World War I Podcast: Recent Episodes
MacArthur Memorial
World War I created many of the political, cultural, and economic fault lines of the world today. Produced by the MacArthur Memorial, this podcast explores a wide variety of topics related to World War I.
On Monday, July 13, 2026, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a virtual event featuring Adin Dobkin, author of Sprinting Through No Man’s Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France.
Just months after the end of World War I, cyclists raced across a devastated France - navigating ruined roads, shattered infrastructure, and the deep scars of war. This grueling Tour became a powerful symbol of rebirth - for both the sport and for France. Dobkin explored this pivotal Tour and its connection to French nationalism and nationhood in the post-war period.
MacArthur Memorial website: www.macarthurmemorial.org
MacArthur Committee Information: MacArthur Membership Committee
Adin Dobkin also discussed this topic as a guest on the World War I Podcast back in 2022. Listen to that episode HERE.
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In this latest episode of the World War I Podcast, we are joined by Lillian Pfluke, a retired U.S. Army major and a member of the pioneering first class of women to graduate from West Point in 1980. After her military career, she spent ten years working for the American Battle Monuments Commission as the Private Memorials Administrator of the European Region before founding American War Memorials Overseas, an organization dedicated to identifying and preserving the thousands of U.S. war memorials found around the world. In this conversation, we discussed the many private World War I memorials overseas, what they commemorate, and why they continue to matter more than a century later.
Learn more about American War Memorials Overseas.
Links to photos of memorials discussed:
WWI Medal of Honor awardee in Montenegro: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=1379&MemID=1812
Dudley Tucker: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=155&MemID=235
Aviation Training Center Monument with 171 training accident death: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=614&MemID=897&keyword=paudy
Is-sur-Tille: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=227&MemID=350&keyword=is+sur+tille
Murville link: https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=483&MemID=750
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In the history of the United States, 31 of 45 presidents have served in the military, with two dozen of them serving during wartime. Yet only one president was a combat veteran of World War I: Harry S. Truman. The war shaped an entire generation of leaders, and Truman often said his service profoundly influenced his life and leadership. To explore Truman’s World War I service and its impact, the World War I Podcast hosted Mark Adams, Director of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum.
To listen to a presentation by Mark Adams about President Truman's relief of General MacArthur in 1951, please visit the MacArthur Memorial Podcast.
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In 1917, with Paul von Lettow‑Vorbeck’s forces fighting a desperate guerrilla campaign in East Africa and supplies running dangerously low, the German Navy proposed an almost unbelievable solution. They would send a single airship from Bulgaria on a nonstop, one‑way mission across the Mediterranean, over enemy territory, and deep into the African interior. It was one of the most daring and least‑known operations of World War I.
To explore the story of the Africa Ship, the World War I Podcast hosted historian and author Dominic Etzold, author of The Africa Ship: Ludwig Blockholt, Zeppelin L 59, and the Most Daring Rescue Mission of World War I.
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The First World War is often talked about as a global event that had a tremendous impact on everything, but how did the nations, organizations, and people involved in the war actually “frame” or understand the conflict they were fighting? That's the question at the heart of Framing the First World War: How Divergent Views Shaped a Global Conflict, a recently published collection of essays that draws on diverse fields and methods to shed just a little more light on a war that remains incompletely understood. To discuss some of these “frames” of understanding, the World War I podcast hosted the editors of Framing the First World War: Dr. Michael P.M. Finch, Dr. Aimée Fox, and Dr. David G. Morgan-Owen.
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World War I historiography is heavily focused on the Western Front, and the memoirs of soldiers of the Central Powers—especially for English language audiences—are often rare or inaccessible.
A Tale of Two Fronts: A German Soldier’s Journey through World War I helps fill this gap. Written by Hans Schiller, who enlisted in the Imperial German Army at age seventeen, the memoir covers his service primarily on the Eastern Front, his experiences in the war’s final months in the West, and his postwar fighting with the Freikorps until May 1920.
To discuss these experiences and his perspective of the war, the World War I Podcast hosted his granddaughter, Karin Wagner, and the editors of his memoir, Dr. Gregory Loving and Dr. Frederic Krome.
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Arthur MacArthur III is less well known than his younger brother General Douglas MacArthur and his father, the Civil War hero Arthur MacArthur Jr., but his military career was also quite consequential and full. From the Spanish-American War to his untimely death in 1923, he distinguished himself as a very brave, resourceful, and energetic officer. Unlike his father and brother, however, he did not serve in the US Army. Instead, he served in the US Navy.
Historian Jeff Acosta joined the World War I podcast to share what is known about Arthur's World War I service.
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General Douglas MacArthur is arguably the most decorated American military officer in American history. For a career that spanned five conflicts and about 50 years of active duty, it is an impressive record. His service in World War I accounts for nearly 20% of his 100+ decorations, and many military historians view the combination and number of his U.S. and international honors from 1917–1918 as truly unique. To discuss these World War I awards, the World War I Podcast hosted Sherman Fleek, a military historian and former command historian at West Point who has published on General Douglas MacArthur and the history of the US Military Academy.
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From massive national memorials to simple plaques in tiny villages, the need to remember and try to make sense of World War I was universal. Though World War I memorials stand across the U.S. it wasn’t until 2021 that a national World War I Memorial was created in Washington, D.C. To explore the significance of the National World War I Memorial and its place in history, the World War I Podcast hosted Chris Christopher, a member of the Doughboy Foundation Board.
To access additional resources and view images of the National World War I Memorial, please visit the Doughboy Foundation website: https://doughboy.org
September 12 Symposium Registration: https://thedoughboyfoundation.ticketspice.com/inaugural-world-war-i-symposium-the-generation-that-changed-the-world-voices-from-the-great-war
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2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the release of The Sound of Music, an enormously successful Hollywood film with fans all over the world. As with any story Hollywood translates to the silver screen, the film is a mix of fact and fiction. What is not fiction, however, is that the leading male protagonist, Captain Georg von Trapp, had served in the Austro-Hungarian Navy and was a decorated veteran of World War I. To explore this fascinating history, the World War I Podcast hosted Johanna II von Trapp and Shela Gobertina von Trapp, Co-Founders of the Georg & Agathe Foundation, and Boris Blazina, Historian at the Institute of Lexicography in Zagreb, Croatia, and editor of the Croatian translation of Georg von Trapp's 1935 WWI memoir published.
Learn more about the Georg & Agathe Foundation and Captain von Trapp's military service: Georg & Agathe Foundation
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Edward Mandell House, better known as Colonel House, was a pivotal figure in American politics and diplomacy during World War I, serving as President Woodrow Wilson’s closest advisor and confidant from 1913 to 1919. A wealthy Texan, House was a skilled political operator who shunned public office but wielded immense influence behind the scenes. His role during World War I was particularly significant in shaping U.S. foreign policy and Wilson’s vision for peace. To discuss House, the World War I Podcast hosted Andrew Phillips, Curator at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, VA.
Part 2 of 2
Listen to Part I.
Learn more about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum.
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www.macarthurmemorial.org
Edward Mandell House, better known as Colonel House, was a pivotal figure in American politics and diplomacy during World War I, serving as President Woodrow Wilson’s closest advisor and confidant from 1913 to 1919. A wealthy Texan, House was a skilled political operator who shunned public office but wielded immense influence behind the scenes. His role during World War I was particularly significant in shaping U.S. foreign policy and Wilson’s vision for peace. To discuss House, the World War I Podcast hosted Andrew Phillips, Curator at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, VA.
Part I of 2
Learn more about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum.
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www.macarthurmemorial.org
When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, all 48 states played a role in war mobilization and made unique contributions shaped by their histories, their politics, their natural resources and industries, and their military manpower. Previous episodes have explored the experiences of eastern, southern, and midwestern states. In this latest episode, we shift west to California, a state that provided approximately 112,000 soldiers and Marines while providing crucial support for the war effort on the home front. To learn more about California's experience of World War I, we sat down with Dr. Diane North, author of California at War: The State and the People During World War I.
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John J. Pershing and Douglas MacArthur are both towering figures in American military history—Pershing as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in World War I, and MacArthur as a key leader in World War II and the Korean War. In terms of age, they were separated by about 20 years, but they were both First Captains at West Point, both served as U.S. Army Chief of Staff, and both were absolutely devoted to the U.S. Army. Their interactions spanned decades, revealing a dynamic that oscillated between admiration, rivalry, and friction. World War I played a very key role in this complicated relationship. To discuss their interactions during WWI, the World War I Podcast hosted Jim Zobel, MacArthur Memorial Archivist.
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There are 125 WWI recipients of the Medal of Honor. One of those recipients was Private Thomas Croft Neibaur of the 167th Infantry Regiment, 42nd “Rainbow” Division who received the award for heroism at the Cote de Chatillon in 1918. Neibaur was the first Mormon and the first soldier from Idaho to receive the Medal of Honor. His actions led General John J. Pershing to name him amongst the “Immortal Ten” of World War I, and yet, in a tragic turn of events, in 1939 Neibaur returned his Medal of Honor. To discuss Neibaur’s WWI service and life, the World War I Podcast hosted Sherman Fleek, author of Place the Headstones Where They Belong: Thomas Neibaur, WWI Soldier.
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When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, all 48 states played a role in war mobilization and made unique contributions that reflected their histories, their politics, their natural resources and industries, and their military manpower. Kansas was a midwestern state that provided approximately 80,000 troops and, if not for his premature death, may also have provided its adopted son, “Fighting Fred” Funston, as the commander of the AEF instead of John J. Pershing. To discuss Kansas and World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Blake Watson, author of Kansas and Kansans in World War I.
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As stalemate ensued on the Western Front in the fall of 1914, the French Army began providing a daily wine ration for its soldiers stationed there. As the war went on, the ration went from about ¼ litre to about a bottle per soldier, per day. Armies throughout history have relied on psychotropic drugs to strategically shape the behavior of those fighting, but in the case of World War I, the French demonstrated a unique ability to harness the transformative power of alcohol to physically and emotionally fortify French soldiers to benefit the war effort. To discuss the French Army’s wine policy on the Western Front, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Adam Zientek, Associate Professor of History at UC Davis, and author of A Thirst for Wine and War: The Intoxication of French Soldiers on the Western Front.
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When the United States declared war in April 1917, the 48 states that made up the nation at that time played an important role in mobilization – both in terms of manpower and in terms of the home front. Every state made a contribution that reflected its own unique history, politics, natural resources, level of industrialization, and its national guard, volunteers, and draftees.
For Mississippi in 1917, the memory of the American Civil War remained powerful. Against this backdrop, World War I was complicated, both politically and socially. At the same time however, Mississippi made major contributions to the war effort, and the period was ultimately a watershed for the state. To examine Mississippi's experience of World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Tommy Lofton, Museum Director of the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum.
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Kiffin Rockwell believed that America owed France a debt for its support during the American Revolutionary War. He was 21 years old when World War I began, and he immediately sailed to France to volunteer to fight. He initially joined the French Foreign Legion, and then joined the Escadrille Americaine (later renamed the Lafayette Escadrille). He was credited with being the first American in the Escadrille Americaine to shoot down an enemy plane. He flew dozens of patrols and saw frequent combat before being killed in action on September 23, 1916. To discuss Rockwell's life and legacy, the World War I Podcast hosted Mark Trapp, author of A Destiny of Undying Greatness: Kiffin Rockwell and the Boys Who Remembered Lafayette.
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Between 1914-1917, communications technology, and the way to secure or intercept this kind of traffic, progressed dramatically. When the United States entered WWI in April 1917, it had to quickly catch up in these areas. Remarkably, the Americans made considerable progress by 1918. This success was partly due to Parker Hitt, an innovative Army officer who designed modifications for machine guns but truly excelled at cryptology and at bridging the divide between civilian industry and the Army. To discuss the contributions of Parker Hitt, the World War I Podcast hosted Betsy Rohaly Smoot, author of Parker Hitt: The Father of American Military Cryptology.
Learn more about WWI radio intelligence and cryptology: World War I Radio Intelligence (ww1radiointel.com)
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Agency for Change : A Podcast from KidGlov
Stories of changemakers and how their actions are driving positive impact in the world.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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When the United States declared war in April 1917, it was unprepared to actually fight a war in Europe. The regular army was small and American industry needed time to produce war materials on a massive scale. It also needed time to train and transport troops. States would play an important role in mobilization – both in terms of manpower and in terms of the resources and industry. The 48 states that made up the United States in 1917 were all able to contribute in unique ways, based on their demographics, industry, and natural resources. To discuss North Carolina and World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Charles Knight, Curator of Military History for the North Carolina Museum of History.
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Like many leaders during WWII, Adolf Hitler served in World War I. It was an important part of his identity, and, prior to his rise to power in Germany, he even went to court to defend his service record. His detractors claimed he was a “rear area hog.” They argued he had dodged service in the Austro-Hungarian army and then spent WWI in the German army in the relative safety of his regimental HQ. Hitler won his court case, but what do we know about his war service? And, like the other future WWII leaders, how did the crucible of WWI shape him? To discuss Hitler’s service in WWI, the World War I Podcast hosted Bob Carruthers, author of Private Hitler’s War 1914-1918.
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In 1918, German secret agent, Lothar Witzke, entered the United States via the southern border. His mission was to conduct a campaign of terror and sabotage. This included the destruction of American factories making war materials, the assassination of American officials, and fomenting racial unrest. To explore this little-known chapter in WWI history, the World War I Podcast hosted Bill Mills, author of Agent of the Iron Cross: The Race to Capture German Saboteur-Assassin Lothar Witzke During World War I.
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The North Sea was one of the most relevant naval theatres of the war. It was also home to important fishing grounds. By 1914 a combination of technology, markets, and demand was leading to overfishing in the region. World War I reversed this, but it was a temporary respite. To discuss the short- and long-term impact of World War I on the North Sea, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Ingo Heidbrink, Professor of History at Old Dominion University, a specialist in maritime history.
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How does World War I poetry help us understand the complexity of the experience of the war? Why was poetry so important then? Why does the poetry of World War I continue to have such resonance? To answer these questions, the World War I Podcast hosted two subject matter experts: Dr. Connie Ruzich, Professor of English at Robert Morris University and editor of International Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology of Lost Voices, and Dr. Jennifer Orth-Veillon, a professor at Georgia Tech - Metz and editor of Beyond Their Limits of Longing: Contemporary Writers and Veterans on the Lingering Stories of WWI.
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When most people think of World War I on the Western Front, they probably think of trenches. Trench systems were present along most of the 475 miles from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps. It wasn’t just one straight continuous line, however. The system had many layers that supported the daily life and movement of millions of soldiers. If laid end to end, the trench systems would have stretched an estimated 35,000 miles.
Trenches play a prominent role in most WWI movies. They are often depicted as sites of suffering, terror, and boredom. But what was day to day life really like in the trenches? How do the movies get this right or wrong? To explore this topic, the World War I Podcast welcomed Andrew Robertshaw, a historian, archaeologist, and a film advisor, to the podcast.
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Part II
In early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, the World War I Podcast hosted Robert J. Laplander, author of Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legend of America’s WWI Epic.
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Part I
In early October 1918, several companies of the US 77th Division found themselves surrounded in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, the Lost Battalion, as it came to be known, survived a hellish six days. It’s a story many are aware of – but like most such stories – it’s likely that the popular version we are familiar with doesn’t have the richness or nuance of what actually happened. To explore the story of the Lost Battalion, the World War I Podcast hosted Robert J. Laplander, author of Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legend of America’s WWI Epic.
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www.macarthurmemorial.org
Between September 1814 and June 1815, against the backdrop of Napoleon’s exile to Elba and his brief return, the Congress of Vienna worked out a new way to balance the power of the Great Powers and avoid future conflict. This system was called the Concert of Europe. It was supposed to keep the peace, and indeed, on the eve of World War I, many people in Europe were celebrating a century of relative peace on the continent – a golden age of European power and civilization. There had been regional conflicts in Europe and colonial wars, but nothing on the scale of the Napoleonic Wars. And yet, what started as a small regional conflict in 1914 spiraled quickly into world war. WWI was a war with a long fuse. Was the Congress of Vienna and the system it set up a long-term root cause of the war? Was a system designed to keep the peace the instrument that disrupted the peace? To discuss these questions, the World War I Podcast sat down with Professor Greg Jackson, creator, host, and head writer of the US history podcast, History That Doesn't Suck and star of the live tour THE UNLIKELY UNION.
Tour Dates — History That Doesn't Suck (htdspodcast.com)
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In 1914, as German forces quickly outmaneuvered Allied armies in the opening days of the war, there was some suspicion among the Allies that the circuses that had traveled around Europe in the years before the war – many of which were owned by German families or had German names – had helped prepare the German army by perfecting the art of rapid and efficient mobilization and transport. Even Americans – not yet involved in the war – suspected this to be the case and looked at circuses like the Ringling Brothers with suspicion. Was this true? Did armies prior to World War I study circus logistics? If so, how did they adapt this expertise? To help explore this topic, the World War I Podcast hosted Matthew Fraas, Education Specialist at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum.
US Army Transportation Corps Museum Home Page
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When World War I began, the famed historian, sociologist, and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois was at the height of his influence. When the United States entered the war, he encouraged African Americans to “close ranks” and support the Allied cause. Tasked with writing a definitive history of the African American soldier in World War I, Du Bois ultimately came to be haunted by his support for the war. The manuscript for that project remains unpublished. To discuss Du Bois and World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Chad L. Williams, author of The Wounded World: W.E.B. Du Bois and the First World War.
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In the winter of 1918, General John J. Pershing presented then Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur with his second Distinguished Service Cross. The award was for actions in France at the Côte de Châtillon between October 14-16, 1918. The citation ends with an interesting sentence: “On a field where courage was the rule, his courage was the dominant feature.” What happened there? What do we know about the circumstances behind this award? To answer these questions, MacArthur Memorial historians Amanda Williams and Jim Zobel sat down to discuss this WWI chapter in Douglas MacArthur's career.
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In 1890, half of the US Government’s budget was devoted to disability pensions for Civil War veterans. This enormous financial burden combined with medical advances led to a different approach when it came to the US Army’s care of wounded soldiers in World War I. Far from the passive convalescent homes of previous wars, in World War I the US Army’s commitment to rehabilitation would mark a new chapter in the care of the wounded. To share the story of these rehabilitation programs, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Sanders Marble of the Office of Medical History, US Army Medical Command.
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Between 1914-1916, Portugal walked a delicate line. While actively engaged in an undeclared war with Germany in Africa, Portugal was not a combatant in Europe, nor did it officially declare neutrality. It stayed out of the war, but it provided support in a variety of ways to Britain – its historical ally. Britain hoped to maintain this arrangement for the duration of the war. In contrast, the Portuguese government was anxious to join the war. In March 1916, it got its way. By 1917, the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP) was fighting in France.
In the decades after WWI, the dominant trend in scholarship was to view the CEP as incapable and even cowardly. More recent scholarship provides a more balanced picture of the CEP. To further explore Portugal and the CEP in WWI the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Jesse Pyles, an expert on the CEP.
History Nerds United
Let's make history fun again! Come listen to interviews with award winning authors,...
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When WWI began in 1914, Catholic priests were virtual pariahs in France. This was the result of a trend towards anti-clericalism that began with the French Revolution and continued in fits and starts into the 20th century. Prior to WWI, to further eliminate perceived privilege, France’s Third Republic made priests eligible for military service. Ironically though, this attempt to erase them as a distinct social class provided French priests the opportunity to be seen as patriots. Tens of thousands of priests served in the French Army during WWI – alongside nearly 2/3’s of France’s male population. To explore this novel chapter in WWI history, the World War I podcast was joined by Dr. Anita Rasi May, author of Patriot Priests: French Catholic Clergy and National Identity in World War I.
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On Feb. 8, 2022, a local undertaker was digging a grave in the cemetery at Villers-sur-Fère, a small village in northeastern France near the Ourcq River, where the U.S. Army’s 42d Infantry Division pushed back German forces in 1918. At about four feet down, the undertaker unearthed human bones. He didn’t know it at the time, but he had found an American Doughboy.
Michael G. Knapp, Director of Historical Services for the American Battle Monuments Commission, joined the World War I Podcast to discuss the identification process and what we know about this soldier.
The soldier will be buried with full military honors in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery on June 7, 2023. Livestream link: Unknown U.S. WWI Soldier Burial Ceremony at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, France - YouTube
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On October 8, 1918, seventeen American soldiers of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 328th Infantry, 82nd Division flanked a German machine gun nest, surprising and capturing dozens of German soldiers. Acting Corporal Alvin York – a conscientious objector turned warrior – was credited with leading the squad and singlehandedly killing 20 Germans, knocking out 35 machine guns, and capturing 132. York later received the Medal of Honor for this action, and his exploits were forever immortalized in the 1941 movie Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper.
The World War I Podcast covered the story of York in an episode in 2017, but since then, there has been additional scholarship. What about the other sixteen members of the patrol? What role did they play in the action? Why is so little known about them? Is there more to the story? To answer these questions, the World War I Podcast welcomed James P. Gregory Jr. to the podcast. Gregory is a PhD candidate and the author of Unraveling the Myth of Sgt. York: The Other Sixteen.
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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby tells the novel’s narrator about his World War I military service and a particularly heroic engagement in the Argonne Forest. He ends his story by explaining: “I was promoted to be a major, and every Allied government gave me a decoration – even Montenegro, little Montenegro down on the Adriatic Sea.” The decoration he displays is the Order of Prince Danilo I. Fitzgerald’s description of the award might not be the most accurate, but it is a real order and members of the AEF did receive it. To discuss the order and it's AEF recipients, the World War I Podcast talked with Dr. Frank Blazich, Military History Curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Dr. Blazich is an expert on the AEF recipients of the Order of Prince Danilo I and is also a contemporary recipient of the award.
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The Battle of Gallipoli was fought on the Gallipoli Peninsula from February 19, 1915 to January 9, 1916. The Entente Powers hoped to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war by seizing control of the Dardanelles and then putting the capital city of Constantinople in the crosshairs. The goal was to break the stalemate on the Western Front, relieve pressure on Russia, and ensure access to the Black Sea. The operation was a brainchild of Winston Churchill and the landings on April 25, 1915, involved the use of ANZAC troops. After months of difficult fighting, the Allied troops were withdrawn in defeat. Despite this defeat, historians point to Gallipoli as a pivotal moment in the formation of a national consciousness in Australia and New Zealand. Similarly, the Ottoman victory had a profound impact on the formation of modern Turkey. To examine the Battle of Gallipoli from the Ottoman and Turkish perspectives the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Yucel Yanikdag, Professor of History at the University of Richmond and an expert on Turkey, the Ottoman Empire and World War I.
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When WWI broke out in 1914, women in eight states – mostly in the west – had the right to vote. Women in the other 40 states that made up the US at that time did not have the right to vote. America’s involvement in the war spurred on many suffragists – who while not all united in their response to the war – viewed with hope President Woodrow Wilson’s framing of America’s involvement in World War I as a defense of democracy. They hoped such a commitment to democracy would encourage accountability at home – for how could you make the world safe for democracy with half the nation disenfranchised? As with the Preparedness movement and the war, Wilson’s public position on women’s suffrage evolved during his two terms. To discuss this evolution and Wilson's role in women's suffrage, the World War I Podcast hosted Andrew Phillips, curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA.
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The ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 removed obstacles to American women exercising their right to vote, but it didn’t happen without a fight - and the final stage of that fight took place against the backdrop of World War I. Unlike their British counterparts who largely paused their activism during the war, some American suffragists redoubled their efforts during the war. To discuss American women and the fight for suffrage during World War I and its immediate aftermath, the World War I Podcast interviewed Tina Cassidy, author of Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait?: Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson, and the Fight for the Right to Vote.
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In 2022, US Army COL Charles Young was posthumously promoted to brigadier general – a rank he likely would have advanced to during World War I. In 1917 he was the highest ranking African American officer in the US Army. A veteran of the 1916 Mexican Expedition, his name even appeared on a list of the campaign’s officers that GEN John J. Pershing recommended for future brigade command. Then, months into World War I, he was controversially sidelined after failing a medical exam. To discuss Young's career and why he was sidelined in World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. David Kilroy, author of For Race and Country: The Life and Career of Colonel Charles Young.
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Part 3 of 3. Andrew Phillps, curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA returns to the World War I Podcast to discuss Wilson and the aftermath of World War I as well as Wilson's legacy as a wartime president. This is the last interview in a series of discussions that examined Woodrow Wilson’s presidency and World War I.
Learn more about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library: https://www.woodrowwilson.org/
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Part 2 of 3. Andrew Phillps, curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA returns to the World War I Podcast to discuss Wilson’s evolving response to World War I and his role as a wartime president. This is the second of several interviews that examines Woodrow Wilson’s presidency and World War I.
Learn more about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library: https://www.woodrowwilson.org/
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Part 1 of 3. Woodrow Wilson - the professor turned president and a very complicated figure in American history. He campaigned to be a domestic policy president and later in favor of neutrality but ended up a wartime president. WWI is a fascinating moment in the history and evolution of the American presidency, and Wilson is at the heart of that. To explore this topic, we will be joined by Andrew Phillips, curator of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA for a special three-part series. The first part of the series will trace the Wilson’s meteoric rise – from his days as a professor to his political career and his vision of the role of the American president. Future podcasts will focus on Wilson during WWI, and then Wilson in the aftermath of WWI.
Learn more about the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library: https://www.woodrowwilson.org/
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In 1899, Queen Victoria decided to send a small brass box containing chocolate to her soldiers fighting in the Boer War. Approximately 123,000 of these gifts were distributed. They were well received and are a fascinating part of material culture from that war. World War I would see a similar royal gift – but this gift would not be directly from the sovereign – it would be part of a campaign led by King George V's daughter, Princess Mary. To discuss Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift, the World War I Podcast hosted Professor Peter Doyle, historian and author of For Every Sailor Afloat, Every Soldier at the Front: Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift 1914.
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During WWI, efforts were made on all sides to provide servicemen with identity tags to assist with identifying remains. This helped in some cases, but given the nature of the battlefields, many bodies were never recovered or were not identifiable. These servicemen made the greatest ultimate sacrifice. They not only sacrificed their lives – they sacrificed their identity. They are the “unknowns.” After WWI, many families had to deal with not just the loss of a servicemember but the idea that they would likely never know the final resting place of their loved one. In response to this collective loss, some nations constructed tombs to honor the unknowns. America’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands in the Memorial Amphitheatre of Arlington National Cemetery. It overlooks Washington, D.C. and is guarded 24/7 by soldiers of The Old Guard, the US Army 3rd Infantry Regiment. To explore the WWI origins of this tomb, the World War I Podcast spoke with Gavin McIlvenna, Co-Founder and Past President of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS).
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Africa is sometimes referred to as a “sideshow” of World War I, but that label is misleading. As with modern Europe, it is impossible to understand modern Africa without understanding it’s experience of WWI. The Cameroon Campaign of 1914-1916 was a campaign fought in West Africa that involved engagements on land as well as a successful amphibious operation. It lasted a mere 18 months, but it continues to have a significant impact today on Nigeria and Cameroon. To discuss the Cameroon Campaign, the World War I Podcast hosted Adeboye Tinubu, a PhD candidate at the University of Calgary and a specialist in the Cameroon Campaign and the Nigerian soldiers who fought in the campaign.
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At the turn of the 20th Century, many in the West were quite confident that they were living in the most civilized era in history. Progress had at last won out over barbarism – or so it seemed. Then the battlefields of World War I quickly proved a charnel house – challenging not just the belief in man’s progress, but the limits of modern medicine. And yet, the horrors of the battlefield prompted a wave of medical innovations that form the basis of modern medicine today. To discuss this evolution in medicine, the World War I podcast interviewed Dr. Thomas Helling, a Professor of Surgery and head of General Surgery at the University of Mississippi in Jackson. He is an expert on military medicine, trauma and critical care, and the author of The Great War and the Birth of Modern Medicine.
WWI saw a dramatic evolution in the technical collection of intelligence. From the start, SIGINT – the interception of communication signals – played a major role in the war. As the war went on, it was clear that secure communications could mean the difference between victory or defeat. This led to the rise of code interceptors, code makers and code breakers. When the US Army arrived on the battlefields of France, it had to quickly find ways to encrypt its communications. One solution was to use Native American languages to transmit information. Today, many are familiar with the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII, but few know that Native Americans served as Code Talkers in WWI. To discuss the WWI Code Talkers, the WWI History Podcast hosted Dr. William C. Meadows, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Missouri State University and author of The First Code Talkers: Native American Communicators in World War I.
America’s path to World War I was complicated. Although committed to a nominal policy of neutrality for most of the war, the pre-war years for America involved an internal battle over the nation’s future. Most could agree that America should have a more dynamic international role – but that meant different things to different people – and it wasn’t just a debate between the traditional interests or political parties. Powerful progressive forces splintered over the nation’s response to the war. To discuss America’s entry into WWI in the context of this debate – the World War I Podcast sat down with Dr. Neil Lanctot, author of The Approaching Storm: Roosevelt, Wilson, Addams and Their Clash Over America’s Future.
Prior to World War I, most people regarded the National Guard as the militia, not as a valuable part of the nation’s strategic reserve. The 1916 National Defense Act – a piece of legislation that a young officer named Douglas MacArthur helped the US Army lobby for – would lay the groundwork for National Guard units to be activated into Federal service. In 1917, as the United States prepared to fight in Europe, National Guard units across the country were activated into Federal service. Maine’s 103rd Infantry Regiment was one of these units and it would see service in France as part of the 26th Division. Known as the “Yankee Division,” the 26th would see considerable combat in France during the war. To discuss the experience of the 103rd Infantry Regiment during World War I, the World War I Podcast interviewed Captain Jonathan Bratten, command historian of the Maine Army National Guard and author of To the Last Man: A National Guard Regiment in the Great War.
If you'd like to read To the Last Man, a free download is available: https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/to-the-last-man.pdf. You can also request a hard copy by emailing: usarmy.leavenworth.tradoc.mbx.armyu-aup-rp@army.mil
The World War I Podcast is going on a brief hiatus for a month. During this short break though – feel free to keep sending in topic suggestions or if you’re an author or publisher, keep sending those review copies. If you visit the Memorial’s website, you can also fill out a suggestion form online. We can’t cover everything and the volume of requests is high – but listeners play a really important role in helping us identify unique and interesting topics – and we enjoy hearing from you.
Thanks for supporting the podcast. We will be back in June 2022!
Throughout history, war has had a profound impact on the natural environment. It is frequently linked with famine, pollution, and other ecological disruptions that lead to disease or plagues of pests. Often however, we tend to think of the environmental impact of a conflict as limited to the area of the actual battlefield. The Western Front battlefields of WWI seem like the perfect examples of ecological disaster – and yet – the damage to rivers, fields, and forests in these areas was not the only environmental impact of the war. Radiating from the European epicenter of the conflict and making it a truly global war, was a scramble by all the warring powers for the natural resources needed to power the war effort. To discuss the global environmental impact of WWI, the World War I Podcast hosted Dr. Tait Keller, Associate Professor and Chair of History at Rhodes College and an expert on how warfare and energy extraction evolved during WWI.
When World War I began in Europe, American journalists rushed to cover the war. Most assumed they would cover the new war as they had covered other wars, but the scale, brutality, and duration of the war required a more diverse and comprehensive type of war coverage. As Europe fully mobilized and the boundaries between battlefield and homefront blurred, many editors sought to capture a more complete picture of the war by also exploring the war from a “woman’s angle.” To discuss this “angle,” and the American women who covered the war, the World War I Podcast hosted Chris Dubbs, author of An Unladylike Profession: American Women War Correspondents in World War I.
The Tour de France is one of the greatest endurance competitions in the world. An annual multi-stage men’s bicycle race, the Tour takes riders through France, and occasionally through neighboring countries. The competition began in 1903 and 2022 will see the 109th edition of the race. Only WWI and WWII have cancelled the competition. In the case of WWI, the Tour returned roughly seven months after the war ended. This 1919 Tour took place at a very interesting moment – as people in France grappled with the emotional, psychological, logistical, and political end of the war. To discuss the 1919 Tour de France and this particular moment in the aftermath of WWI, the World War I podcast hosted Adin Dobkin, author of Sprinting Through No Mans Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France.
When World War I began in Europe, American journalists rushed to cover the war. The decades prior to 1914 had been filled with colonial conflicts, revolutions and wars around the world. Many reporters assumed they would cover the new war in Europe as they had covered other wars. However, the scale, brutality, and duration of World War I forced journalists to rewrite the traditional rules of reporting and to find creative ways to access information about the war to try to keep the American public informed. To discuss the stories of these reporters and their coverage of World War I, the World War I Podcast hosted Chris Dubbs, a military historian and journalist, and the author of American Journalists in the Great War.
During World War I, General John J. Pershing considered Douglas MacArthur his finest battlefield commander and George Marshall his finest staff officer. Pershing preferred Marshall to MacArthur but acknowledged that they were very different men. To Pershing, Marshall had a military mind, while MacArthur had a warrior mind. The military mind exists, according to Samuel P. Huntington, “in a world of grays.” In contrast, MacArthur’s warrior mind was “one of blacks and whites and loud and clashing colors.”
While both men would go on to have a very long, very consequential working relationship, some MacArthur biographers suggest that their World War I service sowed a seed of antagonism that had major consequences in the future. Is this true?? What happened between them in World War I?? To answer this question, Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams sat down to discuss the Marshall/MacArthur relationship during this period.
World War I had a profound effect on the French wine industry. The Champagne wine region was a battleground for most of the war. In addition, the loss of markets, labor shortages and production problems presented huge challenges for the industry. Despite these challenges, wine was a growing part of French national identity. It also played a daily role in the war. French soldiers received a daily wine ration because French military leaders and doctors considered wine a fortifying tool that increased combat effectiveness. To discuss France, wine, and World War I, the World War I Podcast recently hosted Walter Wolf III—a lawyer, military historian, and wine expert.
Today when most people think of the USMC in WWI, they think about Belleau Wood. They don’t tend to think of the role Marines played in taking Blanc Mont in the Champagne sector in 1918. The French understood the importance of Blanc Mont, but World War I historians tend to devote just a sentence or a footnote to the battle. To discuss the story of the Marines at Blanc Mont, we sat down with Lieutenant Colonel Peter F. Owen, USMC (ret.) and Lieutenant Colonel John Swift, USMC (ret.), co-authors of the book A Hideous Price: The 4th Brigade at Blanc Mont 2-10 October 1918.
When the US entered World War I, Douglas MacArthur was a major attached to the US Army General Staff. About 14 months later, he was a brigadier general. Prior to the war’s conclusion in November 1918, he was on the verge of a promotion to major general. Wartime promotions in the National Army raised many career officers like MacArthur, George Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George Patton several grades. After the war though, these officers typically reverted back to their pre-war rank in the Regular Army. MacArthur was an exception. He would spend the next several decades as a general officer.
Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams of the MacArthur Memorial recently sat down together to discuss circumstances behind these World War I promotions - and whether or not they were warranted or influenced by family connections.
Due to farming, construction, or archeological projects, the remains of soldiers killed in World War I continue to be unearthed along what was once the Western Front. Although the conflict ended more than 100 years ago, historians, archaeologists, and scientists are able to identify dozens of these soldiers each year. To discuss this work, we recently sat down with military historian and archaeologist Andrew Robertshaw.
The Chronicles of Narnia has sold more than 100 million copies in 47 languages. The Lord of the Rings has sold 150 million copies in 38 languages. The authors, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, were combat veterans of World War I. Great historians and statesmen have written that World War I left mankind in an abyss of desolation - and the idea of a lost generation emerging out of this war is a popular one. That might only be part of the story though. For some, like Lewis and Tolkien, the war deepened faith and helped them develop an understanding of a difficult world. To discuss their wartime service and the influence of the war on their writing, we sat down with Dr. Joseph Loconte, author of A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War.
World War I was a very interesting and complicated moment in the U.S./Philippine relationship. Many Filipino's supported the war effort - hopeful that a war to make the world "safe for democracy" would also lead to Philippine independence. Filipinos served in the U.S. military, others bought war bonds, and a Philippine National Guard was created in the hope that it could add 25,000 men to General Pershing's American Expeditionary Force. To explore this relatively overlooked part of World War I history, Dr. Christopher Capozzola, author of Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Built America's First Pacific Century, joined us for a discussion of the Philippines and World War I.
When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, baseball had been America's national past time for about 60 years. The start of the war also coincided with the start of the 1917 MLB season. Many professional ballplayers would serve in the military, forcing MLB's response to the war to evolve over the 1917-1919 seasons. At the same time, American troops in Europe created hundreds of baseball diamonds and played thousands of baseball games during the war and the occupation that followed. To discuss baseball and World War I, we recently sat down with Al Barnes, co-author of the book Play Ball!: Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War.
With limited space to tell so many stories, museums always have some very interesting items in storage. The Smithsonian is no different! In this episode, Dr. Frank Blazich, Curator of Military History in the Smithsonian's Division of Political and Military History, shares the story of five very interesting artifacts, currently in storage at the National Museum of American History.
Artifacts include:
- Medal of Honor of George McMurtry, a member of The Lost Battalion
- Mark I Depth Charge
- John J. Pershing's World War I Victory Medal
- Kaiser Wilhelm II's Valet Kit
- Artbook of Charles Mauro
During World War I, Marguerite Harrison became the first female foreign intelligence agent employed by US military intelligence. While relatively unknown today, she played a major role in normalizing the idea of a woman working in American intelligence. She also had an interesting career that took her from Germany during the Versailles Conference, to the Soviet Union, and later to the oil fields of the Middle East. To share her remarkable story, we sat down with Dr. Elizabeth Atwood, author of the book: The Liberation of Marguerite Harrison: America's First Female Foreign Intelligence Agent.
In 1918, armies on both sides of WWI were stricken by the Spanish Flu. Douglas MacArthur suffered a period of illness during this period that was unrelated to his bouts with mustard gas. Did he contract the Spanish Flu? In this latest episode, Jim Zobel and Amanda Williams of the MacArthur Memorial briefly discuss MacArthur’s illness and the impact of the Spanish Flu on the Western Front.
From the Schlieffen Plan to Verdun, the critical years of 1914-1916 set the stage for major upheavals in 1917. For expert analysis of this period, we sat down with Dr. Michael Neiberg, author of Fighting the Great War and Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I, to discuss the strategy and major events of the Western Front and how 1914-1916 influenced the post-war peace.
What was the United States Coast Guard doing during World War I? We sat down Dr. William H. Thiesen, Atlantic Area Historian for the United States Coast Guard, to discuss the history of the Coast Guard and how World War I served as the first true test of the modern Coast Guard's military capability.
By the end of 1916, the Allied and Central powers were exhausted and were facing serious political, economic and social problems. For Russia, a country already struggling with the structural problems of autocracy, the troubles of 1916 led to revolution. To learn more about the timeline and particulars of the Russian Revolution, we had a conversation with Dr. Colleen Moore, Assistant Professor of History at James Madison University.
Many small countries entered World War I with the hope of gaining some sort of advantage in the post-war period. Most of these countries did not contribute troops or any other substantial aid to the combatants. Siam is a notable exception. To learn more about Siam's participation in World War I, we spoke with Dr. Stefan Hell, author of the book Siam and World War I: An International History.
While radio and telephone were becoming more and more a part of the battlefield, these communication technologies also had weaknesses on the World War I battlefield. A secure, reliable, low tech communication option was needed. Armies on both sides turned to Homing Pigeons to provide this vital link. We sat down with Dr. Frank Blazich, Curator of Modern Military History at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, to discuss the U.S. Army's pigeon service and how these birds contributed to the war effort.
America’s path to World War I was complicated and involved some deep cultural shifts. What changes drove the evolution from neutrality to war? What role did immigrant and minority groups play in this shift? And, did the American people go into this war naïve to the costs? To answer some of these questions, we sat down with Dr. Michael Nieberg to discuss his book The Path to War: How the First World War Created Modern America.
World War I taught a young Dwight D. Eisenhower some significant leadership lessons – just not on the battlefield. Eisenhower spent a good part of the war as the commander of Camp Colt in Gettysburg, PA. Camp Colt sat on part of the Gettysburg battlefield and was home to the U.S. Army’s fledgling tank school. From an initial lack of tanks to the Spanish Flu pandemic, Eisenhower proved himself a brilliant organizer and a capable leader in difficult times. In this latest episode, Daniel Vermilya, an NPS Park Ranger at the Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg, discusses Camp Colt and Eisenhower's long association with the region.
World War I had profound social and economic consequences. American industry had typically relied upon European immigrant labor. When the war disrupted immigration, American industry turned to other sources of labor and began recruiting African Americans. Responding to these new economic opportunities, large numbers of African Americans began leaving the rural south for the urban north. In this latest episode, Dr. Steven Reich discusses the Great Migration in the context of World War I and explains its cultural legacy.
Like the other Great Powers, Russia experienced a great deal of turmoil in the decades leading up to World War I. Slow industrialization, military failure in the Russo-Japanese War, and mass social unrest were just some of the problems that were further compounded by weak leadership and a fragile political system. In this latest episode, Dr. Colleen Moore describes this pre-war turmoil and outlines Russia's path into World War I.
The Hapsburgs were a very old and distinguished noble family in Europe. Members of the Hapsburg-Lorraine branch of the family ruled Austria-Hungary during World War I. In this latest episode, Dr. Maura Hametz discusses the many tragedies and intrigues of these Hapsburgs and outlines the roles of Emperor Franz Josef I and his successor, Karl I, during World War I.
Appointed Supreme Allied Commander during World War I, Ferdinand Foch is regarded as the architect of the 1918 victory. He is also recognized as one of the most original thinkers in the 20th century French military. In this episode, Dr. Michael Neiberg discusses Foch's unusual career path, outlines his World War I service, and highlights his unique understanding of the war.
Arriving in Paris in 1919 for the Peace Conference, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson made it clear that he believed Italy entered World War I in a Machiavellian spirit of “cold-blooded calculation.” Italy’s leaders disagreed – arguing that their participation in the war was about liberation and self-determination. Regardless of the argument, like most of the combatants, Italy’s decision to go to war lay somewhere between practical and opportunistic. A member of the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germany when the war started, Italy renounced this alliance in 1915 and joined the Entente Powers on the battlefield. Italy emerged as one of the victors in November 1918, but it’s complicated road to war, devastating casualties on the Italian front, and the disappointments of the Treaty of Versailles would lead the Italian’s to label the victory the “mutilated victory.”
Prior to 1914, there was a theory that Great Britain would not survive a major European war if it lost access to food and supplies coming from North America. When World War I began, this concern initially faded away. The Royal Navy had quickly blockaded Germany and by January 1915, the Imperial German High Seas Fleet was bottled up in the North Sea. However, despite these successes, the trans-Atlantic supply line was still not safe. German U-boats remained free to prowl and soon became Germany’s primary weapon at sea. To combat this danger, the British resorted to a wide variety of U-boat traps. The Q-ship was one such effort. Relying on deception and clever camouflage, Q-ships were armed but designed to look like vulnerable merchant vessels in order to lure U-boats to attack. While not the most effective means of destroying the U-boat threat, Q-ships played an interesting role in the war.
In this interview, Dr. Sanders Marble, Senior Historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department Office of Medical History, discusses how the U.S. Army worked with the medical community and the Red Cross to prepare for and confront the crisis of World War I.
Faced with new clinical practices and diagnoses, U.S. Army medical professionals worked hard to orchestrate treatment of the wounded.
Dr. Edward Lengel, author of Never in Finer Company: The Men of the Great War's Lost Battalion, describes the exploits of American soldiers and Marines on the battlefields of 1918.
William Walker, author of Betrayal at Little Gibraltar, explores the controversy that surrounds the 1918 fight for Montfaucon and argues that changes need to be made in terms of how that tragic battle is interpreted.
Dr. Mitchell Yockelson, author of Forty-Seven Days, How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I, discusses the evolution of the A.E.F. as a fighting force and how American troops "came of age" during the Meuse-Argonne campaign.
In the final years of World War I, a deadly influenza pandemic killed about 3% of the world's population. The pandemic effected both the Allied and Central Powers, as well as neutral nations. Due to wartime censorship, belligerent nations made no public acknowledgement of the crisis. For neutral nations like Spain however, the pandemic was widely reported because there was no censorship in place. Accordingly, the pandemic became associated with Spain.
In this interview, Dr. Marble Sanders, Senior Historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department Office of Medical History, discusses the origins and spread of Spanish Flu and why it was more than just a tragic coda to World War I.
Very early in World War I, the public was made aware of a condition known as shell shock that was affecting a significant number of soldiers. From 1915-1918, the diagnosis of shell shock evolved, as medical professionals attempted to determine if the condition was physical, psychological, or moral (i.e. cowardice). In this interview, Dr. Marble Sanders, Senior Historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department Office of Medical History, discusses shell shock and how doctors tried to diagnose, treat, and even prevent shell shock during World War I.
Chemical weapons were one of the great horrors of the World War I battlefield. While different types of gases were used throughout the war, Mustard Gas was the most prominent and most effective chemical weapon in use by 1917. In this interview, Dr. Marble Sanders, Senior Historian of the U.S. Army Medical Department Office of Medical History, provides an overview of Mustard Gas and discusses the U.S. Army’s efforts to counter this weapon.
The Battle of Chateau Thierry (July 18, 1918) marked an important turning point in World War I. In this podcast, TRADOC Deputy Chief Historian Stephen C. McGeorge places the Battle of Chateau Thierry in the wider context of the war and discusses the cooperation between U.S. and French forces during the battle.
In May 2018, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Symposium that focused on how the experience of World War I shaped many of America's World War II Leaders. Mike Miller, Emeritus head of the Marine Corps History Division, discussed the USMC and how Harry S. Truman’s service in the U.S. Army during World War I forever influenced his opinion of the USMC.
In May 2018, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Symposium that focused on how the experience of World War I shaped many of America's World War II Leaders. Jeffery Kozak, Director of Library and Archives at the George C. Marshall Foundation, discussed George C. Marshall’s service in World War I and how this experience taught him to navigate coalition partnerships, value military preparedness, and to take troop morale seriously.
In May 2018, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Symposium that focused on how the experience of World War I shaped many of America's World War II Leaders. James Zobel, the MacArthur Memorial archivist, explored Douglas MacArthur's service in World War I and how this experience played a role in everything from his reforms at West Point to his management of the Japanese surrender and to his philosophy during the Korean War.
In May 2018, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Symposium that focused on how the experience of World War I shaped many of America’s World War II leaders. Dr. Keith Dickson, a professor at the Joint Forces Staff College, discussed Dwight D. Eisenhower’s World War I service and how it prepared him to understand the value and the psyche of the citizen soldier during World War II.
In July 1918, Germany embarked on its final offensive of the war. This offensive called for a massive push across the old battlefields of the Champagne to the east and west of Reims in order to seize the rail center of Chalons sur Marne and cut off the French armies defending Paris and Verdun. French General Henri Gouraud's IV Army was responsible for the Allied defense of Reims. During this critical period, the 42nd "Rainbow" Division was under his command. As Chief of Staff of the 42nd Division, Douglas MacArthur took part in this battle and was cited for bravery by General Gouraud and Major General Charles Menoher, commander of the 42nd Division. The Champagne Defensive would prove to be a critical moment in World War I – as well as a turning point in the life of Douglas MacArthur.
In August 1914, as decade-old diplomatic crises erupted into war on the European continent, a group of American citizens, in defiance of US President Woodrow Wilson’s declaration of neutrality, volunteered for French military service. Of those Americans who volunteered during neutrality, thirty-eight uniquely distinguished themselves not as ambulance drivers or Foreign Legionnaires, but as part of an all-American aero squadron flying for the French Air Service. Dubbed the Lafayette Escadrille, the formation of this all-American squadron in the French Air Service provided a foundation for a strategic alliance between the US and the Allied Powers, established a core of experienced pilots for the US Air Service upon its entry into the First World War, and developed a uniquely American flying culture and identity that continues to exist today.
The Jolly Roger is the default symbol of pirates and piracy. During World War I however, some British submarine crews began flying the Jolly Roger to indicate a successful patrol. This was somewhat problematic because World War I was also a war of propaganda. British propaganda was trying to convince the world that Germany was the predator and that the British were the guardians of civilization. British submarines flying the pirate flag risked upsetting this narrative. Nevertheless, British submarines continued the practice. More than a hundred years later, the tradition continues and has been adopted by navies around the world.
On October 8, 1918, during the Meuse Argonne Offensive, Alvin York led an attack on a German machine gun nest that neutralized more than 30 machine guns and killed at least 25 German soldiers. His efforts also resulted in the capture of 132 enemy soldiers. For these actions, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Months later, this was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. The fact that he was a conscientious objector turned warrior made his story particularly compelling. He became an overnight sensation in the United States - a virtual personification of the American ideal of the farmer turned soldier.
In April 2017, the MacArthur Memorial and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum hosted a World War I symposium. Al Barnes, the Virginia National Guard Command Historian, gave a presentation entitled: "To Hell with the Kaiser: America Prepares for War." This presentation focused on the formation and training of U.S. Army units during World War I.
In April 2017, the MacArthur Memorial and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum hosted a World War I symposium. Jim Zobel, the archivist of the MacArthur Memorial, gave a presentation entitled: "A Frontiersman in France: Douglas MacArthur and the Rainbow Division in World War I." This presentation outlined MacArthur's relationship with General John J. Pershing and highlighted MacArthur's battlefield exploits.
In April 2017, the MacArthur Memorial and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum hosted a World War I symposium. Joe Judge, curator of the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, gave a presentation entitled: “For the Pressing Need of the Service: The Origins of Naval Station Norfolk.” This presentation focused on the establishment of Naval Station Norfolk and explored the ways in which World War I transformed the infrastructure and economy of Southeastern Virginia.
In February 2017, we sat down with Al Barnes, the Virginia National Guard Command Historian and author of To Hell With the Kaiser, to discuss the many foreign-born doughboys that served in the U.S. Army during World War I. Barnes explained how these men joined the army, as well as the path most took to citizenship. He also outlined the various countries they came from and discussed how the army integrated these soldiers and responded to issues of race and language.
In 1917, war mobilization plans included no black combat divisions. With only four black regiments in existence at the time, all the new African American volunteers and draftees presented the U.S. Army with a bit of a problem. Where did they fit in? Where could they go? Initially the Army began organizing these men into provisional, unarmed labor units. This was unacceptable to African American leaders who believed that a demonstration of patriotism and sacrifice on the battlefield would benefit the quest for civil rights. The concerns of these leaders reached the Secretary of War, Newton Baker. Baker ultimately ordered the creation of two black combat divisions. One of these was the 93rd Division. Against all odds, the combat regiments of the 93rd made it to France. Set aside for service and supply duty on arrival, in the spring of 1918 they were “loaned” to the French. Wearing French gear, carrying French weapons, and under French command, the men of the 93rd saw combat in most of the major sectors and campaigns of the war. In battle, they proved themselves capable and courageous.
In February 1918, General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force had only five divisions in France. One of those divisions, the 42nd “Rainbow” Division, had just arrived and had not yet experienced trench warfare. Along with the other American divisions, the 42nd was partnered with French units in order to learn to operate and survive at the front. Under French tutelage, the men and officers of the 42nd Division absorbed the combat tactics and other common sense survival skills while serving in the Luneville Baccarat Sector between February and March 1918. Typically a quiet sector, the arrival of the 42nd Division combined with the movement of German troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front meant that the sector was soon alive with trench raids, poison gas, and shelling. (32:47)
"Verdun After 100 Years: An Iconic or Exceptional Battle”
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Dr. Paul Jankowski, the Ray Ginger Professor of History at Brandeis University and the author of Verdun: The Largest Battle of the Great War, presented on the topic “Verdun After 100 Years: An Iconic or Exceptional Battle.” Dr. Jankowski explored French and German perspectives of Verdun and compared the battle to the other great battles of the Western Front.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Dr. Graydon Tunstall, a senior lecturer in history at the University of South Florida, presented on the topic: "Eastern Front 1916: Russian Victory to Revolution." Dr. Tunstall explores the major Russian offensive at Lake Naroch, the Romanian campaign, as well as the Brusilov Offensive. Through military failure and victory, Dr. Tunstall sets the stage for the Russian Revolution.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Historian Paul Walsh examined American neutrality and the political difficulties faced by President Woodrow Wilson from 1914-1917. Keeping America out of war during that period grew increasingly difficult, and Walsh explains how public opinion gradually began to swing in favor of backing the Entente Powers. )
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Greg Hansard, the Manager of Web and Digital Resources at the Virginia Historical Society, presented on the topic: “Haven of Safety: U.S. Internment of German Sailors, 1914-1917.” Hansard described the largely positive and beneficial relationship between the German sailors and the local community but also addressed the problems of internment – including escapes and sabotage.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Carl Bobrow, a member of the collections department at the National Air and Space Museum, presented on the topic: “Russian Air Assets in the Brusilov Offensive 1916.” Mr. Bobrow is an expert on the advent and development of Russian aviation and his lecture examined the extent to which the largely forgotten Russian air assets in the Brusilov Offensive were vital to its success.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. Dr. David Silbey of Cornell University presented on the topic: "A Citizen Army Learns to Fight: The Tactical Evolution of the British Army in 1916." Dr. Silbey explores how the British created a mass army by 1916. It was that army - not the highly trained professional army of 1914 - that was expected to win the war against Germany. In many ways, the Battle of the Somme was the crucible of the new British 'citizen army.' It was also the beginning of the tactical evolution of the British army that would lead to in victories in 1918.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. The focus of the Symposium was 1916, and that was an interesting year in terms of military aviation. During 1916, Austrian flying boats attacked Venice sixteen times, London was bombed by German Zeppleins, the British adopted strategic bombing, the French launched an air reprisal raid, and the Italians and the Russians began to have success with the largest airplanes built to that date. Steve Suddaby, an author and retired CIA analyst, explored all of these topics in his presentation: "From Venice to London: Aerial Bombing in 1916."
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
In October 2016, the World War One Historical Association hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium at the MacArthur Memorial. William MacMullen, a member of the U.S. Navy League, the U.S. Naval Institute, and past Executive Director of the U.S. Naval Ship Building Museum, gave a presentation entitled: "Big Navies, Big Innovations, Big Battle...then Fizzle. Why?" MacMullen discussed ship design and construct-ability, the Dreadnought Race, and the evolution of technology versus tradition.
To learn more about the World War One Historical Association, visit https://ww1ha.org/.
From 1890-1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II struggled through a series of scandals and crises. His gaffes on the international stage embarrassed his government and helped create the alliances that would be arrayed against Germany in 1914. Due to these issues, even as he struggle for personal rule, his power within Germany was on the wane. When World War I began, he assumed his role as Supreme Warlord, the leader of the German army. The German general staff believed he could not “lead three soldiers over a gutter,” and therefore conspired to keep actual power out of his hands. In the end, it did not matter. In the first weeks of the war, the Kaiser suffered a nervous collapse. As historian Miranda Carter points out, for the rest of the war, he was merely a “flimsy fig leaf” for a Germany ruled by a military dictatorship. At the end of the war there were calls to officially blame him for the war through an international trial. This would never materialize – instead he spent the next 22 years of his life in exile (23:16)
Kaiser Wilhelm II: Part One
When the World War I ended, King George V of England wrote of his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm II: “…I look upon him as the greatest criminal known for having plunged the world into this ghastly war.” But who was Kaiser Wilhelm II? Was he criminal bent on world domination? Or was he a bumbling fool in a picklehaub? Throughout the war, Allied propaganda seemed to suggest either identity was a possibility. Ironically, it wasn’t just his enemies who were confused about his identity. Throughout his life, the Kaiser also struggled to come to terms with his own identity. As the grandson of Queen Victoria, the half English Kaiser was supposed to be the champion of Anglo-German unity. Instead, he would spend a lifetime torn between the two identities. To explain these contradictions, Kaiser Wilhelm II’s life will be examined over the course of two podcast episodes. Part one will discuss his early life and years as emperor.
On January 16, 1917, a coded German dispatch was intercepted by British Naval Intelligence. Over the next weeks, cryptographers in the innocuous sounding Room 40 began deciphering the message. What they found was shocking. Germany was proposing to bankroll Mexico in a war that would serve two purposes: 1. Keep the U.S. from aiding the Allies, 2. Allow Mexico to recover its lost territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The message also asked Mexico to lure Japan, one of the Allied nations in World War I, into the alliance. Desperate to add the fresh strength of neutral America to their cause, the British shared the telegram with the U.S. Government. The public release of the Zimmerman Telegram convinced many Americans that neutrality had failed. Few wanted war, but as Barbara Tuchman concluded in her study of the affair, the Zimmerman Telegram “killed the American illusion that we could go about our business happily separate from other nations.”
In this podcast, W. Douglas Fisher and Joann H. Buckley, authors of the book: African American Doctors of World War I, shed light on the little known story of African American doctors who served during World War I. Fisher and Buckley discuss the difficulties these men faced in obtaining medical degrees, their service in a segregated military, and their ultimate return to life in the United States. Why did they serve? What is their legacy? Fisher and Buckley answer these questions and more! (24:05)
When World War I ended, parts of the American Expeditionary Force were sent into Germany to serve as an occupation force. The Occupation of Germany (1918-1923) would be regarded as the most successful U.S. military occupation in history until the Occupation of Japan after World War II.
In this podcast, Al Barnes, the Virginia National Guard Command Historian and author of the book In a Strange Land: The American Occupation of Germany, sat down with a member of the Memorial's staff to discuss the politics behind the occupation, fears of the "Germanization" of the U.S. Army, and some of the future American leaders who served in the occupation. As with any occupation, fear, fraternization, and justice played out in unique ways.
While sometimes considered a “sideshow” in histories of World War I, the Middle East was a region of considerable value to both the Allied and Central powers. As stalemate mired the Western front, both sides expended vast amounts of men and treasure in the Middle East in an attempt to outflank each other, but also with an eye to expanding influence in the region in the post-war period.
In 1917 General Edmund Allenby was given leadership of the Palestine Campaign with a personal instruction from Lloyd George to capture Jerusalem before Christmas 1917. This podcast gives an outline of the Palestine Campaign to the capture of Jerusalem. (20:32)
By late September 1918, Germany’s military leaders were aware that victory was completely out of reach. General Erich Ludendorff and Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg began to call for an immediate armistice, arguing that it was in Germany’s best interests to try to negotiate a peace before Allied boots crossed into Germany.
Their willingness to seek an armistice was not just about gaining advantage for Germany in the post-war period however. They were also driven by two other motivations: the desire to neutralize a potential communist revolution in Germany and the desire to shift responsibility for Germany’s defeat to a civilian government. As Germany moved towards an armistice in October and November 1918, the seeds of World War II were being planted. (20:40)
Just weeks into the Great War, Pope Pius X died. A cardinal for all of three months, Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa joined the resulting conclave to elect a new Pope. The cardinals assembled debated whether to elect an experienced diplomat as pope in order to cope with the war, or to elect a more theologically minded leader. The debate was short. On September 3, 1914, della Chiesa, a proven diplomat, was elected pope by the College of Cardinals. Taking the name Benedict XV, the new Pope immediately began looking for ways to intervene in the conflict. His seven year papacy would be defined by World War I – a war he later referred to “The suicide of civilized Europe.”
During World War I, German Major General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck led the British Army on a four year cat and mouse chase through German East Africa and its surroundings in what was called the “Little War.” Over the course of this “Little War,” his tiny force of about 14,000 troops kept approximately 300,000 British troops occupied. Lettow-Vorbeck’s troops were still fighting when the war ended on November 11, 1918. Today, this “Little War” provides proof that a small but highly motivated guerilla force can hold a modern army hostage even in an age of advancing military technology.
Today Herbert Hoover is remembered for being president when the Great Depression started. As a result, he is often blamed for not doing enough to relieve the distress caused by that economic crisis. But was Hoover really disinterested in the sufferings of those in need? Was he a terrible administrator? Before the Great Depression, no one would have thought so. Hoover was internationally regarded as a talented administrator and as America’s great humanitarian – and it was World War I that gave him these credentials.
From transportation, to communication, security, comfort and morale, animals have been indispensable human partners throughout history. It is therefore not surprising that animals have played important roles in military conflicts. During World War I, millions of animals were put into service on each side. This war is often remembered for the great human suffering, but millions of animals also experienced the horrors of the war, while bringing their own unique skill sets to the business of war.
The sinking of the passenger liner RMS Lusitania on May 7, 1915 was one of the great controversies of World War I. Targeted by a German U-Boat as part of a campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, the Lusitania was carrying 1,266 passengers and 696 crew members. She was also carrying a substantial cargo of supplies for the Allies. She sank in 18 minutes after being struck by a torpedo fired by U-20. 1,191 aboard lost their lives – including 128 Americans. Although the United States remained neutral in the aftermath of the disaster, the sinking of the Lusitania helped move public opinion in favor of entering the war on side of the Allies in 1917.
The 1915 Gallipoli Campaign was an imaginative operation that was supposed to end the stalemate of the Western Front. It utilized a mix of troops mainly from Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand. As these troops sailed towards Gallipoli, some considered themselves the luckiest young men in the war. They believed they were not bound for the mud and filth of the trenches in Europe, but for the plains of ancient Troy. Despite this enthusiasm however, Gallipoli proved a costly Allied failure. Allied troops suffered a quarter of a million casualties in 8 months. The sacrifice of the ANZACs – the troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – left a particularly deep impression on their respective nations. The Turkish defenders also endured appalling casualties. And yet, many scholars argue that out of this crucible of sacrifice emerge the modern identities of Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.
Since the days of Julius Caesar, the territory of what is now Belgium has been a thoroughfare and battleground for foreign armies. Hoping to avoid being ravaged by future wars, modern Belgium committed itself to a policy of neutrality. This neutrality was violated in World War I when Belgium was invaded by Germany. While this violation of Belgium’s neutrality is most commonly linked to the entry of Great Britain into the war on the side of the Allies, it also set the stage for one of the most successful Allied leaders to emerge. Even as the Germans occupied 95% of his country, King Albert I of Belgium personally commanded his troops during the war and managed to hold on to a tiny sliver of his country throughout the war. Never leaving or sending his government into exile, Albert inspired his nation while his nation inspired the Allies and drew sympathy for the Allied cause. When the war was over, Albert was one of the few monarchs who emerged safer on this throne than he was before the war started. King George V credited him with making the most pivotal decision of the war – the decision to resist Germany.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Joseph Hoyt, a maritime archeologist with NOAA and a specialist in the archaeological recording of deep water shipwrecks, presented on the topic of World War I and the underwater battlefields within U.S. territorial waters.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Dr. Lee Craig was one of the presenters. Dr. Craig is the author of Josephus Daniels, the story of the Secretary of the Navy, who helped to prepare the U.S. Navy for eventual involvement in World War I.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Andrew Robertshaw, author of the book Digging the Trenches, was one of the Symposium presenters. Over the last 25 years, Mr. Robertshaw has directed numerous archaeological projects on the Western Front. His lecture focused on using historical research and archaeology to identify the remains of soldiers killed on the Western Front.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Dr. Frederick Dickinson was one of the Symposium presenters. Dr. Dickinson is a Professor of Japanese History at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of War and National Reinvention: Japan and the Great War, 1914-1919. Dr. Dickinson's lecture focused on the impact of World War I on Japan.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Dr. Holger Herwig was one of the Symposium presenters. Dr. Herwig is the author of numerous books, including The Marne, 1914. His presentation focused on the importance of the First Battle of the Marne, the differences in French and German command structures, and the legacy of the battle in the 20th Century.
In November 2014, the MacArthur Memorial hosted a World War I Centennial Symposium. Catrine Clay was one of the Symposium presenters. Ms. Clay is the author of King Kaiser Tsar - a work that explores the relationships between the royal cousins King George V, Tsar Nicholas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm II on the eve of World War I.
The Allies and Central Powers employed hundreds of thousands of sea mines during the Great War. These mines were commonly used to defend coastlines and strategic locations from invasion – but they were also used as part of a broader anti-submarine campaign. In 1917, with German submarines sinking many tons of shipping in the Atlantic, the United States Navy working in cooperation with its British counterparts, created a mine barrage in the North Sea that stretched from the Orkney Islands to the coastal waterways of Norway. It was hoped that this barrage would prevent German submarines from reaching the Atlantic shipping lanes. The ultimate effectiveness of the North Sea Mine Barrage is still debated today.
Some of the great heroes of World War I were the “aces” – pilots who were credited with bringing down large numbers of enemy planes. These dashing young pilots captured the imagination of the public and imbued the war with a sense of romanticism. Their celebrity came from the fact that they fought a war of individual heroism in the blue skies – far from the anonymity of the muddy trenches. In terms of casualty rates however, they were just as doomed as the troops in the trenches.One of the most legendary “aces” of the war was Germany’s Baron Manfred von Richthofen – a man more commonly known as “The Red Baron.” Flying a plane painted bright red, Richthofen stood out to friend and foe alike. Killed at the age of 25, he left behind a record of 80 kills.
This podcast features the third of three interviews that were recorded at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA.The third installment in this series tells the story of Wilson after the war. Traveling to France at the end of the war to play a role in the Paris Peace Conference, Wilson was greeted by enthusiastic crowds wherever he went.His star had never been higher, but within a year he would be back in the United States – his health broken and his dream of American participation in the League of Nations out of reach. What were his aims in the peace process? And what is his legacy today?
This podcast features the second of three interviews that were recorded at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA. The second installment in this series tells the story of Wilson during the war. Elected to be a president focused primarily on domestic policy, within the first year of his first term in office, he was faced with a world war in Europe. Reelected in 1916 under the slogan “He kept us out of war,” within a year he asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. Highly intellectual, progressive, and idealistic, how did Wilson meet the challenge of world war?
This podcast features the first of three interviews that were recorded at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton, VA.The first installment in this series traces the meteoric rise of American President Woodrow Wilson – from his days as a professor to his political career and his vision of the role of the American president.
As dusk arrived on December 24, 1914, it was a cold night on the Western Front. It had been five months since the start of the war, and already, German, French and British Armies, slugging it out in the mud of Flanders, had experienced unimaginable casualties.
The war was supposed to be over by Christmas – or so many of the soldiers had been told. Instead, there was an unbreakable stalemate, and many soldiers on both sides were suffering from trench foot, pneumonia, and frostbite. There was little for them to celebrate as Christmas approached.
Despite the devastation and the suffering in the trenches however, there was a marked “live and let live” attitude in the days leading up to Christmas 1914. This philosophy intensified as Christmas approached, and manifested itself in what scholars today refer to as the Christmas Truce of 1914. This was not one isolated event, nor was it officially sanctioned or widespread – but across the Western Front, soldiers on both sides arranged temporary cease fires, exchanges of gifts, and even played several soccer games in No Man’s Land.
1917 was a winter of gloom for the Allies. The British had lost more than 400,000 men in their failed offensive at Passchendaele in the previous summer and fall. That was followed by mutinies of nearly half of all French Army units after the failed Nivelle offensives. To add to the gloom, Europe was about to experience its worst winter in many years. The only glimmer of hope was the slow, steady arrival of American soldiers, and it was amidst this atmosphere that Douglas MacArthur and the 42nd Rainbow Division arrived in France. The first months in France would be a difficult time for the Rainbow Division - mentally and physically - as the men were further prepared for the rigors of trench warfare. It was also a difficult time for the officers of the 42nd Division who struggled to keep the division intact. The Rainbow Division ultimately survived this difficult winter, and five months after their arrival in France, they were ordered to the front.
Dr. Lisa Budreau, author of Bodies of War: World War I and the politics of commemoration in America 1919-1933, visited the MacArthur Memorial in October 2012 and lectured on the topic of repatriation, memorialization, and the creation of American cemeteries overseas to commemorate the fallen.
World War I marked the first war in which the United States government and military took full responsibility for the identification, burial, and memorialization of those killed in battle. In the wake of the devastation of World War I, this process of memory and commemoration not only played an important role in helping grieving families, but also in terms of setting the groundwork for memorializing future war dead.
World War I was a war of production and supply: whoever could feed their populations and soldiers, make the most weapons, and marshal the most resources would win the war. Surrounded by enemies on land, and desperate to break the trans-Atlantic trade and supply lines of the Allied Powers, Germany used submarines during the war to hunt down and destroy Allied vessels. With this German U-Boat campaign threatening Allied supplies and production capabilities, it soon became obvious that something had to be done to counter the U-Boat threat or the Allies would lose the war.
One of the tactics adopted was the use of “dazzle painting” – a jarring, brightly colored paint scheme for ships. Recognizing that it was impossible to make a ship invisible, Norman Wilkinson, the father of dazzle painting, decided to use bright and contrasting colors in geometric patterns to distort the size, speed, and shape of a ship. While the ultimate success of dazzle painting was much debated after the war, it remains an interesting chapter in the history of World War I.
The North Atlantic is cold and stormy in October and November, and it loomed as a dreaded specter to thousands of members of the 42nd Rainbow Division at Camp Mills who had never seen the ocean much less taken a twelve day journey across it. Furthermore, in 1917 all shipping routes to Europe from America were patrolled by German submarines. The danger was clear, but so was the need for American troops in Europe. The adoption of the convoy system by the British and United States Navies was a counter to the U-boat threat, but unpreparedness for war found America severely lacking in merchant shipping to get its men to France and it led to early difficulties in the alliance. This podcast will discuss the incredibly difficult transport of the 27,000 men of the Rainbow and its complement of draft animals to France during the winter of 1917. The journey was a nightmare for many, but the 42nd would arrive in France at a critical moment in the war.
Situated on Hempstead Plain in Long Island, New York, Camp Mills was the primary training ground of the 42nd Rainbow Division. The camp was swiftly constructed in the summer of 1917 and soon 27,000 men and 991 officers of the Rainbow Division began arriving at the camp to begin preparing for the war in Europe.
General John J. Pershing was already leading the American Expeditionary Force in France, and the war was not going well. It was clear that the only thing that would turn the tide of the war was more men – and fast. Pershing informed the war department that places like Camp Mills should focus on turning out physically fit men who could shoot. As a result, Colonel Douglas MacArthur, Chief of Staff of the 42nd Division, later noted that “no frills and fancy gadgets were employed” at Camp Mills. The training was difficult and often boring for many of the men, but in the end, Camp Mills was the anvil on which the 42nd Rainbow Division was forged.
When the United States declared war on Germany in 1917, it had an absolutely miniscule standing army. As the US Army General Staff began frantically preparing to mobilize an American Expeditionary Force, an internal debate arouse about the type of army the United States should send to France. Should they wait for enlistment to swell the ranks of the regular army? Or should the National Guard be used? At the time, Major Douglas MacArthur was working in Washington, D.C. as part of the General Staff. He had a deep belief in the value of the National Guard and believed that federalizing Guard units would be the best way to put large numbers of American troops in the field quickly. He had the backing of Secretary of War Newton Baker, and in the early months of American participation in the war, Major MacArthur helped to create the 42nd “Rainbow” Division out of National Guard troops from around the nation. His involvement with the “Rainbow” Division would go on to shape his experience of World War I.
Robert Dalessandro, Executive Director of the U.S. Army Center of Military History, visited the Memorial in October 2012 and lectured on the topic of the organization and insignia of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). World War I marked a watershed moment in the organization of the United States military. The incredible scale of the war, as well as the changing nature of warfare made many of these changes necessary. From the size of an army to the composition of smaller units like platoons and companies, the American military underwent a reorganization on many levels. In addition to these changes, Dalessandro also traces the development of the insignia of the AEF and discusses a few of the stories behind the adoption of certain insignia by different AEF divisions.
Author Stephen L. Harris visited the Memorial in October 2012 and gave a presentation on “The Fighting 69th” in World War I. As part of the New York National Guard, elements of the 69th Infantry Regiment have participated in five wars to date: the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Iraq War, and Afghanistan. The regiment earned its nickname “The Fighting 69th” during the Civil War, and lived up to this nickname in World War I. In 1917, the 69th Infantry was added to the 42nd “Rainbow” Division and renumbered the 165th Infantry Regiment. The “Rainbow” Division was then sent to France as part of the American Expeditionary Force. Col. Douglas MacArthur served as Chief of Staff of the “Rainbow” Division, and within the ranks of the 165th Infantry were legendary men like Father Francis Duffy, “Wild” Bill Donovan, and Joyce Kilmer.
On September 4, 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II exulted: “It is the 35th day!” The 35th day of the war had a very significant meaning to the German General Staff. The Schlieffen Plan anticipated a victory over France within 35-40 days of combat. This would allow Germany to avoid a damaging two front war and would leave the Germany army with plenty of time to turn and crush the Tsar’s newly mobilized forces in the East. With the Allied armies in retreat and the French government abandoning Paris, on day 35 the Kaiser and his staff were confidently looking forward to the decisive battle that would end the war in the West. By day 40 however, far from menacing Paris or completing the envelopment of British and French forces, the German forces were in retreat. In what was later referred to as the Miracle of the Marne, the beleaguered British and French forces pushed the German armies back – ultimately saving France and denying the German’s the quick victory they needed to win the war. This 1st Battle of the Marne would prove a strategic victory for the Allies but would also usher in trench warfare and the deadly stalemate that would forever characterize the nature of World War I.
This podcast features an interview with Megan Good, the director of the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia. The Independence Seaport Museum is currently the home of the U.S.S. Olympia – a vessel that served as Commodore George Dewey’s flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish American War. By World War I the Olympia was no longer a match for the larger, faster ships born of the early 20th Century naval arms race, but she still had some important roles left to play. Whether her mission was diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or peacekeeping, the Olympia was kept busy during the war. Much beloved by the American public, after the war the Olympia would also be selected to carry the body of the Unknown Soldier of World War I back to the United States. In many respects, the Olympia has become a forgotten story of World War I.
In the decades before World War I, all the European powers had secret plans to defend against invasion or to make preemptive strikes against their enemies. In Germany, the main war plan was the Schlieffen Plan. This plan grew out of a German fear of encirclement. Increasingly cut off from the rest of Europe by French, Russian, and British alliances, by the early 1900s Germany was geographically and politically isolated. The Schlieffen Plan developed as a military solution to this predicament. This plan anticipated a future war in which Germany would be surrounded by France and Russia. It was designed to enable Germany to fight both nations, but to avoid doing so simultaneously. When World War I began, a version of the Schlieffen Plan was implemented, but in the stalemate that ultimately developed, a victory meticulously planned on paper would be impossible to achieve.
Otto von Bismarck once predicted that some “foolish” thing in the Balkans would start a major war in Europe – and he would prove correct in this belief. In an age of entangling alliances between nations, unrest in the Balkans would be enough to disrupt and twist the relationships between the major European powers and lead to a world war. The spark that would ignite this awful cataclysm would be a single act of terrorism in the Balkans – the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. In different environment, the assassination would have been viewed as merely a tragic event – not a casus belli. But in the perfect storm that was Europe in the early 20th century, and in an atmosphere of saber rattling, the assassination changed the world.