The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 1: October 23rd 1942, in the remote North African desert, British and Allied troops face off against the feared German Afrika Korps and their Italian Allies. This battle will become a personal duel between General Bernard Montgomery and General Erwin Rommel. In one of the greatest deceptions of the war, photo recons help to fool the Germans into making a catastrophic mistake.
The Lost Evidence recounts the moments of key battles in the European and Pacific theaters through the use of recently unearthed reconnaissance photos that were taken during the actual battle as well as in the days and weeks prior. Interviews with men on both sides of each battle offer a fresh look at the war. This series offers an unprecedented viewpoint of famous battles in Europe during WWII, using recently unearthed reconnaissance photos that were taken during the actual battles.
For over 60 years these photographs have remained lost, or forgotten…until now. For the first time these original high-resolution images allow the viewer to track the battle, step by step from the air. Individual stories of courage and heroism can be placed in the exact location where they took place. Using cutting edge technology, unique archive film, re-enactments and extraordinary interviews with the men who were there The Lost Evidence offers a new perspective on history.
The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 1
In the annals of military history, there are few rivalries as renowned as the one between British General Bernard Montgomery and German General Erwin Rommel. These two generals faced off against each other during World War II in a series of battles that would come to define the conflict in North Africa. Both men were highly skilled tacticians who commanded the respect of their troops and their enemies alike. In this blog post, we will explore the duel between General Montgomery and General Rommel, and examine how their military strategies shaped the outcome of the war.
The Early Years
Bernard Montgomery was born in 1887 in London, England. After attending the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, he saw active service in World War I, where he was wounded twice. In the interwar years, Montgomery continued to serve in the British Army, rising through the ranks and gaining a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense commander. When World War II broke out, Montgomery was appointed as the commander of the British Eighth Army in North Africa.
Erwin Rommel, on the other hand, was born in 1891 in Heidenheim, Germany. Like Montgomery, he saw active service in World War I, where he gained a reputation as a daring and resourceful officer. In the interwar years, Rommel wrote a book on infantry tactics that gained widespread acclaim, and he was appointed as the commander of Hitler’s personal bodyguard unit. When World War II broke out, Rommel was appointed as the commander of the German Afrika Korps in North Africa.
The Battle of El Alamein
The first major engagement between Montgomery and Rommel took place in 1942 during the Battle of El Alamein. Rommel had pushed the British forces back to the Egyptian town of El Alamein, where he had dug in his troops in a series of fortified positions. Montgomery knew that a direct assault on these positions would be doomed to failure, so he decided to launch a series of diversionary attacks to keep the Germans occupied while he prepared for a major assault.
Over the course of several weeks, Montgomery launched a series of small-scale attacks on the German positions, while at the same time, he was secretly building up his own troops and supplies. Rommel knew that an attack was coming, but he did not know where or when it would take place. Finally, in late October, Montgomery launched a massive assault on the German lines. The battle raged for several days, with both sides suffering heavy losses, but in the end, Montgomery’s troops broke through the German lines and began to push Rommel’s forces back.
The Second Battle of El Alamein was a decisive victory for the British, and it marked a turning point in the war in North Africa. Montgomery’s use of diversionary tactics and his careful planning had paid off, and he had succeeded in outmaneuvering Rommel’s troops. Rommel was forced to retreat, and he would never again regain the initiative in North Africa.
The Battle of Normandy – The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 1
The next major engagement between Montgomery and Rommel took place in 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. Montgomery had been appointed as the commander of the Allied ground forces in Europe, and he was responsible for planning the D-Day landings. Rommel, who had been sent to France to oversee the construction of the Atlantic Wall, was tasked with defending the Normandy beaches against the Allied invasion.
Montgomery knew that the success of the invasion would depend on his ability to land a large number of troops on the beaches and establish a foothold on French soil. To do this, he devised a complex plan that involved a massive naval bombardment followed by a series of amphibious landings. Rommel, for his part, had prepared a series of defenses along the Normandy coast, including mines, barbed wire, and machine gun emplacements.
The D-Day landings were a success, and Montgomery’s troops were able to establish a beachhead on French soil. However, the fighting was far from over, and Rommel’s troops put up a fierce resistance. In the end, it was Montgomery’s persistence and determination that carried the day. Despite heavy losses, his troops were able to push through the German defenses and begin the long march towards Berlin.
The duel between General Bernard Montgomery and General Erwin Rommel was one of the defining conflicts of World War II. These two skilled tacticians faced off against each other in a series of battles that would shape the outcome of the war. Montgomery’s use of diversionary tactics and careful planning helped him to outmaneuver Rommel’s troops at El Alamein, while his persistence and determination helped him to overcome the German defenses at Normandy. In the end, it was Montgomery’s strategic vision that carried the day, and his legacy as one of the great military commanders of the 20th century remains secure.
In The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 1 you will find answers to this questions:
- What happened in the Battle of El Alamein?
- How did General Montgomery outmaneuver General Rommel in North Africa?
- What was the Atlantic Wall?
- What were the military strategies used in World War II?
- How did the D-Day landings succeed despite heavy German defenses?
- What is The Lost Evidence TV series?
- Who were the key military commanders in World War II?
- What was the impact of the Battle of Normandy on the war in Europe?
