms is one of my favorite Sabaton songs!
@@TygrimIronhammer thanks! Is my favorite too!
@@juliovictormanuelschaeffer8370 personally Winged Hussars or Bismarck is my favorite but Coat of Arms or Aces in Exile are close seconds!
@@TygrimIronhammer for me its To Hell and Back, Screaming Eagles (RIP Rick May), Night Witches and 82nd All the Way.
I like hearts of iron
Amazing video, bringing tears to my eyes... Proud to be Cretan ✊🇬🇷
τους γαμησατε γιατι δεν θελαν μια ρακια
Cretans are a fierce and proud people!
Not Cretan!GREEK brother
@@punishedfootfetishistrin8050 τσικουδιά την λενε ρε 😂
@УЧЕТ Rovćanin Support you too brother!
I am from Crete and proud of this. All my great grandfather's fought
Lil Griff: my favourite rapper.
m
Who would win?
A fearsome fallschirmjäger or..
*ONE GREEK MUSKET BOY*
....boy? xD He looks like my papou
You mean 1 vs 1 ? That's easy ! George Armstrong Custer solved it ! PS , ARM + STRONG , ironic , yes ?
It's like:
Who would win...
an camping fool
or
an injured soldier
Yeah, those injured Fallschirmjägers won, after an long and brutal fight against cowards
Landser Johann better those old people had mostly farm tools eh, since they were not the commonwealth command
@@erik6280" cowards", the locals literally rushed to attack in the open of the battlefield to defend their own land. You assume that the German troops are injured but that's just a shitty way to generalize in order to make the Nazis look as the ones worth of respect. If the locals did not fight against them, the Germans would do massacres afterwards, and that's what happened. Search massacre of kondomari. And please answer if you actually want to defend your poorly structured point of view
Thank you for shedding a light on Greece. I’m glad you’re talking about them. I hope you talk about the USS Pueblo Incident
Hows ur sister?
Clever...clever
I hope he talks about USS Liberty incident.
My great-grandfather was a sailor on the HMS Kipling at the time of the Evac of Crete. His ship was sunken by the Luftwaffe, but he ended up surviving
My grandfather was from Crete and fought in the invasion. He would tell me how they rushed to the weapons crates that were dropped along with the paratroopers and shot up at them as they were coming down. He would go on to be part of the resistance up to the point when the germans came up to his village. Anyone part of the resistance fled to the mountains but the rest of the villagers were rounded up. Women and children were put in the church and told not to come out whilst the men were lined up outside and shot. Then the church and the rest of the village was set on fire and almost everyone died. Some people, like some of my grandfather's siblings, survived because their mother suspected something was off and hid them in their cellar instead. My grandfather was eventually caught and forced to build military installations but he and his family survived the war.
The amount of destruction caused by the germans is remembered to this day as they massacred many more villages.
I visited the Hyraklion museum of the invasion of Crete. That was pretty good
Elio Militello I too went t Greece in my summer holidays and visited the mentioned cities Heraklion, Rethymnon and Chania. We also visited a ravine the allies used to flee
That is good. Did you go to the south? There are a lot of old bunkers that you can visit, and they are well conserved.
@@eliomilitello1976 crete is a beautiful island with a strategic position and a lot of history but the roads sucks🤔.
@@xrhstospex8106 that's true lol. Once I went in one that was terrifying
Elio Militello German war time bunkers ?
For most if its history Crete has been in uprising, revolutions , wars againt occupation & the Turks..The Germans should of studied some history about Crete. The people of Crete have a reputation for fierce resistance...& love of song.
Why should the Germans have done that?
The war goal was to withdraw Crete from the Allies as a base, not the fight against the locals.
Militarily, the Greeks were never a serious threat ...
I'm glad they didn't. So it was a much better surprise party for them.
@@raka522ask the italians and the germans who wanted 219 to beat us, with out a serious army at the time
@Flare cuz thousands of them died and German high command dubbed the place their graveyard and proceeded to never ever again deploying them on such a large scale, dumbass.
@Flare yeah you are right. Why would the Germans think that the actual people of this land would have an objection to accepting their occupation and that they 'd fight back, elite soldiers against them or not. It's not like any civilian population there or anywhere else had done it without orders spontaneously and en masse before😏😏😏...
Imagine being part of one of the most advanced armies ever and dying by a pickaxe or any farm equipment
Germany: *worst airborne disaster ever on crete*
Britain: operation market garden
Exactly. Or, the Soviets regarding casualties: "a normal tuesday."
@@carpetclimber4027 what do you expect whe you have 1 rifle for two people
What did you expect from a freeabo YT channel?
“Get off my land, Jerry!”
“Mary, get the shotgun!”
AHAHHAHAHA
AHAHAHA
@Mazdina Hero :/
Just passed my mind one time and sounded kinda cool
German : *lands of foreign country*
The doom partisans : *loads Sabaton with murderous intent*
@Mazdina Hero Second W.W.,germans=jerrys,Amerikan =Johnny ,English =Tommy, Japanese =Charlie. ......
important to note that when the british evacuated, almost all of their officers fled, leaving low ranking troops to their fate
this video basically glosses over all of the allied failures. It was a shitshow on both sides
Incorrect, units that were still a fighting force had priority. Sadly there were a lot of soldiers who had turned to rabble... they got left behind 'at gun point'.
Like the allied commander being convinced that it would be a sea invasion and so didn’t have adequate defences on the airfields. This was a fight the allies could have easily won.
@@xpictos777 Thats one way of looking at it. Another way is that he couldn't compromise Ultra... and the possibility of a sea landing was a concern... its an island after all, bigger than most people think. Point 109 was the issue...
@@gumbyshrimp2606To be fair the main point of this video was to cover why the germans sufferd so many dead.
But i just find it so utterly cowardly and selfish what the british officers did that i would like to have seen it pointed out
Fun fact: The 1st year class (who do not fight in case of war unlike the 2nd,3rd and 4th year classes) of the Hellenic Army Academy disobeyed orders to go home. They grabbed the Academy War Flag and requisitioned vehicles to get from Athens to Crete. They survived Stuka plane attacks and eventually participated in the battle of Crete. The survivors either participated in resistance groups or got to Egypt (by ship or by land through Turkey)
As a Turk, huge respect to the Greeks.
I appreciate that, and I am a Greek Cypriot, son of a refugee from the North part
@@valestavro Κρατά γερά αδελφέ σύντομα θα ξαναγυρίσουμε! Από Μακεδονία
@@thanosgr468 Ελλάδα μόνο και θα τα πάρουμε όλα πίσω 🇬🇷🇬🇷
That goes a long way, coming from a Turk!
They fought for their homeland just like us, and every man or woman who fights for their homeland, even if they are my enemy, even if they are my friend, will always have my respect.
Turks snd greeks are not really so different, we can be friends despite the cultural and historical differences, our division is as big as we let it be.
Loved travelling round Crete, visiting the memorials, the museums and the sites of battles.
Really recommend the Askifou war museum!
Respect for the amazing work!
Here's a traditional cretan song about the battle, roughly translated:
"Hitler
You shouldn't praise yourself
That you conquered Crete
You found her unarmed
Her children were far way
Fighting at Albania
But even so
We fought you"
-Most Cretan soldiers were enlisted in 2d infantry division and send to fight the italians in Albania (hence the reference of Albania in the song). No legit Greek soldiers fought in Crete, just civilians, mostly farmers.
-Appart from that, the dictator Metaxas, in fear of a democratic uprising in Crete, had soldiers confiscating every gun they could find in the island. British soldiers in their memoirs say that Cretan farmers were begging them for rifles, tying to exchange them with food and wine... Thus, cretans fought with old, illegal guns hidden in their houses (a tradition still kept to this day in cretan villages, "just in case"), mostly family relics from the uprisings against the Turks -so,not exactly from museums...Even sticks ("Katsunes"), knifes and agricultural tools were used. I've heard the eye witnessed story of an old, fierce woman in the traditional mourning black dress, joining a battle with a "Kladeftiro" (Something between an axe and scythe) in each hand!
A very interesting traditional strong. It gives me insights a deeper history of Crete.
Kladeftiro = pruning shears
The Greeks really said “not in my house” ☝️
And Germans replied with "observe"
I remember a Greek Soldier who immigrated to the U.S. after the war and he lost both legs fighting the Italians in Albania. He was shot and the Italians left him in the mountains to die of exposure. He lost both legs due to frost bite. Somehow he was rescued by Albanian partisans and he was returned to the Greek Lines and he made it back to Greece. After the War he came to the U.S.
sorry for the invation but they were not any Albanian partizans ,they were allied and became a protectorate of the Italians ,instead they were fighting with them against the Greeks because they hoped to gain Greek territory after the war ,on the other hand there were the Greeks pushed back the Italians in south Albania still live many people who identify themselves as Greeks and they were celebrating when the Greeks entered their towns holding Greek flags ,that could be an explanation for the story you ve been told.
@@savaschatzivasileiadis5362lathos kaneis ypirxan ke antartes p thelan anexartisia
@@DizzyGuard σίγουρα θα υπήρχαν όσο υπήρχαν και Γερμανοί μη ναζιστές ,Ιταλοί μη φασίστες ,Τούρκοι που δεν ενέκριναν τις σφαγές του Κεμάλ κ.ο.κ. ,μία δυστυχώς οικτρή μειοψηφία δεν αλλάζει την ιστορία
Greek here.
My grandfather lived his childhood and adolescence years (1940-1944) in the island of Crete. Since he was not yet at fighting age, he became part of the resistance. Alongside with other teenagers, among other things, he was sent by the adults leading the resistance (after Crete's occupation in 1941) to the airport of Iraklio in order to monitor how many german airlpains were landing and taking off and then reported back to the liaison. For his contribution to the fight for freedom he was officially recognized as a member of the Greek resistance (the organization of ΕΑΜ-ELAS). These credentials are still in my possession. I also have taped recordings of him narrating the events.
My other grandfather, being at the age of 25, when Italy and then Germany waged war against Greece, joined the ranks of the Greek army fighting at the battle of Pindos of the Hellenic-Italian war. After the german occupation and the disassembling of the Greek regular army he joined the resitance (organization of EDES). For his contribution to the fight for freedom he was officially recognized as a member of the Greek resistance apart from being venerated as a war veteran. These credentials are still in my possession.
I had the honor to meet both of my grandfathers. They both lived full and long lives passing on peacefully at the ages of 95 (2022) and 92 (2004) respectively and apart from being my beloved grandfathers they are a source of great inspiration for my life, being paradigms of valor, responsibility and unwavering resolve.
The Cretans are memed even by the rest of the Greeks about how scary they can be if they are mad at someone as well about how often they possess firearms up there in the villages.