Comments by "John Burns" (@johnburns4017) on "British View on Japanese Army" video.

@samuel10125 The British won the Battle of Dunkirk. The British BEF was only 9% of the total allied forces in France and the Low Countries. The German advance was halted in France as the British with a vastly inferior force stopped them at Arras. Some German soldiers turned and ran. Directive 13, issued by German Supreme Headquarters on 24 May 1940 stated specifically for the annihilation of the French, English and Belgian forces in the Dunkirk pocket. The Luftwaffe was ordered to prevent the escape of the British forces across the English Channel. The German southern advance was stopped at Arras by the British with a numerically inferior force. The Germans never moved much further after. The Germans could not have taken Dunkirk, they would have been badly beaten in and around the town. The Luftwaffe was defeated over Dunkirk by the RAF with the first showing of the Spitfire en-mass. More German than allied planes were destroyed in the Dunkirk pocket. The first defeat of the Nazis in WW2 was in the air by the British over Dunkirk. Only six small warships were sunk at Dunkirk by the Germans as the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe blunted. The British were retreating after the French collapsed in front of them - a programme already in motion, a programme already in motion before the Germans showed up, as General Gort saw the disjointed performance of the French forces in front of him. If the French collapsed the small BEF had no hope against the large German force heading west. The French were amongst the British when General Gort decided to take the men back to England, as he did not trust the French in a joint counter-attack. French General Wiegand held a meeting to arrange a counter-attack and never invited General Gort head of the BEF. Gort was under the command of Weigand. Gort heard of the meeting and rushed to be a part. He got there after the French and Belgians had left. He ordered the evacuation having no faith in the elderly French leaders. All armies retreat and regroup when the need is there. There happened to be a body of water in the line of the retreat. Were they to move down the English coast and enter France further west with more men from England? The Germans did not know what was to be the next British or allied move. The Germans could not have taken Dunkirk trying for nearly a week failing in the process. The British retreat operation was carried out as planned and in orderly fashion. All bridges to Dunkirk were destroyed by the allies. The British counter-attack at Arras was with outdated Matilda 1 tanks, which only had machine guns, and a few of the brand new Matilda 2 tanks. The Germans fled in droves. In desperation the Germans turned a 88mm AA gun horizontal successful against the Matilda 2 - their conventional anti-tank weapons and tanks could not penetrate the tank. The Matilda 2 would roll over German gun emplacements killing the gunners. Rommel thought he had been hit by a force three times the size, which made them stop and rethink. The Germans countered with their superior numbers pushing back the British who fell back consolidating towards Dunkirk. The British resolve and the new Matilda 2 made the Germans sit up and think about a street fight in Dunkirk against a consolidated force still with its weapons and the new Matilda 2 - the 88mm would be useless in Dunkirk streets while the Matilda 2 would be in its element, with the Matlida 2 easily destroying the Panzer MkIII & MkIVs. The Matilda 2 could knock out any German tank at the time, while no German tank could knock it out. The Germans were expecting the Matilda 2 to be shipped over in numbers and for all they knew many were in Dunkirk. The Germans could not stop the tanks coming as the British controlled the skies with a CAP and the waters of the Channel. Not a good prospect for the Germans. A Dunkirk street fight was a fight the German troops were untrained and unequipped for and unwise to get involved in. Von Rundstedt and von Kluge suggested to Hitler that German forces around the Dunkirk pocket cease their advance, consolidating preventing an Allied break out from Dunkirk. Hitler agreed with the support of the Wehrmacht. German preoccupation rightly was with an expected attack from the fluid mainly French and some British forces to the south of the German line, not from dug-in Dunkirk which was too much of a formidable consolidated opponent, taking substantial resources to seize. The German column had Allied troops to each side with soft marshland to the south west of Dunkirk unsuitable for tanks. If German forces had engaged in a street battle for Dunkirk, they would be vulnerable on their weak flank from the south. In short the fast moving panzers were now static; German forces attacking Dunkirk in a battle of attrition would have been largely wiped out. The German columns were consolidating their remaining armour and the important resupply from Germany, which was slow as it was via horses, for an expected attack by the British and French from the south - or maybe a combined attack from the south and the Dunkirk pocket. The Germans attacked on a remarkably narrow front. They had over-stretched their supply lines. The Germans had no option but to stop, being more concerned at defending from the mainly French forces in the south which were viewed as a greater threat than Dunkirk. French general Weigand implemented his creation of hedgehogs to attack German lines from the sides, with success - hedgehogs were adopted post war by NATO being a part of the tactics until the 1970s. What were the Germans thinking? Are the British retreating to England from Dunkirk to move down the English coast and re-enter France further south with fresh forces, including Canadians and the new Matilda 2 tanks, which they feared, and join up with the French forces there? Are they going to reinforce the Dunkirk pocket supplied by the Royal Navy with a 24/7 air CAP? The British could easily do any of these as they controlled the Channel. This would create one large difficult to combat force at Dunkirk. They also saw the resolve of outnumbered British forces at Arras. German generals were trying to figure out what was happening. None thought that British troops would retreat to England and stay there. The British never did that sort of thing. The Germans could divert most of their forces south and risk a Dunkirk breakout being attacked from their rear fighting on two fronts, or stay and consolidate, which they needed to do, awaiting a French/British attack from the south and use some forces and the Luftwaffe to attack Dunkirk, which they did. *German forces resumed their attack on Dunkirk for over 6 days and failed to seize the port. *The plan to break out of the Dunkirk Pocket using British, Belgian and French forces was abandoned as Gort had no confidence in the French. All military school studies since, knowing what the German and allied positions and situations were in 1940, have shown it would have succeeded. The Germans were defeated at the Battle of Dunkirk. They tried militarily to seize the port but failed. Only because the British did not trust the French and moved back to England did the Germans eventually occupy the town. The Germans did not let the British get away that is misguided myth, they tried for a week simply not able to seize Dunkirk.
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The Colonel The Japanese gained a foothold on Singapore island through an Australian troop line, the Eighth Division. They abandoned their posts and went on a drunken binge in Singapore. Colin Smith in Singapore Burning writes about the Diggers. He highlights the disgraceful behaviour of the Australian Eighth Division and its commander, Major General Gordon Bennett. "The British did their best in Singapore. We actually sent in an entire division of territorials, citizen soldiers, the 18th Division, simply because we felt we couldn't let the Australians down. But it was the Australians who let us down," "The Australian Eighth Division was committed into battle very late in the Malayan campaign and started off very well. But it collapsed in Singapore, and left a gaping hole in Percival's defences which proved impossible to patch up and led to the precipitate fall of Singapore long before it should have taken place." "Thousands of Australian deserters – about 7000 – flocked into Singapore town itself from the north-west of the island they were supposed to be holding." "Some of them fought their way onto ships, some of them were shot by British soldiers as they tried to run away." Smith discovered that Australian Prime Minister John Curtin had sent a message to the British Commander-in-Chief, General Wavell, that he was not to execute any Australian soldiers for cowardice without Curtin's permission. The Australian Eighth Division were involved in drunkenness, womanising, rape, and desertion. Smith wrote that the Australian Sixth and Ninth Divisions had a good reputation in other theatres. Gordon Bennett was never again given a command after he escaped from the Japanese. The Australian conduct was so poor the files were only released about 10 years ago.
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@lavrentivs9891 You need to read some history. About one third of the equipment at Dunkirk was successfully taken back to England. The BEF was only one third of the British Army. In about a month all units were fully re-equipped with factories turning out the latest armaments 24/7. The regular army had near two million with the Home Guard one million. Right after the retreat at Dunkirk, up until early 1941, the British had: • Destroyed the German surface fleet. • Neutralised most of the French fleet by sinking or starving it of fuel. • Disabled a major part of the Italian fleet. • Freely moving around the Mediterranean. • Starving Germany of food and resources with the effective Royal Navy blockade. • Beat the Luftwaffe over Dunkirk. • Beat the Luftwaffe in the misnomer the Battle of Britain as Britain was never threatened. • Pushed the Italians out of East Africa. • Decimated the Italian army in North Africa. • Were about to take all the southern Mediterranean coast. • Germany was being bombed from the air with raids of over 100 bombers - 150 over Nuremberg - using the new navigational device, Gee. • A massive air bombing fleet was being assembled. • A matter of weeks after the US entered WW2 the RAF launched a 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne. • The RAF shot down over 700 German fighters over Continental Europe in 1941. After the small BEF (only 9% of all allied forces in France) left France in June 1940, the British went on the rampage. So much so Franco told Hitler the British would win and he would not join in with Germany, fearing British occupation of Spanish territory. The Turkish ambassador stated Britain will win as it has a pool of men in its empire to create an army of 45 million (later an army of 2.6 million moved into Burma). In 1941 the British: • Suppressed an uprising in Iraq; • Beat the Vichy French in Syria; • Secured Iran and the oil by invading. The British determined where the battlefields with the Axis were going to be. After France 1940 Germany never had a significant campaign victory over the British Commonwealth ever again in WW2. The Germans FAILED: • To win the Battle of Britain in 1940; • To win the Battle of the Atlantic in 1940/41; • To control the eastern Atlantic ; • To control the Mediterranean in 1940/41; • To control North Africa and the Middle East in 1940/41. The British Commonwealth stopped the Nazis/Axis achieving all this well before the USA joined WW2 or even sent lend lease. Even the expensive pyrrhic victory in Crete meant little in the end to the Nazis because the Royal Navy still dominated the eastern Mediterranean with Crete not leading to any campaign winning difference.
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@lavrentivs9891 The Japanese did not land on Singapore island unopposed. They went through the Australians.
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@lavrentivs9891 They faced an Australian division run by an idiot named Gordon Bennet, who allowed his troops to get drunk and run riot. British troops were ordered to shoot Australian soldiers who were trying to board ships and escape.
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@lavrentivs9891 Analysis based on facts. Very different.
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The British in Malaya were second rate troops, with the best troops sent to the desert, whereas the Japanese troops were experienced from fighting the Chinese. Also, the Japanese had around 200 tanks, while the British had none. The tanks were not good tanks, but when the opposition has none, it makes a massive difference. At the time of fighting the Japanese in Malaya the British were sending tanks to the USSR. Just one of those convoys of Matilda 2 tanks diverted to Malaya would have made all the difference giving a British victory for sure. The Matilda 2s would have scythed through any Japanese defences, as they had no anti-tank gun to knock it out - why the Australians later used the Matilda 2 against the Japanese. Small, well armoured, being suitable for jungle war. But the British should have won anyhow. The Japanese had run out of ammunition at Singapore and were ready to surrender when General Yamashita sat down at the table with Percival. To Yamashita's surprise, he realised the British officers were talking about surrendering, so started a bluff banging the table. It worked. One of the best bluffs in military history. Also, Percival was naïve and rightly disgraced after WW2.. Yamashita was moved to the Philippines. When he surrendered the Philippines, Percival was taken from a Japanese prison camp being present at the surrender, to the surprise and dismay of Yamashita. Yamashita was hung after WW2 for war crimes. Percival lived being snubbed after WW2. Yamashita wrote: ‘My attack on Singapore was a bluff, a bluff that worked. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more then three to one. I knew if I had to fight long for Singapore I would be beaten. That is why the surrender had to be at once. I was very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting.’
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@elliskaranikolaou2550 The fact remains in that the Japanese still won by only a bluff, not military might - their military might had fizzled out at Singapore. If Percival insisted they fight on, not speaking to the Japanese, the British would have won. The British overall did not look at the Japanese as poor troops. They knew what they were doing in China and they were fully aware of their superb navy. The British were blind to Kalin Gol in 1939 when the Soviets beat the Japanese using armour. The British never had tanks in Malaya. That was the key mistake.
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@lavrentivs9891 What if, what if. Facts are better. Percival tried to be proactive and move into Thailand to man the landing grounds, but was overridden. He wanted far more planes, but they never came. Percival was a buffoon not suitable for such a position. The troops in Singapore did not want to surrender as they knew what the Japanese were like. Percival was told to stick his ground by Churchill, but never. If he had the Japanese would have surrendered being out of ammunition.
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@lavrentivs9891 It is not based on facts, just a wild opinion.
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@benwilson6145 The Japanese were ready to surrender at Singapore. He was in charge of all ground forces. How could they ever get on the island in the first place with so many men at his disopsal !!!!
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@IceWolfLoki Dunkirk was a strategic retreat. The BEFs retreat was made at strategic level.
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@lavrentivs9891 No reputed British historian takes Beevor or Hastings seriously.
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@lavrentivs9891 I could spend an eternity ripping Beevor apart, with facts. He is not worth the effort.
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@lavrentivs9891 You are a thick as pig shit.
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The Colonel Amazing. If the Australian Eigth Division's action were so innocent, why was there a wrap on the whole thing until anyone involved pretty well dead? Their actions were disgusting. Amazing that the Australian government did not agree. Wow. Facts say something else.
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The Colonel You are confused. The BEF withdrawing from the Continent was an order to a whole force from strategic level. The Australians leaving Singapore was cowardice. British soldiers were ordered to shoot them as they tried to board ships to get out. The Aussie Eighth Division was acted in cowardly fashion. The USA had guaranteed the security of Australia. Aussie troops fighting in the desert was neither here nor there. I fail to see where Australia was betrayed by anyone.
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@willsteele793 He ovestreched his supply line, so.not much of a great general. He was lucky his bluff worked. If the British saw through his bluff he would have been defeated. Great generals do not overstretch their supply lines. Look at the best, Monty, he never did such things.
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@elliskaranikolaou2550 They lacked intelligence on what the enemy were doing and their supplies. Percival made the decision. He was also naïve in negotiating skills at the table. Not all senior officers said "surrender".
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@lavrentivs9891 Beevor? Comics are better.
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@lavrentivs9891 Beevor writes inaccurate drivel aimed at the lucrative USA market.
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@lavrentivs9891 Just read the drivel written by Beevor.
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The Colonel The wrap was to hide the appalling behaviour, and incompetence, of the Australians. The British did not have to put it under wraps. Where did the British government betray the Australian Eigth Division? They protected them after WW2 by imposing a wrap.
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The Colonel You are stating the obvious that Percival was a buffoon. It is laughable that anyone quotes anything by Gordon Bennett. Once the level of thinly spread Japanese forces was known, it was clear they could not invade Australia. The US was guaranteeing Australian protection. Taking seasoned troops, familiar with the desert, out of that theatre was foolish. The prime enemy was Germany. The level of Japanese industry, and their economy, dictated that were second in line being dealt with firmly when Germany was defeated. Which happened. Look up the German Mesopotamia plan, to link up with the Japanese after taking the Middle East and its oil. Germany, and Japan, were desperately short of oil. The pair of them linking up, well supplied, had to be stopped. And that meant stopping Germany. That is why London preferred to send tanks to the USSR rather than the Far East.
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The Colonel If the Japanese did make a successful land in Australia, it would be small and not last long as their logistics supply was thin and too long. They would be stuck in the north with a mass of empty land between them with many forces to the south. Land they would find difficult to traverse. The Japanese were spread very thinly over a massive area. Look at their northerly and southerly extreme points, and also their east west. Their economy and industry could not support their lone expansion. The Japanese never had a plan to invade Australia at all, as other territories were more important to them. They needed to link up with the Germans to be effective. The Japanese thought the USSR was to fall, meaning they could take troops and supplies from the Kwangtung army in China facing Soviet forces, to fight in the south. The same week they attacked the British empire and the USA, the Germans were stopped at Moscow by a battering ram. The Germans were now going nowhere. If the Japanese had waited a few weeks they would never have attacked anyone. The Japanese attack was predicated on the USSR falling. The Japanese found themselves facing the two largest navies in the world and the world's two largest economies - alone. Exactly what they did not want. Sane people fail to see a betrayal at Singapore.
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@monashsq4001 British Commonwealth troops at Singapore had ammunition, the Japanese never.
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@princeofcupspoc9073 How Aml King was not court martialled shows incompetence at levels in the USA.
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