Week 244 - Germany's Existential Crisis - WW2 - April 29, 1944

The fighting at Kohima is up close, personal, and vicious, as it is at Imphal. The Allies consolidate their gains at Hollandia, the Japanese are advancing in Central China, and it seems like the Chinese Nationalist Army has lost the support of the civilian population. This might not surprise you when we take a closer look.

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Hosted by: NN
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Producer: Marek Kamiński
Community Management: Ian Sowden
Written by: NN
Research by: NN
Map animations by: Daniel Weiss
Map research by: Sietse Kenter
Edited by: NN
Artwork and color grading by: Mikołaj Uchman
Sound design by: Marek Kamiński
Colorizations by:
NN - (Instagram/Facebook/etc.)

Image sources:
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Soundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
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A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[WorldWarTwo]

As Germany is getting closed in on, one can't help but wonder where Hitler will be a year from now...

[podemosurss]

Fun fact regarding the intro: though not tennis, there was a SAS commando that had used his experience playing ball games for throwing grenades. His name was Victor Irturria and he came from the Basque Country (Spain). Prior to WW2 he had been one of the champions in a Basque sport known as "Pelota Vasca" (Basque Ball), which is similar to squash but without racket and with heavier balls. He had developed an excellent hand and was great at throwing the balls... and also for throwing grenades. In 1939 he enlisted on the French Army as volunteer and took part on the Battle of France as a soldier: He first distinguished himself during the battle of Dunkirk, as he used the skills he had acquired playing for throwing grenades at enemy vehicles, and managed to destroy seven of them. He was evacuated from Dunkirk while wounded, and was transfered to the French contingent of the recently established SAS (as his actions had impressed his superiors). Prior to their assignment to the North African theatre, Churchill himself requested to watch his skills in action. Victor took a txapela (Basque beret) and placed it 50 meters away from their location, then he went back and threw a grenade which landed inside the beret. In 1942 he took part on the assaults to Luftwaffe air bases in Cirenaica and Benghazi, and in 1943 he was given a distinction by the Free French authorities. He was one of the commandos dropped behind enemy lines during the battle of Normandy in 1944 (spoiler), and was KIA in august 29, 1944.

[Alex-cwrz]

During Excerise Tiger my great Uncle was a petty officer in the Royal Navy on the heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins bombarding the beach when the friendly fire incident occurred. He and his friends just thought it was part of the exercise and were impressed with how realistic it looked. Only afterwards did they find out what had really happened. It was kept secret from the public till after his death, and he never told his wife. His friends were the ones that told her when it became public knowledge (I believe that was in the 1980s). She just had her 102nd birthday last week. However he may have told his sister, as well before it was public knowledge and the memorial was built, every time she went down to Devon on a holiday, she would go on a day trip to Slapton Sands, to pay respect.

[SHAdEheart]

What a grim assignment it must have been to locate those ten bodies beneath the sea. In a war full of horrific experiences it was certainly not the worst but still, it would have been nightmare fuel for me.

[alanlawson]

At Slapton sands there is a fine memorial to those who died there - a Sherman that was left on the sea bed after the debacle, and only dragged ashore in 1984.

[bluebadger]

My grandfather was at the tennis court, he died 5 weeks to his birthday last November. He wanted to talk about it to anyone who wanted to record it.

[gunman]

18:21 To add on, a reporter would carelessly miss writing down the Soviet Union, thus when the story was published several days later, it appeared as if Patton was disrespecting the Soviet Union. This would cause Dwight Eisenhower to cable George Marshall that he was pondering the notion of firing George Patton because "he simply does not keep his mouth shut".

[Uxkull_V]

For next April's Fools Indy needs to release a video of him doing the phone intro thing, but then just saying "yeah" for the next 15 minutes and cut to credits when he hangs up! 😂

[Mauser]

EXCELLENT episode… the writing, graphics, content, and organization are always great, but they really came together in an eloquent and easily-digestible way this week. Thank you!!!

[korbell]

OKH: "What's that scraping noise?"

OKW: "It's just us hitting the bottom of the barrel!"

[pathutchison]

Sleep in Saturday morning. Then wake up and have coffee with a new episode of “WW2, Week by week”. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Thank you to everyone on the “Time Ghost” team for all the hard work it takes to produce such quality content. I feel ashamed that 10 bucks a month is all I can afford to give.

[SoloChinchilla]

I really appreciate how well Indy pronounces the foreign names

[Lematth]

This week in French news.
The 26th, Pétain returns for the first time in Paris. He is met by a huge crowd and gives a speech that warns against joining the Resistance.

The 27th, Juin announces to his troops in Italy that he manages to persuade Clark that they will finally be used at their full extent inside the 5th Army by going to Mount Majo, in the Mount Aurunci (supposedly impossible to cross) and toward the Liri. It Liri is the objective of the British Army but Juin thinks that they will not fulfill their objectives in time and prepares two armored brigades to make a fast offensive behind the German line, toward Esperia and Pico. Juin has 4 divisions and 3 Moroccoan Tabors.

The 28th, Pétain at the radio and on invitation from Germans affirms that Germany is the main protector of Europe and France and all of its civilization against bolshevism and that France will get its place back into Europe.

[awwhistorian]

Wow what a story: the tension of the command and morale is absolutely surreal. So many events woven into events: your attention to detail of this conflict is really remarkable folks! Can't imagine how much reading all of you must be doing! Thank you for sharing these stories!

[TheGuy-cfrg]

Indys conversations with the phone operator have been becoming more and more interesting as the year progresses!

[MetalRodent]

On the subject of the Burma/India war just finished reading Bryan Perret's book 'Tank Tracks to Rangoon: The Story of British Armour in Burma' and would recommend it, he writes entertainingly and in detail on a rarely discussed topic.

[deshaun]

Hey you guys!! At home watching this! Not feeling very well at the moment, however. My period is down heavier than usual and I had to call in.. but this show is too good to miss however I'm feeling. Thanks guys! Keep it up!

[flavionessuno]

Basiucally there cannot be any apolitical German officer because every "apolitical" officer would realize that Germany has already lost the war, having to fight like in WW1 a numerically superior enemy on a long front while not having the necessary materials to have a chanche. As Robert Citino puts it the German General Staff in on a death ride. They won't stop it unless physically restrained.

[myprshe]

My grandfather was on LST 499 during Exercise Tiger. He was very nearly killed by German machine-gun fire when the E-boats attacked. He once told me of the horrors he saw in the aftermath of the atack, he said the surface of the water was covered with the bodies of dead Americans. LST 499 survived Exercise Tiger and made the landing at Utah Beach on D-day, June 6th 1944. On June 8th wile transporting German prisoners back across the English channel, LST 499 struck a German mine and sank. My grandfather was thrown down a ladder and badly broke his back, earning a purple heart and effectively ending his war. Afterward he met General Eisenhower on 2 separate occasions while he was recovering onboard a hospital ship. Hearing those stores as a kid inspired me to research military history and peruse a career in the military. I wouldn't be the man I am today without the influence of my grandfather. They truly were the greatest generation.

[nickgooderham]

This week ships of the Royal Canadian Navy engage ships of the German naval surface fleet off the French Coast between St. Malo and Ile de Bas. The Canadian force consists of Tribal Class destroyers HMCS Athabaskan, Haida, and Huron. These are a powerful new class of destroyer more akin to a small cruiser. During the night of April 25/26, they engage the German 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla comprising the German Elbing-class torpedo boats (destroyers) T29, T24 and T27, returning from a mine-laying operation. They begin firing on the Germans at about 9, 000 yards damaging T24 and T27 forcing them to retire to the safety of St. Malo. T29 is not so lucky and sinks after being set ablaze by HMCS Haida, taking 137 crew with her. Days later on the night of the 28/29th, T24 and T27 attempt to move from St. Malo to Brest, but are again intercepted by Athabaskan and Haida off St. Brieux. The two torpedo boats fire all their torpedoes while turning to make a run for it. One of T24's torpedoes hits Athabaskan setting her on fire, eventually causing her magazine to explode, and she sinks quickly. Meanwhile, Haida aggressively pursues T27 causing her to run aground. Firing at short range Haida sets T27 on fire before returning to assist Athabaskan. Haida begins to pluck survivors out of the water, but as dawn approaches she is in danger of aerial and shore based attack and must leave. Athabaskan's Captain still in the water is heard to yell out “Get away Haida, get clear!”. Of the Athabaskan's crew 44 survivors are recovered by Haida, 83 become prisoners of war, and 129 are lost, including her Captain, Lt. Cdr. John Stubbs.