There are so many Military History videos on the web.

Since its inception during the mid 2000s, YouTube has been a go- to site for just about any subject out there. The subjects range from the mundane and weird to popular to obscure. One popular topic is Military History and YouTube has many professional and self-made videos produced for the service. There are five different YouTube channels that I subscribe to and periodically enjoy. Among the subjects discussed are the world wars, the Cold War, espionage, and the current state of affairs. Most of the videos run anywhere from a few minutes to about 20 minutes in length, making them very user-friendly. Each program is well researched and is narrated off- screen by the content creator.

Dark Docs

The first channel I will discuss is Dark Docs. This series focuses on espionage, covert and special ops, the cold-war, and top secret projects from both sides. The videos make use of archived film material and have an off-screen narrator. Each presentation runs less than 15 mines in length and has both color with black and white images. The episodes are very well written and edited giving the series a sense of authenticity. I am not for certain what their sources are, but I am sure that they get their facts from open sources and historical archives. Also notice that Dark Docs has videos on other subjects than military history.

Short documentaries from Dark5 exploring the greatest mysteries of this world and beyond..

In this video the series exams the back-pack nukes that could have been used in Europe during the Cold War era.

During this nuclear arms race, the West was considering options for increasing its dominance on the ground in case of an armed conflict. Portable nukes became not only a theoretical solution, but were actually manufactured and trained with. “Littlest boy”, small and true to its name, marked a step in what could have been a chilling evolution of nuclear arms. This new weapon also went by the name of ‘Backpack Nuke,’ which is exactly what it sounds like. It was hoped that the Littlest Boy would be powerful enough to win a battle, but small enough to avoid international outcry..

Covert Cabal

The next channel is Covert Cabal. This site is not entirely military history but a current events and analyses of the US military and other foreign forces. However, some military history is discussed when needed for background information. I believe the content creator is not a professional historian but an expert who works in professional media. The professional video presentations are well edited and written and the host narrates off camera. The videos range from 7 minuets to 12 in length making them easy to watch and go. The creator does have a web page for donations and also sells merchandise to raise funds for future programs.

My goal is to create unbiased military analysis, which is something very rare these days. A lot of the military analyst I see in the media seem to be very partisan, or even just outright wrong giving incorrect information. I seek to provide analysis based solely on facts, and if I'm incorrect feel free to call me out on it! I am always open to learning new things!

In this presentation the history of how the US became a super power is examined. The video starts with events at the turn of the 20th century and continues toward current events. The host looks at how the US became so powerful and how the US faces competition from foreign militaries.

Mark Felton Productions

The next channel I will cover is Mark Felton Productions. Mark Felton is a professional historian from the UK who is a specialist on World War Two and the Cold War. His YouTube channel is a non political history channel that talks about the aforementioned subjects. The host has written over 20 books on the subject of World War Two, war crimes, and wartime leaders. Mark Felton has been interviewed for TV documentaries on the History Channel and Nat Geo. The videos presented are typically 5 to 10 minuets in length and covers a wide variety of historical subjects. The host covers some little known incidents that occurred in history during the Cold War or some other conflict. The series is narrated by Mark Felton himself using archival footage.

This is the YouTube channel trailer for Mark Felton Productions.

Simple History

Well if you like your history simple, it doesn't get any simpler than this. The Simple History Channel on YouTube explores history from a basic level. The series is composed as an animation with off-screen narration and has a length of 15 minuities or less. The series primarily specializes in military history but does have some epsoides devoted to other periods in history.

Explore what it was like to be in the trenches of the First World War, a plundering pirate in the Caribbean or a factory worker in the Industrial Revolution

Witness how people lived throughout history: their culture, developments in technology, epic battles and events.

Watch any of the videos at their YouTube Channel

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered

The last channel I will talk about his the History Guy. Unlike the other presentations, you actually see and hear the series host. The host simply calls himself the History guy and is dressed in a bow time and dark blazer jacket. He sits behind a desk with his hat collection in the background while he narrates the episode. The videos are less that 15 mins in length and are a mixture of archival footage, photos, and his commentary. The subject matter not only includes military history but other events as well. The tendency is toward obscure or forgotten events in history that the host wants to bring forward.

History that deserves to be remembered. If you love history, this is the channel for you! Stories of forgotten history, all between five and fifteen minutes long.

This episode of The History Guy discusses the tragedy of an US Air Force crew at a off shore radar station known as Texas Towers. I remember reading about this type of facility while growing up during the Cold War. The platforms resemble oil derricks that lay off the coast of Texas hence the name.

The History Guy uses images that are in the Public Domain. As photos of actual events are sometimes not available, I will often use photographs of similar events and objects for illustration.

My thoughts on these channels.

I have enjoyed watching all five YouTube channels from time to time. Each of these channels are very well presented, very educational, and engaging. I would recommend anyone who loves military history to subscribe to any these channels. Whether you agree or disagree with the presenters point of view you will never be disappointed in the content, if you can't get enough history form TV try these channels first. More information can be found on the YouTube web page along with social media and patron support.