The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 3

Part 3 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1914: its readiness for a potential conflict with Germany, its underlying preparation and strategy for war, and its performance in the battles that raged in the summer and autumn of that year. 

 

Joining us for this discussion are:

 

  • Christina Holstein, author of several incredible guides to the Verdun battlefield, amongst other published works and articles,

  • Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects,

  • Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

 


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“The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917” – A Discussion

In this episode we discuss the book “The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917” by Helion & Co Ltd, the 4th in a series of books looking at the development of the BEF on the Western Front throughout the First World War.

 

Joining us for this discussion are:

  • Dr. Spencer Jones, Senior Lecturer in Armed Forces and War Studies at the University of Wolverhampton

  • Dr. Michael LoCicero, independent scholar and Helion & Co Publishing and Series Editor

  • Alexander Falbo-Wild, historian, researcher, and professional military educator

  • James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA whose focus is the “British, French, and American experience of 1914-18 with particular focus on the average fighting man”

 

Link to the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59558585-the-darkest-year

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.


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Mount Kemmel – What It Means to Take a Trench

A firsthand look at what it meant to attack and take an enemy position during WW1.

 

Many thanks to Alex Lyons for the inspiration for this episode. Thanks, man!

Link to Henri Desagneaux’s memoir:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22219805-a-french-soldier-s-war-diary-1914-1918

The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

 


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The AEF 2nd Division in WW1: A Discussion with Steven Girard

Steven Girard, US Army veteran and veteran battlefield guide, comes back on the podcast to discuss the American Expeditionary Force’s 2nd Division during the First World War. 

 

Note: The 2nd Division was organized at Bourmont, France. 

 

Villages & towns of note:

 

Landres-et-St. Georges

 

Imécourt

 

Mouzon

 

Koblenz, Germany

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.


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Arras – The Raid at Blangy

The story behind a famous photograph from the First World War of the men of 10th (Service) Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in the Arras sector in 1917.

 

Chris Baker’s article: 

 

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/10th-scottish-rifles-trench-raid-and-an-oft-used-photograph/

 

Many thanks to Chris for permission to use his article.

The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 


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The Great War Group with Alex Churchill & Beth Moore

This episode we are joined by the powerhouse team of Alex Churchill & Beth Moore to talk about the Great War Group that they created and run with their crack team. What a great conversation. 

 

Join the Great War Group!

 

https://greatwargroup.com/

 

Check out Istoria Travel:

 

https://www.istoriatravel.org/

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.


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Meuse-Argonne – The German Army in October 1918: A Discussion with Randy Gaulke

Randy Gaulke, WW1 historian and founder of Knee Deep in History Tours, returns to the podcast to talk about the state of the German Army in October 1918. 

 

Join Randy at Knee Deep Into History:

 

Randy’s bibliography:

 

Asprey, Robert B. The German High Command at War: Hindenburg and Ludendorff Conduct WW1.

 

Lengel, Edward G., Editor. A Companion to the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. Wiley Blackwell, 2014.

 

McEntee, Girard Lindsley, Col. US Army (Retired). Military History of The World War: A Complete Account of the Campaigns on all Fronts Accompanied by 456 Maps and Diagrams. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1943.

 

Moyer, Laurence. Victory Must be Ours: Germany in the Great War, 1914-1918. Hippocrene Books, New York.

 

United States War Office. Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), London Stamp Exchange LTD., 1989.

 

Watson, Alexander. Enduring the Great War: Combat Morale and Collapse in the German and British Armies, 1914 – 1918. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

 

Zabecki, David T. The German 1918 Offensives: A Case Study in the Operational Level of War.

Routledge, Oxon and New York, 2006.

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.


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The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 2

Part 2 of the ongoing discussion looks at misconceptions about the French Army, and French personalities of the war we should know about but, for reasons, do not. We wrap up with some advice on visiting the French battlefields of the Great War: guide books, how to prepare, what to expect, etc.

 

This was another conversation that deeply impressed me with the breadth and depth of knowledge of the participants. Like I say in the introduction, grab a notebook and a pen, because you are about to learn a lot.

 

Joining us for this discussion are:

 

  • Christina Holstein, author of several incredible guides to the Verdun battlefield, amongst other published works and articles,

  • Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter,

  • Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects,

  • Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields,

  • James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA, and a public historian with a specialty in French history, and its presentation to American audiences.

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

 


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Meuse Argonne – Liggett Takes Charge

LTG Hunter Liggett took command of the American Expeditionary Force’s 1st Army in October of 1918. He had his work cut out for him–1st Army desperately needed reorganizing, refitting, and retraining. 

 

Robert J. Laplander and I collaborated on creating an audiobook version of his book “Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America’s Famous WW1 Epic” and here it finally is. 

 

The audio version of “Finding the Lost Battalion” comes to you in podcast form, ready to download and provide nearly 36 hours of the retelling of America’s WW1 epic of devastating modern battle and indomitable bravery under horrific conditions. 

 

Purchase here for $25 USD:

 

https://battlesofthefirstworldwar.supportingcast.fm/

 

Also available through Spotify:

 

https://open.spotify.com/show/0qcRm8x3W7gpbFjOk78Z6L

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

 


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“To the Last Man:” a Discussion on the 103rd Infantry Regiment with Jonathan Bratten

US Army National Guard officer and historian Jonathan Bratten comes on the podcast to discuss his book, “To the Last Man: A National Guard Regiment in the Great War, 1917-1919.” The regiment discussed is the 103rd Infantry Regiment, a unit in the 26th “Yankee” Division. 

 

Jonathan joins us to discuss the 103rd’s engagements in the Meuse-Argonne in October 1918.

Link to the book:

 

https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/to-the-last-man.pdf

 

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.


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