Battles of the First World War Podcast
The Battles of the First World War Podcast goes in-depth into the battles of the Great War of 1914-1918. The goal is to really go into the details of how and why these battles unfolded and happened as they did. In telling the narrative of these clashes we can revisit some of the stories of the men and women who lived, fought, and died during the first titanic struggle of the 20th Century, for these people have stories that deserve to be told.
Episodes
The guns of Blücher-Yorck were still smoking when the Germans reoriented and hastily launched a new offensive between Montdidier and Noyon. The goal was to straighten the line between two bulging German salients, seize more of the Soissons rail line, and continue to drive towards Paris.
But the French Army had other ideas: unleashing GEN Charles Mangin.
A lot will be learned in the Battl...
Steven Girard, US Army veteran and veteran battlefield guide, comes back on the podcast to discuss the American Expeditionary Force's Tank Corps during the First World War.
Suggested reading:
Treat 'Em Rough: The Birth of American Armor 1917–20 - https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781612006680/treat-em-rough/
Pershing's Tankers: Personal Accounts of the AEF Tank Corps in W...
Dr. Eric Story, a Historian-in-Residence at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University in London, Ontario in Canada, and Adjunct Professor at Wilfred Laurier University, joins us on the podcast to discuss the struggles faced by disabled Canadian veterans after the First World War. We begin the talk with a broad look at what Canadian veterans faced in the 1920s, and then look at the efforts of George ...
Independent historian Alfons Philippi of Germany joins the podcast to discuss his German-language book on the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Die Vergessenne Schlacht (The Forgotten Battle). We also discuss the family history that led him to write the book, as well as the impact of 20th century history on his family.
Link to Die Vergessene Schlacht: https://amzn.eu/d/03UW7TY
The BFWWP is on Patr...
The battlefield of the Second Battle of the Marne was shaped by an earlier German offensive in late May and early June of 1918: Unternehmen Blücher-Yorck. Looking to draw away French reserves from the Flanders and Picardy areas, German GEN Erich Ludendorff aimed a new German attack in a sector where the French were particularly vulnerable: the Chemin des Dames.
Early and stunning success by German forces...
Adam Pearce and his uncle Ron Howard have spent the past few years visiting the graves of the UK's and British Commonwealth's Victoria Cross recipients. They hope to raise awareness of not just the recipients of the British Army's highest award for valor, but of the other men buried with them in Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries on the Old Front Line and elsewhere around the world.
Also, to British li...
Authors and historians Andrew Lucas and Jürgen Schmiseschek come on the podcast to discuss their collaborative work on the Saxon Germans on the Flanders front during the Great War.
Where to buy "Fighting the Kaiser's War:"
https://royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/index.php/our-publications/13-fighting-the-kaiser-s-war
The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstW...
Author and grandson John Chase, MD comes on the podcast to discuss his book based on the letters his grandfather, John DeWitt, wrote home during the First World War.
From Hellgate Press: When recently retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Chase stumbles upon a hidden trove of over 80 letters from his grandfather, John DeWitt, written from the trenches of World War I, he embarks on a life-changing journey....
Founders of the New Ypres League Dr Dominiek Dendooven and Roger Steward join the podcast to discuss a worthy remembrance project for the old Ypres battlefields: replacing and restoring the demarcation stones that marked the limit of German advances throughout the Great War.
Where to donate -
New Ypres League vzw: www.newypresleague.com
The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://w...
In the prelude to the prelude of the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918, we set the clock back to December 1917 to look at the position of the Allies at that point in the war. Specifically, we look at French Army commander General Philippe Petain's Directive No. 4 issued that month. In this short memo Petain advocated for a defense in depth strategy on the front lines, as Entente forces began to prepare for the inevita...
Cape Ann, Massachusetts resident Brett Hawkes comes on the podcast to discuss his long bicycle trips through France, where he followed in his Doughboy grandfather's WW1 footsteps.
The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.
Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at...
This is a quick episode to make listeners aware of a fundraising drive by the New Ypres League to restore some of the post-WW1 demarcation stones in the Ypres, Belgium area.
Where to donate: https://www.newypresleague.com/
There will be a talk released in early December where the New Ypres League will go into more details about their fundraiser, but for now we wanted to get the word out a...
Educator and First World War enthusiast Kristin Stelfox comes on the podcast to discuss some of the first and pathbreaking American women war correspondents who covered the first years of the war.
New Ypres League: https://www.newypresleague.com/
"An Unladylike Profession" by Chris Dubbs - https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/an-unladylike-profession-american-women-war-correspondents-in-world-w...
Writer Craig DeSteiguer joins us to tell the story of his grandfather John Horace Merriman, who was deeply affected by his First World War-era service.
"Death in the Trench"
Let me sing no whispers of war.
Let me tear my eyes, of all death…that lay.
Let me hold the hand of their last breath.
Let me pray their soul is gone….to home.
Let me ...
We have dates for the 2026 Meuse-Argonne Battlefield Pilgrimage!
The trip is from July 02 - 08, 2026.
This next visit will be one where we really plan to put boots on the ground: we will be walking in the paths of some individual Doughboys in 2026. This is a new feature of Lost Battalion Tours, and we're excited to share it with you!
A sample of the 2026 itinerary:
In the final days of the Aisne-Marne Offensive, American forces pursued the retreating Germans to the River Vesle in August 1918. During the battles for possession of the key village of Bazoches-sur-Vesle, an American son of Russian-Jewish immigrants would distinguish himself by looking out for his friends and soldiers.
The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.
...
NYT bestselling author Daniel Kraus comes on the podcast to talk about his novel set in the Meuse-Argonne battle "Angel Down."
From Simon & Schuster:
Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four oth...
Historian Michel Gravel comes back on the podcast to discuss an incredibly interesting gentleman named John Stevenson Youngson.
Michel's works can be found here:
https://ysec.fr/?s=Michel+Gravel&post_type=product
Michel's GoFundMe for "La place Joseph Kaeble, VC, MM," in Neuville-Vitasse, France:
Regarding Michel's me...
My good friend Xavier Lewis comes on the podcast to discuss his dissertation topic.
General Edmond Buat had an idea and devised a plan to defeat the German army on the Western front in World War I. A study of his diary, the notes he wrote and his later writings on German generals Ludendorff and Hindenburg, shows how his plan and the Réserve Générale de l'Artillerie Lourde (Heavy Artillery General Reserv...
Pete Owen, LTC USMC (Ret.) comes on the podcast to talk about his book "To the Limit of Endurance: A Battalion of Marines in the Great War."
From Texas A&M University Press:
"Scholars and historians offer several theories for the crippling losses suffered by the American Expeditionary Forces on the battlefields of World War I: inexperience, poor leadership, hasty expansion of duties, and ...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!