Exceptional Video about the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Shows just how doggedly the fought till the end.

That is actually a myth. The number of German POWs increased exponentially after D-Day which shows that many Germans preferred to be captured once they knew the war could not be won anymore, instead of fighting till the end. Some did continue to fight here and there - especially on the eastern front in order to avoid capture by the Russians or Partisans but mainly in order to move west so they could surrender to US/British troops - many, many more stopped fighting once the opportunity to safely surrender presented itself.

[Dennis J]

That is actually a myth. The number of German POWs increased exponentially after D-Day which shows that many Germans preferred to be captured once they knew the war could not be won anymore, instead of fighting till the end. Some did continue to fight here and there - especially on the eastern front in order to avoid capture by the Russians or Partisans but mainly in order to move west so they could surrender to US/British troops - many, many more stopped fighting once the opportunity to safely surrender presented itself.

I agree with this as I have talked to many German vets and they say it made no sense to them to keep fighting only to get killed for nothing they had rather surrender except in Russia no.They soon found out that surrendering to the English and Americas could be just as bad.
Dennis J

[rob NL]

Great video, thanks for pointing out

[Pierre]

Well, I don't think that it was a myth: Major Erich Hartmann had nothing special to prove considering is achievements during WWII but on the 8th of May 1945 he took off for his last victory, (a Yak-9) at around 8:30 (just after his breakfast?).

Great videos I've learned a lot especially on the french Fix pilot wings.

Pierre

[kaiserwilhelm2]

Well, I don't think that it was a myth: Major Erich Hartmann had nothing special to prove considering is achievements during WWII but on the 8th of May 1945 he took off for his last victory, (a Yak-9) at around 8:30 (just after his breakfast?).

Great videos I've learned a lot especially on the french Fix pilot wings.

Pierre

One guy, and one exceptional guy at that, is not representative. On the other hand hundreds of thousands preferred to surrender or withdraw if they had the chance. If the German Army had really fought to the bitter end there would not have been millions of POWs at the end of the war and it would have lasted longer. With a very few exceptions most German soldiers in 1945 were glad to have come out alive even at the price of having lost. It was much the same in 1918. Most German soldiers were in the end very much human - not willing to die for a lost cause which was clear to anyone on the retreat for 3 years and being confronted on a daily basis with the overwhelming material (and human) resources of the Russians and the Allies.

[fredswiss]

Great video! Thanks.

[August von Mackensen]

That is really great stuff, one could feel the addiction to the topic, great job!


Matt

[RichW.]

bis zum bitterem ende

Re: German surrenders. It's actually amazing how many German troops continued fighting til May 1945 considering all the evidence of defeat. The American vets I've spoken with were pretty uniform in stating that the Germans were fighting hard west of the Rhine. Once that was breached the surrenders grew exponentially--and understandably. In the east they were fighting hard til the end as Russian casualties attest. See Max Hastings book "The End" for a good study on the German persistence in the war when it was hopelessly lost. Pick your own date for when that occurred.

[inimicus]

Knowing 'alles weck,' a great many retreating germans continued fighting hard for two reasons -- one to make sure they surrendered to americans, the other to shepherd threatened civilians away from advancing russians.