Comments by "John Brereton" (@johnbrereton5229) on "The Second Battle of El Alamein | Monty's Masterpiece" video.

@analystanalyst7652 Nonsense and half truths ! Montgomery had cancelled Operation Comet but Eisenhower insisted it was resurrected and expanded into Market Garden. Nevertheless, Montys part of the plan was still successful, however the American Brereton (no relation) messed up his part and hollywood blamed Monty. Just as they made the loud mouthed, racist no body Patton into a hero, no mean feat in itself .
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When I saw the question posed, I was about to write about Alam El Halfa but you had beaten me to it, why is this battle forgotten ? The Americans love to claim that Monty couldn't lose at El Alemein because he had more troops and equipment than Rommel, but they can't say that at Alam El Halfa as Rommel had been resupplied, whereas Monty had not. Rommel had 6 divisions to Montys 4, yet he still soundly beat him, just as he did in their headlong retreat all across North Africa to Tunis where they were trapped between Montys 8th Army and Anderson's 1st Army and over 362,000 casualties and 300,000 surrendered, thats more than at Stalingrad !
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@lychan2366 Yes, Montgomery did have Churchills full backing. However, Churchill kept interfering in North Africa, and after the Italians attacked British Egypt in 1940 the British retaliated by driving them right across North Africa in a series of spectacular battles. At this point in 1940 the British had almost completely conquered North Africa, but before it was completed, Churchill ordered their best troops and equipment to Greece, leaving the British weak and vulnerable. The Italian and German reinforcements then attacked and drove them all the way back to Egypt and the war dragged on untill 1943.
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@hurfyable 'Dunkirked' what is that supposed to mean ???????? It's normal military practise to evacuate an army to regroup and fight again. The Germans did it in Sicily and would have done it in Tunisia if they had been allowed. Also the Greek conflict WAS written about. Hitler himself claimed that the 5 week delay in Greece had cost him victory in Russia.
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@hurfyable I'm sorry to hear that you lost your uncle in North Africa. War is not always as glorious as some would like to claim, it can be brutal and bloody and many brave young men never returned to their homes and families. However, though the British Empire lost 220,000 men in the entire North African campaign, the Axis forces lost 620,000 casualties. 'Lest we Forget' !
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@lychan2366 The Video claimed the turning point was El Alemein, but as I, and others have pointed out, the turning point was the previous battle of Alam el Haifa. Also it was of course a great help when the USA joined WW2 but they would have still supplied Great Britain even if they hadn't, just as they continued to supply Nazi Germany. Also I'm not sure the Soviets had such great Industrial might. If it hadn't been for Great Britain supplying them with weapons, tanks and planes as well as intelligence they would not have lasted long. The British had previously broken the secret Nazi military codes so when the Nazis attacked the Russians they were ready and were waiting for them. All these British supplies to Soviet Russsia were unlike the later American supplies free of charge. Whether the war could have been won by the British Empire on it's own without American help is difficult to say. However, the war was already turning against the Nazis at that stage and so its certain that WW2 could never have been won without British involvement.
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@lychan2366 Yes, but Montgomery's first battle with Rommel was at Alam Halfa, not El Alamein and Rommel had the advantage there. However, dispite this Montgomery still beat him. Which just proves that it didn't matter who had the advantage, Montgomery still won.
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@bigwoody4704 I dont get my facts from Hollywood films . My own father fought with Monty both during the battle of France and in North Africa and had nothing but praise for him. I've also read other actual diaries and contemporary reports written at the time, which all confirm what I have stated. Also Eisenhower was miles away in London planning operation Torch at the time. He had no control over British troops at Alan Hailfa or Alamein who were under the control of the British Commander in Chief of the Middle East General Alexander. Who on 8th August replaced Auchinleck and Monty took command of the 8th army at the same time and both battles were over before American troops landed as part of Operation Torch 1000s of miles away in Morocco. Montgomery was far from just a "myth" he was a great General
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@donupton5246 Montgomery beat them evertime he met them, even when they had more ammo and men and fuel than he did. However, why do you think they run out, did they lose it all ? 😊
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@montecarlo1651 Monty was blunt about American capabilities and he was right, they were a green inexperienced Army and WW2 is full of examples of the consequences. Also Eisenhower was a great diplomat but he was only a desk officer with no battle experience what so ever. Eisenhower always favoured the broad armoured front approach where as Monty favoured the narrow front as used by the Nazis who copied it from the British. Monty made lots of enemies by his outspoken behaviour, however it's been suggested that he probably suffered from Asbergers syndrome. However, to the humble soldier who served under him, he always had time for them and they in return thought he was god, my father included.
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@lychan2366 Monty did not have material advantage in North Africa when he first fought Rommel. In fact it was the other way around, Rommel had 6 divisions and had been re- supplied Montgomery had only 4 divisions who had not. Previously, Montgomerys predecessor Aukinlech had had material superiority over Rommel, because Churchill had diverted the troops bound for Singapore to North Africa for him. This led directly to the fall of Singapore Yet when Monty took over command, he still defeated Rommel when he attacked at Alam Halfa and ever other battle they fought all the way back to Tunisia.
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@bigwoody4704 Auchinleck's plans were to retreat further into Egypy. However, when Monty saw the plans he had them all destroyed and wrote new ones. These new plans included bringing up the devisions that Auchinleck had place at their rear to cover this retreat. Then Monty called all the officers to a meeting and told them there would be no more retreating. "We will either remain here alive, or we will remain here dead" He then toured all the units and told the men the same, telling them that he had faith in them and they must have faith in him. The effect on both officers and men was electric, they never lost another battle after that.
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@hurfyable Yes, that's exactly what I said !
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@gordonfleming458 That was exactly what Hitler himself claimed had lost him Moscow. Though the loss of troops stopped the British throwing the Axis forces completely out of North Africa earlier in 1941, instead of 1943.
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@hurfyable I'm not sure Greece was a blunder in the broader scheme ? Hitler credited it with delaying his assault on Russia and losing him a Russian victory .
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