D-Day From the German Perspective | Animated History

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Sources:
Beevor, Antony. D-Day: The Battle for Normandy. Penguin UK, 2009.

Caddick-Adams, Peter. Sand and Steel : The D-Day Invasion and the Liberation of France. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2019.

Goebbels, Joseph. Joseph Goebbels Hitlers Spindoctor: Een Selectie uit de Dagboeken 1933-1945, edited by Willem Melching and Marcel Stuivenga. Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Bert Bakker, 2011.

Hastings, Max. Overlord: D-Day, June 6, 1944. Simon, 1984.
Margaritis, Peter. Countdown to D-Day: The German Perspective : The German High Command in Occupied France, 1944. Havertown: Casemate Publishers (Ignition), 2019.

Meyer, Hubert. The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division. Vol. 2. Stackpole Books, 2004.

Meyer, Kurt. Grenadiers: The Story of Waffen SS General Kurt" Panzer" Meyer. Stackpole Books, 2005.

Murray, A. Williamson. “The World at War.” In The Cambridge History of Modern Warfare, edited by Geoffrey Parker, 338-361. United States: Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Music:

[TheArmchairHistorian]

We've heard your feedback and I will work on my pronunciation going forward!

Promo code: ARMCHAIRHISTORY for 50% OFF

Check out the new Armchair History TV Mobile App too!

[theetiologist]

It’s incredibly ironic that Hitler would think a static defense was a good plan after he plowed through the Ardennes forest.

[GottUndKaiser]

It's amazing how far his animation has progressed over the years.

[Gizmomaster]

One of the most frightening stories was a German soldier retelling what it was like to look out into the sea and he described it as seeing the blue sea turn into a line of grey that stretched across the entire horizon. He described it as the sky and the sea split by a thick line of grey as if the Allied invasion had split the world in half horizontally.

[DanielBoden]

I once heard a story, second hand, of a German teenage private who was stationed with a beach garrison in Normandy in 1944. He was a dental assistant in the US in the 1960s working for an acquaintances father who was a dentist. His story was one morning the sun started coming up and out in the water they saw every ship in the entire world appear and began shooting at them. He was injured by naval gunfire and later captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW. His entire combat experience in WW2 was a few hours on June 6, 1944 in Normandy.

[Justin-cwzf]

Imagine being a german soldier on d day and just seeing all those ships and knowing you were doomed

[RobMacKendrick]

In Saving Private Ryan there's a scene of Americans, having at last attained the firing line on the bluff, outright murdering several German soldiers who are trying to surrender. As bad as that is, it gets worse; the men with their hands in the air, speaking fearfully to the counter-invaders, are not speaking German. They're saying: "Don't shoot us! We're prisoners of war, forced to fight for the Germans!", in Czech. That scene was a result of Speilberg's exhaustive research into what happened that day.

[olefella]

The fact that we get free documentaries on YouTube by The Armchair Historian is truly a gift 👍

[gaian]

I served in combat with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam, 1968-69. When I returned home I became obsessed with learning about history, especially military history. I started college in fall, 1969 (culture shock) and my thirst for learning has increased over the years. Thank you for filling in some gaps in our knowledge.

[Masada]

I remember reading a book called the German army in Normandy and being occasionally struck by the helplessness of their situation, they didn’t really have a chance of winning

[MrVelyx]

i dont know if it is clear to non German, but the Fraise "Arme Schweine" that directly translates to "poor Swine" is not an Insult but a fraise of pitty. He felt bad for his enemys but continued his duty

[rsilkw]

I appreciate the “Pokémon battle” between outdated tanks and US troops with a bazooka segment. I’m 110% sure that’s how it went down on D- Day

[KeithAdam]

“It is only by seeing both sides of a conflict that one can form a complete picture” well said, ACH.

[polsenOO]

Wow, hearing the German generals trying to downplay the severity of the D-Day invasion reminds me of how my management is when they underestimate the time & manpower needed to do projects at our site ..

[gpgpgpgp]

The image of a drunk German officer, laying in a foxhole and threatening to shoot anyone returning TO battle, made me chuckle.

[Jakethesnake]

I remember seeing the original video i can't wait to see how you remade it

[acehaag]

Intersting perspective view. Having visited the various beachs in France I can't beleve the allies pulled it off. What a ominous sight standing on Normandy beach and looking into the hills.

[rainmanslim]

In summary:

Germans to high command: "shits fucked bro"

[barleysixseventwo]

Rommel, upon returning to the front: "TWELVE HOURS! I have been gone twelve hours and we managed to lose the entire Normandy Coast!?"

[Mr_M_History]

Redoing old ones with animations is well worth it. Looks amazing!

Also plus side is that as a history teacher, this makes it really easy to use in the classroom!