Battles Of The First World War Podcast

I wanted to tell you about a podcast that I think you will really enjoy. It is called Everything Everywhere Daily.   If you are a remotely curious person, and let’s face it–if you are listening to this podcast, you are more than a remotely curious person–you’ll love Everything Everywhere Daily.    Every day you will get short episodes averaging about 10 minutes, which tell stories from every era of history, as well as explain subjects relating to technology, science, and geography.   You can learn something new every day, often about topics that you didn’t even know you didn’t know about.    So here is a full episode of the show on a topic I think you might enjoy.    Remember, you can subscribe to Everything Everywhere Daily wherever you are listening to this podcast.   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-everywhere-daily/id1521870190

We have had some folks ask, so we have delivered. Guests on this impromptu episode are Robert J. Laplander and Alexander Curran.    This is an unfiltered recap of our recent trip to France! While there we conducted a field recon for the Doughboy MIA project that made some wonderful and important friendships for us. Our newest team member, Alex, discusses a Doughboy MIA case that is very close to him personally.   Also discussed is the amazing opportunity to walk a 103-year-old diary written by a member of the Lost Battalion saga back through the very Argonne Forest where its pages were first filled. This was an unforgettable day that saw several World War One enthusiasts come together for a poignant walk through history-laden woods.    Come join our discussion and relive some of our best moments. Don’t forget – you can join us and experience the same ground with Lost Battalion Tours.    To support Doughboy MIA’s “Ten for Them” program, click on the following link:   https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/doughb

Author James Carl Nelson joins me in discussing his latest book, “The York Patrol: The Real Story of Alvin York and the Unsung Heroes Who Made Him World War I’s Most Famous Soldier.”    The passing of a century and other events has worked to create and solidify the legend of SGT Alvin York, where the story goes that York single-handedly (or nearly so) took on the German Army, killed some 25 enemy soldiers, and then captured 132 more. More recently, the story has been garnering attention for the fact that sixteen other men were part of and present for what is known as the York Patrol.   Mr. Nelson’s “The York Patrol'' is but the latest book to cover the ongoing legend of SGT York, perhaps America’s most famous Doughboy of WW1:   https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-york-patrol-james-carl-nelson?variant=32126628495394   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.c

On October 8th, 1918, seventeen men of the AEF 82nd Division went on a fateful patrol into the Argonne Forest. One of them would become a legend.    This episode will tell the story of Alvin York, both from the conventional telling and a newer recounting from the side of the other sixteen men there.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Join us for a great discussion with Aaron Heft, currently serving as a SFC in the Army National Guard. Aaron works as a unit historian with the Army National Guard’s Leader Development program, where he uses lessons from the past to train and prepare today’s soldiers for the battlefield.    He joins us to discuss the American 28th “Keystone” Division in World War I, a unit of primarily Pennsylvania National Guardsmen of which Aaron is currently a member. This talk will not be exclusively about the 28th’s time in the Meuse-Argonne, so you will hear about some other battles and engagements elsewhere along the Western Front.    Link for the video version is here:  https://youtu.be/ANOM4MYAUBA   Book links here:     Wendy Yessler, Private Compton, https://www.amazon.com/Private-Compton-Experiences-Battalion-Infantry/dp/0578503131     William Graham, Hells Observer, https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Observer-Wartime-American-Expeditionary/dp/0615620914/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hells+observer&qid=16340852

Efforts to relieve the Lost Battalion and break the German hold on the Argonne Forest led to an innovative attack devised by AEF 1st Corps commander LTG Hunter Liggett.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

With mounting hunger, wounds, and death, MAJ Whittlesey and his command continue to hold out in the Charlevaux Ravine. As Whittlesey has said, there will be no surrender.    The only book you need to read on the Lost Battalion:    https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B06X6N13V8&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_BYXX2G0SGFR7DK0MB2X7   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Recently I was invited to a Zoom discussion with some other WW1 enthusiasts to talk about what we can do to keep the memory of WW1 alive in these post-centenary times. At that talk was Mike O’Neal, a longtime WW1 aviation enthusiast, and we quickly connected to get Mike on the podcast talking about his lifelong passion.    Folks, if ever there is an example of being bold and striking out for what you want to do, here it is. In his teens, Mike wrote letters to various journals and WW1 veterans, and the results have been amazing friendships and working on some fascinating projects. He was listed as a contributor to journal articles in his teens, a WW1 aviator gave Mike his wings for good luck, he acquired his own biplane, and much more.   Join us for a great discussion on the beginning and development of Mike’s passion for WW1-era aviation.    Relevant links mentioned in this episode:   “Over the Front” journal - https://www.overthefront.com/   American Society of Aviation Artists - http://asaa-avart.com/   Gol

The established narrative of the Third Battle of Ypres identifies the end of the muddy and blood-soaked struggle in Flanders with the capture of the Passchendaele village ruins in November 1917. However, there were further operations in the Salient just weeks later, and one of them occurred on the night of 2nd December, 1917.    Dr. Michael LoCicero joins us for an in-depth discussion of the creation of his book, the evolution of the BEF, Dominion, and German forces in the Western Front, and the night operation in the Passchendaele Salient on December 2nd, 1917. We go deep on this one, and if you’re really into World War I like we are, you will love this talk.   Order “A Moonlight Massacre” through your local bookstore and wherever books are sold:   https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/a-moonlight-massacre-the-night-operation-on-the-passchendaele-ridge-2-december-1917-the-forgotten-last-act-of-the-third-battle-of-ypres.php?sid=63b397b8d218771ed035537456fa2b1e   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www

Surrounded, with no food or medical supplies and dwindling ammunition, the American forces trapped in the Charlevaux Ravine face a new and unforeseen enemy: friendly fire.    The only book you need to read on the Lost Battalion:    https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B06X6N13V8&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_BYXX2G0SGFR7DK0MB2X7   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Having established a perimeter on a steep hillside in the Charlevaux Ravine, a force of some 700 men under US MAJ Charles Whittlesey digs in to await reinforcements and further orders.    Soon realizing they are surrounded, Whittlesey puts out an order: No falling back. The position is to be held at all costs. The Germans put that order to the test on October 3rd, 1918.    The only book you need to read on the Lost Battalion:    https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B06X6N13V8&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_BYXX2G0SGFR7DK0MB2X7   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War

On October 1st, 1918, fresh from being relieved from encirclement in the Small Pocket on l’Homme Mort, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 308th Infantry Regiment are ordered to attack into the Argonne yet again.    Led by MAJ Charles Whittlesey, the two battalions plunge into the Ravin d’Argonne, and on October 2nd, the Americans break through the German lines and into Charlevaux Ravine. The story of the Lost Battalion has begun.   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Listener discretion advised: This episode contains some language, as well as racial terms and themes that are considered offensive. These terms and themes are being used here in the context of the First World War era.    Ok, so the episode title is a lackluster attempt at clickbait. But if I have gotten you to click on to this episode, do please stay. What follows is an interesting discussion on a now little-known incident that occurred In Henryetta, Oklahoma during June of 1918. Labeled the  “Creek Draft Rebellion” by sensationalist journalists, a dispute between Creek Nation Native Americans and a local merchant was soon morphed into an anti-government and anti-conscription uprising.    Historian and Oklahoma native James Gregory joins me in a discussion of the context of the events surrounding the so-called rebellion, the event itself, the aftermath, and whether the rebellion really happened at all.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comm

Come join the conversation on the new Centre for Experimental Military Archaeology (CEMA) being developed by Mr. Andy Robertshaw and Mr. Ross Barnwell. This is a new project that promises to bring history not only alive, but interconnected with today’s global world.    Mr. Robertshaw is a former teacher turned historian and historical consultant for such films as Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old and Sam Mendes’ recent hit 1917. And he also played a role in Steven Spielberg’s film Warhorse, which I did not know about until now!   Ross Barnwell is the creative force behind 8000ft Media, which produced the short film Beaumont-Hamel, named after the infamous village on the 1916 Somme battlefield. The film focused on wartime cinematographer Geoffrey Malins’ experiences as he took 8,000ft of frontline footage on the Somme, the most famous of which is the explosion of the Hawthorn Ridge mine on the morning of the 1st of July, 1916.    To learn more about CEMA, check out the following link:   https://www.cema.

A short review of Richard Merry’s new book, “The Great War in the Argonne Forest: French and American Battles, 1914–1918.”   Book link here:   https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Great-War-in-the-Argonne-Forest-Hardback/p/18595   Order it from your local bookstore so that you support your local businesses.  The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The raw and untested AEF 36th Division relieves the bled-out AEF 2nd Division on Blanc Mont ridge. These Texas-Oklahoma Doughboys will continue to push past the bloody ridge to keep the pressure on the slowly-retreating German Army.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Having seized part of Blanc Mont and ground beyond, the Marines and Doughboys of the 2nd Division AEF sought to continue to push back the ruptured German lines. They faced days of unimaginable bloodletting as the Germans fought doggedly for every meter of ground.   Be sure to check out “Fix Bayonets! First World War Podcast,” where I have teamed up with Nicole Chicarelli of The War Project on Instagram and Cullen Burke of the Cauldron Podcast (A History of the World Battle by Battle) to tell the story of WW1 from three views: strategic, tactical, and most importantly...human.   Fix Bayonets! First World War Podcast: https://feeds.simplecast.com/7FISmQ37   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me dir

On October 3rd, 1918, the Doughboys and Marines of the 2nd Division, AEF, hurled themselves against a hitherto impregnable German fortress: Blanc Mont ridge, the key to German defenses in Champagne.    Podcast promo! If you’re interested in a daily podcast that gives you a short episode on anything from the history of the US penny to the Tunguska Event of 1908, then you need to head over to Gary Arndt’s “Everything Everywhere” podcast.    Everything Everywhere podcast: https://everythingeverywherepodcast.libsyn.com/rss   Also, very excited to announce that I have teamed up with Nicole Chicarelli of The War Project on Instagram and Cullen Burke of the Cauldron Podcast (A History of the World Battle by Battle) to launch a new podcast project called “Fix Bayonets! First World War Podcast.”   The story of WW1, from three view: strategic, tactical, and most importantly...human.   Fix Bayonets! First World War Podcast: https://feeds.simplecast.com/7FISmQ37   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Battleso

In September 1918, the French 4th Army requested American assistance with clearing the Champagne battlefield of German forces. The American Expeditionary Force would provide two divisions, the veteran 2nd and the green 36th Divisions.   For years, the German Army had held Blanc Mont ridge, a lynchpin to holding the Champagne sector of the Western Front.  But the French Army was now too exhausted to carry the massif. MG John A. Lejeune, Marine commander of the American Army’s 2nd Division, planned an innovative attack that would see his division seize the ridge, hold it, and continue to advance past it.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider r

In this episode we have a great and in-depth talk with Steven Girard, a veteran, an archivist/historian of the 4th (Marine) Brigade 2nd Division AEF, and a WW1 battlefield tour guide.    Steve gives us his own background and how he came to study the 4th Brigade Marines and the US Army’s 2nd Division, and then he gives us a comprehensive look into the battle of Blanc Mont ridge -- a detailed look at this forgotten but important battle of the First World War. (Steve gives us a view from the division to individual level going straight from his memory! No notes!)   Hope you enjoy this great conversation!   To read more on the battle of Blanc Mont, see the following links: “A Hideous Price: The 4th Brigade at Blanc Mont, 2-10 October 1918  LtCol Peter F. Owen and LtCol John Swift” - https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/A%20Hideous%20Price_WEB.pdf?ver=2019-09-11-132018-350   “Blanc Mont (Meuse-Argonne-Champagne) - Monograph No. 9,” US Govt Publication -  http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll7/