My uncle Charlie was a machine gun crew leader in Patton's Army, wounded in France (and he met Patton in a field hospital). Although he received a number of medals and citations, he told me that the most significant thing he did in the war was disobeying a direct order to shoot German prisoners. He told the lieutenant who gave the order that he and his crew would not do it, and told the lieutenant to "move along". The LT backed down. Heroism has many forms, and my uncle Charlie was one of my heroes.

@Buggsy61

2 жыл бұрын

Good on him. That took real courage.

@bilobath6093

2 жыл бұрын

Should of shoot those kroats

@dukadarodear2176

2 жыл бұрын

@@bilobath6093 I think the decision of the man on the ground is paramount and should be respected. Looks like he was a professional soldier and a humane human-being.

@gavanwhatever8196

2 жыл бұрын

Good for him! I think it takes exceptional strength of character to maintain one's humanity in the face of great inhumanity. It also takes great courage to resist, whether that be against an enemy occupier or an LT.

@vivians9392

2 жыл бұрын

@@bilobath6093 GOOD thing you weren't there! Murder is murder when you don't follow the rules of war!

I saw an interview with an American medic driving an Ambulance that was stopped by several Germans. They looked in back and seeing all the wounded on stretchers waved him on. After going to the aid station the medic picked up several cartons of cigarettes drove back to the point he was stopped at and handed them to the German soldier. Humanity in the midst of insanity.

@RVoogt

2 жыл бұрын

lovely story

@leebh8607

2 жыл бұрын

There is a similar story in Ambrose's books Citizen Soldiers, happened in Normandy during the German retreat. The driver got lost and drove into a German position, and was diverted back to American lines. He then returned and dropped a crate which the Germans were suspicious of being booby-trapped. Turned out to be cigarettes.

@goldleader6074

2 жыл бұрын

If you look at the resources it takes to care for wounded soldiers, it's better to make your enemy use his resources to care for the wounded rather than killing them or taking them prisoner yourself. Doubtful it was purely for compassion of their enemy.

@luiseduardosalazar1402

2 жыл бұрын

That´s a good movie...

@victoreous626

2 жыл бұрын

@@goldleader6074 Very good. One of the main reasons for the US/NATO to adopt the 5.56 was for the very reason you stated. 7.62 was too deadly

As a young kid first learning about WW2 at School I incessantly asked my Granddad about it. One particular quizzing sticks out because at the time I didn't understand the depth of what he told me. He said "I never met a German I would not have had a drink and a laugh with under different circumstances" I quizzed him further "What, even SS troops ?" to which he replied "Dunno, I never came across a live one".

@alastor8091

Жыл бұрын

Fuckin based dad.

Mr Felton - thank you for this episode. My father fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was at Chenogue on the day of the massacre. A good friend of his protested the battalion commanders order to shoot a group of German prisoners where upon the officer in question told him (my fathers friend) to back off or else. My father persuaded his friend to back off. The prisoners were led away and shot. This incident is also documented in the companion book to Ken Burns - The War (pgs 331, 332). It is a story I heard from my father as I grew up, along with other fragments about his war experiences. To me, its one more example of the horrors of war and how no one emerges "clean." And its reason why i have always tried to respect those who wear the uniform and serve and sacrifice.

this is how history should be recounted; complete, objectively and impartially. Great work as always, Mark

@JuergenGDB

2 жыл бұрын

maybe but again a lot of what Mark discussed is not backed up anywhere... it is mere conjecture.

@SideComment24

2 жыл бұрын

@@JuergenGDB history is written by the victors. The reason for the lack of back up in this instance is because the Allies covered it up. Life especially at war isn't black and white. No good against evil, just evil and lesser evil. Its mornic to believe that the Allies never committed any warcrimes whatsoever. War is cruel in its nature. I'm not hating on the Allied forces, in fact I am grateful for them cause nowadays we experience freedom and liberty. God only knows what life could be if the Axis won.

@SuperKonjac

2 жыл бұрын

Of course unless it involves the Japanese, according to Mark

@Itried20takennames

2 жыл бұрын

“History is written by the victors.” Maybe in Hitler or Stalin styles dictatorship, but otherwise…this simply isn’t true. Each side just believes whatever they want to be either righteous or the victim - look at how WW2 is treated in Japan. Or compare the number of YT docs on civilian bombings in WW2 by country. You will find dozens on how the allies were wrong to bomb German civilian cities, and few on how the Germans were wrong to spend years bombing and starving civilian populations in Poland, London, Holland, France, Russia, etc. So much for “written by the victor.”

@kjragg1099

2 жыл бұрын

@@Itried20takennames yeah there’s quite a bit of literature and research on various allied war crimes throughout the war.

Having a reputation of taking no prisoners makes it very difficult to get your enemy to surrender. If they perceive they will be killed anyway, they will fight to the death, yours or theirs. On the other hand, if you are known to treat pows well, they will be much more likely to surrender. War is a messy business at best. There's no reason to make it worse than necessary.

@julianshepherd2038

2 жыл бұрын

The SS didn't tend to surrender so ....they had it coming

@ddawe31635

2 жыл бұрын

I have never been a soldier. No clue. Humaness...I understand!

@ddawe31635

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously, America had alot of POW camps in the middle of America! In Atlanta, Nebraska, they never lost a POW!

@ddawe31635

2 жыл бұрын

@@julianshepherd2038 amen!

@thepub245

2 жыл бұрын

I would imagine it is very easy to become vengeful when tragedies like Malmedy occur and you are involved in a life or death struggle. I am not judging what those involved did, it was 80 years ago and I wasn't there, so I haven't the right. What I do think is, that two wrongs don't make a right. The Allied command analysis of it was spot on. Under the circumstances, there was no way any Allied service men were going to be investigated for their actions. The Malmedy incident certainly seemed to produce a counter productive result for the German forces, stiffening American resistance. I would imagine the Allied command and subsequent policy makers knew they were compromised themselves by the actions of American units similar response in the fact that the Germans on trial were eventually released. That's the thing with war crimes, the truth will always out.

My close friend's father was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and was in an overrun unit. We were all sitting around one evening and the war came up as a topic of discussion. He described the harrowing experiences of the battle and living on the run and hiding from the Germans. He ended the the story by saying "After Malmedy, we didn't take no prisoners".

@meteor2012able

2 жыл бұрын

My step uncle was a paratrooper in Germany. I was 12 yo when the war ended. About a year after he visited us and told "me" war stories of some of his deeds. He said, they were to take no prisoners and rapidly move on... and how our guys had to kill young Germans soldiers giving up..." and move on." I was impressed and sensed he felt bad, as he described these actions. He a lot told of sexual "things" our men did (not exactly rape... that occurred out of fear or in exchange for food, etc). Overall, thereafter, in life, I viewed Hollywood versions a bit more realistically. I think he was about 18 years old when in Germany. "Manuelito" died in the Phoenix VA hospital in 1988. We are Mexican-Americans and very proud of our veterans in all wars. We don't get much notice in Hollywood or books.... but know that "we" have "our" heroes everywhere "our" great nation needs 🇺🇸 us. God

@jasonbell6234

2 жыл бұрын

Germans turned into fanatics once war was brought upon their soil.

@uncareid5557

2 жыл бұрын

@@meteor2012able I'm a German (heritage) American who wants to thank Mexican-Americans for their contributions to making our nation great! God bless the USA and God Bless Mexico! My nephew went to Mexico on business for two months, turned into two years. Came back married to a wonderful Mexican woman, they now have six kids. Some stories have good endings.

@johnhersgey6253

2 жыл бұрын

Dad said they did not take prisoners who had SS metals on. They would take prisoners especially young people, civilians and young soldiers. My second hand information might be wrong although he was on Omaha Bench on D-Day Point du Hoc, he was at St. Vith then Ohrdruf and onward The video sounds very accurate and possibly all accurate. At St. Vith some of the African American soldiers had there eyes chopped out. It made the. American soldiers 'nuts" and changed the thoughts of soldiers in the brutal cold in what he would say was the forest of hurt.

@paulwhitehead87

2 жыл бұрын

@@antiantifa886 Check out the My Lai massacre of more than 500 babies, toddlers, children, girls/young women, mothers, grannies and old men. First, many [all?] females above baby age were raped.

It is so refreshing to see unbiased history. Our education system teaches a very pretty picture of the war, it needs to be more like this!

@crayoneatinggo0n477

2 жыл бұрын

@@circusbrains the state of Arizona has one of the worst education systems in the US unfortunately, that's where I went to school.

What a coincidence. I am actually visiting Malmedy tommorow. Armed with more knowledge, i can visit these lands and remember the horrid events that transpired here. Thank you Mark for your great work.

@daviddoran3673

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent! I researched and visited years ago.....read my other comments here..

@mesolithicman164

2 жыл бұрын

Whatever you do, don't surrender.

@Generalfund

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds....fun...??

@TheSpritz0

2 жыл бұрын

MAKE A VIDEO, link it to your comments here!!!!!!!

@ratscoot

2 жыл бұрын

No mention of this at the Bastogne war museum, the main tourist attraction over there.

Mark the 120 old veteran, been everywhere, filmed everything legend

@olivermorris8543

2 жыл бұрын

Comment of the year

@johannsebastianbach9003

2 жыл бұрын

Guess he is that immortal camera man

One of the best researchers in Military history anywhere let alone KZread. This guy really shows how history is more histories and more grey than black & white. Great great content!!

Wow! To see the footage of actual Peiper's testimony... that's just unprecedented. I wonder how much video material there are we've never been able to see. That's more valuable than gold. Thank you, dr. Felton.

@mjinnh2112

2 жыл бұрын

It's on KZread.

@ivvan497

2 жыл бұрын

You could have searched it yourself on YT. It is available for a long time.

@jameswallis6093

2 жыл бұрын

The entire Nuremburg War Crimes was filmed ,but all the average citizen is exposed to is sound bites of disruptive defendants,and the Judges in a loud microphone admonishing them to remain silent or they'll be removed,In the eyes of many legal experts ,the defense was unable to call witnessess,to question accusers.kept in conditions of prolonged torture.

@jameswallis6093

2 жыл бұрын

The actual reason in seventy years there has been 100x the exposure to the OJ trial, than the Nuremberg trial is because it was so terribly conducted.After the rush for Death sentences,a few years later a US Senatorial Commitee returned and commuted some of the more blatant travesties of justice.The media hyped Malmedy Massacre was big on the list,The second time around many of the prosecuting witnesses seem to recant the details,and implied they had orders.Others conceded to the use of threats of extradition to USSR,loss of food ration cards,and of course physical,beatings of genitals,and rape to defendants families.

@tylerhiggins3522

2 жыл бұрын

@@jameswallis6093 also this sham saw blame for the Katyn Massacre placed upon the Germans.

I see Mark Felton, I click.

@stefanmolnapor910

2 жыл бұрын

And thumbs Up!

@m.w.6526

2 жыл бұрын

@@stefanmolnapor910 Without hesitation!

I really enjoy history. Your commentary and look at these events is wonderful.

My father served in the 95th Infantry. He didn't talk much about it, but one thing he said was "After Malmedy, the order came down to take no prisoners. And we didn't."

How absolutely refreshing to watch a clear and unbiased documentary. Thank you!

"the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being" Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

@DutchGuyMike

2 жыл бұрын

And who was evil? The most typical answer is Hitler "because he killed so many people" despite the truth/reality being far different (of who's to blame).

@2394Joseph

2 жыл бұрын

Jeremiah 17:9 KJV: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

@Blei1986

2 жыл бұрын

@@DutchGuyMike they were all evil. GB and US wanted the war as much as germany, maybe even more. so did the soviets, well... maaaybe they didn't really wanted the war, but they knew it was comming

@gnenian

2 жыл бұрын

Theres no such thing as 'Personality Traits' is how others put it.

@Gunnar001

2 жыл бұрын

@@DutchGuyMike Good and evil doesn’t exist. Made up human concepts. It’s just people acting and reacting.

Your unflinching look at the facts is so refreshing. Your productions are so well produced and edited, they should serve as an example for any documentarian.

@yuppy1967

2 жыл бұрын

Unflinching to whom? Because we have been fed lies and misinformation since the end of the war about allied atrocities that have been hidden? This is not even scratching the surface, but I am glad one mainstream western historian is actually making an attempt to report history somewhat more truthfully than in the past.

@styx4947

2 жыл бұрын

@@yuppy1967 Of course we are fed lies,lol. That's what they are for. Think about this, about 100 years before, (just after the U.S. civil war into the early 20th century) America had no problems exterminating Native American Tribes left, right and center. It was thier "Manifest Destiny" after all. This is the way Hitler looked at the "East". Considering the Russian "Slav Bolshevik Pestilence" as primitives like the Apache, or Lacota tribes of the American West. I do not condone the Nazis or Hitler in anyway. But it goes to your point that some get punished, and others do not, even if the crime committed by the two is the same

@yuppy1967

2 жыл бұрын

@@styx4947 I agree. Also, there is the old adage, to the victor goes the spoils and the narrative.

@TanTannaRen

2 жыл бұрын

Amen brother!

@MrBrookcantdance

2 жыл бұрын

This man is a nazi apologist and homocaunst denier. Ignore him

As always, another excellent historical document. Thank you , sir.

"The first casualty of war is truth." It can be difficult to learn the truth, but it is better that way.

@swing2006

2 жыл бұрын

@@MW-bi1pi War has always been inevitable albeit guns blazing or through words and thoughts. It is never pretty.

I've learned more in a year of watching your channel than in the 25 years before finding this treasure of a channel

@mesolithicman164

2 жыл бұрын

Let's be honest this is the fun side of history. I bet you wouldn't have devoted so much time to videos about British social policy in the 1930s. And other such interesting material.

@lisandrochavez7169

2 жыл бұрын

@@mesolithicman164 Interesting for British people...

@jeremiahputnam8598

2 жыл бұрын

@@mesolithicman164 idk about fun but interesting yes. Truthfully I recently found out about the British pathe and have spent a fair amount of time watching those videos but social policy hasn't come up yet

@mesolithicman164

2 жыл бұрын

@@lisandrochavez7169 No it's not, believe me.

@mesolithicman164

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeremiahputnam8598 Most boys and men are fascinated by war, that's what I meant by fun. Reading documents regarding taxation and educational policy less exciting than seeing the SS blowing up a tank.

At that stage of the war most Wehrmacht elite units began to remove the sleeve insignia from their uniforms for fear of being misidentified as SS by vengeful allied units and shot on surrender. I recall a passage in the book 'The Forgotten Solider' by Guy Sajer states as much.

@thomasweatherford5125

2 жыл бұрын

I also heard an interview of a soldier who’s unit liberated a concentration camp where the allied soldiers looked the other way when able-bodied Jews were allowed to beat some of the guards to death.

@jacqueline6475

2 жыл бұрын

What elite units..?

@olroy17

2 жыл бұрын

My dad told me the same thing. Jewish soldiers did not want to be taken prisoner by an SS unit and especially at the end of the war SS troops either couldn't surrender or were given very rough treatment

@brianoneill4470

2 жыл бұрын

@@jacqueline6475 German panzer troops wore deaths head insignia on their collars very often they where mistaken for SS troops. I don't know of any other elite units that had such insignia.

@Autofire-nw5ty

2 жыл бұрын

@@jacqueline6475 Usually any unit with a name not a number, IE Führer Begleit Division, Großdeutschland, Hermann Göring Division. they typically had unit names sewn onto the left sleeve of their uniforms to denote the 'elite' nature of the unit. The book goes into greater depth as to what makes an elite unit in 1941.

These stories clearly shown how easily evil could spread among everyone. Thanks Mark for taking this out from beneath the carpet.

That was very interesting. I've always said that when the victor writes the history, there are parts that are polished over.

Thanks for that small clip of Peiper's trial, I had never heard him speak before, it was fascinating.

@terry_willis

2 жыл бұрын

The soldier with his legs crossed translating made a mistake. Here's what Peiper said, "Ich weiss nichts." / I know nothing. And this was before Hogan's Heros was even an idea.

@syni2012

2 жыл бұрын

you should look for the full peipers testimony from the Nuremberg trials especially about the massacre..

Brilliant as always - what would history be without Mark Felton!

@NathanDudani

2 жыл бұрын

Text instead of audio/video

@wulfherecyning1282

2 жыл бұрын

Aliens building pyramids, probably.

@TezKingboom

2 жыл бұрын

The same. You just wouldnt know about it 😂

@jeffrachau4305

2 жыл бұрын

Not in a very good place, that's for sure, LoL

@gort8687

2 жыл бұрын

told accurately lol

Simply one of the best history channels on KZread!

Thankyou Mark. Excellent Video as always

This is the first I've heard of a "revenge massacre" at Chenogne during the Battle of The Bulge - but I must confess to not being surprised. In war there is innocent blood on the hands of the troops on BOTH sides in the conflict.

@jwenting

2 жыл бұрын

I knew it happened, I didn't know the extent

@gwhizz5878

2 жыл бұрын

Then both sides are as bad as each other in this respect. Accountability for both would be good, but the winner writes the history books.

@elviadarkgrape2859

2 жыл бұрын

@@thomascolbert2687 bs alllied propaganda bro. You dont need to be so butthurt to comment that lie in every comment section.

@thomascolbert2687

2 жыл бұрын

@@elviadarkgrape2859 OH, it's "propoganda"🙄 Okay...

@silverhawkscape2677

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, "Innocent blood"

Thank you for also covering the Chenogne massacre and the fact nobody was prosecuted for it. Up until now I only knew of the Malmedy one in the Ardennes...

@samsungtap4183

2 жыл бұрын

Biscari massacre Sicily

@kevinmiele5289

2 жыл бұрын

the 1st massacre is always the TRUTH

@barryrims9098

2 жыл бұрын

there are no rules in war.. you kill our POWs, we kill yours....an eye for an eye....you treat POWs well...we do the same. The one who starts it always gets the worse punishment as in life, there are no equal exchanges in that regard

@samsungtap4183

2 жыл бұрын

@@barryrims9098 i understand if your fighting for your life and expect to die then other lives have little value, i understand that. However many of these atrocities happen under different circumstances ...in the Biscari incidence both defendants testified that their general had sanctioned the killing of prisoners ....patton should have been cashiered and sent home in disgrace. Please spare me the " heat of battle " or " a eye for a eye "...i think rather...... it's a matter of TRAINING, DISCIPLINE and MORAL FIBRE

@barryrims9098

2 жыл бұрын

@@samsungtap4183 War isn't a game where you start on equal moral footing...Your training is to kill the enemy to win the war....nothing else matters...the winners punish the losers. There are no such things as atrocities in war, it's war, which is already an atrocity to begin with

I love your channel so much. You give so much information and it stays interesting! I’ll definitely support you on your patreon when I can!

Thank you very much for this valuable contribution to history. Amazing.

One Canadian soldier said openly that if they had 1 or 2 prisoners they got rid of them, they didn't want to leave their friends fighting in the front to take care of those guys.

@understatedwalrus

2 жыл бұрын

A retired P-47 pilot said it was USAAF policy to shoot Luftwaffe pilots in their parachutes as well. There's never any shortage of crimes in war.

@RON-nw9si

2 жыл бұрын

What's the definition of a massacre? Shooting 5, 10, 20 or 50 captured troops? My dad knew a polish soldier fighting with the British troops and the killing of German prisoners was widespread.

@flak509

2 жыл бұрын

I read an account of a Danish SS captain who surrendered his unit to Canadians in north Germany but they behaved like assholes. So at night they stole fuel from the Canadians and drove off to find an English officer to surrender to. He said that many SS he meet after the war did not want to surrender to Canadians because they had a reputation. On the other hand I read of a German solider captured on D-Day saying the Canadians where respectful and professional, so who can really know

@McTeerZor

2 жыл бұрын

@@flak509 Canadians didn't take a lot of SS prisoners during the Normandy Campaign. Context About 50-80 Canadian POW's were discovered at several locations with range gunshot wounds to the back of the head. Indicating that they were executed. Canadian were engaged in a"To the death" fight against the 12th SS during this time. Once the word got out, the Canadians did the same things mentioned in this video. The higher ups, all the way up to rumored Prime Minster King, also found out. And explicit orders were quickly issued to put a stop to the killings. Atleast 100 12th SS POWs were shot in Normandy alone.

@vk2ig

2 жыл бұрын

In a documentary I saw on TV a long time ago, a British soldier was being interviewed. He said they came across a group of four or five British soldiers whose hands had been tied with barbed wire and had been shot. They were the crew of a Crocodile tank ... the inference was that the Germans soldiers didn't like people who used flamethrowers on them.

that image of the german soldier with the cigarette in his mouth is so iconic, still all these years on one of the most iconic photos of the war

@JosephStalin1941

2 жыл бұрын

His name is Hans Tragarsky

@shutup2751

2 жыл бұрын

@@JosephStalin1941 thank you i was never aware of his name, a eastern european conscript in the ss ? tragarsky doesn't sound german

@JosephStalin1941

2 жыл бұрын

@@shutup2751 potentially yes. It is still debated whether that man is actually Hans Tragarsky because of variety of different people have been suggested over the years but hes the most likely person, because his unit was in the general area and a man came forward long after the war saying it was him. He was born in roughly 1921 or perhaps early 1922, so hes about 23 or 24 in this picture. Its believed he joined the SS at age 17 in 1938-39 and fought in Greece and the Eastern front before he was transferred to the west in France where this picture was taken. The guy claiming to be him survived the war and died in 2011. The picture was taken by a German propaganda photographer.

@leccybadger

2 жыл бұрын

Dragon models captured his likeness in 1/6 scale many years ago along with other figures based on soldiers shown in this footage.

@thepub245

2 жыл бұрын

Does anyone know who the German soldier driving the amphibious jeep, smoking the cigar, in the film footage of German forces at the crossroads is?

Thank you Dr. Mark Felton for always bringing me such new and valuable historical videos! Because you are speaking with facts, I will totally agree with your point of view. Thanks so much for sharing!

Another great video, I always enjoy your history lessons Mark! :)

The 'real' History Channel right here.

My grandfather was an American front line combatant in the Ardennes for most of the operation. When I was a teenager I was talking with him about the battle. We got on the subject of German prisoners and the SS. He told me they treated regular army prisoners very well. Then of course I asked about the SS. He got very quiet and paused for a few seconds. With a very far away look in his eyes he said very quietly "We didn't take SS prisoners". I will never forget that look and the way he said it. Honestly it scared me at the time.

Another high end video. Thank you, Mark; DOL

Thank you to Dr. Felton for providing fascinating information and movie footage!

This unfortunately is common in long drawn out conflicts. The American Civil War eroded into a bloody slugfest as well. The longer these conflicts go the more it erodes soldiers moral bases. And you become truly numb to all the death and destruction swirling about you. Well done as always!

@robertsmeagles1030

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly brother

@robertortiz-wilson1588

2 жыл бұрын

That's actually quite a good example.

@gregnz1

2 жыл бұрын

the Nazis had no moral base,

@dougreid2351

2 жыл бұрын

Alas, 'tis too true.

@madcow9421

2 жыл бұрын

@@gregnz1 it was because they were Protestants

Absolutely great footage of Peiper testifying and the translator.

@kjragg1099

2 жыл бұрын

Quite funny how he actually spoke great English and corrected some of the translators during the trial lol.

@geerowr.6666

2 жыл бұрын

@@kjragg1099 Really 😂. Come to think of most of the Nazis spoke great English.

@kjragg1099

2 жыл бұрын

@@geerowr.6666 yeah. It wasn’t the translator in this video but it was a female translator who got stuck a few times and Peiper helped her finish her sentence in English!

@geerowr.6666

2 жыл бұрын

@@kjragg1099 Is that video here on KZread?

@geerowr.6666

2 жыл бұрын

I found it! He was so unbothered by it all. Simply toying with everyone.

As usual very good vid v! Thanks for your work !

Very interesting. Thanks so much for posting!

A very balanced presentation of events, accounting for stories from both sides. Your final statement makes for a compelling argument.

When you think you know everything about WWll...Then you meet Dr. Felton.

@stephensanderson6386

2 жыл бұрын

A can of Worms...

@kjragg1099

2 жыл бұрын

You never heard of the malmedy massacre? Damn. There’s some great footage of the trial here on KZread

@stephensanderson6386

2 жыл бұрын

@@kjragg1099 every army at some point has instigated total war.Churchill droped bombs on german civilian targets to take the heat off fighter squadrons..those brittish civilians now took the wrath of the luftwafa..can of worms...

@kjragg1099

2 жыл бұрын

@@stephensanderson6386 are you just spouting stuff like a crazy man hoping someone’s going to listen? What the hell are you talking about and what relevance does it have to anything on this video?

@stephensanderson6386

2 жыл бұрын

@@kjragg1099 yes.and in my defence its all a big can of worms..

I find it facinating that i, as a german, am made well aware of the horrors in Malmedy in school. But i never even heard of Chenogne. Not a single footnote in any german history books. While i fully support the teaching of the horrors commited by the nazies to prevent them from happening again, I am truly dissapointed in the one sided teaching. "History is written by the winners" Edit: For all the Friends that tell me how many german autrocities i might not heard of: You do not get the point!! These 2 events are linked together, and you cannot teach one without distorting the complete picture.

@barrykevin7658

2 жыл бұрын

Well said and unfortunately the 'winners ' of WW1 help create the situation that caused WW2 🙄 Nobody is ever a winner especially when seeking revenge.

@arthurgiles379

2 жыл бұрын

I'm absolutely certain there were lots of massacres perpetrated by the Germans that you were never taught about either.

@markwebster5749

2 жыл бұрын

Bet there is lots of German ones as well billy kid

@geoffhunter7704

2 жыл бұрын

It was a common policy for SS pows to be shot out of hand by allied soldiers as their infamous treatment of prisoners was so well known and i can confirm that orders went out to stop these shootings especially of officers as my father as a german speaker was involved with questioning them for intelligence in 1944/45.

@nickboshell4380

2 жыл бұрын

Yes they got rid of the nazis but then the yanks took their place war criminals don't exist in the so called free world they just all live in the USA

Wow...thank you so much for your work, this is all new to me!

As a historian I can only applaud you for the lucid and accessible presentation of your work.

@bowrudder899

2 жыл бұрын

As a lover of English, I can only applaud you, Tim, for NOT saying "an historian".

@resonatorneuronium5324

2 жыл бұрын

@@bowrudder899 an istorian

@bowrudder899

2 жыл бұрын

;-)

Ah , a Mark Felton video . This monday wont suck !

If a 97 year old former camp guard can be prosecuted for crimes against humanity, then any surviving veterans involved in the incident at Chenogne should be held to account. Patton already established a pattern of behaviour towards enemy combatants by his beliefs and attitude towards them during the campaign for Sicily, in particular the massacre in cold blood of German and Italian POWs at the hands of the Americans at Biscari. The use of POWs as human shields by the Allies during the Normandy Campaign should be looked at in depth as well. I would like to see Mark Felton do stories on both of these as well.

Your presentations of these events are absolutely stellar. It's a bit of a lost art. Thank you for the well researched & incredibly delivered content.

Where on this planet did you dig up actual film footage of Pieper's trial? You never cease to amaze.

@Ronbo1948

2 жыл бұрын

"Blowtorch" Pieper so named for his habit of ordering his troops in Russia to burn down everything in their path with flame throwers. A nasty customer. After many travels he ended up in France where he and his house were burned to ashes by French patriots who remembered who he had been.

@PadishahEmperor

2 жыл бұрын

Its on youtube is some amazing HD black and white -the bizarre thing is the very bored young lady translator who does not know military terms I was amazed -Im sorry I have tried to find it again

@andyz.5431

2 жыл бұрын

@@Ronbo1948 He only burned down two villages, because partisans from these villages murdered everyone in a German field hospital.

@AtheistOrphan

2 жыл бұрын

@@andyz.5431 - ‘He only burned down two villages’ - Oh well that’s alright then. (Slaps hand to forehead in disbelief)

@vk2ig

2 жыл бұрын

@@AtheistOrphan He burns down one village or burns down one hundred ... he crossed the line when he burned down one.

Excellent work, Mark....once again!

I think this may be in my top 5 Mark. Really well done for a grim and not-often-spoken about topic.

Heard about these several times in little detail always good to know more

Another brilliant video Mark, you have the courage to give a balanced view.

Another brilliant item Mark. Thanks.

History is loaded with actions and reactions. Nicely presented as always.

Thanks for educating me more. Can't get enough of your content.

Always delivering in terms of Quality! Thank you Mark!!

Thank you Mark, as a student of WW2 I greatly appreciate your videos.

I have followed this channel for years, looking at your subs now wow, you have grown., I'm so happy for you. Well done.

One I know of the other I dont. This is why I love Mark Felton's videos.

@europaprimum7050

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that's because the West obscures it in order to appear so good.

@VincentGroenewold

2 жыл бұрын

@@europaprimum7050 Yep and that’s war, this is exactly why countries and their leaders should do everything in their power to avoid it. It’s terrible for everyone.

@Roller_Ghoster

2 жыл бұрын

@@europaprimum7050 if you'd asked most German soldiers who they'd rather have surrendered too you can guarantee most would have picked the Western Allies over the Soviets.

“I hope we can conceal this”

@dovidell

2 жыл бұрын

I only heard about this today c/o Dr Felton

Just spent a week there visiting different villages and towns, facinating places .. keep it up Mr Felton!

Thanks for this fair analysis of the events.

I love how mark takes specific events and goes deep in them. My favourite history channel by a mile!

@luki188

2 жыл бұрын

Why Mile If you can Go light Year? 😂 Seriously its a good Channel i can agree with you 👌

@91harleyfxusnretired3

2 жыл бұрын

🇺🇸🏴‍☠️🇺🇸🔥🗽🔥🇨🇦🏴‍☠️🇺🇸 Anyone who brings a photo of Lord Stanley’s Cup to the conversation gets a thumbs up 👍 Red Wingnut for life! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🥅🗽🥅🇨🇦🇺🇸

Another beautifully presented piece of history, Mark. Jolly good show!

Mr Felton , thank you for the knowledge you shared with us :)

Great video Mark.

Watched your last Ardennes massacre video. It’s very intriguing to hear about these stories and you explain them with a lot of detail. Can’t wait to hear about this one. Keep up the good work!

Of all the channels I sub to, this is by far my absolute favorite. Thank you for the research and videos Mark Felton!

Mark: High quality content, as always. It seems to me that both sides messed up and stiffened resistance. Any time you commit to taking no prisoners, you pay the price in your own blood because the enemy will fight you to the death instead of surrendering. But whenever you mess up, you can always make sure you are still on the right side of history, because you'll be writing it if you win.

Excellent work mark ..very concise

Thanks Dr. Felton for making sure that no one ever forgets the atrocities of war. If we allow some to be remembered and others forgotten then we will never learn from our mistakes. Bravo, Sir!

@Joshua_N-A

2 жыл бұрын

Fighting yourself is bigger than fighting the enemy. While you fight, you need to keep the monster within in check.

@TRHARTAmericanArtist

2 жыл бұрын

@@Joshua_N-A - Agreed!

If they're killing any syrvivors among the bodies, that's either a terrible cover up or standing orders. Interestingly enough, in 1940, the SS also shot British POWs during the drive on Dunkirk. And those weren't isolated incidents either.

@daviddoran3673

2 жыл бұрын

Le Paradis was one of those massacres...

@danklauss6117

2 жыл бұрын

Interestingly enough, one of the first things I was told after I joined my Canadian Armoured Reconnaissance unit (in the 70s) was that we had been ordered to shoot German POWs rather than hold up our advance after D Day. The fact that we did this - and the fact that I later learned many of these German soldiers were 15 and 16 year old kids - doesn’t exactly shower us in glory.

@FLJBeliever1776

2 жыл бұрын

@@danklauss6117 - Probably that Waffen-SS unit called the Hitlerjurgend. Their brutality against Canadian soldiers in Normandy were the infamous stuff of legends. Though, After D-Day could mean just about any time. Perhaps Volksstrum, that is the right spelling?, in Germany. By which time, the Germans were at a very vengeful Allied Military's mercy and there was increasing little to spare for them.

@markusbuelow7871

2 жыл бұрын

@@FLJBeliever1776 Folkstorm Volkssturm wie Sturmgewehr - old man and kids - one legged soldiers one arm one eye ! Volkssturm ! Joke of Hitlers

@FLJBeliever1776

2 жыл бұрын

@@markusbuelow7871 - Indeed.

My father was right outside-4 miles- of Malmedy. He remembered the reaction of the gi's as different than what you're saying Mark. He said most of GIs didn't believe it at first. Then he said the attitude changed for the first time in the war in his experience. Said the attitude became grim and several soldiers displayed battle fatigue symptoms while others prepared for kill at all costs. He said they got NO orders except the comment that there could be no surrender unless you're willing to be shot- it was a fight to the death. AND HE SAID THAT THEY DID TAKE PRISONERS.

@legatusmaximus7432

2 жыл бұрын

@@willibrordusa.vanderweide2962 ?

@petepeter1857

2 жыл бұрын

@@willibrordusa.vanderweide2962 Your opinion doesn't matter.

@hb9145

2 жыл бұрын

Perhaps they did. As was not uncommon, they were probably told by their officers to take the prisoners a few miles behind the front and be back in 15 minutes. (The prisoners would then be executed shortly behind the front line.) I have spoken with several veterans who even bragged about their war crimes, believing that it served the Germans right.

@frankvandergoes298

2 жыл бұрын

Scott Dunham Wallace PhD, Both sides did take prisoners. Kampfgruppe Peiper took hundreds of prisoners and treated most of them very well. same as hundreds of members of LAH surrendered to Americian forces and were treated properly, when you read the accounts of veterans they confirm this.

Sticking to the fact's and Mr Felton is one of the few thank you for sharing.

‘The massacre didn’t sit well with some’, you don’t say.

@1970Phoenix

2 жыл бұрын

Makes you wonder about the soldiers who lived the last 60 or 70 years of their lives knowing the details of these (and other) massacres, but chose to take their stories to their grave.

@farqitol

2 жыл бұрын

@@1970Phoenix in every war/conflict ever....

@Dave174385

2 жыл бұрын

@@1970Phoenix As Rudolf Hoess said: "We were just obeying orders."

@JRCOBRA

2 жыл бұрын

And yet now days if you were to report a war crime you are labeled a snitch and get death threats like veterans in Iraq.

@mikloridden8276

2 жыл бұрын

@@1970Phoenix Its their way of coping, not speaking or thinking about it. This us why you have to be careful about what you ask a vet

You can make a video about the battle of Wizna were around 700 polish soldiers held a force of over 40.000 Germans with tank and Planes for 3 days

@nyancat4292

2 жыл бұрын

Baptised in fire, 40:1!!!

@neinnein9306

2 жыл бұрын

btw... my favorite plane of WW2 is the PZL 37. Poland fought brave agaist two enemies. And later was sold to one of them. No more brother war. All the best from Berlin. Niech żyje Polska. Niech żyją Niemcy.

@CoCoTobys

2 жыл бұрын

@ Its literly a historical fact. It takes 2 seconds to search on the battle of Wizna

@CoCoTobys

2 жыл бұрын

@@nyancat4292 Exacly💪

@CoCoTobys

2 жыл бұрын

@@neinnein9306 🇵🇱🤝🇩🇪

Love this channel❤️❤️❤️

Brilliant as usual. thank you Mark.

That has too of been the best explanation, and detailed account of the incident, I have ever heard, or even read of it! Thank you Mark Felton so much. WR,🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸🤔🤔🤓🤓👏👏💯💯 It was also totally unbiased, as history should be told.

Mark Felton Productions: what the History Channel should have been!

I am reminded of the naivete of many WW2 veterans when confronted by the Academy Award-winning move "Saving Private Ryan," in which there is a scene in which in which two GIs gun down several surrendering German soldiers on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach. The line from one of the GIs is "I wonder what 'bitte, bitte' means?" The vets were outraged that such an accusation of violations was ever made. War is hell and to expect Geneva Conventions behavior when a man is fighting for his life is a noble asperation but, in reality, must often fall far short in practice. Excellent presentation, doctor.

Always interesting, thank you.

Hi Mark! Hope it was a good start to the week for ya!

Let's face it. Everybody knows Malmedy. Nobody knows Chenogne. The winner is always right.

@alfnoakes392

2 жыл бұрын

Yup, the main Spoil of War is that the winner gets to write the Official History of said war.

Good video as always. This reminds me of a story i was once told from a British tank crew member. He told me when his unit arrived in Caen, the streets were lined with German soldiers hanging from lamp posts. He said hes never forgotten it. Thanks Mark.

@pebo8306

2 жыл бұрын

Most tragic,that that happened in Germany and Austria too--But they were hanged by their own Military police!----Thousands!

@codiefitz3876

2 жыл бұрын

GET SOME

@AbbasAli-gs2fm

2 жыл бұрын

This shows what we see in WWII Films are just one part of the story. The Allies can never take the moral high ground. The Germans were not the only villains.

This is a first class channel. Its much better than most TV documentaries.

I can’t even begin to imagine how the war could’ve messed up the soldier’s minds… on both sides.

@JavierCR25

2 жыл бұрын

@@MW-bi1pi He was a very strong man then

@Blei1986

2 жыл бұрын

dude, that was west front. it was disneyland compared to eastfront...

Hello everyone! It always gets me excited. Whenever I see a Mark Felton video.

Excellent reporting, you do history an honest service.

Both of my grandfathers were in WW2. Loved listening to their stories but these documentaries bring the courage and horror of the conflict to life on a wider scale.

I think it would be interesting if Mark Felton make some videos about the atrocities on the Eastern front on both sides

@jeffduncan9140

2 жыл бұрын

Daniel Eldred, those would probably be some fairly lengthy videos. So much to choose from.

@Daniel-ms9ks

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffduncan9140 true, but its something that people don't talk about often and the truth must be highlighted on the evil barbarity of the Soviets and SS

@jeffduncan9140

2 жыл бұрын

@@Daniel-ms9ks indeed

@revanofkorriban1505

2 жыл бұрын

@@Daniel-ms9ks Shouldn't be forgotten though that the main reason the Red Army committed so many atrocities against Germans was because the very same and worse had been done to their own people.

@Daniel-ms9ks

2 жыл бұрын

@@revanofkorriban1505 maybe, but that does not excuse the Soviets in any way, they were purely evil, and the Soviets were very cruel even before the second world war, just look at what they did in Ukraine with the Holomodor massacre or the slaughter they did in Poland in 1939-40 and many many more

Imagine not being subscribed to Mark Felton Productions...

@bobross8786

2 жыл бұрын

I would be getting subscribed

Excellent presentation!

Thanks again Mark

Winners write history, thx Mark for explaining both sides. Greetings from Germany.

@jimtaylor294

2 жыл бұрын

Napoleon lost two wars & was banished twice. His account of it all though [a losers account] became the dominant narrative. History is sometimes written by the losers as well... despite the illogical'ness of that.

@ULTRA_2112

2 жыл бұрын

Erzähl doch keinen Blödsinn hier. "Winners write history," Nein, tun sie nicht. Jedenfalls nicht nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg. Die Sieger des zweiten Weltkrieges British Commonwealth, Sowjetunion und Vereinigte Staaten konnten politisch unterschiedlicher kaum sein. Ein künstliches und dazu gemeinsames Narrativ zu schaffen, und das am Vorabend des "Kalten Krieges ist somit unmöglich. Du kannst die Geschichte noch so sehr leugnen, Hitler wollte den Krieg, er bekam ihn und verlor ihn. Es gibt keinen Grund, das heute zu relativieren oder zu leugnen. Und wenn man es doch tut, geht man den Heuchlern auf den Leim, die ihre Lügengeschichten zur Aufrechterhaltung ihrer rechten Ideologie hinausposaunten oder schlicht, um ihren Kopf aus der Schlinge von Nürnberg zu ziehen. Und Menschen wie du sind so dumm und fallen auf diesen Schwachsinn auch noch herein.

@goytoy3558

2 жыл бұрын

@@ULTRA_2112 Katyn, Chenogne. Different sides same lies.

@victorlazlow3227

2 жыл бұрын

@@ULTRA_2112 A refreshing and in your face reply to moral relativism seeking to rehabilitate the nazis culpability in WW2. Thank you for being honest unlike many replies I have read here

@antoneckhart6004

2 жыл бұрын

@@ULTRA_2112 winners write history? Then why has so many "history" books bring completely debunked to death. Why was Germany declared war on TWICE IN TWENTY YEARS. Millions are learning to truth about past wars and how the world runs, especially international finance.