By far the most common question we get is what we're going to cover next. This war is huge, in fact as its name suggests it does indeed encompass the entire world. That being said, this documentary is also huge, and once competed will be by far the longest documentary series ever produced on the subject, meaning we get to cover everything. That does even include the battle for Reunion Island. Thank you for working with us to make it possible to be so ambitious and extensive in our coverage, thank you to all who have signed up to join the TimeGhost Army over at patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory Rules: community.timeghost.tv/t/rules-of-conduct/4518)

@Ramzi1944

2 жыл бұрын

I think that by covering history this way, you guys are doing history yourselves, what a based channel

@bingboone9474

2 жыл бұрын

I liked the Star Wars reference hidden in this episode! lol

@Ramzi1944

2 жыл бұрын

@@bingboone9474 timestamp?

@bingboone9474

2 жыл бұрын

@@Ramzi1944 There is no fun in that. But ill give you a hint. Invasion

@QuizmasterLaw

2 жыл бұрын

Reunion, you say? kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZJxpmJuRd5yzqs4.html

"A communications disruption can only mean one thing: invasion" I see what you did there :)

@luulasmene7786

2 жыл бұрын

lmao I was about to comment that

@VindicAlpha

2 жыл бұрын

And Indy comes in with the Episode One reference with the proper context!

@matanbaruch7728

2 жыл бұрын

Simply Brilliant

@lordmartinak

2 жыл бұрын

that was so awesome :D

@forthencholordofadmirals2763

2 жыл бұрын

Glad i wasnt alone in noticing that

Indy do you ever sleep between research, writing, practice and filming? The world appreciates your dedication

@Zen-sx5io

2 жыл бұрын

Very much.

@ahmedcheema5183

2 жыл бұрын

Indy is a fucking king love from pakistan

@whocares427

2 жыл бұрын

Can't wait for the "Historians on Meth" special episode.

@mgway4661

2 жыл бұрын

@@whocares427 😂😂😂

@thebog11

2 жыл бұрын

@@whocares427 Too late! Indy already talked about his Pervitin experiences while living in Prague, and Pervitin is basically meth. I can't remember the episode, but it might be the one entitled "Nazis on Crystal Meth".

As a Réunionnais, can't remember learning that part in school. But most of the curriculum is mainland "Metropole" based anyway. Nice learning a bit of the island history during WWII.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you like it!!

@gregsaldi1292

2 жыл бұрын

I live in France (région Centre). This is a really great video and very helpful

@cosmedelustrac5842

2 жыл бұрын

I also live in France and learned a lot from this video.

@AdvanXer

2 жыл бұрын

@@stefanodadamo6809 They live in France 🇫🇷

@warbrain1053

2 жыл бұрын

@@stefanodadamo6809 as a guy living in a ex french colony, it is still present her xD

"History does not happen in a vacuum." No truer words have been spoken and this episode shows it. We remember all of the big land and sea battles but forget how WWII affected tiny out of the way places like Reunion Island.

@herrakaarme

Жыл бұрын

Much of mankind's space exploration history happens in the vacuum of space. It's even somewhat related to the war because von Braun really wanted to develop space rockets, not ballistic missiles. The Nazi government was more interested in missiles.

The fact that you spend the time to cover conflicts not readily known in much of the Western world as part of this series is commendable. I would love to see a book version of this entire series across several volumes.

@admiralsfleet2668

2 жыл бұрын

Would definitely love a book of this channel. Imagine an ebook with links to all the videos in order

@bisacool7339

2 жыл бұрын

I wonder why this is such as important cover in WWII. I can't even see its importance. Its just bs.

“But you know my show my rules” I’m not gonna argue with an extra episode

So Indy is a star wars fan then. Indy: " a communications disruption can only mean one thing, invasion" Prime Minister of Naboo in Ep. I: "a communication disruption can only mean one thing, invasion"

@kearki

2 жыл бұрын

Scroll down too far for this ; up you must go !

@forthencholordofadmirals2763

2 жыл бұрын

@@kearki i thank you good sir

@legostarwarsfan1662

2 жыл бұрын

Technically, Sio Bibble was governor of Naboo.

@forthencholordofadmirals2763

2 жыл бұрын

@@legostarwarsfan1662 sorry i figured since it was an indirect monarchy he'd have been a prime minister

@legostarwarsfan1662

2 жыл бұрын

Logical assumption. I just know way too much about star wars.

As a Mauritian, it's cool to hear mention of my country. We were part of the British Empire back then. So it didn't surprise me that the attack originated from here, being the nearest port. Thanks Indy!

@jackcoleman5955

2 жыл бұрын

The Captain Jack Aubrey series (which is the basis for the excellent movie, Master and Commander) has an incredible detailed battle for Mauritius and La Reunion islands during the Napoleonic era. Worth a read for a native, for sure!

@assaulter99

2 жыл бұрын

@@jackcoleman5955 Thanks for the heads up! I loved the movie so I think I might enjoy the books.

Whoa, the Ecuador-Peruvian War wasn’t some other war going on… it was the reason you started this channel…

@HugostarGames

2 жыл бұрын

it is the turning point of history tbh, after the ecuador-peruvian war, there was a new world

@theoutlook55

2 жыл бұрын

Jeje

Awesome video as always! I would like to add some further notes about Emperor Duy Tân: 1. He never had the chance to see his homeland (Vietnam) after the end of WW2. He died in an airplane crash in Central Africa in December 1945. 2. His father (Emperor Thành Thái) was exiled along with him to Réunion in 1916. Both father and son were staunch opponents to French colonialism in Indochina. As such, modern Vietnamese historians view them quite positively, unlike other monarchs in the Nguyễn dynasty (who have often been regarded as mere puppets/collaborators for the French administration). Unlike his ill-fated son, Thành Thái would be able to live his final years in Vietnam, having been allowed repatriation by the French.

@lehoang3532

2 жыл бұрын

Ơ, có cả người Việt xem kênh này à? :))

One could do a whole series on these forgotten actions from WW2. The ones eclipsed by the larger actions. Thanks Indy and team.

@Dave_Sisson

2 жыл бұрын

Wait until you see the forthcoming Battle of Brisbane video they announced recently. Who is crazier, Americans or Queenslanders?

On 2 December, Pillet, local army commander Artignan, and their wives were discreetly brought aboard Léopard as to avoid any popular retaliation. Aubert boarded the next day after lunch with Capagorry, Evenou and Barraquin, and the destroyer departed for Mauritius.

Sensible chuckle at the comminications disruption delivery

Hey hey hey. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of that "Out of Order" sign.

I spent three months on Réunion about twenty years ago. Absolutely unforgettable place. Thanks for telling this story.

Honestly, these less well known bits of the war, are always amazing to learn about. And their microcosms can often show best just how complex political relations were during the war, even in as small a place as Reunion.

Hey Indy, a cool story for you: a country that had a fascist government had merchant ships sunk by German submarines, which led to its enraged population to force the government to declare war on the Axis. Nearly 26,000 soldiers and pilots, some of them descendent of Italians, my grandpa one of them, are sent to war in fascist Italy in an expeditionary force attached to the American 5th Army. At the end of the war, the expeditionary force is hastily demobilized by the fascist government, fearing that the soldiers, who had fought fascism in Italy, might fight at home too. Years later, generals who fought in the war manage to withdraw political support for the dictator, which contributes to the end of the regime. This country is Brazil, an unlikely ally who sent a small force to fight in a secondary theater, but whose soldiers also gave blood and lives for Europe's freedom.

@elektrotehnik94

2 жыл бұрын

Can't deny that it's an awesome story though ^^

@The_Devil_Himself

2 жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/qXZ2z7KCYMWsgM4.html Indy did a video on the Smoking Snakes of the BEF for Sabaton History

6:10 this is where the fun begins

If wars could be confined to such dramatic, yet inconsequential encounters the world would be so much more fun. Here in California, we had the "Battle of San Pasqual," which is commemorated as a "military encounter." I love these tragic events that fortunately fail to achieve statistical stature.

As someone who spent a year stationed on Diego Garcia, it’s cool to see it on a WWII map. As far as I know nothing happened there, but it does have a shore cannon from those times.

@TheLocalLt

2 жыл бұрын

First of all thank you for your service! And yep today’s British Indian Ocean was at that time a dependency of British Mauritius, but both had formerly been possessions of France, which had settled the previously uninhabited Indian Ocean islands, and after the British took over the islands’ plantations were divided between older French and newer British companies and contract workers. Later of course during the Cold War, British Mauritius faced an independence movement, while America was looking for an Indian Ocean base after the loss of British Aden to a Communist takeover. Thus the British solved both issues by granting Mauritius independence, while keeping the now-separated British Indian Ocean, kicking the French and British companies, and of course controversially the contract workers as well, back to the newly independent Mauritius, while America brought in military personnel to construct a lone airstrip which would eventually evolve into one of America’s most important military facilities.

"My show, my rules" And thus the first stone in the foundation of Indy's dictatorship was laid. And I for one welcome our new overlord. May he teach us many new interesting things!

@tomservo56954

2 жыл бұрын

You and I....we're above man-made rules

My daughter and her family, love to vacation there. For anyone considering a fabulous place to vacation....and a great place to practice your French, visit. I never knew anything about it, but the history is fascinating!

6:08 I see what you did there Indi

Videos like this remind me why nobody can hold a match to this series. Not a single professional documentary has impressed me with details and practical information as much as you guys. Dissecting each moment and each day and week of the war gives a much more realistic and raw perspective on the war, both civilian and military. Furthermore, research is thorough, and not once have I seen something sensationalist and clickbait like many other channels (IE: myths promoted for views.) Youre professional as well as hard working. Good job guys.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! That's very high praise. The truth is that we could never do this without the support of our patrons and TimeGhost army members. If you can join at this link, if you think you also want to contribute towards making these videos: www.patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory

Indie, Thank you for doing this special on an individual battle. I have never heard of this before and found it very interesting.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!!

To settle the motherland vs. fatherland debate, know that in France we often refer to "la mère patrie" which basically means "the mother fatherland". Hope that helps.

Honestly, I can't help but feel like a (tragi)comedy should be made loosely based on this story. John Cleese as Pierre Aubert trying to navigate his way through the different political factions that suddenly revolt and seem mostly confused, planning a "heroic" defense with barely an army and broken old guns for a "massive" invasion that takes years to come and all of this for a small island with barely any value except for the locals. War is terrible, but this episode had me mostly chuckling because of how silly it all seemed .

@patricktorres4226

2 жыл бұрын

I'd watch the heck out of this. I remember there was a comedy movie i watched that made fun of the invasion scare in the West Coast right after Pearl Harbor. I can't remember the title but i liked watching it on vhs when i was a kid.

@Raskolnikov70

2 жыл бұрын

If that sort of humor appeals to you, check out "The Mouse That Roared", or the story of how 20 longbowmen from the Grand Duchy of Fenwick brought the United States to its knees.

@boatrat

2 жыл бұрын

@@patricktorres4226 "1941", is the title I believe you're thinking of. Made in 1979. Starring, among others, one John Belushi. This was the year after his more famous appearance in "Animal House". Should be highly recommended, as I remember it.

6:07 My, my, General Neidell - you are a bold one!

I feel like there are many stories like this one that deserve to be told. We remember the large battles but forget about the small actions. Thank you Indy and team for your work.

WWII is traumatic enough without thinking about the prequels. This is really good - I knew about the Madagascar campaign, but this is all new to me.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you learned something new!

Have you done a video on "The Weeping Frenchman"? I was surprised to read this was a frame from a news feel film shot in Marseilles and not a photo from Paris. It's such an ubiquitous image it would be interesting to learn more...

Nice little call back to The Phantom Menace at 6:08

Malagasy subscriber here. Thank you for this one, Indy.

6:09 this will not go unnoticed...

Also of note: Reunion isn't some random out-of-the-way island - it has a population of about 200,000 people at this point in time, which is quite a lot.

@the_bg_974

10 ай бұрын

There are about 913,000 people (2023) and there were about 860,000 people in 2020

That's an awesome story. And sheds a light on all the little out of the way places that had to cope.

Thank you for cover Duy Tan Emperor!

@VindicAlpha

2 жыл бұрын

He must have had a lot of fun going from hobbyist radioman, to resistance radioman, to actual military radioman on a destroyer! "I never expected to get this far in my hobby! Let keep going and see what happens!"

@GaldirEonai

2 жыл бұрын

@@VindicAlpha His hobby ended up making him a Lt.Col. in the french army by the end of the war. Unfortunately he died soon after in a plane crash.

that was a very cool episode. Merci Beaucoup

Was that a Star Wars reference at 6:10? Reference to Phantom Menace?

@Southsideindy

2 жыл бұрын

Of course.

TimeGhost likes prequel memes. Surprise to be sure but a welcomed one.

Well that was very interesting, now I’m wondering what was going on in other remote islands during the war!

Always love learning about the smaller conflicts and happenings during WW2 that get next to no attention ever in anything almost, even most history classes.

Make more of the unknown bits of the war at center, it’s very interesting to learn about those

What an interesting story! Thanks for a magnificent episode!

As a french , thanks you for this video , i didn't know about this battle .

After this episode I feel like any campaign that has something to do with France should get its own special, one of the most forgotten majors of ww2 and it can't be denied. Yes, they were defeated in 1940, but that does not mean they were not important and present history unfortunately sidelines France very much.

Nice reference at 6:10 :P

6:13 That reference was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

Thank You for this information!

Love specials like this! More forgotten battles pls!

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it! Consider joining the TimeGhost Army on Patreon, they're the ones who make producing all this content possible.

"my show my rules" my fave line

This was a great video. I wish you would consider doing more small-scale videos, I honestly find them a lot more interesting because they cover material that isn't as widely known as your normal week-to-week series.

Great episode!

Beautifully done, Old Boy!

Nice video, Indy!

These episodes about the French civil war during WW2 are quite interesting. Thank you, Indy!

The dude's hair middle-right at 4:10 be lookin' FRESH

I am mauritian and had non idea this happened on our sister island. Great work as always

Another great video Indy, You sir are the best..then there's all the rest.

Hi Indy Awesome episode.. Want more like this episode.. Little island gave more history.. Enjoyed the video.. Thanks..

I live in La Reunion and wasn’t expecting that video !!

Great Episode!

@WorldWarTwo

11 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Good episode. Great tie too!

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

I loved this. Thanks.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Wow, a Phantom Menace reference. 6:10. Never thought I'd hear the day.

wohoo thanks for sharing this little bit of hisotry. it's cool.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

This is certainly awesome. Taking in the whole sweep of French politics of the time. Make more of these. Never heard this story.

That hairdo at 4:14 was epic!!

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@oliversherman2414

2 жыл бұрын

No worries mate. Any news on hoi4 games yet?

A post WW2 French video about Vichy leaders and the new government would be awesome

6:10. A surprise to be sure but a welcome one

Interesting! I like the Vietnamese Emperor dude. It's like, "What do you do?" "Well, I used to be an emperor but now I'm a badass radio operator!

That..was something I never knew. Well done!

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Colin! TimeGhost Army participation means that we can cover topics like this, even if they're not the headlines of WW2. You can join over at www.patreon.com/join/timeghosthistory

Thank you.

Cool episode.

That unexpected prequel meme made my day! Simply brilliant!

6:09 A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

Interesting! Thank you.

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thank *you*!

I think it's fine to do individual battles if they are lesser known and geopolitically interesting. I love this one.

Obviously the most decisive battle of the war.

@augstinusterwoorst1292

2 жыл бұрын

real turning point, without it stalingrad wont have held, tunis wont have fallen to the allies etc.

This felt like Allo Allo! tv series episode

2:33 I think the tag of "Evacuation of Singapore, 1937" seems to be a bit weird here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the footage shown in question seems to be showing part of The Bund area at the International Settlement in Shanghai, China, as some of those Art Deco buildings (Custom House is the second building from the left) shown are still standing today. I think the buildings shown don't seem to feature in the skylines of Singapore City in the late 1930s, coming from someone from Singapore here who has seen many old photos of Singapore in the past. Other than that, a really interesting episode here, never even knew about Reunion Island at all!

@shatterquartz

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, the caption is probably a typo. The footage definitely shows Shanghai, the individual buildings are clearly recognizeable. In any case, Singapore was still at peace in 1937.

@gunman47

2 жыл бұрын

@@shatterquartz That's what I thought too, as actually I have just been to The Bund itself two years back, so I can still clearly recognize those buildings.

@TheIvanNewb

2 жыл бұрын

You're definitely correct, the dome building is the HSBC Building and the New Customs House is on its right (as you pointed out). And agreed, really interesting to hear smaller stories like this as well as the Chinese theatre of war, which are often glossed over in other pop history documentary series!

Fascinating!

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Ty

Vihn San is the real winner here, gets to leave his exile and get himself a respectable job, Im happy for him

The pun at 0:27 is priceless.

6:08 Nice star wars reference!

Becomes an Emperor/ Free French Radio Operations Officer. Those emperors always land on their feet no matter what. It's just uncanny.

He said the line!

Wow, I didn't know about this stuff and I know quite a bit about WW2

6:08 I see a phantom menace reference, you are winning more and more points

@WorldWarTwo

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, Quentin!

Love the star wars quote

In all my reading of WWII this is the first time I have heard of this.

What an interesting battle!

Love it how the Vichyites rumbled with the Commies. The whole scenario of the Dualist Republics .Vichy and Free French and the decsion to be one or the other,is worthy of much research and legacies forthcoming from Indy ! . Gaullist or Vichyites somedays its hard to choose.

This has got me wondering about what happened on St. Pierre et Miquelon during the war.

There was a third option declare their independence, followed shortly by declaring their neutrality.

@ToddSauve

2 жыл бұрын

Followed shortly by being invaded by somebody ...

@TwoFistsOneHalleluja

2 жыл бұрын

Independence? The situation of Reunion Island was never comparable to that of a colonized country. Reunion Island was not inhabited when the first Europeans settled there. It has no ancestral native population that could claim to be the rightful owners. The majority of its population are either europeans, or descendants of slaves. The rest descend from immigrants from Madagascar and the indo-pacific. The island is, in other words, European in essence.

@seneca983

2 жыл бұрын

@@TwoFistsOneHalleluja That doesn't *necessarily* prevent locals from wanting independence (even if that might not have been the case here). Iceland was in a similar situation and actually wanted independence (though didn't formally declare it until several years after Denmark had fallen).

Now I know where the Crocodile Dundee expression derives from - "You call that a knife".......

Indy looking spiffy again!