Battles of the First World War Podcast

The AEF 3rd Corps attacks with three divisions on the right of the attack front. The 4th "Ivy" Division attacks the German lines and supports the attack on Montfaucon. The 80th "Blue Ridge" Division attacks through Forges Creek and pushes up to Brieulles-sur-Meuse. The 33rd "Prairie" Division also pushes through Forges Creek, clears Bois de Forges, and then aims for Dannevoux village. Across the River Meuse, the French 17th Corps launches a supporting diversion for the AEF 1st Army. For battle maps, check out the Perry Castañeda Lbrary Map Collection: https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/ww1/ The BFWWP is now 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 [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The AEF 5th Corps launches its three divisions in the center of the Meuse-Argonne attack front. The 91st "Wild West" Division thrusts up towards the ridge on which sat Épinonville. The 37th "Buckeye" Division supported the 79th "Cross of Lorraine" Division's attack on the German bastion on Montfaucon. Great War Tour to the American Battlefields https://valortours.com/ Contact Mike Grams: [email protected] Normandy Battlefields https://normandybattlefields.com/ Contact Mike Grams: [email protected] The BFWWP is now 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 [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

In this stand-alone episode we have an interview with Christopher Huang, who is the author of the recently-released detective novel "A Gentleman's Murder." This is a slight departure from the BFWWP's usual lineup, but I thought it would be good to support a young author writing a story in which the Great War has a strong presence. "A Gentleman's Murder" was a fun read. The main character of the story, Leftenant Eric Peterkin, is a veteran of the trenches in Flanders and France as are nearly every other member of the gentleman's club to which he belongs. Peterkin takes it upon himself to solve an unprecedented murder in the club when he suspects the case is not exactly going to be solved by the police. Christopher Huang grew up in Singapore and moved to Canada when he was 17 years old. He returned to Singapore the following year for two years of military service, before going to McGill University in Montreal to study Architecture. He currently lives in Montreal, and these days he is pursuing the dream of writing full-time. Mr. Huang is a longtime fan of the "golden age" of detective fiction, and in that spirit he writes his debut novel in the hopes that readers will figure out on their own who the killer is. "A Gentleman's Murder" is available through the Inkshares site, local booksellers, and Amazon. Links to the book will be provided in the episode description, as well on the website post and social media. Check out the book, and support an up and coming author. Hope you enjoy! Inkshares: https://www.inkshares.com/books/a-gentlemans-murder Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1942645953/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_rDAsCb3QQG72N The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

From the Argonne Forest to the Butte du Vauquois, the AEF 1st Corps goes on the attack. The 77th "Metropolitan" Division plunges into the Argonne. The 28th "Keystone" and 35th "Santa Fe" Divisions work to clear the River Aire Valley, seize the Butte du Vauquois, and push north to help cut off the Argonne. The BFWWP is now 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 [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

At 0230 on the 26th of September, 1918, 2,775 French and American guns opened up on the German lines from the Argonne Forest to the River Meuse. Three hours later, nine divisions of American Doughboys were up out of their muddy trenches and into the mist. The largest battle in American military history was underway. The AEF 1st Army however, faced a formidable enemy who had spent years turning the Meuse Valley into a 10-mile thick defense zone. All of it would have to be chewed through to reach the target railroad hubs at Sedan, 35 miles away. In this episode we'll discuss those German defenses as well as the preparations and plans made by the Americans for their attack. The BFWWP is now 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 [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

A short reflection on Armistice Day, 2018. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

On the 12th of September 1918, well over a half million American Doughboys of the AEF First Army went on the attack with their French allies. Less than forty-eight hours later the St. Mihiel Salient--long a painful thorn in the French Army's side--had been completely destroyed. St. Mihiel was the first independent offensive carried out by the American Expeditionary Force of World War One, and it was a solid success. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

On the centenary of the story of the Lost Battalion, we have a very special guest who will talk to us about this epic tale of American heroism, leadership, grit, and a stubborn will to resist in the First World War. Robert J. Laplander is the author of "Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America's Famous WW1 Epic." An enthusiast of the Great War for decades, Mr. Laplander has amassed a vast collection of documentation and paraphernalia related to the story of the men of the US 77th Division who were surrounded by the Germans in the Charlevaux Ravine from the 2nd through the 7th of October, 1918. This collection has helped inform the definitive history he has written of the men of the 306th Machine Gun Battalion, and the 307th and 308th Infantry Regts and their epic five days in the Argonne. Mr. Laplander is considered an authority on the subject of the Lost Battalion, and has appeared in numerous radio and television interviews, including PBS' 2017 3-part documentary named "American in the Great War." For more information on the Lost Battalion, Mr. Laplander's work, and Doughboy MIA (Remember, $10 for them), please see the following links: http://www.findingthelostbattalion.com/ https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/doughboy-mia-home.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/great-war/ The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

In the summer of 1918 the Germans were spent, and the Allies began rolling them back. Supreme Allied Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch had a plan to smash the enemy back and potentially end the war that year. GEN John J "Blackjack" Pershing and his American Expeditionary Force were to play a major role in Foch's plan, but to Pershing only as an independent force under his command. The story of the plans for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is one of two very strong personalities coming together after a long, bumpy road. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

It's time to start the new battle we're going to cover, which will be the American-led Meuse-Argonne Offensive of 1918. We're going to begin with an interview with Mr. Randy Gaulke, a fellow WW1 enthusiast, researcher, website master, and battlefield tour guide. Mr. Gaulke runs the website www.meuse-argonne.com, which contains a wealth of information regarding the 47-day battle that defined American involvement in the Great War. The website contains several features such as bibliographies, articles, research statistics, travel tips, and a feature called "People of the Meuse-Argonne," where individuals who study, write about, or live in the Meuse-Argonne give a quick biography of themselves. There is also a meuse-argonne.com FaceBook page, which connects you with hundreds of like-minded and incredibly helpful folks who readily share information, photos, and travel tips. Please check out: www.meuse-argonne.com and https://www.facebook.com/groups/1624894481060334/ The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

During my recent trip to France, my crew and I had the most wonderful experience when we visited Mr. Andy Robertshaw and Mr. Colin Winn and their archeological dig team out at the Hawthorn Crater on the Somme. How we met the people of the Hawthorn Crater Association will be told in the interview that follows--it was just a stunningly amazing day amongst so many amazing days out there on the Somme and previously in the Argonne. For many years the Hawthorn Crater has sat in relative obscurity on the Somme battlefield. It has been overgrown with trees and brush, and it has remained enough off the beaten path that most tourists have bypassed it altogether. The Hawthorn Crater Association is changing that. Through limited clearance of diseased trees and careful archeological digs conducted with the enthusiastic support of the people of nearby Beaumont-Hamel village, Mr. Robertshaw, Mr. Winn, and several others are bringing the story of the crater and the men who lived in it, fought in it, and died in it, back to life. As I will say at the end of the interview, this is not just digging in the earth looking for pieces of metal from the Battle of the Somme. It is so much more than that, as you will hear. And to be clear: no archeological dig is just digging in the dirt, it's really important and fascinating stuff! Due to some technical difficulties, Mr. Robertshaw was unable to join us. The VOIP connection also tended to be a bit wobbly at times, but I think overall you'll be able to understand things fairly clearly. Please follow the Hawthorn Ridge Crater Association on Twitter to stay up to date: @HawthornRidgeCA The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

On June 6, 1918, men of the 5th and 6th United States Marine Regiments assaulted the German positions in Belleau Wood. So began a three-week battle for a one-mile square patch of wood that would enter US Marine Corps and American WW1 legend. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The third major German attack on the Western Front in late May 1918 led to the release of the American 2nd Infantry Division to Allied Command to stem the enemy tide. The 5th and 6th Marine Regiments, part of that US Army division, set up positions just south of a patch of forest known as Belleau Wood. This episode is dedicated to the men and women of the United States Marine Corps, and to the men and women of the US Army 2nd Infantry Division. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The Battle of Verdun came to an end on December 18, 1916.But the Verdun salient remained a violent sector of the Western Front until the very last days of World War One. In this final episode of the Battle of Verdun the after-effects of the 1916 onslaught in the Meuse are covered, from military losses to political casualties to the lingering effects on the battle on the battlefield itself. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The long-awaited French counterattack at Verdun comes. Generals Petain, Nivelle and Mangin deliver a powerful strike on the Right Bank, against which the degraded German 5th Army is unable to hold. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The Mill on the Meuse grinds on at Verdun through the summer of 1916. The Germans go on the defensive and GEN Mangin hammers away at them. The Battle of Verdun begins to make political casualties as well. As summer turns to fall the French begin to prepare for their long-awaited counter-offensive. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

July 1916 begins and the Battle of the Somme erupts to relieve pressure at Verdun. The Germans begin to divert all available resources for the new battle. The German 5th Army at Verdun makes one more attempt to break through on the Right Bank of the River Meuse. The line Fleury-Fort Souville-Fort Tavannes is attacked to clear the last defensible ridge line before Verdun. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The story of the Trench of Bayonets. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

With terrible losses and plummeting morale, the French 2nd Army strains to hold the Right Bank after the fall of Fort Vaux. The German 5th Army continues its attacks, focusing on the Ouvrage de Thaiumont - Fleury - Fort Souville ridge line just three miles northeast of Verdun. In the blazing heat of June, the French and Germans fight desperately in the artillery-plowed lunar landscape. The French fight to hold the line. The Germans fight to break it. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

With a new attack on the Right Bank at Verdun, the Germans surround and lay siege to Fort Vaux. But this fort, commanded by the tenacious Major Raynal, will not be surrendered as easily as Fort Douaumont. Raynal and the other poilus trapped inside the fort will put up an epic defense that will last five days. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

While the Battle of Verdun raged on the ground, it raged in the sky as well. Control of the airspace over the battlefield shifted hands several times during the course of the fighting. All of the famous pilots met and fought at Verdun: the great Guynemer, Navarre, Nungesser, the Lafayette Escadrille on the French side and and the magnificent Oswald Boelcke as well. Planes dived, clashed and shot at each other over the trenches as the German and French air services fought for control of the skies. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

What an opportunity! Last week Mr. Ross Barnwell and Mr. Andy Robertshaw came on to the BFWWP to speak about their short film project, Beaumont-Hamel, and WW1 topics in general. What a conversation! Sadly the last three minutes were lost, which has put your host in a funk. Sigh. Ross Barnwell is one of the two young entrepreneurs behind 8000ft Media, a media company that specializes in factually accurate historical storytelling. 8000ft Media also focuses on film and photography, creating virtual reality, audio, video gaming, Facebook Live talks & lectures, and Facebook advertising. Ross and his business partner Daniel Gandolfi are currently working on a short film titled Beaumont-Hamel, named after the infamous village on the 1916 Somme battlefield. The film will focus on the 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. Andrew Robertshaw is a historian, broadcaster, and educator. As a leading authority on trench warfare and medical care in the First World War, Andy has been the historical consultant for such films as Steven Spielberg's Warhorse and the recent action powerhouse Wonder Woman. As the director of Battlefield Partnerships Ltd, Andy also provides battlefield tours, consulting for various television programs, family records searches, and a frankly stunning idea called "Trenches for Teachers," where trench systems can be brought to schools for a more realistic experience to give to students on what the Great War was really like. All of this amazing work in history comes from a gentleman who began his career as a teacher. The websites are: https://www.8000ftmedia.com/ http://battlefieldpartnerships.com/ Hope you enjoy! It was a pleasure to speak with them.

With the capture of Hill 304 and le Mort Homme on the Left Bank, the Battle of Verdun shifts back to the Right Bank with a disastrous French attempt to retake Fort Douaumont and ensuing German attacks on the lines there. GEN Petain is promoted in order to have a more ideologically favorable General Robert Nivelle take over French efforts at Verdun. After the attempt to retake Douaumont by the French fails, the Crown Prince and his 5th Army press on with new attacks aimed at breaking through French lines. Fort Vaux is surrounded and cut off by the Germans. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

Seicheprey is a little hamlet in the Woëvre, and in April of 1918 it was the scene of the first clash between the newly-arrived American Doughboys and the battle-hardened German soldier. The Germans set out to teach the Americans a lesson: that they shouldn't hope to tangle with the German soldier. In return the Americans, despite having a lot to learn, would teach a lesson or two of their own. Having been overshadowed by titanic clashes elsewhere on the Western Front at the time, the Battle of Seicheprey was a stark and brutal introduction to the American Expeditionary Force of what modern industrial warfare was truly like. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The Battle of Verdun widens as the Germans now launch attacks on the Left Bank of the River Meuse. The battles for le Mort Homme and Hill 304 rage as the French and Germans fight bitterly for every inch of ground. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

In April of 1917 the United States of America formally entered the Great War on the Allied side. As American Doughboys arrived in France, they would need training and mentoring to prepare for warfare on a scale hitherto unseen. American leadership was adamant however that they remain their own separate army with their own sector of the Western Front. In January 1918, the Americans took over part of the St. Mihiel Salient in the Woëvre, and the stage was set for the first encounter between the Germans and the Americans. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

The Battle of Verdun grinds forward as the Germans press their attack on broken French lines following the capture of Fort Douaumont. French Army leadership determines that the lines at Verdun will be held whatever the cost. General Philippe Petain comes in as commander of French forces and resistance stiffens. The battlefield spreads as the Germans realize they will now need to attack the Left Bank of the Verdun Salient in order to secure their hard-won gains on the Right Bank. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The Battle of Verdun of World War One opens in earnest. The German 5th Army pressed its offensive on the French Right Bank of the Verdun Salient following the opening barrage unleashed on February 21st. Attacking steadily and overrunning French battle lines in the face of desperate but confused resistance, the Germans pushed the French back some two to three miles in the first week of the battle. Disaster loomed for the French Army if their trench lines were to break. Then they did just that. And to make matters worse, the biggest fortress on the Western Front, Fort Douaumont, was captured by the Germans. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

In this episode we'll cover the first two days of the battle, from the barrage on the 21st through the defense of the Boise des Caures by LTC Emile Driant and his 56th and 59th Chasseurs a Pied. On February 21st, 1916, nine days past schedule, the Germans opened their attack on Verdun on World War I's Western Front with a massive artillery barrage of 1,200 guns. The bombardment pounded French Army positions within the Verdun Salient for eight hours before Crown Prince Wilhelm's 5th Army launched its infantry attack on the Right Bank. Operation "Gericht", and the Battle of Verdun, had begun. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The Battle of Verdun has been likened to a "microcosm of the entire First World War in itself:" in 1916 over 10 months on an approximately 125-square mile battlefield the French and German armies poured in some 40,000,000 artillery shells in order for the Germans to push the frontline in 6 miles and for the French to later push it back 6 miles. The casualty count topped 700,000. At the end of the battle, like at the end of the war itself two years later, both the attacker and the defender were exhausted with no clear victory won or lost. In this first episode we will explore the background and lead up to the battle, from the opening battles on the Western Front in 1914 to the bloody stalemate trench battles of 1915 and development of the German plan to attack the French at Verdun. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

With the Battle of the Somme now complete, the Battle of Verdun Podcast will be shut down and all Verdun episodes will transfer over to the BFWWP. More admin details inside. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

What was the Battle of the Somme about? Was it worth it? In this final episode on the Somme, we'll take a look at what was lost and what was gained in the mammoth clash of arms in Picardy in 1916. We'll also talk about future plans: mainly the next battle to be covered. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen, and we'll be back in the trenches soon. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

November 1916 saw the inevitable downshift and closing of operations by the Allies on the Somme. Local struggles continued, and the British still launched large attacks at Butte de Warlencourt and along the River Ancre. Only the onset of winter weather finally brought the titanic clash of arms to an end. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

October on the Somme saw four Allied field armies attacking the Germans in a sea of mud. Despite the efforts the battles that took place would be local ones with little territorial gain. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The air battle over the Somme in 1916 was as important as the massive struggle taking place on the shattered ground below, with the potential of the airplane ever expanding. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

On September 26th, the final assault on Thiepval was carried out by the British Reserve Army. Mighty Fortress Thiepval fell, dealing a brutal blow to the German Army. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The village of Morval is the next domino to fall to the BEF on the Somme in the autumn of 1916. Lesboeufs, Combles, and Gueudecourt follow. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

No, not one written by me. (Thankfully.) But one written by the man who created Winnie the Pooh. Here's a little extra something since we just introduced the tanks in the past couple of episodes. Hope you enjoy.

In the second episode on the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the actions of the British 14th and 15th Corps are covered. The battlefield shook under the tracks of the new tanks. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

On the 15th of September, 1916, 10 British divisions—aided by tanks for the first time in history—launched a third major strike at the Germans on the Somme. The Battle of Flers-Courcelette was on. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

In early September the French and British Armies continuously kept up the pressure on the Germans. These attacks were part of and preparation for the next big strike on the Somme. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

A brief look at the home fronts of the three main belligerents on the Somme, with focus on the British. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

There was no strolling along at Guillemont on the Somme between July and September of 1916. The village was an unbreakable fortress for weeks until it finally fell to British and Irish troops. Nearby Ginchy fell days later. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The battle for High Wood continues through August and into September 1916. High Wood becomes a hell within the hell of the Somme battlefield. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

This is a stand-alone episode, but we are staying near the front on the Somme to speak with a very, very special guest: Dr. Jeff Gusky, the photographer and talent behind the Hidden World of WW1. Dr. Gusky is the photographer and talent behind the Hidden World of WW1, a fascinating exploration of the many unknown underground cities inhabited by soldiers of both sides of the Western Front during the Great War. He is also a National Geographic photographer, and currently his photography is a part of the "Artist Soldiers" exhibit, an 18 month-long exhibition at The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He also has a photographic exhibition at the Museum of History and Art in Sainte-Menehould, France that is running through November 26th, 2017. Dr. Gusky holds that as an explorer and an artist, his mission is the same as that of his primary profession: emergency physician. That mission is to quote "to help people face immediate danger and chart a path to safety" unquote. Dr. Gusky, in exploring these many underground labyrinths of WW1 where men slept, dreamt, and sometimes fought and died, believes that putting a light on the memories of these men will help us to understand ourselves and how modernity affects our lives. As WW1 was the first fully industrialized war features devastatingly powerful weapons and human destruction on a scale that even today remains difficult to fathom, we can see that between 1914 and 1918 was the beginning of when Dr. Gusky's "human emergency" began. This was when the scale of modern life seemed to skyrocket past the limits of human understanding. Since then we as humans have been separated from nature and our human nature by the impossibly large scale of modernity. But Dr. Gusky believes that we can draw hope from the examples of people like those men who left their names and sketches on the walls of the underground cities he has visited. These were just everyday, ordinary men who took part in a horrific war on a hitherto-unknown scale of suffering...and yet they retained their humanity throughout most of their experiences. I am so grateful, honored, and humbled that Dr. Gusky is with us today, and he is actually speaking with us from the Picardy region of France. He is there to explore a new underground site, and he has graciously offered to talk to us a bit about what drives his interest in WW1 and his explorations, and his current exhibits and projects. Please join us for a fascinating discussion with Dr. Jeff Gusky.

On the 14th and 15th of July, 1916, the British 4th Army began its first attacks on High Wood, igniting a brutal struggle for important high ground on the Somme battlefield. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The French 6th and 10th Armies grind on through July and August 1916. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The Pozieres Ridge battle continues as the Australians of the 1st ANZAC Corps fight for Pozieres village, the Windmill, and Mouquet Farm. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

On the 23rd of July, 1916, the Australians of the 1st ANZAC Corps attacked the village of Pozieres on the left of Bazentin Ridge. The Diggers had arrived on the Somme. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

The story of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade in the battle for Delville Wood, 15th-20th July 1916. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. We're also on Twitter! Follow us at @WW1podcast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen.