No Dan Snow in the intro? Thank God! I'm glad I don't have to skip past his blathering.

in the "War By Numbers" series, the war is said to have been "fought by calculating generals for whom no cost was too high."

@johnavast5939

Жыл бұрын

That's another amazing documentary style show on the great war - sometimes just seeing the bare numbers laid out take take the insanity of that war to a whole other level

Tony - thank you for bringing the horror of what these boys had to go through to a level that never really sunk in before. Generals egos and young boys trust in their commanders have been responsible for way too many lives gone way too early. Only God knows what this world lost with those lives gone too soon. Really enjoyed your insight and helping to make it all much more real than reading a history book.

@bustersmith5569

Жыл бұрын

ITWas Murder,,,,,,,,that simple....

I could not imagine what it was truly like. I thank you for bringing the history to us. I really look forward to learning more & more. So many brave soles & there journey & there daily days into the next. I really enjoy history over all. Thank you again for sharing, sincerely Lu.

It's striking how much the younger Meakin resembles his grandfather.

Criminally inept commanders , at the highest levels

@P-C-Principle

Жыл бұрын

old tactics plus the birth of modern weaponry gave birth to death on unprecedented scales. WW2 was even worse and a lot of those guys were pretty competent tacticians from WW1. I think many would’ve made the same mistakes as the commanders of ww1 had, everything they had been taught about warfare was pretty much tossed out the window when machine gun and heavy long range artillery began cutting people down

@sijul6483

Жыл бұрын

Feel free to correct parts of this. Haig wanted to attack in Flanders, but Joffre pressured the British for a joint assault in the Somme, where the British Fourth and French Six met. Rawlinson knew the men that were going over the top were essentially untrained civilians (see: Kitchener's Army) and wanted them to receive more training. The artillerymen were also not experienced, coupled with the fact that many shells were duds, leading to the Germans being virtually unscathed (if we ignore casualties caused by the 8 day bombardment). Rawlinson had reason to believe the bombardment succeeded in destroying German wire despite conflicting reports as the artillery lasted 8 days. Neither Haig nor Rawlinson could really call off the attack (see Joffre comment). This was also at the time where the British either did not understand or underestimated German strategy and tactics, where they would quickly counterattack after an allied push and the British largely not having guns at the ready to repel said attack. Edit: German dugouts/bunkers were also deeper and reinforced with concrete.

Kind of a nice touch that a WW1 documentary be narrated by Baldrick himself..

Thanks for this and love to hear Tony's voice. He has been a part of so many great historical videos.

My great uncle died on the first day at Redan Ridge with the Somerset Light Infantry.

@davidsigalow7349

2 жыл бұрын

RIP.

@andyfoxy3140

Жыл бұрын

No great loss

I immediately bought the book Meakin’s diaries. As great as this documentary is, the book has got to have more details. So senseless and tragic.

God love you Tony, you always manage to find the pub. A man after my own heart.

There’s similar practice trenches still at Camp Hughes near Brandon Manitoba where the Canadians trained before going over 🇨🇦

This was the last war as horrible as it was with any sense of real chivalry. Obviously Haig and Rawlinson messed up big time but when the time came to go over the parapet even the German defenders were stunned by the senseless slaughter. The true sad part is there were breakthroughs, but they couldn’t be exploited due to poor planning and communication. Not only that but for the men that did break through they were caught by their own artillery sometimes en masse as they moved forward through German lines. The ferocity of hand to hand fighting by the Australians, Scots, Brits, and Germans showed there were no cowards here and each man was prepared for the end in his own way. We should never forget this. Brave brave men on all sides.

Salute to the fallen and the veterans of the Somme

I can't hear Tony Robinson say "the Big Push" without thinking of General Melchett.

Powerful presentation. Thank you for sharing.

First time seeing this. Great documentary. And Sir Tony to boot. As a New Englander. I truly appreciate BBC documentaries.

@nickmerino9440

Жыл бұрын

Get tar and feathered, redcoat loyalist! Jk.

History is not only important but it things like this that should be a reminder of entanglements.

I expected this to be the same story with a slightly mixed up bit of photography, video.. but it turned into something unique. And as a fan of Tony Robinson, it almost felt like time team again lol. I'm definitely saving this for future viewing!

For 57,000 it was a short stay 😔

The northern sectors of the Somme line proved to be disastrous for the British on July 1, 1916... but they actually made decent progress on the southern side of the line in the battle. There, the German line wasn't as strong, and they actually attained many of their objectives for the first day.

Excellent! Thanks for sharing

Seeing this one can only imagine the utter horror allied soldiers went throug! Great and interesting video. A huge salute to all soldiers who fought there!

Getting an advertisement in today before this video makes me sad/happy I live today

THANK YOU for bringing this history to us…. You’ve brought it to life for all…. 👍🏼👠👣

I was just speaking about the battle of the somme yesterday with a kid I work with.

What a great presentation thank you so much

Hi your map is incorrect at 2m 41seconds, you're using a map from after 1918. A small oversight but history is important and many people are easily confused.

Never Forget.

My respect to those who die in this war, unfortunately, history repeats and young guys are now in similar situation in Russia invasion....

A wonderful introducing ..of warriors memories.. that behind Daily details in side Trenches Wicked of Politician was disappeared ...atrocities of empires history is Notables

Exactly 106 years ago. July 1, today. Same day as day 1 of Gettysburg BTW.

@jiveassturkey8849

Жыл бұрын

And Vicksburg

its funny that they are called Loop graven in dutch directly translated to Walking Graves

22:14 amazing, its those little details that make history so interesting

Ultimate Generals - Civil War...Sound Track.

Your music, though appropriate, drowns you out. It is quite distracting, I think annoying is a better adjective.

The French and the Brits should make similar movies about the eastern front and the Austrian-Italian front and consider the great losses there to get some perspective...

Background music is too loud. It buries the narration.

Imagine if that happened now. People freaked out about Afghanistan... this was one battle and millions times worse

@acetherockhound9068

2 жыл бұрын

And now in Ukraine. Maybe not to this extent of death of both sides like the somme but just as ugly. :( sad we all can't learn from history

@davidsigalow7349

2 жыл бұрын

It is nigh upon impossible for 21st century people to imagine the horrors of The Great War and the killing fields of the Somme, Verdun or Passchendaele.

@TIATAC

2 жыл бұрын

Not the toughest bunch

@Hilts931

2 жыл бұрын

@@davidsigalow7349 we can’t imagine because the ‘ideals’ at stake to imagine putting up with this are so far removed today. We don’t believe in our governments anymore. We have no shared identity or outlook as a society. We’re not a cultural tribe or national identity.

@davidsigalow7349

2 жыл бұрын

@@Hilts931 Well said.

I didnt know Baldrick survived WW1

It was the loudest thing ever in the world until then. Think about it, people only heard loud music at concerts or symphonies. But it was ...so loud. We can't comprehend

Can hardly hear the narrator over the loud background music

Pal’s Battalions were definitely one of the worst ideas in a long, long line of terrible ideas during the The Great War.

Baldrick knows about going over the top in the Great War...

Today, everyone believes they're a victim. But back then, those young guys really were used like cannon fodder. God bless them.

So Terribly Sad…

👍

My great grandfather fought in this battle and was mustard gassed.

A sad day.

♠️💜♠️💜♠️💜

there are few firsthand accounts for a reason. dead or censored.

Greedy commanders didnt decide that marching was ineffective against MACHINE GUNS? The anger im feeling

God bless the British Army then, and now!

So baldrick did make it out of the trenches after all

Who is this narrator

@morganfreeaimthebountyhunt7682

Жыл бұрын

Tony Robinson he plays baldrick in the black adder

*day in the life of a true pals battalion geezer* *wake up and meet the company sergeant major* *my enfield smle, isn't she lovely* *time to take george to drill* *rev up the armored car* *quick stop at mess hall and load up that plate* *get a tot* *pitch looking lovely today lads* *just a bit o banter* *route march makes a 38:0 loss better* *pop down local armory* *brand new tank, look at that* *command made a battle plan, lovely* *pop down, having a couple pints with the section* *finish up at the barracks of dreams*

Lions led by donkeys.

Compared to what these guys go through and went through - our society's disgusting with its woke focus and airy fairy safe spaces ! God bless every one of these men

Translation to Arabic Please

Some people made a lot of money, just like every war. How much did a million shells cost? How much profit?