Hi Mike. I am a 55 years old German, and I saw all three versions of this book. This one stunned me, even if a key scene was missing here: In the original, Paul passes by his old university during a furlough and sees the teachers through the window as they try to seduce the next generation into this madness with the same words. And he intervenes and questions everything. Thank you for your video. I can only recommend anyone who has the opportunity to do so to visit Verdun in France. Fort Vaux and Fort Douamont, the bone museum... No more war in Europe! Here's to Franco-German friendship, de Gaulle and Adenauer, Europe.

As a combat veteran myself and as my grandfather who fought on the eastern front and Stalingrad once said "once the fight starts and the bullets fly all around you, you will find that all the speeches you heard and the ideals that wee instilled into you are worth nothing all that matters is your life and those of your kameraden (your Brothers next to you.) " . When asked him what the war was like the only thing he said was " unless you have lived through it and experienced it yourself there is no point telling you because you just won't understand. " and for both that is so true. I realized that myself when i first entered service in 1985 when i was called up (drafted) into the South African special forces, (My parents came to South Africa when i was 5 in 1973.) I fought in the Angolan Border war, then only did i understand what my grandfather meant after experiencing the reality of war.

28:51 The first tanks were invented by the British in 1915 (developed as a secret weapon, the metal boxes they were building and transporting were referred to as "water tanks" in correspondence, and the name "tank" stuck); the other nations in WWI developed their own versions by the end of the war. The problems with early WWI tanks were that they weren't mechanically reliable and frequently got stuck or broke down, and that the armies that fielded them hadn't developed effective tactics to use them to their full potential; IIRC they were initially used as infantry support, and even if a tank could punch through enemy defences, the infantry still often weren't able to hold and consolidate a position once the tank had taken it. I think it was the same situation with other new weapons developed during WWI, it'd initially have shock value and and help punch through enemy lines, but commanders were slow to adapt their outdated tactics to the advantage the new weapons provided and so would be pushed back to their original positions again by the counterattack. Trench warfare had a very powerful tendency to make sure that the front lines just never really moved, for years; it was only when much more mobile battle tactics were developed in 1918, such as the German innovation of stormtrooper units, that the stalemate finally started to break.

@MN-vz8qm

5 ай бұрын

Actually the brits were the first to operate tanks in battle, in 1916. Too little too soon btw But the concept was already in the minds of a lot of people even before the war. It was a natural evolution from the armored cars the italians had used in the years prior ww1 in north africa. The french started working on tanks in 1914, about at the same time as the british, but their program was slower and rather unsuccessfull by comparison, until they developped the FT17, which is the first "modern tank" in concept, and had an overwelming effect on the battlefield due to the fact that those light tanks were produced by the thousands and used en masse. The germans didn't work seriously on tanks however, focusing their funds elsewhere, they made a few models late, but most of the tanks they actually operated were entente tanks they had captured.

Hi Mike. First timer to your channel and as a veteran myself I am glad I got to see this video of a veteran's reaction. Thank you for your service and stay safe.

It's crazy what these insane politicians and elites made us do to each other and they still get away with it to this day Smh.

Great work! Thank you very much you watched it in German!❤ Liked & Subscribed!👍🏻👍🏻

Good reaction, you made this in a way that is easy to follow the story

Imagine getting a kill with a goddam E-tool, wild.

Thank You

It actually was mostly french, english and american troops who attacked german trenches in the last hours of war to kill as many germans as they could. Also there are only 14 reported executions of deserteurs in the german army during WWI. The last scene of this movie is quite inaccurate on those terms and it's a shame they went the 'hollywood'-style in the end while the rest of the movie is so moving.

I highly recommend Das Boot - Directors Cut and Under Sandet - Land of mine

@mikewatchesstuff

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for dropping in and for the recommendation! As of now, I have filmed reaction for Das Boot, just need to go through the edit. I will say for now, great movie!

Brutal movie, but so well remade.

35:21 I feel like Tjaden really wanted to be a corporal...

@tekay44

8 ай бұрын

read the book or watch the 1930s version of the movie. absolutely phenomenal. this is awful.

I'm wondering... I watched some reactions to this movie... And every time while we see the tank scene every reactor seems to forget that tanks first appeared in the WW1 🤔 those soldiers never before even knew such a thing like tanks... "Must be like some ancient tanks" YES yes ofc the first tanks... I didn't say this to be mean but it bothers me 😅

@Yeedeed

6 ай бұрын

Well to be fair, yeah I did say the tanks must've been ancient, but unlike these other reactors you mentioned, I did know this was the first war they were used, I mention that a few seconds after the 'ancient' comment, at 25:19. So do I get a pass? 😊 I'm editing this comment because I forgot to mention this is @MikeWatchesStuff, but I'm signed in on my main KZread channel

@K11Delta

6 ай бұрын

@@Yeedeed sry mate ofc you mentioned it ! It was your earlier statement that got me bc of other reactions... I was tiered to hear "oh watch this are these the first tanks?" Nothing to do with you personally I rly enjoyed your reaction!

There were five wars against France: At first Napoleon was stronger than Germany. 0:1 Germany was ultimately able to win the war against Napoleon. 1:1 The French were not prepared for the next war, so Germany was able to win it easily. 2:1 WW1 was a trench warfare where both sides were equally strong. For a long time there was no decision at all. 2:2 WW2 Germany was initially stronger than France. But the Germans lost against the superior strength of the British and Americans. This ends the project. 2:3

Any Chance you could Watch das Boot? Another awesome movie from the German perspective. But set in WW2 in a Submarine

@mikewatchesstuff

8 ай бұрын

Hi Lynx, thanks for dropping in! You know, I've had quite a few people ask me to react to that, especially on my main channel. I think it's time. I'll upload it soonish, and will come back to this comment to let you know when. Thanks!

@arnodobler1096

8 ай бұрын

One of the best War Movies ever. Stalingrad by Joseph Vilsmaier also pretty damn good.

Those tanks are only about 90 horsepower how about that

This movie is a pain to watch, not because of the content but becasue its filled with inaccuracies and exaggerations on an unforgivable level

horrendous movie. watch the 1930s version. this is not the movie they should have made. just awful.

@true3823

7 ай бұрын

4 time Grammy winner buddy