Subprefecture and commune in Hauts-de-France, France
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On episode five hundred and ninety, the story of Albertus W Catlin is told and episodes for all of January and February will be recipients from the Mexican Campaign at Veracruz. https://www.talesofhonorpodcast.com/stories/albertus-w-catlin "With the Help of God and a Few Marines": The Battles of Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood - https://amzn.to/3wJVtrr Be sure to visit our website for more information as the show goes on at: www.talesofhonorpodcast.com. Thanks for listening and be sure to share with friends and family!
Cette histoire est avant tout celle de son créateur, Serge Mouille ! Un passionné du métal, un grand technicien mais aussi un enseignant très dévoué, Serge Mouille est l'un des créateurs de luminaires français les plus connus ! Encore aujourd'hui toutes ses collections sont éditées en France, de façon artisanale, exactement comme dans les années 50 et toujours par des passionnés. Et ça j'ai eu l'occasion de le voir de mes propres yeux lorsque Didier Delpiroux et sa fille Julia - aujourd'hui à la tête des ateliers Serge Mouille - m'ont accueilli pour la visite des ateliers à Chateau Thierry. Une journée incroyable durant laquelle j'ai pu poser toute mes questions et qui m'a surtout permis de réaliser que Serge Mouille avait mis dans ses luminaires, la finesse de travail d'un orfèvre. Le lampadaire 3 bras de Serge Mouille fait partie des pièces iconiques du design. Sculptural, il se déploie dans l'espace à la façon des mobiles de Calder et lorsqu'on l'allume il permet de projeter une lumière douce dans différentes directions. Toute l'histoire en 10 minutes à peine ! Cet épisode a été réalisé grâce à la complicité de Plendi by Vinci Construction. >> SUIVEZ MOI SUR INSTAGRAM @ouestlebeau >> Le compte instagram : @sergemouilleofficial >> Le site internet : serge-mouille.com / pour acheter les luminaires : luminairesergemouille.fr >> Le livre de Pierre Emile Pralus >> Pour écouter les épisodes : Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer et sur le site de HOME Magazine 48h avant tout le monde ! >> Inscrivez-vous à la NEWSLETTER pour recevoir (2x mois) le beau dans votre boite mail >> CREDITS Où est le beau ? est un Podcast créé et réalisé par Hélène Aguilar Edition et montage : Paco Del Rosso Identité graphique : Catherine Sofia Charte graphique : Isabelle Denis
Along with Khe Sahn and Iwo Jima, the fighting at Belleau Wood is part of the US Marine Corps legend.In 26 days in June 1918, the US Marine Corps fought its first major engagement of WW1, when it was tasked with taking the heavily defended Belleau Wood. Despite being massacred by German machine guns, the Marines fought with tenacity and bravery, in a gladiatorial arena of violence that was described by one veteran as the most brutal hand-to-hand fighting witnessed in four years of war.We hear about the fighting at Chateau Thierry and learn about the colonial troops of West Africa who fought with distinction, look at some of the incredible acts of bravery shown by US soldiers in the fighting for Belleau Wood, and hear the origin of the most famous phrase in United States military history.Support the podcast:Http://www.patreon.com/foostepsofthefallenhttp://www.buymeacoffee.com/footstepsblogSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/footstepsofthefallen)
Cette histoire est avant tout celle de son créateur, Serge Mouille ! Un passionné du métal, un grand technicien mais aussi un enseignant très dévoué, Serge Mouille est l'un des créateurs de luminaires français les plus connus ! Encore aujourd'hui toutes ses collections sont éditées en France, de façon artisanale, exactement comme dans les années 50 et toujours par des passionnés. Et ça j'ai eu l'occasion de le voir de mes propres yeux lorsque Didier Delpiroux et sa fille Julia - aujourd'hui à la tête des ateliers Serge Mouille - m'ont accueilli pour la visite des ateliers à Chateau Thierry. Une journée incroyable durant laquelle j'ai pu poser toute mes questions et qui m'a surtout permis de réaliser que Serge Mouille avait mis dans ses luminaires, la finesse de travail d'un orfèvre. Le lampadaire 3 bras de Serge Mouille fait partie des pièces iconiques du design. Sculptural, il se déploie dans l'espace à la façon des mobiles de Calder et lorsqu'on l'allume il permet de projeter une lumière douce dans différentes directions. Toute l'histoire en 10 minutes à peine ! Cet épisode a été réalisé grâce à la complicité de Plendi by Vinci Construction. >> SUIVEZ MOI SUR INSTAGRAM @ouestlebeau >> Le compte instagram : @sergemouilleofficial >> Le site internet : serge-mouille.com / pour acheter les luminaires : luminairesergemouille.fr >> Le livre de Pierre Emile Pralus >> Pour écouter les épisodes : Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer et sur le site Elle Deco >> Inscrivez-vous à la NEWSLETTER pour recevoir (2x mois) le beau dans votre boite mail >> CREDITS Où est le beau ? est un Podcast créé et réalisé par Hélène Aguilar Edition et montage : Paco Del Rosso Identité graphique : Catherine Sofia Charte graphique : Isabelle Denis
This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon. On today's episode of the podcast Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Elyse Rivin. As we celebrate then end of WW1 it is also important to remember that the Spanish Flu killed even more people than the war that had just ended. We also talk about how the Spanish Flu changed Europe forever especially how Europeans understand the need to extend health care to everyone. I also want to do a quick review of a book about WW1 that I absolutely loved called All Blood Runs Red by Henry Scott Harris about Eugene Jacques Bullard the African American born in Georgia who enlisted in the French Foreign Legion and served with great honor in both WW1 and WW2. An extraordinary person and a well crafted book that brings WW1 and this person to life for me. I will also read you a bit of The Plague by Camus right before the end music. If you're interested in learning about virology today, Annie recommends you add This Week in Virology to your podcast line-up. Remembering the Spanish Flu Unfortunately talking about the Spanish Flu is the right way to celebrate WW1 in 2020 because we're in the middle of our own pandemic right now. It is called the Spanish Flu, but it had little to do with Spain. This flu didn't start in Spain. They had no part in spreading it any more than any other country. What happened is that since they weren't involved in WW1 Spanish newspapers were not the victim of censorship. They spoke about the pandemic freely in Spain and so they got associated with it for no reason. It is more likely that the Spanish Flu started with a farmer in the US who then went to serve on a US army base. As American soldiers were shipped out to help end WW1 they spread the virus all over the world. The first place these soldiers landed was in Bordeaux and it spread from there in France. The Spanish Flu was a very effective virus and spread quickly. Viruses affect humans with zero care for their nationality. That's why it's unfair to call it a Spanish flu or an American flu or a Chinese flu. Humans are subject to viruses and that's what matters. The first wave of Spanish flu (May 1918) was not particularly deadly, the second wave was awful (the fall of 2018) and the third a bit less virulent. But by then the flu had spread all over the world, which is the definition of the word pandemic. The Spanish flu killed about 4% of the people it infected, and it was mostly younger people who go sick with it. In the US there were pro mask cities and anti mask cities and, predictably, the cities like San Francisco where masks were seen negatively had more deaths. The Plague by Camus Every time there is a pandemic there is a great temptation from political leaders not to scare the public and brush it under the rug. Albert Camus was writing about a fictional plague but he brought that fact into his famous book. Annie reads this part of the book at the end of the episode. The local press, so lavish of news about the rats, now had nothing to say. For rats died in the street; men in their homes. And newspapers are concerned only with the street. Meanwhile, government and municipal officials were put- ting their heads together. So long as each individual doc- tor had come across only two or three cases, no one had thought of taking action. But it was merely a matter of add- ing up the figures and, once this had been done, the total was startling. In a very few days the number of cases had risen by leaps and bounds, and it became evident to all observers of this strange malady that a real epidemic had set in. This was the state of affairs when Castel, one of Rieux’s colleagues and a much older man than he, came to see him. “Naturally,” he said to Rieux, “you know what it is.” “I’m waiting for the result of the post-mortems.” “Well, 1 know. And I don’t need any post-mortems. I was in China for a good part of my career, and I saw some cases in Paris twenty years ago. Only no one dared to call them by their name on that occasion. TTie usual taboo, of course; the public mustn’t be alarmed, that wouldn’t do at all. And then, as one of my colleagues said, ‘It’s unthinkable. Everyone knows it’s ceased to appear in western Europe.’ Yes, every- ' one knew that — except the dead men. Come now, Rieux, you know as well as I do what it is.” Rieux pondered. He was looking out of the window of his surgery, at the tall cliff that closed the half-circle of the bay on the far horizon. Though blue, the sky had a dull sheen that was softening as the light declined. “Yes, Castel,” he replied. “It’s hardly credible. But every- thing points to its being plague.” Castel got up and began walking toward the door. More episodes about French History Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): WW1 Memorial Sites in France, Episode 211 Chateau-Thierry and the Battle of Belleau Wood, Episode 256 This week Annie recommends a book about Eugene Jacques Bullard, the French-American WW1 hero born in Georgia. Category: French History
On this trip report Annie takes you on a quest for the Maid of Orĺéans with her guest Kim Loftus. Have you ever wanted to go searching for Joan of Arc in rural France? She's in a lot of villages in northern France! That was the theme of Kim's latest trip to France and she tells us about several of the must-see sites related to this world-famous heroine. Book recommendation: Joan of Arc, a Life Transfigured Hotels Recommended in this Episode In Reims they stayed at the Hotel Campanile. This is a great location where you could walk to the city center and they have parking. Campanile hotels are typically inexpensive as well. In Reims they also enjoyed the restaurant Au Bureau near the Cathedral and Au Café de Reims. The best hotel of the trip was in Rouen: Best Western Hotel Gustave Flaubert Searching for Joan of Arc in Rural France Joan was born in the middle of the 100-year war which went poorly for the French, particularly with the terrible battle of Agencourt (listen to episode 89 for the story on how that went). France was being ruled by an English King. She was born in Domremy, which has now been renamed Domremy-la-Pucelle. You went there and will tell us what you saw there in a moment. Her father was a successful farmer and she was the oldest of 5 children. She was extremely pious and went to pray in the village church several times a day. Joan started hearing voices at age 13 telling her that it was her calling to deliver France from the wicked English rulers and put a French King on the throne again. At age 16 (or was it 17?) she set off to meet the rightful heir of the throne, raised an army, inspired French people to support the cause and she did it! She’s been a legend ever since as the unlikely savior of a country in big trouble. She was at the center of two big trials which is why her life is well-documented and also why it’s hard to talk about her without being a specialist because it’s complicated! There is also plenty of lore surrounding her life. But she was a real girl who died young in a tragic end and achieved amazing results by turning the 100-year war around in favor of the French. I found the Wikipedia page about her to be one of the best summaries out there of who she was and what she did. I also read the Wikipedia page about her in French and that’s got so many details that it’s horribly confusing. Château-Thierry Aisne-Marne Memorial Cemetery WWI Château-Thierry monument WWI Porte Saint Pierre, Joan of Arc entered the town of Chateau-Thierry through this stone gate. This is a fortress related to 100 Years War: The town was under the control of the English, Joan of Arc marched through and took it over for the French. Newly crowned King Charles VII was with her there. Reims This is where Charles VII was crowned and where many other French Kings were crowned too. Joan had to take the city from the English first, and then have him crowned. There is a Joan of Arc sculpture outside cathedral and chapel inside. You’ll have to find the statue of the smiling angel of the Cathedral too! Reims is a good place to stay when you go searching for Joan of Arc. They took day-trips to Domremy-la-Pucelle and Vaucouleur while staying in Reims. Domremy-la-Pucelle This is where Joan of Arc was born and raised, and she set off on her quest from here at age 16. What did you see there? L'Arbre des Fées, the gift shop staff was so fun for a Joan geek like me, maybe because I was the only one there. It was another chance to practice my French. Centre Johannique Joan’s childhood home and the garden where she heard the voices giving her instructions Remy church next to Joan’s home. Vaucouleurs Visitors Center, which is where you request to see Joan of Arc Museum. Next to the Visitors Center, a shop called Mercerie Lagny. Nathalie, owner, was so delightful. Bought French made socks, Berthe aux Grands Pieds. Eglise St. Laurent - chapel to Joan. Up the hill is the gate of France where Joan left the city with her troops to go the dauphin at Chinon. An old lime tree probably dates back to Joan’s time. Sign explaining only living thing remaining that would have been there to see her off in 1429. The old castle’s chapel were Joan attended the Mass on mornings and stayed for hours in front of the statue of Notre-Dame-des-Voûtes. It was not open. Compiègne Came through on a Sunday and everything except the Château de Compiègne was closed. Many half-timbered buildings in the city center. Joan of Arc on city hall and sculpture in the plaza. Joan captured nearby. Tour Jeanne d’Arc, origninally called La Grosse Tour du Roi. After Charles VII was crowned, he entered into pragmantic agreements with various Lords, some of whom used to be his enemies. Joan still wanted to get rid of all the English. When the English laid siege Compiègne the inhabitants send word to Joan of Arc that they needed her. She was able to rally 400 men to try and chase the English away from Compiègne but she was captured. They put her in various prisons, she tried to escape, no ransom was negotiated and she was burned at the stake in Rouen a year after her capture. Rouen Chemical plant explosion and awful smell in the air The Joan of Arc Historical, an immersive experience - quite moving. Rouen Cathedrale - light show in the summer months Eglise St. Jeanne d’Arc, Rouen right next to Place du Vieux-Marché - Joan’s execution site, marked with a towering sculptural cross. Best dinner at D’eux-Mêmes restaurant - Palet Breton, Tube Choco-dessert and a Daurade. Searching for Joan of Arc in Rural France Useful Links Joan of Arc cities website aka "villes johaniques" and map of the area in English Also a Facebook page for events in Domremy and Grand Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Discussed in this Episode Aisne-Marne Memorial Cemetery WWI Château-Thierry monument WWI Porte Saint Pierre where Joan of Arc entered the town of Chateau-Thierry Reims Domrémy-la-Pucelle Vaucouleur Compiègne Rouen Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Google Spotify RSS Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): The Battle of Agincourt, Episode 89 Chateau-Thierry and the Battle of Belleau Wood, Episode 256 A Perfect Day Trip to Reims from Paris, Episode 13 Categories: Alsace and Lorraine, Champagne Area, Hauts-de-France, Normandy & Brittany
Find out why Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood are so important to French history and the history of the US Marine Corps. My guest on this episode relates his Memorial Day visit to this monument and his tips for enjoying this part of France. #joinusinfrance #belleauwood #usmc #marines #marinecorps #devildogs #chateauthierry #WW1 Show Notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/256 Email | VoiceMap App Tours | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter
The Marine Corps Birthday Last night, I took a friend of mine, Tony, out for an important evening. He’s 96 years old, a retired school superintendent, teacher and deacon. I think he is the father of seven. We went to an event that had about 200 people of all ethnic groups, ages 20 to 96. It included a billionaire, federal judges, musicians, attorneys, business people, and moms and dads. Blue collar and white collar. A diverse group bound by one thing: the birthday we share as US Marines. It’s a thing. Every November 10th, Marines all around the world celebrate the birthday of their Corps. In 1775, 243 years ago, the Marine Corps was born in a tavern in Philadelphia. Today, Marines will celebrate their birthday in formal balls, by sharing a birthday meal in a trench in Afghanistan, or even just by saying “Happy Birthday, Marine” to each other. So, what can a fighting organization founded almost 250 years ago in a bar teach us about life today? A lot, I think. Let’s talk about three life lessons—story, diversity and relationships. Story The Marine Corps spent much of its history as a military afterthought. It's obvious that every nation needs an army to defend its land and a navy to defend its seas. But do we need a Marine Corps? Marines started as soldiers at sea who guarded the captain from potentially mutinous sailors and boarded enemy ships in combat. But mutiny hasn’t been a serious issue for almost 200 years and no one today is firing muskets at an enemy crew. Sure enough, our Marine Corps has been threatened with extinction several times in American history. Even after the Marine Corps performed spectacularly in World War II, many in government (and the Army) tried to abolish the Marine Corps. Your Marine Corps. If you talk to the Army or Air Force, the Marine Corps survives because the Corps has great public relations. But that misses a deeper lesson. The Marine Corps survives—even thrives—because the Marine Corps understands the importance of telling a compelling story. All the military services have honor and courage and commitment. But the Marine Corps brings those virtues alive in a super-powerful way by transforming them from theoretical ideas into real-world stories. In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, the Marines played a role in the capture of Chapultepec Castle on the approaches to Mexico City. The Marines quickly published the story of their role in the battle as an example of Marine heroism. From the Halls of Montezuma…. In 1805, during the war against the Barbary states, seven Marines led several hundred mercenaries across the Libyan desert to fight the Battle of Derna. The battle itself didn’t mean much. It was fought after the Barbary war had ended. But the Marines turned this relatively inconsequential battle into an epic story. To the Shores of Tripoli…. The Marines turned their role in these relatively minor battles into their Story. They told that Story in song: From the Halls of Montezuma, To the Shores of Tripoli... The first two lines of the Marine Corps Hymn, a song that a surprising number of Americans know. The Marines didn’t just turn these battles into epic stories and song, they made them concrete in their uniforms and tradition. The red stripe on the legs of the Marine Dress Blue uniform remembers the Battle of Chapultepec. All Marine officers have a Mameluke sword, given to the Corps in remembrance of the Battle of Derna. Going into the Spanish-American War, there was a move to abolish the Corps. The Marines happened to be the first forces to land in Cuba and won a relatively small, but tough battle at Cuzco Wells. The American newspapers—desperate for news about the war—made the Marines heroes. In World War I, the US Army fought hard, but didn’t allow newspaper reporters to accompany them. The Marines took the reporters with them into battle. In the US, the heroic exploits of the Marines at Belleau Wood and Chateau Thierry filled th...
The Marine Corps Birthday Last night, I took a friend of mine, Tony, out for an important evening. He’s 96 years old, a retired school superintendent, teacher and deacon. I think he is the father of seven. We went to an event that had about 200 people of all ethnic groups, ages 20 to 96. It included a billionaire, federal judges, musicians, attorneys, business people, and moms and dads. Blue collar and white collar. A diverse group bound by one thing: the birthday we share as US Marines. It’s a thing. Every November 10th, Marines all around the world celebrate the birthday of their Corps. In 1775, 243 years ago, the Marine Corps was born in a tavern in Philadelphia. Today, Marines will celebrate their birthday in formal balls, by sharing a birthday meal in a trench in Afghanistan, or even just by saying “Happy Birthday, Marine” to each other. So, what can a fighting organization founded almost 250 years ago in a bar teach us about life today? A lot, I think. Let’s talk about three life lessons—story, diversity and relationships. Story The Marine Corps spent much of its history as a military afterthought. It's obvious that every nation needs an army to defend its land and a navy to defend its seas. But do we need a Marine Corps? Marines started as soldiers at sea who guarded the captain from potentially mutinous sailors and boarded enemy ships in combat. But mutiny hasn’t been a serious issue for almost 200 years and no one today is firing muskets at an enemy crew. Sure enough, our Marine Corps has been threatened with extinction several times in American history. Even after the Marine Corps performed spectacularly in World War II, many in government (and the Army) tried to abolish the Marine Corps. Your Marine Corps. If you talk to the Army or Air Force, the Marine Corps survives because the Corps has great public relations. But that misses a deeper lesson. The Marine Corps survives—even thrives—because the Marine Corps understands the importance of telling a compelling story. All the military services have honor and courage and commitment. But the Marine Corps brings those virtues alive in a super-powerful way by transforming them from theoretical ideas into real-world stories. In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, the Marines played a role in the capture of Chapultepec Castle on the approaches to Mexico City. The Marines quickly published the story of their role in the battle as an example of Marine heroism. From the Halls of Montezuma…. In 1805, during the war against the Barbary states, seven Marines led several hundred mercenaries across the Libyan desert to fight the Battle of Derna. The battle itself didn’t mean much. It was fought after the Barbary war had ended. But the Marines turned this relatively inconsequential battle into an epic story. To the Shores of Tripoli…. The Marines turned their role in these relatively minor battles into their Story. They told that Story in song: From the Halls of Montezuma, To the Shores of Tripoli... The first two lines of the Marine Corps Hymn, a song that a surprising number of Americans know. The Marines didn’t just turn these battles into epic stories and song, they made them concrete in their uniforms and tradition. The red stripe on the legs of the Marine Dress Blue uniform remembers the Battle of Chapultepec. All Marine officers have a Mameluke sword, given to the Corps in remembrance of the Battle of Derna. Going into the Spanish-American War, there was a move to abolish the Corps. The Marines happened to be the first forces to land in Cuba and won a relatively small, but tough battle at Cuzco Wells. The American newspapers—desperate for news about the war—made the Marines heroes. In World War I, the US Army fought hard, but didn’t allow newspaper reporters to accompany them. The Marines took the reporters with them into battle. In the US, the heroic exploits of the Marines at Belleau Wood and Chateau Thierry filled th...
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.
Highlights: June 1918 Overview June 1918 Overview roundtable - Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine Akey, Theo Mayer | @01:35 Not all quiet on the western front - Mike Shuster | @15:30 National Memorial Day Parade | @19:55 369th Experience Memorial Weekend concerts | @22:05 East Indians in WW1 - Tanveer Kalo | @25:35 Belgian Children’s “Thank You” - Nancy Heingartner | @32:15 100C/100M in Bismarck, ND - Susan Wefald | @39:25 Speaking WW1: Cantonment | @44:50 WW1 War Tech: FlammenWerfer | @46:15 Dispatch Newsletter Highlights | @48:45 The Buzz: Social Media - Katherine Akey | @51:40----more---- Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #74 - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. This week: Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine Akey and I sit down for our June 1918 preview roundtable Mike Schuster updates us on the fact that it is NOT all quiet on the Western Front Tanveer Kalo tells us about American immigrants from East Indians and their WWI experience Nancy Heingartner shares the story of her great-grandfather, the US Consul in Liege, Belgium in WW1 Susan Wefald [wee-fald] tells us about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Bismarck, North Dakota Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media And a whole lot more on WW1 Centennial News -- a weekly podcast brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the Starr foundation. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface The first week of every month, we invite you to our preview roundtable where Dr. Ed lengel, Katherine Akey and I talk about the upcoming month and the key events that happened 100 years ago. The question on the table as we sat down was, “ what WERE the big stories and themes in June 1918… What follows is our conversation. [MUSIC TRANSITION] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN June 1918 Roundtable [Ed Lengel, Katherine Akey, Theo Mayer take an overview of June 1918] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project Let’s move on to the great war project with Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project blog. Mike - in your post this week you talk about Pershing telling the Allies that the American Forces would not really be ready till the end of the year - maybe not until 1919 - which totally freaks everyone out. The French are quite certain that they cannot last till then, aren’t they Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster, curator for the Great War Project blog. The link to his post is in the podcast notes LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/27/americans-not-ready-until-1919/ [SOUND EFFECT] World War One NOW And that’s what was happening 100 Years ago - It is time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] This part of the podcast focuses on NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI Commission News Memorial Day Follow Up: This past weekend we celebrated Memorial Day -- and WWI commemorations were front and center in communities all across the country. The Commission had a pretty busy weekend as well! First of all we had a float to commemorate the centennial of WWI in the National Memorial Day parade in Washington, DC. Besides being joined by a number of very cool WW1-era trucks and vehicles, General John J. Pershing himself -- and a bunch of reenactors - We also introduced America’s National WWI Memorial -- asking crowds - “Did you know that every major war of the 20th century has a Memorial in the Nation’s capitol except WWI?” The unbelieving shock at this revelation was pretty universal. Everyone assumes that there is one! But there’s not [video clip of anchors] [SOUND EFFECT] Now New York City always has quite a Memorial Day - Besides their own parade, the Navy coming to town for the much beloved Fleet week - this year the Commission was instrumental in sponsoring a very special event for the occasion. The musicians of the 369th Experience brought turn-of-the-century ragtime and Jazz onto the decks of the USS Intrepid at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum at Manhattan’s Pier 86. Carrying on the legacy of the famous Harlem Hellfighters Regimental band, the 369th Experience pulled together talented modern-day musicians from HBCU’s - Historically black colleges and universities, all around the country. The musicians competed to participate in this 369th regimental band tribute -- and a number of amazing and amazed young men came to New York for a truly memorable experience! [Video clip from PIX 11 News] We collected the social media posts about the 369th Regiment, regimental band and the Memorial day concerts from everywhere, and put them in a special gallery at ww1cc.org/369th or follow the various links in the podcast notes to learn more. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/369th-experience-gallery.html http://pix11.com/2018/05/28/young-jazz-musicians-recreate-music-of-harlem-hellfighters/ www.IntrepidMuseum.org https://www.369experience.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/369th-experience.html Remembering Veterans East Indian Americans in WW1 with Tanveer Kalo This week For Remembering Veterans -- We want to end the month of May-- which is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month-- with a focus on Indian American immigrants in WW1. Our guest for this segment has an unusual background in his WWI expertise… He has become one of the leading “ Go To Guys” when it comes to indian participation in WWI. He just graduated as the Ronald E. McNair Scholar from St. Lawrence University - but before that - he was an intern at our own World War One Centennial Commission. His name is Tanveer Kalo, Tanveer, thank you for joining us! [greetings] [Tanveer-- it is so exciting to see an intern from the commission continuing their passion fanned to flame by that experience. Can you tell us the story of of your intern experience and how it shaped this interest of yours in the Indian American experience of a hundred years ago?] [When you interned, you helped the noted journalist Suruchi Mohan put together one of our publishing partner site called Vande Mataram and dedicated to the Indian American experience.] [The site features the story of the “Hindoo” conspiracy -- can give us an overview of the incident?] [You recently wrote up a profile on Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind -- who was he, and why did you choose to focus on his story?] [Tanveer… What’s next on your horizon?] [Tanveer - we are all very proud and excited about your growing work and recognition in this area. Thank you so much for coming in and speaking with us today!] [goodbyes/thanks] Tanveer Kalo just graduated as the Ronald E. McNair Scholar from St. Lawrence University and a former WW1 Centennial Commission Intern. Read his articles and learn more about Indian American service in WW1 at the links in the podcast notes. Links:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/strange-nexus-indians-germans-the-great-trial.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4310-re-discovering-the-unknown-world-war-i-s-south-asian-soldiers-in-the-us-military.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/indians-who-served.html Special Remembering WWI Belgian Children’s Project In a special Remembering WWI segment -- we’re going to hear about a very touching and heartfelt tribute made by Belgian refugee children from one hundred years ago. For this, we are joined by Nancy Heingartner, the Assistant Director for Outreach at the University of Wisconsin Madison's Institute for Regional and International Studies. Nancy also happens to be the great-granddaughter of Alexander Heingartner, the U.S. Consul in liege, Belgium, in 1915. Her discoveries in a family attic has gifted her with a very special collection of letters sent to Alexander Heingartner -- letters of thanks -- from Belgian school children 100 years ago. Nancy - welcome to the podcast! [greetings/welcome] [Nancy, could you start off by telling us a bit about your great-grandfather? Was he in Belgium when the war broke out?] [The children writing him letters were thanking him for the support and provisions given to them by the Commission for Relief in Belgium -- Now that was the organization that was led by a young engineer and mining consultant named Herbert Hoover - what is that Commission, and how was your Great-Grandfather involved in it?] [Tell us about the letters! We’re audio only, but we hear that they are really delicate and beautiful objects.] [What are your plans for the letters now?] [thanks/goodbyes] Nancy Heingartner is the Assistant Director for Outreach at the University of Wisconsin, Madison's Institute for Regional and International Studies. Learn more about her discoveries by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.facebook.com/usembassybelgium/photos/a.119544323109.103769.39878083109/10153509217488110/?type=3&theater https://hoover.archives.gov/exhibits/years-compassion-1914-1923 https://www.hoover.org/events/glory-and-gratitude-united-states https://airandspace.si.edu/events/world-war-i-legacy-letters-and-belgian-war-lace 100 Cities / 100 Memorials World War Memorial Building - Bismarck, ND Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment about the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials. This week we’re profiling a project from Bismarck, North Dakota - it is the capital city of North Dakota located on the bluffs of the Missouri River.. With us to tell us more about the World War Memorial Building project is Susan Wefald, vice chair of the North Dakota World War I Centennial Committee, an active volunteer, and a retired elected state official. Susan, Welcome to the Podcast! [Susan, your project involves a WWI memorial building rather than a statue or a monument. What made your community decide to build a WWI memorial building in 1929?] [In its early years, the building housed the state legislature for a time, how did that come about?] [Susan, you have clearly been the spearhead for a lobby restoration efforts, how did you get involved.] [Has there been any community reaction to the site being selected as a WWI Centennial Memorial site?] [What stage is the work at?] [Do you plan a rededication?] Thank you Susan for coming in and telling us about the project. [goodbyes/thank you] Susan Wefald is vice chair of the North Dakota World War I Centennial Committee. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program by following the link in the podcast notes. Links: www.ww1cc.org/100cities Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- After April 6th of last year, we started talking about the Cantonments that the US government was building all around the country to train our millions of new recruits. Everybody got the idea that Cantonments were big ol’ training camps from the context we used it in - All the historians. and military experts around me were using the word like it was something I should have known - but you know, when I started asking around, who the heck uses the term Cantonment on a regular basis!? Seriously - turn out that the word cantonment comes from a 16th century middle french term for a corner or angle - which leads to an area - then a section of land - then a segment of a region - By 1917, Cantonment was the name for a permanent military camp or garrisons -- and for World War One the US built some 30 of these camps to accommodate the training for our new army. Cantonment - but a pretty esoteric term for my money! - this week’s word for Speaking WWI Next week we are going to look at the word Boot Camp - which also shows up at this time, and unlike Cantonment - it sticks around and is popular today! Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonment [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Flammenwerfer Now for WW1 War Tech -- This week we’re looking at one of the truly horrific ww1 weapons - tweaked up by the Germans and called - Der FlammenWerfer - which quite literally translated as the flame thrower. 100 years ago as the Americans entered the fray at Cantigny, French flamethrower troops were part of the offensive forces used against the Germans. Now The idea of the flamethrower goes WAY back… to the 5th century BC, with some of the earliest working examples dating back to the Byzantine era --- by the 1st century AD hand-pumped flamethrowers on board ships were being used and known as Greek Fire. The more contemporary version of the weapon was developed in the early 1900s by the German inventor Richard Fiedler. There were two types, the Kleinflammenwerfer and the Grossflammenwerfer, which appropriate to very literal nature of the german language means the small flame thrower and big flame thrower. The small ones were one-man portable backpack devices and the large ones were three-man, big hose, big pressure, long throw monsters. Although it was initially placed into the German arsenal in 1911, the flamethrower wasn’t used extensively until the summer of 1915. The shock, fear and terror caused by the cascading sheets of fire led to quite a panic among the defenders. It really is a horribly grizzly weapon! And like so many other devastations of WWI, the Allies quickly began developing their own flame throwing machines. Meanwhile, flamethrower operators typically do not live very long. The first threat is not from the enemy but from potential fatal malfunctions of the weapon -- after all, with the portable ones, you were essentially carrying around an explosive backpack with a lit fuse. - with the big ones - well it’s just sort of nutty to squirt huge quantities of flammable liquids out a nozzle and then light it on fire… Enemy gunfire is a pretty big threat too - You know that nicely lit-up guy with the flame stick -- well he’s just a natural target to shoot at first. The Flammenwerfer - another horrific WWI weapon and this week’s subject for WWI War Tech -- Learn more at the links in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/flamethrowers.htm https://mashable.com/2016/02/04/wwi-flamethrowers/#r9GQDQ6KUqq7 Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: In DC Memorial Day Parade, heir to the Pie Man from Georgetown recalls efforts which provided ‘Dough for the Doughboys’ Writer Anthony Hayes, in the Baltimore Post Examiner tells the amazing World War I history behind the quaint pie truck-- a black Model T box truck – replete with it’s creamy-white “Connecticut – Copperthite Pie Company” WWI logo. [DING] Headline: POLITICO article offers in-depth look at current status of new national World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC POLITICO published a broad-ranging and insightful article on May 28 that takes a hard look at the obstacles facing progress of the new national World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC, and the opportunities which may emerge from moving forward on the project in the coming months. [DING] Headline: Lowdermilk book aims to "shine the light of awareness" of WWI for next generation Upon receiving the diary of his grandfather, a World War I veteran, writer and photographer Jeffrey Lowdermilk was inspired to honor his grandfather’s memory by taking the same journey across Europe. mLearn about his book, Honoring The Doughboys: Following My Grandfather’s WWI Diary. [DING] Headline: "There But Not There" silhouettes honor WWI fallen, and support military charities A new nationwide campaign to commemorate the centennial of World War One and raise funds for military charities was launched across the United States this week -- read the article titled… There But Not There [DING] Headline: This week in the WWrite Blog: I Never Saw Him Drowning: Great-Uncle Charlie and the Great War Philip Metres tells the story of his Great-Uncle Charlie, his veteran father, and of his own exploration of war through writing and poetry. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s centennial key tag, inscribed with - nothing can stop these men! Inspired by an original World War One poster, this key tag features the dramatic image of a bayonet advance on the enemy, with the United States flag in the upper corner. You can get it at in our official Merchandise store by following the links in our weekly newsletter the Dispatch… Subscribe by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the link in the podcast notes Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/subscribe.html http://www.ww1cc.org/dispatch The Buzz And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick? Memorial Day Stories and More We have so many photo albums, links and articles to share with everyone from Memorial Day weekend! In the podcast links you’ll find photos and reports from the American Battle Monuments Commission and the US Army Center of Military History -- both of whom participated in the Grand Opening ceremony of the new Visitors Center at the American Monument in Chateau-Thierry, France on Sunday May 27th. You’ll also find links to videos of the Memorial Day commemorations at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial and of WW1 Centennial Commissioner Monique Seefried speaking from the fields of the Meuse Argonne. There’s also an article from NPR about the temporary Poppy memorial set up on the National Mall over the weekend -- 645,000 synthetic flowers — one for each American killed in an international conflict since the start of World War I — pressed against acrylic panels and backlit. Finally -- the team behind the film Sgt Stubby: An American Hero have teamed up with the American Legion to bring the film to communities across the country! Fun Academy Motion Pictures is offering American Legion posts nationwide opportunities to screen the critically acclaimed animated film beginning Memorial Day weekend and continuing through Veterans Day with the help of veterans-outreach nonprofit VetFlicks.org. Read more about it, and how to organize a screening in your local American Legion Post, by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.facebook.com/100ansUSenHauteMarne/posts/1780423115382053 https://www.facebook.com/armyhistory/posts/10156495210877853 https://www.facebook.com/HQUSAFE/videos/10156442806307020/?hc_ref=ARTUh_hefefiOubK-738wZeip6G9XIN5T7Qefh2TDJsAj-Gc0ykJwwc7bgYc0EmiBfw https://www.facebook.com/pg/abmcpage/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1919925101359525 https://www.facebook.com/armyhistory/videos/10156495401912853/?hc_ref=ARRhGVsBtjxBa9_pZMMq663_RS8rvAZ0hs57B7zYaGHKkQqnRCf3Ge1zk84hdqwcKHQ https://www.facebook.com/NPR/posts/10156950318706756 https://www.legion.org/honor/242035/sgt-stubby-american-hero-screenings-offered-american-legion-posts Outro And that wraps up the last week of May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you so much for joining us. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Tanveer Kalo , a quickly developing expert on indians in WW1 and a former Centennial Commission Intern Nancy Heingartner, educator and custodian of a great century old collection of thank you letters from Belgian students Susan Wefald, vice chair of the North Dakota World War I Centennial Committee Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our hard working sound editor who makes us all sound like we never make mistakes --- And of course I never do! I’m Theo Mayer your host. The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1. Our programs are to-- inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Including this podcast! We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms; We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country; and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn - now with our new interactive transcript feature for students, teachers, bloggers, reporters and writers. You can also access the WW1 Centennial News podcast on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify, using your smart speaker.. By saying “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” - and now also available on Youtube - just search for our WW1 Centennial youtube channel. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here today about the war that changed the world! [music] In closing, We have a discovered fact that is very strange but true… Did you know that there are over 26,000 people in the united states that tend to use the word “cantonment” multiple times a week, and have for decades - Yup - and they all live near pensacola, Florida in, you guessed it - the only town in the US called cantonment. So long!
Highlights Feb. ‘18 overview - Ed Lengel, Katherine Akey, Theo Mayer | @01:40 War In The Sky 1918 preview - RG Head | @11:20 Fighting in Russia - Mike Shuster | @18:20 Harlem’s Rattlers - Dr. Jeffrey Sammons | @22:40 A Century in the Making - The maquette arrives in DC | @30:00 Speaking WWI - Attaboy! | @35:40 Nurse Josephine Heffernan - Dr. Marjorie DesRosier | @37:30 100C/100M Beaverton Michigan - Ed Rachwitz & Scott Govitz | @43:25 WWI War Tech - Gas Masks | @47:55 Articles & Posts - Dazzle Camo & S.S. Tuscania sinks | @49:45 The Buzz - WWI Social Media - Katherine Akey | @51:55----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #57 - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is February 2nd, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel, in our February 1918 overview RG Head, with a full year look at the War in the Sky Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog looking at the chaotic situation in Russia Dr. Jeffrey Sammons speaking about the Harlem Rattlers and the African American soldiers’ experience in WWI Dr. Marjorie DesRosier telling us about nurse Josephine Heffernan Ed Rachwitz and Scott Govitz, from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Beaverton, Michigan Katherine Akey, with some selections from the centennial of WWI in social media All that and more --- this week -- on WW1 Centennial News -- which is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the Starr foundation. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] NEW - Monthly Preview Roundtable Overview Chat with Ed, Katherine and Theo THEO Before we jump into our wayback machine and look at 100 years ago this week, we are going to try something new. You know we have editorial meetings twice a week where we define the content for each week’s show. For the history section - which is one of the most popular parts of the podcast - we get into these great conversations about “what was really going on 100 years ago this week”. We look at the politics, the Official bulletin, the NY times, history book references and of course we have our own little band of experts and researchers - It occurs to us that having a short version of one of these conversations -- in front of YOU at the top of each month… might be a great way to provide context and overview. In other words - from an overview perspective and of course with 20/20 hindsight - what is the next month all about in the War the changed the world? - and what are the themes we are going to hear about this coming month… So the other day, Dr. Ed Lengel, Katherine Akey and I sat down (virtually of course - Ed was in Dublin, Katherine in DC and I am in LA) --- and we talked about February 1918 - Here is how it went…. [MUSIC TRANSITION] Ed… it seems like the big theme in February is all about troop movements and preparation - The Americans to Europe and prepping for engaging the enemy - the Germans from the eastern front - leaving Russia for the western front and prepping for a knock-out spring offensive… so what are some of the specifics? ED [ED Lay out the basic outlines and punctuate with the “topic headers” of some specifics - -America sending ever larger numbers of troops over - New rounds of training as arriving divisions get embedded with British and French troops -Loss of the tuscania -German armistice and peace with Russia withdraw from the Eastern front, leave Russia and red/white armies to their internal divisions - While Germans can concentrate forces to counter American support -Germans want to “school” fresh US troops, and want US Media to report on it; Germans being very strategic with their aggression [KATHERINE] -month dramatic climax with the German COUNTER Gas attack on 1st division Ansauville near Metz/Nancy Feb 26/27th THEO TRANSITION Katherine you came up with some great references and article that illustrate Ed’s points - can you give us some of the datelines, headlines and gist of some of these? NOTE: Katherine - based on the articles you are picking - If I know what they are - we might break up ed section with references rather than having them all at the end. -French and British (publically) very optimistic about outlook, skeptical of the strength of German attack on west Links:https://history.army.mil/documents/wwi/ansau/ansac.htm https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/01/23/102660120.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/01/23/102660119.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/01/30/102662967.pdf https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ War in the Sky For our War In The Sky segment, we are joined today by RG Head, retired Air Force Brigadier General, former fighter pilot, military historian, and author Welcome RG [greet one another] [RG - thank for joining us again. I wanted to bring you on to help us with an overview of the War in The Sky for 1918. Of course it has to be in context of the other key events of the year, but what should we expect for 1918 in the the War in the Sky?] RG MAJOR AIR EVENTS OF WORLD WAR I IN 1918 1918 opened gloomily for the Allies. The aerial war in 1917 had introduced massed fighter tactics, close air support of ground forces and some strategic bombing. For the Allies, their many concentrated 1917 offensives failed and resulted in high losses on the ground and in the air. The Allies were on the defensive. On the other hand, Germany instituted "The Amerika Plan," which featured five major offensives in an attempt to win the war before the Americans can make a meaningful contribution. Part of this plan was for the German Air Force to double its size in eight months in the hope of winning back air superiority, which it lost in the months after "Bloody April" 1917. In February, the German Air Service forms two more Fighter Wings based on the success of Manfred von Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader I. In late February, the German Army launches Operation Michael against the British, the first of the major offensives in the West, advancing 30 miles in eight days. The Germans mass 750 aircraft against the English 580, including 38 ground attack squadrons. The air battle is one-sided: the British lost 478 aircraft in 10 days, and by April 29 had lost 1,302. Britain was only saved by their high production rate of aircraft and pilots. On March 3, The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk certified the Russian surrender, and the Germans initiate a massive transfer of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and aircraft from the Eastern to the Western Front. On the first of April, Britain forms the Royal Air Force, the first independent air arm of any nation. The RAF also includes an Independent Air Force performing the first strategic bombing missions on a large scale. The same day in April, German Sergeant Weimar is the first combat pilot to escape his aircraft using a parachute. The British would not issue parachutes to its aviators until September 1918. In the Spring, the major achievement in air operations must be the organization, training and combat performance of the US Air Service. From its status in April 1917 of only 65 officers and 1,100 men, the Air Service grew to 7,700 officers, 51,000 men, with over 75 percent of them deployed to France, supporting 45 fighting squadrons. In June and July, the Germans launch two offensives for the Marne River, the last of their five 1918 desperate attacks. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) contributes to the Allied victory at Chateau-Thierry in preventing the Germany Army from crossing the river. September is the costliest month of the war for the Allied Air Forces as they lose 580 aircraft to the Germans 107 (over a 5:1 ratio). The US Air Service makes its first big contribution. The German Air Force, led by 80 fighter squadrons, is the only force that significantly impacts the Allies, making the month forever known as "Black September." On the 12th of September the Americans take the offensive in the Battle of St-Mihiel, a distinctly US operation involving seven Army divisions and 665,000 men. Brigadier General Billy Mitchell assembles a force of over 1,400 Allied aircraft, the largest air operation in history, and the Americans are victorious. On the 26th of September, Americans began their most important battle of the war, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. With over 1,200,000 men we break through the Hindenberg Line, supported by the US Army Air Service. Finally, the Armistice comes on the 11th of November. [thanks/goodbyes] Thank you RG RG Head, Retired Air Force brigadier general, fighter pilot, military historian and author. His latest book is a biography of Oswald Boelcke, often referred to as the father of combat aviation. RG Head is also the curator a comprehensive - nearly day-by-day “War in the Sky” timeline on the Commission website at ww1cc.org/warinthesky - all lower case - one word. We have links to the book, timeline and RG’s facebook page in the podcast notes Link: https://www.facebook.com/rg.head/ www.ww1cc.org/warinthesky https://www.amazon.com/RG-Head/e/B01M59UA64 [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Now on to the Great War project with Mike Shuster - former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: So the Russians stopped fighting the German - but the Russians now sure seem to be fighting each other! Or the Germans are still fighting them - or something - What’s the story Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/01/28/lenin-declares-establishment-of-soviet-union/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel Here are this week’s new videos our friends at “The Great War Channel” on Youtube. One is about Russia’s internal wars - Civil War in Finland and Ukraine And - Trenches at 10,000 feet - Fighting on Mount Lagazuoi And Finally British Special Forces Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW It is time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening NOW to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! Remembering Veterans DONE February is African American History month - so over the next few weeks we will be bringing you a series of guests and stories that highlight the African American experience in WWI. It is an important, complex and sometimes horrific story of brave patriots fighting not only a war, but also a very racist culture. Interview with Dr. Sammons We will start this week in our Remembering Veterans section with Dr. Jeffrey Sammons, historian, professor of history at NYU, member of the commission’s history advisory board and co-author of the book Harlem's Rattlers and the Great War: The Undaunted 369th Regiment and the African American Quest for Equality. Welcome, [Dr. Sammons] [greetings] [Dr. Sammons - The Harlem rattlers - also known widely as the Harlem Hellfighters are famous as a unit and a regimental band, but who they actually were and what they did is much less known - Can you give us an overview?] [Dr. Sammons - as we noted at the top of the show - Pershing insisted, for the most part, on troop deployment under American command - but the 369th was under French command operationally until July 1918. Tell us about that please…] [So when they fighting stopped “over there”, there was another big struggle as these men came home. What kind of situation did the African American soldiers and heroes of WW1 come home to?] [goodbyes] Dr. Jeffrey Sammons is a historian, professor, author and Historical Advisor to the WW1 Centennial Commission. Link:https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/pritzker-military-presents/jeffrey-sammons-harlems-rattlers-and-great-war/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/about/the-commission/advisory-boards/historical-advisory-board.html A century in the making - The Maquette Arrives Now for: A century in the making - the story of America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. In this segment we take you on an insider’s journey that explores this grand undertaking, and the people behind it. This week the Maquette arrived in Washington DC. Sabin Howard, the project’s sculptor, has spent month in New Zealand working with the WETA Workshop to create this first 9 foot long realization of the planned ginormous bronze… late last week he packed it up and shipped it to Washington! (sound from sabin footage) This past Wednesday on January 31st, it arrived on the commission’s doorstep! (more sound) And the team got a first look!!! Including US WWI Centennial Commission Chair Terry Hamby... (first reactions) around the middle of the month - The machete will be presented to and reviewed by Washington’s Commission of Fine Arts - - they one of the governing and approval bodies for any project in Washington DC… After their review, the Maquette will be introduced to the nation on a national television show to be announced shortly. Though we can’t show it to you yet, this is a podcast so we have been able to give you a sneak listen to the maquette arriving in Washington DC! We are going to continue to bring you an insider’s view with stories about the epic undertaking to create America’s WWI memorial in our nation’s capital. Learn more at ww1cc.org/memorial Link: www.ww1cc.org/memorial [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- We have told you part of this story before - On the morning of July 4th in 1917, the mounted band of the French Republican Guard arrived with a large crowd before the residence in Paris of the recently arrived Gen. John J. Pershing. He came to the window when he heard the “Star Spangled Banner,” and the crowd respectfully removed their hats for the American general. That morning - Gen Pershing and the men of the 16th infantry marched down the streets of Paris, celebrating the renewed Franco-American allegiance. Well - turns out that a French newspaper L’Intransigent reported that, A cry was heard to-day by Parisians who acclaimed Gen. Pershing and his men. It was "Atta boy! atta boy! The phrase is a simple popular contraction for 'That's the boy!' which means 'Here is the man for the situation!" and on our fighting front it soon became a war cry for the American troops. 'Atta boy !' So Soon the phrase became synonymous with the American Troops. In fact, in 1918, according to the Baltimore Evening Sun , the British took a real liking to the phrase after overhearing it being shouted by American soldiers during a baseball game. The paper reported that - “All the London papers have taken it up, with the result that in London, at least, the Americans are now almost unanimously called "Attaboys." But ultimately - Doughboys won out! Attaboy - this week’s phrase for speaking WWI - See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t9t156s17 [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media For our Spotlight in the Media this week- We have a story about an episode from a French documentary television program called “13h15”. The episode is about an American Immigrant nurse named Josephine Heffernan, who served in France during WW1. We’re pleased to be joined by Dr. Marjorie DesRosier, who did much of the research on nurse Josephine. Dr. DesRosier is an international nurse historian and independent scholar specializing in the early history of American Red Cross nursing and nursing challenges of the Great War era in the U.S. and Europe. She, herself is also a Registered Nurse and former clinical professor from the University of Washington School of Nursing, in Seattle. Welcome, Dr. DesRosier [greetings] [DesRosier, can you start by telling us a bit about Josephine? Who was she, and how did she end up in France as a nurse?] [Would you tell us the story about the bracelet?] [Are there other stories like Josephine’s-- where you have been able to connect with descendents of the nurses who served in the war?] [Are you working on any other project about WWI nurses?] [Thank you so much for being here!] [goodbyes] Dr. DesRosier is an international nurse historian, independent scholar and registered nurse - Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about nurse Josephine Heffernan. Link:https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-magazine/france-2/13h15/13h15-du-dimanche-7-janvier-2018_2539393.html https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1101/916742-bracelet/ [SOUND EFFECT] 100 Cities/100 Memorials Moving on to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment about the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials. This week we are profiling The Survivor' WWI War Monument in Beaverton, Michigan -- a 100 Cities/100 Memorials round 1 awardee. With us tell us about the project are Ed Rachwitz, member of the Gladwin County American Legion Post 171, and Scott Govitz, former Beaverton Mayor and current Chair of the Beaverton Downtown Development Authority. Both serve on the Beaverton WW1 Memorial Committee. Welcome gentlemen [The WWI memorial in Beaverton is really striking - as you might guess, I have seen literally hundreds of WWI memorials - and this one is truly unique… it is a really beautiful stone bas-relief sculpture - and it shows both a proud doughboy and the war’s devastation - Since this is an audio program - Can you describe it for our listening audience.] [The artist was a prewar german immigrant named Helmut von Zengen - tells us a bit about him please!] [So apparently some years ago, in a well intentioned but misguided attempt to repair the memorial, the repair actually caused some damage. That’s an important story to share. Can you tell us about that?] [What are your rededication plans?] Thank you for coming in today.. If you are anywhere near or traveling near Beaverton - take a stop at this memorial. It is unique, it is dramatic and it is worth seeing. [goodbyes] Ed Rachwitz and Scott Govitz serve on the Beaverton. michigan WW1 Memorial Committee. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program by visiting the link at the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities WW1 War Tech This week for, WW1 War Tech we are looking at gas masks As we mentioned at the top of the show, gas was one of the most horrific parts of the WW1 arsenal. It was terrifying-- both physically, and psychologically devastating. Developing a means of protecting soldiers from gas’s devastation was critical. In 1915, the allied forces were caught off guard by the first chlorine gas attack at the Battle of Ypres; many suffocated -- and the Soldiers found a quick battlefield remedy: holding a urine soaked cloth to their face to counteract the chlorine. John Scott Haldane, a scottish medical researcher, immediately undertook the task of developing a gas mask for the allies. Haldane had worked on similar problems before for the mining industry -- in fact - you know his work already - he was the man who came up with the idea of using canaries and other small animals in coal mines to detect odorless, deadly gases. His first invention, called the Black Veil respirator, was simply pads of cotton wrapped in gauze and soaked in a chemical solution. This was a start, but with the increasing density and frequency of gas attacks the technology needed to adapt. And so the box respirator was developed. This turned into an arms race over the course of the war. New and different gases were constantly developed and each demanded new and different kind of protective masks. We’ll explore this subject further in the coming months, but right now - you can learn more about Haldane and his development of the first gas mask by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-who-invented-first-gas-mask-180963073/ https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL31825.002 Articles and Posts The Process Behind Dazzle Ships For articles and posts-- from our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - in the news section this week, there is an article about the painstaking process of transforming ordinary ships into those decked out with dazzle camouflage. The idea behind dazzle camo, was for ships to be seen, but seen incorrectly. If paint could be used to distort a ship’s angles, the thinking went, that would make it difficult for the ship to be targeted efficiently. Targeting systems at the time were, of course, the human eye and brain, which easily fall prey to being fooled. But how do you test a given scheme for a given ship? The answer: tiny models. Read more about how the U.S. Navy created a vast library of dazzle-painted miniature ships to protect their real counterparts from torpedoes-- by following the link in the podcast notes. BTW - We just heard that there is a Dazzle cammo painted ship scheduled to visit New York Harbor this summer. We’ll let you know more as those plans firm up! Meanwhile we invite you to follow the link in the podcast notes to read the article. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3987-the-painstaking-process-behind-those-wild-wwi-dazzle-naval-paint-jobs.html www.ww1cc.org/news S.S. Tuscania Also another new article posted in the news section of the site this week -- volunteer Caitlin Hamon wrote up the story of the S.S. Tuscania, which encountered some serious trouble 100 years ago this week. On February 5, 1918-- the sun was setting as the Tuscania and her accompanying British convoy made their way toward the cliffs of Scotland. Shortly before 6 p.m. a huge shock sent a tremor through the entire ship; all the lights went out at once, followed by the explosive sound of shattering glass. There was no question as to what had occurred: the Tuscania had been hit by a torpedo-- and over 2,000 American troops were on board. Read the entire story of the dramatic rescues that followed-- and how the local Scottish communities remember the event and those who were lost-- just following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3988-ss-tuscania-sinking-by-u-boat-in-1918-kills-200-americans.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what do you have for us this week? Hi Theo! Embarkation The Center for Military History has a wonderful website about the WW1 Era. This week, we shared a unique page from that website all about embarkation from the US and what awaited troops once they arrived in Europe. It’s a very thorough page filled with maps, lists of materiel being shipped alongside the troops, and photos of the embarkation camps. Troops were continually being shipped out from the states all through 1918, and you can follow their journey from the harbors of the east coast to the training camps in France by visiting the link in the podcast notes. link:https://history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/resmat/wwi/pt02/ch12/pt02-ch12-sec01.html How did Gavrilo Princip feel? Lastly for the week, we shared a post from the “AskHistorians” subreddit. The question being posed: How did Gavrilo Pincip feel about the war he helped start? Princip lived to see most of the war, but not the end of it, dying of Tuberculosis in April 1918. As utter carnage and destruction swept through Europe, the middle east and Africa, it is a great question to ask; he couldn’t have meant to put into motion the death of millions when he pulled the trigger, could he? As the top response on the question says, “In a word, both Princip, and his conspirators, were unapologetic.” The answer pulls from the notes of a psychologist that conducted interviews with Princip while he was incarcerated, and from Paul Jackson’s book "' Union or Death!': Gavrilo Princip, Young Bosnia, and the Role of 'Sacred Time' in the Dynamics of Nationalist Terrorism". It’s a long but very interesting post, investigating the mind and position of the young man who is often pointed to as the spark that lit the fire of war. Read it at the link in the notes. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7sme6f/how_did_gavrilo_princip_feel_about_the_war_he/?st=JCTMMGCK&sh=f75baa10 Outro Thank you all for listening to another episode of WW1 Centennial News. We want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator of the great war project blog RG Head, Retired Air Force brigadier general, fighter pilot, and author Dr. Jeffrey Sammons historian, educator and author Dr. Marjorie DesRosier expert on the history of nursing and author Ed Rachwitz and Scott Govitz, from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Beaverton, Michigan Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Special thanks to Eric Marr for his research assistance And I am Theo Mayer - your host. The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1. Our programs are to-- inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; this podcast is a part of that…. Thank you! We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms; We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country; and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play at ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Just say: Alexa: Play W W One Centennial News Podcast. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here today about the war that changed the world! [music] Attaboy - you doughboy! So long!
The German offensive that began in May 1918 struck the French front. In five days, the Germans advanced 37 miles and were only 37 more miles from Paris. The village of Cantigny which was held by the Americans, including North Carolina doughboys, was the only exception to the Germans’ forward march.
Louis Richard Sosthenes Behn (Jan 30, 1882 – June 6, 1957) was an American businessman who held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) at the time of his death as a veteran of the US Army. Sosthenes was born in the island of St. Thomas, then part of the Danish West Indies. His ancestry was German on his paternal side, and French on his maternal side. He served in the United States Army and was commissioned a Captain June 19, 1917 while serving in the Signal Corp. He served with distinction during World War I. (History does not indicate that he bypassed the rank of Major.) Behn served with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in France until February 1919. He was given command of the 232nd Field Signal Battalion, Chateau-Thierry, St. Mihiel, Argonne. In recognition of his meritorious service during the WWI, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM). He was a telephone executive, president, and founder of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation (ITT), one of the largest communications companies in the world. After his return from military service, along with his brother, Hernando, Lt Colonel Behn co-founded the Puerto Rico Telephone Company which eventually spawned IT&T. Under his guidance, IT&T was granted the monopoly of telephone service in Spain (Compañía Telefónica Nacional de España) in 1924 and purchased the international division of Western Electric. Margaret Dunlap Behn, his wife, born Sept 2, 1891, died January 26, 1977, is buried with her husband and son, Edward John Behn, in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery. Next week’s (28th May) topic: Mr. William Leidesdorff
On April 7, 2016, Edward G. Lengel delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Thunder and Flames: American Doughboys at War, 1917–1918." In November 1917, American troops were poorly trained, deficient in military equipment and doctrine, not remotely ready for armed conflict on a large scale—and they'd arrived on the Western front to help the French push back the Germans. Edward G. Lengel tells the story of what followed: the American Expeditionary Forces' trial by fire on the brutal battlefields of France at places like Cantigny, Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood, the Marne River, Soissons, and little-known Fismette. The picture that emerges is sweeping in scope and rich in detail, with firsthand testimony conjuring the real mud and blood of combat from the perspective of the Germans as well as the Americans and French. Lengel shows how, by trial and error, through luck and ingenuity, the AEF swiftly became the independent fighting force of Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing's long-held dream—its divisions ultimately among the most combat-effective military forces to see the war through. Edward G. Lengel is professor and director of the Papers of George Washington project at the University of Virginia. He is the author of General George Washington: A Military Life (2005), To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918: The Epic Battle That Ended the First World War (2008), Inventing George Washington: America's Founder, in Myth and Memory (2011), and Thunder and Flames: Americans in the Crucible of Combat, 1917–1918 (2015). The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
On April 7 at noon, Edward G. Lengel delivered a Banner Lecture entitled "Thunder and Flames: American Doughboys at War, 1917–1918." In November 1917, American troops were poorly trained, deficient in military equipment and doctrine, not remotely ready for armed conflict on a large scale—and they'd arrived on the Western front to help the French push back the Germans. Edward G. Lengel tells the story of what followed: the American Expeditionary Forces' trial by fire on the brutal battlefields of France at places like Cantigny, Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood, the Marne River, Soissons, and little-known Fismette. The picture that emerges is sweeping in scope and rich in detail, with firsthand testimony conjuring the real mud and blood of combat from the perspective of the Germans as well as the Americans and French. Lengel shows how, by trial and error, through luck and ingenuity, the AEF swiftly became the independent fighting force of Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing's long-held dream—its divisions ultimately among the most combat-effective military forces to see the war through. Edward G. Lengel is professor and director of the Papers of George Washington project at the University of Virginia. He is the author of General George Washington: A Military Life (2005), To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918: The Epic Battle That Ended the First World War (2008), Inventing George Washington: America's Founder, in Myth and Memory (2011), and Thunder and Flames: Americans in the Crucible of Combat, 1917–1918 (2015).
Host Matthew Stevenson visits the 1918 U.S. Marine Corps battlefield at Belleau Wood, France, near to the River Marne and Chateau Thierry, and the scenes of desperate fighting that helped establish the modern reputation of the USMC.