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00:01:30My division was fairly new during Normandy, so some soldiers were still waiting for their equipment, but my reconnaissance regiment
00:01:38was very well equipped. This made us confident that we could defeat the Allies.
00:01:43Also, morale was very high.
00:01:51We felt really good prepared because we were old hands in the business.
00:01:59And we thought that the Allied troops coming over would be not as old hands as we had been.
00:02:10The experienced German soldiers used the terrain in the Normandy region of France to their advantage.
00:02:19The patchwork of small farm fields separated by nearly impenetrable hedgerows, known locally as Bocage country, provided the German army
00:02:28with an unlimited number of defensive positions and made Allied advances nearly impossible.
00:02:39The hedges worked very well for us. We could hide behind them and fire from protected positions, which made it
00:02:47difficult for their infantry.
00:02:48And it stopped their tanks, too.
00:02:51A German newsreel was there to capture Helmut Gunther, leading his men through the Bocage.
00:03:01This mixture of swamps, tall hedges, narrow country roads, and rolling hills, led General Omar Bradley to declare that Normandy
00:03:10was the damnedest country I've seen.
00:03:17We hit these hedgerows, and our hedgerow is somewhere as high as that ceiling right there, and maybe six to
00:03:23seven feet thick.
00:03:23And every one of them Germans had been there for four years, so they could zero in on every blade
00:03:29of grass, and it was suicide.
00:03:32The hedgerows themselves were terrible because they were so mysterious to us, and they were...
00:03:41You couldn't escape it. That was the only territory there was, and it felt very dangerous.
00:03:49Besides the terrain advantage, the German army also had superior armor.
00:03:53The Panzer Mark IV Panther and the intimidating 60-ton Tiger tanks fielded in Normandy were all very effective.
00:04:01Not only did the German tanks have more powerful guns, but they were also more heavily armored than the thin
00:04:07-skinned Sherman.
00:04:11We could outrange them easily.
00:04:15We could fire upon them from 1,200 meters, and they could harm us from 400 or 500 meters.
00:04:30So, we had a very big gap between our safe distance and their safe distance.
00:04:49I felt like that we had been victims of a tragic misunderstanding, because I had been to tank school, and
00:04:58I'd seen the M4 Sherman tank, and I'd been told that that was the best tank going.
00:05:01And I believed it. I believed it better than the German tanks. I didn't know that the German tanks were
00:05:05like they were.
00:05:07Our men went into Normandy believing that those tanks were good, and that they were equal to or better than
00:05:12the German tanks.
00:05:13When we got in there, it was a real tragedy to see. It was the other way around.
00:05:18Our division had fantastic losses. We lost 87 tanks going the first seven miles through those hedgerows. It was just
00:05:25horrendous.
00:05:27Stefan Barilak of the Polish 1st Armored Division trained on Sherman tanks in England, and once his unit arrived in
00:05:35Normandy, they developed an interesting nickname for the American tank.
00:05:42We liked the Sherman because it was fast and very maneuverable, but its armor was too thin.
00:05:49The Sherman was very easily knocked out, so we called it the Rolling Grave.
00:05:58The German tank best suited to combat the Sherman in Normandy was actually the older Panzer Mark IV.
00:06:04Even though it was not as advanced as the Panther or the Tiger, it was more maneuverable and had a
00:06:10lower silhouette, allowing it to hide behind the hedges.
00:06:14Still, the Tiger's sheer strength could often overcome any of its other weaknesses.
00:06:20Fortunately for the Allies, the German army did not have an overwhelming number of the heavy Tiger tanks in Normandy.
00:06:26The Germans had a total of something like 1,550 tanks in the Western theater, most of these, of course,
00:06:35being the Mark IVs and the Panthers.
00:06:38Unfortunately for them, only roughly 100 were actually the heavier German Tiger tanks, which fought so spectacularly during the Normandy
00:06:48campaign, even though they were only committed in small numbers.
00:06:52The more experienced German soldiers using their superior equipment inflicted heavy losses on the Allied forces.
00:07:03It often took more than four or five Shermans to knock out a single Panther tank.
00:07:09It seemed that the only way to defeat the Germans in Normandy would be with overwhelming numbers.
00:07:17Therefore, the Allies had to ensure the arrival of enough men and materiel from England.
00:07:22The centerpiece of this critical supply chain was a remarkable feat of engineering invented specifically for the Allied invasion.
00:07:31The Mulberry Harbor.
00:07:34It was a floating concrete port system, which was to be prefabricated in Britain and towed across the Channel and
00:07:44linked together off the beaches so that there would be floating piers big enough for merchant ships, freighters, to unload
00:07:53at into trucks, which could then drive ashore.
00:07:58That Mulberry Harbor must have been, you know, I can't guess now, but it was very long, maybe as much
00:08:05as a mile long with all these ships sunk outside to make the breakwater.
00:08:09It was just unbelievable the size of that thing.
00:08:13It was so nice to land that way instead of having to go off on the beach.
00:08:18The Mulberries were a success.
00:08:21Supplies poured across the Channel and the Allied lodgment area quickly began to swell with trucks and tanks.
00:08:31Then on June 19th, the situation suddenly deteriorated.
00:08:36A severe storm swept into the English Channel.
00:08:39Some transport ships were forced to turn back and many others were sunk.
00:08:45In fact, the great storm of late June sank more ships than the Germans could manage to knock out during
00:08:52the entire Battle of Normandy.
00:08:54The three-day squall badly damaged the British Mulberry and almost completely wrecked the American floating harbor.
00:09:04The funny thing was that although the British regarded this as a disaster, the Americans, with their tremendous capacity for
00:09:12improvisation,
00:09:12simply ignored the loss of their mulberry and went on landing supplies straight onto the beaches, just as they'd done
00:09:22on June the 6th.
00:09:23And the Americans landed everything their armies needed straight onto the beach from June the 6th, really right through to
00:09:34the Battle of the Bulge.
00:09:36Even with the Allied supplies severely limited, the German army was unable to mass a large enough counterattack to force
00:09:43their enemy back into the sea.
00:09:46The main reason for this failure was the incredible air superiority the Allies enjoyed.
00:09:58You could see the losses every day, and you could see that no movement by day on the streets were
00:10:05possible at all.
00:10:06I mean, it's a risk of being shot down after a couple of minutes or half an hour or so,
00:10:13and that made any bigger tactical movements impossible.
00:10:21And, I mean, every soldier in Normandy could see that from morning to evening, and only during the night could
00:10:29you do some crawling around.
00:10:37Neither army had been able to force a quick decision in Normandy, but due to the Allies' numerical advantage,
00:10:43the German forces began to realize that a stalemate was probably their only realistic goal.
00:10:54There were so many Allied troops, tanks, guns, infantry, as they have power too,
00:11:03that we realized we only could try to help our line to make a short step forward.
00:11:16But after the 5th or 6th day from D-Day, we realized we would never seize the coast again.
00:11:30D-Day, the total story, will continue in a moment.
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00:12:21Hey, is that what I think it is?
00:12:24Yeah, it's my new Wagner power painter.
00:12:26Well, can you edge with it?
00:12:28Yeah, you can edge like this,
00:12:30or adjust it to control the paint up close.
00:12:33And when I'm done, I'm gonna switch nozzles and stain my deck,
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00:12:39Well, does it clean up easy?
00:12:41Yeah, it's quicker than you think.
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00:13:21Hello, I'm Roger Mudd.
00:13:23Did you know that after 10,000 years,
00:13:25history has finally found a home?
00:13:27On the History Channel.
00:13:29For all of history, all in one place,
00:13:31call your cable operator and make sure you're getting the History Channel.
00:13:37We now return to D-Day, the total story.
00:13:44As June turned into July,
00:13:46it was clear there was no hope of a quick end to the Battle of Normandy.
00:13:50The build-up behind each army's front
00:13:52pointed only to a World War I-style battle of attrition.
00:14:00The Americans had made some progress on the western flank.
00:14:04They had cut off the Contenten Peninsula
00:14:06and eventually captured the port of Cherbourg
00:14:08from the landward side on June 26,
00:14:11when Lieutenant General von Schlieben surrendered.
00:14:19But the port of Cherbourg had been completely destroyed
00:14:22by the Germans before surrender.
00:14:24For at least the next month, it was useless.
00:14:29The city of Caen seemed to hold the key to victory in Normandy.
00:14:33Caen is the straight line from Normandy to Paris.
00:14:36Caen sits astride the N-13.
00:14:37Caen has the airports outside it
00:14:39that Tedder and the airmen absolutely had to have
00:14:41to operate inside Normandy.
00:14:43It was the critical point.
00:14:45The push should have been made at Caen.
00:14:47Monty didn't push at Caen.
00:14:50Montgomery's confidence and patience
00:14:52in the face of such slow Allied movement
00:14:55reassured the British soldiers
00:14:57but alienated many of the American commanders.
00:15:02He opted for a solution
00:15:04which seemed infuriatingly methodical to some
00:15:07and well-founded
00:15:08in order to hold down casualties to others.
00:15:13The Allied plan was for the British Canadians
00:15:16to fight a heavy battle
00:15:18at their end of the bridgehead
00:15:20to draw the German reinforcement
00:15:24particularly the tanks towards them
00:15:26while the Americans built up their strength
00:15:30at the western end of the bridgehead
00:15:32cleared as large a lodgment area
00:15:36as it was called as possible
00:15:37got Cherbourg as a port
00:15:40and developed a situation
00:15:44in which they would be so much stronger
00:15:45than the Germans opposite them
00:15:47who would have been weakened
00:15:48by needing to fight the British and Canadians
00:15:50that they would eventually break out.
00:15:53But the American forces were still trapped
00:15:56in the deadly hedgerows
00:15:57on the western flank
00:16:00As their casualties continued to mount
00:16:03in close-in field-by-field fighting
00:16:05a breakthrough did not seem imminent.
00:16:13Meanwhile, the British and Canadian forces
00:16:15continued their assaults on Caen
00:16:17still close enough to the original landing beaches
00:16:20to be supported by battleship fire
00:16:28Several large-scale Allied attacks
00:16:30had the British-Canadian forces
00:16:32close to the city
00:16:33With many of the surrounding villages cleared
00:16:36one final offensive was needed
00:16:38to capture Caen
00:16:42In order to ensure victory
00:16:44a devastating and controversial
00:16:46heavy bombing raid over the city itself
00:16:48preceded the ground attack
00:16:50on the night of July 7
00:17:00We felt that the British couldn't get round
00:17:03and we thought, well, they would simply wipe out
00:17:06what is left of the town
00:17:07And in fact, one evening
00:17:10the sky was so full of those planes
00:17:13it was a sign of power
00:17:15which was almost exhilarating
00:17:18and I had a camera
00:17:22and I decided to take a photograph
00:17:24but finally gave up
00:17:26and I thought, well, after all
00:17:28none of us will survive
00:17:29it's absolutely stupid or useless
00:17:32to take a photograph
00:17:35After Caen had been saturated from the air
00:17:38the Allied armor began to move forward
00:17:40in the second phase
00:17:42of Operation Charmwood
00:17:53The hole was there
00:17:55and with that, everything moved
00:17:57and when I say everything
00:17:59the whole division moved
00:18:00our brigade moved
00:18:01the brigade on our right moved
00:18:03the British moved
00:18:04the division on our left moved
00:18:06and the next morning
00:18:08we started off
00:18:09sort of sun up
00:18:10and we were into Caen
00:18:12I was in the center of Caen
00:18:13with Stormont Dundas
00:18:14and Blengares
00:18:15by high noon
00:18:18But the bombing before the attack
00:18:20had been so devastating
00:18:21that the city was in ruins
00:18:23and it was difficult to move through
00:18:27In fact, the entire city
00:18:29was not cleared for weeks
00:18:30because the bombing
00:18:31had created a virtual fortress
00:18:33of rubble for the Germans
00:18:36We learned afterwards
00:18:37there was many, many civilians
00:18:39that were killed
00:18:41and not as many Germans
00:18:42as they'd hoped
00:18:44The Germans, I believe
00:18:45had retreated
00:18:47a little bit back
00:18:49for the bombing
00:18:50and as the bombing stopped
00:18:52they come in
00:18:53and used the ruins
00:18:54as cover
00:18:56which again
00:18:58held the Canadians up
00:18:59when they attacked
00:19:02The city was so thoroughly decimated
00:19:04that even people
00:19:05who lived there
00:19:06had a hard time
00:19:07finding their way around
00:19:11I rushed to my home
00:19:13I rushed to my home
00:19:13and could hardly find my way
00:19:15because a church
00:19:17had been born flat
00:19:18The spire used to be landmark
00:19:22and I was almost lost
00:19:24because it wasn't there anymore
00:19:26and it looked more like the surface
00:19:28of the moon
00:19:29than the area near Kong
00:19:33Finally, more than a month
00:19:35after D-Day
00:19:35much of the city
00:19:37had been cleared
00:19:37by the Allies
00:19:38It was now hoped
00:19:40that a large-scale breakout
00:19:41could take place
00:19:42but a tremendous price
00:19:44in civilian lives
00:19:45had been spent
00:19:46to capture Kong
00:19:47and many questioned
00:19:48whether it had been worth
00:19:49the terrible loss
00:19:52God knows how many people
00:19:54were in that rubble
00:19:55and you'd see
00:19:56the French civilians
00:19:57coming out
00:19:57women and men
00:19:58with a little cross
00:19:59and they'd walk
00:20:00way up on the pile
00:20:01and they'd put a little cross
00:20:03on the pile of dirt
00:20:05and so on
00:20:05knowing that their mother
00:20:06or father
00:20:07or somebody
00:20:07is in that pile of dirt
00:20:12A poor man got trapped
00:20:14in his cellar
00:20:15and was never saved
00:20:17He died of suffocation
00:20:19and he kept a diary
00:20:24and, well, probably very short
00:20:26but the last sentence he wrote
00:20:29was
00:20:31I know that I'm dying
00:20:33and it's a terrible feeling
00:20:34to think
00:20:35that I shall never see
00:20:37the liberation
00:20:38I have been hoping for
00:20:40for such a long time
00:20:41but since
00:20:43I know that
00:20:44because of my death
00:20:45other people
00:20:46will be liberated
00:20:47long live France
00:20:49long live their lives
00:20:52D-Day
00:20:53the total story
00:20:55will continue
00:20:55in a moment
00:20:59Pittsburgh
00:21:00Pittsburgh
00:21:00legendary for tough steel
00:21:02is legendary
00:21:03for an even tougher paint
00:21:05Pittsburgh paints
00:21:07paints that smooth on easily
00:21:10cover completely
00:21:11and dry quickly
00:21:12to a lasting sheen
00:21:15you put a lot of pride
00:21:17into your home
00:21:18protect it with a paint
00:21:20legendary for toughness
00:21:21Pittsburgh paints
00:21:23you work too hard
00:21:25to paint with anything less
00:21:29we inspect the porcelain
00:21:30on steel surface
00:21:31for durability
00:21:32check the triple burners
00:21:33to heat evenly
00:21:34and the precise angle
00:21:36of the steel bars
00:21:37to eliminate flare-ups
00:21:38we test every gas valve
00:21:40and gauge for accuracy
00:21:41and even evaluate
00:21:42the swing-up tables
00:21:43for maximum utility
00:21:45the Weber gas barbecue
00:21:47of all the testing
00:21:48examining and retesting
00:21:50that goes into it
00:21:50the true test
00:21:52is what comes out of it
00:21:55if it's Weber
00:21:56it's great outdoors
00:21:59I'd like to tell you
00:22:00about a company
00:22:01you may have heard of
00:22:03called American Standard
00:22:07sure
00:22:07I know what you're thinking
00:22:08American Standard
00:22:10those are the guys
00:22:10that make toilets
00:22:13true
00:22:14but that's only part
00:22:15of the picture
00:22:16they're actually
00:22:17a global company
00:22:19in fact
00:22:20they're the leading
00:22:21foreign producer
00:22:22of plumbing products
00:22:23in China
00:22:25and if you've heard
00:22:26of Trane Air Conditioners
00:22:27that's an American
00:22:29Standard company too
00:22:30they're one of the
00:22:31largest makers
00:22:31of commercial air
00:22:32conditioning systems
00:22:33in the world
00:22:34so
00:22:36American Standard
00:22:37does a lot more
00:22:39than just make toilets
00:22:45oh yeah
00:22:46their WABCO division
00:22:48created the
00:22:49anti-lock braking system
00:22:50found on half the
00:22:51heavy commercial vehicles
00:22:52built in Europe today
00:22:54American Standard
00:22:55more than you ever
00:22:57expected
00:22:59hello
00:22:59I'm Roger Mudd
00:23:00did you know
00:23:01that after 10,000 years
00:23:03history has finally
00:23:04found a home
00:23:05on the History Channel
00:23:0610,000 years
00:23:08are too long
00:23:09this is the day
00:23:11and yesterday
00:23:12never looked better
00:23:13thanks to the best
00:23:14documentaries
00:23:14movies
00:23:15and miniseries
00:23:16that history
00:23:17has to offer
00:23:17history
00:23:19I'd be grateful to you
00:23:20for all of history
00:23:22all in one place
00:23:23call your cable operator
00:23:25and make sure
00:23:25you're getting
00:23:26the History Channel
00:23:30we now return
00:23:31to D-Day
00:23:32the Tokyo Story
00:23:3710 days after
00:23:38entering Cannes
00:23:39the British
00:23:39and Canadian forces
00:23:40were still trying
00:23:41to force the German army
00:23:43out of this maze
00:23:44of rubble
00:23:47the Americans
00:23:48were nearing
00:23:48the end
00:23:49of the hedgerow country
00:23:50on the western flank
00:23:51near the town
00:23:52of Saint-Lô
00:23:52but progress
00:23:54was slow
00:23:54and the casualties
00:23:55were severe
00:23:59in order to relieve
00:24:00pressure on the Americans
00:24:01another large
00:24:02armoured attack
00:24:03was launched
00:24:04by the British
00:24:04and Canadians
00:24:05once again
00:24:06preceded by heavy bombers
00:24:07hopes were high
00:24:09could this finally
00:24:10be the breakout
00:24:16there was a great big armoured battle
00:24:18called Operation Goodwood
00:24:20on July the 18th
00:24:22which was partly
00:24:24an attempt to
00:24:26have a battle
00:24:28with the German armour
00:24:28but also
00:24:29an attempt to break out
00:24:31if a breakout was achieved
00:24:33in fact
00:24:34it was a German victory
00:24:35and Goodwood
00:24:36saw a terrible loss
00:24:38of British tanks
00:24:39for no major capture
00:24:42of ground
00:24:44that was the only time
00:24:46our regiment
00:24:48had to attack
00:24:49going forward
00:24:51was a drive
00:24:53by the British
00:24:54from the north east
00:24:55to south west
00:24:56south of Kham
00:24:57and we came
00:24:59into the side
00:25:01we
00:25:02pushed them back
00:25:03about
00:25:05five to six kilometres
00:25:07and
00:25:09suddenly
00:25:10suddenly we
00:25:11thought
00:25:13oh
00:25:13it works
00:25:15we may do it
00:25:17when there came
00:25:18the fighter bombers
00:25:20and
00:25:21we were
00:25:22tripped
00:25:23and it became
00:25:25dark
00:25:25and
00:25:26we were all
00:25:27mixed up
00:25:29Englishmen there
00:25:30we there
00:25:30Canadians there
00:25:31it was a
00:25:32big mixture
00:25:37Operation Goodwood
00:25:38had managed
00:25:39only to finish
00:25:40clearing the city
00:25:40of Kham
00:25:41a breakout
00:25:42had not been
00:25:43achieved
00:25:45in addition
00:25:46there was
00:25:46concern
00:25:47about the use
00:25:47of heavy bombers
00:25:48near the battlefront
00:25:50friendly fire
00:25:51was a devastating
00:25:52side effect
00:25:53of close air
00:25:53support
00:25:54in Normandy
00:26:00I remember
00:26:00the 51st
00:26:01Highland Division
00:26:02was attached
00:26:02to the
00:26:03I believe
00:26:03to the Canadian
00:26:04Army
00:26:05and
00:26:06they came
00:26:07walking up
00:26:07right directly
00:26:08behind our tanks
00:26:09and you could see
00:26:09them
00:26:09they're going
00:26:10up to the front
00:26:10to fight
00:26:11and there tears
00:26:11in all their eyes
00:26:12because they probably
00:26:13lost half their buddies
00:26:16it just makes you
00:26:17feel so bad
00:26:17to see people
00:26:18in that condition
00:26:19and still have
00:26:20to go fight
00:26:26a week after
00:26:27Operation Goodwood's
00:26:28failure
00:26:28the Americans
00:26:29were ready
00:26:30to attempt
00:26:30a breakout
00:26:31of their own
00:26:31they had captured
00:26:33the town of
00:26:33Saint-Lô
00:26:34and finally
00:26:34faced open ground
00:26:36instead of
00:26:36hedgerows
00:26:37in front of them
00:26:41the soldier
00:26:42in charge
00:26:42of leading
00:26:42Operation Cobra
00:26:43was the aggressive
00:26:44and confident
00:26:45George S. Patton Jr.
00:26:48a man who had
00:26:48never been afraid
00:26:49to take risks
00:26:50Patton sent
00:26:51his armored spearheads
00:26:52charging through
00:26:53the weakened
00:26:53German lines
00:26:54as soon as
00:26:55Bradley had given
00:26:56him command
00:26:56of 3rd Army
00:27:03Patton was brought
00:27:03into action
00:27:04at the end
00:27:04of July
00:27:06and 3rd Army
00:27:08was activated
00:27:09and it was
00:27:10an ideal situation
00:27:12for Patton
00:27:12he had an open
00:27:13field in front of him
00:27:14at one point
00:27:143rd Army was attacking
00:27:15in all four
00:27:16directions at once
00:27:17with Troy Middleton's
00:27:19corps headed
00:27:19for Brittany
00:27:20and Brest
00:27:21other corps
00:27:22going towards
00:27:22Falaise
00:27:23towards Paris
00:27:24and then
00:27:25straight east
00:27:25towards the
00:27:26German border
00:27:28once again
00:27:29the Allied advance
00:27:30began with support
00:27:31from the ever-present
00:27:32air forces
00:27:36the first
00:27:37flight
00:27:38came and started
00:27:39at 10.30
00:27:39in the morning
00:27:40and they came
00:27:41with 900B-26 bombers
00:27:43that's a medium bomber
00:27:44they were flying
00:27:44about 11,000 feet
00:27:46and these planes
00:27:46could carry
00:27:472 or 3 tons
00:27:47of bombs each
00:27:52then came
00:27:52in 1700B-17s
00:27:54and that was awesome
00:27:55I mean you could
00:27:56just look back
00:27:56and look at the rear
00:27:57and it was like
00:27:58a big gray snake
00:27:59in the cloud
00:27:59just coming
00:28:00for miles
00:28:00just far back
00:28:01you could see
00:28:01with planes
00:28:02and it went on
00:28:03that attack
00:28:04went on
00:28:05for 3 solid hours
00:28:08we realized
00:28:09that once the
00:28:10breakthrough started
00:28:10the armor was going
00:28:11to move
00:28:11we hoped
00:28:12very rapidly
00:28:14and the infantry
00:28:14would not be able
00:28:15to keep up with them
00:28:16and therefore
00:28:17the flanks
00:28:17of the armored division
00:28:18were going to be
00:28:18exposed for maybe
00:28:193 or 4 hours
00:28:20and until the infantry
00:28:22could get up
00:28:22and seal off
00:28:23these flanks
00:28:23and consolidate them
00:28:25they assigned
00:28:26the air force
00:28:27a mission
00:28:28to create a bomb line
00:28:30and any time
00:28:30the Germans
00:28:31tried to cross
00:28:31that bomb line
00:28:32to attack them
00:28:35the Allied soldiers
00:28:36were now
00:28:37battle-hardened veterans
00:28:38familiar with
00:28:39the tricks of the trade
00:28:40they combined
00:28:41air power
00:28:42artillery
00:28:42armor
00:28:43and infantry
00:28:44with incredible
00:28:44efficiency
00:28:45during the breakout
00:28:46of Operation Cobra
00:28:52the Americans
00:28:53moved further
00:28:53in one day
00:28:54than they had
00:28:55in six weeks
00:28:58they moved 900 yards
00:28:59in the first 45 minutes
00:29:01that's more
00:29:01than they'd been able
00:29:01to move in 2 or 3 days
00:29:02before then
00:29:04the German reserves
00:29:06that were in that area
00:29:07were completely obliterated
00:29:09and so
00:29:09in 17 miles
00:29:11with a heavy air bombardment
00:29:13we lost 2 tanks
00:29:15prior to that
00:29:16trying to go
00:29:178 miles
00:29:17in a hedgerow
00:29:18we lost 87 tanks
00:29:21if we were
00:29:23in equal numbers
00:29:24or
00:29:25say
00:29:261 to 2
00:29:27or 1 to 3
00:29:30but
00:29:30that was
00:29:32nearly never
00:29:33the case
00:29:35so
00:29:36the rest of
00:29:37Europe
00:29:37came around us
00:29:39and knocked us
00:29:40from the sides
00:29:43Hitler ordered
00:29:45a counterattack
00:29:45back on August 2nd
00:29:46aimed at the town
00:29:47of Mortan
00:29:48to cut Patton
00:29:49off from his supplies
00:29:50but the divisions
00:29:52that Hitler
00:29:52was throwing
00:29:53into battle
00:29:54were at a fraction
00:29:55of their original strength
00:29:56in addition
00:29:57allied intelligence
00:29:59became aware
00:29:59of the counterattack
00:30:00several hours
00:30:01before it started
00:30:04the offensive
00:30:06gained some ground
00:30:07but never seriously
00:30:08threatened the allies
00:30:09what it had done
00:30:11was to deny
00:30:12the German army
00:30:13a chance to retreat
00:30:14from Normandy
00:30:18for some of the allied leaders
00:30:20the success
00:30:21of Operation Cobra
00:30:22had validated
00:30:23Montgomery's battle plan
00:30:26the strategy had worked
00:30:27the British
00:30:28had got the German armor
00:30:29up to their end
00:30:30of the battlefield
00:30:30and they had weakened
00:30:32the Germans
00:30:33at the American end
00:30:33of the battlefield
00:30:34sufficiently
00:30:34for the American punch
00:30:36when it came
00:30:37to go through
00:30:38the German front
00:30:39and lead to this
00:30:40dramatic
00:30:41breakout
00:30:42led by Patton's
00:30:43third army
00:30:45but for many
00:30:46in the allied camp
00:30:47particularly
00:30:48the Americans
00:30:49the breakout
00:30:50was a bittersweet victory
00:30:52they felt that
00:30:53Montgomery had failed
00:30:54to push hard enough
00:30:55at Khan
00:30:56after D-Day
00:30:57and then
00:30:58had the audacity
00:30:59to take credit
00:31:00for the eventual breakout
00:31:03now here is where
00:31:05the Americans
00:31:05of course
00:31:06got so furious
00:31:07with Montgomery
00:31:08they couldn't stand
00:31:08to be in his presence
00:31:10he had promised Khan
00:31:12on D-Day
00:31:12and he didn't get it
00:31:13then he promised Khan
00:31:15an Operation Goodwood
00:31:16early in July
00:31:17and he didn't get it
00:31:19eventually the breakout
00:31:20came of course
00:31:21with Bradley
00:31:21on the right flank
00:31:22at St. Lowe
00:31:23in Operation Cobra
00:31:24and then Monty
00:31:25had the gall
00:31:26to say
00:31:26that was always my plan
00:31:28I had always intended
00:31:29to hold on the left
00:31:30at Khan
00:31:31and break out
00:31:32with the Americans
00:31:32on the right
00:31:33through St. Lowe
00:31:34and you guys
00:31:34just didn't understand
00:31:35my plan
00:31:36because you're not
00:31:36military professionals
00:31:37like I am
00:31:39Monty's concern
00:31:40was to hold down
00:31:41casualties
00:31:43which is admirable
00:31:45on the other hand
00:31:46from the American
00:31:47point of view
00:31:47the way you hold down
00:31:48casualties
00:31:49is to win the war
00:31:49quickly
00:31:50you don't hold down
00:31:51casualties
00:31:52by sitting in a
00:31:53defensive position
00:31:53letting the enemy
00:31:54attack you
00:31:55you win by bold strokes
00:31:57and you win quickly
00:31:58and that way
00:31:59you keep the casualties
00:32:00down
00:32:01I think Monty
00:32:02is very much at fault
00:32:03for his caution
00:32:05that he could have
00:32:05had Khan
00:32:06on day two or three
00:32:07that the direct road
00:32:08to Paris
00:32:08then would have been
00:32:09open
00:32:09and the Germans
00:32:10would have had
00:32:10to retreat
00:32:11out of Normandy
00:32:11and that whole
00:32:12terrible bloody
00:32:13hedgerow fighting
00:32:14wouldn't have had
00:32:15to have happened
00:32:15at all
00:32:17D-Day
00:32:18the total story
00:32:19will continue
00:32:20in a moment
00:32:27weeds keep
00:32:28coming back
00:32:30then kill the roots
00:32:32with Roundup
00:32:33no root
00:32:34no weed
00:32:35no problem
00:32:36Roundup
00:32:37got something
00:32:38different for your
00:32:39sensitive teeth
00:32:39well you can take
00:32:40it back
00:32:41my dentist wants
00:32:42me to use
00:32:42Sensodyne
00:32:43this is Sensodyne
00:32:44Sensodyne with
00:32:45baking soda
00:32:46no pain
00:32:47my mouth feels
00:32:48fresh and clean
00:32:49Sensodyne with
00:32:50baking soda
00:32:51all you feel
00:32:51is fresh and clean
00:32:53want to make
00:32:54painting easier
00:32:55change your roller
00:32:56to a Wagner
00:32:57cordless power roller
00:32:59there's less mess
00:33:00less hassle
00:33:01and less bending
00:33:02over
00:33:03because you control
00:33:04the flow of paint
00:33:05so you can just
00:33:06keep on rolling
00:33:07in fact with the
00:33:09power roller
00:33:09and its accessories
00:33:10you'll get
00:33:11professional results
00:33:12nearly twice as fast
00:33:14it even turns
00:33:15clean up into an easy
00:33:16job
00:33:16so get a cordless
00:33:17power roller
00:33:18from Wagner
00:33:19and transform
00:33:20every room
00:33:21in your house
00:33:23the A&E special
00:33:25presentation
00:33:25D-Day
00:33:26will continue
00:33:27after these messages
00:33:33step into the past
00:33:35with the History Channel
00:33:36travel back for the week's
00:33:38big event
00:33:39on History Sunday
00:33:40spend the finest
00:33:42hours of your evenings
00:33:43with movies in time
00:33:45or journey through
00:33:47the tunnels of time
00:33:48with the best documentaries
00:33:50that history has to offer
00:33:51on History Alive
00:33:53for all of history
00:33:54all in one place
00:33:56call your cable company
00:33:58and ask them to carry
00:33:59the History Channel
00:34:02your calendar is filling up
00:34:04every weeknight
00:34:05with people who make you laugh
00:34:07make you scream
00:34:09and make your day
00:34:11each night on A&E
00:34:12there are people with new ideas
00:34:14men with a new deal
00:34:15and the deal makers
00:34:17you can spend your time
00:34:19with beautiful people
00:34:20electric personalities
00:34:22and even the first electrician
00:34:24a nightly date
00:34:26that's good for the soul
00:34:27Biography
00:34:28every weeknight on A&E
00:34:30it's time well spent
00:34:34we now return
00:34:35to D-Day
00:34:36the total story
00:34:39the Allies were closing in
00:34:41maneuvering to surround
00:34:43and strangle
00:34:43the German army
00:34:44the battle now
00:34:45concentrated on a few
00:34:46square miles
00:34:47of meadows
00:34:48and little villages
00:34:49in which the Germans
00:34:50fought for survival
00:34:51thousands would surrender
00:34:53but thousands more
00:34:54would fight on
00:34:55through the overwhelming
00:34:56Allied artillery barrages
00:34:57air attacks
00:34:58and infantry assaults
00:35:03now that the Americans
00:35:04had broken out
00:35:05and were sweeping
00:35:06through the open
00:35:07countryside
00:35:07the only remaining
00:35:08question
00:35:09was where to try
00:35:10and trap
00:35:11the retreating
00:35:11German army
00:35:12once again
00:35:13there were very
00:35:14different ideas
00:35:15within the Allied camp
00:35:18Patton
00:35:19with the Germans
00:35:20defeated in Normandy
00:35:21and with the third army
00:35:22now on the loose
00:35:23wanted the big encirclement
00:35:25he wanted to go
00:35:26way around Paris
00:35:27and really cut off
00:35:28the entire German army
00:35:29and the
00:35:29end of the war
00:35:33September 1944
00:35:34the war could have
00:35:35been over
00:35:37instead
00:35:37Monty insisted
00:35:38on the small solution
00:35:39on the
00:35:41cutting in
00:35:41at the
00:35:42Falaise
00:35:42and that the
00:35:43Canadians would
00:35:44come down
00:35:45and that Patton's
00:35:46third army
00:35:46and the Canadians
00:35:47would meet at
00:35:47Falaise
00:35:48and you would
00:35:48trap part of
00:35:49the German army
00:35:50Monty was the
00:35:51commander
00:35:52Patton had to do
00:35:52what he was told
00:35:55on August 8th
00:35:56as the Americans
00:35:57began to head
00:35:58north to Falaise
00:35:59General Bradley
00:36:00said
00:36:00this is an
00:36:01opportunity
00:36:02that comes to
00:36:03a commander
00:36:03once in a
00:36:04century
00:36:04we are about
00:36:06to destroy
00:36:07an entire
00:36:08German army
00:36:12the town
00:36:12of Falaise
00:36:13the French word
00:36:14for cliff
00:36:14was surrounded
00:36:16by many deep
00:36:16gorges
00:36:17and narrow
00:36:18passes
00:36:21it was here
00:36:22that the German
00:36:23army was forced
00:36:24to try and
00:36:24retreat
00:36:25out of Normandy
00:36:28the battles
00:36:29on the roads
00:36:30around Falaise
00:36:31were some
00:36:31of the most
00:36:32intense
00:36:32and brutal
00:36:33of the entire
00:36:34war
00:36:36many many
00:36:37men
00:36:37were killed
00:36:40wounded
00:36:41or
00:36:42take prisoner
00:36:44we lost
00:36:45nearly all
00:36:46our materials
00:36:47I was wounded
00:36:49when I
00:36:49came out
00:36:50of the
00:36:52pocket
00:36:54I got
00:36:54a bomb
00:36:55directly
00:36:55on the
00:36:57backside
00:36:57of my
00:36:58tank
00:36:59exploded
00:37:00and I
00:37:00was blown
00:37:01out of the
00:37:01turret
00:37:05to use
00:37:06German
00:37:06soldier
00:37:08slang
00:37:09we were
00:37:10kleine
00:37:10marschierer
00:37:13men
00:37:13without
00:37:14importance
00:37:14you know
00:37:15just
00:37:15crawling
00:37:16around
00:37:16in the
00:37:17dirt
00:37:18of
00:37:18the
00:37:19fighting
00:37:19in the
00:37:20battles
00:37:21even
00:37:22for
00:37:22you
00:37:23people
00:37:23for
00:37:24you
00:37:24men
00:37:25to
00:37:26see
00:37:26the
00:37:28content
00:37:28of the
00:37:29pocket
00:37:29of
00:37:30Falaise
00:37:31so many
00:37:32deaths
00:37:33I've never
00:37:34seen
00:37:35it's an awful
00:37:36thought
00:37:36even today
00:37:39they sent
00:37:40in rocket
00:37:40flying
00:37:41typhoons
00:37:42and
00:37:44the Germans
00:37:45lay in
00:37:46heaps
00:37:4710,000
00:37:48corpses
00:37:49one on top
00:37:50of the other
00:37:51and the heat
00:37:52was intense
00:37:53and the smell
00:37:54was absolutely
00:37:55nauseating
00:37:56a war picture
00:37:58or a war film
00:37:59on television
00:38:01it may show you
00:38:03some of the
00:38:04visual horrors
00:38:05of the war
00:38:06but one of the
00:38:07worst horrors
00:38:08of war
00:38:09is the smell
00:38:11the psychological
00:38:13effect
00:38:14of being attacked
00:38:15by rockets
00:38:17is
00:38:18very horrendous
00:38:20and
00:38:20we did as much
00:38:23in that respect
00:38:24demoralizing
00:38:26the people
00:38:27we were attacking
00:38:29as achieving
00:38:29actual results
00:38:30in knocking
00:38:31a tank
00:38:31out
00:38:32or what have
00:38:32you
00:38:34they had artillery
00:38:35pulled by horses
00:38:36that would be
00:38:37down
00:38:38and the trucks
00:38:39and tanks
00:38:40and half tracks
00:38:40mixed in there
00:38:41and they were all
00:38:42destroyed
00:38:42and what our people
00:38:44were doing
00:38:44they had bulldozers
00:38:45off to the side
00:38:45of the road
00:38:46where there's trees
00:38:47on the side
00:38:47they'd be off
00:38:48to the side
00:38:48digging monsters
00:38:49big long pits
00:38:50and then they'd
00:38:51come up on the road
00:38:52and just everything
00:38:52went into the pit
00:38:56I suppose I suffered
00:38:57a kind of
00:38:58spiritual sickness
00:39:00you know
00:39:00all my ideas
00:39:02of
00:39:04humanity
00:39:04and religion
00:39:05and
00:39:06spirituality
00:39:09I wasn't slow
00:39:11to
00:39:11realize
00:39:12the horror
00:39:14of war
00:39:14but I hadn't seen
00:39:16it or smelt it
00:39:17face to face
00:39:22at Feles
00:39:23as the gap
00:39:24through which
00:39:24the German army
00:39:25could escape
00:39:26began to close
00:39:27the Allies
00:39:28overwhelming
00:39:28material superiority
00:39:30became most evident
00:39:36you didn't have
00:39:38to be a military genius
00:39:39you just had
00:39:40to be a normal
00:39:42average man
00:39:43and you would know
00:39:44when they started
00:39:45here landing
00:39:46then they would
00:39:47amass material
00:39:48in such
00:39:49a number
00:39:51that they
00:39:51felt definitely
00:39:52sure to be able
00:39:53to make it
00:39:54I mean
00:39:54nobody expected
00:39:55anything else
00:39:56and we knew
00:39:58from the very
00:39:59beginning
00:39:59whatever we had
00:40:00there
00:40:01would probably
00:40:02be the last
00:40:03we would have
00:40:04at all
00:40:05because
00:40:05there was no
00:40:06chance whatsoever
00:40:07to get
00:40:09additional supply
00:40:10because
00:40:11more or less
00:40:11there was no
00:40:12supply lines
00:40:13left anymore
00:40:18we felt
00:40:19completely helpless
00:40:20against so many
00:40:21in the Normandy
00:40:22campaign
00:40:23we wanted
00:40:24to go back
00:40:25to the eastern front
00:40:26where the fighting
00:40:27was man to man
00:40:28and tank
00:40:29versus tank
00:40:33in addition
00:40:34to their
00:40:34numerical
00:40:35inferiority
00:40:36the German
00:40:37army's
00:40:37equipment
00:40:38was more
00:40:38complex
00:40:39and therefore
00:40:40less mechanically
00:40:41reliable
00:40:41than the allies
00:40:44as you kept
00:40:45moving up
00:40:45and taking
00:40:47taking ground
00:40:48and seeing
00:40:49a perfectly
00:40:49good panther
00:40:50or it looked
00:40:51perfectly good
00:40:52and so on
00:40:53and sitting
00:40:54in a field
00:40:55and so on
00:40:55and you wondered
00:40:56whether it had
00:40:56been hit
00:40:57or out of gasoline
00:40:58or a breakdown
00:40:59that's one thing
00:41:00about the old Sherman
00:41:01that if you hadn't
00:41:02blown it completely
00:41:03apart
00:41:03it was a well-made
00:41:04tank
00:41:05and if tracks
00:41:06or sprockets
00:41:06or things of that
00:41:07were off
00:41:08or even engines
00:41:09were out
00:41:09and so on
00:41:09and you could
00:41:10hook on
00:41:11with a
00:41:11with a tank
00:41:12recovery
00:41:13you got that
00:41:14thing back
00:41:15and going
00:41:15again
00:41:16in reasonable
00:41:17shape
00:41:17we get
00:41:19only two tanks
00:41:20during
00:41:21Holtz invasion
00:41:22until the
00:41:24pocket of
00:41:26Falaise
00:41:27only two
00:41:28as a
00:41:29supply
00:41:30and we lost
00:41:33about
00:41:34100
00:41:35110
00:41:35in the
00:41:37six weeks
00:41:39for the Luftwaffe
00:41:41the Allied
00:41:42numerical superiority
00:41:43was compounded
00:41:44by a lack
00:41:45of German
00:41:45pilots
00:41:47the Luftwaffe
00:41:48never ran
00:41:49out of planes
00:41:50they were able
00:41:51to get
00:41:51spare aircraft
00:41:53up to the front
00:41:54but they did
00:41:55run out of pilots
00:41:56and this was
00:41:57the critical
00:41:58weakness
00:41:59of the Luftwaffe
00:42:00they never created
00:42:01a pilot training
00:42:02program
00:42:03able to gear up
00:42:04the number
00:42:04of pilots
00:42:05that they would
00:42:06need
00:42:06to carry on
00:42:07this kind
00:42:08of two-front
00:42:08war
00:42:09they got
00:42:09themselves
00:42:09into
00:42:12the Polish
00:42:13played an
00:42:14important part
00:42:14in the battle
00:42:15of Falaise
00:42:16they had
00:42:17arrived in
00:42:17Normandy
00:42:18weeks after
00:42:18D-day
00:42:19and were eager
00:42:20to avenge
00:42:21their losses
00:42:21to the German
00:42:22army
00:42:22in 1939
00:42:24and 1940
00:42:27it was the Poles
00:42:28who insofar
00:42:29as anyone
00:42:32did nearly
00:42:33close the
00:42:33Falaise
00:42:34pocket
00:42:34it was the Poles
00:42:35they got
00:42:35right into
00:42:36the bottleneck
00:42:36and they just
00:42:37sat there
00:42:39and in order
00:42:40to get out
00:42:40the Germans
00:42:41had to fight
00:42:42their way
00:42:42past the Poles
00:42:43a terrible
00:42:45loss to the Poles
00:42:46they who fought
00:42:47the most
00:42:47gallant fight
00:42:53the German
00:42:54soldiers
00:42:54we were facing
00:42:55in Falaise
00:42:56were very
00:42:57scared of us
00:42:57they were afraid
00:42:59we would take
00:42:59revenge
00:43:00for the terrible
00:43:01things they had
00:43:02done to the
00:43:02Polish people
00:43:03one German
00:43:04officer said
00:43:05they would
00:43:05never surrender
00:43:06to the Poles
00:43:07they were much
00:43:08too scared
00:43:08to be taken
00:43:09prisoner
00:43:09by us
00:43:15but from
00:43:16this tragedy
00:43:17for the German
00:43:17army
00:43:17some heroes
00:43:18were born
00:43:19Fritz Langange
00:43:21won the
00:43:21Knights Cross
00:43:22for opening
00:43:22an escape route
00:43:23that saved
00:43:24many of his
00:43:25countrymen's
00:43:25lives
00:43:29fortunately
00:43:29we were able
00:43:31to knock off
00:43:33the first two
00:43:33American tanks
00:43:34standing there
00:43:35at that road
00:43:35and blocking
00:43:36our advance
00:43:37the immediate
00:43:38spirit of all
00:43:39the people
00:43:39was up
00:43:40you know
00:43:40and with the
00:43:41big hollering
00:43:43everybody jumped
00:43:43up and so
00:43:45we were able
00:43:45and I had
00:43:47cleared the road
00:43:48for the rest
00:43:48of our
00:43:493rd battalion
00:43:51I know
00:43:52we were
00:43:52quite a good
00:43:53sized group
00:43:55with maybe
00:43:56five, six hundred
00:43:57German soldiers
00:43:58then breaking
00:43:59through
00:44:01there is the sense
00:44:02of disappointment
00:44:04about fillets
00:44:05in the
00:44:05Allied camp
00:44:06that we had
00:44:07the Germans
00:44:08in Normandy
00:44:09totally defeated
00:44:09and we should have
00:44:10bagged a lot
00:44:11of them
00:44:11all sorts
00:44:12of bitterness
00:44:13developed
00:44:14out of
00:44:15the apparent
00:44:16failure at
00:44:17fillets
00:44:17well there's
00:44:18another way
00:44:18to look at
00:44:19this fillets
00:44:19battle
00:44:20it was a
00:44:21tremendous
00:44:21victory
00:44:22the German army
00:44:23in France
00:44:24was destroyed
00:44:26a lot of Germans
00:44:27got out
00:44:27but a lot of
00:44:28Germans didn't
00:44:28get out
00:44:29about half
00:44:29the German army
00:44:30in France
00:44:30was either
00:44:31killed or
00:44:31captured at
00:44:32fillets
00:44:32those that
00:44:33got out
00:44:33got out
00:44:34without weapons
00:44:34remember
00:44:35after all
00:44:36that after
00:44:36fillets
00:44:37the Allies
00:44:38who had
00:44:38been measuring
00:44:39their progress
00:44:39in yards
00:44:40per day
00:44:42for the whole
00:44:42of June
00:44:43and the whole
00:44:43of July
00:44:44now started
00:44:44measuring
00:44:45their progress
00:44:45in 10
00:44:46and 20
00:44:47and 30
00:44:47and even
00:44:4750 miles
00:44:48in a day
00:44:49they leaped
00:44:50across the
00:44:51Seine River
00:44:52they leaped
00:44:53across the
00:44:53Somme River
00:44:54they went
00:44:54across these
00:44:55World War I
00:44:56battlefields
00:44:56that men
00:44:57had died
00:44:57in their
00:44:58tens of
00:44:58thousands
00:44:59to capture
00:45:01a square mile
00:45:02of ground
00:45:02they went
00:45:03past this
00:45:03in a matter
00:45:04of hours
00:45:04and got up
00:45:05to the German
00:45:06border
00:45:06well before
00:45:07the end
00:45:08of September
00:45:08this was a
00:45:09great victory
00:45:10it was won
00:45:10at fillets
00:45:17D-Day
00:45:18the total
00:45:19story
00:45:19will continue
00:45:20in a moment
00:45:23sure my
00:45:24business is
00:45:24saving with
00:45:25AT&T
00:45:25at least
00:45:26I think so
00:45:27I feel like
00:45:28we are
00:45:28they tell us
00:45:29we are
00:45:29how would we
00:45:30know if we
00:45:31weren't
00:45:31I don't think
00:45:32we'd know
00:45:32I don't know
00:45:34if we're saving
00:45:34there's no
00:45:35question about
00:45:36savings with
00:45:36MCI's proof
00:45:37positive
00:45:38right now
00:45:39when you buy
00:45:40two liter bottles
00:45:41of Canada
00:45:41dry ginger ale
00:45:43you can win
00:45:44a princess cruise
00:45:45for two
00:45:46to Alaska
00:45:48see participating
00:45:50retailers for
00:45:50other ways to
00:45:51enter
00:45:51no purchase
00:45:52necessary
00:46:11it's the totally
00:46:12flexible hands for
00:46:13you flashlight
00:46:14from black and
00:46:26tech
00:46:27in an era when
00:46:28doctors don't
00:46:28make house
00:46:29calls
00:46:30and shopping
00:46:31is done in
00:46:32impersonal strip
00:46:33malls
00:46:34why does
00:46:35John Deere
00:46:35have dealers
00:46:36that still
00:46:37deliver
00:46:37that help
00:46:38you with
00:46:39parts and
00:46:39service
00:46:39and answer
00:46:41questions on
00:46:41lawn care
00:46:42are we behind
00:46:44the times
00:46:44or just
00:46:45prouder of
00:46:45the products
00:46:46we stand
00:46:46behind
00:46:47to find
00:46:48out
00:46:48why not
00:46:49ask your
00:46:49John Deere
00:46:50dealer
00:46:50he's right
00:46:51where you
00:46:51need him
00:46:52it was a time
00:46:54of holy wars
00:46:55of violence
00:46:56knocking on
00:46:57history's doors
00:46:58the new
00:46:58children of
00:46:59Israel slaughtered
00:47:00everyone they
00:47:01found
00:47:01the country
00:47:02is in ruins
00:47:02if you think
00:47:03life's tough
00:47:04now
00:47:04then you better
00:47:06stay away
00:47:06from the 12th
00:47:07century
00:47:10join Terry
00:47:11Jones for this
00:47:12breathtaking and
00:47:13the completely
00:47:14different look
00:47:15at the crusades
00:47:16the goose on the
00:47:17right is a
00:47:18direct descendant
00:47:19of the famous
00:47:20crusade leader
00:47:20Richard the
00:47:22Lionheart
00:47:22one of the
00:47:23stars of
00:47:24English history
00:47:24Richard was
00:47:25extremely
00:47:27undesirable
00:47:28man
00:47:28travel back
00:47:29with our
00:47:30fearless
00:47:30crusader
00:47:31as he slips
00:47:31and slides
00:47:32his way
00:47:33through medieval
00:47:34history
00:47:34discover the
00:47:38truth behind
00:47:38a brutal
00:47:39yet often
00:47:40glorified
00:47:41civilization
00:47:41they impaled
00:47:43others on
00:47:43wooden spits
00:47:44and roasted
00:47:45them over a
00:47:46fire
00:47:46an A&E
00:47:47special
00:47:47presentation
00:47:48crusades
00:47:49beginning
00:47:50June 5th
00:47:51on A&E
00:47:54we now
00:47:55return to
00:47:56D-Day
00:47:56the total
00:47:57story
00:48:00this is what
00:48:01Ernie Pyle
00:48:02wrote on
00:48:02June 12th
00:48:031944
00:48:04I want to
00:48:05tell you what
00:48:05the opening
00:48:06of the second
00:48:06front entailed
00:48:07so that you
00:48:08can know
00:48:09and appreciate
00:48:10and forever
00:48:11be humbly
00:48:12grateful
00:48:12to those
00:48:14both dead
00:48:14and alive
00:48:15who did it
00:48:16for you
00:48:17in the last
00:48:1850 years
00:48:19so much
00:48:20has been
00:48:20written
00:48:21about the
00:48:21events of
00:48:22D-Day
00:48:22and the
00:48:23Battle of
00:48:23Normandy
00:48:25but the
00:48:26only words
00:48:27that can
00:48:27truly express
00:48:28the reality
00:48:29of that
00:48:29chaotic time
00:48:30are those
00:48:32of the
00:48:32courageous
00:48:32men and
00:48:33women
00:48:33who endured
00:48:34the pain
00:48:34and sacrifice
00:48:36on those
00:48:36beaches
00:48:37and in
00:48:38those
00:48:38hedgerows
00:48:41I hear
00:48:43the word
00:48:43hero all
00:48:44the time
00:48:45and I
00:48:46know I
00:48:46wasn't a
00:48:46hero
00:48:47because I
00:48:47felt intense
00:48:48fear during
00:48:49the whole
00:48:49operation
00:48:51that was
00:48:52rather
00:48:53humiliating
00:48:54to know
00:48:54that I
00:48:54could feel
00:48:55fear
00:48:55I never
00:48:56felt fear
00:48:57like that
00:48:57before
00:49:00all these
00:49:01guys that
00:49:01gave their
00:49:02lives for
00:49:02their country
00:49:03are heroes
00:49:07and you
00:49:08can't take
00:49:08that away
00:49:09from them
00:49:10they're the
00:49:11ones that
00:49:11really made
00:49:12it happen
00:49:14and of
00:49:15course the
00:49:15rest of us
00:49:15survived
00:49:16we helped
00:49:18make it
00:49:18happen
00:49:18but the
00:49:19point is
00:49:20that we
00:49:22were all
00:49:22on the
00:49:22line and
00:49:23it could
00:49:23have been
00:49:24any one
00:49:24of us
00:49:25and we're
00:49:26just one
00:49:26of the
00:49:27lucky ones
00:49:27that got
00:49:28out of it
00:49:32I'm
00:49:32call it
00:49:33it's very
00:49:34sad
00:49:35I've gone
00:49:36back
00:49:36and while
00:49:37I stand
00:49:37in the
00:49:38German
00:49:38cemetery
00:49:38in Normandy
00:49:39I look
00:49:40at their
00:49:40graves
00:49:40and I
00:49:41read their
00:49:42names
00:49:42I know
00:49:43these men
00:49:44we were
00:49:45together
00:49:45they were
00:49:46only 18
00:49:47or 19
00:49:48years old
00:49:48just boys
00:49:49and their
00:49:50lives ended
00:49:51I got to
00:49:52have my
00:49:53life
00:49:53I've lived
00:49:54a full
00:49:54life
00:49:55but they
00:49:55didn't
00:49:56and for
00:49:57what
00:50:02of us
00:50:03and I
00:50:04remember
00:50:04each of
00:50:05them
00:50:05private
00:50:05John
00:50:05Supko
00:50:06PFC
00:50:07Nick
00:50:07Mikkelski
00:50:08Corporal
00:50:09Tom
00:50:10Wolford
00:50:10Sergeant
00:50:11Julius
00:50:12Hauk
00:50:12and
00:50:13Lieutenant
00:50:13Freeling
00:50:14Colt
00:50:15are all
00:50:16buried
00:50:16there
00:50:17and
00:50:17that's
00:50:20years
00:50:21later
00:50:22is when
00:50:22you really
00:50:23feel it
00:50:24and really
00:50:25mourn
00:50:26buddies
00:50:26that died
00:50:27and
00:50:28Johnny
00:50:29Supko
00:50:29was a
00:50:30little guy
00:50:31and one
00:50:32of the
00:50:32youngest
00:50:32guys
00:50:32in the
00:50:33company
00:50:33and that's
00:50:34to stand
00:50:35at his
00:50:36grave
00:50:37in Normandy
00:50:37and
00:50:38know that
00:50:41I've lived
00:50:42a full
00:50:42life
00:50:43and had
00:50:43children
00:50:44and
00:50:44grandchildren
00:50:44and
00:50:45he'll
00:50:46always be
00:50:46a boy
00:50:47who died
00:50:48there
00:50:48it gets
00:50:50you
00:50:52really punches
00:50:53you one
00:50:56it's a
00:50:57terrible
00:50:57situation
00:50:58war
00:50:58it's
00:50:59the
00:50:59most
00:50:59personal
00:51:01impersonal
00:51:02experience
00:51:03you can
00:51:03ever have
00:51:05you can
00:51:06be walking
00:51:06across a
00:51:06field
00:51:07shells
00:51:08come down
00:51:09everybody
00:51:10hits the
00:51:11ground
00:51:11you try
00:51:12to claw
00:51:12yourself
00:51:13into the
00:51:14ground
00:51:14the scream
00:51:15of shells
00:51:15exploding
00:51:16all around
00:51:17you
00:51:17when it's
00:51:20over
00:51:21you look
00:51:21around
00:51:21you're
00:51:21alright
00:51:22mate
00:51:22you're
00:51:22alright
00:51:22yeah
00:51:23I'm
00:51:23alright
00:51:23you're
00:51:24alright
00:51:24mate
00:51:24you're
00:51:25alright
00:51:25hey
00:51:29young
00:51:29fella
00:51:30the
00:51:31mate
00:51:31of yours
00:51:31his sense
00:51:32of humour
00:51:34maybe his
00:51:34wife
00:51:35photographs
00:51:36his mum
00:51:37and dad
00:51:37photographs
00:51:38maybe his
00:51:39kid
00:51:39his girlfriend
00:51:42and in that
00:51:43split
00:51:43second
00:51:44of that
00:51:44blinding
00:51:45explosion
00:51:46all he is
00:51:47now
00:51:48is a
00:51:49face
00:51:49and a
00:51:49memory
00:51:50from the
00:51:50past
00:51:52and a
00:51:53name
00:51:54all his
00:51:55ambitions
00:51:55all his
00:51:56hopes
00:51:56destroyed
00:51:59the hardest
00:52:00part
00:52:00comes
00:52:01as you're
00:52:02sitting there
00:52:03while standing
00:52:04there
00:52:04looking at
00:52:05him
00:52:06you think
00:52:07back home
00:52:07his mum
00:52:08and dad
00:52:08don't know
00:52:09I do
00:52:09the hardest
00:52:10part comes
00:52:11when they
00:52:11get that
00:52:12telegram
00:52:14that's the
00:52:14hardest part
00:52:15for me
00:52:18that's war
00:52:21I'm not here
00:52:22to make
00:52:22excuses for war
00:52:23or to justify
00:52:24war
00:52:25but I definitely
00:52:26am not going to
00:52:27glorify war
00:52:29war
00:52:30is death
00:52:31disease
00:52:33destruction
00:52:35disablement
00:52:36and a sheer
00:52:37waste
00:52:38that men
00:52:39and women
00:52:40are raw
00:52:41materials
00:52:41the only
00:52:43people that
00:52:44profit from
00:52:44war
00:52:45are the
00:52:46men
00:52:46who make
00:52:47the munitions
00:52:48and the
00:52:48guns
00:52:49nobody wins
00:52:50wars
00:52:51there's losers
00:52:53on every
00:52:53side
00:52:58when can
00:52:59their glory
00:52:59fade
00:53:01that's what
00:53:02Tennyson asked
00:53:02about the
00:53:03men of the
00:53:04light brigade
00:53:04and so ask
00:53:05I about
00:53:06the men
00:53:06of D-Day
00:53:08Tennyson writes
00:53:10oh the
00:53:11wild charge
00:53:12they made
00:53:14honour
00:53:14the charge
00:53:15they made
00:53:17there's no way
00:53:18we can ever
00:53:19honour the
00:53:19men of D-Day
00:53:20enough
00:53:20it is to them
00:53:21that we owe
00:53:21our freedom
00:53:22today
00:53:25if you think
00:53:26of all those
00:53:28who
00:53:29made
00:53:30the supreme
00:53:31sacrifice
00:53:34remember
00:53:34now
00:53:35the real
00:53:36meaning of
00:53:37that
00:53:37they gave
00:53:38away
00:53:38all of their
00:53:39tomorrows
00:53:40for your
00:53:41to die
00:53:42that is the
00:53:44real meaning
00:53:44of the supreme
00:53:45sacrifice
00:53:46made by those
00:53:47people
00:53:58D-Day
00:53:59D-Day was
00:53:59the beginning
00:53:59of the end
00:54:00of the war
00:54:00in Europe
00:54:02young
00:54:03inexperienced
00:54:04soldiers
00:54:04who had been
00:54:05as green
00:54:06as growing
00:54:07corn
00:54:07on June 6th
00:54:08were now
00:54:09relentlessly
00:54:10pursuing
00:54:10Hitler's
00:54:11crumbling
00:54:11war machine
00:54:12the allies
00:54:14had liberated
00:54:14France
00:54:15and were
00:54:15rapidly
00:54:15approaching
00:54:16Germany
00:54:17freedom
00:54:18returned
00:54:18to Europe
00:54:19because of
00:54:19the sacrifices
00:54:20made on the
00:54:21beaches
00:54:21and in the
00:54:22fields of
00:54:23Normandy
00:54:31June 6th
00:54:321944
00:54:33the mightiest
00:54:34armada
00:54:35ever assembled
00:54:36set out
00:54:36on its
00:54:37historic
00:54:37mission
00:54:37now from
00:54:38A&E Home
00:54:39Video
00:54:39you can own
00:54:40this three
00:54:41video cassette
00:54:41edition of
00:54:42D-Day
00:54:42the total
00:54:43story
00:54:43call 1-800-423-1212
00:54:46and for only
00:54:47$49.95 plus
00:54:49shipping and
00:54:49handling
00:54:49relive the
00:54:50days of
00:54:51preparation
00:54:51that led
00:54:52up to
00:54:52D-Day
00:54:52the anticipation
00:54:53of H-hour
00:54:54and the push
00:54:55to end
00:54:55the longest
00:54:56day
00:54:56call now
00:54:571-800-423-1212
00:55:08if you've enjoyed
00:55:09this look
00:55:10at our
00:55:10historic
00:55:11past
00:55:11you'll be
00:55:12happy to
00:55:12know
00:55:12that the
00:55:12History
00:55:13Channel
00:55:13has arrived
00:55:14to get
00:55:15all of
00:55:15history
00:55:15all in
00:55:16one place
00:55:16call your
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00:55:18and ask
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00:55:19History
00:55:20Channel
00:55:20now
00:55:21Deep Space
00:55:22Nine's
00:55:22Terry Farrell
00:55:23leads the
00:55:24labs
00:55:24join us
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00:56:44A&E's D-Day, the total story,
00:56:47has been brought to you in part by Chevrolet Trucks,
00:56:49the most dependable, longest-lasting trucks on the road.
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00:57:20Chevy Trucks, like a rock.
00:57:24Hey, is that what I think it is?
00:57:27Yeah, it's my new Wagner Power Painter.
00:57:30Can you edge with it?
00:57:31Yeah, you can edge like this,
00:57:33or adjust it to control the paint up close.
00:57:36And when I'm done, I'm gonna switch nozzles and stain my deck,
00:57:40do a lot of other jobs I've been meaning to do.
00:57:42Well, does it clean up easy?
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00:57:47Why am I painting this by hand?
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00:57:53The most remarkable news events of our time.
00:57:57The 20th century.
00:57:58The stories as they happened.
00:58:01The way they happened.
00:58:03And what happened after.
00:58:05Fascinating tales of history in the making.
00:58:08I'm Mike Wallace.
00:58:09Join me on the 20th century.
00:58:10Wednesday, only on A&E.
00:58:15Step into the H and into history.
00:58:19Introducing the History Channel.
00:58:23A channel that will take you back with movies in time.
00:58:28Where you'll see history's greatest stories
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00:58:35Gripping documentaries that will send you on a remarkable journey into yesterday.
00:58:43And into moments that have shaped our past on History Alive.
00:58:50And the week's big event on History Sunday.
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00:59:06Call your cable operator today to find out how you can get the History Channel.
00:59:14Coming next week on A&E's Biography.
00:59:17Monday, your TV pals Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob.
00:59:20Tuesday, the wit and wisdom of Lamb Chop and Sherry Lewis.
00:59:23Wednesday, a joker who is wild.
00:59:25Soupy sails.
00:59:26Thursday, circus showman P.T. Barnum.
00:59:29Friday, TV journalist Larry King.
00:59:31All next week on A&E.
00:59:34A&E's An Evening at the Improv is brought to you in part by Paramount Pictures Congo.
00:59:39Starts Friday, June 9th at theaters everywhere rated PG-13.
00:59:45From Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world and home of America's premier comedy showcase,
00:59:54the world-famous Improvisation, it's A&E's An Evening at the Improv.
01:00:00Tonight, starring Terry Farrell and featuring the comedy of Roger Bear, Steve Moore, Jackie Flynn, Peter Berman, and special guest...