The Volkssturm is the last-ditch people’s army of the Third Reich. Sure, on paper, there are millions of old men and boys ready to defend Germany. But how will they be armed? Are they truly willing to die for Hitler? Will they make any difference at all?
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The Volkssturm is pretty emblematic of Germany in the second half of this war. Too little, too late, and riven by internal weaknesses. It won’t save Nazi Germany. Stay tuned as we bring you the end of the Third Reich and for our next project, Korea with Indy Neidell.
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I'd really like to know more about the Volkssturm recruitment poster printed on the same format used for announcements of (official) executions. While a misstep, sure – I'd be surprised if this wasn't deliberate.
The regime was unnervingly effective at propaganda in a literate, educated and sophisticated society, but they did make significant missteps on several occasions (calling the Stalingrad 'Garrison' from a sound studio in Berlin on Christmas 1942 is probably the most famous, only because it was the precursor to the later announcement of the 6th Army's 'sacrifice' in February).
Hitler must have saved up his political power and gone scraping the barrel.
I would like to see you guys take a look at how the Japanese home islands equivalent of the Volkssturm would likely have performed.
At 12:35 we see a couple of panzerfausts poking out of what looks like an enclose position. Wouldn't the backblast make such a position suicidal? It may have been a dead-end development, but the PIAT could be fired from shelter.
The heavily propaganda laden educational system of Nazi Germany, combined with various Nazi Youth programs, were expected to build young people willing to kill and die for Germany. The bottom line at this point of the war was that the failing Nazis were turning to more and more desperate actions, and in the case of Hitler's decisions, less and less based in reality, both of which were impending signs of defeat. No one wants to be the last person killed in a war, especially when said war is already lost.
11:28 There, you just stated the key question: If you need to resort to such desperate tactics, at what point is the government simply sending lambs to the slaughter for no sensible reason. The older wiser Germans must have realized the pointlessness and cruel waste of children’s lives for the sole purpose of the Nazis/Hitler buying more time just for him. Any sane rational person would have surrendered when it became obvious it was not longer possible the win. That way you spare pointless death, suffering and damage to your own country and citizens. The only the inner circle of evil and Hitler cared about were their own miserable butts and screw the men, women and children of Germany. Hitler had only contempt for the people. That contempt for the people was likely always there but became more obvious at the end
Hitler’s scorched earth order to Speer and his statement “The German people still alive don’t deserve to live”! That’s the true mind of Hitler. There was no military advantage in destroying everything remaining, the allies didn’t need it. It was purely petty spite by Hitler on his own citizens. Hitler was a delusional, narcissistic psychopath with no redeeming qualities. The people are was a pointless selfish waste that never had a hope of changing the outcome….it was pure insanity on the part of Goebbels, Himmler, Bormann and Hitler. I don’t know whether to include Goering.
The way I look at it is, Hitler being handed a macabre invoice showing how many children’s lives it would cost per hour to continue his existence in that dank bunker, sipping tea, eating pastries and brooding how everyone betrayed him from Himmler to unborn babies still in the womb. I won’t even mention Goebbels and Magda (The ideal Nazi mother), you can ask their innocent children about their caring parents. Even Bormann arranged the survival of his family! 11:28
Even the bottom of the barrel gets a cool name.
Indy said in the video that the Panzerfaust has a range of 60 meters, but a version with a 100 meter range was actually produced. I don't know how common these were, however.
Two words: Die Brücke
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Great video as usual, think its an interesting ragtag group
Volkssturm/Wikipedia(-Bingpag) heeft discrepanties ad stichtingsdatum,
nl door Hitler Officieel: 18 okt 1944 resp via Nazi-Partij de 25e sep;
De laatste datum (25/9) lijkt mij(eigen wetenschap!) niet verwerpelijk
:
YT_'Volkssturm – Germany's Last Pillar Of Defense In World War 2'/foto
aan het begin va de docu, van de mannen in lange, grauw-groene jassen,
lijken op die welke tijdens aanvallen nabij en te Arnhem, geteld zijn,
tezamen met andere oudere soldaten in zwarte jas met riem om 't middel
alsook jonge jongens in grijze jas, allen verscholen! ondergebracht in
boerderijen(meestal 'n leegstaande stal) langs wegen Utrecht > Arnhem;
"Who do you think you are kidding Mr Stalin, if you think we're on the run."
My grandfather was in the Volkssturm when he was only a teen. Gladly he didn't saw actions and got into US captivity
In my teens, i could have easily gone to war with whatever enemy my government showed me. By my 20s, i was beginning to see thru the lies & propaganda my own government had been feeding me so i can understand why the kids on ALL SIDES were so easily sucked into their government's WARS FOR PROFIT!
War is HELL for some & HEAVEN for others!!!
…yet ALWAYS FOR PROFIT & POWER!
Can you say something about the island of Spitbergen during WWII?
black font on red background
terrible typography for old eyes 😛
I really enjoyed indys first series, this one not so much. Less objective, more political/ social. I enjoy history not others social voices on it!!!😢
I think you guys would do really well by collaborating one day with Mark Felton Productions ^^
“Most have seen too many winters”
“Or too few”