What Operation Barbarossa Was Really Like For A German Soldier | EP 7

Comments · 306

• JA

  @jakeleonhardt6330 · 1 month ago

  I broke my foot and have been out of work for a month , best time to do it with these guys busting out this content , I’ve watched thousands of hours of content on WW2 and I’ve learned more with 10 episodes from these gents , best show on YouTube! Well done guys and please keep it up!

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• SN

  @SnowLeopard27 · 1 month ago

  Europe generally, and James in particular, need AC frankly.

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• NI

  @nickrobinson8339 · 2 weeks ago

  Robert Kershaw wrote an amazing book, War Without Garlands, about the first few weeks of Operation Barbarossa from the German viewpoint. I remember the German accounts of their 37mm PAK crews seeing their AT rounds bouncing off the first T34 tanks that they came across, horrified at the strength of the tanks. Thus many referred to the 37mm guns as "Door Knockers" . Some units found that their 20mm anti aircraft guns, especially the quads, could be used to pummel the T34 armour with so many rounds that the crews inside went mad because of the rapid drumming noise and even evacuated the tanks only to be shot down by German infantry. There are accounts of destroyed Russian tanks that had been padlocked from the outside. Apparently so many crews had been found to desert or drive away from battle that the NKVD units had been padlocking the crews inside. You either fought and died or survived in which case you would be allowed out. If you fled battle and that was found out then you could be left locked up. Another piece of info that sticks in my mind is about the fine quartz summer dust coming off from the dirt roads as tens of thousands of vehicles passed, clogging the filters of the German vehicles and slowly destroying so many engines. The Germans drove East with mainly German vehicles but also with others captured from the nations already taken over including, Czech, Polish, French, British, Dutch, Norwegian and so on. With variants of vehicles and models it is estimated, that in lorries alone, the Germans crossed the border with 1,200 different vehicles. The logistical problems of keeping all these running and supplied with the correct spares was an utter nightmare. I seem to remember that within the first two months about 50% of the trucks were unusable.

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• TO

  @todd.r.5990 · 1 month ago

  Hearing James Holland say “no shit Sherlock “ made my day! You pulled it right from my mind while listening….

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• JA

  @jamescole7197 · 1 month ago

  I dunno if you guys read the comments, but this shout-out needs to happen (and hopefully gets seen). Whoever is Producing off-camera (eg episode planning, managing throughline and episode arcs, editing maybe...) needs your full appreciation for this particular series. Your pod is always generally good in this department, but this one's been an absolute masterclass.

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• JA

  @jamielacourse7578 · 1 month ago

  My grandma was a german maiden or whatever it was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bWunYBLOOc&amp;t=61">1:01</a> and we kids weren&apos;t allowed to ask. My grandpa drove some kind of tracked thing and the Russians had him until &apos;56. I think. Our family never, ever spoke about any of it.

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• LA

  @landiahillfarm6590 · 1 month ago

  James, watching you suffer the heat just to make this episode shows your passion! Please be careful, having suffered a heat stroke once myself I can tell you it is nothing to joke about. Take good care and thank you both for all of these fantastic discussions, I hope they never end.

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• RU

  @russell2al1 · 1 month ago

  Love the dedication. James is likely more concerned about his books and memorabilia not being climate controlled than himself

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• SC

  @scottmacdowall527 · 1 month ago

  Another great segment Gentleman 💯🇬🇧🇺🇸

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• BE

  @BeckerFlag · 2 weeks ago

  I hope they continue these episodes that cover the personal level as they go through the war. An interesting contrast to just talking about the higher level discussions.

• JO

  @JohnP.Martin-b1v · 1 month ago

  James was sweating bullets but still delivered his end of the discussion in fine fashion.

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• FA

  @faeembrugh · 1 month ago (edited)

  I lived in Germany in the 1980s and got to know a former soldier who fought on the Eastern Front. What I recall most vividly was him describing getting home leave after many months of fighting and his mother being shocked at how much he had aged (he was 19 or so) and how callous he had become.

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