December 16th, 1944. Over 400,000 German soldiers launch a surprise attack through the Ardennes Forest, shattering American lines in what would become the Battle of the Bulge. But here’s what shocked American commanders: Germany was clearly losing the war, outnumbered and outgunned on every front. So how did they keep winning individual battles?
American veterans who fought in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam all said the same thing: the Germans were the hardest enemy they ever fought. Not the most fanatical. Not the most brutal. But the most professionally dangerous.
In this video, we break down exactly why German soldiers were so effective, even in defeat. From Hitler Youth training starting at age 10, to the revolutionary Auftragstaktik doctrine that the U.S. military later adopted, to combat-hardened Eastern Front veterans who knew how to fight when everything goes wrong.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Battle of the Bulge Mystery
01:55 The Training Advantage
07:03 The Eastern Front Crucible
10:40 Weapons and Myths
13:14 The Logistics Paradox
14:35 The Human Cost
16:09 Why the Allies Won
Credit to : The Dictator Lab