As many viewers have noted, the port of Swansea is in Wales, not England. I am sorry, I meant no disrespect to the Welsh.

I wish you'd take over The History Channel on TV. This is history. What they are now isn't even close.

I only knew this story to point of the scuttling of the Admiral Graf Spee. I didn't realize there was so much more to the tale. Thank You! I look forward to your next lesson. You do very good work!

If I had children, I would want you to be their history teacher....Bravo Zulu for your good work!

My granddaughter loves your channel. She really enjoys the WW2 information. BTW, she is 12. Thank you sir.

I spent 10 years in the Merchant Marine on the Great Lakes, had a great uncle who was torpedoed twice off the East Coast. This history and how it intertwines with merchant sailors is indeed worth remembering, and now I will. Thank you sir.

I lived in Montevideo, Uruguay. On a good day could see the superstructure of the Graf Spree on my walk to work.

I grew up in Montevideo and have heard this story several times. There is a small fort overseeing the harbor on top a hill called El Cerro where they have some of the items from the Graf Spee.

I believe that I can speak for many of us, who have been watching this channel for some time, when I say how gratified we are to see your subscriptions rising higher with every compelling video offering you put out.

Thanks for yet another great video! A couple of notes from a Norwegian fan: As a result of the Jøssing Fiord incident Norwegian patriots called themselves "jøssing" throughout the German occupation. (The "ø" is pronounced more or less like the "i" in "bird" by the way :) A personal note: My maternal grandfather was a journalist, working for the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in 1940. He was told to cover the Altmark story, and in the hurry to get from Oslo to Jøssing Fiord did not have time to change into proper winter clothes. When he arrived at the site, it was so cold that he got frostbite and had to amputate the toes on his left foot after returning to Oslo. He was also one of very few journalists present at the execution of Vidkun Quisling five years later.

I'm gonna have to change my handle to "The History Guy Watching Guy".

I would totally respect any history teacher rolling in a tv set and playing these videos for a class!

Dear "History Guy". You are awesome. The way you tell these stories makes everything interesting. Keep up the great work.

Very well done sir and once again something I had heard about but truly did not know. Thank you .

Keep up the good work. You're depth of knowledge into these snippets of history is fantastic and your delivery is superb.

I love hearing that hmnzs archillies was invovled in the engagement. Makes me a proud kiwi

Your videos presenting these mostly unknown bits of history are so well made, and I'm so happy to have found it. The quality of your videos is fantastic, and the proof of that is shown by how much the channel has grown. You sir deserve every one of your subscribers, and I hope the channel continues to grow. Thank you for the fine content. I really do appreciate the work that you do. *:)*

I just discovered your series and love it. I watch a ton of history documentaries but somehow I keep learning about nuggets of history I never knew about before on your channel.

The reason they scuttled the graf spee was that the fuel oil they used was a very thick oil almost like tar... it had to be heated up to flow smoothly into the boilers. The brits shells had damaged the heater beyond repair. So the graf spee was only able to jury rig it so they had enough fuel to get it under way and sail far enough to scuttle her... this was only revealed a few years ago.

Thank you. Although I knew much of the story there were a few snippets in your vid I did not know. Very well researched.

Great story , it’s amazing how many interesting bits of history are forgotten. Thanks for your work digging up and presenting these events, they make history that much more interesting. F

I have watched quite a few of your videos, and have subscribed. I'm very interested in history, have read a lot, and I still hadn't heard about some of the things I've learned through your clips. Even where I have already known the general story, I've still been really impressed with your presentation of it. On this clip-- I knew quite a bit about the Graf Spee and the Battle of the River Platte-- but I didn't know the further story of the Altmark and the prisoners it carried until I watched it tonight. And as you say-- it is history worth remembering. Thank you for all that you do here on youtube.

Another excellent episode and one of personal interest to me. I own a Balister Molina pistol, made by HAFDASA of Argentina. These pistols were said to have been built from steel salvaged from the Graf Spee. An analysis of the steel from a similar pistol was made in 2014, and ruled out that steel for these guns had come from the armor belt of the Graf Spee, but could not rule out that it came from elsewhere on the ship. What is known is that the steel used in these guns was of very high quality, and Argentina had no ability to produce such steel of their own. They historically sourced their steel from Germany, but due to Britain's blockade, none was available during the time these guns were produced.

The old movie “Pursuit of the Graf Spee” AKA “Battle of the River Plate” gives a good rendition of this story...another fascinating tale is of the German raider Atlantis...also memorialized in the Van Heflin film “Under 10 Flags”...this little ship sank 22 allied ships, but its captain always strived to rescue the crews of the ships he sank.

Love your videos! Also love reading the comments, and how your viewers contribute their own stories and nuggets of history. It's all fascinating stuff.

Instead of making students endlessly chanting, "In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue," all schools should play at least one of these incredible videos each day or at least a couple times a week, They make learning about history fun! Bravo to you, Mr. History Guy.

Very interesting story! Why Hollywood has not yet made a movie about this is quite beyond me.

So much interesting - & over looked history. Look forward for your next vid.

You content is excellent and your presentation is excellent. Thank you for your good work and the history lessons.

Another excellent video! Thank you so much for putting the time and energy into creating these well prepared videos. Please don't stop. Learning a great deal on your channel. Thank you!

I’ve just read a book that talks about the Altmark incident. The ship’s later life was also interesting. When it got back to Germany, it was renamed Uckermark, but then right back to assisting commerce raiders. It went on a cruise that took tit all the way to the Pacific and docked in Yokohama Japan, where it teamed up with the German raider Thor, which had earlier captured the Australian passenger ship Nankin. By this time it was almost a year after Pearl Harbor. But Uckermark’s life came to a dramatic end in November 1942 when the ship, while docked in Yokohama, were destroyed by a massive accidental gasoline fume explosion. Uckermark was ripped in half, killing more than fifty of its crew, and the explosion was so great it also sank the Thor and Nankin right next to it.

Out of the ballpark again HG.great job sir.

Yours is the best telling of the Phony War I've ever heard . . . thank you.

Excellent.... really enjoy your work thanks so much for all the great video's

I'd like to thank you for sharing your knowledge of WW 2. This is my favorite subject and, I'm so happy that I found your channel. I have learned a lot from watching and listening to you relate so many different areas and information of the Second World War I had no idea took place. I'm looking forward to more great videos. Stan

Thank you sir. I could spend the rest of my days listening to your lessons. Carry on.

Fascinating part of the war, i remember learning about this in school a few years ago, hope they keep teaching it.

I’m loving the frequent upload schedule. Keep up the stellar work my history-loving friend!

Another great video. Thank you.

Well, if this isn't an absolute classic of semi-obscure pivotal history. I obviously knew about the main events of the Battle of the River Plate, up to the Graf Spee scuttling. And I obviously had a notional grasp of the German invasion of Scandinavia. But I had NO idea those two seemingly vastly geographically separate events, were in fact so directly tied together! Seems all the standard summations of major events in Naval history, focus exclusively on major combatant ships re. their front-line wins/losses. No attention at all is usually given to support vessels, nor the logistical consequences thereof. (I mean, other than generalities about totals of all merchant shipping trends in aggregate, e.g., overall loss rates of convoys to U-boat depredations in the N.Atlantic.)

I love true history like your sharing. Thank you for your video's.

Great video ,as usual.

You're almost 100k! Very smart idea with the merchandising. Please keep up the beautiful work!

At the time of the scuttling of the Graf Spee , the British heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland had arrived to join Commodore Harwood's squadron. The biggest influence on Ludendorff was the reports that HMS Renown had also arrived off Montevideo, although this was untrue. HMS Renown was both faster and more heavily armed and armored than Graf Spee.

Great as always -

Nice job as usual. Thanks

Thanks History Guy!!! You do an amazing job!!! Always great content 😁👍

Thank you for another really interesting video

I like your videos. And the way you narrate them is nicely done. Energetic and enthusiastic. The way history should be taught!

Another excellent video.

While sitting at my grandmothers table after school where she treated me to the pastry of the day. My grandmother and grandfather would tell me stories about the old lands. Your vids make me feel like a 7 yr old again. Minus the sugar. Great job. Will be following for a long time.

Another good one buddy thank you

Oh, and thnx, love the history shorts!!

Such impressive presentation. Bravo !!!

Thanks again!

Awesome channel.

im not sure how i found you, but im glad I did! you my good sir have earned a Canadian subscriber !!

There needs to be a movie about the hunt for the Altmark. Graf Spee got its film, now let's see the Navy storm the prison transport- the last ship boarding in history to use cutlasses!

I've watched the film ' Battle of the river Plate' many times and this story really gives the background and conclusion to this fine film.

Thank you again Sir

That German Pocket Battle Ship caused mayhem from South America to West Africa during 1939... I feel the German Captain acted extremely honorably, minimizing English casualties while harassing the British Navy’s supply tonnage. Very interesting story, however there’s a lot more to it; makes for a great read for history nerds! Thanks again professor 🤓 you float my boat 🚣‍♂️ 👍👍

Excellent thank you

Great video!

Thanks for a solid episode. Your work on this Chanel is always accurate and informative and to the point. You come at a good time as the so called History Channel is pure garbage now with stuff that really isn’t history, low quality cheap productions, drowning in commercials and almost all repeats. Well done and thank you.

I love your videos and I enjoy the history. Kudos! You are an excellent professor.

Thanks for this. Added to my knowledge of the "phony war".

Great channel Thanks

History guy would you consider doing a video on the HMAS Sydney and the German raider Kormoran? The story of the Kormoran alone is really incredible. Give us australians some love!

I really need to rewatch "The Battle of the River Plate" (a.k.a. Pursuit of the Graf Spee) from 1956 one of these days. I haven't seen that movie since I was a kid.

I remember reading about the "Altmark Incident" when I was a kid in a book called "The German Navy In World War II" by a writer named Von Der Porten. This is the only other time I have ever heard anything about the subject! I have truly enjoyed watching your videos..and particularly this one. ..thank you for your efforts! Maybe some more of these videos on Kriegsmarine heavy units..a subject that has always interested me.. well.. WWII Naval stuff period I suppose! LOL! Thanks again.

Well done!

Great video

In the original film Dunkirk, Victor Madon’s character was an injured merchant seaman drinking in a pub, when Richard Attenborough’s character said it’s a phoney war the seaman got angry saying that it’s not a phoney war to merchant seamen holding up one bandaged hand apparently missing some fingers.

outstanding!

I love history. my father fought in the Pacific during ww2 and I was station in West Germany in the late 70s. amazing stories from friends I met there. thanks for the channel

Very Good !

Great job as always sir. Hi from Detroit

Excellent.

Thank you for your consistently great, educational and enjoyable videos! I hope you reach a million subscribers! Could you do the story of the river Kwai bridge sometime?

Very interesting! TFS! 👍🏾

I love how you "Tell a Story"! I also like that you wear a Bow-Tie, and they are different in every episode (or change mysteriously in an episode) :)

I can't stop watching these videos. I may need to go into treatment History Guy!

We saw the movie made of this event: The River Plate I think it was called. The Exeter really took some shells on her deck. What a disaster for the Graf Spay (complete with 11 inch guns) and Captain (especially) and crew. Real shells fired: not so phoney . Thanks for this, I’m a total fan !!

History Guy. 👍 You Rock.

Not only did the damage done to the Graf Spee make it highly unlikely to return to Germany, but it was also low on ammunition. Even fighting their way out the harbor area against the damaged cruiser squadron was problematic and if any help was on the way, which it was although still distant, she could not win.

(wonkey volume on the outro). Another great show. Thanks for sharing...

Nice job

Keep it up THG....great history that deserves to be remembered...LOL

Excellent tutorial!

Well HG that's a first. I knew about Cossack and the Altmark from having built a model of Cossack (they always gave a potted bio) a staggeringly long time ago. Nevertheless great video. I see the subs have climbed again soon be upto 100K. All the best.

Very interesting part of WWII that i was previously unaware of. I suggest that you do a story about Kenneth floto, he was a Colonel in the battle of the bulge, he took over command at gun point during the battle when his C.O. was cowering under a desk in fear, he went on to plan, lead, and execute significant victories that ultimately lead to a win in the battle of the bulge. bulge After WWII Floto was sent to Ethiopia and worked with Haeli Selassie to assist in rebuilding the Ethiopian military for many many years following the war. He was close personal friends with the Selassie family, as were his children, and they left Ethiopia only months before Selassie was betrayed and assassinated by his own guards in a governmental coup. The floto and Selassie families used to share meals and they had a bond that went far beyond politics. In fact, their oldest son used to come to the colonels house for breakfast most days because he liked American cereal so much. Kenneth and Selassie were close personal friends and went hunting on a regular basis. I own a boar head given to me by Floto back in 2001, which was killed by Selassie and Floto on one of their last hunting trips. Floto has since passed away, although he was a really cool guy, and a hell of a man. He was the type of person that we all should strive to be. He was brave, loyal, honest, intelligent, and moral. His son is a different matter, but some apples fall far from the tree. After the assassination of Selassie, he was deified to a degree in the Rastafarian religion, I think as the second coming, although I'm uncertain of that. I'm no expert on Rastafarian religion nor much to do with Jamaica in general. I have no idea why they deify him, nor I certain of the spelling of deify. I have contact info for his surviving family (Floto) and i knew Kenneth very well. Respond to this and I'll contact you with info if you would like. Thank for the great videos!

Thank you

Please do a video on the USS Liberty incident!

The battle for the river plate by Dudley Pope is a great accounting of this tale.

Hello History Guy I wish you would have been my history teacher in school? I always loved it in school but i always knew there was so much more to it than just the 2 paragraphs on a individual event. Thank you for your time i will continue to watch listen and learn.

The sad reality is that history shows the truth (though sometimes tainted by later perspectives). I often wonder how today's "reality" will be perceived in 50 or 60 years... Good work (again!) on this mini history story.

Captain Langsorff was no Nazi, he was a decent man and a good captain

Scrupulously balanced treatment. Well done.

I always like the way you present. You never sound like you're lecturing or reading. Do you have a background in some kind of public speaking?

I love these little-known historical vignettes. Well researched and personably presented: one correction however. Swansea is not in England, it's in Wales.