Can you imagine fighting in the mountains during the Great War? I wonder, if you had to choose between the high Alps, the western front trenches, being in a submarine crew, or fighting in the deserts of the middle east... which would you choose? If you would like to gain early access to our Sabaton History episodes and actively support this awesome project that we are so passionate about, you can do so by joining our Patreon community. There are some pretty cool perks when you become part of the Patreon family. Find out more and join here 👉 www.patreon.com/sabatonhistory

@2011SoxMD36

2 жыл бұрын

Given a choice, aviation is the only decision if you ask me

@Zeroless

2 жыл бұрын

I love the alps so maybe

@Kay2kGer

2 жыл бұрын

@@2011SoxMD36 aviaten yes

@PerdidoNino

2 жыл бұрын

Too claustrophobic for a submarine, so I'd say the Alps.

@SafetyBriefer

2 жыл бұрын

I'll take the desert.

It's amazing how Sabaton manages to shed light on some of the lesser known fronts and battles of the war. Despite being interested in military history and the history of WW1, this is the first time I've ever heard of the Alpine Front and the battle for Blood Mountain. The song is wonderful, by the way, and thanks for bringing some attention to this lesser known story.

@ReZel80657

2 жыл бұрын

The fronts in Italy in Greece in the Caucasus mountains and in Mesopotamia are often forgotten when talking about the first world war and if it had not been for the fame of Lawrence of arabia the front in Egypt would probably also had been forgotten

@ReZel80657

2 жыл бұрын

There where also several fronts in Africa and some minor battles in Asia and the Pacific ocean and those are also very little known most people when they think of the first world war just think of the westen and maybe the easten front but there is a reason why its called the first world war there were battles all across the globe even naval battles off the coast of south america

@Twittershouldceasetoexist

2 жыл бұрын

I never knew this battlefield existed!

@TizioRandom

2 жыл бұрын

Mate if you're really interested in ww1 you should've already heard about Italian front...

@jozebutinar44

2 жыл бұрын

@@ReZel80657 sorry slovenian at that time austrianhungary fight in there

I can never get enough of Sabaton history. Making music.. telling it's history... Just keeping to facts. No matter the side. Absolutely 10/10

@SabatonHistory

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot

@MrEgofreak

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. They're my favourite history programme.

@macekreislahomes1690

2 жыл бұрын

Welcome to the club.

I live in northern Italy, sometimes I climbed on those mountains and the feeling you get is really strange. You see kilometers of trenches dug into hard rock, thousands of meters high and you can’t even imagine how it felt to those soldiers. I also visited a mountain ( I can’t remember the name) where a whole summit has been blown up by the mine war. If you live nearby I highly suggest you to make a trip there, it’s truly amazing.

@DonPatrono

2 жыл бұрын

maybe the Lagazuoi, the top was mined and blown up to destroy the Austrian positions there

@alessandrodonato9803

2 жыл бұрын

@@DonPatrono yup, it was definitely the Lagazuoi, thanks

@littlenapoleon1321

2 жыл бұрын

Which region are these trenches located?

@alessandrodonato9803

2 жыл бұрын

@@littlenapoleon1321 it depends, I visited them in the Veneto region, but you can find them in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trentino

@TizioRandom

2 жыл бұрын

@@littlenapoleon1321 Trust me inf you want to visit those places you should go to Monte grappa in Veneto and in the Carso mountains in Friuli-Venezia Giulia near Trieste

My great-grandfather fought in the Alps and was left for dead under a pile of corpses. By sheer luck he was found still alive by a relative and nursed back to "health". He died relatively young after the war, because of the lingering physical and mental scars.

Another story about the battles in the Alps, the highest battle until the 1999 was in 1918 the Battle of San Matteo at 3678m. The Italians attacked the Austro-Hungarians by CLIMBING the mountain, it was an easy attack because that side wasn't fortified. Nobody expected someone so mad to really climb. The captain that guided the mission was killed by falling after the ice below him broke during the battle.

@acediadekay3793

2 жыл бұрын

what battle surpassed it in altitude?

@maledetto1221

2 жыл бұрын

@@acediadekay3793 the Siachen conflict, fought on the glacier between India and Pakistan, they passed 5000m

@radegastov1570

Жыл бұрын

But what about the Battle of Mount Elbrus during WW2? That was around 5000 meters high.

@maledetto1221

Жыл бұрын

@@radegastov1570 I'm not aware of any ground fight on the top of the mountain, only in the area

@radegastov1570

Жыл бұрын

@@maledetto1221 There was, I even have a video if you want to see it. German soldiers were occupying top of mount Elbrus, they made numerous expeditions to reach the top and encountered no people there. However after some time group of red army soldiers went up the hill and wanted to get it back. However the germans well positioned and equipped killed lot of them and only few were able to run away. I am not sure if there were any german losses, what was the size of the men here etc., since there are very little sources on this if any at all.

Nothing better than to start my day with a new Sabaton History episode

@riccardoricci937

2 жыл бұрын

Agree

@Tank-pl9hb

2 жыл бұрын

*except a new sabaton song*

@riccardoricci937

2 жыл бұрын

@@Tank-pl9hb That is also true

@nightowl9269

2 жыл бұрын

@@Tank-pl9hb although late. Why not both?

I like this song as it’s a mystery, what happened to this soldier? What did he go through? How exactly did he die? Freezing? Was he shot? Die of wounds from artillery? The song has mystery to it and it’s amazing!

@Checco-zr2zj

2 жыл бұрын

Probably was overwhelmed and killed by an avalanche (in December 1916 alone, several thousands soldiers were killed by the avalanche)

@TheJackx666

2 жыл бұрын

The song itself says, White Friday

@howardbaxter2514

2 жыл бұрын

They died from an avalanche. White Friday, which happened on a Wednesday (I’m still confused as to why it is named White Friday), was the day a couple avalanches buried hundreds of soldiers on both sides.

@macekreislahomes1690

2 жыл бұрын

I'd hate fighting in the mountains, being buried by artillery and avalanche, to die 3 days later.

@IsfetSolaris

Жыл бұрын

@@howardbaxter2514 it was called white Friday because that's when the message got reported to Italy.

I was rushed to the emergency room last month and as I awaited for emergency brain surgery to remove a brain tumor that caused a brain hemorrhage I decided play Soldier of Heaven over and over again. I just found the song comforting to listen to. Luckily they were able to operate the same day and the surgery went off without a hitch. I was feeling so good after the surgery I played Unkillable Soldier the next day on my Birthday. You feel pretty damn invincible after all that. I'm pretty much back up and running now like nothing had happened.

"Horribly battered from the flying debris" With a bruised nose for extra effect

My hungarian great-grandfather died in the sixth battle of Isonzo serving in the Kaiserjäger's Alpine company.

@damianomastroiaco2457

Жыл бұрын

Respect.

Me: A new Sabaton video. Awesome. I sure hope it isn't as emotionally devastating as The Christmas Truce. Sabaton: [Sad mountain noises]

Not all soldiers in the ranks of Austro-Hungarian elite Alpine troops (Landesschützen, later Kaiserschützen) were from Tyrol and other mountain regions. A young Polish philology student from Lwów (Lviv, Lemberg, Leopolis, whatever) Stanisław Maczek, somehow found himself in the k.k. Landesschützen-Regiment „Bozen“ Nr. II, fighting on the Italian Front and achieving the rank of lieutenant. He is better known as arguably the best Polish commander of WW2, leading the Polish 1st Armoured Division (also, as a bartender in Edinburgh). PS Speaking about _The Warriors_ being kinda based in history, as I understand, the whole plot of the movie is one big homage to/adaptation of the Anabasis, with New York gangs instead of the Greeks and Persians.

@ThumperE23

Жыл бұрын

Yes the Warriors was based on Anabasis

Thank you for this! I've been waiting to hear the history behind the song, which i absolutely love! I did a little of my own research but your explanation as always brings it to life. I can't imagine how awful the conditions were. I also have no idea where I would rather be in battle, it was all so terrible. I am so thankful to have lived in relatively peaceful times, especially as I have 2 sons who are now young men of what would be fighting age.

I hade a teacher who’s grate grandfather fought up there, my teacher gave me advice on keeping warmth during the cold carried down from his grandfather. Salut to the soldiers still up there keeping their watch.

Indy and Sabaton have done so much to completely change my understanding of the Great War.

I’m honestly curious to see Sabaton make a song about the Tuskegee airmen. Because I feel with the research they do for a song it would be great in history and for music to listen too.

@meatloafisgood2374

2 жыл бұрын

I just did a marching band show about them

Indy's channel "The Great War" does an amazing job showing the Alpine Front in detail. Great series you all should check out to learn more about the insanity of it all.

@panachevitz

2 жыл бұрын

By any chance do you know if there was a special episode on it? Like others, I find a new interest in the subject. :)

@calebitterman

2 жыл бұрын

@@panachevitz Here's the link to his on-location special: kzread.info/dash/bejne/oYiil8ONqZaenM4.html

@panachevitz

2 жыл бұрын

@@calebitterman Awesome! Thanks!

seeing that message on the stone in the end of the video, hit me even harder than the already tragic topic in the first 20 minutes of the video... it's always chilling to hear the storys from back then in WWI as this war was much more "personal" than just "push a button and count how many enemies you hit" nowadays... Thanks for this rather non-popular topic of the first world war, it came immediately to my mind after hearing/seeing the song for the first time, as I'm from the eastern part of Austria and immediately though "let me guess: combats in the alps ? - Biiingooo..."

Great historical pictures in the ice and snow. Really must have been a hell in the ice...! Thank you so much for another great episode of Sabaton history! Was waiting for this!

Sabaton: going to release an album Sabaton history: Business is Booming

@1orangutan656

Жыл бұрын

I already see the Meme: Sabaton History after Inventing Sabaton:🤑🤑💰💰💰

The most underrated front of WW1

Wow! I home school my kids and they soak in war history through the music and the stories. Amazing work all around with Sabaton and the history channel.

I've been looking forward to the Sabaton History episode on Soldier of Heaven since the song came out. I have to admit that I had never heard anything about Alpine/High Mountain fighting until the song came out. I'm kind of surprised that zero mention was made about White Friday, unless it is being saved for a Part 2. Well done guys!

Ladies and gentlemen of the TG team and Sabaton. I want to give my warmest thanks for using facts and never taking a side,while demonizing the other, your valiant efforts of history presentation and preservation made me use an unbiased view and use of cold facts when in historical conversations. Once again thank you ladies and gentlemen.

Men in the Alps 1915: It's just -35 degrees Celsius. We can carry on through meters of snow and dig hole into the ice. Men nowadays: There is one centimeter of snow and it's -5 degrees. This is an emergency situation!

@dkbrsl9486

2 жыл бұрын

I do freeze in 10 C :D

@nancyjanzen5676

2 жыл бұрын

I grew up in Wisconsin. I hear the sky is falling news reports of a few inches of snow in New York. I think what wimps as kids we pushed cars in worse weather.

@senditkevin

2 жыл бұрын

@@nancyjanzen5676 I live near Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. We have had a total of 4 ft of snow this winter. 2 snowfalls a week for the past month and a half it seems.

@Th3BigBoy

2 жыл бұрын

@@nancyjanzen5676 so true.

If the rest of the album is going to be as deep and as amazing as Christmas Truce and Soldier of Heaven, we've got another absolute banger on our hands :D

12 battles of the Isonzo. Makes the Western Front look like a napoleonic war of movement.

@riccardopio294

2 жыл бұрын

It's because the Italians considered every push as a separate battle, but all 12 battles combined caused roughly the same casualties of the Somme alone, advancing further on a more difficult terrain. The eleventh battle alone captured almost 9km of ground.

@neutronalchemist3241

2 жыл бұрын

After 1914 the Italian front moved more than the western front. The border in plain between Italy and the Austrian Empire was signed by the Isonzo river, so every battle was a battle of the Isonzo, regardless of the precise location. Battles on the Italian front tended to be brief and fierce affairs. They didn't last more than a week before the supplies were depleted and the battle had to be stopped. From that standpoint, battles like that of the Somme or Verdun, with months of slow struggle, all with about the same intensity, and so clearly no possibilities of breaktrough, seemed like madness.

Yesterday was a really snowy day here in Athens. I really felt like the concept of Soldier of Heaven.

Another amazing video! Just found this channel maybe 1.5 months ago, Sabaton maybe 2 months ago, and been loving both. Just got caught up on all previous Sabaton History videos,. Now I'm going to start watching some of the TimeGhost and WWII channel videos.

@Aliasalpha

2 жыл бұрын

Be sure to not miss The Great War, then you can join the classic "Was Conrad or Luigi the most incompetent man of all time" debates

@rutnoemichamie2035

2 жыл бұрын

Just commenting to give the same advice as Aliasalpha. Go though The Great War channel first; it's awesome and you'll learn so much. I also discovered this channel late (Sep 2020) and did kind of what you're planning. If you're done here, I'd suggest you check TGW, then the Time Ghost's Between 2 Wars series, and then WW2. Welcome to the club of Indy marathonists! (And get a comfy chair for your pc :P)

I love how the cinematic quality is that of major cable networks, however, the wealth of knowledge and information far exceeds the major networks. This is by far my favorite channel! Thank you for another great episode!

With that little song just before the history segment, I think it’s safe to say that the ”The War to End all Wars” soundtrack will be a thing

Thank you. I was waiting for this episode impatiently. Heard about The Blood Mountain, but only veagly. Choosing the Battlefield; I'm anti war, but, if I had to I'll go where The Polish Legion went.

@acediadekay3793

2 жыл бұрын

You would have to be insane if you read up on The Great War without developing a anti war mentality. Such a waste of human life.

I appreciate you guys so much. This is a great song, it's not my favorite, but after this history lesson, it's one of my favorite stories. I've never been to the Alps but I live in the Andes and I can't imagine how difficult it is to survive in those conditions

I've been in Italy 3 times in summer on vacations with family ( 2002, 2003 and 2004). Experience of standing in 30+ celsius degree heat while surrounderd on all sides by snow coverd mountains in not that great distance is just strange...

Sabaton history video means I'm gonna learn me something new today.

@SabatonHistory

2 жыл бұрын

That's part of the point Sweyn!

Bruh, my boi Hannibal really crossed these mountains in ancient time with elephants

Absolutely love this channel! Thank you.

I needed this today so much. Thank you for making awesome music, finding special tales to sing about and making interessting and cool videos about it. Indy, I hope you are better now and your nose did heal.

A new history lesson from Sabaton History?! Wow! What a great way to start the day! I’ve been looking forward to this video ever since the song came out! Thanks, Sabaton History! 😁

Gotta love this channel! Everytime I hear a new Sabaton song I wonder about the story behind. Here it all is! Thank you very much guys!

Thank you for this amazing song! I've waited for years now for a song about what happened around my hometown. Not many people are aware of this story which is an important chapter in the history lessons in our schools!

every so often I just go on a sabaton history binge. taking a uni course on history and its sucking all the passion out of it, so refreshing to binge some of this show. entertaining all the way through and re ignites the passion

As a hungarian thank you guys for covering something from the italian front of the Great War!

Sabaton History is fantastic! I really enjoyed the presentation of detail of the subject presented in the songs. Great work and a wonderful tribute to those that gave everything.

Hej från Finland! I can not believe I haven't found Sabaton before! I don't know how that is even possible since I have always loved heavy music and war history. This is such a winning combination: your awesome songs and the less known stories about humanity in the mids of war. I need to correct my error and dive into this rabbit hole. Thank you! Tack så mycket! ❤

There's so many amazing parts of this war I've never knew about. Thanks Sabaton for always peaking my curiosity and driving me to keep learning.

Soldier of Heaven Is the second song of Sabaton about Italy and seeing a Song about my country, about the war we fought, fill me with a lot of Honor. I goes to the alpines trenches and i saw 1km of rocks and fortification. Sooooooo interesting

@feathers3594

2 жыл бұрын

Oddio, ti dispiacerebbe dirmi quale altra canzone hanno scritto sull'Italia? Me la sono persa, pensavo fosse questa la prima.

beauty from tragic circumstances, thanks Par and Sabaton

Awsome video to an Awsome song. Now I'm spiraling down yet another rabbit hole trying to find all the info about this subject. I call that the Sabaton effect. And I thank you for that.

Thanks again guys. Another one that hits you in the feels. Indy your supposed to slide feet first, it's safer.

Thanks for the video. I've really needed my sabaton history fix lately

Thank you for this. Interesting, and important. Thank you for all that you do.

Thanks to you guys, I would have never heard of this battle until this song came

I come from that region. Thank you for finding this specific yet "exotic" capter of history. Keep up the good work, i like your videos!

Been waiting ages. Love this series

god how much i have missed these episodes !!! best of the best !!!

What a good way of waking up... with a new Sabaton History video. Keep up the great work, boys.

so educating!! great work!!

I've been waiting for this and it surprised me today Thank you guys for these wonderful history lessons

Great story, would never had known about it. Thanks Sabaton, great song!

Jeez, I had no idea of this part of the war, all they talked about in school was the Flandres and Verdun and places like that. Thanks for giving me this bit of knowledge too. Cheers / B.

This was fascinating. I've never heard this history before. Absolutely amazing!

Awesome video you guys, keep up the good work.

Det är alltid intressant vad man lär sig. Jag skriver just nu en bok om ett folk i en snö öken, och jag har nu fått lite fler idéer om hur de levde och kan utvidga världen de bor i. Tack för inspirationen :D

omg what an awesome episode, it's always good to learn new history! if you want a good book on mountain warfare i suggest you infantry attacks. that book surprised me on how much detailed it is. btw i want to see the battle of tannenberg covered in a song, please take it as a suggestion!

Sabaton is many history lessons on a whole new level 👌💪🤘😎

@SabatonHistory

9 ай бұрын

Thanks!! We appreciate you taking the time to watch our videos! :)

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!!

Besides great music, that was a great piece of history. Thank You.

Love you guys ! Keep it up !

KZread failed to notify me about this upload while I am subscribed and notifications set to "all". Thank God I checked out the lyric video to Soldier of Heaven and the history video was suggested by KZread below.

Loving Sabaton History!! Great song. Great episode.

Starting my day right. Listening to sabaton then looking up the corresponding sabaton history vid

@SabatonHistory

2 жыл бұрын

It sounded perfect to us too 😎

Absolutely out standing

Been waiting for this!

I can’t think of any other time when a channel dedicated to history ( The Great War) has introduced me to a band I like, it’s usually a band that mentions a historical event, but this is a great mix.

Funny. I'm in Northern Italy right now(Saló) and crossed the Swiss mountains to do so. I noticed the Chapels and churches, but never did I get any impression that there may have been a war fought on those mountain ranges. It's also incredibly sad but poetic that those who died protecting/assaulting those lines may now guard them forever.

Ive been looking forward to this

White Friday, I'll take the Stairway to Heaven I'm sky high, when I die I'll be immortal Another amazing sabaton history video

I love every single song of yours!!!!! The history Channel makes me love sabaton more :)

Yet a part of the history of WW1 not talked about. Thanks to Sabaton, for all the new listeners,an future historians.

I recall a video, The Great War channel, iirc, that toured a part of the restored positions in the Alps. It was eye-opening to see the terrain and features. (Edit: guess I was right, just commented before the end chat about that episode.)

I love how down to earth sabaton is. Which is quite ironic considering the video and song

Indy walking about this event takes me back to the days of The Great War, like I'm a college student (Which I am) returning to a high school class I took just to visit. How time flies.

This has made my day

Once I was in Slovenia and I have visited one of the battlefields near Festung Kluje it's near Isonzo where the Austro Hungarian 21st regiment from Čáslav (where I live) in novadays Czech republic fought. On the hilltop there is Festung (fort) Hermann, which was gunned by Italians. About 30 305 and 280 mm shells hit the fort, untill today you can find giant shrapnells stuck in walls, but only one shell penetrated. It was so well constructed that only 5 men lost their lives due to the shelling before they left the fort. But still going through the tunnel and seeing the shell scared hilltop hundred years after it happened was shocking.

No matter how much I hear it I still cannot believe fighting happened between mountains, nothing ever makes it believable. But it happened. I still am struggling to picture what did fighting look like, for example on a massive mountain peak with differing heights, where would the two sides be placed?

@scubbasan

2 жыл бұрын

The defending side would nest near the peaks with machine guns and snipers, that attacking side would be climbing around the peak with ropes, it really wasn't an even fight.. The surprise factor was the key to many of the successful attacks, which took place during the night, even scarier

@scubbasan

2 жыл бұрын

Also, there's recounts of peaks that were captured just with a handful of experienced climbers, who would climb silently during the night and stab the defenders in their sleep. Stealth was the best option for attackers, as they were an easy target from the peak above.

@icantthinkofaname7293

2 жыл бұрын

@@scubbasan So these fights weren't actually charges on a grand scale like the Western Front? That is very interesting.

@scubbasan

2 жыл бұрын

@@icantthinkofaname7293 Grand scale charges wouldn't be possible on those steep mountain slopes :) Up there it was a very technical, smaller scale warfare, where mountain expertise was key. Both sides had elite mountain troops who were trained specifically for that kind of warfare, not the average cannon fodder soldiers.

@icantthinkofaname7293

2 жыл бұрын

@@scubbasan but then what did the average soldier do? Just guard?

I always love the funny edits, like Indy 'climbing' the mountain.

This gave me actual, legitimate chills…

Ever since Indy’s old “Edge of the Abyss” Great War video, I’ve been fascinated with the Alpine front. The fact that the terrain made it difficult to even survive, and yet they still fought a war there, just blows my mind.

Indie: Nothing is light hearted. Also Indie: plays the Unkillable Soldier in such an over the top way, it's fucking brilliant!

Very cool, makes me think about Hannibal crossing the Alps in winter with an entire army including war elephants.

Been waiting for this Sabaton History episode since the song came out

That picture of the Austro-Hungarian soldier aiming his rifle in the Alps is one of the most badass pictures I have ever seen.

Where is the Unbreakable Soldier video????? I love y"alls new album!!!! Rock on!

Amazing

An excellent video

Sabaton are just awesome

Man why wasn’t I notified on this, I was specifically looking forward to it

@Thomas.Wright

2 жыл бұрын

KZread isn't very good at notifications anymore. You can subscribe, hit the bell, the whole nine yards, and YT still won't tell you anything.

@sstrykert

2 жыл бұрын

@@Thomas.Wright because youtube wants us fools, not wise

@AO968

2 жыл бұрын

It was set as unlisted. I'm guessing Sabaton patrons get to see it a week early.

@Thomas.Wright

2 жыл бұрын

@@AO968 I think they usually get a two-day head start. I think they forgot to make it public until now.

Nice music, nice video, nice history telling As nice as fine wine