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Highlights: War Comes to U.S. Shore! 100 Years Ago This Week: German U-boats on the Eastern seaboard | @01:30 War In The Sky: First American Ace | @07:30 A million men in France - Mike Shuster | @`12:30 Machine gunners at Chateau Thierry - Dr. Edward Lengel | @16:45 Commission Armistice Centennial Plans - Meredith Carr | @21:10 CBS News Radio at Pershing Park - Chas Henry | @27:15 WWI at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum - Dr. Peter Jakab | @29:50 New Mexico in WWI - Jeff Laudermilk | @36:10 100C /100M: Hawaii’s Memorial Natatorium - Donna Ching | @43:00 Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @51:25----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #75 - 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: Mike Schuster updates us on the fighting fronts around the world Ed Lengel tells the story of the machine gunners at Chateau Thierry Meredith Carr gives us a preview of commemorative events planned for the upcoming centennial of the Armistice Dr. Peter Jakab [jay-cub] introduces us to the WW1 programming at the National Air and Space Museum Jeff Lowdermilk joins us fromthe New Mexico WW1 Centennial Commission Donna Ching shares the 100 cities/100 memorials project in Honolulu Katherine Akey highlights 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 [MUSIC TRANSITION] As we screened the stories running 100 years ago this week, in the NY times and the Official Bulletin, the government’s War Gazette - a major US domestic theme took front and center. The germans were trying to bring the war to our shore! U-boats were cruising off our eastern seaboard, threatening our merchant shipping and sinking ships. Though the loss of life was minimum, the psychological effects were powerful… and the media was speaking to it. With that as a setup, we are going to jump into our Centennial TIme Machine and go back 100 years ago this week in the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Years Ago [SOUND EFFECT] From the front page of the Official Bulletin - published by George Creel’s Committee for Public Information... Dateline: Monday, June 3, 1918 Headline: three American ships sunk off New Jersey coast by enemy submarines Crews are rescued And the stories reads: Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels authorizes the following statement: The Navy department has been informed that three American schooners have been sunk off this coast by enemy submarines. The secretary’s statement closed with: “The Navy department is taking the necessary steps to safeguard the shipping along the coast.” The next day in the Bulletin [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Tuesday, June 4, 1918 Headline: Navy announces - now five US ships sunk by submarines off Atlantic Coast One life known lost Steamship Carolina not heard from since reported under fire of U-boat Sunday afternoon. Oil tanker among the vessels reported lost. Later in the same issue of the Bulletin there is a first person account of the attack. It is an account of how these attacks went throughout the week - Headline: Steamer Bristol chased by submarine after picking up Schooner Cole's crew; latter saw the second steamship sunk And the story reads: the captain of the Bristol reported: "on June 2 at 4:30 PM, I cited a lifeboat with 11 men, the crew of the American schooner Edward H Cole, The Cole having been sunk by a submarine at 3:30 PM about 50 miles south east of Barnegat light." "the crew of the Cole say the submarine was about 200 feet long and was armed with two 6 inch guns. About 3 PM the Cole sighted the submarine on the starboard bow about 2000 yards away. He circled around and came up their port side. The submarine commander told the captain and crew to get in their boats, saying that he was going to sink the vessel. He then came aboard and examined the ships papers, and at the same time gave the captain 7 1/2 minutes to leave the ship. About 15 minutes after the crew got away from the Cole it sank. Four bombs had been placed on the vessel, two on each side, and some were placed about the deck. The submarine stayed until the crew rowed to the northwest." One hour later, when we were about 4 miles from the submarine, another steamship appeared close up to the submarine, which fired five times before she altered her course". On Wednesday another front page story in the bulletin [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Wednesday, June 5, 1918 Headline: US destroyers stops U-boat attack on French steamer Off Maryland coast Warship also takes on board man from the Edward Bayard, bombed and sinking. Another story in the same issue lists 11 US ships reported to navy as sunk by submarines… The article goes on to read off the names of the ships the smallest of which was a 436 tons, schooner and the largest a steamship at 7200 tons. From the NY times: [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: TEXEL sunk, 36 survivors landed Former Dutch steamer attacked by a U-boat 60 miles from the city Fired without warning Shrapnel rained on deck, men reach Atlantic City lighthouse in small boats And the story reads: 36 survivors of the steamer TEXEL, a former Dutch ship which recently had been operated by the United States shipping board, was sunk without warning, 60 miles off New York Harbor, Sunday afternoon at 4:21 p.m., The crew landed at a nearby lighthouse, just before midnight. A cargo of 42,000 tons of sugar, valued at $20 a ton was lost. The total loss was more than $2 million. The stories go on throughout the week and beyond with many articles providing first hand accounts of the attacks - many times, in attacking the unarmed merchant ships, the U-boats would fire warnings from guns, come aboard, examine papers, get the crews to abandon ship and blow them up with bombs rather than wasting torpedoes. If the ships were armed or fought back - the submarines would stand off and torpedo them. The general loss of life was not large, but the disruption to shipping in our eastern seaboard was profound. We have posted a lot of our research links for you in the podcast notes. The most compelling are the many first person accounts of the attacks - as the Germans bring the war to our shore -- 100 years ago this week in the war that changed the world. Other naval stories https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/06/102706915.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707289.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706133.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/06/102706933.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706533.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706131.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705767.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704868.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704910.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705842.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705878.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706134.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706129.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706151.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706155.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706158.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706538.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706559.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706536.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707292.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707298.pdf Fighting Front https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704870.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704865.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704860.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704879.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705775.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705771.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705775.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/03/102705780.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706126.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706529.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707272.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/06/102706968.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/06/102706910.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/06/102706903.pdf [MUSIC TRANSITION] War in the Sky This week for the War in the Sky 100 years ago, we can easily stay on the theme of the war at our shore with two stories and then we head overseas to pick up the action there. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline June 5 1918 Headline: City lights out in air raid test Aviators make observations preliminary to possible darkening of the streets. Anti aircraft guns ready System of siren signals arranged to warn people of danger from the skies And the story reads: Electric signs and all lights, except street lamps and lights in dwellings, were out in the city last night in compliance with orders issued by police Commissioner and at the suggestion of the war Department, as a precaution against a possible attack by aircraft from a German submarine. While the probability of raids by aircraft from submarines is not considered to be great, officers of the Army and Navy urged that every precaution be taken. In spite of the difficulties attending such an operation, to assemble an airplane on a submarine and launch it for a raid is held to be far from impossible. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline June 3, 1918 Headline: Aero club wants more aviators to hunt U-boats here And the story reads Extension of the airplane mail service is to give long distance flight training to American aviators to fit them for seeking out submarines which now have appeared off the coast and for bombing German cities, This was urged by the post office department today by a committee from the Aero club of America. They said that they had been informed by the military authorities that there were plenty of training planes and that the war Department was more than willing to cooperate with the postal authorities in extending the air Mail service. Meanwhile from the war in the skies over Europe: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline June 2 1918 Headline: Campbell first Ace of America California pilot honored as well as two others who flew with Lafayette corps. Campbell Downs a fifth adversary And the story reads: The first American trained Ace has arrived. This morning Lieut. Douglas Campbell, of California, brought down his fifth Bausch plane in a fight back of our lines. Besides Campbell, America has two other cases, maj. William Thaw and Capt. Peterson, but both Thaw and Peterson got their training in the Lafayette escadrille. Campbell on the other hand, never trained with any other outfit than the Americans, and never did any air fighting before he arrived on the American front a few weeks ago. Campbell is the son of the chief astronomer of the lick Observatory, near Pasadena California. He joined the American air service after the United States entered the war and came to France and began practice flying last fall. He is 22 years old. He is the first to get the credit of being a Simon pure American Ace. In a final story from the NY times we have a front line correspondent story about the allied air superiority in France. Dateline June 7, 1918 Headline: air superiority rewon Allied bombers operate with impunity on the French battlefront "In the valley of the Savierre, our bombardment squadrons threw more than 17 tons of bombs on enemy troop concentrations." Says last nights communiqué. The New York Times correspondent today visited one of the finest aviation groups in the French army and learn a first-hand story of that exploit. In the early afternoon, the airmen were informed that a large number of Germans were assembling in the valley of the Savierre, a little river whose course is almost parallel with the front. Owing to the configuration of the ground they were sheltered from the fire of artillery and it was evident that they intended to reinforce the German move westward into the forest of Viller-cotterets. A first squadron of Bomb planes were sent out. Then a second... At first, no Germans were visible, then circling low, the air men discovered the enemy hiding in the horseshoe woods on the Eastern side of the valley. Again the German battalions were subjected to a terrible bombardment amidst trees that gave no protection. Before the decimated units could reform the first squadron had returned with a new load and once more the wood was filled with the roar of explosion. No human morale could stand such triple strain. In vain, the German officers tried to reform their panic stricken men. When the French infantry counter attacked they had an easy victory over the weakened forces that had made the advance. And those are some of the stories -- 100 years ago this week From the war in the sky! https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707275.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/04/102706151.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/02/102704861.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/05/102706536.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] 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, your post this week includes a very interesting and relatively unknown skirmish near the village of Montsec - when the US forces get thrown off a hill there for one night and the germans use that for propaganda that the American’s can’t fight. Of course that turns out quite incorrect, but things are far from rosy at this point, aren’t they Mike! That’s true Theo! The headlines this week read... [thanks Theo - The headlines read] [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/2018/06/03/a-million-americans-now-in-france/ America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Now for - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. The Americans turn out to be fierce fighters -- despite all initial uncertainty coming from their French and British allies - and of course the German propaganda that these are not fighters. Ed’s here to tell us about how one division, the 3rd, proved their worth in battle -- Ed? [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/chateau-thierry-american-machine-gunners-action-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [SOUND EFFECT] World War One NOW And that’s what was happening 100 Years ago this week - 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! https://militaryhistorynow.com/2018/05/27/the-war-that-changed-the-world-americas-ww1-centennial-commission-gears-up-for-a-summer-of-commemorations/ Commission News Armistice Events in 2018 with Meredith Carr With the centennial of the Armistice, only 6 months away, the US WW1 Centennial Commission is preparing for a national commemoration of this very significant moment, November 11, 2018. Of course “Armistice Day” has evolved into Veterans day, but this year, it is is marked with very special significance as the centennial of the END of WWI! Meredith Carr, the Deputy Director of the US WW1 Centennial Commission is heading up the initiative of what will happen on November 11th and we thought it would be great to have her come on the show and give us a heads up on what we can expect, both in Washington DC and around the nation… indeed maybe around the world! Meredith! Welcome to the podcast. [greetings/welcome] Meredith - I gotta go for a little insider info for the audience - Way back in 2013, Meredith used to “host” a weekly conference call for various organizations planning the WWI centennial - and that very same call evolved into this podcast! So welcome home Meredith! [comment] Let’s talk through some of the events the Commission has planned to commemorate the end of WW1 on November 11th this year-- Can you start by telling us about the event at Washington’s National cathedral? You’ve got another program that EVERYONE around the country can participate in - a bell tolling - can you tell us about that? I know it is early - and plans are just coming together and we will be having you on again over the coming months but is there anything else you can tell us about today? [Pershing park activities in planning] Meredith - thank you for joining us and giving a preview of coming attraction for the upcoming centennial of the WWI armistice. [thanks/goodbyes] Follow the links in the podcast notes to learn more about upcoming WW1 commemoration events across the country. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/participate/state-organizations/state-websites/others-pending.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system.html A Century In The Making A Century in the Making is our on-going narrative about the National World War One Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC. This week, CBS News radio is running a story where host Chas Henry - Himself a retired US Marine Corps Captain - did an extended interview for CBS Eye On Veterans with Commissioner Edwin Fountain, and memorial designer Joe Weishaar recorded AT pershing park. The segment will air Saturday June 9th between 6-8 pm Eastern and again Sunday June 10th between 2 and 4pm Eastern. You’ll find the interview around 34 minutes into the show and it runs for nearly 25 minutes - an interesting perspective on the Memorial not to be missed. Here is a brief introduction with Host Chas Henry. [RUN CLIP] Events Events and Programs at the National Air and Space Museum For this week’s commemoration events section - we are very pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Jakab, chief curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC-- Welcome, Dr. Jakab! [welcomes/greetings] Dr. Jakab - Let me start by asking you about curation - WW1 is this incredibly important moment for flight technology -- with many planes and materials from the era lost to time! How do you approach this very complex period in aviation history? The National Air and Space Museum is hosting this wonderful exhibit called “Artist Soldiers” -- It is a great exhibit - and not particularly about flight - so how did this show end up at the National Air and Space Museum? You have an upcoming MUSICAL event called, "The Yanks Are Coming:" The Songs of World War I Could you tell us about it? Does the museum have any specific activities planned for the Armistice centennial this November? Katherine noted that the Museum has great ways for people who are not in Washington to enjoy your content - could you tell our audience a bit about how they can enjoy the museum in other ways? Dr. Jakab - Thank you so much for all the great focus you are bringing to the centennial of WWI and for coming on the podcast to tell us about it! [thank you/goodbyes] Dr. Peter Jakab is the chief curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Learn more about the museum and its WW1 programs and exhibitions at the links in the podcast notes. Links:https://airandspace.si.edu/events/yanks-are-coming-songs-world-war-i https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/artist-soldiers https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/pre-1920-aviation https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/legend-memory-and-great-war-air Updates from the States New Mexico This week in Updates from the States -- we’re headed to a state we don’t automatically associate with WWI --- Pershing, and Pancho Via - yes - but WWI - not so much… It’s New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment! To tell us about New Mexico and WWI is Jeff Lowdermilk, deputy chairman of the New Mexico WW1 Centennial Commission Jeff - welcome to the podcast! [greetings/welcome] Jeff -- let me start with your state and WWI - You were just 2 years old with WWI broke out! what was New Mexico like 100 years ago, and how did it participate in the war effort? Jeff.. The New Mexico WWI commission was only recently established… Can you tell us about that? What kinds of programs are the Commission planning? Well, you just recently launched the New Mexico state website at ww1cc.org/nm or ww1cc.org/newmexico - all one word - lower case -- what can people expect to find there? Jeff: As a side note - briefly - because we are almost out of time, you recently published a book; Honoring The Doughboys: Following My Grandfather’s WWI Diary, where you retraced you Grandfather journey in europe. Can you give us an overview? Where is the book available? [thanks/goodbyes] The New Mexico in WWI website can be found at ww1cc.org/newmexico - all one word - all lower case… Jeff Lowdermilk is an author and the deputy chairman of the New Mexico WW1 Centennial Commission. Learn more about the New Mexico WW1 Centennial Commission by going to their website or by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/newmexico http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4567-five-questions-for-jeff-lowdermilk.html 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Hawaii 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 crossing the Pacific to Honolulu Hawaii! Now Hawaii has been in the news for week with the volcano eruptions on the Big Island - which is not, for those of you who have not been lucky enough to go there - where the capital of Honolulu is located. Hawaii was also in the news 100 years ago this week, when on June 4th, 1918 the secretary of War announced with a headline that read: HAWAIIAN NATIONAL GUARDS ADD 3,200 MEN TO ARMY Now Hawaii was not even a state yet, but a force of 3,200 men were to be added to the Army from a proclamation by President Wilson placing the Hawaiian National Guard in service Now they were not planning to send this force to France - but rather to relieve forces that the US army had stationed there - freeing them up for deployment. According to the article in the Official Bulletin - That Hawaiian force was genuinely cosmopolitan with native Hawaiians, Americans, Filipinos, Chinese-Americans, Japanese - Americans and more… After the war - Hawaii dedicated a large swimming venue as a WWI memorial - it is called the Natatorium - and here to tell us about the venue, its restoration and its designation as a WWI Centennial Memorial is Donna Ching, Vice chairman of Hawaii's World War I centennial task force. She is also vice president of the Friends of the Natatorium, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the ocean pool known as Hawaii's 'living war memorial' Donna, Welcome to the Podcast! You know, I think most people have never thought about Hawaii and WWI - But there are really a surprising numbers of connections… underestimate Hawaii's role in WW1 - by how much would you say? Donna, can you start by telling us the history of Hawaii “Living Memorial”? QUESTION: I hear…. that you have big plans for the armistice centennial coming up on 11/11. QUESTION: Thank you Donna, for talking with us and sharing the story of Hawaii incredible living memorial! There has been a big fight going between preserving and tearing down this really beautiful venue - how’s that going? Your 100 Cities / 100 Memorials grant application was in large part built around informing your community about the importance of the venue - rather than for restoration directly. Has the designation as a National WWI Centennial Memorial helped? What’s next for the project? Donna - It’s a great story - About Hawaii, about the centennial, about the armistice and for me - most important about passion for local heritage driven by WWI - thanks for sharing it with us! [goodbyes/thank you] Donna L. Ching, Vice chairman of Hawaii's World War I centennial task force . Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program by following the link in the podcast notes. Links: www.ww1cc.org/100cities 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? Exhibits, Posters and More I want to share a couple great resources and exhibits this week! In the fall, we let you know about the Department of Homeland Security's WWI Poster Series, which highlights the historic roles of the DHS components -- to include Immigration & Naturalization Service, Customs & Border Protection, Secret Service, Coast Guard, and legacy agencies. Well, the folks at DHS have now published these great poster files on their website -- so that the public can easily access them! They’re a wonderful, free educational resource -- check them out at the link in the podcast notes. Additionally, there’s a new exhibit open at the Library of Virginia in the state’s capital, Richmond. The exhibit “"True Sons of Freedom" explores the stories of Virginia's African American soldiers who served during World War I -- and will be on view to the public through November 9, 2018. I’ve included a link to the exhibit’s website as well as to a video tour of the exhibit in the podcast notes. The exhibit’s website is a great resource for anyone who can’t quite make it to Richmond -- it include profiles of dozens of Virginian men who served. Finally -- this week included June 6th, well known as the anniversary of the WW2 landings at Normandy, D-Day. But June also marks the anniversary of some of the most bloody and intense fighting American soldiers have ever faced -- the fighting at Belleau Wood. The battle forged the modern day Marine Corps -- and you can, and should, read the article recently put out in the Washington Post and included in the podcast notes -- it highlights the fighting from 100 years ago and contextualizes its importance to the modern day. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/world-war-i-centennial-commemorative-poster-series https://www.facebook.com/LibraryofVA/videos/10155505095947227/?hc_ref=ARSOicdS9Bv7HrYGe-RfUptXbIhmIpH4aJfhdl0W2mZaBr_cGrLnGos2AlwORMfTbSw http://truesons.virginiamemory.com/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/05/31/the-battle-of-belleau-wood-was-bloody-deadly-and-forgotten-but-it-forged-a-new-marine-corps/ Outro And that wraps up episode #75 of 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 Meredith Carr, Deputy Director of the WW1 Centennial Commission Dr. Peter Jakab, Chief Curator at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC Jeff Lowdermilk, deputy chairman of the New Mexico WW1 Centennial Commission Donna Ching, vice president of the Friends of the Natatorium Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our hard working sound editor 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] Hey - in closing we just want to welcome all our new summer interns at the US WWI Centennial Commission. Hey Gunny - we haven’t heard from you you in a long time - I hear you want to welcome the interns. That’s right you maggot - OK Intern’s listen up! Welcome to WWI Centennial BOOT CAMP - I don’t wanna see any of you trying to spit polish your tennis shoes - Got it? Dismmised So long!
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 100 years ago this week: Drafting the young and the “idlers” | @01:15 War in the Sky: From Signal Corps to US Army Air Service | @07:40 Cantigny: AEF on the offensive - Mike Shuster & Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:15 Great War Channel: The Fightin-est Marine - Indy Neidell | @17:15 369th Experience in NYC memorial weekend | @18:25 The Moralist: New Woodrow Wilson Book - Prof. Patricia O’Toole | @21:15 Update from the States: Artillery, dissenters and shells - Michael Hitt | @27:15 Remembering Vets: PTSD and Trauma - Dr. Jason Crouthamel | @32:45 Speaking WWI: Some onomatopoeia -Whizzband, Crump and Dud | @39:35 WW1 War Tech: The bicycle in WW1 | @41:15 Weekly Dispatch: Article highlights from the newsletter | @44:25 The Buzz: Commemoration in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @46:25----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #73 - 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: Mike Schuster and Dr Edward Lengel fill us in on the action at Cantigny Patricia O’Toole tells us about her book The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made Michael Hitt updates us on the great state of Georgia in the war Dr. Jason Crouthamel shares his expertise on PTSD, Trauma and WW1 Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All 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 Although we know that the fighting in WWI is going to end this coming November - 100 years ago this week, the world did not! The United States continues on it’s war effort, changing industry, society and nearly every aspect of life in the country. This includes continuing to draft young men into the military service. With that in mind, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine and go back 100 years to see what’s leading in the news this week 100 years ago in the War that Changed the World! [MUSIC TRANSITION] [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND EFFECT From the pages of the Official Bulletin - the government’s war gazette - published by George Creel and the Committee on Public information - our government propaganda ministry, this week the headlines are full renewed vigor for pushing the war effort forward! I want to stop and give you a note we have not mentioned for many weeks: The US WWI Centennial Commission is republishing this amazing primary source of information on what the US Government was thinking, saying and promoting 100 years ago. We re-publish a new issue, every day on the centennial of its original publication date… So if you want to read the governments daily newspaper (except Sunday of course), go to ww1cc.org/bulletin and you can follow the war effort in a wholly unique and very interesting way. [SOUND EFFECT] DATELINE: Tuesday, May 21, 1918 Today the headline of the Official Bulletin reads: President, in opening Red Cross campaign, calls German peace approaches insincere; no limit on size of Army going to France! In the story President Woodrow Wilson says: Quote: There are two duties with which we are face to face. The first duty is to win the war, and the second duty, that goes hand in hand with it, is to win it greatly and worthily, showing the real quality of not only our power, but the real quality of our purpose and of ourselves. Of course, the first duty, the duty that we must keep in the foreground of all of our thoughts until it is accomplished, is to win the war. I have heard gentleman recently say that we must get 5 million men ready. I ask, why limited to 5 million? He continues with: We are not diverted from the grim purpose of winning the war by any insincere approaches upon the subject of peace. I can say with a clear conscience that I have tested those imitations, and have found them insincere. The president goes on to describe the full commitment and focus of the nation to carry out our mission. All this prefaces a proclamation the President will make the very next day - setting up a new call to arms to young men who have turned 21, and to all men who are not engaged directly in the war effort as you are about to hear. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline, Tuesday, May 21, 1918 The headline reads: President’s proclamation fixing June 5 as date for registering young men who have reached the age of 21 during the past year Only persons exempt are the officers and enlisted men in naval and military service The proclamation includes: It is resolved by the Senate and House representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled that during the present emergency all male persons, citizens of the United States, and all male persons residing in the United States, who have, since the fifth day of June 1917, and on or before the day set for the registration, attained the age of 21 years, shall be subject to registration in accordance with the regulations to be prescribed by the President, stating the time and place of such registration. It shall be the duty of all such persons, except such persons as are exempt from registration, to present themselves for and submit to registration under the provisions of set act approved May 18, 1917. The guy in charge of pulling off this new draft registration is the Provost Marshall - a General Enoch Herbert Crowder from Missouri. He seemed determined not to let anything slip by as the next article illustrates: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Thursday, May 23, 1918 A headline in the New York Times reads: Work or fight, warning to all on draft rolls Gen. Crowder issues sweeping order aimed at idlers and those in non-useful pursuits. Goes into effect on July 1 Includes gamblers, waiters, service, store clerks, elevator men, and those with no occupation. Maybe blow to baseball. In the article it reads: Idlers, unemployed and those of draft age not engaged in a central or useful employment will be rounded up for military service unless they apply themselves at some sort of labor that will dovetail into the plans of the administration for winning the war. All such youths of draft age we'll either have to serve in the army or work. There is resistance to the draft around the nation, but for the most part, the young men of America join up, and loyally help the war effort in the best way they can - and they are put on notice… 100 years ago this week. in the war that changed the world. See the May 20 to may 24 issues of the official bulletin at ww1cc.org/bulletin and see other links in the podcast notes. [MUSIC TRANSITION] War in the Sky Also - One hundred years ago this week, the war in the sky takes a turn for America, not on the battlefields of europe but in the halls of administration back home. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline May 20, 1918 A headline of The New York Times reads: Wilson recasts aviation service Takes all control of operations and production away from signal core President acts under the Overman law to bring about improvements in the situation Pres. Wilson today took what he regards as definitive action towards the improvement of the Army aircraft program when he issued a presidential order stripping the chief signal corps officer of the Army, Major Gen. George O. Squier, of every function pertaining to aircraft and aviation. The functions were transferred to two new offices, Bureau of military aeronautics and The bureau of aircraft production Created directly under the Secretary of War. “The signal Corps”, said Sec. Baker this afternoon, “will now have only to do with signals, and nothing to do with any phase of the production or use of aircraft.” The order gives Brigadier General William Kenley all of the property pertaining to the use of aircraft and all money in connection therewith. This development essentially creates the US Army Air Corps. Our regular listeners may remember from our March 9, episode #62 - how the Signal Corps, one of the real technology innovators was also the founding pioneer in the use of aircraft for the military… Here is a clip from Episode #62 [change sound EQ] By the turn of the century the US Army Signal Corps had taken on a leadership role not just with visual signalling but also with the telegraph, telephone, cable communications, meteorology, combat photography and had even sprouted an aeronautical and aviation section. Nearly a decade before American Forces engaged the enemy, the wright brothers made test flights of the army’s first airplane built to Signal Corps’ specifications. Tests appropriately performed at Fort Myers. Army aviation stayed with the Signal Corps until May of 1918, when the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps is transformed by President Wilson’s Executive order, into the Army Air Service - the forerunner of the United States Air Force. Well, that moment in May of 1918 is now… driven partially by the previous “scandals” about the effectiveness of US investment in its airplane development, production and training, and partially by the fact the aircraft - once seen primarily as reconnaissance devices are taking on a strategic offensive warcraft role - now put under the US Army Air Service and later to become the US Air Force. A transition that takes a major turn this week 100 years ago in the war in the sky.See the podcast notes for a simple 50 year timeline showing how the use of aircraft evolved from 1907 to September 1947 when the US Air Force is established as a separate branch of the US Armed Forces. Timeline: Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps (1 August 1907 – 18 July 1914) Aviation Section, Signal Corps (18 July 1914 – 20 May 1918) Division of Military Aeronautics (20 May 1918 – 24 May 1918) Air Service, U.S. Army (24 May 1918 – 2 July 1926) U.S. Army Air Corps (2 July 1926 – 20 June 1941)* U.S. Army Air Forces (20 June 1941 – 17 September 1947) US Air Force - established as a separate branch on September 18, 1947 http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/airserv1.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Air_Force#World_War_I_and_between_wars https://media.defense.gov/2010/Oct/13/2001329759/-1/-1/0/AFD-101013-008.pdf NYTimes Air Service Articles https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703124.pdf Battle of Cantigny This week, 100 years ago in the war on the Western Front-- the American forces attack for the first time at Cantigny, in France. Both Mike Shuster and Ed Lengel tell us the story of the battle, a first test of American mettle-- but they each explore the event using different sources. So this week, we are going to blend the together the Great War Project with Mike Shuster - and America Emerges with Dr. Edward Lengel into a single story about the battle of Cantigny. [MIKE SHUSTER] [ED LENGEL] Mike Shuster, is a former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog and Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to both their sites. LINK - Mike Shuster: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/20/pounded-to-hell-and-gone/ LINK - Dr. Edward Lengel http://www.edwardlengel.com/assault-cantigny-1918-u-s-army-comes-age/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ Updates on fighting front in the NY Times https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703093.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/22/102703392.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703022.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703024.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703021.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/23/102703788.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/24/102704171.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/24/102704174.pdf The Great War Channel This week the Great War Channel on Youtube released a wonderful bio episode on the US Marine Corps’ legendary Dan Daly - the recipient of two Medals of Honor and probably deserving of more. The episode is called: The Fightin-est Marine - Dan Daly: [RUN CLIP - INDY NEIDELL] To see the whole clip, search for “the great war” on youtube or follow the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW And that’s the news from 100 Years ago this week - so now let’s 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 369th Experience in NYC This week in Commission News -- we want to highlight a special Memorial Day centennial event happening in New York City! It’s the 369th Experience -- Three musical performances depicting the African American and Puerto Rican experience in World War I through the eyes and ears of the 369th U.S. Infantry Regimental band. Named by their German enemies as the HellFighters, the “Harlem Hellfighters", the 369th regiment was formed out of the volunteer 15th New York National Guard. While they were “Over There” fought heroically and ferociously in the trenches of France - under french command - through some of the most brutal combat, in some of the most important battles, of the entire war. Their story is a powerful one as they faced staunch racism during training, in a segregated military and sadly- after their exemplary performance as American Soldiers…. on their return home from the war. The 369th famously had as part of their unit a regimental military band -- made up of some of the most influential & talented musicians of their day. The military band became legendary for their unique sound, and their warm reception by the people of the war-torn regions “over there” -- under the care of band leader, Major James Reese Europe,they introduced French listeners to American jazz, and ushered in the Jazz Age in europe. Carrying on their legacy, the 369th Experience pulls together talented modern-day musicians from colleges around the country. They competed to participate in a 369th tribute - which will perform and highlight the original band’s music This Memorial Day Weekend. The U.S. World War One Centennial Commission is proud to sponsor the performances by the 369th EXPERIENCE at the USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex in New York. The concerts are free and are sure to be awesome! If you are in the big apple this memorial day weekend - perhaps attending fleet week - Performances are schedule for Sunday, May 27th, at 1:00 pm and on Monday at 1:30pm & 3:30 pm at the USS Intrepid. There are reference links in the podcast notes and we will be doing a follow up story next week to tell you how it went. Links: www.IntrepidMuseum.org https://www.369experience.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/369th-experience.html Spotlight on the Media Book: The Moralist For this week’s Spotlight on the Media -- we are turning our attention back onto the President of the United States during World War One, Woodrow Wilson. We’re joined by Professor Patricia O’Toole, a biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University and author of three acclaimed biographies including her new book: The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made Welcome to the podcast! [welcome/greetings] [Patricia - let we start with an overview question - Woodrow Wilson doesn't always show up on the list of the most important presidents in US history - Do you think he was? And why?] [When you call Wilson “the moralist” -- what do you mean?] [He was also one of the few “professional” ] [Wilson seems like a bundle of contrasting ideas - He campaigns with - He keep us out of war” - but then leads the nation to war. He wants America to fight for freedom and liberty - but he nationalized industries, gags dissent and attacks freedom of speech...so the question is - How do all these contrasting ideas reconcile?] [This is a man who had a huge effect on the nation and indeed on the world - what would you say his most remarkable achievement was as a President?] [President Wilson is, of course, an ongoing key character on this podcast, what else should we understand about Wilson --- to help us keep it all --- and him in context?] [thank you/goodbyes] Professor Patricia O’Toole is a biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University. We have links for you in the podcast notes to learn more about her biographies including The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made. Links: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Moralist/Patricia-OToole/9780743298094 http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Patricia-OToole/1507953 Updates from the States Marietta Museum and Georgia in WW1 For our Updates from the States -- this week we head down to Georgia, where a passionate citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer Michael Hitt has become something of a Georgia-in-WW1 expert. Welcome, Michael! [greetings/welcomes] [Michael -- to start us off, you mentioned to us that there are two incidents - forgotten incidents in Georgia from WWI - could you outline them about them?] [You recently made a shocking -- and potentially dangerous -- discovery at a local Museum. Would happened?] [You know similar stories have come up from the UK, and France. If you are a museum curator - is there a procedure you should follow with military artifacts?] [Michael - thank you for coming in and telling us about Georgia in WWI and some of the commemorative events.] [goodbyes/thank you] Michael Hitt is a citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer of 34 years. Links:www.michaelhitt.com Remembering Veterans PTSD and Trauma in WW1 and Today Moving to Remembering Veterans -- May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we wanted to take a look into the history of PTSD and trauma both in WW1 and after. With us to help us navigate the topic is Dr. Jason Crouthamel, Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and co-editor with Peter Leese of the book Psychological Trauma and the Legacy of the First World War. Welcome, Dr. Crouthamel! [greetings/welcome] [“shell shock” was coined during WW1-- how was it perceived and dealt with during the war?] [Was PTSD recognized before WW1?] [What about WW1 changed the way trauma is understood and handled by the medical community and by society at large?] [Jumping off your book’s title-- what IS the legacy of the first world war when it comes to psychological trauma?] [goodbyes/thank you] Dr. Crouthamel is a Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Learn more about him and his numerous books by visiting the link in the podcast notes. We’ve also included links where you can learn more about PTSD and Veterans’ health. links:https://www.gvsu.edu/history/jason-crouthamel-58.htm https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-overview/basics/how-common-is-ptsd.asp https://maketheconnection.net/conditions/ptsd https://www.vets.gov/disability-benefits/conditions/ptsd/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ptsd-civil-wars-hidden-legacy-180953652/ Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- An onomatopoeia is defined as a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the sound that it describes, like buzz or hissss. And that leads into our Speaking WW1 words for this week. Whizzzbang! Crrrrump! And DUD. These onomatopoeia, each for different munitions -- their nicknames reflecting the noise that they made as they soared through the air towards the trenches. Whizzbangs were small, fast moving shells -- crumps were high explosives. And DUDS -- well, they were duds! Before the war, Duds were clothes -- and indeed we sometimes still use that meaning today! But during the war, as munitions and artillery earned nicknames for their sound and their appearance, the word “dud” referred to a shell that failed to explode, supposedly derived from the ‘thud’ sound the shell would make when it hit the ground. Shells could bury themselves feet deep into the soft muddy earth of the western front if they failed to go off-- and as many as one in every three shells fired did not detonate! In the Ypres Salient alone an estimated 300 million projectiles from World War I were duds, and most of them have not yet been recovered. DUD - we hope they stay that way - and this week’s word for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links: https://wordsinwartime.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/watching-language-change-in-ww1-on-being-a-dud/ [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Bike Month This week for WW1 War Tech -- May is bike month! So as the saying goes, they rode into WWI on horses and came out riding tanks and planes --- -- but they also rode a lot of bicycles. For their combination of speed and efficiency there isn’t much that can beat the modern bicycle. Experiments were carried out in the late 19th century to determine the possible role of bicycles and cycling within the military, primarily because a soldier on a bike can carry more equipment and travel longer distances than a soldier marching. The US Army experimentally mounted infantry on bicycles in 1897 and had them complete a 1,900 mile journey across the plains and the Midwest. The Army’s evaluation found that the bicycle lacked the ability to carry heavier weapons -- It could not replace the horse’s ability to carry heavier artillery broken down into pack loads. And so for the US military - bicycle units were not promoted. However, despite not having a bike mounted infantry, the United States took a large number, perhaps over twenty thousand, bicycles to Europe with the AEF - the American Expeditionary Force. The signal corps used bikes to deliver messenger pigeons to units and to monitor telephone and telegraph lines. By 1918, each unit had some 40 bikes at its disposal, mostly used to transmit messages. The military police also used bicycles, patrolling roads and managing traffic control stations behind the front. Many of the european military bike mounted groups wielded foldable bikes that they could carry on their backs to cross more difficult terrain. The bikes even came in handy for a more modern use -- they could be turned into man-powered generators for bringing electricity to the trenches. Bikes did not, however, make or break military power during the war -- they had many uses, but could not give an army an advantage the way tanks, planes and artillery could. Many of the proposed uses for bicycles -- carrying machine guns, transporting the wounded, scouting the front lines -- were impractical given the realities of Trench Warfare. The bikes at the front also proved an outlet for fun and distraction. Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated, a contemporary magazine, frequently reported on bike antics in the AEF-- Their March 1919 issue reported that the first AEF bicycle race occurred on George Washington’s Birthday, February 22nd, 1919, at Bar-sur-Aube, France. The winner was Private Vandermeeren of First Army Headquarters, a Belgian immigrant and a former Belgian Champion cyclist. Bicycles -- this week’s World War One War Tech. Check out the links in the podcast notes to learn more and to see some of the bike mounted infantry in action. Links: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b16269;view=1up;seq=7 Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated March 27, 1919 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433069061855;view=1up;seq=11 The United States Army in the World War 1917-1919, Organization of the AEF. 1948 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051411091;view=1up;seq=5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_infantry https://ww1ieper1917.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/bike-electric1.jpg http://historythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bicycle-ambulance-WW1.jpg4_.jpg https://c1.thejournal.ie/media/2014/06/wwi-tour-de-france-390x285.jpg https://cyclehistory.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/iwmcyclist14.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Indian_bicycle_troops_Somme_1916_IWM_Q_3983.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/0b/1b/3a0b1b235f1e21641f52e47b02584dd4.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/HJB10_%E2%80%93_Radfahr-Kompanie.jpg/300px-HJB10_%E2%80%93_Radfahr-Kompanie.jpg https://oldbike.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/soldierbike.jpg Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: The New Yorker magazine interviews Sabin Howard about national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in DC In an article titled "There’s No First World War Memorial on the National Mall?" The New Yorker Magazine travels to Sabin Howard's Tribeca studio to see the sculptural maquette and get the inside story on the creative process for the national World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC. [DING] Headline: Pennsylvania WWI Symposium at US Army History and Education Center Read about a the recent WW1 Symposium in Pennsylvania, which the commission’s Volunteer Coordinator Betsy Anderson attended [DING] Headline: Proceedings due soon from "LaFayette U.S. voilà!" academic conference in Paris The French Society of Cincinnati and the Sorbonne University organized an international history conference , "LaFayette U.S. voilà!: The American Engagement in France, 1917-1918" back in November, 2017 in Paris. The conference proceedings are soon to be published, and you can read more about them in this article. [DING] Headline: Fred Meyers - our featured Story of Service Read about Fred Meyers, a farmer from South Dakota who served on the Western front 100 years ago this month. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s our Canvas and Leather Tote-- You can show your American pride while carrying this Made in the USA dark khaki tote. Plenty of room for keys, wallet, tablet and documents. And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Subscribe by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the links 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? The Great War Returns to PBS and Commemorative Stamps Hey Theo -- Just two short announcements this week: first off, the PBS special “The Great War” is going to re-air! So, if you missed it when it first came out last year, or if you’re like me and you just like rewatching good documentaries, you’re in luck. The three part series will come back to PBS stations everywhere on June 19th; the show can also be streamed online if you’re a subscribed member to your local PBS station, and you can visit the show’s website in the podcast links to watch hours of supplemental, free content. Second and last this week, the USPS has put out a preview of it’s upcoming specialty stamps for 2018 -- including a special World War One commemorative stamp. This Forever Stamp shows a doughboy, gripping the American flag as barbed wire and biplanes loom over his shoulder. The stamp is called “Turning the Tide” and pays tribute to the sacrifice of American soldiers and millions of supporters on the homefront during World War I. Other 2018 stamps include pioneering astronaut Sally Ride, everyone’s favorite neighbor Mister Rogers, and a showcase of bioluminescent life, among others. Check them all out by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/great-war/ https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2017/pr17_079.htm [SOUND EFFECT] Outro And that wraps up this week in May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Patricia O’Toole biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University Michael Hitt, citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer Dr. Jason Crouthamel, Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor and to Eric Marr for his great input and research assistance... And 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] No closing joke this week - but a puzzle - What do you think is the plural of Onomatopoeia So long!
Highlights: Submarine Chasers of WWI The 1918 Sedition Act | @01:35 Darkest before the dawn - Mike Shuster | @07:45 America Emerges - Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:445 Memorial Day Parade | @15:50 Hunters of the Steel Sharks - Todd Woofenden | @17:05 Remembering Major Raoul Lufbery - Raoul Lubery III | @24:40 Centenary News website - Peter Alhadeff & Patrick Gregory | @31:20 Speaking WWI - “I’m in a flap” | @38:15 Highlights of the Dispatch Newsletter | @39:30 The Buzz: The commemoration in social Media - Katherine Akey | @41:45----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #72 - 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: Mike Schuster, from the great war project blog tells us about the on-going German aggression, the allies desperation and Pershing’s plan to provide CERTAIN troops to be commanded Directly by the allied forces. Dr. Edward Lengel with a story about American troops that land in the UK. Todd Woofenden introduces us about the US Navy’s submarine chasers Tanveer Kalo helps us commemorate Asian Pacific Heritage Month Raoul Lufbery III tells us about a recent event in Connecticut commemorating his great-uncle, Raoul Lufbery Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) and Patrick Gregory join us from the WWI website “Centenary News” Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All 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 United States constitutional Bill of rights was passed and adopted on December 15, 1791 This included the first amendment which reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances 126 years later, in 1917, under the pressures of entering WW1 - this constitutional right of the American people came under attack in profound ways. It began in June of 1917 with the passage of the Espionage Act, prohibiting any American from saying or doing anything to undermine the war effort, with the threat of 20 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both . 4 months later, in October 1917, congress followed up with the “Trading with the Enemy Act “, which empowered the government to confiscate the property of any person who engages in trade or any other form of financial transaction with an enemy nation during wartime. Overall, about $500 million worth of property was seized by the federal government in World War I from german immigrants and companies with ties to enemy nations, an amount equal to the entire federal budget before the War. But the most onerous attack on the first amendment was coming. With that as background let's jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years ago this week to learn more about the new Sedition Act! [MUSIC TRANSITION] [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: May 21, 1918 A tiny obscure 4 line article appears in the New York times with the headline: President Signs Sedition Bill The entire article reads: President Wilson today signed the Sedition bill, giving the government wide powers to punish disloyal acts and utterances. Let me read that again… “Giving the government wide powers to punish disloyal acts and utterances.” That sounds downright unconstitutional… and if I had said that in May of 1918, I could have been prosecuted, fined $10,000 (the equivalent of $180,000 today) and imprisoned for up to 30 years! Though President Wilson and Congress regarded the Sedition Act as crucial in order to stifle the spread of dissent within the country in that time of war, modern legal scholars consider the act as contrary to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution, namely to the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. A part of the act also allowed the Postmaster General to refuse to deliver mail that met those same standards for punishable speech or opinion effectively blocking the mail dissemination of dissenting newspapers, pamphlets and flyers. It was directly applied to trying to control the socialist leaning organized labor movement, and one of the most famous prosecutions under the Sedition Act during World War I was that of Eugene V. Debs, a pacifist labor organizer and founder of the International Workers of the World (the IWW) who had run for president in 1900 as a Social Democrat and in 1904, 1908 and 1912 on the Socialist Party of America ticket. After delivering an anti-war speech in June 1918 in Canton, Ohio, Debs was arrested, tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Sedition Act. Debs appealed the decision, and the case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, in January of 1919. In March of 1919, 101 years ago this month the court ruled Debs had acted with the intention of obstructing the war effort and upheld his conviction. In the decision, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes referred to the earlier landmark case of Schenck v. United States (1919), when Charles Schenck, also a Socialist, had been found guilty under the Espionage Act after distributing a flyer urging recently drafted men to oppose the U.S. conscription policy. In this decision, Holmes maintained that freedom of speech and press could be constrained in certain instances, and that The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger --- which will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent. Eugene Debs’ sentence was commuted a few years later in 1921 when the Sedition Act was repealed by Congress. Major portions of the Espionage Act remain part of United States law to the present day, although the crime of sedition was largely eliminated by a famous libel case in 1964, which determined that the press’s criticism of public officials was protected speech under the First Amendment — unless a plaintiff could prove that the statements were made maliciously or with reckless disregard for the truth—. Your right to free speech.. A very precious right and one that was effectively legislated against 100 years ago this week, in the war that changed the world! We have links in the podcast notes a BUNCH of articles from the NY times where the espionage, trading with the enemy and sedition acts were applied. NYTIMES Sedition Articles: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/22/102703485.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/08/102699810.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/08/13/97017110.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/13/102701408.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707634.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/11/102708351.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/11/102708489.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/28/102715535.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/01/102715561.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/06/102717028.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/16/102722083.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/31/118143506.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707383.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/14/102701611.pdf Links on Sedition Act: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-sedition-act https://www.politico.com/story/2012/05/congress-passes-the-sedition-act-may-16-1918-076336 https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/social_conflict_and_control_protest_and_repression_usa http://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/uscode/uscode1940-00505/uscode1940-005050a002/uscode1940-005050a002.pdf https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-confiscated-half-billion-dollars-private-property-during-wwi-180952144/ https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2017/06/15/defining-a-spy-the-espionage-act/ https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/capitalism/sources_document1.html https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/labour_movements_trade_unions_and_strikes_usa https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/wilson-eugene-debs/ https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/249us211 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-eugene-debs-socialist-bernie-sanders-per-flashback-0131-20160127-column.html [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project It’s time for Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project Blog. Mike, your post points out that the Germans are far from out of the fight and the allied troops are very near collapse - While Pershing, standing fast on his determination not to put American troop under British and French command turns out not to apply to all troops equally. You point to a palpable Allied desperation - It seems like, on the western front it truly is darkest before the coming dawn. [thanks Theo - The headlines read] [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster curator for the Great War Project blog. The link to the blog and the post -- are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/13/another-german-attack-on-the-western-front/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Now for - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Not all the troops landed in France - Many of them arrived “Over There” in England including a yet unknown hero-to-be… As you will hear in Ed’s story. [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/100-years-ago-alvin-c-york-arrives-great-britain/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ The Great War Channel From the Great War Channel on Youtube - videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, and from a more european perspective --- New episodes this week include: The Ostende Raid and the Peace of Bucharest Another episode is Marie Curie in WW1 and Who Killed the Red Baron Finally Evolution of French Infantry during World War One See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW That’s the news from 100 Years ago this week - 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 Parade in DC This week in Commission News -- The National Memorial Day Parade in Wshington DC is coming up on Monday, May 28th! The parade will be huge -- including marching bands, flags, celebrities, veterans of all ages, 300,000 cheering visitors, and TV cameras that will broadcast the parade across the country. This year, the parade will feature a special tribute to the American veterans of World War I, including several World War I-era military vehicles -- and for the first time ever -- a parade float to emphasise the centennial of WWI and America’s National WWI Memorial, which the Commission is building in Washington DC. Commission volunteers will walking the parade and giving out free packets of Poppy seeds as a symbol of remembrance and sacrifice of those who served in WWI. This parade is our nation’s largest Memorial Day event, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the National Mall to pay tribute to those who serve and have served. Read more about the 2018 National Memorial Day Parade at the link in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4441-centennial-commission-to-be-represented-in-2018-national-memorial-day-parade.html Spotlight on the Media Submarine Chasers[AUDIO CLIP] That was a 1918 radio style dramatization of a submarine attack on a US ship - from a cylinder recording we found. For a more contemporary take, and for this week’s Spotlight on the Media -- we are going to learn more about the US Submarine Chasers of World War One. Joining us is Todd A. Woofenden, editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. Great book title, Todd! Welcome to the podcast! [welcome/greetings] Todd-- the submarine warfare conducted by the Germans helped push America over the brink and into war -- so, once we were in, how did the US respond to the continuing submarine threat? The fleet set out to chase the submarines was pretty unique -- Why did we pick small, wooden vessels for the job? WWI was all about new tech…. What was the TECH side of chasing and attacking submarines? What should we remember about this endeavor - and what did it lead to in the future? [thank you/goodbyes] Todd A. Woofenden is the editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. We have links for you in the podcast notes to learn more and how to get a copy of the book for yourself! Links: https://www.subchaser.org/ https://www.signallightbooks.com/hunters Events Lufbery Memorial This week we want to feature a commemoration event that took place recently in Wallingford Connecticut -- the event honored the centennial of the combat death of French American pilot Raoul Lufbery, the 8th pilot to join the Lafayette Escadrille. Lufbery went on to command the 94th Aero Squadron when the Escadrille was disbanded in 1918, and was an Ace three times over. He was killed in an aerial dogfight over Maron, France 100 years ago this week on May 19, 1918 -- Here to tell us about his life and the commemoration in Connecticut is his great-nephew, Raoul Lufbery III. Raoul, welcome to the podcast! [greetings/welcome] Raoul, what a wonderful namesake you carry - Raoul Lufbery was quite a colorful character -- please tell us about your great-uncle -- - what’s his story? The commemoration took place in Wallingford, Connecticut -- how was it? why was it held there? what did it include? Raoul, you’ve worked on compiling and editing a couple of photo albums about your great uncle -- can you tell us about them? Raoul - Thank you for joining us! [goodbye/thanks] Raoul Lufbery III is the great-nephew of WW1 Ace and Lafayette Escadrille member Major Raoul Lufbery. Learn more about the recent commemoration of his life, and about his service in the war, by following the links in the notes. links:https://connecticuthistory.org/world-war-i-flying-ace-raoul-lufbery/ https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/lufbery-gervais-raoul/ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/lufbery.php International Report Centenary News This week in our International Report -- we’re going back across the pond as we’re joined by the creators of a wonderful web site “Centenary News”. it’s a super centralized resource for all things WW1 -- filled with news, articles, events listings, book reviews and more -- Joining us to tell us more are Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) , Editor for Centenary News, and Patrick Gregory, former BBC news editor, contributor to Centenary News and co-editor & author of the book ‘An American on the Western Front’. Gentlemen - thank you so much for joining us! [welcome/greetings] Let me start by saying that your site is really wonderful. It very broad in perspective and a wonderful resource - especially for our listeners. Peter, how did Centenary News start? Who is behind it? As kindred public history projects - and with WWI being and epic and vast story - how do YOU manage your editorial calendar and choices for what you publish and what you don’t? What are your most popular articles and stories? Patrick-- you’re interest, and expertise, is focused on the American experience of the war. How did you come to that topic of interest -- and has there been a tendency to neglect or downplay the role America played in WW1 from the European point of view? The Armistice is coming up in November, Versaille the following June - what are Centenary News plans for coverage as the fighting stops? I really want to encourage our listeners to stop by your site at www.centenarynews.com. If you listen to this podcast - you’ll like the site. Gentlemen - Thank you so much for joining us today! [thanks/goodbyes] Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) is the Editor for the Centenary News web site, and Patrick Gregory is a former BBC news editor, contributor to Centenary News Visit the site at www.centenarynews.com or by following the links in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.centenarynews.com/ Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- If you can face chaos, uncertainty and drama without succumbing to panic or anxiety -- you might be described as unflappable -- marked by assurance and self-control. Though unflappable doesn’t enter the English lexicon until the 1950s, it is derived from a WWI era phrase, “to be in a flap”. Usually defined as “to be worried”, the phrase “to be in a flap” has its origins in the Royal Navy around 1916. Taken from the frantic flapping birds would perform as they attempted to fly, the phrase spread among the ground troops as well. And there was a lot to be in a flap about during the war -- constant artillery barrages, snipers taking shots round the clock, poor food and living conditions -- the phrase probably got a lot of use in the trenches. “To be in a flap” and Unflappable - this week’s phrases for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links: http://mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4tN7cVtY2VY2sbGtX6z9Df3/12-words-from-100-years-ago-we-love-to-use-today [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: Lost and found World War I medal returned to veteran's family in NJ This is an update on the recently found WW1 medal in New Jersey -- it’s original owner’s family has been found and the medal has been returned! [DING] Headline: Maryland World War I Chapel Keeping Faith in Troubled Times Read about a local community commemorative event in Odenton, Maryland -- On June 3, 2018 the public is invited to an outdoor concert and dedication of a WWI Centennial Monument at Epiphany Chapel & Church House in Odenton, MD. In 1918 the Chapel was a home-away-from-home for soldiers and included “reinforcements to the Chaplains of the colored regiments.” [DING] Headline: Annual 'In Flanders Fields' Memorial Commemorative Event in New York City For a major metro event, read about the upcoming commemoration in New York City. General Delegate of the Government of Flanders to the United States will be hosting the Annual In 'Flanders Fields' Memorial event on May 24, 10am, featuring the East Coast Doughboys Honor Guard. [DING] Headline: Harriett Louise Carfrae - our featured Story of Service Read about Harriett Louise Cafrae, a nurse who served in World War 1 with the Red Cross. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s our U.S. Army “Doughboy” Window Decal -- An easy and inexpensive way to let the world know that it’s the centennial of WWI! Featuring the iconic Doughboy silhouette flanked by barbed wire so prevalent during WWI, you can proudly display this poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by U.S. soldiers. Hey, it’s only 4 bucks and a great add on item when you’re getting other merchandise! And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Subscribe by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the links 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? Mothers Day and the Harlem Hellfighters Hi Theo -- Last weekend was Mother’s Day -- a holiday dear to doughboys in europe a hundred years ago as much as it is to us today. This week we shared an article from historian and WW1 Centennial Commission Historical Advisor Mitchell Yockelson published in the New York Times. The article entitled “Dear Mom, the War’s Going Great” surveys Mother’s Day correspondances during war time, from General Pershing down to the humblest of doughboys. The Army promoted what it called Mothers Letters, joined in a campaign by the YMCA and Red Cross. Read the article at the link in the podcast notes. Finally -- this week was the centennial of a harrowing incident that helped establish the reputation of the Harlem Hellfighters. On the night of May 15, 1918, Pvt. Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, members of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, found themselves fighting for their lives against 20 German Soldiers out in front of their unit's trench line. Johnson fired the three rounds in his French-made rifle, tossed all his hand grenades and then grabbed his Army-issue bolo knife and started stabbing. Both survived the incident -- and Johnson earned himself the nickname Black Death for his ferocious stand. The question of whether the African American unit would fight as well as any other was answered by his actions in the darkness of May 15th. Read more about the intense engagement, and the Hellfighters’ subsequent struggles upon returning to civilian life, by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/12/opinion/sunday/dear-mom-the-wars-going-great.html https://www.army.mil/article/204920/ny_national_guardsman_henry_johnson_fought_for_his_life_with_a_knife_on_may_15_1918 Outro And that wraps up this week in May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Todd Woofenden, editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. Tanveer Kalo, graduating Ronald E. McNair Scholar from St. Lawrence University and a former WW1 Centennial Commission Intern Raoul Lufbery III, great-nephew of WW1 Ace Major Raoul Lufbery Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) and Patrick Gregory join us from the website Centenary News Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor and to Eric Marr for his great input and research assistance... A small retraction from last week.. We mistakenly referred to the co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America as Ernest Thomas Seton [see-ton] rather than Ernest Thompson Seton [see-ton] And I am neither Thomas, nor Thompson - I am Theo- 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 and sharing. Just a note to listeners, the transcript publishes about 2 days after the show. 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] So long!
Highlights The sculptor and the airplane industry: Gutzon Borglum | @01:40 General compromise - Mike Shuster | @09:15 Marshall’s plan for Cantigny - Dr. Edward Lengel | @13:15 James Reese Europe Tribute Concert - Ron Wasserman | @18:50 WWI Carnegie Council Fellowship program - Dr. Reed Bonadonna | @25:35 A granddaughter's history of the Boy Scouts - Dr. Julie Seton | @31:35 14-18 NOW: UK Centenary Art Commission - Jenny Waldman | @38:00 Speaking WWI: Cup ‘a Joe | @46:05 Dispatch Newsletter: highlights | @47:50 The Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @49:35----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #71 - 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: Mike Schuster, from the great war project blog tells us about General Pershing’s “compromise”, unpopular with the French and British command Ed Lengel with the story about the man who plans the Attack on Cantigny Ron Wasserman tells us about the upcoming James Reese Europe musical tribute in New York Dr. Reed Bonadonna introduces us to the WWI fellowship program from the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs Dr. Julie Seton shares a history of the Boy Scouts Jenny Waldman joins us from the UK to tell us about the amazing WW1 public arts projects from 14-18 NOW organization Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All 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 In July of 1917, shortly after America enters the war, congress passes a massive $640,000,000 aviation bill which is signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. That is over $13.5 Billion in 2018 dollars and at the time it is one of the largest appropriation for a single idea that the country has ever made - It passes congress with little or no objection - This is in no small part - because there are so many advocates that believe this incredible new technology of flying machines can be pivotal in the war. In support of the idea, famed airplane pioneer Orville Wright declares: “When my brother and I built and flew the first man-carrying machine, we thought that we were introducing into the world an invention which would make further wars… practically impossible since both sides know exactly what the other is doing. “ Orville reasons further: "If the allies' armies are equipped with such a number of airplanes as to keep the enemy planes entirely back of the line, so that they are unable to direct gunfire or to observe the movement of the allied troops— in other words, if the enemy's eyes can be put out — it will be possible to end the war. “ With that as background let's jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years ago this week to see how the US is doing in realizing that idea... [MUSIC TRANSITION] [SOUND EFFECT] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week It is the second week of May, 1918. The pages of the Official Bulletin, the government's war gazette, the newspaper, the New York Times and the magazine Aerial age Weekly are all filled with a story of scandal involving the US aircraft manufacturing industry. Charges of waste, incompetence, malfeasance and graft are being bandied about. And one of the more interesting parts is that a key character leading the charges against the government's Aircraft production board and the airplane manufacturers is none other than Gutzon Borglum. Who the heck is Gutzon Borglum? You may ask.. Well, he is the sculptor who is going to become famous for a little sculpture he will do between 1927 and 1941 in South Dakota where he will sculpt four heads into the crags of a mountain called Rushmore… But in May of 1918, already an established sculptor - he is busy accusing the US Airplane industry of incompetence! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: May 6, 1918 A headline in the NY times reads: Wilson orders Borglum aircraft charges sifted And the story reads: The demand for an investigation of allegations of graft in connection with the production of military aircraft was heeded by Pres. Wilson today when he decided to turn the whole matter over to Atty. Gen. Gregory, who was instructed to make a thorough investigation of the "wholesale charges" in regard to the production of aircraft. The charges were made by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Another sensational feature was added to the case tonight when it became known that Maj. General George O Squier Chief signal Officer of the Army, who was accused by Mr. Borglum of hampering the work of investigation undertaken by the latter, had countered the accusations with a request for a military court of inquiry. The story is the big buzz in all the national news and aeroplane industry media. And as we started to explore it, it gets ever more strange - Clearly something is up because, the US has spent an incredible fortune and only delivered 5,000 planes - mostly trainers not fighters - what’s up with senate investigation? The justice department probe? The President’s statements? The army’s court of inquiry? What are the roots of this nearly frenetic situations??? Well… Let’s take a little closer look at our buddy the sculptor Gutzon Borglum - seriously! He is actually the center of the story! In a biography on him that we found - and we have the link for you in the podcast notes, here is what we learn. Borglum makes drawings for a new plane he called the “fish”. His idea is rejected by the government's Aircraft production board, that is in charge of approving plane design for govt money -- Borglum notes many, many other designers get rejected too. Apparently, he thinks of a way to capitalize on the airplane manufacturing chaos -- So he complains through some Washington contacts that he has, about the terrible wastage going on with all with that money earmarked for plane design and building in the US. The bad buzz reaches all the way to President Wilson and in Autumn 1917-- BORGLUM himself runs an investigation and submits a report to the government on the lack of airplane production. Now… Apparently Borglum postures that he has been given full govt authority to do this investigation -- but actually he hasn’t. He just seems to be running on self-appointed bravado and posturing as if he DOES have officially sanctioned authority. Now President Wilson actually corrects him in the spring -- but damage has already been done to many, many aeronautical companies who have been dragged through the mud very publicly. This week in 1918, on May 10th-- it comes to light that Borglum, in fact, is using his influence with the president to get contracts for himself and a new company -- for which he is a silent partner. The scheme, apparently is that he is managing to discredit company after company with the govt’s blessing-- leaving HIS company to pick up contracts in the aftermath. Even as this comes to light, Borglum “stonewalls” all of the accusations and accused his detractors as purveyors of “fake news” and of being liars and just continues his attacks on other aeronautical companies. A lot of reorganization takes place in the wake of this controversy - and probes and official investigations will continue -- but we wondered -- what ever became of Borglum!? He continues to be shaker, mover and influencer all the way… here are some highlights In 1918, he was one of the drafters of the Czechoslovakian declaration of independence (despite being an american by birth to Danish immigrants), he continues to make sculptures and memorials, famously sculpting an amazing and striking work called “The Aviator” which sits on the University of Virginia campus, of course he gets permission and funding to carve up an entire mountain at Mount Rushmore creating a historic and iconic work of public art. He also happens to be a very high ranking member of the KKK, a Freemason, and an organizer of the Armory Show in New York. Gutzon Borglum - an genuinely amazing and fascinating character --- banging on a hornets nest in aeroplane manufacturing industry 100 years ago this week - In the war that changed the world! Aerial Age weekly https://books.google.com/books?id=GpJMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA490&lpg=PA490&dq=gutzon+borglum+aircraft+manufacturing&source=bl&ots=06w8Xcz_qU&sig=g9EwA4S3_ofnZQZq3Ecs391tqnA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjr3qCr2PfaAhVE4mMKHbQ3DZQQ6AEISjAD#v=onepage&q=gutzon%20borglum%20aircraft%20manufacturing&f=false Book excerpt on Borglum: https://books.google.com/books?id=9y8cBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=gutzon+borglum+airplanes&source=bl&ots=cEvEjx-DYI&sig=CiuaEx_6hlFRoeuDkdRZLmfErAY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjY-fXvu_jaAhUHk1kKHdNqDYg4ChDoAQhAMAQ#v=onepage&q=gutzon%20borglum%20airplanes&f=false NYTimes Articles: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/07/102699430.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/08/102699763.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/08/102699805.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/08/102699806.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/10/102700511.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/11/102700842.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/12/98263681.pdf [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project Moving across the Atlantic to “Over There”, Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog takes a look at General Pershing’s “compromise” with the French and British command, mutiny among the Austrians and Armenian nationalist fighters - An interesting post Mike! [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The links to Mike Shuster’s Great War Project blog and the post -- are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/06/compromise-of-the-allies/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Welcome to our segment - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Many of you may have heard of the “Marshall Plan”, This was a major $13 billion strategic initiative to help western europe rebuilt after WWII… Well the architect and namesake of that monumental strategy was just a young, but brilliant officer in WWI, developing his strategic chops, as Ed story this week shows. [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] To be continued…. Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/george-c-marshall-plans-attack-cantigny-may-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ The Great War Channel From the Great War Channel on Youtube - videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, and from a more european perspective --- New episodes this week include: Pershing Under Pressure-- the End of La Lys Our Trip to Turkey Recap The Western Front Awakens -- Peace in the East See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW That’s the news from 100 Years ago this week - 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! Spotlight on the Media James Reese Europe 100th Anniversary Tribute Event Music: Castle House Rag and One Step, by James Reese Europe from the CD “Take a Bow” by the New York Jazzharmonic Trad-Jazz Sextet. That clip was from Castle House Rag and One Step composed by James Reese Europe who is the subject of our spotlight on the media with an upcoming James Reese Europe 100th Anniversary Tribute concert. Who is James Reese Europe? Well, his Library of Congress biography opens with a quote from Eubie Blake, another famed American composer, lyricist, and jazz man: "James Reese Europe was our benefactor and inspiration. Even more, he was the Martin Luther King of music." Europe earned this praise by being an unflagging innovator not only in his compositions and orchestrations, but in his organizational ability and leadership. One of America's greatest musicians, he progressed from strength to strength but was pointlessly cut down at what seemed like the pinnacle of his career.” Well that is just a setup up - To tell us about the man, and the Tribute concert, which will take place on June 8th, 2018, in New York City is Ron Wasserman, artistic director for the New York Jazzharmonic. Welcome, Ron! [welcome/greetings] [Ron-- our intro to Mr. Europe was sort of a tease - can you tell us about the man please?] [OK.. Now about the tribute - where is it, what is it and if we are lucky enough to be in NY to attend - what will we experience?] [How did this come about?] [Ron: Any closing thoughts about the legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters on music?] [thank you/goodbyes] Ron Wasserman is the artistic director for the New York Jazzharmonic. The tribute concert is co-sponsored by the New York Jazzharmonic, the NYC Veterans Alliance, and the National WWI Centennial Commission. We have links for you in the podcast notes! Links:www.symphonyspace.org/event/10003 http://www.nyjazzharmonic.org/index.html Remembering Veterans Carnegie Council WW1 Fellowship Program This week For Remembering Veterans -- We have invited Dr. Reed Bonadonna to join us. Dr. Bonadonna, Ph.D. and a retired US Marine Corps Colonel, is a Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. He is managing their project, "The Living Legacy of the First World War”. We were very proud of and excited for her, when our own Katherine Akey announced that she was one of the nine recipients selected for a fellowship under the project Reed! Welcome to the Podcast. [greetings] [To start -- What’s the program and what’s its goal? ] [Reed - Can you tell us about some of the fellowship projects?] [When the fellowships are done - what happens to the work?] [I know the program is still in mid-stride - but what do think it will show us about the Living Legacy of WW1 is today?] [Thank you so much for coming in and speaking with us today!] [goodbyes/thanks] Dr. Reed Bonadonna is a Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and the manager for their "The Living Legacy of the First World War” project. Learn more about the program and the nine fellows’ projects by following ==--the links in the podcast notes. Links:https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/programs/WWI Education Dr Seton boy scouts history Let’s talk about the early days of scouting and WWI - Joining us is Dr. Julie Seton , granddaughter of Ernest Thompson Seton who was a co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America and other youth organizations in the early 1900's. She is an expert on Scouting's early history as well as her grandfather's life as a naturalist, artist and, at one time, an internationally acclaimed literary figure, and she recently edited and published his autobiography, Trail of an Artist-Naturalist: The Autobiography of Ernest Thompson Seton Welcome, Julie! [greetings/welcome] [Julie - The history of the boy scouts - actually begin in England with Lord Baden-Powell in the early 1900s, but your grandfather is also said to have influenced him - can you tell us the story?] [So when the the Boy Scouts of America officially organize? [if it did not come up in the previous question] [It’s a little off-topic but I wanted to ask… I read a fascinating account about your great grandfather - who apparently decided to present your grandfather with a bill for the entire cost of raising him, including the doctor’s cost for his birth…. and that Ernest actually paid him - Is that myth?] [Back to the subject at hand - by the time America enters WWI, scouting is still very young but President Wilson gives the young men a specific charter and roll in the war effort - can you tell us about that?] [Katherine and I were talking about this - if the Boy Scouts of America was formed in 1910 - and aimed at adolescents - the very first scouts would have likely served in WWI - did any of them become notables? ] [Current scouting -- we’ve seen several eagle scouts with memorial restoration efforts-- ] [goodbye/thanks] Dr. Julie Seton is the granddaughter of Ernest Thompson Seton and an expert on Scouting's early history. Learn more about the history of the Boy Scouts, and current Eagle Scout WW1 projects, by following the links in the podcast notes. links:http://etSetoninstitute.org/ http://www.worldscoutingmuseum.org/WWI.shtml https://everydaylivesinwar.herts.ac.uk/2015/07/stories-of-the-scouts-in-first-world-war/ https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/leaders/about/history/ http://www.nesa.org/site/c.9oIFJMPsGgIWF/b.9535063/k.E891/Eagle_Project_Ideas.htm https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/remains-of-wwi-medal-of-honor-recipient-to-be-laid/article_998bc7ec-cf78-51e5-a294-550a2a2004ac.html International Report 1418 now As we have been looking at WW1 Centennial News Now, one of the things that has struck us about the centennial commemoration of WWI, is that it tends to focus a part of itself - not just on academic, military and historical remembrance but also on art, public works of art and artists. This first struck me when we reported on some commemoration efforts by our friends and counterparts in New Zealand. Of course, there is our OWN major work of pubic art, the wwI memorial sculpture by Sabin Howard - but truly notable in all this is the United Kingdom’s centennial support of 14-18 NOW, their WWI Centenary Art Commission, implementing a five-year program of arts experiences intended to connect people with the First World War-- To tell us about it, we’re joined from the UK by Jenny Waldman, the director of the program. Jenny, welcome to the podcast! [welcome/greetings] [Jenny, can you tell us a bit about how 14-18 NOW came about? ] [You have, and are doing some great project - can you tell us about some of them? ] [In the lead in, I mentioned that commemorating something like WWI through art experiences was not immediately obvious to me - but it seems like a very important part of the puzzle. Could you help our audience understand why?] [Jenny - we want to keep reporting on your efforts - especially those projects that are now coming “over here”. What can we look forward to? [if these things did not already get covered]] [Jenny Waldman thank you so much for joining us today!] [thanks/goodbyes] Jenny Waldman is the director of 14-18 NOW. Learn more about the organization and the many many wonderful projects by following the link in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.1418now.org.uk/about/ Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Waking up to a steaming cup of coffee is a universal pleasure. It’s warm, it’s fortifying, and it can help you make it into and through your day -- That warm drink is sometimes referred to as a Cup o’ Joe… and of course we wondered where that phrase came from? In fact, this nickname for coffee has rather murky origins, with several theories being put forward. And one of the most common legends is that the ‘Joe’ in the phrase refers to Josephus Daniels, the American Secretary of the Navy during World War I. Daniels was an ardent prohibitionist, and as such he banned the consumption of alcohol on Navy ships well before Prohibition or even America’s declaration of war-- It was General Order 99 issued on June 1, 1914 that ended the shipboard toddy of rum for the sailors. So our swabbies were forced to indulge in other beverages, particularly coffee-- which led the men to to refer to a serving of coffee as a ‘cup of joe’. There is some doubt in the truth of this myth -- since alcohol was already hard to come by onboard vessels for ordinary sailors, General Order 99 had little impact on their lives. It’s possible that the name ‘Joe’ denoted an ordinary everyday man, reflecting the rise in coffee consumption at the turn of the 20th century-- but we like the josephus myth. A cup of joe - this week’s phrase for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links: https://www.knowyourphrase.com/cup-of-joe https://www.rogersfamilyco.com/index.php/the-origins-of-a-cup-of-joe/ [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts Highlights from the Dispatch Newsletter For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: Islay Ceremonies Remember US War Dead Read about the commemorations that took place last Friday in Scotland to remember the 700 people who died in two separate WW1 disasters off the coast of the Isle of Islay [DING] Headline: The CDC hosts 1918 Influenza Pandemic Commemoration If our interview with author Kenneth C. Davis last week piqued your interest in the flu of 1918, read this article about the CDC’s commemoration of the disease that ripped through the world population 100 years ago. [DING] Headline: Who was Alan Seeger… and Why did french President Macron mention him to congress? Find the answer by reading the article by Commission Intern Nicole Renna. [DING] Headline: Everard Bullis Sr - our featured Story of Service Read about Everard Bullis Sr, a Marine who saw action at Belleau Wood, St. Mihiel and Champagne. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s our Custom Silk Tie -- great for college grads and and for dads for father’s day.The red silk tie features World War One era aircraft and the official logo of the Centennial Commission on the back. And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Subscribe to the whole thing by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the links 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 https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/missions 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? Lewis Hine Hi Theo -- We shared on Facebook this week what I think is one of the most interesting photography articles from The Atlantic-- the article “100 Years Ago: France in the Final Year of World War I” is a series of 35 photographs from American Photographer Lewis Hine. Hine had a long and tumultuous career; he was well known after working for the National Child Labor Committee, photographing children at work in coal mines, factories and farms all across the country. His images of children as young as four, their faces smeared with dirt and soot, machinery towering over them, are incredibly poignant. And as the War continued to rage in 1918 -- he traveled to Europe to photograph the American Red Cross relief programs. The photographs were also intended to drum up support for the Red Cross and to appeal to the American populace back home. The images include portraits of young French orphans, lone survivors standing amongst the rubble of flattened frontline towns, Doughboys fishing in a river outside the Chateau de Blois and exhausted wounded soldiers convalescing at Red Cross Hospitals across France. They have Hine’s recognizable haunting quality -- and are seriously beautiful. See them all at the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/05/100-years-ago-france-in-the-final-year-of-world-war-i/559454 Outro And that wraps up the second week of May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Ron Wasserman, artistic director of the New York Jazzharmonic Dr. Reed Bonadonna, retired US Marine Corps Colonel and Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs Dr. Julie Seton, Boy Scout historical expert Jenny Waldman, director of 14-18 NOW Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist, line producer for the podcast and fellowship awardee for Dr. Bonadonna’s program Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor and to Eric Marr for his great input and research assistance... This week we say goodbye to our intern John Morreale - who’s finishing up his semester at the George Washington University. John, you were a great contributor to the show. Good luck and thank you from us and the audience! 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; 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 and sharing. Just a note to listeners, the transcript publishes about 2 days after the show. You can also access the WW1 Centennial News podcast on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” - and now also available on Youtube search for our WW1 Centennial 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] Voice 1: Hey Mac - gimme a slice a pie and a cup o’ joe.. Hmmm I wonder why it’s called a cup o’ joe? Voice 2 Mac: You’ll just hafta listen to that WW1 Centennial News Podcast to find out - bub - So long!
Highlights May 1918 Preview Roundtable - Ed Lengel, Katherine Akey, Theo Mayer | 02:50 General Rumblings - Mike Shuster | 18:00 War In The Sky - Eddie Rickenbacker | 21:45 Documentary: “Blackjack Pershing: Love and War” - Prof. Barney McCoy | 25:55 The big influenza pandemic - Kenneth C. Davis | 32:15 WW1 War Tech - Fed billions, killed millions: The tragic story of Fritz Haber | 39:25 100 Cities / 100 Memorials from Brownwood, Texas - Dr. Steve Kelly | 44:15 Speaking WW1: Binge | 50:00 Articles and Posts: Highlights from the Weekly Dispatch | 51:50 The Commemoration in Social Media - Katherine Akey | 54:15----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #70 - 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 May 1918 preview roundtable Mike Schuster, from the great war project blog with a story of conflict within the Allied forces. Author Kenneth C. Davis shares the story of influenza in 1918 Professor Barney McCoy gives us insight into the upcoming documentary, Blackjack Pershing: Love and War Dr. Steve Kelly with the 100 Cities / 100 Memorial project from Brownwood, Texas. Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media And lots 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 Before we get going today, I wanted to tell you about some great new features for the WW1 Centennial News Podcast. First of all, you can now listen to the latest episodes of WW1 Centennial News on YouTube - if you happen to prefer listening that way! And something I think is really exciting and useful when you go to our podcast web site at ww1cc.org/CN (Charlie Nancy). When you click the “read more” of the episode, just below the highlights you will find the full and accurate transcript of the show - interactively linked to an audio player. With it, you can scan OR search --- the text of the transcript and wherever you double click - the audio will play. Or if you are listening and want to copy and paste a segment of the transcript for you newsletter, school report or blog, just pause and scan down the scranscript, The section you were hearing is highlighted in blue. This very cool, new interactive transcript technology has been provided by a great little startup called Jotengine… and we have added it to make our podcast even more useful for students, teachers and everyone who wants to share the story of the war the changed the world. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Roundtable with Katherine, Theo and Ed [SOUND EFFECT] Alright... The first week of every month, we invite you to our preview roundtable where Dr. Ed lengel, Katherine Akey and I had talk about the coming 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 May 1918… What follows is our conversation. [roundtable - see transcript for details] [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project So that is an overview for the coming month - but now let’s join Mike Shuster - Former NPR corresponded and curator for the Great War Project blog as he explored another key battle that plays out on the Western Front… The battle between the Allied Generals and American General John J. Pershing. They did not see eye-to-eye at all… and Black-Jack Pershing was not going to waver from his belief about how the US army needed to engage. It sound like it was more than just a little contentious Mike! [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The links to Mike Shuster’s Great War Project blog and the post -- are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/04/29/the-allies-quarrel/ [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky America's Top-Scoring Ace Scores his First Victory It is a changing of the guard, for the War in the Skies over Europe 100 years ago this April and May. In April 1918, Germany’s Manfred von Richthofen falls, and in May America’s Raoul Lufbery. One of the new names that rises among these ashes is that of a Columbus Ohio native every bit as much of a flamboyant character as the early fliers. Before joining the service, he was a famed race car driver who set a land speed record at Daytona of 134 miles per hour - a tough guy, technically too old to be accepted into flight school, and a guy who claimed he was afraid of heights - His name was Eddie Rickenbacker… Born the oldest son of 5 siblings 1890 -- young Eddie had to step up to become the major family breadwinner, quitting school at only 12 years old, when his father died in a construction accident. A tough beginning for what would turn out to be quite a guy! Having developed a passion for the new technology of the internal combustion engine - by 16 he had landed a job with a race car driver named Lee Frayer, who liked the scrawny, scrappy kid - and let him ride in major races as his mechanic. By 1912 - the young 22 year old was driving his own races and winning! and crashing! and surviving! When war broke out in 1917, Rickenbaker volunteered - but at 27 years old -- was already too old to get accepted to flight school - something the speed demon really wanted to do! Because he had a reputatioh as a race car driver - he was enlisted as a sergeant and sailed for Europe as a driver. There is a lot of lore that he drove John J. Pershing, but that is generally disputed. However, he DID get an assignment to drive Billy Mitchel's flashy twin -six -cylinder packard and talked himself into flight school through the boss! His WWI flying exploits are legendary and the kid from Ohio came home a national hero But that was just the beginning of a colorful life for a scrappy and scrawny kid, turned Ace of Aces, airline President, famed raft suvivor of a plane ditching in the Pacific, potential presidential candidate - who lived large in living color..,, and finally died in 1973 at the age 83 having launched his career as a WWI fighter pilot in the war in sky one hundred years ago this week. Link:http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/rickenbacker.htm http://www.historynet.com/captain-eddie-rickenbacker-americas-world-war-i-ace-of-aces.htm http://acepilots.com/wwi/us_rickenbacker.html The Great War Channel For videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, and from a more european perspective --- check out our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. New episodes this week include: The first tank-on-tank battle in history -- Tank crew training and more German tank prototypes Plus…. The Finnish Jägers in World War 1 See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Alright - It is time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [MUSIC TRANSITION] This part of the podcast isn’t the past --- It focuses on NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI! [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News Belleau Wood Tree -- Missing but will return This week in Commission News -- We heard, with great distress that the lovely Oak sapling from Belleau Wood, that had been planted by President’s Macron and Trump on the white house lawn last week - had mysteriously GONE MISSING~!! One day it was there - the next - it wasn’t! Much to our relief, the mystery was resolved quickly. It turns out that the tree - which has made it’s journey from Europe with Macron had to be put into temporary quarantine - a typical procedure for living agricultural goods imported from overseas. It’ll be put back to its original spot as soon as it get out of detention! We put a link to the story in the podcast notes! Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mystery-solved-why-trump-macron-friendship-tree-vanished/ar-AAwxbt3?OCID=ansmsnnews11 Spotlight on the Media Blackjack Pershing: Love and War We have a spotlight on the media for you! The spotlight is on US General of the Armies, the American Expeditionary Forces commander General John J. Pershing. [RUN AUDIO CLIP FROM TRAILER] That clip is from a new documentary “Black Jack Pershing: Love and War” - and today -- we’re joined by the film’s producer - Barney McCoy professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Welcome, Barney! [welcome/greetings] [Barney-- I understand your film looks is not just about Pershing the General but also Pershing the man, who also suffered and endured great personal tragedy and heartbreak in his life. Can you give us an overview of the story in the film?] [Now, you made this documentary by incorporating hundreds of U.S. Army Signal Corps photographs and films from the National Archives -- what was the research process like? And did you come across anything surprising as you were poking around the archives?] [How did you get involved in this film? How did it happen?] [A very important question… When and where can people see the film?] [thank you/goodbyes] Barney McCoy is professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the producer of “Black Jack Pershing: Love and War”. We’ve included links to the film’s trailer, website and upcoming screenings in the podcast notes! Links:https://www.archives.gov/calendar/event/black-jack-pershing-love-and-war https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru3DzGSwdeE https://jjpershing.com/ Remembering Veterans The Influenza of 1918 This week For Remembering Veterans -- we’re turning our attention away from the battlefield and looking at a phenomenon that took more lives than the bullets or shells. With us to explore the story of the Flu pandemic 100 years ago, is Kenneth C. Davis, bestselling author of the “Don’t Know Much About” book series. In fact, during our editorial meeting, when we were discussing the interview our intern, John enthused that these books were on his shelf as he was growing up… Well, Kenneth’s new book is coming out on May 15th and it is called: More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War .. a fascinating subject by a wonderful writer! Kenneth! Welcome to the Podcast. [greetings] [Ken- Let’s start with the name of this flu pandemic - Patient Zero was not from Spain were they?] [How big and bad was it? I have heard a lot of varying numbers but whatever they are, the scale staggers the imagination!] [We have a global war - we have a global pandemic - how do the dots connect? ] [Ken - what made this particular flu so especially deadly?] [Well, a quick follow up on that - and Katherine our line producer asked about this - with so many advanced in medicine in this particular moment in history - why did medicine not get ahead of this one?] [Do you think this deadly global event still echoes today? ] [Thank you so much for coming in and speaking with us today!] [goodbyes/thanks] Kenneth C. Davis is the bestselling author of the Don’t Know Much About Book series. Don’t miss his upcoming - More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War available at your favorite bookseller May 15th! We have put links to his work and upcoming events in the podcast notes. Links: www.dontknowmuch.com http://dontknowmuch.com/books/more-deadly-than-war/ http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/pritzker-military-presents/kenneth-davis-more-deadly-war/ https://www.amazon.com/More-Deadly-Than-War-History/dp/1250145120/ref=sr_1_6 WW1 War Tech Fritz Haber For WW1 War Tech -- we are going to tell you the amazing and tragic story of a WW1 era technologist, the German chemist Fritz Haber! Fritz Haber is one of the most underappreciated actors of World War I whose discoveries spanned from the life giving to the life taking. He was celebrated with Nobel Prize for developing chemical fertilizers -- and equally vilified for another invention, chlorine gas. Tragically one of his most vocal critics was his wife, Clara, who was not only an ardent pacifist but an accomplished chemist herself. The invention of what is known as the “Haber Process” was the result of wartime necessities. Even before World War I, German military strategists recognized the potential of a total British naval blockade on their country, which would do tremendous damage to their ability to import the materials required to manufacture weapons. One particularly vulnerable commodity were the nitrates imported from South America, used in the development of ammonia for explosives. Haber discovered a new method of creating ammonia by combining nitrogen and hydrogen gases. Since ammonia is also used as a fertilizer, the Haber Process allowed for the mass production of agricultural fertilizers, transforming agriculture both inside and outside Germany. Much of the reason behind why the world is able to support a population of more than seven billion is the use of these fertilizers, which all have their roots in the Haber Process. And for his method of creating artificial ammonia, Haber was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918. But as we said, another of Haber’s invention would come to overshadow this incredible discovery. When World War I finally broke out in 1914, the quick victory expected by many military generals soon became a slow, bloody struggle to shift the frontlines only a few miles either way. The German High Command quickly realized they needed a new, fearsome weapon to break the stalemate. It was the strongly patriotic Haber who came up with the solution: by combining the ammonia he extracted from the air with chlorine, he could produce a gas that would asphyxiate all who encountered it-- Haber was on hand personally when his Chlorine Gas was first released by the German military at the Second Battle of Ypres. Over 5,000 men, not recognizing this new weapon’s true danger, were quickly overcome, and were found by their fellow soldiers with their faces turned black and shirts torn open in a desperate search for air. Germany’s use of poison gas at Ypres would set a precedent for an unprecedented tactic, one that would scar many men for a lifetime after the war ended. People around the world were horrified by Harber’s new, deadly invention, but among the most repelled was Haber’s own wife, Clara. At a party celebrating his promotion to Captain as a result of his work in poison gas nine days after the test at Ypres, Clara directly confronted her husband, calling him morally bankrupt and his efforts monstrous. Haber ignored her. Later that night, no longer able to stand her marriage, Clara shot herself in the garden with her husband’s pistol. Haber left the next day to supervise another gas attack on the Western Front, leaving his young son to grieve alone. After the war ended in Germany’s defeat, a brokenhearted Haber would try to single handedly pay back the burdensome war reparations by inventing a process to distill dissolved gold floating in the ocean, an ultimately unsuccessful endeavour. There is a final, tragic and ironic twist on Haber’s legacy… during WWII - When the Nazi regime was looking for ways to best murder their many classes of undesirables, they came upon one of Haber’s products, a pesticide called Zyklon. The Nazi authorities used this chemical to gas millions of innocent victims in the Holocaust, including the Jewish German Haber’s own friends and family. Fritz Haber, a brilliant man whose fertilizer invention have fed billions, who’s weaponized inventions killed million, whose wife shot herself in protest and whose family and friends were finally gassed in concentration camps with his own invention… an epic, tragic and another amazing story of the war that changed the world and this week’s WWI War Tech. We have links for you in the podcast notes. Links:https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/g1577/7-surprising-scientific-advances-that-came-out-of-world-war-i/ http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/~paulmay/haber/haber.htm https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/fritz-haber https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gymnasium-German-school https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fritz-Haber https://medium.com/the-mission/the-tragedy-of-fritz-haber-the-monster-who-fed-the-world-ec19a9834f74 https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/immerwahr-clara 100 Cities 100 Memorials Brownwood Texas This week for our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment --- the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials --- We are updating one of the very first projects we profiled on the podcast - From even before the first round of submissions were closed. Joining us again for an update on the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project from Brownwood Texas is Dr. Steve Kelly, the immediate past president of the Central Texas Veterans Memorial - Steve welcome back to the show. [Greetings and Welcome] [Steve - The last time we spoke your project was just a candidate, but it has since been designated an official WW1 Centennial Memorial - Congratulations…] [For your project you moved your WWI memorial from behind a bush at an old, closed high school to a new memorial site at your local American Legion post 196… Can you tell us a bit more about that?] [As I recall from the last time we spoke, you have both a commemoration and an educational component to you project - how did you do that?] [Steve - What stage is the whole project at now and do you have rededication plans?] [Thank you for coming on and giving us an update on your project from Brown County Texas!] [Thanks/goodbye] Dr. Steve Kelly is the immediate past president of the Central Texas Veterans Memorial in Brownwood, Texas. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program by following the links in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities Speaking WW1 Binge Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Let’s start by thinking… Obsessive, Compulsive Consumption…. I heard a great analysis of our modern media times recently. It talked about the fact that in our new age, we no longer have “stop cues” for media consumption. You don’t read the paper, you take in an endless stream of news feeds and tweets. You don’t watch a TV show, you find yourself awake on the couch at 3am with just 2 episodes left to finish the fourth season of The Office -- and you’re not alone! Without “stop cues” the analysis went on, we are media binging all the time.. And that brings us to our Speaking WW1 word for this week…. BINGE. And who would you have thought that that phrase made its way to the 21st century by way of the trenches? Binge was originally a “Northern English” term meaning to over-indulge. The word first appeared in printed form in 1854, with a clearly alcohol-related connotation. And a connotation that may have carried forward for many of our listener to their college years with Binge Drinking! The term remained regional to Northern England until World War 1, when it spread through the english speaking forces and became standardized in the English lexicon. It also started being used to describe the obsessive compulsive, consumption of food. Which led to the description of an eating disorder called binge & purge… So now it’s meaning has expanded to include any number of new categories: food, drink, media, entertainment and… well many others! Binge-- obsessive, compulsive, consumption - and this week’s words for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links:https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/binge-drinking.html http://www.dictionary.com/browse/binge http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4tN7cVtY2VY2sbGtX6z9Df3/12-words-from-100-years-ago-we-love-to-use-today [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts Weekly Dispatch Newsletter Highlights For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter which you can subscribe to at ww1cc.org/subscribe or through the podcast notes. [DING] Headline: Two WWI nurses led the way for women in today’s Wisconsin National Guard Read the story of two women serving as Army nurses in World War I pioneering the opportunity for women to serve in every duty position in the Wisconsin National Guard. [DING] Headline: NARA is getting WWI Army Division records online - with citizen help! The National Archives Records Administration also know as NARA Is getting Citizen Archivists to help make these records more accessible. If you’d like to help NARA transcribe these historic handwritten records - You CAN! There’s a link in the podcast notes for you to get started. [DING] The studio that brought you 'Wallace and Grommit' is creating an emotional World War I game Read more about the new videogame 11-11: Memories Retold, a narrative adventure about two World War I soldiers who meet under the "most unlikely of circumstances." [DING] Headline: Doughboy MIA for week of April 30 Read about Pvt. Charles H. Holland, a native of Mississippi and member of the 2nd Division-- 9th Infantry--Company L-- Charles was wounded in action during the battle of Soissons--- he was carried off to a field hospital and never seen nor heard from again. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, with Memorial Day coming up - it’s your last chance to order our small, 8" X 12" WWI Centennial flags for Memorial Day. This is the year to display the memorial ground flags honoring your local fallen doughboys! You’ll be doing "Double Honors", because a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item goes to building America's National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park, in Washington DC. And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Check the links 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 https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/missions The Buzz The Commemoration in Social Media And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick? Motorcycles, Mail and the Military Times Hi Theo -- We shared a video this week on Facebook from one of the Commission’s Commemorative partners, the French Centenaire 14-18 -- it shows the project undertaken by two frenchmen to restore an American doughboy’s Harley-Davidson-- which they are now bringing to, and driving across America. The motorbike would have been used to carry messages behind the lines, and less than a thousand are thought to have made it to today. Watch the video and read an article about the project at the link in the podcast notes -- we’ve also included a link to the frenchmen’s facebook page so you can follow their journey as they ride the bike across the US! Also on facebook this week -- we shared a photograph of a humble receipt from the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. This week 100 years ago, the future president was a Captain in the Army, commanding a battery of field artillery on the western front. And-- his birthday was coming up! So his loving wife Bess ordered him a fruit cake, having it shipped to his 129th field artillery in France. The receipt shows her purchase from the Jones Store Company in Kansas City, Missouri -- likely a fruit cake would survive the journey, and we hope he enjoyed it on his birthday on May 8th, 1918. And if you’re wondering -- it cost a whopping total of $1.40, equivalent to about $25 now, to buy and send the birthday treat. See the receipt yourself at the link in the notes. Finally this week, I wanted to point you towards a very thoughtful opinion piece from the Military Times website -- May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a subject that has been deeply important to the success and wellbeing of our armed service members throughout history. The article is entitled “A century after ‘shell shock,’ struggle to address post-combat trauma continues” -- and it opens up questions about our understanding of PTSD, and our relatively recent acceptance of trauma as a significant and common affliction. Read more about how WW1 changed our understanding and treatment of Shell Shock and PTSD at the link in the podcast notes -- we’ll have guests on later this month to continue to address the topic. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/pays-de-la-loire/loire-atlantique/nantes/centenaire-14-18-harley-armee-americaine-repart-nantes-us-1467347.html www.facebook.com/operationtwinlinks https://www.facebook.com/TrumanPresidentialLibrary/posts/10155390413860770 https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/world-war-i/2017/04/19/a-century-after-shell-shock-struggle-to-address-post-combat-trauma-continues/ [SOUND EFFECT] Outro And that wraps up the first week of May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Kenneth C. Davis, author and historian Barney McCoy, professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dr. Steve Kelly with the 100 Cities / 100 Memorial project from Brownwood, Texas. Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and the line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor as well as John Morreale our intern and Eric Marr for their great research assistance... And I am Theo Mayer - your host. [MUSIC and under] 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 and sharing. Or search WW1 Centennial News on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” - and now also available on Youtube at WW1 Centennial. 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] Talk about binging - I just got a note from a listeners - who has decided to listening to all of 1917 from our WW1 Centennial news podcast, eating a pizza with every episode, washed down with a six pack.. that sounds awful and I’m just kidding! So long!
Highlights US Telephone in WWI - Dr. Sheldon Hochheiser, AT&T | @02:25 The tide begins to turn - Mike Shuster | @10:10 The “Sweetheart of the doughboys” - Edward Lengel | @14:25 The Women’s Land Army - Elaine Weiss | @22:55 Anzac Day - Group Captain Peter Davis & Commander Peter Kempster | @30:30 100 Cities / 100 Memorials: Granite, OK - Phil Neighbors & Perry Hutchison | @37:40 Speaking WW1: Kiwi & Aussie | @44:25 WW1 War Tech: Geophone | @45:35 Dispatch Newsletter Headlines | @47:20 WWI Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @50:05----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #69 - 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. Sheldon Hochheiser tells us about an iconic American company and its role in the war -- AT&T. Mike Schuster, from the great war project blog updates us on German morale as Operation Georgette comes to a close. Dr. Edward Lengel with the story of Elsie Janis, the “sweetheart of the doughboys” Elaine Weiss introduces us to the Farmerettes, the women’s land army Group Captain Peter Davis and Commander Peter Kempster on the Australian and New Zealander commemorations for ANZAC day Phil Neighbors and Perry Hutchison with the 100 Cities / 100 Memorial project from Granite, Oklahoma. Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media And lots 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 Today we are going to explore the US telephone system during the war -- and unlike most nations where the phone systems are typically government owned --- The US Telephone system has always been privately owned - well, not always - for 1 year during WWI - the US government took over the nation’s telephone system… but perhaps most amazing of all - a year later, after the war, the US government privatized it again! With that as a setup, let’s jump into our centennial time machine and look at the America’s telephone story 100 years ago - in the war that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week It is the summer of 1918 and the House Committee on Interstate Commerce is holding hearings about a government take over of the nation’s privately held telephone system. Only three witnesses are called to testify - Albert Berleson - The Postmaster General, Newton Baker, the secretary of war and Josephus Daniels, the secretary of the Navy. These three men, eventually backup up by President Wilson - are pushing for the takeover of the phone system - citing among other things - national security concerns including the protections from spies using this incredibly powerful technology that is rapidly spreading across the land. Most remarkably --- that representatives of the phone company are NOT asked to participate in the discussion. Well, to help us tell this amazing story, we invited Dr. Sheldon Hochheiser, the corporate Historian from AT&T to join us on the show. AT&T During the War Welcome, Dr. Hochheiser! [greetings/welcome] [Dr. Hochheiser - from an AT&T historical perspective - what was the story here?] [Were the company executives on record about this? What did they say? How did this nationalization actually work? The government suddenly declared that they owned the phone lines, but operations continued to be run by AT&T? Or were they? ] [What happened as a result of the postmaster General’s involvement?] [The most interesting part of all this FOR ME - is that control was returned to AT&T again as the war ended. How did that happen?] [During the war, how did telephone facilities rise to meet wartime needs? ] [Dr, Hochheiser - We just got in a question from our Live audience. Frank Krone wants to know what happened to AT&T’s chief technologist John Carty - after the war?] [How did this 1-year event help shape AT&T as a company?] [goodbye/thanks] Dr. Sheldon Hochheiser is the corporate historian at AT&T. Learn more about the company and its WW1 history at the links in the podcast notes. Links: https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1466&context=faculty_scholarship https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/inventions-flourished-due-wwi.html http://soldiers.dodlive.mil/2014/03/world-war-is-hello-girls-paving-the-way-for-women-in-the-u-s-army/ https://www.corp.att.com/history/history1.html [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project It is time for Mike Shuster -- former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: Your post this week indicates a turning point for the Spring Offensive. As Ed Lengel pointed out previously in our roundtables, the German goal was to split the French and the British armies and drive the british to the ports and off the mainland. But it looks like that plan has failed! What is going on Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The links to Mike Shuster’s Great War Project blog and the post -- are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/04/22/german-morale-is-flagging/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Welcome to our segment - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed: Mike Shuster pretty much covered the fighting front here at the end of April - - but your story this week offers us a wonderful and completely different perspective on the events in Europe and a very, very special person - The “Sweetheart of the Doughboys” - Singer and entertainer Elsie Janis. What is her story Ed? [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/elsie-janis-becomes-sweetheart-doughboys-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ The Great War Channel For videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, and from a more european perspective --- check out our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. New episodes this week include: Knocking out the Hejaz Railway Another of the very popular “Out of the Trenches” episodes where host Indy Neidel takes questions from the audience And finally Felix Graf Von Luckner -- Who did what in WW1? See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Alright - It is time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] This part of the podcast isn’t the past --- It focuses on NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI! Commission News Gift from French President recalls WWI USMC heroics in Battle of Belleau Wood This week in Commission news-- we were excited to see that French President Emmanuel Macron brought a special gift to the White House during his visit to Washington -- one that bears great World War I significance: it was a European Sessile Oak sapling from the Belleau Wood in France. Presidents Trump and Macron - ceremonial shovels in hand - planted the commemorative tree on the White house lawn. The Battle of Belleau Wood is one of the most important American engagements of World War One -- it was the first major battle for the US Marines during the conflict and is still viewed as a seminal moment in Marine Corps history. Fighting alongside British and French troops, America suffered more than 9,700 casualties. You can read more about this meaningful and symbolic gift, and see pictures of the ceremonial planting at the White House, by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4376-special-gift-from-the-president-of-france-recalls-american-wwi-heroics.html Remembering Veterans Farmerettes and Suffrage with author Elaine Weiss This week For Remembering Veterans -- As we have pointed out before --- there are actually more veterans of WWI than just the soldiers and sailors - As the men headed off to training camps and to Europe - The women of America needed to pick up the role of their missing men -- Especially when it came to feeding the nation. And that is the story of the “Farmerettes and the Women’s Land Army”. With us to explore that story is Elaine Weiss, journalist and author of multiple books including Fruits of Victory: The Woman’s Land Army in the Great War --- as well as The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Welcome to the podcast, Elaine! [greetings] [Elaine-- Feeding the nation AND sending desperately needed food to our allies was strategically critical - how did American Womanhood stand up to that task?] [Where did the idea to create a Women’s Land Army come from? ] [How did the Women’s Land Army experience play into the suffrage movement? Were the Farmerettes paid for their work? Equal pay for equal work?] [What was the reception the women received -- both on the ground, by the farmers, the public, and the government?] [What became of the farmerettes once the war ended… especially when the men came home?] [Did the legacy of these women set a precedent when the second world war came around? ] [How about their influence on the women in the workforce today?] [goodbyes/thanks] Elaine Weiss is an award winning journalist and author of multiple books, including the recently published The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote from Viking Books. Read a rave review of her new book, and learn more about her work by following the links in the podcast notes. Links:http://elaineweiss.com/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/books/review/womans-hour-elaine-weiss.html Events NC State University This week from our WWI centennial events registers at ww1cc.org/events -- there is a great one at North Carolina State University, on May 1st! Back in Episode #64, we spoke to Thomas Skolnicki [SKOAL-nick-ee], the Landscape Architect for the University -- retired US navy Rear Admiral -- Benny Suggs, the director of NC State's Alumni Association and US Air Force Veteran, World War One Centennial Commissioner Jerry Hester -- All three men are NC State University Alumni, and all involved in the school’s 100 Cities, 100 memorials project. They told us about the restoration of the school’s belltower -- and about this upcoming rededication event. The event will include a full military ceremony with a 21-gun salute and a flyover of F-15s from the 4th Fighter Wing stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, in Goldsboro, NC. It’s an opportunity for all to learn about the sacrifices made by NC State students and the commitment that the school has made since its inception to military service and leadership. Nearly 2,000 students and alumni served in WWI, and the Bell Tower includes the names of the 34 who died in that service. So if you’re in the area -- be sure to check it out! We have links for further details in the podcast notes. Link:https://news.ncsu.edu/2018/04/belltower-event-commemorates-end-of-wwi/ https://www.alumni.ncsu.edu/s/1209/16/interior.aspx?sid=1209&pgid=6092&gid=1001&cid=9908&ecid=9908&post_id=0 International Report In our International Report-- This past Wednesday, April 25th is a day of special remembrance that has its roots in World War One- It is known as ANZAC day which stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers are known as Anzacs. and here to tell us more about the past, present and future of ANZAC day are Group Captain Peter Davis of the Australian Defense Staff and Commander Peter Kempster of the New Zealand Defense Force. Gentlemen, welcome to the podcast [greetings/welcome] [So what’s the story of ANZAC day? What’s the origin?] [How is ANZAC day celebrated in Australia and New Zealand? And does the commemoration differ between the two nations?] [[This is the last centennial year-- what were commemorations like on Anzac day this year?] [I think many people may be familiar with the ANZAC’s involvement at Gallipoli-- but that engagement was over by 1916. Where did the forces deploy to after that?] [Personally, what does ANZAC day mean for you?] [thanks/goodbye] Group Captain Peter Davis is the Assistant Defense Attache and Chief of Staff of the Australian Defense Staff at the US Australian Embassy and Commander Peter Kempster is the New Zealand Naval Attache to the US for the New Zealand Defense Force. Learn more about ANZAC day and the centennial organizations of both countries by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.awm.gov.au/index.php/about/our-work/projects/centenary-projects http://www.anzaccentenary.gov.au/ http://www.defence.gov.au/events/centenaryofanzac/ProgramOfEvents.asp https://ww100.govt.nz/ https://mch.govt.nz/what-we-do/our-projects/current/first-world-war-centenary-projects 100 Cities 100 Memorials This week for our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment --- the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials ---we are going to profile the World War I Memorial project from Granite, Oklahoma. With us tell us about Granite, Greer County and their inspiring WWI story are Phil Neighbors, pastor of the Valley Baptist church and a native son of Granite, and Perry Hutchison, retired Army Colonel and former professor at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth Officer Training School. Gentlemen, welcome to the podcast [greetings/welcome] [Phil: In your grant application you describe Granite, Oklahoma as a small community of heroes - that’s an intriguing opening line! What did you mean?] [Phil: American Legion Post 121 in Mangum Oklahoma is placing a new monument in the World War 1 Memorial Park in Granite. Can you tell us a little about those specifics please? [Well, Phil - As I we talked off line, there is another Oklahoma 100 Cities / 100 Memorials awardee from Towson, Oklahoma. So this is interesting - It seems that Oklahoma has a big WWI story to tell - but doesn’t seem to have a WWI centennial organization or Website - maybe this will help stimulate something to come together!] [Phil: Thank you for bringing us the story of the heroes from your corner of the country. It’s been great to have you on!] [thanks/goodbye] Phil Neighbors is pastor of the Valley Baptist church and a native son of Granite, Oklahoma and Perry Hutchison, retired Army Colonel and former professor at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth Officer Training School Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program by following the links in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities Speaking WW1 It’s time for our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- We are sticking with our ANZAC theme... New Zealand, as were all the Dominion nations of the British Empire, was thrown into World War 1 by Britain’s own declaration of war on August 4, 1914. When the New Zealanders arrived in Europe - Their uniforms were emblazoned with badges, emblems, and insignias of Kiwis - and NO… It’s not an egg-shaped fuzzy fruit - It’s the big, flightless and quite unique national bird of New Zealand! And one of our two Speaking WWI Words this week - these soldiers were instantly nicknames the Kiwis! As for the Australians, Also a dominion nation - their WWI soldierly nickname and that stuck ever since is our second Speaking WWI word this week - Aussies. Kind of obvious - and you know it -- but I’ll bet you didn’t know that the nickname came from WWI! Kiwis and Aussies-- nicknames earned during the war that helped cement these two great nations and their identities -- and this week’s words for speaking WW1. Links:https://ww100.govt.nz/where-britain-goes-we-go https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/first-world-war-overview/introduction#ft1 http://mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i http://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/andc/annotated-glossary/a http://online.wsj.com/ww1/australia-new-zealand-founding-myths [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Geophone For WW1 War Tech -- this week we are headed underground to learn about yet a sonic invention of necessity. Within just a few months of the first construction of a trench, the tangle of an estimated 25,000 miles of trenches spread from the English channel to the Swiss border. The only way to attack the enemy was through a costly offensive in No Man’s Land, or… and I did not know this…. underground via a system of tunnels. This method of offensive mining quickly became standard in some areas. And so… a device that could detect an enemies’ digging patterns would prove immensely valuable. It was a Professor Jean Perrin of the Sorbonne University in Paris, who provided just that type of device with his invention of the geophone in 1915. It was basically a specialized stethoscope like device -- that could amplify sound traveling underground --- sort of an earth sonar, enabling a skilled listener to detect the distance and location of German tunnels. Some imaginative soldiers operating geophones under ground would often interpret strange things from the noises they picked up - one report from a New Zealand Tunneling Company describes how one listener swore he had heard a horse eating oats, which the author noted could only have been true if the horse had been a prehistoric fossil! The report went on to detail the exhausting process of piecing out all the sounds a geophone operator could hear while underground, and determining which ones were harmless and which ones signified hostile activities. This underground duty QUOTE “strained body, brain, and nerve” like no other. Because of these pressures, tunnelers often received up to four times as much pay as soldiers on the surface. And, by and large, their work paid off: it was British tunnelers blew up 19 mines simultaneously at Messines in June 2017, killing approximately 10,000 German troops and creating the most powerful man-made explosion prior to Hiroshima. The geophone-- the subject of this week’s WW1 War Tech. We have put links in the podcast notes to learn more\ Links: http://ww1centenary.oucs.ox.ac.uk/space-into-place/the-war-underground-an-overview/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/inside-first-world-war/part-eight/10741888/world-war-one-weaponry.html https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/listening-with-a-geophone Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are the highlighted features from our weekly dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: Building a World War I tank in the garage Read an interview with two of our friends who have a pretty unique weekend project. They are building a WWI tank in a garage. Actually, we should say that they are building another WWI tank in a garage -- they already completed one, earlier last year! [DING] Headline: Pennsylvania WWI Centennial Committee sets World War I History Symposium at the U.S. Army History & Education Center Read about this exciting symposium event -- which will feature four unique and engaging presentations by retired U.S. Army Major Kurt Sellers, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel John D. Shepard, author Gloria J. House, and genealogist and historic researcher Barbara Selletti. [DING] Headline: WWrite blog: In a Lonely Forest This week’s WWrite blog post features one writer’s quest to uncover the story of WW1 era lyricist, Josef Rust. [DING] Headline: Story of World War I Choctaw Code Talkers told at Reims event in France Read about a special April event in Reims, France where the story of the Choctaw code talkers was presented to the local audience. [DING] Headline: Help sought to return World War I medal unearthed in N.J. woods to vet's family A metal detector recently unearthed a WW1 service medal -- read about its discovery and the efforts to return it to its original owner’s family. [DING] Headline: The story of Otho Bradford Place This week’s featured Doughboy MIA is 2nd Lt. Otho Bradford Place, a native of Bremen Indiana who died in battle during an attack along the Agron River. [DING] Headline: Official WWI Centennial Merchandise Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s the Centennial Commemorative Pin! Proudly Wearing the WWI 100 Years lapel pin is a fantastic way to start a conversation. The question, what’s that? Can lead to great discussions about the centennial, the commemoration and WWI. Wear the pin and let the world know it’s the centennial! And those are the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch newsletter at ww1cc.org/subscribe check the archive at ww1cc.org/dispatch 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? Trench Art and Commemoration Follow Up Hi Theo -- This past week had a lot of commemorative events happen -- and we’ve shared images and video from them on our Facebook page that you can see in the podcast notes. Events included the dawn ANZAC ceremony at the Korean War Memorial in DC and in NYC’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Plaza-- French President Macron participating in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -- and commemoration of the Battle of Seicheprey in Connecticut. You can also see some great images of ANZACs in the field on our Instagram at ww1cc -- including a photo of some aussies camped out at the foot of the Great Pyramids with their mascot Kangaroo! Also shared on our Facebook page this week was a historic video from ECPAD, a French archive of historical defense audiovisual material. The video shows soldiers, and prisoners of war, fashioning various objects from leftover military equipment, like spent shells, shrapnel, and broken pallets. These Trench Artists create vases, buckets, decorative mementos, toys, pipes, and musical instruments from the detritus of the war around them -- and also repair clothing and boots, recycle old wax into new candles, and more. You can watch these improvisational artisans working by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/pcb.967365740105391/967365683438730/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/wwi100nyc/posts/1623102094475370 https://www.instagram.com/ww1cc/ https://www.facebook.com/ArlingtonNationalCemetery/posts/10157322536098976 https://www.facebook.com/CTinWorldWar1/posts/1666362546743273 https://www.facebook.com/laurentnice/videos/10213046223568254/ Outro And that wraps up the last week of April for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Sheldon Hochheiser, corporate historian at AT&T Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Elaine Weiss, journalist and author Group Captain Peter Davis of the Australian Defense Staff and Commander Peter Kempster of the New Zealand Defense Force. Phil Neighbors, and Perry Hutchison, from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Granite OK Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and the line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor as well as John Morreale our intern and Eric Marr for their great 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; 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 Or search WW1 Centennial News on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “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] So, you know how we always do a closing joke - typically about our speaking WWI word. Well, when I researching jokes about ANZAKS - here is what came up in Google. An unwritten law in Australia and New Zealand is “Don’t make jokes about the Anzacs.” You can make jokes about almost anything except the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps That’s pretty funny! So long!
Highlights - War in The Sky The Mystery of the USS Cyclops | @ 02:40 Submarine Stories | @ 04:55 Learning to command on the front - Mike Shuster | @ 07:20 The 2nd Division: Army and Marines - Dr. Edward Lengel | @ 11:40 War In The Sky: Including the Red Baron goes down | @ 17:00 Midway Village reenactment - Dave Fornell | @ 20:25 Stars & Stripes newspaper - Robert H. Rheid | @ 27:25 "The Great Forgotten" Play - Karen & Kacie Devaney | @ 34:00 Speaking WWI: Pillbox | @ 39:25 Education Newsletter: Issue #12 | @ 41:05 WWI War Tech: Interrupter Gear | @ 42:05 Dispatch Newsletter: Headline Highlights | @ 44:30 The Centennial Buzz in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @ 47:05----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #68 - 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 our guests include: Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog. Mike updates us on the American Expeditionary Forces as their inexperienced officers struggle with the challenges of battle command. Dr. Edward Lengel with the story of the 2nd Division as they enter combat at Maizey Dave Fornell shares the experience of organizing the largest WW1 reenactment event in the country Robert H. Reid tells us about the Stars and Stripes and how it was revived for troop morale in WWI Kacie and Karen Devaney with, The Great Forgotten: A stage play about WW1 Nurses - Not just during the war but after and continuing through the roaring 20’s Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All this and 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 This week’s focus is on the War in The Sky. You’ll learn about some new action up there, the death of one of the most prominent aces of the era, new educational materials arriving this week for teachers about the WWI air war, and a story about the tech that kept pilots from shooting off their propellers as they engaged the enemy. But first… as we jump into our centennial time machine and go back 100 years this week - we are going to start -- not in the sky but with a mysterious story about the war on the seas and also Germany’s claims about the success of their u-boats! [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week It’s the middle of April 1918 and in the pages of the Official Bulletin, the government’s daily war gazette, published for President Wilson by George Creel, his propaganda chief -- this week we find articles of a missing ship - A big one ! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Monday April 15, 1918 The headline in the bulletin reads: Naval Collier Cyclops Overdue Since March 13 at Atlantic Port; Left West Indies. Personnel on Board Consisted of 15 Officers, 221 Men of Crew, and 57 Passengers - Searched for, by Radio and Ships, But No Trace is to Be Found. An the story reads: The U. S. S. Cyclops, a navy collier of 19,000 tons displacement, loaded with a cargo of manganese, is overdue at an Atlantic port. She last reported at one of the West Indian Islands on March 4, and since her departure from that port no trace of her nor any information concerning her has been obtained. Radio calls to the Cyclops from all possible points have been made and vessels sent to search for her along her probable route and areas in which she might be - all with no success. Weather Has Not Been Bad. A Collier is a Coal Carrier and The Cyclops is a massive one. She is 540 feet long and 65 feet wide. It is so big it is often referred to as a “floating coal mine,” The ship should have been docked in the waters off Baltimore after she was sent to Brazil to pick up a load of manganese. Now, manganese is pretty valuable stuff right now. It is a mineral of great strategic importance to the war and used in the production of both iron and steel. In fact the lack of this mineral is a major problem facing the German steel makers and iron makers and the Cyclops had just picked up a 12,000 ton load of it. Nothing from the ship will be found. No wreckage, oil slicks or debris. Not even a distress call. And speculation will rage throughout history, leading to wild theories involving everything from a mutiny and a secret sale to the Germans, sinking by U-boats near Puerto Rico and even giant skids dragging her under. The mystery of the USS Cyclop will span a century without resolution. There is also news this week about the war UNDER the sea [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Tuesday, APRIL 16, 1918 The headline in the NY Times reads: CREW OF U-85 HERE ARE PRISONERS - THIRTY-EIGHT GERMANS CAPTURED BY DESTROYER FANNING, TO BE INTERNED IN GEORGIA Captain Lieutenant Amberger, the German commander of the craft, which was sunk last november heads the party. And the story reads: Franklin D. Roosevelt acting Secretary of the Navy has given out tonight the names of the German prisoner of the submarine u-38. When the craft was wrecked by a depth bomb dropped by the Destroyer Fanning, on November 17 last, the crew of the Fanning picked up several life buoys which bore on one side the word "kaiser" and on the other the word "Got". The prisoners were taken to an English port and turned over to British authorities. By agreement between the British, the US Navy and the US Army the prisoners are being taken to Camp McPherson near Atlanta Georgia. Meanwhile another article this week presents the claims of the German Commander of the Navy that U-boats are winning the war on the sea. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Amsterdam - April 18, 1918 A headline in the NY Times reads: CAPELLE ASSERTS U-BOATS IS WINNING Tells Reichstag Three to Six times as Many Ships Are Sunk as Are Built. AMERICAN DESTROYERS FAIL CONVOYS ALSO A FAILURE And the story reads: Vice Admiral Von Capelle, German Minister of the Navy, discussing submarine warefare before the main Committee of the Reichstag delcared that the new U-Boat construction exceeded the losses and that the effectiveness of the submarines had increased. The Minister declared that the American Destroyers, "Which had been so much talked about" had failed in their objective. Admiral von Capelle described as a base lie the statement made by Sir Eric Geddes, First lord of the British admiralty, that German U-boat crews were unwilling to put to sea and that claims by British statesmen that there had been extraordinarily big losses of U-boats were grealy exagerated. Claims of fake news from the war on the seas 100 years ago this week! USS Cyclops and UBoat News https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/16/102690731.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/15/98261516.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/16/102690586.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/18/98262008.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/19/102691763.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/19/102691804.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/19/102691823.pdf https://timesmachinenytimes.com/svc/tmach/v1/refer?pdf=true&res=9806E4DE1F3FE433A25754C1A9629C946996D6CF Contemporary Cyclops news: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/14/more-than-100-years-later-great-mystery-vanished-uss-cyclops-remains-unsolved.html http://www.navyhistory.org/2013/06/unanswered-loss-uss-cyclops-march-1918/ http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-uss-cyclops-20180312-story.html Fighting in France: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/15/98261538.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/15/98261525.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/16/102690556.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/16/102690562.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/17/102691147.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/17/102691155.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/18/98261912.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/18/98261915.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/18/98261916.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/19/102691733.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/19/102691736.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/20/102692321.pdf [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project Now moving to the story on land and in the trenches and fields of the western front, It is time for Mike Shuster -- former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: Your post last week ended on a note of the American troops moving to the front and Ed Lengel followed with the hard lessons the Yankee division received as they engaged in Seicheprey. This week, you continue with the incredible challenges the Americans face - not from the courage or spirit of the fighting men, but from the lack of experience of the American field commanders - few of whom have had any actual battle command and they are facing the desperate fierceness of the enemy. What is the next chapter of the story Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The links to Mike Shuster’s Great War Project blog are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/04/15/more-americans-reach-the-battlefieldunprepared/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Welcome to our segment - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. This week, Ed introduces us to the 2nd Division - a mix of army and Marine brigades, interesting leadership, and a destiny to play key roles in the upcoming battles of the war. These are army soldiers and marines learning to fight an enemy determined to understand them, devastate them and destroy them… but this time the doughboys turn the tables.. Of course we, the audience, already know the outcome of the war. The American eventually figure it out and prevail… but the lessons continue to hurt! [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/2nd-division-goes-army-first-combat-maizey-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ War in the Sky Ok… Now we are moving to the War in the Sky -- it’s mid-April of 1918 and America’s newly minted US Army Air Corps has joined the fighting front above the trenches. This week - 100 years ago -- Two U.S. Army Air corps pilots of the First Aero Squadron shoot down two enemy German planes over the Allied Squadron Aerodome in France. The encounter as lightning fast; just six minutes after the front line signaled that German airplanes were crossing the American trenches and heading towards the aerodome, Lieutenant A.S. Winslow of Chicago and Lieutenant Douglas Campbell of California had brought two enemy aviators down. It was the first U.S. Army Air corps dogfight in history. One of the German planes was set on fire, and the other was knocked out but landed pretty much undamaged -- and their German pilots taken prisoner. Both American aviators eventually received the Croix de Guerre, and Lt. Campbell, went on to shoot down five enemy aircraft, making him the first U.S. flying ace. As the Americans rose to the challenge this week, the great Red Baron fell. On April 21st, German ace Manfred von Richthofen, a living legend called the "Red Baron" and "ace of aces," was shot down and killed in aerial combat. By the time of his death, he had accrued 80 victories. Credit for his kill was given at the time to Canadian Captain Roy Brown. During the fateful scrap, the Red Baron's cousin Lt. Wolfram von Richthofen was being fired upon when the Red Baron flew to his rescue and fired on the attacker, saving Wolfram's life. Richthofen pursued the enemy across the Somme where he was spotted and briefly attacked by a Camel piloted by Canadian Captain Roy Brown. At the time, it seems a single bullet hit Richthofen in the chest, causing a quick death. But-- who exactly killed the Red Baron is up for debate. Current evidence is that he was killed by ground fire from Australian troops -- but there are many theories. No matter who was the one to take him down, RIchthofen left behind a legacy of true aerial mastery and terror. His victory total will not be exceeded until June 1941. Link: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1918/04/14/American-flyers-down-pair/9481523634159/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen#Death https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015075629603;view=1up;seq=46 The Great War Channel For videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, check out our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. New episodes this week include: The Battle of La Lys -- Operation Georgette Stalin in WW1 -- Scottish Home Rule -- Out of the Trenches Storm of Steel -- Author and Officer Ernst Jünger See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Alright - 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! Remembering Veterans Midway Village Reenactment For Remembering Veterans -- We are going to do a follow up on the big reenactor event in Rockford Illinois we told you about a couple of weeks ago. The Midway Village Museum is a 137 acre living history park, and the host of the 6th annual Great War event, that featured over 225 re-enactors portraying soldiers and civilians from the United States and Europe. It’s the nation’s largest public WW1 re-enactment -- and a massive undertaking! If you were there - you had a blast - if you weren’t there - we will point you to great pictures and videos - AND… we have invited Dave Fornell, the reenactor coordinator for the event and member of the Illinois WWI Centennial Commission to tell us the story. Welcome, Dave! [greetings] [Dave -- there are three things I’d like to touch on today… The event and the experience of attending it -- Reenactors and the reenactor community at large And third - future plans] [Let’s start with the 6th Annual Great war event - how did it go! How many people showed up and what kind of comments did you get?] [So Dave - I am personally totally fascinated by the reenactor phenomena --- here is my chance to ask about it.. So…. you are a WWI reenactor - Why? ] [Are you only WWI? I mean… do reenactors specialize in a specific historical period? - or is it more of a chronic avocation - Are reenactors organized? By historical period or by regional area? And based on a conversation I had with Katherine about this - what about women in this community?] [Finally - are there plans for a 2019 Midway Village Great War event?] [goodbyes/thanks] Dave Fornell is the re-enactor coordinator for the Midway Village Museum WWI reenactment and a member of the Illinois WWI Centennial Commission. Learn more about the Commission and the Midway Village Museum at the links in the podcast notes. Links:http://www.midwayvillage.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/illinois-wwi-centennial-home.html Spotlight in the Media Stars and Stripes 100 years ago, in February 1918, a new weekly publication found its way into the hands of Doughboys now arriving in France in ever greater numbers: The Stars and Stripes newspaper. Although the classic periodical was originally produced by Union Soldiers in the Civil War, when they found an abandoned printing press - they only ran 6 one-page issues at the time. The publication was revived for World War 1, produced by an all-military staff and aimed directly at the doughboys of the American Expeditionary Forces. Stars and Stripes is filled with cartoons and articles by and for doughboys, making light of everything from living covered in lice in the trenches to struggling to communicate with their new “Francai” comrades. We reported on the relaunch in Episode #59 and ever since, we have been looking forward to the opportunity of inviting someone from the paper to come on the show and tell us more about it. So I am especially excited to welcome Robert H. Reid, senior managing editor of the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Robert - so nice to have you on the show! [welcome/greetings] [OK - first of all - Robert for our listeners - We need a context - could you briefly frame up what the Stars and stripes paper is? ] [When we saw in our research that the paper had re-emerged for the doughboys arriving in france --- we quickly started to read through issues - and what struck me immediately was the humor… tongue in cheek, irreverent, good natured, and wry -- How did that happen!? Was that planned or just what happened?] [Clearly the AEF decided they wanted this…. Do we know how the papers ROLE was framed by the command in 1918? Did it have a mission statement?] [Full disclosure - I grew up with the paper and the people who made it in post WWII Germany. We lived as Americans near frankfurt in the early 50’s and my mom wrote for the paper…. So here we are today in the THIRD generation of the paper’s life - What is the Stars and Stripes today?] [goodbyes/thank you] Robert Reid is the senior managing editor of Stars and Stripes. You can learn more about the paper, and see archival copies at the Library of Congress, by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.loc.gov/collections/stars-and-stripes/?sb=date https://www.stripes.com/ The Great Forgotten To wrap up Spotlight in the Media this week -- we’re turning the focus back onto the service of women in the war with the play The Great Forgotten. Set during WWI and through the Roaring Twenties, the play follows two sisters --- American nurses in France during WW1, and their adjustment to a whole new world after the end of the conflict. This segment actually kicks off a conversation that will become ever more important on the podcast… looking at the profound post-war experience in America With us to tell us about their original production are mother-daughter playwriting team Karen and Kacie Devaney. Welcome! [welcome/greetings} [Kacie -- the play was initially your idea, and you ended up getting your mother involved. Tell us about that? ] [Karen -- The two main characters embody the experience of so many women who served in the war -- Did you base the characters on real individuals?] [Back to you Kacie -- This is obviously a real passion project for you -- why do you think the stories of these women in, and after, WW1 matter so much?] [A quick one phrase answer from each of you… In a phrase - what was the biggest realization for you personally in doing this project?] [In closing - are you going to be performing the play again soon?] [goodbyes/thank you] Karen and Kacie Devaney are a mother daughter playwriting team. Learn more about their play The Great Forgotten by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/Thegreatforgotten/ https://twitter.com/KarinDevaney https://twitter.com/Kaciedevaney Speaking WW1 Now let’s head into our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- The war torn landscape of Belgium and the Western Front is often described as being nearly featureless-- mud, shell holes, stumps and a tangle of trenches. But one feature stood out -- and was a highly coveted tactical position. Low, grey structures dotting the muddy landscape-- the Germans began constructing these steel-reinforced concrete bunkers in order to enhance their defenses against British artillery on the Hindenburg Line. With walls and ceilings several feet thick, the bunkers could easily withstand all but the highest caliber shells, and were often obscured with debris to prevent detection. They were built most often in the Ypres salient, where a high rainfall and water table made trenches an near-impossibility. As the British and Commonwealth troops stared out at these little buildings in the moon like world of Flanders-- they noted their similarity to the small medicine boxes carried by civilians -- earning the structures the name of “pillbox” - which is our speaking world war I word this week. Nowadays, according to the Department of Defense - the word defines small, low fortified outpost that houses machine guns and anti-tank weapons… or that thing you carry your meds and vitamins in! Pillboxes -- created by the Germans, and named by the British-- and this week’s word for speaking WW1. Links:https://www.historyextra.com/period/first-world-war/10-first-world-war-slang-words-we-still-use-today/ https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/pillbox-fighting-in-the-ypres-salient https://www.militaryfactory.com/dictionary/military-terms-defined.asp?term_id=4092 [SOUND EFFECT] Education In Education news this week -- The latest WW1 education newsletter just came out! Issue #12 is “Air War and Weapons Technology” and features articles on the development of aerial warfare and the incredible technological boom that accompanied and supported it. This issue includes resources for teaching about the history of unmanned drones; the life and service of the only African American member of the Lafayette Escadrille, Eugene Bullard; the role of zeppelins in the war; and the changing military technology of the war. The newsletter is published by the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in partnership with the WW1 Centennial Commission. Go to our new education website at ww1cc.org/ e d u where you can sign up for the education newsletters and connect with the commission education program - or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/edu WW1 War Tech Interrupter Gear This week for WW1 War Tech -- we’re headed back into the Sky to take a look at a technological development that helped usher in the age of the aerial dogfighting. Early in the war, planes were used exclusively for observation -- but to get clear images of the enemy lines, you had to fly “low and slow” and in a fairly straight line, which left you pretty easy pickings if an enemy plane with a gun came along. This started an arms race in the sky as each side tried to outgun the other --- in order to protect their observation planes. The first attempt to mount a machine gun on an airplane, ended after the nose-heavy prototype crashed on its first experimental flight. Some guns were mounted and shot over the wings, and “pusher planes” with their props behind the pilot were developed, allowing for them to shoot ahead of themselves without hitting the blades of the propellers. Dutch aircraft designer Anthony Fokker came up with the ultimate answer for the Germans! His mechanism, referred to as the interrupter gear, connected the firing of the machine gun to the turning of the propeller, allowing the bullets to pass through the brief gaps in between the blades. Yet despite the tests on both the ground and the air proving his design worked, German generals remained skeptical. They demanded that Fokker fly into the air and shoot down an enemy plane himself. He did as he was told, and although a French plane soon came within his sights, he found himself unable to pull the trigger. Fokker returned to Douai flying field to vocalize his refusal, demanding that someone else test the plane instead. And so the famous Lieutenant Oswald Boelcke was the first pilot to successfully use the interrupter gear, making his first kill on August 1, 1915. German planes would continue to dominate the skies, a phenomenon known as the ‘Fokker Scourge’, until mid-1916. The interrupter gear-- a technological marvel that brought air combat into the future-- and the subject of this week’s WW1 War Tech. We have put links in the podcast notes to learn more including a link a video from the YoutUbe channel The Slow Mo Guys where you can watch an interrupter gear operate in very, very slow motion. Links: http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/earlyfighters.htm http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/deflectorgear.htm http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/fokker.htm https://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1369.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysB-SH19WRQ Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- we are going to continue with the idea we launched last week of highlighting the features of the weekly dispatch newsletter. So here we go. [DING] VMI and VA Commission present WWI Commemorative Symposium April 27th Conference attendees will hear from national and regional experts, who will explore the political and military leadership of World War I, the experiences of the soldiers and generals on the front, and the role that Virginians played in the Great War. . [DING] Treasure trove of Army Major Amos J. Peaslee and the first Diplomatic Courier Service Major Peaslee’s led the first ever Diplomatic Courier Service during WW1 -- and now his personal documents and artifacts related to the Diplomatic Courier Service, including a personal engraved copy of the Treaty of Versailles, are on their way to the State Department. [DING] "until very recently, we had forgotten a tremendously important aspect of the U.S. experience that eventually changed this country forever." Read the essay by scholar Keith Gandel as he explores the literature of WW1 -- and what we can learn from it today. [DING] Very small ships make very large impact Read about the U.S. Navy Submarine Chasers in WWI -- on the cutting edge of anti-submarine warfare. [DING] Robert Frost: A poet for whom life and war were trials by existence The WWrite blog this week focuses on the iconic American poet Robert Frost and his insight into connections between war and the human condition. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official Centennial Merchandise store - Lest We Forget: The Great War is available through our store. The book features nearly 350 high-quality images, an introduction by Sir Hew Strachan and text by historian Michael W. Robbins. Importantly, when you get this visual remembrance of the "War that Changed The World" - a full ½ of the proceeds go to building the Memorial! Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch newsletter at ww1cc.org/subscribe check the archive at ww1cc.org/dispatch 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? Famous Fighters, the Friends of Jenny and Barbara Bush Hi Theo -- Last week we talked a lot about the Liberty Loans-- and during the third loan drive, celebrities were drafted to help hype the program as they traveled across the country, including the movie stars Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin. But they aren’t the only darlings of the silver screen that helped the war effort -- and this week on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ww1centennial-- we shared photographs and draft registrations cards of two other familiar faces. Buster Keaton, known to the army by his given name, Joseph, was assigned to the 40th Division, 159th Infantry-- a division that did not wholly see battle but did serve on the Western Front. There’s also Walt Disney-- who was just 16 years old when he joined the American Red Cross and arrived in France as a paramedic, serving near Neufchateau. You can see photos of them by following the links in the podcast notes. Two more nods from the Buzz-- this week, the Friends of Jenny, a historical aviation restoration group, shared an album of images updating us on the progress of one of their major restoration projects -- their Curtiss Jenny rebuild is receiving its new engine! Check it out at the link in the notes, and follow their facebook page as the project continues to pick up speed. Finally this week, the nation was sad to hear of the passing of former First Lady, Barbara Bush. But you may not know that she was the daughter of a World War One Veteran-- her father, Marvin Pierce, enlisted in the US Army Reserves in 1918, was promoted to Lieutenant and served as an Engineering Corps officer in France from September 1918 to May 1919. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and you can read more about her long and storied life at the links in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.facebook.com/lesamericainsdegondrecourt/posts/590840027940871 https://www.facebook.com/DedicatedDoughboy/posts/1047277248744614 https://www.facebook.com/friendsofjenny/posts/819085468278037 https://www.stripes.com/news/us/former-first-lady-barbara-bush-dies-at-age-92-1.522583 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/17/opinion/barbara-bush-a-first-lady-without-apologies.html Outro And that is our episode this third week of April. Thank you for listening to WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Dave Fornell, re-enactor coordinator and member of the Illinois WWI Centennial Commission. Robert H. Reid, senior managing editor of the Stars and Stripes newspaper Karen and Kacie Devaney, playwrights Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and the line producer for the podcast Many thanks to the newest member of our team - Mac Nelsen our sound editor--- a shout out to our researchers John Morreale and Eric Marr... 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; 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 Or search WW1 Centennial News on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “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] Legend of Snoopy and the Red Baron From all of us and Snoopy - So long!
Highlights Financing WWI - Reaching for the stars | 01:55 The 369th hits the front lines | 08:30 The British Struggle continues - Mike Shuster | 10:40 The Yankee Division learns at seicheprey - Dr. Edward Lengel | 15:10 A century In the Making - The maquettes get busy | 21:00 “Lest We forget: The Great War” - Kenneth Clarke & Michael Robbins | 25:05 How to teach about WWI - Dr. Ian Isherwood | 32:30 Speaking WWI - Pilates | 38:25 100 Cities / 100 Memorial in Jackson, TN - Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls | 40:25 WWI War Tech - Carrel-Dakin Antiseptic | 45:55 The Weekly Dispatch Newsletter overview | 47:50 The Centennial In Social Media - Katherine Akey | 50:25----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #67 - 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 our guests include: Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog updates us on what the UK Forces are up against both on the front and in recruitment Dr. Edward Lengel with the story of the US Yankee Division as they enter serious battle. Kenneth Clarke and Michael Robbins introduce a pictorial book, a perfect souvenir of the centennial from the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the US WW1 Centennial Commission - Lest We Forget: The Great War Dr. Ian Isherwood shares his experience in creating a WW1 educational programme structured around a soldier’s letters Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, the project instigator for the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project from Jackson, Tennessee and the local research the project spawned Katherine Akey keeps us in Tennessee with a social media post about a great commemoration event. All this and 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 Just one year after the declaration of war, 100 years ago, it is time for the third Liberty Loan drive to raise money to pay for the war effort. Let me put the Liberty Loan drive into perspective for you. In early 20th century thinking, Woodrow Wilson’s government was completely clear that the war would be financed by money raised specifically for it. And a majority of that money was to come from the American People - ordinary citizens. By contrast, today in our late 20th /early 21st century, money for our wars and military expenditures are financed from a big boiling cauldron called the national debt. Today the average American Citizen feel little or no real connection with or responsibility for our military expenditures. Not so in 1917 and 1918. In those two years, during four Bond drives, twenty million individuals purchase Liberty War bonds. 20 million investors is pretty impressive given that there were only twenty-four million households in America at the time. More than 17 billion dollars are raised. In addition, taxes are collected to the sum of 8.8 billion dollars… in short, $26 billion dollars is gathered to finance the fight in WWI. Now that’s in 1918 dollars. Today that equates to nearly ½ a TRILLION dollars raised in bonds, largely from citizen, specifically for a purpose. With that as background, let’s jump into our centennial time machine a take a look at the national fundraising effort and a whole lot more 100 years ago this week in the war that changed the world. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week On April 6th 1918 - President Wilson makes a speech to launch the third Liberty Bond Campaign. Here is his declaration as reported in the pages of the Official Bulletin - The government’s war Gazette published by Wilson’s propaganda chief George Creel. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1918 The headline Reads: The President delivered the following address at Baltimore to-night on the occasion of the opening of the Third Liberty Loan Campaign: “Fellow Citizens: This is the anniversary of our acceptance of Germany's challenge to fight for our right to live and be free, and for the sacred rights of free men everywhere. The Nation is awake. There is no need to call to it. We know what the war must cost, our utmost sacrifice, the lives of our fittest men and, if need be, all that we possess. The loan we are met to discuss is one of the least parts of what we are called upon to give and to do, though in itself imperative. The people of the whole country are alive to the necessity of it, and are ready to lend to the utmost, even where it involves a sharp skimping and daily sacrifice to lend out of meagre earnings. They will look with reprobation and contempt upon those who can and will not, upon those who demand a higher rate of interest, upon those who think of it as a mere com-. mercial transaction. I have not come, therefore, to urge the loan. I have come only to give you, if I can, a more vivid conception of what it is for.” The president goes on to explain the situation on the ground in europe and the dire need for America as a nation to take a stand, take a lead and defend all that the nation holds dear. And so kicks off the third Liberty bond campaign. A few days later the Official Bulletin reports on the Cabinet’s Liberty Bond appeal Dateline: TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 1918 The Headline reads: CABINET MEMBERS APPEAL TO ALL TRUE AMERICANS TO SUPPORT WITH THEIR DOLLARS OUR GALLANT FIGHTERS IN THE FIELD; BUY LIBERTY BONDS, THEY ASK, IN PROOF OF YOUR PATRIOTISM The article goes on with a number of cabinet members presenting their appeal of the importance and patriotic imperative for buying bond.. But my favorite part comes at the end of the full page article with a subheadline of: [SOUND EFFECT] WHAT LIBERTY BONDS WILL BUY. The article reads: Eighteen thousand dollars invested- in Liberty bonds will equip an infantry battalion with rifles. Fifty thousand dollars will construct a base hospital with 500 beds, or equip an infantry brigade with pistols. One hundred thousand dollars will buy five combat airplanes, or pistols, rifles. and half a million rounds of ammunition for an infantry regiment. Just like today - contributors to a cause want to know exactly what their contribution is buying! These guys know exactly what they are are doing! In another smart move, presumably pulled off by George Creel - the campaign cleverly recruits four of the most popular movie stars of the day and puts them on the road to help raise money. The headline reads: LIBERTY LOAN SPEAKING TOURS FOR FOUR MOTION PICTURE STARS And the story opens with: Today we are announcing The itineraries of Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Marguerite Clark for their speaking tours during the forthcoming Liberty loan campaign! And the article continues with the schedule of appearances by the stars. Then on Saturday April 13th 1918, just one week after launching the campaign, the headline in the official bulletin reads TOTAL SALES OF LIBERTY BONDS AS REPORTED TO THE TREASURY, PASS THE HALF BILLION MARK AS SCORES OF TOWNS EXCEED QUOTAS It’s a big week on the home front - raising money 100 years ago, for America’s participation in a war that changed the world! Links: https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/liberty_bonds http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/2381-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-4-may-14-1917.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/2497-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-31-june-15-1917.html https://muse.jhu.edu/article/639845 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/2850-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-121-october-1-1917.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/04/102979322.pdf Liberty Loan articles from Times: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/04/102979322.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/04/102979339.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/05/102687136.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/06/102687648.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/12/98261150.pdf Americans needed by allies as action on front continues. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/02/102685967.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/08/317376142.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/10/102690083.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/12/98261154.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/01/102685527.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/02/102685966.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/03/102686544.pdf And it is also a very big week on the fighting front! Here is a story that is not covered in the government press - and doesn’t really pop up in the popular press either - But 100 years ago this week, The 369th US Infantry Regiment goes to the front lines to fight --- but with the French! - on April 8th 1918 the 369th is amalgamated into French Army. But wait a minute….. - Didn’t General Pershing insist on keeping the American Expeditionary Forces together as a distinct American fighting force. Well yea - he did - but Pershing’s insistence on keeping all American forces together didn’t extend to the black troops in the segregated US Army. Among them were the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, redesignated the 369th Infantry Regiment but better known as the Harlem Rattler or the Harlem Hellfighters. Now Pershing presumably didn’t have any problems with black soldiers per se, but the question of how to use black troops in the front lines, where they’d have to rely on the full cooperation of white units on either side, was really gnarly. The online blog “today in World War 1, posted a quote from Hamilton Fish - a New Yorker, who served as one of the regiment’s white officers: Quote: The French were crying out for U.S. regiments to go into the French Army. So I guess Pershing figured he could kill two birds with one stone–solve the problem on what to do with us and give something to Foch. From then on we spent our entire service in the French Army. Oh officially we were still the 369th U.S. Infantry, but to all intent and purposes we were francais. The post goes on with a quote from Noble Sissle, who served in the regiment’s famous band: We were fully equipped with French rifles and French helmets. Our wagons, our rations, our machine guns and everything pertaining to the equipment of the regiment for trench warfare was supplied by the French Army. The 369th went on to serve with great distinction spending more time on the front line that any other US forces… with a fierceness and bravery that never gave ground to the enemy. A proud combat service started 100 years ago this week, in the war the changed the world... http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/172746986523/369th-us-infantry-regiment-begins-front-line [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project Continuing to explore the story on the front, we are going to go to Mike Shuster former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: Your post this week speaks to what can only be thought of as moment of total desperation for the British lines… It has just been exactly two years since they brutally put down Ireland’s Easter Uprising - Now they are trying to conscript them - They are not having much luck drafting more Canadian either - General Haig puts out his out his inspirational “Backs To The Wall” Order - and at this very moment of do or die - Well… you story this week closes on a note of hope. Fill it in for us Mike… [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/04/08/allies-face-resistance-in-own-ranks/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 And one last story from the front for our segment - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. As Mike indicated, this is the time when the American infantry does arrive on the front… The boys are fresh, healthy and eager when compared to their battle weary allies. They’re also green. The Germans want to -- Maybe they NEED TO discredit them. The school of combat is now is session for the Americans. And the lessons begin 100 years ago this week in Seicheprey - lessons for all sides. And Ed is here to tell you the story: [Ed Lengel] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/combat-seicheprey-yankee-division-100-years-ago/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ The Great War Channel For videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, check out our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. New episodes this week include: Operation Michael Runs out of Breath France before WW1 -- La belle epoque? See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Alright - 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! A Century in the Making The Maquette and it’s Travels We have an update for our segment: A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. As our regular listeners know, we are building a national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in the nation’s capital. It’s a big project. And It’s been a long time coming. We spoke with sculptor Sabin Howard back in episodes #54 and #55 about a new process. Sabin combined advanced 3D printing technology at the WETA Workshop in New Zealand with traditional classic sculpture techniques to create a 10’ miniature draft the sculptural centerpiece for the memorial. The result is called a maquette. We made two of them to show America and to help us raise money for this strictly publicly funded memorial. One maquette was on display at the Visitor's Center in the Tennessee Bicentennial Mall, in downtown Nashville --- right in front of the state capital. It was quite a hit at the Tennessee Great War Commission's event this last Saturday, where it was featured as part of the presentation from Terry Hamby - the WW1 Centennial Commission Chairman. Both Maquettes are being prepped for a busy schedule of showings at special events and fundraisers around the country. We will keep you updated as the schedule evolves… Katherine - You went to a fundraiser on wednesday and got your first look at the sculpture that is called “A soldier’s Journey” - what was your first reaction? [Katherine’s reaction to seeing the Maquette] Learn more about the memorial and follow the incredible journey of a project that has been a century in the making - Go to ww1cc.org/memorial or follow the link in the podcast notes Link:http://ww1cc.org/memorial Remembering Veterans Lest We Forget: Book and Exhibition And while we are speaking about the Memorial - we have a brand new way for you to help build America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC and at the same time, get yourself a very special, colorful, inspiring and lasting souvenir of the centennial! This week marks the release of a new visual pictorial table book called “Lest We Forget: The Great War” - The book is dedicated to the centennial and produced by The Pritzker Military Museum and Library along with the WW1 Centennial commission - When you get this visual remembrance - a full ½ of the proceeds go building the Memorial! With us to tell us more about “Lest We Forget” which also has a companion exhibit in Chicago at the Pritzker - are Kenneth Clarke, Former President and CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, and Michael Robbins, historian. Ken was the executive and creative director for the book and exhibition and Michael was writer for the text. Welcome, Gentlemen! [greetings/welcome] [Ken, can you give us an overview of the project and the concept?] [Insert questions if it fits] Ken there are nearly 350 images in this book -- how did you select them?] [Michael -- you were the writer on the project - What story are you telling and how do the words and the pictures interact?] [Ken -- Sir Hugh Strachan (STRAWN) - who has been on the show - did an introduction for the book. What was his emphasis?] [Ken -- In closing - Who is this book for?] The book is available in bookstores nationwide, but the easiest place to get it is in the commission’s Merchandise shop. Look under Commemorate at ww1cc.org and we have link to the commission's shop in the podcast notes .. Thank you both for coming on the podcast and introducing us to this beautiful “must get” souvenir of the Centennial! [goodbyes/thank you] Kenneth Clarke and Michael Robbins the creative director and writer for the Lest We Forget: The Great War - available through the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/merchandise-gifts-awards?product_id=188 https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/store/pmml-merchandise/lest-we-forget-michael-robbins/ https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/video-rucksack/lest-we-forget-exhibit-opening-remarks/ Education Teaching WWI - A great approach Now for our Education segment -- A story of a teacher and his approach to teaching WWI! Collections of soldier’s letters and diaries from the war continue to be discovered and rediscovered one hundred years after they were first written. As we have learned from a number of museum curators, they offer an amazing opportunity to help understand this event in history as they bring in a first person point of view. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Ian Isherwood, Visiting Assistant Professor at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania who is doing exactly that. Welcome, Dr. Isherwood! [greetings/welcome] [Dr. Isherwood-- you’ve been using Wartime letters from Lieutenant Colonel Jack Peirs, a British Soldier as the foundation for teaching history to your students. For context, can you tell us briefly about the soldier, and how you came across his letters?] [Did you build up a following? ] [At the commission we are really interested in the techniques for teaching this subject - What advice do you have for others who may want to undertake an educational programme like this?] [Would this work for younger student educators?] [we've found that the first person POV gives you insight you cant get from just plain facts... do you find that to be true?] [You’re also personally working on a new, upcoming book -- can you tell us a little about it?] [goodbyes/thank you] Dr. Ian Isherwood is a Visiting Assistant Professor and the Chairperson of Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We put links for his Jack Peirs website and twitter accounts in the podcast notes. links:http://www.gettysburg.edu/academics/history/research/jackpiers.dot https://twitter.com/jackpeirs http://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=ghj http://jackpeirs.org/ https://www.instagram.com/jackpeirs/?hl=en Speaking WW1 Now let’s head into our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- It’s a health fad with real benefits, a gym class pretty much anyone can benefit from -- It’s very popular -- It’s very Hep -- and I’ll bet you had no idea it was from WWI - No.. not Zoomba Nope… Not kickboxing... Uh uh definitely NOT P90X… It’s our Speaking WWI word this week - Pilates! Pilates is named for its inventor, Joseph Hubertus Pilates, who created it in Great Britain during WW1. Pilates, Interestingly was born a German citizen. He was a frail and sickly child who took to exercise for both his health and self-defense against bullies. He eventually grew into an accomplished boxer and martial artist, and traveled to England in 1912 to find work, picking up a job as a circus performer. When the war broke out, he was arrested as an enemy alien and interned on the Isle of Man. It was there that he came up with his method of mental and physical exertion, which he called “Contrology”, as a way to encourage his fellow inmates to stay healthy. Many prisoners were bedridden, and so Pilates invented a makeshift resistance-training machine out of springs and straps taken from the beds and attached to the foot and headboards. This use of resistance loads would later become a staple of the Pilates method. After the end of the war, Pilates emigrated to the US and settled in New York, where he and his wife, Clara, founded the first Body Contrology Studio in 1925. And of course that was the foundation for the trendy “new” exercise method -- known far and wide as Pilates. Pilates -- created by a German citizen prisoner in wartime -- and this week’s word for speaking WW1. Links:http://online.wsj.com/ww1/pilates [SOUND EFFECT] 100 Cities 100 Memorials World War I Memorial Fountain - Jackson, TN This week for our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment --- the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials --- It looks like this is Tennessee week - because We are going to profile the World War I Memorial Fountain project from Madison County in Jackson, Tennessee. With us tell us about the project is Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, the Tom Elam Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Tennessee at Martin, and member of the Tennessee Great War Commission. Welcome Dr. Carls! [greetings] [Dr. Carls - your WWI Memorial honors both the women on the homefront in Tennessee and the men on the fighting front in France. That’s a really interesting approach… could you tell us more about that?] [It is very unique for a WWI memorial to honor both the homefront and the warefront. [Your project has a large research and community historical society component to it could you tell us about that?] [Have you been promoting the project locally? What has the community response been?] [MAYBE QUESTION: The memorial was designed as a fountain - but has been dry for a long time - I know in your grant application you hadn’t yet decided if you were going to get the fountain replumed - I have worked with water features before - It’s very tricky. Where is that idea at now?] [Are you planning a rededication this year?] Dr. Carls - thank you for leading this project on behalf of your community and on behalf of the men and women of your county who served both here and abroad in WWI [goodbyes/thank you] Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, Professor of History at the University of Tennessee, and a member of the Tennessee Great War Commission. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program and about West Tennessee in WW1 by following the links in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities http://www.utm.edu/worldwars/ [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Carrel-Dakin Method This week for WW1 War Tech -- another technology that saved lives instead of taking them. In the early months of the war, amputations for wounded soldiers were at the same high levels as those of the civil war. In other words - very high! But by late 1915 that rate dropped dramatically! So, what happened? Well… That year, a French physician, Théodore Tuffier, testified to the Academy of Medicine that 70% of amputations weren’t because of the initial injury, but because of a later infection. As we have mentioned on the podcast before the mud-filled and deeply unsanitary conditions of trench warfare were a happy home for the bacteria that cause Gangrene. The antiseptics of the 19th century were inadequate. But two men: French doctor Alexis Carrel and British biochemist Henry Dakin came together under the cloud of war to combine their two discoveries to create one very effective method of disinfecting wounds. Dakin created a solution of sodium hypochlorite that managed to kill any bacteria in a wound, but didn’t damage the flesh surrounding it. Meanwhile Dr. Carrel developed a strategy of opening and thoroughly draining wounds. Put together, the Carrel-Dakin method proved the most effective antiseptic treatment to that date, and the procedure quickly spread into use all across Europe, saving an untold number of limbs from amputation. The Carrel-Dakin method-- an incredible leap forward in the treatment of field wounds -- and the subject of this week’s WW1 War Tech. We have put links in the podcast notes to learn more including a link to the commission’s website on medicine in WWI at ww1cc.org/medicine Link: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/world-war-i-medicine/517656/ https://www.rtbf.be/ww1/topics/detail_the-carrel-dakin-method?id=8356084 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/injuries-in-world-war-i.html Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- we are going to continue with the idea we launched last week of highlighting the features of the weekly dispatch newsletter. So here we go. [DING] Final fifty “WWI Centennial Memorials” announced in wrap-up of competition phase of 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Also learn about -- the Memorial Hunters Club, a crowd-sourced effort to create a comprehensive national register of WWI memorials. [DING] "The film needed really really brilliant nuanced, convincing performances" The interview from this podcast with director Saul Dibb, about the motion picture a Journey’s End - now in wide release - has been turned into a print article on the website. [DING] "It was a sad but poignant tale." Two lifelong friends, Now octogenarians , have produced a documentary film about one of their uncle’s service in WW. [DING] Pennsylvania oil and World War I Remember how important coal was during WW1? Supplement that knowledge by reading about the role of Pennsylvania Oil during the war. [DING] 'Over Here' in Michigan, High School Athletes Gave to World War I Effort Michigan’s high school athletes helped fill the labor shortage created as millions of men shipped overseas. [DING] Break of Day - Poet Isaac Rosenberg The WWrite blog features the WWI poetry of British soldier, Isaac Rosenberg, who died on Easter Sunday, 1918 - and who was also mentioned by Mike Shuster in last week’s podcast. [DING] The story of Donald Chapman This week’s featured Story of Service submitted by his grand niece Tish Wells [DING] Official WWI Centennial Merchandise Finally, this week’s selection from our Official on line Centennial Merchandise store - an authentic classic green US Army woolen blanket from woolrich inc. the oldest continuously operating woolen mill in the US and suppliers of army blankets 100 years ago. Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch newsletter at ww1cc.org/subscribe check the archive at ww1cc.org/dispatch 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? Tennessee Living History and WW1 Literature Hi Theo -- As we commemorate 101 years since joining the First World War -- incredible events are beginning to take place across the country to remember those who served. Over the last weekend, Tennessee held a massive living history event in Nashville -- the very event that the Maquette recently appeared at! The Tennessee State Park System hosted the event, which included reproduction trenches, encampments and field kitchens, WW1 era aircraft and many reenactors -- including Suffragettes and Salvation Army doughnut lassies handing out freshly made treats. There was also a large group of reenactors representing the African American troops of Tennessee -- wearing the iconic French Adrian Helmet that was distributed to the troops amalgamated with French units -- and the whole weekend event was capped off with a period baseball game. We shared an article as well as an album of photos from the event on Facebook this week -- you can find links to those in the podcast notes. Lastly for the week -- we shared an article that instigated some spirited debate on our facebook page: a list of what the author considers 13 essential books on the American Expeditionary Forces. The list is a great starting place for anyone wanting to delve deeper into this chapter in American history -- but be sure to check the link to the facebook post to see all the recommendations made by our community -- there were many! That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://ebonydoughboys.org/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/tennesseephotographs/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2123040067916331 https://www.newschannel5.com/news/wwi-soldiers-honored-in-100th-anniversary-event https://taskandpurpose.com/american-expeditionary-force-books/ https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/posts/956863547822277 Outro And that is the second week of April for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Ken Clarke -- and Michael Robbins creative director and writer for the new souvenir of the Centennial book - Lest we Forget Dr. Ian Isherwood, historian and WWI educator Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, WWI Researcher and member of the Tennessee Great War Commission Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and the line producer for the podcast Many thanks to the newest member of our team - Mac Nelsen our intrepid sound editor--- a shout out to our intern John Morreale for his great 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; 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 Or search WW1 Centennial News on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “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] Welcome to Beverly Hills Pilates - The newest trend in sophisticated exercise! NO it’s not --- It’s from WW1 So long!
Highlights April 1918 Preview Roundtable - Dr. Edward Lengel & Katherine Akey | @ 02:50 Spring Offensive on Easter - Mike Shuster | @ 14:50 War in The Sky - Pilots and PTSD - Mark Wilkins | @ 18:30 Basketball in WWI - Dr. Lindsay Krasnoff | @ 27:05 100 Cities / 100 Memorials - Round#2 awardees announced | @ 32:50 Speaking WWI - “over the top” | @ 36:05 WWI War Tech - The Paris Guns | @ 37:15 Dispatch 4/3/18 highlights | @ 39:20 Centennial Social Media - Katherine Akey | @ 41:00----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #66 - 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 April 6th, 2018. 101 years ago on April 6th 1917, the United States declares war on Germany which starts us on a path that will change our nation, our people our industry, and our position in the world forever. [clip from April 6th Event] On this one year anniversary: Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine Akey and I sit down for our April 1918 preview roundtable Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog updates us on the German Spring Offensive Mark Wilkins introduces us to WW1 pilots and PTSD Dr. Lindsay Krasnoff tells us about basketball in WW1 Katherine Akey brings a story from the WW1 commemoration in social media Plus a 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 Several months ago during a podcast editorial planning session for an upcoming month, it occurred to us that our planning roundtable might be something our audience would enjoy listening to… We tried it - you liked it - and now we do it! So here is the conversation Dr. Ed lengel, Katherine Akey and I had earlier this week… The question on the table was: “so what are the big stories and themes in April 1918… in the War the Changed the World? [MUSIC TRANSITION] World War One THEN Preview Roundtable: April 1918 Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine Akey, Theo Mayer [Closing Sting] Great War Project Next, we are going to go to Mike Shuster former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: Your post is a perfect introduction to the month of April as you dive right into the situation on the ground… for Easter Sunday, April 2nd 1918. What was happening on the front? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/04/01/german-offensive-stalls/ [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky PTSD and Flying in ww1 This week for the War in the Sky -- we’re turning inwards with a look at the psychological challenges for those “daring and do” warriors in the sky during World War 1. Joining us is Mark Wilkins, historian, writer, museum professional, and lecturer. Mark is the author of the recently published article in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space magazine called “The Dark Side of Glory: An early glimpse of PTSD in the letters of World War I aces.” Welcome, Mark! [greetings] [Mark -- To start with - how did you get the trove of letters you used for your research?] [How many letters did you go through to start your research?] [OK.. In WWI malady was equated with physical issues, but your article deals with the psychological stresses of the pilot’s experience. Just a year prior they were executing trench soldier with shell shock on charges of cowardice. How did that play out for the pilots?] [Look - the stress for these aces makes a lot of sense… To be an Ace you need to fly a lot of missions. The mortality rate of your buddies is off the charts… and unlike foot soldiers - you don’t have the courage of the guys on your left and right to bolster you.. This is a white knuckle, cold sweat, daily solo experience… sounds like traumatic stress is inevitable.. How common was this?] [What did the men - and what did the command do about this? ] [So after immersing yourself in this aspect of the war in the sky - what is your biggest take away?] [We just had a great question come in from our live audience - Frank Krone wants to know: Did Richthoven - Germany’s Red Baron appear to suffer from PTSD] [You have an upcoming book -- tell us about it -- When is it coming out?] [Before we wrap up - last December we had filmmaker Darroch Greer on the show about his upcoming The Lafayette Escadrille documentary. Was is your involvement with the project?] [thanks/goodbyes] Mark Wilkins is a historian, writer, museum professional, and historical aeronautics expert. You can read his article in the Air Space Magazine, and learn more about his work from the links in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/world-war-i-pilot-ptsd-180967710/#0VKtyZX7JLXCy3JU.01 http://thelafayetteescadrille.org/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4084-four-questions-for-mark-wilkins.html The Great War Channel For videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, check out our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. New episodes this week include: German Armoured Cars in WW1 The Neutral Ally - Norway in WW1 See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW Alright - 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! Remembering Veterans Re-enactment For Remembering Veterans -- a small village hosts a big event this weekend! The Midway Village Museum is a 137 acre living history park located near Rockford, Illinois. This weekend, the Victorian village will host the 6th annual Great War event, featuring over 225 re-enactors portraying soldiers and civilians from the United States and Europe. Visitors will have the opportunity to enter encampments, tour a reproduction 150 yard trench system, and watch large-scale narrated battle reenactments. It is the nation’s largest public World War One reenactment -- and we’ll get to speak with some of the event’s organizers right here on the podcast in a couple of weeks to hear how it went. For now, especially if you are in the region - visit the link in the podcast notes for a full list of scheduled events at Midway Village Museum near rockford Illinois . Link: http://www.midwayvillage.com/ Basketball in WW1 Also this week for remembering veterans -- something I did not know much about --- from the world of sports a century ago. Now, I’ve got clear images in my mind of baseball in the era - I also see leather helmets and pig skin warrior on the football grid-iron -- but today we’re going to be looking at another great American institution that - as it turns out - that made a big splash in France during the WWI -- basketball! To tell us about it, we’re joined by Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, a historian, sports writer, consultant, and author. Her website says: Historical Insights COMMUNICATING GLOBALLY -- Sports - Diplomacy & Storytelling Lindsay! Sounds like you fit right in here. Welcome to the podcast! [greetings] [Lindsay For our non-basketball experts - Like me - could you start us off with a brief history of basketball? When did it first develop, and how widespread was the sport in America circa 1918?] [Did the Americans bring hoops to France or were they already playing?] [If Doughboys and the YMCA helped reignite French interest in basketball, was it only in France that this occurred?] [You’re working on a new book about basketball in France -- how popular is the sport there now?] [goodbyes] Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff is a historian, sports writer, consultant, and author of several books. Learn more about her and her writing by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.lindsaysarahkrasnoff.com/ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739175095/The-Making-of-Les-Bleus-Sport-in-France-1958-2010# https://twitter.com/lempika7 100 Cities 100 Memorials Update on Round 2 For 100 Cities / 100 Memorials - Today on the anniversary of America’s declaration of war in 1917, the final 50 awardees have been announced. Here is a section from the press release: CHICAGO, IL, April 5 – On the eve of the 101st Anniversary of the United States entering World War 1, the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library announced today the final 50 WW1 Memorials to be awarded grants and honored with the official national designation as "WW1 Centennial Memorials". All 100 memorials, in all 100 cities have now been designated including such national landmarks as: Chicago’s "Soldier Field", LA’s "Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum", San Francisco’s “War Memorial Veterans Building and Opera House”, Honolulu’s "Natatorium" and Washington, D.C.’s “National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park”. In addition, many smaller local community projects are being recognized such as: Scranton Pennsylvania’s “Col. Frank Duffy Memorial Bridge and Park”, Cape May, New Jersey’s "Soldier and Sailors Monument", Ocean Springs, Mississippi’s "Emile Ladnier WWI Memorial," and North Carolina's NC State University “Memorial Belltower”, to name just a few. The newly-designated memorials are in 37 different states and each will receive a $2,000 matching grant, towards the restoration, conservation and maintenance of these local historical treasures. Here is John Schwan the Interim President and CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library from the livestream announcement. [insert clip] THEO: So this has been a nearly two year effort to get the 100 memorials designated… But this is not the end of the program - for example, we are going to continue to profile the project on the podcast, we are going to accelerate our Memorial Hunters program to identify and create a national register of WWI memorials around the nation. We are going to continue to encourage and support communities around the country to commemorate their local WWI heroes through their memorials that are all over America - many hidden in plain sight! As Dan Dayton, Executive Director of the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission noted in the press release: "I am impressed by the community involvement that has sprung from this project. By focusing on restoring these community treasures, local cities, veterans groups, historical society and citizens have come together to remember the community’s heritage - and that was really a key goal of the program." See a searchable listing of all 100 cities and memorials at ww1cc.org/100Memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link:www.ww1cc.org/100Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 Here is our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- When you encounter something that is exaggerated, major, melodramatic, big, HUGE -- ahhh maybe too much!? -- we sometimes describe it as being “over the top”. Which is our Speaking WW1 phrase this week. During WWI, as the soldiers sat in the muddy trenches in anxious anticipation… preparing to take the offensive… that dramatic moment when the whistles blew - and the men climbed up and over the berms of the trench, rushing out into no-man’s land facing the enemy, shells, gas and machine gun fire, well that was known as… you guessed it - “going over the top”. At the time it was a literal, physical description of what you did - but - appropriately remains in our lexicon today as something seriously radical. “Over the top” - something you might toss off lightly about someone or something - but a phrase with a very heavy history - and this week’s phrase for speaking WW1. Links:https://www.thoughtco.com/going-over-the-top-2361017 [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Paris Gun This week for WW1 War Tech -- we turn our attention back to late March and early April of 1918. Paris is under attack as behemoth canon shells -- some weighing as much as 230 pounds fall on the city, killing dozens, creating panic and initially confusing city officials. Where were the guns? The Paris Guns as they came to be known, were sitting 80 miles away, and were responsible. This German supergun was not meant for the battlefield. It was specifically designed to terrorize and demoralize civilian populations. It was so massive that it could only be moved around by rail.. It was created by extending a 380 mm naval gun barrel to a length of 112 feet. that and 550 Lbs of gunpowder gave the beasts their extreme firing range. Ed Lengel mentioned that en route to their target, the shells literally arced into earth’s stratosphere 24 miles up -- up there, there is almost no atmospheric drag - again increasing the range. The weapon began its assault on Paris late March in 1918, continuing periodically for over three months, until early August. The panic and fear that spread after the initial attacks was short lived and the terror weapon never proved to be much of a threat to French strategy or the population’s morale. Nevertheless, the Paris Guns proved to be a domestic propaganda hit in Germany, as the ability to strike the French capital directly did much to stem the public’s anxiety over the course of the war. The Paris Gun -- It was an engineering marvel -- and it was a terror weapon aimed at Parisians one hundred years ago-- and it is the subject of this week’s WW1 War Tech. Learn more, and see images of the mobile monsters, at the links in the notes. Link: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603152.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/30/102683655.pdf https://www.britannica.com/technology/Paris-Gun https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/paris_guns https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-hit-by-shells-from-new-german-gun Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- We are going to try something new this week. Many of the new posts are featured in our weekly Dispatch Newsletter… so we are going to give you the highlights from the Dispatch as an overview. [DING] A feature in Politico outlines how president Trump’s parade this year, which looks like it is going to fall on or near Veteran’s Day may have special WW1 meaning. It’s an interesting article and an interesting read. [DING] News about Sgt Stubby -- a follow up on the film’s recent premiere, a street fair honoring the pup in his hometown of Hartford, Connecticut, and a new Sgt Stubby statue planned in Middleton, Connecticut. [DING] Test yourself on your WW1 knowledge by taking a quiz from the National Archives, [DING] Check out a new illustrated battlefield travel guide. [DING] Read a bittersweet story about easter in 1918, [DING] A new exhibition highlights Anglo-American relations during the war -- on view in Bath, England. [DING] Doughboy MIA features Private Edwin C. Kitterman of New Middletown, Indiana [DING] and this week’s featured Story of Service is that of Private Wayne Minor, an Illinois native who was killed in action just three hours before armistice. Sign up for the Weekly Dispatch newsletter at ww1cc.org/subscribe check the archive at ww1cc.org/dispatch 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? New Jersey Ordinance Hi Theo -- A really interesting article popped up on Facebook this week about ordnance from WW1 that continues to surface and pose a threat -- but not in Europe, right here on the east coast of the United States! Listeners may be familiar with the Zone Rouge -- a 460 square mile area of France centered around Verdun that has been determined to be too physically and environmentally damaged for human habitation as a direct result of the Great War. There is even an entire department in France, the Département du Déminage or department of de-mining, that has been tasked with safely disposing of ordinance from the world wars. Since its establishment in 1946, more than 630 members of that force have been killed in the line of duty. We have no such force here in the US -- so when seven rifle grenades from WW1 were discovered recently on the coast of New Jersey, explosives experts had to be called in to safely dispose of the munitions. So, how did these grenades end up in New Jersey? It turns out, disposing of unneeded munitions by dumping them into the sea was a commonplace practice -- as recently as 1970. As a result, there are an estimated millions of tons of potentially explosive ordinance on the seafloor -- and every once in a while, some makes its way onto shore. Read more about the Zone Rouge and the intermittent discovery of World War weapons on American shores by visiting the links in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a19641774/a-century-after-wwi-the-weapons-of-old-wars-keep-turning-up-on-beaches/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/08/13/the-bombs-beneath-us-unexploded-ordnance-linger-long-after-wars-are-over/?utm_term=.924447a3268d https://www.nationalgeographic.org/news/red-zone/ Outro And that is the first week of April for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Mark Wilkins, historian, writer, museum professional, and lecturer Dr. Lindsay Krasnoff, historian, sports writer, consultant, and author Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast A shout out to our intern John Morreale for his great 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; 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 Or search WW1 Centennial News on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify or using your smart speaker.. Just say “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] You know ginormous canon that was shooting at Paris - well - man - that was really over the top! [Big boom] So long!
Highlights - Draftees Ship Out Update on the Spring Offensive - Mike Shuster | @02:25 America Emerges: The Draftees Ship Out - Edward Lengel | @06:20 Don’t send the boys “Dainties” by parcel post! | @11:40 Remembering Veterans: The Women’s Overseas Service League - Cathleen Cordova | @16:45 Updates from the States: Idaho Commission - K.C.Piccard and Frank Krone | @21:55 Spotlight in the Media: Sgt. Stubby Premiere | @27:35 100C/100M: Glen Carbon IL - Linda Sinco | @32:45 100C/100M: Appleton, WI - Alexander Schultz | @38:35 Speaking WW1: Tommy | @44:45 WW1 War Tech: The Little Curie | @46:20 The Dispatch Newsletter | @48:05 The Buzz - The Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @49:25----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #65 - 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 March 30th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Mike Shuster, from the great war project checking in on the progress of the German Spring Offensive - Operation Michael Dr. Edward Lengel with a story of New York City’s Doughboys as they set sail for Europe Cathleen Cordova shares the history of the Women’s Overseas Service League K.C.Piccard and Frank Krone are here to tell us about the Idaho WW1 Centennial Commission Linda Sinco shares the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project at Glen Carbon, Illinois Alexander Schultz with the 100 Cities/100 memorials project in Appleton, Wisconsin Katherine Akey with the WW1 commemoration in social media And that is our lineup of guest for 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 100 years ago this week, the fate and future, that would be determined by WWI hangs somewhat by a thread. In this episode, we want to give you a sense of what was happening on the ground in Europe, explore the push to get our troops across the Atlantic, and see how the war effort is affecting life and policy here stateside… A year after entering the fray - America is definitely in the thick of it! With that as a setup, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years to - to witness a crucial moment, in the War that Changed the World! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Great War Project We are going to open our look back 100 years ago this week, with Mike Shuster former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: Your post is a powerful update on the front line action, this last week of May, 1918. The Allies are trying desperately to cope with Germany’s “total commitment” onslaught - By the week’s-end it turns out that maybe the Kaiser’s claim of total victory, last week, may have been a bit premature. It’s not over yet. Looking forward to your report, Mike… Thank you Theo - This week the headline read…. [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/03/25/in-german-spring-offensive-crisis-on-both-sides/ America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 We are going to follow with America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed: As Mike just told us… getting our boys shipped out and on the ground in France is crucial… and your story this week focused on what that was like state -side… Many troops and individual soldiers that would play important roles in the upcoming battles are heading “over there”. What’s the story Ed: [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/one-hundred-years-ago-new-york-city-bids-farewell-doughboys/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ On the Homefront [SOUND EFFECT] On the homefront, there are a number of articles this week reflecting our conversation from Last week, with the Smithsonian National Postal Museum’s Lynn Heidelbaugh, about the massive amount of mail going out to the troops - especially parcel post - so much so - that the War department begins the week by expressing concern, and ends the week by listing a whole stack of items banned from being sent to our boys “Over There”. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Monday March 25, 1918 A Headline in the Official Bulletin Reads Parcel Post to France Being Crowded With the Dainties Purchasable There at Prices Lower Than the Cost Here And the story reads: What are you sending by parcel post to the boys in France? asks the department. If it is cookies, candies, or canned goods, bear in mind that the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces can purchase these things at the Y. M. C. A. recreation centers, or canteens in France, as cheaply as they can be had here. And the article goes on the make an economic argument not to send these items. Two days later [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Wednesday March 27, 1918 A Headline in the Official Bulletin Reads SHIPMENTS OF PARCELS TO SOLDIERS IN FRANCE TO BE LIMITED TO THOSE REQUESTED BY MEN The article goes on to explain: the postmasters throughout the country are instructed to receive no parcel-post shipments for delivery to members of the American Expeditionary Forces abroad unless the articles offered have been requested by the individual to whom they are to be shipped and approved by his regimental or higher commander. In the same issue another headline reads Prices at Which Our Soldiers in France May Purchase Those .Little Dainties You Are Sending Them by Mail And once again, the article details the price of razors, cigarettes, even malted milk balls. Although seemingly redundant - anyone interested in a great primary source on prices of basic item in 1918 - this article is a treaure trove of detail. You can access each issue of the Official Bulletin on the Commission’s website at ww1cc.org/bulletin - each issue is re-published on the centennial anniversary of its original publish date. This article is on Page 7 of the wednesday March 27th issue. The week continues with more cajoling about not sending our boys loving care packages from home, AND by the end of the week - the War Department gets unambiguous and definitive! Dateline: Saturday, March 30, 1918 A Headline in the Official Bulletin on Page 7 reads WAR DEPARTMENT STATEMENT ON SHIPMENT OF POST PARCELS TO U. S. SOLDIERS IN FRANCE The War Department has issued the following statement regarding the restrictions of the shipment of parcels to officers and soldiers in France. On account of the well-known shortage in shipping it is necessary' to limit shipments to France to things which are absolutely essential for the fighting efficiency of our forces in France. In other words, we must strip for action. It his been found that the shipments of parcels to individual officers and soldiers has assumed enormous proportions now averaging 250 tons a week, and by reason of their bulkiness displacing a great amount of important Army freight on commercial liners and transports. And that’s the end of Aunt Ethel's home-made cookies and Momma’s canned peaches for our doughboys in France 100 years ago this week in the war that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel As we have mentioned before, we are very happy that you listen to our audio podcast, but If you’d like to see videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, we suggest our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube, Hosted by Indy Neidell. New videos this week include: Conscientious Objectors -- Water -- Wastage German WW1 Prototype Tanks of 1918 Backs to the Wall -- All Eyes on Amiens See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! 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 part of the podcast isn’t about the past - it is about NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI! Remembering Veterans Women's Overseas Service League This week for remembering veterans and for our last article focused on Women’s History Month we want to introduce you to the Women’s Overseas Service League. As the name implies, the League was founded by American women who had served overseas during World War One. With us to help us understand the WOSL, their heritage, mission and constituency we are joined by Cathleen Cordova, the Past National President of the WOSL. Welcome Cathleen. [greetings] [Cathleen -- the Women’s Overseas Service League was formed in 1921, just after the war -- What prompted the formation? Who was it for?] [Would I consider the Women’s Overseas Service League a Veterans Service Organization? How does it differ?] [The league’s focus and mission has evolved over the years? What is the continuing legacy of WWI in within the League?] [Does the League have any specific WWI Centennial commemoration - or any heritage focused programs?] [goodbyes] Cathleen Cordova is the Past National President of the Women’s Overseas Service League. Learn more about the organization and their legacy of friendship and advocacy by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://wosl.org/history/ http://wosl.org/ Updates from the States Idaho Commission It’s time for our Updates from the States. This week we’re joined by K.C. Piccard, Commissioner for the Idaho World War 1 Centennial Commission, and Frank Krone, the commission’s co-founder. Welcome! [greetings] [Frank -- I don’t know very much about the Idaho Centennial Commission? Would you tell us about it - and how did it get started?] [K.C.--On the Podcast in February, we told our listeners quite a bit about the sinking of the Tuscania -- You and your Commission got deeply involved with a connected commemoration called Hands Across the Atlantic Project. Can you tell us about it? [Frank - any other plans or programs from Idaho you’d like to tell us about?] [goodbyes/thanks] K.C. Piccard and Franke Krone are with the Idaho World War 1 Centennial Commission. Learn more about the commission and their projects by visiting their website at the links in the podcast notes. links:http://idahoworldwar1centennial.org/ Spotlight in the Media Sgt Stubby Premiere: Follow up Earlier this week, here in Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of joining US WWI Centennial Commissioner Zoe Dunning, and the California WW1 Centennial commission Courtland Jindra and Bill Betten at the premiere of the Animated Feature film - Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero. I have been following the development of this movie for a long time, and of course we have had the film’s producer, writer, and director Richard Lanni and Associate producer Jordan Beck on the podcast over the past months, so I was really ready to see the actual the Sgt. Stubby movie. I loved it! And so did the 800 person audience at the premiere! Flat out - it’s a really good, class double A animated film that delivers a great movie experience for kids and grown up alike. You know, it’s really - I mean REALLY hard to create a sympathetic, animated animal character that is someone that you actually care about. Especially if that character has no voice. Everyone in the room fell in love with Stubby. I didn’t ask the grownups, but I did ask some of the 400 kids in the theater what they thought: [Kid’s comments] Sgt. Stubby - an American Hero - and a really great movie experience coming to a theater near you. Grab a friend, grab a kid, grab a grandparent and go see this really heartfelt and heartwarming movie. Oh yea - did I forget to mention - its based on a real story and its all about WWI. Sorry! Link: http://www.stubbymovie.com/ 100 Cities 100 Memorials Glen Carbon, IL 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. Next week, on Friday April 6th, we will be announcing the final 50 Awardees. Some very exciting memorials and project are among that group. Before that, this week, we are going to profile TWO projects from Round #1. They are very different and very much the same - the first is a deeply meaningful but humble project about a WWI memorial restoration from the Village of Glen Carbon Illinois, where a doughboy statue stands guard over the graves of two local WW1 veterans. With us tell us about the project is Linda Sinco, Museum Coordinator of the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum. Welcome Linda! [greetings] [Linda: Your project was designated as a WWI Centennial Memorial, in part because it represents memorials of it’s type all over the country. Can you tell us about it please?] [The doughboy isn’t a bronze - what is it made out of? What’s the status of the statue now?] [When you took on the project, you did research and got some great local newspaper coverage for the endeavor - what was the community involvement?] [How did you connect with the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program?] [You rededicated your statue last year in September - Any commemoration plans for Memorial Day or Armistice day this year?] [Linda - thank you so much for looking after your doughboys!] [goodbyes/thanks] Linda Sinco is the Museum Coordinator for the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program and their doughboy statue restoration at the link in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKcETM-DQ-c https://www.glen-carbon.il.us/891/Heritage-Museum-and-Log-Cabin Appleton, WI Our second 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project profile this week is the Spirit of the American Doughboy project in Appleton, Wisconsin. This doughboy sculpture is from famed WWI memorial sculptor E. M. Visquesney and it has had one tough time of it, since it was erected in 1934. With us tell us about the project, it’s checkered restoration history and its current rescue is Alexander Schultz, Executive Director of Sculpture Valley. Welcome Alex! [greetings] [Alex - This monument was originally put in place in 1934 for $700 - the equivalent of $13,000 today… and it has had a troubled history since. Can you tell us a bit about the maintenance woes of this doughboy?] [So in 2015 Sculpture Valley stepped in to fix the issues from the ground up - what IS Sculpture Valley?] [What kind of support did the project get from the community? ] [You did a rededication on Veterans Day last year - any plans for Armistice day this year?] [Alex: Thanks so much for being here!] [goodbyes/thanks] Alexander Schultz is the Executive Director of Sculpture Valley. Learn more about Sculpture Valley and the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program at the link in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities https://www.sculpturevalley.com/ https://www.sculpturevalley.com/memorail-restoration-initiative/ [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 --- By the time America joined the war, nicknames for the various forces involved in the conflict were already established. The French infantry were known as the Poilus, or the hairy ones -- the Australian and New Zealanders were collectively known as the ANZAC a simple contraction for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps - meanwhile the New Zealanders were also called Kiwis. The American were often referred to as Sammies but self branded as Doughboys. And the British common soldier? Well, That’s our Speaking WWI word for this week. The British soldier was known as the Tommy. The nickname appears to come from an individual, Tommy Atkins, a mythical, courageous British soldier who fought under the Duke of Wellington in 1794. Lore has it that In 1815, the British War Office asked the Duke for a name that could personify a strong British soldier, and he, apocryphally, replied “Tommy”. From a branding perspective, it sounds like a great choice to an old marketing guy like me…. it’s so aptly descriptive of a regular joe… resolute… a comrade… a good fellow and unlike a lot of the other names - Tommy seems human. The nickname was popular enough in the 19th century that Rudyard Kipling included a poem about a mistreated soldier named Tommy. Tommy didn’t get associated with the British army, until World War I, when the name Tommy Atkins was featured on a guidance sheet enclosed in every pocket ledger provided to every British soldier to inscribe their personal information. Tommy -- a valiant and humble soldier, and this week’s speaking WW1 word. Links:http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-British-Tommy-Tommy-Atkins/ http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/tommy.htm [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Little Curie This week for WW1 War Tech -- we’re focusing on a medical device that saved countless lives -- and was invented by a woman. Almost immediately after the discovery of the X-ray in 1895, medical professionals began using it to locate foreign objects, that had become lodged in the body. - you know - like bullets. At the start of the war in 1914, the only X-Ray machines to be found where located in city hospitals, far away from the frontlines and only benefiting soldiers that could survive the long journe to get to them. The answer came from famed French scientist Madame Marie Curie, discoverer of radium ... polonium and twice-awarded the Nobel Prize. When the German army began marching toward Paris early in the war, Madame Curie shipped her supply of radium to a bank in Bordeaux and devoted her time to the war effort. Curie came up with the “radiological car” - a rig with an X-Ray machine, a photographic dark room, and an early electrical generator to produce the X-Rays. Using funding from the Union of Women of France and cars donated by wealthy Parisians, she trained some 150 women, including her daughter Irene, to operate these machines and move them around the front lines to where they were most needed. The “little curies” --as they were called-- debuted at the First Battle of the Marne. Over 1 million soldiers received Xray exams from the mobile units over the course of the war. The LIttle Curie-- a big idea from an awesome scientist, Madame Marie Curie, and this week’s WW1 War Tech. Learn more, and see images of the mobile machines, at the links in the notes. Link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-marie-curie-brought-x-ray-machines-to-battlefield-180965240/ Articles and Posts For Articles and posts we want to re-introduce you to a fantastic WWI Centennial resource. It’s the Commission’s weekly Dispatch Newsletter. Every week, the Commission publishes all sorts of great information about WWI and the centennial commemoration. There are articles posted in the website’s news section, New Stories of Service that are submitted by you. Important commemoration events. Blog posts and postings from our state partners. And even the highlight listing from the WWI Centennial News podcast. Well - in the dispatch, the editor, Chris Christopher works diligently to keep it short and useful. He provides a quick summary of each new post with links to read, listen or see more… It takes just a minute to subscribe, and only a couple of minute to scan each Dispatch issue when it comes in to your email on Tuesday mornings - It’s a great way to see if there is something you’d like to know more about. So sign up for the Weekly Dispatch newsletter at ww1cc.org/subscribe and take a look at samples in the archive at ww1cc.org/dispatch 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://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 do you have for us this week? Adopt an Orphan! We shared a beautiful image this week on Facebook from the Marine Corps History Division. It’s a studio portrait of a little girl, Jeanne Louise Alphonsine Pascal. She’s maybe three or four years old, dressed in a dark frock with an enormous white bow atop her head. She is the Mascot of Company L, Thirteenth Regiment, U.S. Marines, A.E.F. Under the auspices of the American Red Cross, soldiers were able to adopt war orphans; it’s a very early example of a familiar charitable system. For four cents a month, per man, a unit of some 200 men could fully feed, clothe and house an orphan. Some estimated 200,000 children were orphaned in France and Belgium alone during the war. Grassroots orphans’ relief efforts appeared in France as early as 1914. Many editions of the Stars and Stripes-- the American Expeditionary Forces’ official newspaper-- discuss and promote The Red Cross’s orphan relief campaigns, including the issue from this week 100 years ago. These children, supported by the Allies and under the care of a variety of service organizations, were beneficial for the soldiers; they reminded the men of their children back home and the orphans received food and care from the Allied troops. By April 1918, Stars and Stripes reports that 38 children were adopted by various Infantry companies. You can read the article “Take as your mascot a French war orphan” in the Stars and Stripes, and see the image of little Jeanne Louise, by following the links in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://cdn.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_argonne_ver03/data/20001931/print/1918032901/0001.pdf https://www.facebook.com/36536773014https://cdn.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_argonne_ver03/data/20001931/print/1918032901/0001.pdf7282/photos/a.367850739898981.107284.365367730147282/1062367587113956/?type=3&theater https://rememberingwwi.villanova.edu/orphans/ Thank you Katherine - Outro And that is also it for this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Cathleen Cordova the Past National President of the Women’s Overseas Service League KC Piccard, and and Frank Krone co-founders of the Idaho World War 1 Centennial Commission, Linda Sinco with the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project at Glen Carbon, Illinois Alexander Schultz with the 100 Cities/100 memorials project from Appleton, Wisconsin Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast A shout out to Eric Maar as well as our intern John Morreale for their great 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; 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 on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand --- or using your smart speaker.. Just say “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” and we are excited to announce - as of this week - you can listen to us on Spotify. Search ww1 Centennial News. 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] What did the American Captain shout to the British left-tennant as the German barrage rained down? [insert music clip Tommy] So long!
Highlights Spring Offensive Spring offensive in the media | @01:50 Operation Michael Overview - Mike Shuster | @10:10 3rd Division, 6th Engineers grab a gun and go - Dr. Edward Lengel | @14:05 ‘Women’s Voices In Letters” exhibit - Lynn Heidelbaugh | @20:10 US Army Women’s Museum - Dr. Francoise Bonnell | @25:30 Book “Paws of Courage” - Nancy Furstinger | @31:45 Journey’s end director - Saul Dibb | @38:00 NC State 100C/100M project - Thomas Skolnicki, Benny Suggs and Commissioner Jerry Hester | @44:30 Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @53:20----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #64 - 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 March 23rd, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog giving an overview of the big German Spring Offensive - Operation Michael Dr. Edward Lengel with a story of US Combat Engineers joining in the fight Lynn Heidelbaugh introducing the new women’s exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Dr. Francoise Bonnell discussing the history of women and the US Army Nancy Furstinger talking about man’s best friends in WWI -- and other critters... Saul Dibb the director of the feature film Journey’s End talks about being in the trenches to make the film Thomas Skolnicki, Benny Suggs and US WWI Centennial Commissioner Jerry Hester, sharing the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project at NC State University Katherine Akey with the WW1 commemoration in social media A great lineup of guest for 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. Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xrhXYSHPEtG1CqMXEJj67 [MUSIC] Preface Every week as we prepare the podcast, we pour through the publications that came out that week 100 years ago and look for themes, trends and what is being talked about. This week, we were struck with what WASN’T being talked about - especially in government related media like the Official Bulletin - the government’s daily war gazette - published for the President by George Creel’s Committee on Public Information or the American Expeditionary Forces’ weekly Stars and Stripes newspaper. This is the week, on March 21st, that the Germans slammed down their hammer with the first phase of their spring offensive. With that as a setup, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years to the week that launched the definitive 6 months of DO or DIE - in the War that Changed the World! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week It’s the third week of March, 1918 And to review the situation once again, Even before the Brest-Litovsk Treaty earlier this month, which successfully wraps up the war on Eastern Front for the Germans - the front collapsing has been freeing up massive resources of men, arms and munitions which are now being re-deployed to the Western Front. Germany's General Erich Ludendorff plans a massive spring offensive designed to separate the British and French armies and force a surrender which the Germans feel pressure to do - before the American troops can affect the outcome. The offensive is code named Operation Michael, and unbeknownst to the allies is scheduled for March 21st., 1918. Though the Allies could have been more prepared, they surely were not surprised. Most historians agree that the only surprise is the specific day and the specific location for the offensive’s launch. In fact, by mid-February 1918, the buildup of both men and heavy artillery on the German side had become too large to dismiss any doubt of a coming attack. In a letter from Sir Douglas Haig, Commander in Chief of the British Armies, written after the fact, he describes aerial operations revealing expanded ammunition and supply dumps all along the Western Front, but with a clear buildup in the Arras sector, leading Haig to believe that this is the most probable place for a German offensive to take place. By some accounts, the actual date of Operation Michael is uncovered by British intelligence a few days before the fact. Unfortunately, defenses are still being prepared on March 21st. Even more unfortunately, General Haig has decided to strengthen his left wing at the expense of his right, and his right wing is exactly where the full force of the German hammer comes down. According to historian Robert Doughty, French intelligence also discovers a high probability of a German attack at Arras, but the lack of a overarching structure connecting the two armies hampers collaboration. Meanwhile the US Government seems to be focusing its public with misdirection. SOUND EFFECT: Dateline Monday March 18, 1918 As the offensive encroaches - Here is a sampling of headlines in the Official Bulletin: More than 12 Billion Dollars now in War risk insurance…. Woman on Sub teaches men how to cook under water Norway protests to german people over convoy sinking Bakers must bake VICTORY bread or close shop after March 20 The next day the war department briefs the press causing the NY TImes to print an article doubting the offensive is imminent. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Tuesday March 19, 1918 A headline in the NY times reads: Offensive in west foe’s last Resort? Washington believes it won’t be delivered unless strategy compels it. Massing of more enemy troops is impracticable. And the article reads: Doubt that the German military leaders will launch their offensive in the west unless compelled by the strategy of the situation to do so, is expressed in the weekly statement issued by the war Department today, reviewing military operations of the last week. Meanwhile, the next day In the Official Bulletin we find headlines that include: No icing on this year’s Hot Cross Buns for good Friday National Conference called to discuss plans for Americanization of Aliens Live day-old chicks may be sent by mail on 72-hour journeys Export of Oleomargarine to be licensed to Canada And still nothing about the impending offensive! But that is not true for the public press! In contrast to the government media, the NY Times is all over the start of the German spring offensive! Dateline March 21, 1918 The headline in the NY times reads Concentrated assault made to pinch British out of their front line intense struggle ensues The battle spreads north and south and is still continuing with great fury Shell storm over lines Wide area back of British front is swept by German missiles And the story reads: The Germans this afternoon launched a heavy attack against British lines over a wide front in and near the Cambrai sector, and the assault bears all the earmarks of being the beginning of the enemy’s much heralded grand offensive. The attack was preceded by a heavy bombardment from guns of all calibers and the duel between the opposing heavy batteries has been rocking the countryside for hours. [ Sound Effect ] Another Headline Reads Washington still doubtful on drive. American officers wait for full scope of German move to develop. However, the next day on March 22nd, a reporter name Philip Gibbs files a cable report to the NY TIMES that is, in retrospect, the most accurate description in this dynamic moment. Dateline March 22, 1918 The headline in the New York Times reads Germans vast superiority in Guns is backed by 50 divisions of men One cannon for every 12 yards of front One British division fought six near St. Quentin The enemy flung the full weight of his great army against the British yesterday. Nearly 40 divisions are identified and it is certain that as many as 50 must be engaged. In proportion of men, the British are much outnumbered, therefore the obstinacy of the resistance of the troops is to be admired. Nine German divisions were hurled against three British at one part of the line, and eight against two at another. All the storm troops, including the guards, were in brand-new uniforms. They advanced in dense masses and never faltered until shattered by machine gun fire. As far as I can find, the enemy introduced no new frightfullness, no tanks, and no specially invented gas, but instead, relied on the power of his artillery and the weight of his infantry assault. The supporting waves advanced over the bodies of the dead and wounded. The German commanders were ruthless in the sacrifice of life, in the hope of overwhelming the defense by the sheer weight of numbers. And that is how the media ran - this week 100 years ago - when the German Spring Offensive launches - in the war the changed the world We have put the links to some of our research in the podcast notes for you to explore. Links:https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/19/102677903.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/20/102678449.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/22/102679611.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/22/102679611.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/22/102679618.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/22/102679621.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/23/102680289.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/23/102680281.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/23/102680343.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603161.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603157.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603160.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603155.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603154.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603152.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603188.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603187.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/24/121603659.pdfhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Erich-Ludendorff http://www.remembrancetrails-northernfrance.com/history/battles/kaiserschlacht-the-german-spring-offensive-of-1918.html https://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/people/generals/sir-arthur-currie/ https://search-proquest-com.proxygw.wrlc.org/docview/304508344/23D471EBD41649A9PQ/8?accountid=11243 http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/british-field-commanders-despatches/sir-douglas-haigs-sixth-despatch-german-spring-offensives-1918/ https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-first-world-war-a-very-short-introduction-9780199205592?cc=us&lang=en& https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gwu/reader.action?docID=3300066&ppg=420 [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project That brings us to Great War project with Mike Shuster - former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project Blog…. Mike: We have been looking at this moment through the lens of press reports - and your post this week offers a great congealing overview of the first days of the spring offensive. What your headline Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/03/18/last-chance-for-both-sides-as-germany-attacks/ America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 No w for this week’s segment of America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed: Your story this week is about a 3rd division regimen of engineers. When I read it, it really struck me as a great example of what the Americans brought to the bone tired, desperate and war weary allies. It was more than bodies and equipment - it was also a very special, almost naive but very recognizable spirit. [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] [Ed, what will you be telling us about next week?] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post - and I recommend that you take a look at it. The pictures Ed included are memorable. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/easter-sunday-1918-american-engineers-combat/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel If you’d like to see videos about WWI, we suggest our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new episodes include: Allied Unified Command on the Horizon King George V in WW1 Inside the German A7V WW1 Tank See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! 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 part of the podcast isn’t about the past - it is about NOW and there is a lot going on to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! Remembering Veterans Women’s Voices in Letters Lynn Heidelbaugh This week for remembering veterans and for Women’s History Month - we are highlighting a special exhibit: In Her Words: Women's Duty and Service in World War I Which is on view at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. We’re joined by Lynn Heidelbaugh, the Curator for the exhibit. Lynn - Nice to have you back to the Podcast! [greetings] [With families being separated and with more and more men sent to training camps and abroad-- is there an estimation of how much mail was being sent during WW1?] [An on-going subject on the show is new roles and jobs women were taking on during the war-- did the postal service also see women joining its ranks at that time? ] [Lynn - let’s talk a bit about the exhibit-- what inspired it, and how does it differ from your other WW1 letters exhibit, My Fellow Soldiers ] [Is there one particular or special women’s letter that you’d like to highlight ?] [goodbyes] Lynn Heidelbaugh is a Curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Learn more about their WW1 exhibits by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/In-Her-Words/index.html https://postalmuseum.si.edu/MyFellowSoldiers/index.html US Army Women's Museum Now Sticking with museums and continuing our focus on Women’s History Month we are joined by Dr. Francoise Bonnell, the director of the U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia. She is an author and a recognized authority in women’s military history. Dr. Bonnell! Welcome, [greetings] [Dr. Bonnell, I’d like to start by asking you about the U.S. Army Women’s Museum. can you give us a quick overview?] [I know we need to get to WWI but I was struck by something I read on your website. It states that the museum covers the service of Army women from 1775 to the present - well 1775 is when the colonies kicked off the Revolutionary war against England’s King George - That is pre-United States --- so what was the role of women in our colonial 1775 army?] [OK - on to WWI - Dr. Bonnell - How did women affect the army in WWI and how did their service affect womanhood?] [Is there a continuing legacy of WW1 for women in the army today?] [Does the museum have any WWI centennial commemoration plans?] Dr. Francoise Bonnell is the director of the U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia. Learn more about the museum and the legacy of women’s service in the Army by visiting the link in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.awm.lee.army.mil/about/more_than_a_museum/ Paws of Courage Men served in WWI and as we have been exploring this month - Women served in WWI, but in addition to people - over 16 million animals were mobilized for the war effort. We’ve covered these stories in the past - horses, mules, pigeons, the lion cubs Whiskey and Soda, the elephants of the Berlin Zoo and last weeks the trench rats of the Chemin de Dames… Today we’re joined by Nancy Furstinger (FUR-stinger), an animal author -- whose book “Paws of Courage” highlights the tales of our heroic canines. Welcome, Nancy! [greetings] [Nancy, to start -- can you give us an overview of the various roles Dogs played in the Armed Forces during WW1?] [Everyone’s been talking about Sgt. Stubby -- and of course, next week he premieres as the star of an animated feature film! What other famous wartime canines are there from WWI?] [Your book covers dogs in service -- and as we mentioned in the opening, there were a lot of different animals that served in WWI. from your research - what strikes you as the most interesting?] [goodbyes/thanks] Nancy Furstinger is the author of over 100 books - and many about her life’s passion - animals. Learn more about Nancy, her writings and the service of animals by following the links in the podcast notes. Links:http://www.nancyfurstinger.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/brookeusa-home-page.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3917-the-animals-that-helped-win-world-war-i.html http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/how-did-animals-even-slugs-serve-world-war-i https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/15-animals-that-went-to-war Spotlight in the Media Journey’s End Last week in Spotlight on the media we introduced you to a WWI feature film that premiered over the weekend in both New York and Los Angeles. Journey’s End is a powerful film about a group of British soldiers that rotated into the front line trenches - just about exactly 100 years ago this week, at the cusp of the anticipated great German offensive. I had a chance to catch up with the film’s Director, Saul Dibb in a call to London. Welcome, Saul! [Saul - Journey's end is a very intimate film - about a very intimate subject - men, mortality and fear - Can you give us a quick overview of the story? ] [Journey's End was a stage play, in fact a very good stage play, before you made it into a film - so it was conceptualized to happen on the confines of a stage - with a story that plays out largely in the confines of a trench system - how did that affect your approach?] [The art direction, cinematography, performance and obviously the script are all amazing - as the director - what your biggest challenge in bringing this all together.] [Saul - You've made several period films - so authenticity is always a key element - how did you go about "getting it right" for Journey's end?] Saul Dibb is the director of the feature film Journey’s End, now in limited release in us theaters across the country. We put links in the podcast notes for both the trailer and the theater show listing - or Google Journey’s End - I you are interested in what this first week of spring was like for the Tommies in the trenches in 1918 - This fine film will take you there. links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLpyaLNfudY http://www.journeysendthefilm.com/watch/movies/journeys-end-622437?gwiCampaign=official+site_official+site_2018-01-11_7876&gwi_campaign=Official+Site&lead_partner_id=360&partner_asset_id=7876&version=2#theater-list 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 Memorial Bell Tower project at NC State University in raleigh, North Carolina. With us tell us about their project are Thomas Skolnicki [SKOAL-nick-ee], A veteran and the Landscape Architect for the University -- retired US navy Rear Admiral -- Benny Suggs, the director of NC State's Alumni Association and US Air Force Veteran, World War One Centennial Commissioner Jerry Hester, and all three men are alumni of the school! Welcome gentlemen! [greetings] [Let me start with a courtesy - Commissioner Hester - We have not had the pleasure of your presence on the Podcast before - I just want to welcome you to the show.] [My first questions is to you Tom - The North Carolina State University Bell Tower is a very unusual building with an interesting history. It started out as a low 16 foot ww1 memorial - a cornerstone monument known as the shrine room but, like a tree it started to grow! For decades! Up to 115 feet tall. Can you tell us the story?] [Commissioner Hester - you are an alumni of the University - did you encourage them to participate in the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Project - or did you learn about their participation after?] [Benny - this is our first “Spring of 2018” episode and appropriately, for your restoration project is adding a poppy beds to the tower. Can you tell us about that and the dedication plans?] [Commissioner - You have been promoting poppy plantings all over the state - even along the highways - I understand it was pretty spectacular last year.] Thomas Skolnicki is the University Landscape Architect at NC State University, Benny Suggs is the director of NC State's Alumni Association, and Jerry Hester is a World War One Centennial Commissioner. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program at the link in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100Memorials Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities [SOUND EFFECT] The Buzz 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? St. Patrick’s Day and Literacy Hi Theo -- we celebrated St Patrick’s Day this past weekend, and in honor of that I wanted to share two quick articles about the Irish and Irish Americans of WW1 that we shared on Facebook this past week. The first comes from NPR and tells the story of a torpedoed Irish ship and the cargo aboard that saved its sailors lives. The ship was making its way across the Irish Sea, a favored hunting ground for German uboats, when it was struck by a torpedo and split in two. As the ship began to sank, sucking the sailors down into the water with it, the cargo floated up to the surface -- barrels and barrels of the iconic Irish stout, Guinness. Holding on to the Guinness, the sailors drifted in the sea and were rescued a few hours later. Read the full story at the link in the notes. To wrap up St Patrick’s Day, head to Saratogian News where they recently published an article about the experience of an Irish American regiment, a part of the 42nd Rainbow Division, during the St Patrick’s Day of 1918. They celebrated the holiday just after having experienced some heavy losses at the hand of the German’s and their artillery. Read about their valiant efforts under intense German fire, and their celebration of the holiday, at the link in the podcast notes. Finally for the week, head over to Mental Floss to take a WW1 era literacy test. With a rapidly growing armed forces, drawn from all corners of the country and all segments of the population, officials and army leaders saw indications of life in the early 20th century: nutrition and literacy in this cross-section of America were not at the levels they had expected. Though reading and writing might are not necessarily the most important requirement for trench warfare -- and indeed several combatants, including Russia, Italy and Turkey had shockingly low rates of literacy in their ranks-- the U.S. Army became increasingly concerned with whether or not its soldiers were literate as the war picked up pace. Thousands of American soldiers couldn't read printed directions on basic military tasks -- posing a potentially dangerous problem for the fledgling force. The Army didn't implement its first major literacy program until the 1940s, but it did use a battery of yes or no questions to test literacy as new recruits came in. Some of the questions are quite simple, like “is coal white?” but they escalate in complexity to ones like “Are members of the family usually regarded as guests” and “Are loquacious and voluble opposite in meaning?” You can take the test yourself, and read more about the pitfalls of this first literacy battery, by visiting the link in the notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/03/17/594440438/for-st-patricks-day-a-true-tale-of-8-sailors-saved-by-guinness?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20180317 http://www.saratogian.com/article/ST/20180317/NEWS/180319837 http://mentalfloss.com/article/535841/would-you-be-able-pass-world-war-i-military-literary-test Outro And that is also it for this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Dr. Francoise Bonnell, Director of the U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia Nancy Furstinger, animal lover, and author about animals Saul Dibb. director of the feature film Journey’s End Thomas Skolnicki, Benny Suggs and WW1 Centennial Commissioner Jerry Hester, from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project at NC State University Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast A shout out to Eric Maar as well as our intern John Morreale for their great 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; 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 on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand --- or using your smart speaker.. Just say “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” and we are excited to announce - as of this week - you can listen to us on Spotify. Search ww1 Centennial News. 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] So long! Next week: 1418 now join us for an interview 100c/100m in Appleton WI Women's Overseas Service League Idaho WW1 Commission
Highlights Death and Taxes Federal Income Tax in 1918 | @02:15 Casualty List Controversy | @05:20 America Emerges - 26th Yankee Division and rats - Dr. Edward Lengel | @07:35 War In The Sky - Personal account of Paris air raids | @13:30 US anti-war activism in 1918 - Mike Shuster | @16:10 Euro WWI Commemoration events - Dr. Monique Seefried | @21:05 Dog Tags reunited with Doughboy - James Shetler | @30:15 Spotlight in the media 1: Sgt. Stubby - Jacy Jenkins | @36:45 Spotlight in the media 2: Journey’s End - Trailer clip | @42:35 100C/100M in Ogden Utah, Terry Schow | @44:55 Speaking WWI - Penguin | @51:10 WWI Commemoration in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @52:45----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #63 - 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 March 16th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel with a story from the Yankee Division and rats... Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog revisiting the ongoing anti-war movement in America Commissioner Monique Seefried tells us about upcoming centennial events in Europe James Shetler with the story of one doughboy’s dog tags and their journey back beside him Jacy Jenkins gets us ready for the premiere of the new animated WWI set film Sgt Stubby: An American Hero Terry Schow, sharing the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Ogden Utah Katherine Akey with the WW1 commemoration in social media 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 This week, as we were looking at the news and articles from various publications 100 years ago, an unexpected theme popped out.. A theme that covers two ideas that are said to be the only sure things in life. Death and Taxes - both of which are all over the news this week 100 years ago. With that as a setup, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years to understand how we see death and taxes 100 years ago in the War that Changed the World! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Taxes We are back in 1918 and some things never change. We are in mid March, heading towards April and it’s TAX TIME!! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline March 11, 1918 A headline from the Official Bulletin reads: Voices of 25,000 Four-Minute Men to Be Heard Throughout the Land, Warning All to Make Tax Returns The story opens with: Twenty-five thousand Four-Minute Men will start out today on a nation-wide campaign to impress upon the American public their patriotic duty promptly to file their income tax return and pay their taxes. The period for filing ends April 1. You remember who the four-minute-men are, right? The four minute men are a force of volunteers that are deployed by George Creel - America’s propaganda chief - to deliver 4 minute government written pitches to the population. The article continues to explain: The Four-Minute Men will appear in theaters, moving picture houses, and public gatherings. Special meetings will be held by chambers of commerce, boards of trade, rotary clubs, luncheon clubs, and business organizations. " Don't delay " is the warning that will be given by the speakers. Taxpayers will be urged to protect themselves and aid the Government by being prompt. It will cost the Government money and trouble to hunt down the man who dodges the income tax, but the word has gone forth from headquarters that this will be done. Be it known that the “slacker " will be shown no leniency. Now here it gets interesting! The article goes on to reveal how much people actually pay for taxes in 1918 - In the article it states: The man of modest income is made to bear a just share of the common burden. Tables have been produced comparing the rate of tax in the United States and Great Britain. Here in the United States, the married man with an income of $2,500 pays $10 in taxes while in Great Britain the-man with an income of $2,500 pays a tax of $223! However, larger incomes in the US are subject to a surtax! The normal rate of tax under the war revenue act of 1917 is 2 percent on the net Income of married persons earning $2,000. The surtax ranges from an additional 1 per cent on incomes between $5,000 and $7,500 to a surtax of 50 percent on incomes in excess of $1,000,000. So in 1918, we have a tax code that can be explained in 4 minutes. It supports working people with a small tax burden and expects the wealthy to contribute a substantial share back to the nation that makes it possible for them to gain such wealth. Weird - huh!? Death OK So much for Taxes - Let’s talk about the other sure thing in life - Death! This week 100 years ago there is great controversy raging in the pages of the NY times over the publication of casualty lists. Concerned over German abilities to derive useful military information from casualty lists and under pressure from the French, Pershing only publishes names of casualties with no unit, or home address information. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: March 11, 1918A headline in the NY Times reads: WAR DEPARTMENT STANDS-BY-THE BAN ON CASUALTY LISTS Shows No Intention of Yielding on Publication of Addresses. CONGRESSMEN OBJECT Expect Flood of Protests from Constituents Information is Declared to be Valuable to Foe The article goes on to explain that the French do not publish ANY casualty lists instead they simply inform the next of kin directly. George Creel, the head of the Committee on Public information, also easy to describe as America’s propaganda chief is in on this fight, as the Times describes the committee’s stand as: “The mere publishing of name of soldiers without home addresses to Identify them to neighbors and friends or to prevent confusion with other men of similar names, is so devoid of news value that the committee will not Issue the lists.” Interestingly, the NY Times clearly has it wrong - because George Creel is also the publisher of the government daily War Gazette the “Official Bulletin” -- and on the same day, May 11, in issue #254 - on page 2 -- there is an article whose headline reads: LIST OF CASUALTIES AS REPORTED AMONG THE U.S. FORCES OVERSEAS And continues to list the casualties by the Rank, first name, middle initial and last name. Looking further into it we found something else fascinating. A few days later, on March 16, another article in the NY times is published: [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: 1,722 Casualties in Overseas Forces so Far; 162 Killed in Action or Dead From Wounds. The article goes on to list what the causes of the casualties are. Some of the smallest numbers are death from gas, civilians and executions - but when you look at the numbers you realize that out the casusualies, less than 10% are killed in action. About the same % as killed by accidents, while a whopping 37% - over ⅓ of casualties are the result of disease. So if you are an American Soldier in Europe in March of 1918 - you are nearly 4 times more likely to get killed by a bacterium or a virus than you are likely to get killed by the Kaiser’s forces… a strange twist of fate at this stage in the war that changed the world! Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3343-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-254-march-11-1918.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/16/98260787.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/11/118139263.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/12/98259936.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/15/98260374.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 And that brings us to this week’s segment of America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed: This week your story is about the 26th Yankee division.. And last week you teased us with the fact that this week’s story was going to include special RATS! Can’t wait to hear the story! [ED LENGEL] [Ed, what will you be telling us about next week?] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/100-years-ago-1918-yankee-divisions-secret-weapon/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [MUSIC TRANSITION] War in the Sky Combining the War in The Sky and Women’s History Month we have this first person account from a YMCA canteen worker who went to Paris to help our boys: This week, one hundred years ago, the war in the sky over Paris is alive with attacks on the city. This is from one of the last letters written by a Miss Winona C Martin, a YMCA worker who was killed in a German air raid attack on Paris. In this letter she describes another raid much like the one in which she was killed. Hospitalized in Paris with Bronchitis she writes: “Above the red brick wall, which is all I see, of the world’s most beautiful city, there rises a patch of sky… and as the light began to fade on my first night in the hospital, I noticed some stars of marvelous brilliance. Suddenly they began to move about in the weirdest manner, which I thought due to the fact that I was slightly lightheaded. My nurse came to me presently and explain that they were airplanes on guard. She said the Bosh were expected any moment, because it was full moon. The following night I was watching them again when suddenly I heard the boom of canons. There came the call of sirens, which warn Paris that an air raid is on. There followed a scene as I hope never to witness again. All lights were extinguished and the women in the ward across the hall awakened and commenced to call on the Saints and the Virgin for protection. Further down, I heard babies crying. The nurses walked up and down ringing their hands, yet trying to prevent a panic. For half an hour the firing continued. Sometimes directly above our heads, sometimes becoming more distant. Meanwhile the whole battle was visible from my window. The airplanes, mere streaks of light, darted hither and thither and sometimes there was a blaze like a falling star when one was hit. At the end of that time, the firing ceased. The siren blew the recall, which meant that the Bosh were driven back. And to my immense surprise, the whole hospital instantly calmed down, turned over on its pillows and went peacefully to sleep. Miss Martin was a civilian casualty this month, but her letters home give us a special glimpse into one woman’s experience of the war in the sky, the war on the sea, and the war in Paris 100 years ago this week. Link: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/17/109329237.pdf 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, this week you turn your focus back to the homefront with a report on those who still resist America’s participation in the war. Their voice is not a welcome echo in the US, is it Mike? it certainly is not Theo… The headline on the "Great War Project" this week read… [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/03/11/american-anti-war-movement-still-alive/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel If you’d like to see videos about WWI, we suggest our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new episodes include: Peace in the east -- The Treaty of Brest-Litovskand German Tactics for the 1918 Spring Offensive See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! 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 part of the podcast is not about the past - it is about NOW and what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! Commission News/Events Euro Commemoration Events with Commissioner Seefried This week in Commission News, we’re looking across the Atlantic and towards the summer-- to the many centennial commemoration events that will be taking place all across Europe as the desperate and decisive battles that brought the war to end are remembered. Joining us now with an overview on some of these commemorations, is US World War One Centennial Commissioner Dr. Monique Seefried. [Monique - Welcome back to the podcast! We haven’t had you on the show for a long time!] [greetings] [Monique - In overview, what are the key commemoration events planned in Europe this year?] [I know there is one event in particular that is close to your heart. It is taking place at the Croix Rouge farm in late July-- what is it ?] [If Americans want to participate in these commemorations - how to they go about it? ] [goodbyes/thanks] Dr. Monique Seefried is a Commissioner on the US WW1 Centennial Commission. We have put a number of links including to some of the guide Dr. Seefried mentioned into the podcast notes. Links: https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/world-war-i-centennial-ceremonies-abmc-sites http://www.greatwar.co.uk/events/2014-2018-ww1-centenary-events.htm http://www.1914.org/ http://eventi.centenario1914-1918.it/ http://croixrougefarm.org/inauguration/ http://www.worldwar1.com/ http://www.worldwar1.com/pdf/AEF_Battlefields.pdf https://war-travel.com/illustrated-travel-guides/north-east-france Remembering Veterans Dog Tags Reunited In our Remembering Veterans segment this week -- we’re joined by James Shetler, a citizen historian and independent researcher. James is here to tell us the story of a pair of dog tags-- and their long journey back to the doughboy that had lost them a century ago. Welcome, James! [greetings] [James - to start-- Can you tell us a bit about the man these dog tags belonged to-- Captain Swenson?] [So, how did the dog tags come to be in your possession?] [So you went to back to France to return the tags?] [Are you working on any other World War One research projects now?] Thank you! [goodbyes]James Shetler is a citizen historian who pursued a story of service! If you have the story of someone who serves in WWI ---- a doughboy, volunteer, an individual - your ancestor or someone who you just connect with, lime James did with captain swenson, we can help you share their story and get it into the permanent national archival record about WWI. Just go to ww1cc.org/stories where you can submit their story of service to be published and archived. That link as well as the expanded story of Captain Swenson are in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4185-my-journey-with-captain-alfred-marcy-swenson.html https://jayinthegreatwar.com/ Spotlight in the Media Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero This week for our Spotlight in the Media -- We’re joined by Jacy Jenkins, VP of Partnerships and Outreach from Fun Academy Motion Pictures. That is who is putting out the new animated film: Sgt Stubby: An American Hero! Which is having a combination world premiere showing and children’s benefit in Los Angeles later this month on March 27th. Welcome, Jacy! [greetings] [Jacy, Sgt. Stubby is a great story about the relationship between some American Doughboys and a very special dog that they adopted or maybe a dog that adopted them. But it’s based on a true story, right? ] [The premiere is also a fundraiser -- can you tell us about that?] [Jacy - that seems to be part of the Fun Academy’s culture - you make movies but you also have a philanthropic bent - creating events to raise awareness for the film and raise money for causes -- Can you tell us about the Sgt Stubby look-alike contest?] [When can the public go see Sgt Stubby in theaters?] [Is there anything else you’d like us to know about the film?] [goodbyes] Jacy Jenkins is the VP of Partnerships and Outreach from Fun Academy Motion Pictures. You can learn more about the film Sgt Stubby: An American Hero by following the links in the podcast notes; we’ve included links to the most recent trailers and to their social media accounts. Link:http://www.stubbymovie.com/ https://twitter.com/stubbymovie?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/StubbyMovie/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab0pd9oNf7Q&feature=youtu.be Journey’s End Another Spotlight in the Media is for another WW1 film premiering THIS weekend in New York and LA. Journey’s End is an intimate, gritty, and powerful film about men, mortality and fear. It’s about a group of British soldiers sent back to the front line trenches - just about exactly 100 years ago -- som this podcast audience knows what going on right now…. there is an imminent massive German assault rumored to be coming…. Like right now…. and these seasoned veterans, who are joined by a fresh faced young 19 years old, know what they are probably in for! [run sound clip] I just saw a viewing copy of the film and I have to tell you - this is a beautifully made, wonderfully written, well cast, powerful and poignant WWI movie you’ll want to make an effort to see. The film is going into limited release in the US and we have included a link to the playdate schedule in the podcast notes. You can also google Journey’s End to learn more. Tune in next week, when we’ve arranged an interview with the film’s director, Saul Dibb. Both the trailer and the showing listing are linked below. links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLpyaLNfudY http://www.journeysendthefilm.com/watch/movies/journeys-end-622437?gwiCampaign=official+site_official+site_2018-01-11_7876&gwi_campaign=Official+Site&lead_partner_id=360&partner_asset_id=7876&version=2#theater-list 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 WWI doughboy monument project by the Weber County Historical Society & American Legion Post 9 in Ogden, Utah. With us tell us about their project is Terry Schow [Scow] , a member of the National Executive Committee for The American Legion of Utah. Welcome Terry! [greetings] [Terry - You were one of the very first projects to submit a grant application to the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program. When did you get started on this?] [Your doughboy statue was originally installed way up high on the side of a building - at the legion post wasn’t it?] [It’s been a while - but didn’t you have a story about gold radiator paint being used to refurbish the statue back in the 70’s or something?] [You pulled together a really strong coalition of project partners in Ogden… who all signed on?] [Well, congratulations on being selected as a World War 1 Centennial Memorial. Are there re-dedication plans?] Terry Schow is a member of the National Executive Committee for The American Legion of Utah. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program at the link in the podcast notes or by going to ww1cc.org/100cities Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities [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 --- 100 years ago, penguins stumbled across grassy fields of America, France, and england - playing a critical and important role in the aerial war effort. Penguins!? Yea - Penguins! In your mind’s eye, are you still seeing little black-and-white, flightless, tuxedo clad birds --- flapping their stubby wings on grassy knolls? Well - actually you’ve got the stubby wings, the flightless and grassy knolls right! Penguin is our Speaking WWI word, this week… And the penguins of World War One were indeed flightless and stubby winged. They were trainer planes for the air corps. These non-flying trainer aircraft were made for teaching new recruits how to operate an aircraft while still reasonably safe at ground level. Around 300 of the “Penguin” trainers were made during the course of the War, with wings too short and engines too small to lift the craft into actual flight, allowing trainees to experiment with the flight controls, engine operations, and flight procedures while still at ground level. These “aircraft” were jokingly nicknamed “Penguins” because both creatures and planes were something that probably should fly, but don’t. Penguins -- a useful training tool for a novice pilot, a cute but very smelly animal - and this week’s Speaking WW1 Word. Check the podcast links to learn more, and to see photographs of the Penguin planes. Links: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t9t156s17;view=1up;seq=155 http://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/exhibits/exhibit-galleries/world_war_i/breese_penguin.html https://iansumner.blogspot.com/2013/09/kings-of-air-of-penguins-and-men-part-2.html http://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/exhibits/exhibit-galleries/world_war_i/breese_penguin.html https://www.historyofsimulation.com/flight-simulators-in-world-war-1/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Buzz 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? Trunk and Daylight Savings Hi Theo-- Daylight savings time appears in the news both this week in 2018 and this week in 1918. In fact, the most popular article we shared across social media accounts this week had to do with daylight savings time; most reactions to it were barf emojis and despair, which is pretty much how i felt trying to get up Monday morning at what felt like 5 am. But the NYtimes article from 1918 has a different tone: after months of tightly regulated coal and electricity usage, which meant many Americans spent their Mondays in the cold, Daylight Savings promised to help take the edge off coal rationing by giving us an hour more daylight in which to work and an hour less darkness that needed illumination. The change seems welcomed by the people of 1918, but I’m guessing they didn’t expect the wartime procedure to come back, and stay back, for a century. So, if you’re feeling as grumpy as I am about daylight savings-- you can thank the coal shortages of a century ago for the disruption. Moving on to nicer news, we shared another story about a treasure trove found in a trunk this week. Last week, we told the story of a man who has written a book about his father’s life and service in the war, which he put together after inheriting his father’s foot locker, filled with wartime belongings. It seems that trunks and footlockers were the go-to way to store belongings a century ago, as a WW1 era trunk was recently donated to the Texas Military Forces Museum. The museum posted a video of curators and archivists opening the trunk, astonished at the good condition and the sheer quantity of objects inside; dozens of letters, photographs, mess kits, magazines, and well kept uniforms -- the possessions of two brothers-- one with the 141st Infantry Regiment and the other with the 149th and 150th Machine Gun Battalion, 42nd Rainbow Division. Watch the whole video for a sneak peak at the collection-- and if you have a weird old trunk in your attic, you may want to crack it open and see what treasures you may have! Check the notes for links to these stories, and that’s it this week for the Buzz. link:https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/16/98260764.pdf https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/03/06/daylight-saving-time-almost-here-and-its-turning-100-years-old/395953002/ https://www.facebook.com/texasmilitaryforcesmuseum/videos/1680597135312139/ Thank you Katherine - Outro Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Monique Seefried, World War One Centennial Commissioner James Shetler, citizen historian and humanist Jacy Jenkins, VP of Partnerships and Outreach at Fun Academy Motion Pictures Terry Schow from the 100 Cities 100 Memorials project in Ogden, Utah Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Thanks also to Eric Maar as well as our intern John Morreale for their great 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 as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, and now also on Stitcher - Radio on Demand --- as well as the other places you get your podcast -- even on your smart speaker.. Just say “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] OK…So what do you call a penguin in the trenches during WW1…? Lost! So long!
Highlights The US Army Signal Corps in WW1 The founding of the US Army Signal Corps @ |01:30 The Signal Corps in WW1 @ |04:25 War In The Sky - Signal Corps Connections @ |09:00 Alvin York’s crisis of conscience w/ Dr. Edward Lengel @ |13:30 Germany’s starts big push w/ Mike Shuster @ |20:25 Women in the AEF w/ Dr. Susan Zeiger @ |25:15 The Hello Girls w/ Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs @ |32:05 100C/100M in Worcester MA w/ Brian McCarthy @ |40:35 Speaking WW1 - Shody @ |46:15 Social Media Pick w/ Katherine Akey @ |48:15----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #62 - 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 March 9th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel, exploring Alvin York’s crisis of conscience as he entered the military Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog with an update on German war activities in May Dr. Susan Zeiger telling us about the women workers of the American Expeditionary Forces Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs with the story of the Hello Girls Brian McCarthy, sharing the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Worcester Massachusetts Katherine Akey with the WW1 commemoration in social media 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 This week several stories came up that pointed to US Army Signal Corps. You know.. they’re not just the guys who made the movies and took the pictures… Actually they have a heritage of being “New Tech” gurus - taking initial responsibility for classic ideas, later managed by other organizations including military intelligence, weather forecasting and especially aviation. That because it all started with a visionary guy named Albert James Myer. Myer started as a Medical Officer in Texas before the civil war and ended up a brigadier general with the title of First Chief Signal Officer and a legacy as “The father of the US Army Signal Corps” Early on - Myer came up with a flag waving scheme to send messages during combat - which the Army adopted it in 1860 - one year before the start of the Civil War. It’s high falutin’ name was Aerial Telegraphy but, everyone called it WIG WAG. During the Civil War, WigWag was used on the battlefield to direct artillery fire-- and Myer started to experiment with balloons, electric telegraph and other kinds of new tech. Because he fostered such an innovation culture in the signal corps - ten years late, In 1870 when the US government AKA the congress decided to mandate a National Weather Service - they tasked Myer and the Signal Corps to create it - which he did to great international acclaim. Myer died a decade later in 1880, and his lab “slash” school in Arlington Virginia was ultimately renamed Fort Myer to honor the father of the US Signal Corps. By the turn of the century the US Army Signal Corps had taken on a leadership role not just with visual signalling but also with the telegraph, telephone, cable communications, meteorology, combat photography and had even sprouted an aeronautical and aviation section. Nearly a decade before American Forces engaged the enemy, the wright brothers made test flights of the army’s first airplane built to Signal Corps’ specifications. Tests appropriately performed at Fort Myers. Army aviation stayed with the Signal Corps until May of 1918, when the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps is transformed by President Wilson’s Executive order, into the Army Air Service - the forerunner of the United States Air Force. With that as a setup, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine - which the Signal Corps DID NOT develop - and roll back 100 years to learn what the US Army Signal Corps was - during the War that Changed the World! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] We are back in 1918 and we are going to focus on two of the key things the Signal Corps does during WW1. Communication and Documentation --- and always with an eye on innovation. Because with battles and offensives no longer organize neatly into line-of-sight groups, innovations is required to communicate and coordinate. The field telephone is one of those basic elements… The challenge of wired electric connections between two telephone devices is that you need the wire… which tends to get blown up, trampled, cut, damaged and sometimes tapped into by the enemy in the field. And because, the telephone in 1918 is a point-to-point connection… that means that, in order to re-connect a field telephone from one place to another - you need to physically repatch the connection - a function performed by a telephone operator. The “Hello Girls” who go to France to do that job, are sworn into the US Army Signal Corps as soldiers… yup… but then at the end of the war, they are just let go -- and not given honorable discharges and so don’t qualify for veteran benefits! We have a whole section for you with Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs - the author of the book “The Hello Girls” later in the show...---- OK --- Then there is WIRELESS communication. The Signal corps teams up with private industry to advance radio transmission and reception and create new devices that are smaller, more practical and more capable. Of course the challenge with radio communications is that everyone can receive it… creating a serious security challenge and a great intelligence opportunity - both of which the Signal Corps addresses. So when the United States enters the war in early 1917, its own capacity for radio intelligence is significantly underdeveloped. But, with the help of their British and French allies, and the dedicated work of over 500 men, the Signal Corps’ Radio Section collects huge amounts of radio and other communications traffic to help the American Expeditionary Forces stay one step ahead of their enemy. This area of activity is known as Signt or Signal Intelligence. One battle in which victory is particularly credited to the work of the Radio Section is the Battle of Saint-Mihiel in September 1918, as American operators are able to discover the location of several German command posts, and warn the Army of a German counteroffensive several hours in advance. But not everything signal corps is tech! They also take 600 carrier pigeons to France including a pigeon named Cher Ami (dear friend) who is credited with a stallworth, heroic, wounded delivery of a message credited for saving 194 US Soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division - the famed Lost Battalion. Then there is the Documentation roll of the US Army Signal Corps! According to an article by Audrey Amidon: The Signal Corps pays relatively little attention to photography until July 1917 when they are assigned the responsibility for obtaining photographic coverage of American participation in World War I. That means both moving and still imagery. The purpose is for propaganda, scientific, identification, and military reconnaissance purposes but primarily for the production of a pictorial history of the war. The Photographic Section of the Signal Corps manages to build up quite a large and efficient organization. Beginning with 25 men in August 1917, the Photographic Section attached to the AEF reaches a strength of 92 officers and 498 men by November 1918 They defined a photographic unit as one motion-picture cameraman and one still-picture photographer, plus assistants. So they are capturing stills and motion pictures simultaneously at each location. Each Division (remember from last week is a force of around 40,000 American soldiers) gets a photographic unit. They also hace units that cover headquarters, sea transport, service and supply, red cross and so forth. Between the AEF footage, domestic training documentation and special projects including training films for soldier and pilots, the US Army Signal Corps shoots nearly 1 million feet of movie film to document the war that changed the world! Other links: https://unwritten-record.blogs.archives.gov/2017/03/16/shooting-world-war-i-the-history-of-the-army-signal-corps-cameramen-1917-1918/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Corps_(United_States_Army) For much deeper learning, if people are interested: https://history.army.mil/html/books/060/60-15-1/CMH_Pub_60-15-1.pdf War in the Sky This week, one hundred years ago, the war in the sky preparations were in full view in the Official Bulletin - The government’s daily war gazette published by George Creel, President Wilson’s propaganda chief. And as we have told you before, the Commission re-publishes each issue of the Official Bulletin on the Centennial of its original publication date - a great primary source of information about WWI you are invited to enjoy at ww1cc.org/bulletin. We selected two articles from this week’s issues that illustrate the Signal Corp’s roll in the War in the Sky - the first article is about seeing the foundation of a new US Aerospace industry forming. [sound effect] Dateline: March 5, 1918 The article headline reads: 10,000 SKILLED MEN NEEDED BY THE AVIATION SECTION The article goes on to read: The US Army Signal Corps has authorized the call for 10,000 machinists, mechanics, and other skilled workers needed by the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. Even though the strength of that service is already 100 times what it was in April of last year, it is now understood that nearly 98 of every 100 men in the service need to be highly skilled. Airplane work has been wholly new and unfamiliar to American Mechanics. It has been necessary for both officers and men to learn very largely by experience. The article continues with with a comment by War secretary Baker about keeping those planes flying in the field: The great problem now remaining is to secure the thousands of skilled mechanics, engine men, motor repair men, wood and metal workers needed to keep the planes always in perfect condition. This great engineering and mechanical force at the airdomes, flying fields, and repair depots, both here and behind the lines in France, is a vital industrial link in the chain of air supremacy. The next day, an article illustrates the foundation of the modern cartography a technology we now all enjoy casually and daily with applications like Google Maps: [Sound Effect] Dateline: March 5, 1918 The article headline reads: 1,000 Trained Photographers Wanted at Once for Signal Corps Aeroplane -and Ground Duty And the article reads: One thousand men trained in photographic work are needed by the Signal Corps before March 10 As an aside - that is only 5 days after this article publishes - it goes on with: These men are to be instructed at the new school for aerial photography just opened at Rochester, N. Y., preparatory to going overseas. This ground force for America's aerial photography requires three types of men: Laboratory and dark room experts, especially fast news photographers, familiar with developing, printing, enlarging, retouching, and finishing panchromatic photography, men who can take a plate from the airmen and hand over, ten minutes later, a finished enlargement to the staff officers. These men will work in motor lorries as close to the front and staff as possible. Men able to keep the whole delicate equipment in good condition, such as camera and optical constructions plus repairmen, lens experts, cabinet makers, instrument makers, and so forth... Men to fit the finished prints into their proper places in the photographic reproduction of the German front --- to work out the information disclosed, and to keep the whole map a living hour-to-hour story of what the Germans are doing.s Many men not physically fit for line service are eligible for this so-called limited military service, as defective vision corrected by glasses and other minor physical disabilities' are waived. Owing to the shortness of time it is requested that only men fully qualified apply for this service. That is a great closing line, as this article was published on May 5th, and they want 1,000 men by May 10 as the army Signal Corps plays out its role in the War in the Sky one hundred years ago this week! America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 For the war on the ground, here is this week’s segment of America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed: This week your story is about one of the best known soldier heroes of WWI - and his very profound crisis of conscience in entering his military service.. Who was he and what is his story? [ED LENGEL] [Thank you Ed. Before we close - I want to ask you something that struck me in hearing this account. When Alvin York asked his Captain and his battalion commander “I wish you would tell me what this war is about,” I know we have no record of that they actually said - but as a historian - how might these military commander have responded? What was the common wisdom and answer to that question at the time?] [Ed, what will you be telling us about next week?] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/one-hundred-years-ago-alvin-yorks-decision/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ 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, your post this week is about the pre “spring offensive” actions in Europe - On the front and reaching into Allied capitals - It really feels like there is an undercurrent of desperation - and to me - desperation on all side - is that a theme here? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/03/04/germany-now-dominates-on-western-front/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel We love that you listen to us - but If you’d like to watch some videos about WW1, go see our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new videos include: Ludendorff's Window of Opportunity From Caporetto to Cambrai: A Summary Lenin and Trotsky - Their Rise to Power To see their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW OK… time to fast forward -- back to the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] This is the part of the podcast where we explore what is happening NOW to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! Remembering Veterans Women Workers of the AEF This week in remembering veterans and for Women’s History Month - We’re continuing our focus on Women in WW1. We’re joined by Dr. Susan Zeiger (tiger), an author and member of the Commission’s Historical Advisory Board. She is also the Program Director at Primary Source ---- non-profit, advancing global and cultural learning in schools---- She is a professor emeritus of History at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, and the author ofIn Uncle Sam’s Service: Women Workers with the American Expeditionary Forces, 1917-1919. Welcome, Dr. Zeiger! [greetings] [The phenomenon you describe in your book -- thousands of women taking on responsibilities usually reserved for men-- seems groundbreaking in many ways. What motivated thousands of American women to volunteer for overseas service during World War I? [What kinds of resistance did women encounter-- at home and on the job-- as they set off to work? ] [goodbyes] Thank you for joining us today. Dr. Susan Zeiger is a member of the Commission’s Historical Advisory Board, the Program Director at Primary Source, professor emeritus of History at Regis College and author. Learn more about her and her work by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.primarysource.org/about-us/our-staff/susan-zeiger http://eh.net/book_reviews/in-uncle-sams-service-women-workers-with-the-american-expeditionary-force-1917-1919/ https://www.amazon.com/Service-Workers-American-Expeditionary-1917-1919/dp/B001H8E6NQ Spotlight in the Media Hello Girls This week for our Spotlight in the Media -- We’re joined by Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs, whose book The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers. Is the basis for the documentary The Hello Girls, which just had a very successful world premiere in Washington DC at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Dr. Cobbs is also the Melbern Glasscock Chair at Texas A&M University, as well as a Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. [greetings] Welcome Dr. Cobbs! [Dr. Cobbs, I heard great things about the films showing in DC last week including the attendance by two grand daughters of Hello Girls - Were you there? ] [We mentioned the Hello Girls at the top of the show in our segment on the US Army Signal Corps - Who were the Hello Girls? What kinds of women were they?] [So these women signed up as soldier and then got gypped out of their veteran benefits - what what’s that story?] [Did the Hello Girls continue to be telephone operators when they returned home and into the workforce?] [Dr. Cobbs - we’ve included a link to your book in the podcast notes, but where can people see the documentary? ] [What is the most important thing we should remember about the story of these women?] [goodbyes] Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs is the Melbern Glasscock Chair at Texas A&M University, a Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and an acclaimed author. You can learn more about her and her book The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Girls-Americas-First-Soldiers/dp/0674971477 http://elizabethcobbs.com/the-hello-girls/ https://www.npr.org/2017/04/06/522596006/the-hello-girls-chronicles-the-women-who-fought-for-america-and-for-recognition https://www.npr.org/2017/04/06/522596006/the-hello-girls-chronicles-the-women-who-fought-for-america-and-for-recognition https://the1a.org/shows/2017-07-12/americas-first-women-soldiers-had-to-fight-for-recognition-as-veterans 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 Memorial Grove at Green Hill Park in Worchester MA. With us tell us about this ambitious restoration WWI is Brian McCarthy, President of the Green Hill Park Coalition Inc [Brian - Thank you for joining us on the podcast] [greetings] [Brian: the Memorial in Worcester was originally put in 1928 by Post 5 of The American Legion. What did they do and what is the history of the memorial?] [Brian - Your Green Hill Park Coalition took this on - not as a little spruce up (no tree pun intended) but a very ambitious multi-hundred thousand dollar memorial park renovation. How did this come about?] [When I saw your design study and planning documents - I was genuinely impressed by your thinking and your beautiful but practical vision. What is the status of the project now?] [Well - your project has deservedly been designated as a WWI Centennial Memorial - How can people help?] Brian McCarthy is President of the Green Hill Park Coalition. Their Go Fund me site and more information about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials program are both available through the links in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities https://www.gofundme.com/28f8c5vq [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 --- The American armed forces ballooned in size during 1917 and 1918. Putting men in uniform was not just a conceptual statement but a literal one! Underwear, socks, shoes, belts, and uniforms for millions were needed NOW! This week 100 years ago on March 6th in the pages of the Official Bulletin - and apparently after accusations of problems, the government seeks to reassure the country, that Army Uniforms are made with the absolute best materials and did not overuse... QUOTE “shoddy” --- Our speaking WW1 word this week. Shoddy may have originally derived from a mining term “Shoad” meaning scraps, the article goes on to define what the government means by “shoddy” -- This indicates to us that it was not a term commonly used in 1918 - but it is today “shoddy” is simply reworked wool remnants and clippings worked into fiber of the virgin wool, you know - like stretching the ground sirloin with some bread crumbs! The use of shoddy, or reworked wool, was urged by the government’s wool experts as a helpful, partial solution for the huge wool shortage - but it had to be added sparingly. Shoddy was also used in military uniforms during the the Civil War but apparently overused. There are stories of soldiers’ clothes falling to pieces after just a few days’ wear, or even in a heavy rain giving those uniforms a really bad reputation and re-defining the word “Shoddy” not as wool clipping but a description of something poorly made. Luckily, the shoddy laden wool in WW1 uniforms were not as shoddy as the shoddy uniforms of the Civil War-- they did hold up in the rain and mud of the trenches. No shame in that Shoddy-- our word for this week’s Speaking WW1. Learn more at the links in the podcast notes. link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3339-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-250-march-06-1918.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/03/04/102676957.pdf https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shoddy#Etymology https://www.historyextra.com/period/what-are-the-origins-of-the-word-shoddy/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Buzz 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? Long Lost Diary This week, we shared an article on Facebook from Longmont, Colorado, where a local man named Paul Hansen discovered a long forgotten world war one era diary. The diary belonged to Hansen’s father, who left it, along with a few other mementos of his service in the war, in his army issued footlocker, left to collect dust in the family barn. Hansen inherited the box from his father, opening it and rediscovering the life his father had lived as a soldier in the war. In it he found his father’s diary, as well as his Victory Medal and love letters between his father and his girlfriend, who died from influenza before he returned home from the battlefield. Hansen has taken all of these items -- and the very detailed diary -- and brought them into a book, “Soldier of the Great War: My Father’s Diary”. The story of this man and his very personal discovery of his father’s service -- it’s a reminder that, though the war is a hundred years passed, so many stories of the war are yet to be discovered and told. You can read more about the incredible history pieced together by this veteran’s son by visiting the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.timescall.com/longmont-local-news/ci_31707868/longmont-man-finds-long-forgotten-world-war-i Outro Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Susan Zeiger, member of the Commission’s Historical Advisory Board, author and the Program Director at Primary Source Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs, historian and author Brian McCarthy from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Worcester Massachusetts Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Thanks also to Eric Maar as well as our intern John Morreale for their great 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 as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, new this week on Stitcher - Radio on Demand --- as well as the other places you get your podcast -- even on your smart speaker.. Just say “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] Hello Girls - Could one of y’all please connect me with field Marshall Foshe silv vous play - Why thank you ma’am! So long! Next week: We speak with the team about the upcoming Sgt Stubby film release Promote reconciliation week events in Reims, June 2018 Speak with the curator of the Postal Museum: Women's WW1 Letters exhibit Interview with Commissioner Monique Seefried about commemoration events in Europe 100 Cities / 100 Memorials in Ogden Utah Hear a story about returning American dog tags to France
Highlights - Healers of WW1 March Preview - Roundtable with Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine Akey & Theo mayer | @02:15 Spoils of War from Russia - Mike Shuster | @13:10 Medicine in WW1 - Charles Van Way, George Thompson & Sanders Marble | @18:30 New VSO WW1 support site @ ww1cc.org/veteran | @26:00 African American nurses in WW1 - Dr. Marjorie DesRosier | @27:35 100C/100M project from Raymond WA - Gordon Aleshire | @33:25 Women Physicians in WW1 - Eliza Chin, Keri Kukral & Mollie Marr | @36:50 Speaking WW1 - “Archie” | @43:10 WW1 War Tech - The Browning Machine Gun | @45:05 WWrite Blog on Brest-Litovsk Treaty | @47:10 American War Artist and his curator - Katherine Akey | @48:10----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #61 - 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 March 2nd, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel, Joining Katherine Akey and I in a March preview roundtable. Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog with an update on the fallout from the Russian defeat on the Eastern Front Charles Van Way, George Thompson, and Sanders Marble on Medicine in WW1 and their new website at the Commission Dr. Marjorie DesRosier on the struggle of African American Nurses in WW1 Gordon Aleshire, telling us about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Raymond, Washington Eliza Chin, Keri Kukral and Mollie Marr telling us about the short documentary At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I Katherine Akey, with a special report on an amazing French WWI photography curator A great lineup -- today -- 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 Last month we did an experiment. Dr. Edward Lengel, Katherine and I sat down together - as we often do in our editorial meetings - and talked about the upcoming month of February. We got great feedback from you so we are going to do it again, here at the top of March! I put a sidecar on our centennial Time Machine so we’d all fit as we roll back 100 years to the war that changed the world! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Overview Chat with Ed, Katherine and Theo Ed, Katherine - welcome to early March 1918. [Ed & Katherine make some comment] So guys - I understand that this is our last chance to take a breather - Starting this month, the action gets pretty hot and heavy with the Germans getting ready for their big Spring offensive. [Katherine - you use the term Kaiser Schlagt or Emperor’s Strike. Is that the same thing as the “spring offensive?”] [Ed - this is going to go on for months going forward - can you give us an overview and what the German’s have in mind?] [Quick change of subject - As we get into the military action we keep throwing around all these names of military formation like division, corps, regiment, brigade - and I’ll wager 80% of our audience has no idea of what all that means - so let’s do an overview - We sent over a Field Army - that’s the big one - the American forces] [Ed - can you break it down for us - sort of big to small and tell us about how many soldiers are in these various formations?] [Force building in Europe - March - April - May - June etc…] [Now that we have a clear idea that there are ARMIES on the ground - As the German offensive starts - Our US General Pershing needs to integrate with the French and the British commands - How does all that lay out?] [Flu begins] That was Dr. Edward Lengel and Katherine Akey as we talked about an overview for the upcoming month of March, 1918 and even looking forward a bit more than that. Next week we will be back to our regular 100-years-ago this week format including our regular feature ‘America Emerges - Military Stories from WWI” [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’s recent posts have told us of the devastating suffering of the German people in the fatherland, But…. the Kaiser and his Generals are feeling hot and empowered by the total defeat of the Russians on the Eastern front. They think they are going to win this thing! The spoils-of-war from that campaign include vast territorial gains, massive stashes of captured arms, repatriation of huge numbers of soldier all now available to put the big wallop on the French and Brits - hopefully before the Americans can really join in the fight. So Mike the details of the Russian collapse are really monumental, aren’t they!? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/02/25/german-attack-in-west-is-imminent/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel The Great War Channel on Youtube is hosted by Indy Neidel. Here is Indy. [Hello WW1 Centennial News Listeners - I’m Indy Neidell, host of the Great War Channel on Youtube. American troops are about to experience their first major battle of the war-- the Kaiserschlacht. Join us every Thursday for a new episode to follow this massive German offensive as it unfolds. Find us on Youtube and follow us on Facebook.] This week’s new videos from the Great War Channel include: Operation Faustschlag - Germany advances in the east again Amphibious Landing Craft The Czechoslovak Legion’s Odyssey through Russia To see their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW OK… time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] In this section we explore what is happening NOW to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! Commission News Medicine in WW1 Website We have a lot to unpack here so let’s get going with Medicine in WWI! We have three guests with us today who not only know a whole lot about the subject - but they have also bundles that know-how into an amazing new website on the Commission’s server at WW1CC.org/medicine - all lower case. Charles Van Way, a retired Army Colonel, Professor Emeritus at University of Missouri–Kansas City George Thompson, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of the History and Philosophy of Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Sanders Marble, the senior historian with the Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage. These are the three men responsible for this website. And they did a masterful job. It may be one of the most authoritative, in-depth, well illustrated and concise subject sections on our site. Welcome, gentlemen! [greetings] [Gentlemen: At the very top of your website you put a statement.. It reads: A century ago, American Medicine went to war! I love that - it’s very illustrative.] [How did the three of you come together to undertake making with wonderful resource?] [What was the biggest impact of the war on American Medicine? Charles, let’s start with you.] [OK - a round table question - with a one phrase answer - what was the single most important innovation in medicine coming out of this war - ] [Sanders --- George --- Charles----] (talk about how they agree and disagree) [We just had a question come in from a member of our live audience: When influenza cases started to appear on the in-transit troop ships - what kind of isolation units were set up on these overcrowded transports to lower the contagion rate? ] [Quickly about the website - It is really comprehensive - You could do a semester course with it. Charles, could you give us a high level overview of what all is there? Gentlemen - thank you for introducing us to the subject of Medicine in WWI - but most of all - thank you for the huge effort you put into building the scholarly, in-depth and well thought web site at ww1cc.org/medicine! [they respond] [goodbyes] Charles Van Way, George Thompson, and Sanders Marble are the curators of Medicine in WW1, the amazing new resource at ww1cc.org/medicine. Link: www.ww1cc.org/medicine Remembering Veterans New Veterans Landing page To kick off our Remembering Veterans Section this week, let’s talk about VSOs - that stands for Veteran Service Organizations. Organizations like the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars or VFW, The Daughters of the American Revolution or DAR and a whole lot of others. These organizations are very important partners for the commission with closely aligned goals and missions. Many of you listening today are in fact members of a VSO, but if you are not, let me give you an overview of who they are. First of all - they are amazing - and amazingly dedicated organizations focused on the men and women who served and sacrificed for our nation. And although they have national organizations, for the most part - they are very grassroots by nature with thousands of local posts or chapters all around the country that do all the real hands stuff. For example - When my dad, who was a Marine Corps Pilot in WWII passed away, a local American Legion post provided an honor guard for his funeral - because he served his nation! And they won’t forget one of their own. And I’ll never forget how they honored him - even though he was not a member of their post. VSO’s have been deeply involved in many of our commemoration programs including 100 Cities / 100 Memorials, centennial commemorations with States, and they have been key financial contributors to the national WWI Memorial project in Washington DC. But as I said - it is all about the local level - so for the local posts and chapters - we just published a special landing page on our website just for them - it’s a landing page with a series of “subject and activity tiles” that make it easy to see how to get involved with the centennial commemoration of the war that changed the world. It’s actually not a bad resource for anyone - at ww1cc.org/veteran all lower case and of course you can always follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/veteran African American Nurses Staying with veterans, wrapping up African American History Month and leading us into Women’s History month, this segment is about the experiences of African American Nurses. Joining us again is Dr. Marjorie DesRosier (de-roh-zuhr), who was on a few weeks ago. Dr. DesRosier is an international nurse historian and independent scholar. She, herself is also a Registered Nurse and former clinical professor from the University of Washington School of Nursing, in Seattle. Welcome back, Dr. DesRosier! [greetings] [The story of African American Nurses in WWI is fascinating - To start, could you tell us about how an African American woman would go about becoming a Nurse in that era? ] [What kinds of resistance did these women encounter?] [How did these women respond? Especially to the Surgeon General’s policies?] [Did it work?] [Where can people learn more about this?] We’ve posted some links in the podcast notes for our listeners - Dr. DesRosier - thank you for coming back on the show to bring us this story. [goodbyes] Dr. DesRosier is an international nurse historian, independent scholar and registered nurse - Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about African American Nurses in WW1 and Dr. DesRosier’s work. link:http://desrosierhistory.com/ http://history.amedd.army.mil/ancwebsite/articles/blackhistory.html http://www.edwardianpromenade.com/african-american/african-americans-in-the-great-war/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4046-honoring-african-american-women-who-served-in-the-army-nurse-corps-in-wwi.html 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 is a perfect tie-in to the VSO story we told you about earlier - because this project is being done by --- Veterans of Foreign Wars post 968 in Raymond, Washington. With us tell us about their city and the project is Gordon Aleshire, Adjutant of VFW Post 968. Welcome Gordon! [greetings] [Gordon - you live in a beautiful - and pretty remote part of the country - tells us about Raymond, Pacific County and the areas roll in WWI?] [I have seen the before and “in process” pictures of your memorial. It really needed help. Tell us about how the post decided to take this on.] [Did the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project come along for you before or after you took on the challenge?] [What are your rededication plans?] Gordon - Thank you and post 968 for the great work you are doing in remember our WW1 doughboys! [goodbyes] Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities Project support link: https://www.gofundme.com/ww-i-memorial-restoration Gordon Aleshire, is Adjutant of VFW Post 968 in beautiful Raymond Washington Spotlight in the Media As we mentioned - March is Women’s History month - So This week for our Spotlight in the Media -- We’re joined by Eliza Chin, Keri Kukral and Mollie Marr. They are the team that researched and produced a documentary called: At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I. [greetings] Welcome to you! [Eliza: You are the executive Director of the American Medical Women’s Association - Briefly - what is that? What does the organization represent?] [Keri: You are the founder and CEO of Raw Science TV - again briefly what is that?] [Mollie: you know this was coming - I know you are a student at the Oregon Health & Science University - but you’re also the Executive Chair of the American Medical Women's Association branch at the school - how does that work at a university?] [Alright - So the three of you came together to create this wonderful documentary - AND I have to add - impressive companion online web exhibit - How did this come together? Eliza can you tell us? [Keri-- the film has a 3D component to it. Tell us about that - What was the intent?] [Mollie would you please tell us how you researched the subject - anything particularly surprize you?] [Eliza -- If someone would like to book the film for a local screening or WWI event -- how do they do that?] Thank you all for joining us today and telling us about this great project! [goodbyes] Eliza Chin is Executive Director of the American Medical Women's Association -- Keri Kukral is the CEO of Raw Science TV -- and Mollie Marr is an MD/PhD student at Oregon Health and Science University. You can learn more about their project: At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I and how to access the documentary for your WWI event by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.amwa-doc.org/ https://www.amwa-doc.org/wwi-exhibition/ https://www.amwa-doc.org/wwi-film/ [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 --- During WWI as planes flew over the front - little puffs of smoke appeared in the sky… Well - actually each one of those puffs was a deadly expanding ball of shrapnel designed to mangle planes and pilots! True to British humor this deadly deterrent for fliers got a silly nickname - which is our Speaking WWI word for this week. “Archie” -- was the British nickname for anti-aircraft fire-- and it has two contested origins. Origin #1: A pilot in the Royal Air Force, Vice-Marshall Borton, who, upon encountering enemy anti-aircraft fire, apparently quoted a lyric from a popular music hall song of time: “Archibald certainly not!” - a popular contemporary cultural exclamation of defiance. [*play song*] Origin #2: The training grounds for RAF pilots back in England at --- Brooklands in Surrey - neighbored a “sewage farm” -- The Archibald sewage farm. Apparently the farm, which processed sewage to irrigate and fertilize the land, had notoriously difficult air currents above it, creating a wafting turbulence the pilots found quite similar to that of the anti-aircraft weapons. Either way, Archie! an humorous and very English term for the explosives that trailed and tormented pilots as they flew over the front in WWI. -- See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/301554/why-is-german-anti-aircraft-fire-called-archibald http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/11156904/The-slang-words-that-defined-the-First-World-War.html http://mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZkyKLZghUc https://languagesandthefirstworldwar.wordpress.com/2017/06/06/archibald-certainly-not/ [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Browning Machine Gun For WW1 War Tech -- this week, we’re taking a look at The Browning Machine Gun. It got a lot of press this week 100 years ago because apparently on February 27, 1918, in the vicinity of Congress Heights in Southeastern Washington D.C, it sounded like the War in Europe had suddenly spread to America. This is because they were test firings of the new Browning at the U.S. Government’s shooting range. The guns, the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and the Browning M1917, were being demonstrated to a crowd of American politicians, foreign army officers, and the press. The firearms were being touted as “the finest gun in the world”. The machine guns were the brainchild of John Moses Browning, a man known as “the father of modern firearms” whose weapons designs, including the pump-action shotgun. When the Army sent out a request to all American inventors asking for new firearms designs in 1917, Browning personally traveled to the capital to present his new prototypes. The Ordinance Department demanded these weapons be put to the test by shooting 20,000 rounds of ammunition. When the test was performed at the Government Proving Grounds in May 1917, Browning’s gun fired the 20,000 rounds with no complications, then fired another 20,000 only breaking a single part. Besides reliability, another impressive feature was a design so simplistic, the officers who demonstrated the weapon could take it apart and put it back together while blindfolded. This made such an impression on the War Department that the “blindfold test” soon became an essential part of military training. Mass production began soon thereafter, with the first Browning guns arriving in France on June 29, 1918. Though only 1,168 Brownings saw combat, the general design proved so useful the Browning M1917 was an essential part of the American arsenal all the way until the Korean War. Read more about the Browning at the links in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=358 https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=785 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/gun-designer-john-browning-is-born http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/mgun_bar.htm http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/mgun_browning.htm https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/27/103191974.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/28/109328811.pdf http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3329-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-244-febuary-27-1918.html Articles and Posts WWrite Blog This week for the WWrite Blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, the post reads: “Brest-Litovsk: Eastern Europe’s Forgotten Father” The post was written by Adrian Bonenberger In his lifetime, the world-famous Polish dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky, might have also claimed Russian, German, or Ukrainian nationality. The future of Nijinsky's Europe–and his identity–was decided on March 3, 1918. Veteran author, Adrian Bonenberger, calls the event "the moment" when "the old world falls apart, and creates space for the new to arise." In this week's WWrite post, Bonenberger gives us a rich overview of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty and its implications for the former Soviet bloc countries! Read the story at the Wwrite Blog. Ww1cc.org/w w r i t e or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/4094-brest-litovsk-eastern-europe-s-forgotten-father-2.html Waldo Peirce Changing formats a little - Katherine Akey is going to close out this week with a story about an article we posted on our website at ww1cc.org/news about American painter and ambulance driver - Waldo Pierce - but her report is equally about the Corine Reis - the author of the article and a dedicated French curator of WWI stories and images. [Katherine - you were the one who came across Corine that led to the article maybe we should start with her - her curated images are truly AMAZING!!!] Hey Theo -- yeah, the project Corine has been working on is something else. Published on our website, and included in our weekly email dispatch, is an interview with Corine. She’s a French citizen historian -- and the great-niece of American painter and ambulance driver Waldo Peirce. He was one of the many students voluntarily leaving their lives at home-- for him, his studies at Harvard-- to aid the French years before America joined the war. Corine meticulously, and with a great sense of storytelling, curates and shares his photographs, artwork and writings on her Tumblr and Facebook pages, chronicling his experience throughout the war. Her interest and personal connection to Waldo grew over time, expanding to include the American Volunteers of WW1 at large. In the interview, Corine discusses her passion, the incredible archive left behind by her great-uncle Waldo, and her plans for documenting the lives of volunteers during WW2 as well. Additionally to reading the interview, I’d really, really encourage you to take the time to scroll through her Tumblr, which can be found embedded in the interview at WW1cc.org. To say that Corine is a dedicated storyteller is a understatement of the highest order. Through this project, she has gathered photographs and excerpts from collections all across the world, creating a single body of stories that is unlike most we encounter when researching World War One. I first came across her Tumblr during my weekly search for photographic content for the Commission, and was really surprised at how few of the images were familiar to me. So much of what she has rediscovered and shared with the world is quiet, quotidian, and somehow spectacular: An image of a woman ambulance driver holding a kitten and casually wearing the Croix de Guerre; an over-the-shoulder shot of a young British officer staring longingly at a photo of a woman tucked inside his hat; an image of a man sitting in the midst of a dense, unspoiled French forest as sunbeams glance through the trees; a crowd gathering around a deep, shearing hole in the Parisian street, the result of a recent German air raid. The collection Corine has assembled -- and continues to assemble-- is exceptional. The hours of work -- as well as her very artful eye and deep passion for the subject-- are evident in every post. We’ve included links in the podcast notes to the interview we did with her, as well as to her Facebook and Tumblr pages. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4082-waldo-peirce-goes-to-war-is-a-remarkable-new-wwi-tumblr-blog.html https://waldopeircegoestowar.tumblr.com/ https://www.facebook.com/waldo.peirce Thank you Katherine - Outro Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Charles Van Way, George Thompson, and Sanders Marble, the curators of the new Medicine in WW1 website Dr. Marjorie DesRosier, nurse, author and historian Gordon Aleshire, Adjutant of VFW Post 968 Eliza Chin, Keri Kukral and Mollie Marr, the production team behind the documentary At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Thanks also to our intern John Morreale for his great research assistance. And I am Theo Mayer - your host. [MUSIC] CLOSING 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 as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, new this week on Stitcher - Radio on Demand --- as well as the other places you get your podcast -- even on your smart speaker.. Just say “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] Archie, Veronica and Jughead - Three types of deadly munitions from WWI - Not true…. Just kidding… So long! So long!
Highlights The Government's Expanding Power | @10:30 America Emerges: 1st Division learns tough lessons - Edward Lengel | @08:55 War in the Sky: First US planes get shipped to France | @13:15 GWP Blog: Wrapup on Tuscania - Mike Shuster | @15:30 A Century in the Making: A busy week for the memorial project | @20:15 Remembering Veterans: the 370th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Eugene Scott | @24:00 Education: Poppy Program in middle school - Taylor Gibbs & Lyvia bartoli | @31:35 Speaking WW1: Camouflage | @36:55 WW1 War Tech: Depth Charge | @39:00 WWrite Blog: This Colored Man Is No Slacker | @41:00 Buzz: The flu then, the flu now - Katherine Akey | @42:05----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #60 - 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 23rd, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel, with a story about the 1st Division’s early encounter with gas warfare Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog with a wrap up story of the sinking of the Tuscania Colonel Eugene Scott - US Army Retired - with the restoration of the 370th regiment Victory Monument in Chicago Taylor Gibbs and Lyvia Bartoli sharing their experience fundraising with the Commission’s Poppy Program Katherine Akey, with the centennial of WWI in social media All now -- 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 In October of 1917, Wilson signs the "Trading with The enemy" act into law giving him sweeping new powers to manage and control international trade. We covered this in some detail during episode #42 and here are the highlights: Enemy owned property can be seized Enemy intellectual property can be ignored The Treasury department gets extensive powers over the international movement of precious metals and securities The postmaster General gets total censorship rights over international communications including telegraph Interestingly - “enemy” is defined as someone we have declared war on OR a nation that the President simply proclaims as an enemy OR a company engaged in commerce with an enemy OR a company incorporated or operating in enemy territory OR a company that has ties to one of the many things above. With free reign to seize and capture foreign properties - the administration sets up the Office of the Alien Property Custodian putting a guy named A. Mitchell Palmer in charge of “appropriating” enemy held properties. This week 100 years ago - Using the “Trading with the Enemy” and the “espionage” acts as foundations - President Wilson goes the next mile and issues a series of proclamations including taking total control of all the foreign commerce of the United States. With that that as a setup - it's time to jump into our centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years to the war that changed the world. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] It is mid February 1918. From the pages of the Official Bulletin - the government war gazette published by George Creel - the nation's propaganda chief comes the following: [radio and telegraph sound effect] Dateline: Friday February 15, 1918 The headline in the Official Bulletin Reads: PRESIDENT ISSUES PROCLAMATIONS FOR CONTROL OF ENTIRE FOREIGN COMMERCE OF UNITED STATES LICENSES REQUIRED FOR ALL IMPORTS AND EXPORTS And the story reads: The President has today issued two proclamations which will become effective to-morrow. After February 16, 1918, no commodities may be exported from this country or imported into this country except under license. The administration states that: “the military situation and the tonnage situation have made increasingly apparent the necessity of Instituting a complete and thorough control of all our exports and imports. [theo] The entire second page of the article - all three columns -- are dedicated to the detailing of the scores of types of goods now under import and export regulation as well as the dozens of countries now under commerce restrictions. You can read the full text of the proclamations yourself, since we re-publish every issue of the official bulletin on the Commission’s web site at ww1cc.org/bulletin - go to the February 15th issue and read the story on page 1 and 2. In the same issue the treasury department announces that they have begun a nation-wide hunt for Alien Property to be impounded or confiscated. [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: Nationwide Hunt for Alien Property Is Begun by U. S. Custodian Palmer WARNING NOTICE GIVEN Persons Evading Law Liable to $10,000 Fine or Ten Years' Imprisonment or Both. [Theo] As an aside - $10,000 in 1918 is the equivalent of $180 grand today. The story reads: Mitchell Palmer, Alien Property Custodian, authorizes the following statement: Federal agents have begun a search of the country from coast to coast to get in alien property still outstanding. Holders of property thus uncovered who have failed to report it, may be fined or imprisoned, or both. The law will be impartially enforced against all individuals or corporations who fail to report the possession of enemy property. But the Wilson administration is not stopping there - They are also going for total control of the railroads - Dateline Feb. 22. 1918 A headline in the NY times reads The Senate Passes Railroad Bill [Theo] And the story reads: With Administration forces victorious · on every contested point, the bill for Government control of railroads passes the Senate tonight without a roll call. Determined efforts to prescribe limitations beyond which the President or the Director General might not go in managing the railroads, failed when Senators of both parties rallied strongly behind Senator Smith of South Carolina --- the Administration spokesman on this measure. [Theo] The story goes on to read: So generous was the Senate that the President is to be untrammeled by any existing law that he deems will handicap or hinder effective governmental control and management of the transportation systems. [Theo] But there are those in the government that are getting worried about the Executive branch gathering so much dictatorial power - and where this may leave the nation after the hostilities cease. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: February 19, 1918 In a New York Times headline: WATSON CRITICIZES POWERS GIVEN TO WILSON Senator Watson opposes power extension for after the war ends In the story senator Watson, a Republican is quoted: I am willing to confer upon the President all the power necessary to Win this war: I have voted for several measures, the necessity of which I doubted, because he stated that the authority sought was essential to the successful prosecution of this conflict; but I am not yet convinced that, ln order to win this war, it is necessary to confer upon the President these tremendous powers for a period of peace after the conflict shall have ceased. To that end let us firmly resolve that, with the proclamation of peace, the President shall surrender all the vast powers willingly conferred upon him by an aroused people, because of the exigent necessities of war: and that this nation shall return to the kind of republic founded by the revered fathers of this Union! And so the Wilson Administration consolidates its unprecedented and overarching power across all sectors of American industry, food production, transportation, finance and trade 100 years ago this week in the war the changed the world. Follow our research links in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3327-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-240-febuary-21-1918.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/19/103191523.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/19/103191559.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/19/103191562.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/21/102672512.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/22/102673051.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/23/102673526.pdf America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 This week on: America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI… Dr. Edward lengel recounts the story of the First Division - the Big Red One in action, as they face off a deadly gas attack. Welcome Ed. [ED LENGEL] Ed - Next week you’ll be joining Katherine and I for our March preview roundtable - looking forward to speaking with you then! [Thanks Theo] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/big-red-one-action-ansauville-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ War in the Sky This week for the War in the Sky we are going to look at some articles from the times and the Bulletin. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Thursday February 21, 1918 A headline in the NY Times reads: FOE COMES AND GOES AT WILL Enemy Airplanes View Positions and Take Observations Freely Above The Reach of Guns Only Fighting Air Machines Can Stop Their Calm Parade Over Enemy Lines And the story reads: Control of the air in the American Sector belongs to the enemy. Any officer at the front will make this declaration - and all have made it. Every time the Germans come over, their path through the sky is followed by fleecy shrapnel puffs, but the the chances of hitting an airplane with anti-aircraft shells at those high altitudes is so remote that the enemy aviators calmly fly along, as if on a pleasure tour. The article closes with the question: "When are some American Planes Coming Here?" The answer is published on the same day in the Official Bulletin this week: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Thursday February 21 1918 Headline: First American-Made Aerial Warships Now on Way to the French Battlefront, A statement by the Secretary of War reads: The first American-built battle planes are to-day en route to the front in France. This first shipment, though in itself not large, marks the final overcoming of many difficulties met in building up this new and intricate industry. These planes are equipped with the first American “Liberty motors” from machine production. One of them in a recent test surpassed all records for speed and climbing for planes of that type. Engine production, which began a month ago, is now on a quantity basis and the peak of production will be reached in a few weeks. [theo] And so the first planes are shipping to France from the US with the aim of changing the dynamics of the war in the sky 100 years ago this week . See the links in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/warinthesky http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3327-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-240-febuary-21-1918.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/21/102672505.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/21/102672510.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/22/102673069.pdf [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…. This week Mike takes another look at the Tuscania sinking in the context of the great troop movements over the Atlantic. Our research for the podcast shows that this singular ship sinking was in news for weeks and somehow marks a psychological watershed for the US. Perhaps it was the realization that we were in a real life and death struggle. What are your headlines Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/02/18/a-gathering-flood-of-doughboys/ https://cdn.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_argonne_ver03/data/20001931/print/1918022201/0001.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For videos about WWI we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube. These veteran WWI story producers are offering several new videos this week including: Russian Pistols of WW1 No War, No Peace - Trotsky’s Gamble France’s War Aims and Refugees To see their videos about WWI 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! A Century in the Making 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. It’s been an exciting week for the Memorial Team. Late last week, Maquette in hand - the maquette being the 10 foot long first draft miniature of the stunning sculpture for the memorial - the team set up for a meeting and review by the Washington Commission of Fine Arts - one of the governing bodies for what is -- and what is not built in the Nation’s Capital. Good progress was made with the CFA commissioners providing their insight and feedback to the team. Then it was off to New York for the project’s first exposure on national networks television, as Commission Chairman Terry Hamby, Sculptor Sabin Howard and the Maquette joined host Steve Doocy for an interview recording on the set of Fox and Friends - The segment aired this past Tuesday Morning [RUN EXCERPT CLIP FROM INTERVIEW] The airing resulted in thousands of page views of the memorial webiste and most important hundreds of people making their first donations to the project. Now the Maquette and team have set up a special showing the historic Willard Hotel in Washington DC - located directly across the street from Pershing Park - the future home of America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC. It’s been a big week for a wonderful project that has been A Century In The Making. If you are not familiar with this great project, let me invite you for a direct look at ww1cc.org/memorial or follow the link in the podcast notes Link: http://ww1cc.org/memorial Remembering Veterans/100 Cities 100 Memorials Today we are combining our Remembering Veterans AND our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segments with an interview with Colonel Eugene Frederick Scott - US Army Retired -- born in the South - Raised in Chicago - and forged in the US Army with a 28 year military career included two tours of duty in Vietnam. A man like this does not retire - and in his post military career he became the publisher of the Chicago Daily Defender Newspaper, and a very busy social activist. Colonel Scott - along with his equally formidable wife - Beverly - who I suspect may be his secret weapon - showed up in my world during the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project where they submitted a Chicago Monument to the 370th Infantry Regiment. Welcome Colonel Scott. [Colonel: Let me start by talking local Chicago history - Can you give us an overview of the 370th and their role in WWI?] [could you tell us a bit about the monument that is one of the awardees for the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project] [Colonel - what other WWI centennial projects are you working on or with?] [Thank you for joining us today] Colonel Eugene F. Scott US Army Retired and Former publisher of the Chicago Daily Defender Newspaper. Link: get links http://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/col-eugene-scott https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/video-rucksack/2016-liberty-gala-oral-history-video-remarks-colonel-ret-eugene-f-scott/ Education Poppy Packet Fundraising Today in our Education section, we are joined not by an educator but by two very special entrepreneurial and dedicated young students. Taylor Gibbs and Lyvia Bartoli from St. John the Evangelist Middle School in Watertown, Connecticut. They brought the Centennial Commission's Poppy Seed Fundraising Program to their school, to help raise awareness for our World War I veterans, and to help raise money for America’s World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC. Welcome Lyvia and Taylor! [greetings] [How did you hear about the WW1 Poppy Program and what made it appealing to you to get involved with?] [How did the fundraising go?] [Did you find that the Poppy Packets increased interest in WW1 from the buyers?] [What advice would you give to anyone else using the Poppy Packets to raise funds?] [Have you been surprised at how much recognition you’re getting for this effort?] [goodbyes] Taylor Gibbs and Lyvia Bartoli are students at St. John the Evangelist Middle School, and are Poppy Seed Fundraising pros! Learn more about their efforts, and the Poppy Program, by visiting ww1cc.org/poppy or at the links in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4038-watertown-ct-students-support-memorial-with-poppy-seed-sales.html http://www.ww1cc.org/poppy Education Newsletter To wrap up Education this week -- The latest WW1 education newsletter just came out! Issue 11 is “Women in War!” and focuses on the diverse roles women took on to support the war, both abroad and at home. This issue includes resources for teaching about The Hello Girls, Female Yeoman, Women Warriors in Russia, Women’s Rights in Turkey -- and the legacy of the Women’s Suffrage movement. The newsletter is published by the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in partnership with the WW1 Centennial Commission. Go to our new education website at ww1cc.org/ e d u where you can sign up for the education newsletters and connect with the commission education program - or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: ww1cc.org/edu Updates from the States This week for our updates from the States - we are actually going to look at something from 100 years ago. In our research this week for our THEN history section - we found this very interesting map that was published in the February 21 issue of the Official Bulletin on page 8. The headline reads: COST PER MAN DRAFTED FOR SERVICE AS INDICATED, BY STATES It’s worth a look with Delaware recruitment the most costly per soldier at $19 and Oklahoma the least at a dollar fifty-seven. The average draftee inducted cost the government $4.93 each. Check out the article and the map to see what it cost in your state - see Page 8 of the February 21st issue of the Official Bulletin at ww1cc.org/bulletin or follow the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/places/official-bulletin/3327-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-240-febuary-21-1918.html [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 --- In 1914, the French army still used the same military uniform they had for decades, with vibrant red pantaloons and bright white gloves. The “see me - shoot me” uniforms were one of the factors that led to their route by the German army in the first few months of the war. In response, the French launched a special unit in 1915, whose members, mostly artists, were known as camoufleurs. The french term “se, camoufler” means to hide oneself. This led to this week’s “speaking WWI “ word camouflage. Quite popular as a clothing style most often used as the slang - Camo In the military sense, the word denotes “the disguising of military personnel, equipment, and installations by painting or covering them to make them blend in with their surroundings.” With planes scouting every mile of active front for troop movements, ammunition stores and other valuable information -- hiding in plain sight became increasingly important. So armies looked to nature for ideas on how to hide tanks, hospitals, snipers, bridges and even ships from the enemy’s prying eyes. Camouflage-- this week’s speaking ww1 word -- See the podcast notes to learn more! link: http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1906083,00.html https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/5-facts-about-camouflage-in-the-first-world-war Stars and Stripes While we talking about words - in this week’s Stars and Stripes issue from their on-going feature “ A Doughboy’s Dictionary”--- Our favorite definition this week is: Socks Socks are defined as: Foot coverings composed of substance represented to the Government or the Red Cross as being wool, and possessed of the same capacity for contracting holes as is a machine gun target at fifty yards. Read this all of this week’s stars and Stripes newspaper from 1918 - by following the link in the podcast notes. Link:https://cdn.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_argonne_ver03/data/20001931/print/1918022201/0003.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Depth Charge For WW1 War Tech -- we are going to talk about the Depth Charge. U-boats were the scourge of the seas -- taking out almost five thousand ships over the course of the war. German U-boats especially focused their attacks on British shipping, both military and commercial, the Royal Navy considered many possible strategies to defeat this threat, but none seemed viable until the summer of 1916, when naval engineer Herbert Taylor perfected the hydrostatic trigger, allowing for a weapon that could be detonated when it experienced certain levels of water pressure -- in other words - at certain depths.The underwater pressure explosions were devastating to submarine hulls while not damaging surface ships. Though only 2 U-Boats were sunk by depth charges in 1916, production was increased as the conflict went on, and by the end of the war, the Royal Navy had used depth charges to sink 20 submarines, limiting the ability of the German Navy to halt Allied shipping. And that’s THIS Weeks, WWI War Tech. Read more about depth charges during WW1 at the links in the podcast notes. Links: http://online.wsj.com/ww1/depth-charges http://mentalfloss.com/article/31882/12-technological-advancements-world-war-i https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_charge https://www.ussslater.org/tour/weapons/dpthchrg/dpthchrg.html Articles and Posts African American Nurses in WW1 In articles and posts-- from our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org -- this week, we are featuring an article about the African American women who served in the Army Nurse Corps during WW1. Eighteen African American women served stateside -- and their story is not well known. Their courage in overcoming the discrimination and segregation barriers still resonates today. The story of one of these Nurses, Frances Reed Elliott Davis of North Carolina, is particularly poignant. She was the orphaned, illegitimate daughter of a white woman and a half-Cherokee, half-black sharecropper. She faced enormous challenges in her life, overcoming them to become the first officially registered African American Nurse in the Red Cross. Read more about her, and other African American nurses, at the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4047-world-war-i-nurse-frances-reed-elliott-davis.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4046-honoring-african-american-women-who-served-in-the-army-nurse-corps-in-wwi.html WWrite blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post also helps us wrap up February’s theme as African American History month. The posts title comes from a poster that reads: This Colored Man Is No Slacker - “Slacker” was a WWI terms for those who avoided the draft. In 1919, the slogan on this WWI-era poster inspired two young African American sisters from West Virginia to write and publish a book of poems whose intention was to “show the Negro’s loyalty to the stars and stripes in the war with Germany and to show the need of unity of all men in the fight for democracy." Read the story about these young women’s literary work supporting the patriotism of African Americans in WW1-- at ww1cc.org/wwrite or by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/4058-the-colored-man-is-no-slacker-wwi-poems-by-the-peters-sisters.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! Flu Flu Flu This week’s most popular posts on Social Media were all about one thing: the flu. With this year’s flu season proving long and deadly, it’s no surprise that people are drawing parallels to the great flu of 1918. Against the backdrop of this year’s flu season, WWI Centennial Commissioner Dr. Libby O’Connell discussed the deadly “Spanish Flu” pandemic at the Museum of American Armor in New York. Dr O'Connell observed that 20 to 50 million people died from “The Spanish Flu” Pandemic, far more than all those who perished during World War I. An estimated 43,000 American Doughboys died of the disease out of a total of 675,000 American who would succumb. A third of all Americans would become infected with the “Spanish Flu” which would ravage the world for an entire year. You can find links to some photographs and an article from Newsday of Dr. O’Connell’s talk in the podcast links. I’ve also included a link to an article we shared from The Wichita Eagle, a newspaper out of Kansas, outlining the spread of the so-called Spanish Flu from it’s epicenter: that’s right, it seems that Kansas, not Spain, was the ground-zero for the deadly, world-changing flu of 1918. Read more about the flu’s origins in Kansas 100 years ago, and how they tried, in vain, to stop its spread, by visiting the link in the podcast notes. That’s it this week for the buzz. link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/posts/930053607169938 https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.311069102401728.1073741832.185589304949709/930363853805580/?type=3&theater http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article200880539.html Outro Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Colonel Eugene Scott, US Army Retired and former publisher of the Chicago Daily Defender newspaper Taylor Gibbs and Lyvia Bartoli, students at St. John the Evangelist Middle School Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Thanks also to our intern John Morreale for his great 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 as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean or the other places you get your podcast and even on your smart speaker.. Just say “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] Can you see me… I wearing my camouflage - Oh wait - this is audio only. Never mind! So long!
Highlights Wilson vs William | @ 01:25 Stars and stripes launches | @ 07:30 War in the sky - AirMail | @ 08:50 America Emerges - 32nd Red Arrow Division - Dr. Edward Lengel | @ 10:45 Great War Project - German Homefront - Mike Shuster | @ 15:40 Commission News - Service Medals NOW | @ 20:15 Remembering Veterans - 371st Regiment - Sonya Grantham | @ 22:05 Speaking WWI - Doughboy Dictionary | @ 29:50 International Report - Brazil in WWI - Matheus Lacerda | @ 31:35 WW1 War Tech - Synthetic Rubber | @ 38:15 Articles & Posts - Freddie Stowers and Pyjamas | @ 39:55 Valentine’s Special - letters, stories and music | @ 42:25 The Buzz - Katherine Akey | @ 47:30----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #59 - 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 16th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Edward Lengel, with a story about the 32nd Red Arrow Division Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog with the eroding situation on the German homefront Sonya Hodges Grantham sharing the story of the 371st regiment and her recent cemetery restoration efforts Matheus Lacerda with the history of Brazil in WW1 Katherine Akey, with some selections from the centennial of WWI in social media All this and 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 A few weeks ago, in Episode #56, we brought in Woodrow Wilson expert, John Milton Cooper Jr, an American historian, author, educator, and Former Senior Scholar at the Wilson Center. At the end of the interview I asked him what is the most important thing we should keep in mind about Wilson as we follow his actions: [FOR LIVE AUDIENCE“Insert audio : clip” - “As we hear the ongoing story of WWI on this podcast, what else should be understand about Wilson to help us keep it all --- and him in context?” answer about Wilson being a Phd, and one of history’s great political scientists - with ideas about how national politics work.] So 100 years ago this week - one of the big stories on the domestic front is Wilson’s address to a joint session of congress further laying out the path to a negotiated peace. With that as a setup, let’s jump into our centennial time machine and slide back 100 years to mid February 1918 in the war that changed the world! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC SOUND EFFECT TRANSITION] From the pages of the “OFFICIAL BULLETIN”, the government’s daily war gazette, published by George Creel -- a great primary source for WWI -- which we re-publish EVERY DAY on the Commission’s web site at ww1cc.org/bulletin and that apparently a few hundred of you now read daily… [RADIO TUNING SOUND EFFECT TO MORSE CODE SOUND EFFECT] DATELINE: Monday February 11, 1918 Headline: President, in Address to Congress, Outlines the Basis for General Peace, Asserts All Nations Now at War Must Join in the Settlement of Every Issue Involved The story opens with Wilson expanding on his 14 points by laying out 4 principles. He states: The test of whether it is possible for governments to go any further in the comparison of views is simple and obvious. The principles to be applied are these: FIRST, that each part of the final settlement must be based upon the essential justice of that particular case and upon such adjustments as are most likely to bring a peace that will be permanent; SECOND, that peoples and Provinces are not to be bartered about from sovereignty to sovereignty as if they were mere chattels and pawns in a game, even the great game, now forever discredited, of the balance of power; but that THIRD, every territorial settlement involved in this war must be made in the interest and for the benefit of the populations concerned, and not as a part of any mere adjustment or compromise of claims amongst rival States; and FOURTH, that all well-defined national aspirations shall be accorded the utmost satisfaction that can be accorded them without introducing new or perpetuating old elements of discord and antagonism that would be likely in time to break the peace of Europe and consequently of the world. -President Woodrow Wilson. So what is going on here? Well, one interpretation is this: For 3 ½ horrific years powerful imperial forces have been trying to enforce their will and their agenda on peoples and populations resulting in an economic and human slaughter accompanied by unprecedented carnage. No one is laying out a foundation for resolution. Instead the mindset is in terms of conquest and annihilation. Suddenly this guy - this leader - this political scientist - whose nation is not under direct threat of conquest or annihilation starts to lay out how all this might be resolved… what the path to resolution looks like… how a new world order might rise out of the ashes - not under one conqueror - but as a new community of nations. This actually sounds pretty good to a lot of war weary participants - but to Kaiser Willam - not so much! As a contrasting story about Ukraine’s defeat at the hands of Germany illustrates: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: From Amsterdam, Monday February 11, 1918 Headline: Kaiser Declares that Germany will impose peace on All. The story reads: “Germany desires peace, but before it can be attained, her enemies must recognize that Germany has been victorious” Kaiser William said in a dispatch - which continues with “We ought to bring peace to the world. Such an end was achieved yesterday in a friendly manner with an enemy which, beaten by our armies, perceives no reason for fighting longer, extends a hand to us, and receives our hand. We clasp hands. But he who will not accept peace, but on the contrary declines, must be forced to have peace. We desire to live in friendship with neighboring peoples, but the victory of German Arms must first be recognized. Our troops under the great Hindenburg will continue to win it. Then peace will come. This is a pretty poignant example of the contrasting positions and points-of-view from two of the leaders 100 years ago this week in the war that changed the world! We have a lot of links for you about this in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/history/official-bulletin/3332-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-231-febuary-11-1918.html https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/12/102668422.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/12/102668417.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/12/102668418.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/12/102668423.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/13/102668830.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/15/102669807.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/15/102669811.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/16/102670209.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] Stars and Stripes launches On a lighter note -- 100 years ago, a new weekly publication found its way into the hands of Doughboys in France: The Stars and Stripes newspaper. Although the classic periodical was originally produced by Union Soldiers in the Civil War, who found an abandoned printing press - they only ran 6 one-page issues at the time. The publication was revived for World War 1, produced by an all-military staff and aimed directly at the doughboys of the American Expeditionary Force. Stars and Stripes is filled with cartoons and articles by and for doughboys, making light of everything from living covered in lice in the trenches to struggling to communicate with their new French comrades. Though all tactical information is redacted, the content’s humor, irreverence and fun is surely a pickup for the boys. I have only seen a couples of issues but I have already become a fan. Besides - My mom worked for the Stars and Stripes in postwar Germany in the 50s. You’ll get a taste a little later as we use an article from an early issue of the Stars and Stripes for our Speaking WWI section later in the podcast. Meanwhile, check the podcast notes to read some of the pages yourself. You WILL enjoy@! Link:https://www.loc.gov/resource/20001931/1918-02-15/ed-1/?sp=1 https://www.stripes.com/ War in the Sky 100 years ago this week in the War in The Sky - a projected POST war vision using war tech is announced. An article in the Official Bulletin contemplates the future application of the airplane! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Wednesday February 13, 1918 Headline: AERIAL MAIL ROUTE BETWEEN WASHINGTON, PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK IS PLANNED BIDS FOR FIVE AIRPLANES ASKED Machines to Make One Round Trip a Day Will Be Permanent if Practicability is Assured. And the story reads: Postmaster General Burleson flias called for bids for the construction of five airplanes to be used in the establishment of an aerial route for the delivery of first class mail. The bids are to be opened at 2 o'clock on February 21. The contract Will be awarded to the bidder whose airplanes have stood satisfactory service tests --- in the War and Navy Departments; the airplanes and parts to be delivered not later than April 25, 1918. The call for bids requires that the airplanes shall be complete, capable of carrying 300 pounds of mail a distance of not less than 200 miles without stop. The intention is, as soon as the authority of Congress is received, to establish an aerial route to Philadelphia and New York, carrying 300 pounds of first-class mail, for which a special postage rate will be charged, not exceeding 25 cents per ounce or fraction thereof, and to maintain a permanent service on regular scheduled time. And that is a new civilian infra structure vision launched 100 years ago this week - Because of the war in the sky. Read the announcement for yourself on page 2 of the Wednesday February 13 issue of the Official Bulletin by following the link in the podcast notes or go to ww1cc.org/bulletin Link: www.ww1cc.org/warinthesky http://www.historynet.com/airmail-service-it-began-with-army-air-service-pilots.htm http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/history/official-bulletin/3321-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-2-issue-233-febuary-13-1918.html America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 This week on: America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI… Dr. Edward lengel introduces us to the 32nd Red Arrow Division, made from the Michigan and Wisconsin National Guard. [What’s the story Ed?] [ED LENGEL] [What are you going to tell us about next week Ed?] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/red-arrow-leviathan-michigan-wisconsin-doughboys-go-war-1918/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [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: Even though our ground troops are still being organized in Europe - The US Navy has been operational in the war for nearly a year - including reinforcing the British blockade on Germany. What’s the effect in Germany Mike? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/02/11/germany-suffering-economic-warfare/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel You met the host Indy Neidell and producer Florian Wittig from the great war Channel on Youtube in last week’s podcast - Here are the channels new episodes for this week: Austro-Hungarian House of Cards Motor Torpedo Boats in World War 1 Strikes and Mutiny And more. To see their videos about WWI 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! Commission News In commission news - between right now and next tuesday, February 20th at noon easter is the ONLY TIME EVER --- IN HISTORY ---- that you will be able to order one of the collectible commemorative WWI service medal sets. We have talked about them before…. These are special US Mint created WWI commemorative silver medal for each of the military services that fought in WWI. There is one each for the Army, the Marines, the Army Air corps the Navy and the US Coast Guard… They are really beautiful and actual collectibles because -- after this single mint run, that’s it. That is how many will exist in the world… So order yours today - Most important, and why we are promoting them, every commemorative WWI medal set you buy, helps build the National WWI Memorial in Washington DC. Every sale adds $10 to the memorial effort. So grab a valuable piece of history and at the same time honor all those who served in WWI! The order site is at the US mint but we made it single step easy for you. Type ww1cc.org/coin into your browser and you’ll be there. That’s the letters ww -the number 1 - the letters C C DOT O R G forward slash and the word coin. Or - of course- follow the link in the podcast notes! In fact… Pause the podcast. Right now. Go put in an order! We’ll be here later - but these special WWI commemorative service medal won’t. Link: https://catalog.usmint.gov/coins/commemoratives/?cm_sp=TPL-_-wwi-intro-button-_-020118 www.ww1cc.org/coin Remembering Veterans 371st Cemetery Restoration with Sonya Grantham This week in our Remembering Veterans section we are being joined by Sonya Hodges Grantham, a mother, grandmother, genealogist, author, citizen historian, and researcher, with a motto of "Get The Job Done and Get It Done Right". She is the Founder and President of the World War I - 371st Historical Society and the Restorer of Childs Cemetery in South Carolina. Welcome, [Sonya] [greetings] [Sonya, your interest in restoring this particular cemetery stems from your own family history-- can you tell us the story?] [The 371st is one of the less known black regiments of WW1, yet the regiment’s Corporal Freddie Stowers is one of only two African-American Congressional Medal of Honor awardees from WWI -- can you tell us about the regiment?] [Unkempt or abandoned cemeteries are all over the Southern countryside -- given your experience so far, what advice can you offer someone who may, like you did, take on the conservation of an abandoned cemetery?] [You’ve taken on the Childs cemetery solo -- how did that go?] [goodbyes] Sonya Hodges Grantham, is a genealogist, author, citizen historian, and researcher -- the Founder and President of the World War I - 371st Historical Society and the sole Restorer of Childs Cemetery in South Carolina. Follow the links in the podcast notes to learn more about her and her work restoring the Childs Cemetery. Link:https://www.free-times.com/news/local-and-state-news/marker-will-honor-black-wwi-soldiers-from-richland-based-regiment/article_1b8633c2-9f9e-11e7-a9ff-9b9b4d57fb3f.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article14349458.html http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bernicebennett/2015/05/29/the-371st-infantry-of-world-war-i-with-sonya-hodges-and-douglas-culbreth-1 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/10561261/First-World-War-love-letters-from-the-trenches.html https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/letters-to-loved-ones [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 --- Adjusting to life in the Army, and in Europe, was a huge change for many of the young men serving in the AEF - the American Expeditionary Force. As we mentioned at the top of the show, starting this week 100 years ago, The Stars and Stripes newspaper offered sincere, if tongue-in-cheek, advice and stories to our boys. The February 15th, 1918 edition includes a cheat sheet of terms and phrases for the new army: the Doughboy’s Dictionary. Items defined in this dictionary include: Insurance Premium -- Something that puts about one-sixth of your pay where you will never be able to get at it. Abri -- An underground shelter entirely populated by soldiers and cooties Dugout --The most satisfactory life insurance policy sold in the less healthy portions of France. Trench - Singular. A hole in the ground, without beginning and without end. entirely filled by water and very frequently the object of the enemy's attention. Trenches - Plural. The things in which the people back home imagine we are all of the time. Machine Gun -- An arrangement alleged to be an aide to do the work of fifteen men but requiring the work of thirty men to keep it in operation. And Underwear -- The favorite ration of the goat, sheep-tick and flea. The Doughboy’s Dictionary -- helping our boys with Speaking WWI 100 years ago - See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_argonne_ver03/data/20001931/print/1918021501/0005.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] International Report Brazil in WWI For our International report this week -- We have something special for you --- Calling in from Brazil today, we are joined by Matheus Lacerda [Maatheus LaSERda], a Passionate hobby historian with a masters degree in International Relations. Matheus recently published a book, about Epitacio Pessoa [Pess-oh-uh]... who was the head of the Brazilian delegation at the Versaille Peace Conference in 1919, and who was later elected president of Brazil. Welcome Matheus! [greetings] [Matheus, I think many listeners will be surprised to hear about Brazil’s involvement in the war. Can you give us an overview of Brazil’s WWI story?] [Your book is about Epitacio Pessoa at the Versaille Peace Conference of 1919-- who is he, and what what role did he take at the conference?] [Pessoa visited the United States once he became president elect of Brazil in 1919-- what was significant about this visit?] [Matheus - We keep calling WWI “The War That Changed the World” - Did it change Brazil? And how? ] [Thank you so much for calling in from Brazil to join us!] [goodbyes] Matheus de [JE] Medeiros Lacerda,author of the “Diplomacy of President Epitacio Pessoa”. Learn more about the book and Brazil in WW1 by visiting the links at the podcast notes. Link: http://www.editoraappris.com.br/diplomacia-presidencial-de-epitacio-pessoa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoTwUcLJwvY&vl=en WW1 War Tech Synthetic Rubber This week in WW1 War Tech -- we are going to talk about Synthetic Rubber! The rise of motor vehicles was huge in WWI, the new transport helped get soldiers to the front, carried wounded to hospitals, and hauled supplies every which way. But the tires on these machines were made of rubber, something that came nearly exclusively from the British colonies of Ceylon and Malaya in South Asia. AND rubber was one of many important materials that Germany found herself blockaded from by the British Navy -- Helped by the US Navy of course, as Mike explained earlier--- Cut off from the world’s supply, the German tire industry supply of rubber was stretched thin, and the German Army faced a logistical problem. The answer came from a german chemical company we now associate with aspirin - Bayer who came up with and started to mass produce methyl rubber, that was created from lime and coal. 24,000 tonnes of methyl rubber was produced during the War, but it was an inferior substitute for the real thing - didn’t work well in the cold and let to many tailbone bruises for the troops - It helped get Germany through the war but after the war - methyl rubber went the way of imperialism, and also was never considered seriously again. Importantly, the work on these materials eventually led to more effective synthetic rubber substances, including those manufactured by American rubber companies in World War II when WE lost access to South Asia. Read more about synthetic rubber during WW1 at the links in the podcast notes. Links: https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/rubber https://www.icis.com/resources/news/2008/05/12/9122056/history-of-the-synthetic-rubber-industry/# https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/g1577/7-surprising-scientific-advances-that-came-out-of-world-war-i/ https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/syntheticrubber.html Articles and Posts Corporal Stowers In articles and posts-- from our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - and tying neatly into the story told by our guest Sonya Grantham --- this week, there is an article about Corporal Freddie Stowers, an African-American war hero who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in WW1. Corporal Stowers was born in 1896 in Anderson County, South Carolina. Despite the discrimination he faced there, he made the decision to serve in the segregated 371st Infantry Regiment. He was serving as the squad leader in Company C of that regiment, in the 93rd Infantry Division, during an attack on Hill 188, in the Champagne-Marne Sector of France. He was killed in action that day, but the story of his exceptional bravery and leadership lived on, earning him the Medal of Honor posthumously. Read the entire inspiring story of Corporal Freddie Stowers at the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4028-corporal-freddie-stowers.html Pyjamas Also in articles and posts this week, a story about how a new technological terror of the war inspired the world of fashion. World War I introduced so many terrible new war machines and prominent among those was, of course, the aircraft -- which could now reached beyond the battlefield and into the homeland - a genuine weapon of terror, bringing the war from the soldier to the citizen. For Londoners, the threat began in January 1915, when the Germans sent Zeppelins loaded with bombs across the Channel. Eventually, they sent planes, too. In fact, the WWI air raids, often at night, accomplished very little tactically, but their true purpose was to upset peace, terrorize civilians and sink morale. The threat of bombings in the middle of the night meant that Londoners had to be ready to evacuate their homes with little to no notice; and no proper british woman wanted to be caught out in the street during a raid in her nightgown! So, new sleeping suits and pyjama with legs made their way into magazines, fashion and British bedrooms, ensuring a good night’s sleep and a practical, modest and stylish retreat in case of a nighttime raid. Read more about how, just days after the first Zeppelin raid over England, British women were already dressing for bed to be prepared to “meet the midnight world at a minute’s notice” -- at the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4031-wwi-s-zeppelin-bombings-popularized-the-trend-of-pyjamas.html Valentine’s Special Love Letter This week, special thoughts of love for valentines - Often when we talk about the war, we focus on the more gruesome details-- the death, the mud, the gas, the lice, the devastation -- but everyday life continued throughout the war, despite all its horrors. Husbands missed their wives, and girls missed their sweethearts. 2nd Lieutenant Francis Tracy wrote to his wife, full of longing and love and apologies for how hard his absence had been on her -- Tracy wrote this letter to his wife on September 20th 1918, only seven days before he died in battle. He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery. The track is an excerpt from the youtube Series: The Letters - and performed by Farhang Ghajar. The link is in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N39r3FDSSU Love Story On our website at ww1cc.org, you can find the story of Rebecca and Charles Duffy, submitted by their daughter Lucy. Rebecca, who was a young French girl when the war broke out, met and fell in love with an American Soldier who was taking French lessons with her mother. The infatuation was immediate, with Charles proposing to Rebecca after just three weeks! Read their incredible story by following the link in the podcast notes. Missing American Love Letters from WWI You know - when we were preparing this story ---- It seems like American Love letters from WWI have not been well archived or collected Hint hint to our listeners - there is a great project and opportunity for you!!! American Love Letters from WWI needs someone’s attention--- - Meanwhile In the UK media and web you will find hearts beating fondly - we have put a list of links for you to explore below. Link: https://transcribathon.com/en/runs/love-run/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2388-rebecca-and-charles-a-testimony-from-beyond-the-atlantic.html https://news.sky.com/story/dear-heart-love-letters-from-the-trenches-released-10767255 https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2859049/love-letters-first-world-war-soldiers-passchendaele-sweethearts-home/ Love Songs And to wrap things up for Valentines - here are some audio clips from love songs of the times. Songs: Im crazy over every girl in france https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM_ZvSbqXn4 My sweetheart is somewhere in france https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox.6356/ Other songs: https://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/4847 https://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/5457 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt7GCL1iUKk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Billy_Murray_-_K-K-K-Katy.ogg https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox.6356/ 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! Naturalization Webinar Our friends at the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services History Office are hosting an online webinar about the history of WWI soldier naturalizations on February 22nd. During World War I, nearly one-fifth of the American armed forces were foreign-born. In fact, Congress passed laws to expedite military naturalizations, encouraging immigrant enlistments and to naturalize servicemen before they shipped out. The webinar will provide an overview of the Immigration Service’s WWI soldier naturalization program, and explore some of the unique research challenges the records present. Make sure to tune in at the link in the podcast notes, as the webinar won’t be recorded! You can also go back to our Episode #41 to hear our interview with Allison S. Finkelstein and Zack Wilske from the USCIS History Office and Library. link:https://www.uscis.gov/HGWebinars https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/posts/926359477539351 That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/black-military-history/2018/02/06/william-h-carney-the-first-black-soldier-to-earn-the-medal-of-honor/ Outro Thank you everyone 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 Sonya Hodges Grantham, citizen historian and researcher Matheus Lacerda, Brazilian author and citizen historian Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast Thanks also to our new intern John Morreale for his great 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 as well as 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] Hey I saved one more entry from the Doughboy Dictionary for you Officer of the Day A lieutenant troubled with sleeplessness and possessed of bad habit of coming around between midnight and dawn and asking embarrassing questions. So long!
Highlights Food Will Win The War - an overview | @01:55 History through the lens of Food - Dr. Libby O’Connell | @05:40 War in the sky | @10:30 America Emerges - Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:45 Great War Project - Mike Shuster | @17:25 Great War Channel on Youtube - Indy Neidell & Flo Wittig | @21:05 Family’s History - Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun | @29:25 Remembering Veterans - Dr. Richard Slotkin | @34:30 A Century in the Making - Maquette on Fox and Friends | @42:45 Speaking WWI - Hooverized Recipes | @44:45 States - Ohio web site - Amy Rohmiller | @46:10 The Buzz - Katherine Akey | @52:25 and more....----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #58 - 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 9th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: Dr. Libby O’Connell, talking to us about the food administration’s rationing directives 100 years ago this month Dr. Edward Lengel, with a story about an interesting military demonstration by the doughboys at New York’s Hippodrome Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog with the AEF’s first military engagements of 1918 Indy Neidell and Florian Wittig from the Great War Channel on YouTube talking with us about producing this long running video series Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun telling us about her family’s connection to WW1 Dr. Richard Slotkin who examines the shifting ethnic and cultural landscape in America during WW1 Amy Rohmiller introducing the Ohio WW1 centennial effort and their new website Katherine Akey, with some selections from the centennial of WWI in social media All that and more --- this week -- 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 Food will win the war! That was the rallying cry for Herbert Hoover… A mining engineer by training, an entrepreneur by character and a public servant by circumstance. Herbert Hoover was in Europe in 1914 when it all hit the fan. He stepped up and helped organize the return of around 120,000 Americans who got stranded. He led 500 volunteers in distributing food, clothing, steamship tickets and cash to get the Americans home. Hoover, who would become the 31st President of the United States remarked: QUOTE: I did not realize it at the moment, but on August 3, 1914, my career was over forever. I was on the slippery road of public life." And so It is no surprize that President Woodrow Wilson tapped the young Hoover to run his wartime food administration… And what a challenge food production and management had become. The men who farmed put on uniforms. Armies of them needed to be fed, shiploads of food needed to be transported and in europe after 3 ½ years of devastation and fighting the populations were starving. [MUSIC] With that as an overview, let’s jump into our wayback machine and go back 100 years to the war that changed the world! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC SOUND EFFECT TRANSITION] It’s late January 1918 - President Wilson issues a proclamation in the "Official Bulletin" - the government’s war gazette published by George Creel’s Committee on Public Information for the administration. [Sound effect] DATELINE: January 28, 1918 HEADLINE: President’s Proclamation Calls Upon People of Nation to Reduce Consumption of Wheat and Meat Products in Order to Feed America's Associates in the War Wilson’s proclamation opens with: "MANY causes have contributed to create the necessity for a more intensive effort on the part of our people to save food in order that we may supply our associates in the war with the sustenance vitally necessary to them in these days of privation and stress. The reduced productivity of Europe because of the large diversion of manpower to the war, the partial failure of harvests, and the elimination of the more distant markets for foodstuffs through the destruction of shipping places… the burden of their subsistence very largely rests upon our shoulders. The Food Administration has formulated suggestions which, if followed, will enable us to meet this great responsibility, without any real inconvenience on our part." The proclamation goes on to explain the details and concludes with - "I, therefore, in the national interest, take the liberty of calling upon every loyal American to take fully to heart the suggestions which are being circulated by the Food Administration and of begging that they be followed. I am confident that the great body of our women' who have labored so loyally in cooperation with the Food Administration for the success of food conservation, will strengthen their efforts and will take it as a part of their burden in this period of national service to see that the above suggestions are observed throughout the land." President Woodrow Wilson Libby O’connell interview With us again today is Food historian, author and WWI Centennial Commissioner, Dr. Libby O’Connell [Libby - thank you for taking the time to join us again --- as our go to expert on WWI and food!] [So Libby - The cry was “Food Will Win The War” and this particular program came to be known as Meatless Monday / Wheatless Wednesday - Can you give us some perspective? Was it effective?] [Libby] [Thank you once again for your wonderful insights - ] [So long] Dr. Libby O’Connell is former Chief Historian for the History Channel, author, food historian and US WW1 Centennial Commissioner - Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about Dr. O’Connell and how “Food Will Win The War!" Link: http://uvamagazine.org/articles/the_peoples_historian http://exhibits.mannlib.cornell.edu/meatlesswheatless/meatless-wheatless.php https://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/author/libby https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/08/102666398.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/07/102665809.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/02/04/102664455.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/01/28/102662003.pdf War in the Sky 100 years ago this week in the War in The Sky there are two events worth noting. First: The Lafayette Escadrille - the famed squadron of American Flier who flew for the french before America entered the war are officially transferred from the French Army to the US Army and re-designated the 103rd Aero Squadron. Also the US replaces the insignia on all US planes with what is called the roundel - an outer red ring, then a blue ring, and a white center. The Allies had requested the change out of a fear that the white star in the center of the old design might be mistaken for a German cross in the fog of battle. The roundel remains in use until the US reverts to its former markings in August of 1919. Fine tuning the army air service 100 years ago this week for the War in the Sky. Follow the war in the sky with our comprehensive nearly day-by-day timeline curated by RG head - you’ll find it at at ww1cc.org/warinthesky - one word - all lower case - or follow the links in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/warinthesky America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 This week for: America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI… Dr. Edward lengel is going to tell us about a very interesting military demonstration by US forces at New York’s Hippodrome. Let me set this up: Large numbers of troops are wrapping up their stateside training and preparing to ship out. The pace is accelerating and multiple divisions are shipping out simultaneously - most of them from the greater New York City area - logistics for juggling railways, encampments, embarkation and debarkation facilities, ships, food, fuel and weapons is ever more challenging. But the Doughboys are pumped and gripped with excitement as they prepare to “take it to the Kaiser”. Their adventure is about to begin. This is where Ed picks up the story in New York... [ED LENGEL] Thank you Ed. Next week, Dr. Edward Lengel will tell us about the 32nd Red Arrow Division, made from the Michigan and Wisconsin National Guard. Some of the division’s first contingent drowns in the sinking of the Tuscania on February 5, but most of the Red Arrow Doughboys travel on the massive ship - the USS Leviathan, which used to be the German Ship ---Die Vaterland (the fatherland) - but as we declare war - we confiscate her in NY harbor and turned her into a massive troop ship to send doughboys to fight it’s original namesake. Kinda ironic. Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/doughboys-action-new-york-citys-hippodrome-100-years-ago/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [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: Your post this week is titled - The Americans are in it! And by that you mean the trenches and the fighting. I don’t think your story this week needs more introduction than that, Mike! [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/02/04/the-americans-are-in-it/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel Every week we tell you about these wonderful videos on Youtube from The Great War Channel -- The channel has some pretty impressive stats - it launched in May of 2014, has published over 515 episodes, has over 800 thousand subscribers on youtube and has earned over 120 million video views. Earlier this week I called Indy Neidell, the show’s host and Florian Wittig the series producer at their studio in Berlin to learn a little more about their experience in producing the Great War Channel. Indy - Flo welcome! Gentlemen - I wanted to bring you on the show - not to talk about WWI but to talk about ---- telling the story of WWI! [Indy - this project came together in the spring of 2014 - can you tell us with who and how that happened? [Flo - how did you get involved in the project?] [So gentlemen - for us this is podcast episode #58 - and you are somewhere near episode 520! That leaves me in awe - but also with a question for you Indy: WWI is such an incredibly... insanely… bizarrely… surreal… story - How do you think that immersing yourself in it so deeply and for so long -- has affected your worldview?] [Flo - you and I have been chatting every month for a few years now - and I have really enjoyed watching you guide the project to where it is today - One thing that struck me is how incredibly dedicated to your audience you are - Tell us about them] Last question - really to both of you --- Starting this month the US troops start to actually engage in the fighting and their involvement accelerates rapidly - Do you have any special plans for how to cover this part of the story?Gentlemen - Thanks for spending a little time with our listeners. You have created a really important body of work with your series and as always we encourage our listeners to search for The Great War on youtube or follow the link in our podcast notes. Thanks gents.... [Say goodbye] Indy Neidell, the host, and Florian Wittig, the producer of the Great War Channel 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! Commission News Interview with Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun It is a privilege to joined today by a genuine social pioneer… An amazing person of many honors, distinctions and firsts - To start with Carol Moseley Braun was one of the first black women to graduate from the law school at the University of Chicago; She was an Assistant United States Attorney; an illinois state legislator; a US State Senator; an ambassador; and my favorite - she was adopted as a member of a maori tribe; She’s also an entrepreneur - and on the Diplomatic Advisory board to the US WWI centennial commission, Welcome Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun. [greetings] [Ambassador Braun, I want to ask you about your Grandfather - Thomas Davie and his cousin both of whom served in WWI. Could you tell us about them? ] [Did Thomas Davie talk about his experience when he came home?] [Ambassador Braun - why do you think America needs a WWI memorial in the nation’s capital?] [I have to ask - Who inspired you to become the accomplished and amazing person you are?] [Ambassador - Thank you for sharing your family’s story with us.] [thank you/goodbyes] Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun is a pioneering politician, former US Senator from Illinois, she was the Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa-- and she also serves on the Diplomatic Advisory Board of the WW1 Centennial Commission. Read more about her at the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/about/the-commission/advisory-boards/diplomatic-advisory-board.html http://history.house.gov/People/Detail?id=18611 https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/black-military-history/2017/02/15/african-american-heroes-are-a-part-of-a-vanishing-world-war-i-legacy/ Remembering Veterans Interview with Dr. Richard Slotkin We will start this week in our Remembering Veterans section with Dr. Richard Slotkin, historian, professor emeritus of English and American studies at Wesleyan University and author of the book Lost Battalions: The Great War and the Crisis of American Nationality Welcome, [Dr. Slotkin] [greetings] [Dr. Slotkin, your book looks at the changing American cultural identity as experienced by two different units-- the 369th, a black regiment, and the 77th, the “melting pot” division. Why did you choose these two units for your book?] [How did the experience of these two units differ, in terms of being marginalized ethnically? ] [In your opinion, why should American students be taught about the exploits of these soldiers? ] [goodbyes] Dr. Richard Slotkin is a historian, professor emeritus and author. Follow the links in the podcast notes to learn more about him and his books. Link:https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Battalions-Crisis-American-Nationality/dp/0805081380 https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/richard-slotkin/lost-battalions/ A Century in the Making 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. In the summer of 2017, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and National Capital Planning Commission unanimously approved the conceptual design for the memorial, centered on a monumental work of bronze sculpture. Sculptor Sabin Howard then embarked on an eight-month effort to bring the memorial to life. And as we’ve heard from Sabin himself in our podcast episodes #54 and #55 --- the sculpture has evolved from his original sketches and drawings into 3D images and 3D models. Sabin’s efforts at the Weta Workshop in New Zealand culminated in late January, with creation of a sculptural maquette of the proposed design - essentially that is the sculpture at 1:6 scale. Last week you heard an audio documentary on this show as this striking model, which is around 10 and a half feet long by around 1 foot high, arrived in Washington DC last week. The maquette serves as the “first draft” of the Memorial’s sculptural design and development and is scheduled to be presented to the Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday February 15th for their review and feedback. On Friday February 16th, the maquette will be unveiled to the public for the first time on the Fox and Friends television show. Pending all regulatory agency approvals anticipated by summer 2018, the design and development of the sculpture will enter its final production phase, including casting. We actually built two of the maquettes to accommodate both public and private displays over the coming months! Watch the unveiling on Fox and Friends next Fr iday or come to our website that weekend at ww1cc.org/memorial for a first look yourself. Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more. 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 --- As we talked about at the top of the show, rationing and ingredient substitution became necessary in World War One America. Special recipes were developed to keep food tasty but also within the rules laid out in the Food Administration’s guidelines. These new wheatless, meatless and sugarless recipes that strove to keep familiar food on tables of America, earned their own nickname - which is our Speaking WWI phrase for this week. These wartime foods and recipes were deemed to have been “Hooverized” in honor of the Food Administration's chief, Herbert Hoover. There was cake made with potato flour instead of wheat - candies made with molasses or honey instead of refined sugar, and bread using a mixture of potato, rye and corn flour. Actually Hooverized Foods sound like a very contemporary, trendy, gluten free, health food, paleo, vegan-esque diet. But I think “Hooverized Recipes” doesn’t sound like a trendy, hip, slick, hook --- even if it IS 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 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-meatless-wheatless-meals-of-world-war-i-america [SOUND EFFECT] Updates from the States Ohio Website Launch For updates from the states -- we’re very pleased to announce that Ohio has launched a new centennial website at ww1cc.org/ohio - all lower case! With us is Amy Rohmiller, World War I Coordinator at the Ohio History Connection, to tell us more about the site and the WWI Centennial commemoration efforts in Ohio. Welcome, Amy! [greetings] Amy, tell us about the Ohio WWI centennial organization - how is it structured, and what kind of projects are you working on currently? What was the experience of Ohioans like during the War? What kind of information should people expect to find on your new Ohio website at ww1cc.org/ohio ? [goodbye/thanks] Amy Rohmiller is the World War I Coordinator at the Ohio History Connection. Visit the Ohio WWI Centennial website at ww1cc.org/ohio or by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/ohio [SOUND EFFECT] 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! Coloring Book Popular posts on our facebook page this week are all about color! The National World War One Museum and Memorial in Kansas City has started a new project, Color Our Collections. You can follow the link in the podcast notes to download a coloring book drawn from the museum’s collections, including several of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather’s illustrations. link:http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/national-wwi-museum-memorial-coloring-book/?platform=hootsuite http://library.nyam.org/colorourcollections/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/02/NationalWWIMuseum_ColorOurCollections_2018.pdf Color Images from the War Lastly for the week, another collection of color photographs from WW1 is making the rounds online, but these are not black and white images that have since had color added: they’re original color images from 100 years ago. The color process used to create them is called Autochrome, and it used dyed pieces of potato starch to turn a normal black and white negative into the beautiful, velvety color photos you can see at the Slate article in the podcast links. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2014/08/12/fernand_cuville_s_autochrome_photos_show_world_war_i_in_color.html Thank you Katherine - Outro Thank you everyone for listening to another episode of WW1 Centennial News. We want to thank our guests... Dr. Libby O’Connell, author, historian and World War One Centennial Commissioner Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Mike Shuster, Curator of the great war project blog Indy Neidell and Florian Wittig from The Great War channel on Youtube Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, pioneering politician and Diplomatic Advisor to the Commission Dr. Richard Slotkin, historian, author and professor emeritus Amy Rohmiller, the World War I Coordinator at the Ohio History Connection Katherine Akey, the commission’s social media director and line producer for the podcast 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 as well as 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] Jeez I need to decide…. The Low FODMAP gluten free diet The gut health diet The matcha turmeric, macca diet The Mediterranean makeover Vegan 2.0 Forget it - I’m just gonna Hooverize my recipes! 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!
Highlights 100 Years ago: About President Woodrow Wilson | @01:45 Special Guest: John Milton Cooper Jr. | @07:45 War in The Sky: Introducing General Billy Mitchell | @15:45 American Emerges: Baseball on the Polo Grounds - Dr. Edward Lengel | @16:40 European view of the war: Mike Shuster | @22:10 Special Commemorative Coin and Service Medallion Collector Sets | @27:05 A Century In The Making: Joe Weishaar | @28:25 Speaking WWI: Acronym flips RAMC and REPS | @34:25 Spotlight In The Media: Director Peter Jackson | @35:45 100C/100M: The City of Nitro, West Virginia - Rich Hively and Mayor Dave Casebolt | @38:50 WW1 War Tech: Tankgewehr - David O’Neal | @44:45 The Buzz: Social Media - Katherine Akey | @51:05 ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #56 - 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 January 26th, 2018 and our guests for this week include: John Milton Cooper Jr. giving deeper insight into President Woodrow Wilson Dr. Ed Lengel, with our new segment: America Emerges - Military stories from WWI Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog looking at growing discontent in Europe Joe Weishaar in our “A century in the Making” - an Eagle Scout’s perspective Rich Hively and Mayor Dave Casebolt from the WW1 memorial restoration effort in Nitro, West Virginia David O’Neal and the restoration of a WW1 anti-tank gun And 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] Preface [MUSIC] Woodrow Wilson - an academic and learned man, president of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910 - a progressive Democrat seeking and winning the governorship of New Jersey - then running for and being elected to his first term as president of the United states in 1912 - two years before war broke out in Europe… His progressive agenda and accomplishments in his first term are near legendary. His personal life is equally dynamic, losing his first wife to illness in 1914, and barely more than a year later - re-marrying while still in office. By his second term campaign in 1916 - the war in Europe was in full swing, the Germans had sunk the Lusitania, and Wilson ran for office on a platforms of “America First” - and “He kept us out of the war”. Within months of being sworn in to a second term, he leads the nation to war and into an unprecedented transformation, politically, legally, economically, socially and Internationally. Wilson takes broad powers and wields sledge hammer transformations, nationalizes industries, quashes freedoms, and when congress does not do his bidding, used executive orders to move the nation into the war effort. Earlier this month 100 years ago, Wilson presents an agenda for a new international world order - instantly thrusting America into a new role as a world leader. With that as an overview, let’s jump into our wayback machine and go back 100 years to the third week of January 1918 in the war that changed the world! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC SOUND EFFECT TRANSITION] It is mid-january 1918. With the Wilson administration ruling as much as governing - some seek to depose his power. Once such incident takes place this week. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: January 20, 1918 A headline in the New York Times reads: War Cabinet Bill Ready For Senate; To give control to council of three… Backing Chamberlain’s Stand - Senate Military Committee Demands Reorganization of War work… This is what is happening…. Oregon’s Democratic Senator George Earle Chamberlain, who serves on the Senate Military Affairs Committee, makes a speech in New York and states: “the military establishment of America has fallen down because of inefficiency in every bureau and department of the government of the United States... “ And he introduces a bill into the Senate that would retake the powers of the executive and the cabinet back into the legislative branch - specifically the Senate. The White House and the Wilson Administration fires back... [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: January 22, 1918 From the headline of the Official Bulletin - The government’s war gazette published by George Creel at the order of the President. President Wilson Answers Criticism by Senator Chamberlain Concerning Departmental Management of War - Claims he was not consulted on proposed legislation And the story includes: "When the President's attention was called to the speech made by Senator Chamberlain at a luncheon in New York on Saturday, he immediately inquired of Senator Chamberlain whether he had been correctly reported, and upon ascertaining from the Senator that he had been, the President felt it his duty to make the following statement:" [WILSON] Senator Chamberlain's statement as to the present inaction and ineffectiveness of the Government is an astonishing and absolutely unjustifiable distortion of the truth. As a matter of fact, the War Department has performed a task of unparallelled magnitude and difficulty with extraordinary promptness and efficiency. There have been delays and disappointments and partial miscarriages of plans, all of which have been drawn into the foreground and exaggerated by the investigations which have been in progress since the Congress assembled-investigators --- these drew indispensable officials of the department constantly away from their work and officers from their commands and contributed a great deal to such delay and confusion as had inevitably arisen. But, by comparison with what has been accomplished, these things, much as they were to be regretted, were Insignificant, and no mistake has been made which has been repeated. President Wilson closes with: My association and constant conference with the secretary of War have tought me to regard him as one of the ablest public officials I have ever known. It will soon be learned whether HE or his critics understand the business at hand. To say, as Senator Chamberlain did, that there is inefficiency in every department and bureau of the Government is to show such ignorance of actual conditions as to make it impossible to attach any importance to his statement. I am bound to infer that the statement sprang out of opposition to the administration's whole policy rather than out of any serious intention to reform its practice. John cooper interview President Woodrow Wilson is truly one of the most remarkable leaders this nation has had. In order to help us get to know him better we have invited John Milton Cooper Jr, an American historian, author, educator, and Former Senior Scholar at the Wilson Center to speak with us today. Welcome, John! [greetings] [Q1: John, Woodrow Wilson is considered one of the greatest American President ever - Was he? And why? ] [Q2: setup John.. Wilson seems like a bundles of contrasting ideas - He campaigns to keep America out of war - but then leads a declaration of war and fields on of the most intense war build ups and efforts in our history. He wants America to fight for freedom and liberty as he nationalized industries, gags dissent and attacks freedom of speech. ============= Q: How do all these contrasting ideas reconcile? ==============] [Q3: This is a man who had a huge effect on the nation and indeed on the world - what would you say his most remarkable achievement was as a President?] [Q4: As we hear the ongoing story of WWI on this podcast, what else should be understand about Wilson to help us keep it all --- and him in context?] [goodbyes] John Milton Cooper Jr is an American historian, author, and educator. Links to his biography of President Wilson and to the Wilson Center are in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/person/john-milton-cooper https://www.amazon.com/Woodrow-Wilson-John-Milton-Cooper/dp/0307277909 http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F0CEED7133FE433A25752C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02E2D6133FE433A25751C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B02E3DF103FE433A25757C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=950CEEDF103FE433A25756C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9505E1D8143AEF33A25754C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E02E1D8143AEF33A25754C2A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A07E4D7143AEF33A25754C2A9679C946996D6CF War in the Sky This week in War in the sky - we want to introduce you to General Billy Mitchell… a pretty extraordinary man. As World War 1 broke out, Billy Mitchell recognized the importance of aviation. So in 1916, he learned to fly on his own nickel. Heading to Europe, On January 20, 1918, Mitchell, now a Colonel - was promoted to Chief of the Air Service of the First Army. Colonel Mitchell found himself in command of more than 1,500 British, French and American aircraft - the largest "air force" ever assembled. We will learn more about this leader and flyer over the coming months - a man who became the chief of air services this month 100 years ago in the war in the sky. See the podcast notes to learn more. Link: http://www.mitchellgallery.org/gen-mitchell/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mitchell https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-billy-mitchell-court-martial-136828592/ https://www.army.mil/article/33680/william_billy_mitchell_the_father_of_the_united_states_air_force America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Welcome to the second installment of our new series: America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI --- with Military Historian, author and storyteller, Dr. Edward Lengel. Hi Ed [Exchange greeting] Ed - Your story this weeks rolls us back to September 1917 when America celebrated National Draft Day - the draft not being the most popular new law of the land - In New York there was a baseball game. We look forward to hearing the story! [ED LENGEL] Ed.. What are you going to tell us about next week? [ED LENGEL] Ed Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our new segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post about baseball? and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/doughboys-baseball-classic-game-polo-grounds-1917/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Mike: Your story this week is about how the war is being considered in Europe as we roll into 1918. What is the headline? [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/01/21/americans-now-in-german-gun-sites/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For videos on WWI go see our friends at “The Great War Channel” on Youtube. This week’s new episodes include Assassination attempt on Lenin Central powers occupation of Italy British Pistols of WW1 And finally - Road Trips 2018 Next month, we have invited the host of The Great Wall Channel, Indy Neidell to join us and talk about how hosting this youtube channel for the past 4+ years has affected him… Meanwhile - 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! Commission News: Collective Sets In commission news: As we mentioned last week, the US mint has released a special 2018 WWI commemorative silver dollar - but also -- they created WWI service medallions commemorating the five military branches that fought in WWI - The Army, the Navy, The Marine Corps, the brand new Air Corps - later to become the Airforce, and the Coast Guard. These five special collector sets of Commemorative Silver Dollar and Service medallions are being minted in very limited quantities and the only time in history - ever - that you will be able to buy them is between RIGHT NOW and February 20th, 2018… So you have less than a month to snag a piece of history with a collectors set - get one, get all five, but get them now. Go to WW1CC.org/coin that is / c o i n… or click on the link in the podcast notes. If you are listening to this podcast, clearly you already have some interest or connection to the centennial of WWI - this is the remembrance of this centennial you will want to keep and pass on to the next generation. But you have to do it NOW. link:www.ww1cc.org/Coin https://catalog.usmint.gov/coins/commemoratives/ A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC It’s time for our new 2018 segment: A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. As our regular listeners know, we are building a national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in the nation’s capitol. It’s a big project. It’s complicated. It’s hard. It’s been a long time coming. So in this segment we are bringing you along on an insider’s journey that explores this grand undertaking, the adventure, and the people behind it. Joe Weishaar - is our brilliant young visionary, who won the international design competition for this memorial -- He is also an Eagle Scout… a designation that just predates WWI. In fact, it turns out that the first Eagle Scout award was given to scout Arthur Rose Eldred in 1912. Now - Eldred actually goes on to join the Navy during WW1. He serves on convoys in the Atlantic and on a submarine chaser in the Mediterranean, surviving both a sinking ship and the Spanish Flu. Last week, Joe spoke at the Boy Scout’s annual midwest regional fundraiser. As an Eagle Scout himself, Joe helps us continue to strengthen the connection between the Boy Scouts and WW1. Welcome, Joe! [greetings] [Joe: when you spoke at the event last week - was it scouts, scout leadership or others? Who was the audience?] [How were you and your story received? [Joe: Do you think that your scouting experience influenced you or prepared you in entering and ultimately prevailing and winning the international design competition for the National WWI Memorial?] [Do you think the scouts are aware of the connections of scouting and WWI?] Something interesting came up this week in our research about WWI 100 years ago… Let me read you an excerpt from the January 21st, 1918 issue of the New York Times… The headline reads: WAR TASK FOR BOY SCOUTS Will Be Dispatch Bearers for Public Information Committee And the story reads: President Wilson has sent the following letter to Colin H. Livingstone, President of the Scout’s National Council: My Dear Mr. Livingstone: I desire to entrust the Boy Scouts of America with a new and important commission - to make them the government dispatch bearers in carrying to the homes of their community the pamphlets on the war prepared by the committee for Public Information. The excellent services performed by the Boy Scouts in the past encourages me to believe that this new task will be cheerfully and faithfully discharged. Your sincerely, President Woodrow Wilson http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E7D6133FE433A25752C2A9679C946996D6CF [Joe - any thoughts or comments on the story?] [goodbyes] Joe Weishaar is the winning designer of the international design competition for National WW1 Memorial in DC - The design lead for the project …. and an Eagle Scout! 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 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3968-designer-of-national-wwi-memorial-visits-joplin-for-scouting-event.html [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 --- Soldiers in war treasure the personal effects they carry with them into battle-- photographs of loved ones, letters from home, trench art they spent hours creating, cigarettes, and souvenirs found on the battlefield. It’s their precious connection to the OTHER reality…. In the heat of battle, it’s easy to misplace or lose your trinkets, especially when a soldier is wounded and gets moved from the front by stretcher bearers and other men of the medical services. For the British in WWI, with typical english wrye humor - they renamed their Royal Army Medical Corps - the RAMC to - Rob All My Comrades! They gave a similar treatment to their mail services - the Royal Engineers Postal Services - the REPS - they got recast as postal pilferers with REPS - Rob Every Poor Soldier. Trench humor... Rob All My Comrades - and Rob Every Poor Soldier - recast acronyms from the trenches of WWI and this week’s speaking WWI phrases - See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nicknames_of_British_Army_regiments [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media For our Spotlight in The Media section we have an exciting story this week. England’s Imperial War Museum has teamed up with famed Director Peter Jackson and asked him how he would tell the story of WWI. The director of the Lord of The Rings trilogy took on the challenge and announced the new project this week. Here is Peter Jackson speaking about telling the WWI story in a new and innovative way. [Peter Jackson interview] Follow the link in the podcast notes to see some sample footage of what Peter Jackson was talking about and to learn more about the project. Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePxpbDmykD4 https://www.facebook.com/iwm.london/videos/10155880426025479/ http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/peter-jackson-world-war-one-film-ww1-1202670953/ [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 Living Memorial to WW1 in Nitro, West Virginia -- This project is in the 2nd round of grant application now being reviewed. With us tell us about their city and their WWI project is Rich Hively, president of the Nitro Historic Commission and Dave Casebolt, Mayor of the City of Nitro Welcome gentlemen! [greetings] [Mayor Casebolt, why do you call the city of Nitro a “Living Memorial to WW1” and where does the name Nitro come from?] [Rich, what are you proposing for the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program?] [It sounds like a fascinating place - If I come to the city of Nitro - what will my experience be? ] [Thank you so much for being with us today!] [goodbyes] Rich Hively is president of Nitro Historic Commission and Dave Casebolt is Mayor of the city of Nitro, West Virginia. Learn more about the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project, and the Living WW1 Memorial in Nitro, by visiting the link at the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/nitro-to-build-world-war-i-memorial-park/article_5123ba42-d88e-55a7-aeb6-76ad82b248a1.html http://historyofnitro.com/ http://wchsnetwork.com/city-of-nitro-installs-wwi-doughboy-statue-at-new-living-memorial-park/ Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities WW1 War Tech This week we starting another new segment for 2018, WW1 War Tech. We so frequently come across technology from the war that is utterly fascinating, and we look forward to sharing some of these technological curiosities with you -- not just weapons but also medical, communications and other tech that sprang up at that time. But today - it’s all about a “bigger than an elephant gun” shoulder fired german behemoth designed to … shoot tanks! With us is David L. O’Neal, creator of the “WWI Preservation Collection”, who very recently finished restoring this 1918 Tankgewehr, or Tank Gun! Welcome, David! [greetings] [To start, Before we get to this mean Mauser - how did you get into restoring WW1 era machines?] [Tell us about the 1918 Mauser -- how did you come across the one that you restored, and what makes this a unique and special tech of the era?] [On your website, you can see many images of the gun at every stage of repair and rebuild -- tell us about the process? Did you use any high tech to restore the WWI tech?] [Audience appeal to the restoration] [What happens to the Mauser now?] [Last quick question - What is your next project? ] [goodbyes] David L. O’Neal is the creator of the WWI Preservation Collection. Learn more about the Collection, and view images from the Tankgewehr restoration, by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.ww1history.com/parking-lot.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! Atlas Obscura Both of our stories this week take us down into the trenches. First, we’ll head over to Atlas Obscura to an article about a rare example of a well preserved World War One trench. The trench is part of the British lines in Sanctuary Wood, also known as Hill 62. The Belgian Farmer who once owned the land returned to it after the war and chose to leave the trenches as he found them. Sanctuary Wood now operates as a memorial and museum. When you visit you can climb down into the ruins of the original trenches, and the museum includes many items the farmer found and collected over the years on the property: rifles encrusted with mud, German steel helmets riddled with bullet holes, and a collection of period stereoscope photographs of the battlefield. See images of the trenches, dugouts and shell holes by visiting the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sanctuary-wood-museum School Maneuvers Lastly for the week, we’ll head to Kent, Ohio, where school children recently got a very hands-on lesson about WW1. Armed with homemade cardboard pistols, rifles and machine guns, (and a few snowballs here and there), ninth-grade students of Theodore Roosevelt High School waged a mock battle complete with generals barking orders and medics running over to attend to the “wounded”, dragging them away from the battle on sleds over the snow. This exercise was a first for the school, involving 50 advanced world history students divided into French and German forces. Each student received a card with their role and tasks to execute during the simulation--and after. Generals who designed battle plans and fortifications would have to write condolence letters for lost troops. Soldiers would pen journals and medics would record their cases and actions, while journalists would assemble a newspaper account of the action and interviews. After the battle, the students enjoyed hot chocolate and genuine Army MREs -- meals-ready-to-eat. Read more about this unique project by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/01/cold_lessons_of_trench_warfare.html Outro Thank you for listening to another episode of WW1 Centennial News. We also want to thank our guests... John Milton Cooper Jr, author, educator and historian Ed Lengel, military historian, author and storyteller Mike Shuster curator for the Great War Project Blog Joe Weishaar, architect and National WW1 Memorial designer Rich Hively from the WW1 Living memorial in Nitro, West Virginia David O’Neal, creator of the WWI Preservation Collection Katherine Akey, the shows line producer and the commission's social media director… 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 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] REPS - Royal Engineers Postal Service --- OR Really Exceptions Podcast Stories! I love acronyms! So long!
Highlights Government shuts down US Industries, shocking nation | @01:40 America Emerges: Military Stories From WWI - Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:25 Wilson’s 14 points examined - Mike Shuster | @17:05 US Mint releases commemorative coins and service collector sets | @22:40 A Century In The Making - Sabin Howard Part 2 | @24:50 Speaking WWI - Conk Out! | @30:55 Eagle Scout Memorial Project - Benjamin Woodard | @32:15 The Sunken Gold - Joseph A. Williams | @37:25 Erik Burro’s “Legacy of Remembrance” photo exhibit | @44:30 The messenger birds of WW1 | @45:25 Centennial of WW1 in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @46:30----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #55 - 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 January 19th, 2018 and we have a great show for you this week including: Dr. Ed Lengel, joining us for our new weekly history segment: America Emerges - Military stories from WWI Mike Shuster, from the great war project blog looking deeper into Wilson’s 14 Points Sculptor Sabin Howard in our “A century in the Making” segment talking about integrating high tech 3D resources with a traditional master sculptors hands, eyes and clay Eagle Scout Benjamin Woodard (Wood-dard) shares his WW1 eagle scout project ... Author Joseph A. Williams introduces us to the fascinating story behind his new book, The Sunken Gold And Katherine Akey, with some great 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] Preface [MUSIC] Our theme this week is one that many of you will be able to relate to in a very direct way….. nasty, freezing, snowy, cold weather --- and its dramatic effect on the war effort. According the the National Weather Service - when the ball dropped in times square this past new year’s eve - it was the most frigid new years in exactly 100 years - and back in 1918 that frigid weather carried on through January. Let me set this up… In our episode #50 that we produced in Mid December, we were joined by Dr. Sean Adams - a historian expert on coal in america. He told us that there was plenty of coal production in the US, but there was a big problem with delivering it where it was needed because of the intense demand by the war effort on the national railroad systems. This week, 100 years ago it all comes to a head with freezing temperatures, blizzards, and an already overburdened rail system breaking down. The wartime government, driven by the Energy Administration choose this moment to step in - and as they were wont to do 100 years ago - they step in with a pretty heavy foot - to the protest of a lot of very unhappy citizens, industries and communities. There is a lot to unpack here as as we jump into our wayback machine to look at 100 years ago this week - in the war that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week It’s the second week of January, 1918. Just last month, in December, the Government took over and nationalized the railroads and put them under the direction of Treasury Secretary McAdoo. It has become quickly obvious that there is a big problem with a lack of available railroad cars in the Midwest and West - the cars are were all bunched up in the east coast ports. McAdoo’s new US Railroad Administration is working to alleviate this problem, by dedicating a week - starting January 14th to re-organizing the rail cars from where they are to where they are needed… but the plan freezes up thanks to minus 10 to minus 20 degree fahrenheit temperatures across the midwest accompanied by nasty blizzards. Everything grinds to a halt… [SOUND EFFECT] DATELINE: Sunday January 13, 1918A Headline in the NY Times proclaims:GARFIELD TO CUT COAL --- TO NEEDS And the story reads: Federal Agents of the fuel administration in NY have received full authority to employ every facility at their command to move coal from the New Jersey Terminal to Manhattan. Officials here tonight were told that there would be 262,000 tons available tomorrow but that only 20,000 tons would be moved because of the unusual weather conditions The next day - the challenges continue on the eastern seaboard DATELINE: Monday, January 14, 1918A Headline in the NY Times reads:AMPLE COAL FOR CITY'S NEEDS AWAITS FUEL ADMINISTRATORS ON JERSEY SHORE And the story includes: Reeve Schley, New York County Fuel Administrator was asked why they feared an acute coal crisis in the next few days - He replied that he does not doubt the reports of 465,000 tons available at New Jersey’s Tidewater, but that only 20-30 thousand tons were being brought into the city a day - which is only 1/2 enough - but ice in the harbor and many tugs damaged by the ice floes are preventing more. The same day another articles sets the stage for the following week’s bombshell: [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: FUEL AND FOOD FOR NEW YORK FIRST; THEN COAL FOR SHIPS, MCADOO ORDERS;INDUSTRIES MAY CLOSE The story reads: Coal for domestic use and vital public utilities in New York Districts shall receive preference. Foodstuffs shall come second and coal for bunkering of the overseas fleet third. This drastic action will make necessary the temporary suspension of many of the industries of New York not directly essential to the war program and that some of the other industries might have to operate only part time. In other words, the government is setting a priority: coal for personal heating, food for the people and coal for the ships waiting to head to europe while it is willing to shut down a major portion of New York's industries, This will put 10s of thousands out of work as employers shut down their factories and facilities. This is a precursor for Thursday’s big announcement that takes these ideas onto a national scale to a shocked nation! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Thursday - January 17, 1918From the Official Bulletin - the government’s War Gazette - published by George Creel for the Wilson Administration:HEADLINE:FUEL ORDER STOPS CERTAIN INDUSTRIESFROM BURNING COAL ON DESIGNATED DAYSNECESSARY WAR WORK NOT INCLUDED The story leads with: The order of the United States Fuel Administrator directs the curtailment In consumption of fuel by certain businesses starting Tomorrow and For Five Consecutive Days and Thereafter on Every Monday Beginning January. 28th. In other words, the government has stepped in, and is telling the majority of US industries - except those they specifically exempt - that US Industry is shutting down for 5 days and then every Monday coming up. This is a lightning bolt through the heart of the nation. [SOUND EFFECT] The front page of the NY Times reads: SHUT-DOWN OF INDUSTRIES FOR FIVE DAYS;BEGINS FRIDAY; NINE IDLE MONDAYS FOLLOW;WASHINGTON ORDER STARTLES THE COUNTRY! The next day newspapers from all around the country react…. Here are some examples: Utica, NY: This is a staggering blow. By stopping the mills and factories here, it throws thousands of people out of employment. It takes thousands of dollars away from working people who have never needed it more than this winter. Baltimore, Maryland: No such extreme measure as this was ever dreamt of by the American People Chicago, Illinois: At a word of command from Washington - the greatest industrial sections of the nation stand idle.. A catastrophe to be faced bravely! St. Louis, Missouri: Fuel Administrator Garfield's drastic order is a confession of incompetency and also an indication of lack of courage and ability to deal with the coal situation Hartford, Connecticut: The news seems almost incredible - if it had come from Germany's Kaiser William it would be more easily understood! Wheeling, West Virginia: The administration's coal measure is the most drastic industrial order issued in the history of the nation and is without precedent, but it is justified by the prevailing conditions Boston, Massachusetts: We had hoped we should not have to resort to such extreme measures, but hesitate to characterize them as unwise or unnecessary! And from Charleston SC: The Coal Conservation Order issued from Washington will put the patriotism of the American People and especially of American Business to a very stern test. The next day President Wilson chimes in: [SOUND EFFECT] DATELINE: Saturday January 19, 1918In the Official Bulletin the headline reads:President Upholds Fuel Curtailment Order,Declaring It Was Absolutely Necessaryto Relieve Railroad Traffic Congestion President Wilson issues the following statement I was, of course, consulted by Mr. Garfield before the fuel order was issued, and fully agreed with him that it is necessary, much as I regret the necessity. This war calls for many sacrifices, and sacrifices of the sort called for by this order are infinitely less than sacrifices of life which might otherwise be involved. It is absolutely necessary to get the ships away, it is absolutely necessary to relieve the congestion at the ports and upon the railways, it is absolutely necessary to move great quantities of food, and it is absolutely nec- essary that our people should be warmed in their homes if nowhere Else. Halfway measures would not have accomplished the desired ends. I have every confidence that the result of action of this sort will justify it and that the people of the country will loyally and patriotically respond to necessities of this kind as they have to every other sacrifice involved in the war. We are upon a war footing, and I am confident that the people of the United States are willing to observe the same sort of discipline that might be involved in the actual conflict itself. President Woodrow Wilson Links: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/169680916343/winter-storms-paralyze-us-railroads Full Text of Gardner’s Testimony before the Senate: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B04E6D7133FE433A2575BC1A9679C946996D6CF Articles leading up to: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F01E1D9133FE433A25757C1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E1D9133FE433A25757C1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F00E1D9133FE433A25757C1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9807E6DB1031E03ABC4D52DFB7668383609EDE http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A07E6DB1031E03ABC4D52DFB7668383609EDE http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B03E2D8133FE433A25754C1A9679C946996D6CF Press from around the country condemning the order/aftermath: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F0DE2D8133FE433A25754C1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D0CE7D7133FE433A2575BC1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E0CE7D7133FE433A2575BC1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D05E6D7133FE433A2575BC1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F00E2D7133FE433A2575AC1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DE2D7133FE433A2575AC1A9679C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=950DE2D7133FE433A2575AC1A9679C946996D6CF America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Those are some pretty dramatic events on the homefront driven by the need to get men and equipment to increasingly desperate allies in Europe. America needs to get into the fight - pronto! To cover that side of the story we are launching a new segment called: America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI --- with Military Historian, author and storyteller, Dr. Edward Lengel. Ed - welcome to WW1 Centennial News! [Exchange greeting] So Ed this week you are bringing us a story from NY city’s 77th Division.. It’s a great story about fighting - but not the Kaiser - this is about World Champion Boxer Benny Leonard - Who was he and what is the story? [ED LENGEL] [Ed.. What are you going to tell us about next week?] Ed Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our new segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post about Benny Leonard and his website as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/benny-leonard-trained-lost-battalion/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Joining us now is Mike Shuster - former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project Blog. Mike is going to expand on President Wilson’s 14 points. You know Mike, we run around living our lives in the world without thinking a lot about how it got to be what it is - But when you read Wilson’s 14 points - it really feels like you are seeing the blueprint and the foundation for the modern world order…. He really helped define a new world - didn’t he!? MIKE: Yes he did, Theo and the headline for my post this week is: A BLUE PRINT FOR POST-WAR PEACE - Wilson’s Fourteen Points Excite the World. The American President an Instant Hero [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/01/14/a-blue-print-for-post-war-peace/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel As many of you know, we have this commemoration partner over on YouTube called “The Great War Channel” They launched the channel way back in 2014 around the centennial of the war breaking out in Europe. We are always promoting them, and the other day someone asked me why - I thought it was a good question - first of all they do a great job! Their stories are clean, short, well researched and really accessible. Also, being over in Europe, they come at the subject from a really great broad perspective - and have continued to do so for the past 4 years. If you haven’t checked them out - you should. Their new episodes this week, include: Of course… Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points. It’s a really worthy subject!! And - POWs in Japan And finally - Life on the Isonzo Front To see their videos about WWI 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! Commission News/Coin In commission news this week: We have an awesome numismatic opportunity for you!!! WHAAA!? Whadhee say!? According to Merriam Webster, Numismatics is “ the study or act of collecting of coins, paper money, and medals.” Numismatic coins are essentially rare or valuable coins that have an external value above and beyond the base value of the precious metal they are made out of. And this week - by an act of congress - The U.S. Mint released a new 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar - that honors the 4.7 million American men and women who served in uniform and the 116,516 who lost their lives in the war that changed the world. But they went even further and created limited edition coin and service medal collectors sets - one each for the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Service and the Coast Guard - These limited edition special service sets are only available for a short time - Its a once-in-a-lifetimer collectors opportunity. Now personally - I’ve ordered two of the Commemorative coin and Air Service sets showing this beautiful engraving of a SPAD XIII biplane. I bought the second set for my 2 year old grandson --- because around 12 years from now, he is going to wonder about these coins and medals his grand dad bought him back in 2018 - and my son can tell him all about his GREAT GREAT Grandfather who flew bi-planes that looked like that - over in europe during WWI. These awesome combo sets are only available for 1 month! So grab your piece of history right now by going to ww1cc.org/coin /C O I N or by following the link in the podcast notes. Best of all - by law, part of the proceeds from the sale of each coin go to the memorial - so with every coin or set you buy, you are helping build America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC. Don’t wait - orders yours today at ww1cc.org/coin - and thank you! link:www.ww1cc.org/Coin https://catalog.usmint.gov/coins/commemoratives/ A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC Speaking of the memorial - it’s time for our new segment - A century in the making - America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC. Last week we introduced you to the segment --- and Sabin Howard told you how he met Richard Taylor from New Zealand’s WETA workshop. This week we learn how he is blending his traditional sculpting techniques with WETA’s high tech 3D tools to create the 9 foot maquette of the memorial sculpture: [Sabin Howard Interview] 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 --- This week’s word in an onomatopoeia - Again with the long words!? Yea…. An onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound something makes - like buzz or Meow or boom…. So After a large meal, or maybe at the end of a long, hard week at work -- don’t you just love to crash on the couch and conk out? Well - people aren’t the only things that can conk out -- World War One airplane engines did too - and the word describes the sound the engines made when then flooded out, or seized up - Conk - Conk - Conk - Having a machine “conk out” midair was unfortunately - not uncommon. The term first appears around 1911 in British Motorcycling Magazines, describing the problems early motorcyclists faced going uphill; Specific advice given in the magazine is to “give a bit more throttle ...when the engine starts to "conk, conk, conk,” The phrase made its way into common use during WWI, and soon was applied to exhausted individuals as well. Conk Out - this week’s speaking WWI phrase - See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/100097/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-conk [SOUND EFFECT] Remembering Veterans Interview with Eagle Scout Benjamin Wood-dard In our Remembering Veterans section -- This week we’re joined by an amazing young man…. Benjamin Wood-dard, an Eagle Scout from Boy Scout Troop 62, in Huntington, West Virginia. Benjamin is here to tell us about his Eagle Scout project, which involved researching and commemorating local WW1 veterans. Welcome, Benjamin! [greetings] [Benjamin - what made you decided to make commemorating local WW1 veterans your Eagle Scout project?] [What do you think is the most important thing you learned from doing this project?] [Any advice to other scouts if they want to do a WWI project?] You're a great guy! Thanks so much for telling us your story! [goodbyes] Benjamin Wood-dard is an Eagle Scout from Troop 62, Huntington, West Virginia. Learn more about this project and the men whose service Benjamin has helped commemorate --- by visiting the links in the podcast notes. Link:cabellwwi.wordpress.com http://www.herald-dispatch.com/scout-shares-history-of-memorial-trees/article_1f3d66aa-087c-5a31-98cf-2917b212b4ee.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service/3918-walter-verlin-dial.html [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media Sunken Gold This week in our Spotlight on the Media -- we’re joined by library administrator, archivist, historian and author Joseph A. Williams. He is here to tell us about his new book, The Sunken Gold: A Story of World War One Espionage and the Greatest Treasure Salvage in History. Welcome, Joe! [Joe-- can you start by giving us a brief set up to the story - told in your book? ] [How did you come by the story?] [It really sounds like a great movie-- It’s got sunken treasure, enemies, covert expeditions, obsession-- if it were to be made into a film, who would you cast as Lieutenant Commander Damant?] Thank you so much for joining us! [goodbyes] Joseph Williams, archivist, historian and author of several books including The Sunken Gold. He will be speaking at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC on Tuesday, January 23rd, but if you can’t catch him there we’ve included links to the event and his book in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Sunken-Gold-Espionage-Greatest-Treasure/dp/1613737580 https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/detail/the-sunken-gold--a-story-of-world-war-i-espionage/2018-01-23/ [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts Doughboy statue sparks NJ historian's mission to photograph WWI monuments In articles and posts-- from our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org -this week, there is an article about a photography project inspired by a WW1 Memorial. For years, Erik Burro would pass the statue of a WWI U.S. soldier on his commute just a few blocks from his city home and office --- but he paid it little attention to it. In 2016 - the centennial of WWI made him stop and take a closer look at the statue depicting a Doughboy, and the memorial hall behind it. This led Erik on a mission to find and photograph other World War I monuments, first in South Jersey and then statewide, a quest that has resulted in traveling photography exhibits of major WWI monuments in the state. Read more about Erik Burro and his "Legacy of Remembrance" at the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3957-doughboy-statue-sparks-historian-s-mission-to-photograph-wwi-monuments.html Unsung heroes of World War I: how carrier pigeons saved American lives Also in Articles and posts this week, a story shared from the National Archives “Pieces of History” blog about some of the unsung heroes of World War 1: messenger birds. The carrier pigeons of both the Allied and Central Powers assisted their respective commanders with an accuracy and clarity unmatched by technology. The National Archives has a vast collection of messages that these feathered fighters delivered for American soldiers. Using these messages and the history of the carrier pigeon in battle, we can look at what hardship these fearless fowls endured and how their actions saved American lives. One of the most impressive things about the war records of the carrier pigeons was how widely the birds were used. Their service as battlefield messengers is their most known use, and the pigeons found homes in every branch of service. Read more about these essential feathered flying communicators by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3959-unsung-heroes-of-world-war-i-the-carrier-pigeons.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? Short Film: The Hun We picked up on a short-film that was shared by The Great War channel on Facebook. The film comes from Tyler Mendelson, a young filmmaker and Marine Corps veteran. The twelve minute short tells the story of a young American soldier who has just become his company’s new message runner as a German attack is imminent. You can watch the short by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://vimeo.com/249587230 Tanks tanks tanks Last week in our Speaking WW1 segment we looked at the origin of the word “tank”. We happened to find, and share, a cool webpage on Facebook last week that lays out weird and interesting tank designs from Leonardo Da Vinci to the modern day. Among our favorites are the pre-wwi “Tsar”-- a rolling turret with wheels five times the size of a man; the “rolling ball tank”; and the submarine land dreadnought, an aircraft carrier sized ship, covered with cannons, rolling over land. Check them out at the link in the notes. link:http://www.twilighthistories.com/2012/08/17/top-20-weird-tanks-alternate-history-of-design/ Coin Drop Game Last for the week-- the US Mint released a special game for kids in coordination with the release of the WW1 Commemorative Silver Dollar. It’s called Peter The Eagles Coin Drop and the premise is simple: you fly a plane, piloted by an Eagle, and maneuver to drop “liberty loans” onto trenches, field hospitals and banks. But watch out-- seagulls appear and can block your drop, or run into your plane! Follow the link in the notes to play-- or to share with your kids. link:https://www.usmint.gov/learn/kids/games/coin-drop And that’s it this week for the Buzz! Outro So Thank you all for listening to another episode of WW1 Centennial News. We want to thank our guests... Ed Lengel, military historian, Author and storyteller Mike Shuster from the Great War Project Blog Master sculptor Sabin Howard Eagle Scout Benjamin Wood-dard Author Joseph A. Williams Katherine Akey, the shows line producer and the commission's social media director… 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 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] Numismatics, onomatopoeia - You know…. long words just make me want to conk out! So long! SUBSCRIPTIONS WW1 Centennial News Video Podcast on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ww1-centennial-news/id1209764611?mt=2 Weekly Dispatch Newsletterhttp://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/subscribe.htm
Highlights 1917 key events in review |@ 01:30 Wilson’s 14 points |@ 07:50 Crisis for the allies - Mike Shuster |@ 11:45 A Century in the Making - Sabin Howard |@ 16:45 Speaking WW1 - Tank |@ 25:00 The Education Program - Dr. Libby O’Connell |@ 26:30 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Round #2 deadline |@ 32:40 The Chaplains Corps in WW1 - Dr. John Boyd |@ 33:15 American Women Physicians in WW1 |@ 39:10 PAFA at Frist |@ 40:30 The Buzz - Katherine Akey |@ 41:15----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News episode #54 - 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 January 12th, 2018 and our guests this week include: Mike Shuster discussing the situation facing Allied forces at the outset of 1918 Master sculptor Sabin Howard telling us about how, meeting a man named Richard Taylor is transforming his approach to creating the sculpture for the National World War One Memorial in Pershing Park Dr. Libby O’Connell speaking with us about the commission’s Education program Dr John Boyd with the history of chaplains in the Armed Forces during WWI And Katherine Akey, with the Buzz - with some great selections from the centennial of WWI in social media WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface You know---- Our way-back machine not only travels in time, but also in space so as we roll back 100 years, but are also going up to 10 thousand feet to get a high level view of what happened in 1917 and a glance into the future for what to expect for this upcoming year --- in the war the changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Looking back across 1917 from way up here, we can see: Wilson being sworn in as the President who promises to keep us out of the war, but events early in the year, pressure from the allies, aggressive and presumptuous actions by Germany, builds up by spring to a declaration of war. We see a massive rush to mobilize for war. We see our allies struggling with ever more massive and devastating loss of treasure and men - standing on the brink of devastation - and we see the eastern allie - Russia - go through two revolutions in one year - the first - which collapses the Tsarist government - the second - late in the year -- when Lenin and the bolsheviks take over and effectively drop Russia out of the war, This is to Germany’s great delight, anticipating the freeing up of massive resources -- with which Germany can deal the allies - a knock-out punch - in an upcoming spring. Let’s zoom down for a bit closer look at 1917 In late January, early February Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare - reneging on promises made to Wilson after the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania. The US severs diplomatic ties with Germany. In an attempt to draw the US into the fight, Britain passes along a secret telegram showing an offer by Germany to Mexico promising great rewards including Texas and New Mexico - if Mexico will toss in with Germany - and help take down the US. This does not sit well. By March with Germany attacking shipping everywhere - the Wilson asks congress to put Navy armaments and sailors aboard US merchant ships. Congress doesn’t go for it - so he issues an executive order to the same effect. While over in Russia - Revolution #1 - and Tsar Nicholas II abdicates.. By the end of march, Germany’s blatant aggression against the US gets Wilson’s cabinet to vote unanimously in favor of declaring war. April is big… On the 2nd Wilson delivers a war address to congress, and four days later - on April 6th -- congress votes to go to war. Over in Europe - French Commander in Chief General Robert Nivelle cranks up a strategic plan that is so flawed and costly in french soldiers lives --- it sets up a French army mutiny ---- NIvelle gets the boot - and the French forces come back online. In May America cranks up the war machine in a big way! Wilson appoints George Creel to head the Committee on Public Information.. Creating a historic government propaganda machine. Congress also passes the selective service act and all men between 18 and 32 have to register. Meanwhile - John J. Pershing is appointed to head of the American Expeditionary Force and goes over to France to assess the situation. June - To deal with strong war opposition at home - congress passes the US Espionage Act - A massive attacks on “freedom of speech” that makes {QUOTE) all false statements intended to interfere with the military forces of the country or to promote the success of its enemies (UNQUOTE) illegal. In other words - if you speak up against the draft or the war - you are going to prison. And people do. Same month, the first US troop arrive in France - but not yet to fight - they are there to prepare the way for our army. In July Pershing makes a request for an army of a million men - then just a few weeks later --- revises his request upwards to 3 million. On the fighting front, July, August and september see the first use of Mustard Gas on the battlefield --- and campaigns in the Belgic regions of Ypres and Passchendaele. America is busy building and equipping the largest fighting force of its young history. Money is raised, Industries are nationalized, units are mobilized, the population is galvanized by Mr. Creel and his minions. October marks a disastrous war effort for the italians at the battle of Caporetto --- and in November - Revolution #2 - the bolsheviks take over under Lenin and end the battle on the Eastern Front. November also sees the expanded use of a new war machine in the battlefield - the Tank! And at the end of the year - the Brits bring home a little holiday surprise as they finally turn around their struggle with the ottoman empire and defeat the Turks, taking Jerusalem in December. Wow - Ok… now we’re gonna zoom back up and look forward at 1918 from overview. Germany’s kaiserslacht, is their big offensive - hoping to deal the allies a death blow… it includes five major offensives over the spring and early summer; The allies lose ground - then gain it back with help of Americans who are coming online Things turn around --- and over the fall, the central powers admit defeat -- one by one so that in November, an armistice is declared… The fighting stops and now some of WWI’s most fascinating stories emerge - as the aftermath of the war, the negotiations, and America’s war cranked economy try to settle on and into a new world order. Wilson’s fourteen points It all actually starts this week. On January 8, 1918 President Woodrow Wilson addresses the U.S. Congress with what would later become known as his "Fourteen Points" the fundamental to America's War Aims. Inconceivably … up until now, there has been no explicit statement of war aims by any of the nation’s who engaged in this mad destruction. At his request, a team, led by Walter Lippmann --- and longtime Wilson advisor Colonel House generate a memorandum called “The War Aims and the Peace Terms it Suggests.” from which Wilson crafts one of his most important and influential speeches of his administration - the Fourteen Points. The first six enumerate the causes of world war, and urge: The elimination of secret treaties in favor of open agreements Free navigation of the seas Removal of all economic barriers and established equal trade between nations The reduction of armaments The adjustment of colonial claims and the self-determination of colonized populations in regard to their own sovereignty The evacuation of all Russian territory by the German armies The next seven proceed to rearrange the map of Europe, effectively eradicating the old imperial borders of specific territories and creating independent states. This included: the evacuation of Belgium, the release of French territory, (particularly Alsace-Lorraine), the readjustment of the frontiers of Italy into “clearly recognizable lines of nationality,” the autonomy of Austria-Hungary, the release of occupied territories in the Balkan states, the establishment of political and economic independence along “historically established lines of allegiance,” as well as access to the sea - for the Serbs Assured sovereignty of Turkey from the Ottoman empire, as well as the right of other nationalities to develop autonomy The establishment of an independent Polish state, with access to the sea And, finally, his fourteenth point -- the creation of a world organization that would provide a system of collective security for all nations - the foundations of the League of Nations. An auspicious beginning for 1918, establishing a world changing doctrine in what TRULY IS the war that changed the world! [poignant audio hit] All year, we will be bringing you with us,. on an incredible journey through these amazing times for our national and our global heritage. There are stories of suffering and heroism, humanity and technology, defeat and triumph, diplomacy ...and diplomatic failures. Introducing Dr. Edward Lengel So --- To help us understand all this, starting next week, we will be joined regularly by Dr. Edward Lengel. Dr. Lengel is an American military historian, Chief Historian of the White House Historical Association and sits on the US WWI Centennial Commission’s historical advisory board. Ed gives historians a good name! He is smart, well spoken, an author, and a devout storyteller. We look forward to his contributions to WW1 Centennial News THEN… State of the war front end of 1917: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/169156769262/state-of-the-war-end-of-1917 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_G._Lengel [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Back with us now is Mike Shuster - former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project Blog. Mike - first of all - welcome back - we missed you over the Holidays - so… your January post CRISIS FOR THE ALLIES is a great setup piece for 1918 - what are they facing as they roll into the new year? [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. We also put some links in the Podcast notes to the articles we missed from Mike over the Holidays. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/01/07/american-force-resists-integration/ http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/21/starvation/ http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/18/the-grim-reality-facing-the-british/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel Over to the Great War Channel on Youtube - They have been producing videos about WW1 since 2014 from a european perspective. A bunch of new episodes were released over the last weeks, including: Transcaucasia in World War One The Sopwith Snipe - WW1 Pilot’s Gear Machinations in the British High Command Inside the Rolls Royce Armoured Car German Anti Tank Units And more. To see their videos about WWI 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! A century in the making For 2018 we are introducing a new segment - It’s called: A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. As our regular listeners know, we are building a national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in the capitol. It’s a big project. It’s complicated. It’s hard. It’s been a long time coming. So over the coming weeks, we are going to be bringing you along on an insider’s journey that explores this grand undertaking and adventure. The centerpiece of the memorial - located in this urban park - just two blocks from the White House - is planned as a massive bronze bas-relief sculpture that tells the story of both the human and the national experience of the war that changed the world. Joe Weishaar - our brilliant young visionary, who won the international design competition for this memorial -- brought in an incredibly talented artist and sculptor onto his team - Sabin Howard… a traditionally trained - modern classicist sculptor - Sabin has taken on the challenge of telling the American WWI story at scale, in bronze, and for posterity. Sabin Howard - Meeting Richard Taylor So we are going to kick off this series with an interesting story about how Sabin - the traditionalist - has gotten hooked up with Richard Taylor - a tech visionary who has helped Directors Peter Jackson and James Cameron manifest their visions for Lord of the Rings and Avatar…. Welcome, Sabin! Sabin, You are a traditionally trained sculptor - a Modern Classicist - you work with the human form - in a very traditional way - but for this project you are combining classic sculpture with some very high tech. How did that happen, and how are you using cutting edge technology in creating this master work for America? [SABIN INTERVIEW PART I] That was the first installment of “A century in the making - America’s WW1 Memorial in Washington DC” Next week, Sabin will tell us how he is integrating his traditional sketch and clay sculpture process with 3D imaging, programmable milling and additive manufacturing technologies to literally cut years into months for the test / iterate / and retest process in creating a maquette - a 9 foot manifestation of the sculpture. Only YOU can build this memorial “A century in the making” has another part to it that is unique for our weekly podcast. You are more involved in this project than you may realize. Congress - who authorized this memorial - made it the LAW that the National WWI memorial has to be built with individual and corporate funding - no government funding allowed! Only you can build this memorial -- So I’m going to be asking you to go to WW1CC.org/memorial --- to help honor the memory of those who shaped the world we enjoy today -- with their honest and genuine commitment to our American ideals --- and their personal sacrifice of effort and blood - Now Wer’e not asking you to jump into a bunker with mud and lice ---- all we are asking you to do is to go to wwicc.org/memorial or just pick up your cell phone - heck- it’s probably in you hand right now! Go to your texting app and text the letters ww1 to the number 91999. You can give any amount - Give once or “subscribe to the project” with a monthly gift === because you see - this really IS America’s WWI Memorial. Thank you - link:http://www.sabinhoward.com/WW1cc/ https://www.theepochtimes.com/the-next-step-in-a-soldiers-journey_2397769.html https://fineartconnoisseur.com/ www.ww1cc.org/memorial Events As we enter 2018, many commemorations, both big and small, are coming up to remember and honor the service of America and Americans during WW1. You’ll find many of these in the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at ww1cc.org/events. There are events all across the US and we are now beginning to add key events from abroad as well. On any given day you’ll find literally dozens of WWI related events listed - small, local commemorations and large, international ones. The register is America’s official record of commemorations of the centennial of WWI And you can add your OWN WWI centennial event to the register - with the big red SUBMIT MY EVENT button on the page - even including livestream and social media events. And finally, we wanted to share with you that the American Battle Monuments Commission has published its upcoming commemorative events in France and Belgium. The link to that calendar is included in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/events https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/world-war-i-centennial-ceremonies-abmc-sites#.WkzlsdKnFlZ Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- One of most iconic new weapon technologies of WWI is the tank. “They rode into WWI on Horses and rode out on Tanks” is a popular phrase that describes the times. This is the grand evolution of the Armored car, and every side in the conflict tried to create an effective machine. but the British beat everyone to the punch with their Landship, premiering the Mark I in September, 1916. Until then - this was a new secret weapon! The machines were called "tanks" in a ruse describing the big metal things as "water carriers," supposedly for use on the Mesopotamian Front. So in conversation -- the engineers referred to them as "water tanks" or, simply, "tanks." Interestingly, the British Landships Committee even decided to change its name for the same secretive reason, renaming itself the Tank Supply Committee. By the time the machines rolled over the fields of Cambrai in the winter of 1917, not only did the tanks get stuck - but so did the name… no one went for the name land ships - they were simply known then and are still today --- as Tanks -- this week’s word for Speaking WW1. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_tank Education Interview with Dr. Libby O’Connell In our Education section -- As we tell every week in our closing - bringing the lessons of WWI into the classroom is one of the Commission’s prime goals - and here to tell us more about the Commission’s education program is Commissioner Dr. Libby O’Connell. Welcome, Libby! [greetings] To start, could you tell us a bit about the education initiative at the commission? What’s happening now and what are the goals for 2018? Libby - I understand you are now tying the education program to the Memorial program - how does that work? Thanks so much for being on the show again! Dr. Libby O’Connell, World War One Centennial Commissioner, historian and author. Learn more about the education program at ww1cc.org/edu or by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/educate-home.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT 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 coming Monday - January 15, 2018 - the submission period for the second and final round of grant application-- closes. Then we will start the process of selecting the second 50 Awardees to round out the 100 awardees. Check the podcast notes for a link to the program or go to ww1cc.org/100memorials. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials Remembering Veterans Chaplains in the War This week in our Remembering Veterans section -- we’re joined by Dr John "Jay" Boyd, Historian for the United States Army Chaplain Corps. He is here to tell us more about the history of chaplains in the armed forces and their special role during World War One. Welcome, Dr. Boyd! Dr. Boyd, just to start us off -- What IS a chaplain and what is their role in the military? In WW1- we suddenly had an army - and it was made up of a very diverse group of soldiers - Was any attention given to the increasing diversity of the troops? There are many stories about the chaplains of World War 1-- does any one in particular stand out to you? Do you have a favorite? Thank you so much for joining us. Dr. John Boyd is the Historian for the United States Army Chaplain Corps. Learn more about chaplains in the military by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://usachcs.tradoc.army.mil/ http://bpnews.net/48738/us-entry-to-wwi-remembered-as-chaplaincy-catalyst http://archnyarchives.org/2015/11/10/military-chaplains-in-world-war-i/ http://mentalfloss.com/article/29695/12-heroic-us-military-chaplains [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts American Women Physicians Calling all women doctors - This story is for you!! In articles and posts-- from our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org -this week, this week there is an article about the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) - Now they have created a remarkable new online exhibit, "American Women Physicians in World War I". When the United States entered the war in 1917, women physicians numbered less than 5% of all doctors. Many were eager for the chance to serve their country. But when the Army Surgeon General sent out a call for physicians to serve in the Medical Corps, the women who applied were rejected. Women physician leaders across the country protested this decision and petitioned the government, but the War Department didn’t budge. Despite the stance of the Government, women physicians found ways to participate. Some became civilian contract surgeons in the U.S. Army or served with the French Army. Others volunteered with humanitarian relief organizations. Learn about this amazing story and women physician’s contributions and legacy in WWI by reading the article or by visiting the online exhibit using the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3926-new-online-exhibit-explores-american-women-physicians-in-world-war-i.html https://www.amwa-doc.org/wwi-exhibition/ WW1 And American Art: Interview Also in Articles and posts this week, we recently interviewed the staff of the Frist Center in Nashville, Tennessee, to discuss the landmark exhibition World War One and American Art, which was organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The exhibition has been touring the country for the last year and is on view at the Frist through January 21st. The exhibit includes 140 works in all kinds of media, including the monumentally large John Singer Sargeant piece -- Gassed. Frist Center curators and directorial staff responded to our questions about the show, about the war, and about impact on the local region. Read the interview by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3923-last-chance-to-experience-world-war-i-and-american-art-exhibit-at-the-frist-center-in-nashville.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 did you pick to tell us about this week? [Katherine Akey] Hi Theo! Follow up to the Halifax Explosion Happy New Year, everyone! We’re glad to be back. Before we broke for the holidays in December, we talked a fair amount about the disastrous Halifax explosion of 1917. Recently, we shared an article on our Facebook page with some interesting contemporary news about that very incident. The article outlines the discovery by a Canadian arborist of some odd material lodged in a large pine tree near Halifax -- debris from the explosion 100 years ago. Shards of unidentified flying objects got lodged into the city’s canopy when the explosion occurred and to this day, lumber mills as far as the southern United States still don’t dare touch logs from Halifax, knowing some hidden metal artifact could wreck their machinery. Read more about the history hidden in the trees around Halifax by visiting the article at the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/a-century-after-the-halifax-explosion-grim-reminders-can-still-be-found-in-trees/ The Poilu Censorship Workaround Lastly this week, I wanted to share a really amazing article from the Centenaire website, the official national centennial organization in France. The story comes from the Municipal Archives of Marseille, where one archivist discovered a sneaky and smart strategy to get around the heavy censoring of wartime letters. Jean Bouyala, who went on after the war to become a prominent surgeon, was one of several Poilus who found a way to write secret messages on their letters. It sounds bizarre, but by writing first using their saliva, then having the letter’s recipient brush black ink over the page, the saliva stanzas become legible, a darker black writing in the midst of the ink wash on the page. This way, the Poilu were able to send home messages that would otherwise have been blocked by the censor. A link to the article is in the podcast notes along with photographs of the magic-ink letters. Saliva-- the key to clandestine correspondence! And that’s it this week for the Buzz! Llink:http://centenaire.org/fr/tresors-darchives/le-secret-des-poilus-pour-dejouer-la-censure Outro Thank you all for listening to another episode of WW1 Centennial News. We want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster from the Great War Project Blog Sabin Howard, master sculptor and artist Dr. Libby O’Connell, World War One Centennial Commissioner, author and Historian Dr John Boyd, Historian for the United States Army Chaplain Corps And Katherine Akey, the shows line producer and the commision’s social media director… 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] We’ll the only thing I can think to say is.. Tanks a lot... So long!
2017 Favorite Stories - Part 2 Welcome to Part 2 of our 2017 favorite stories in review! June 28, Episode 26 - From 100 Years ago this week : The Red Cross we know today | @ 01:05 July 5, Episode 27 - From Events - “Ready to Serve” - a one woman show about WWI Nurses - with Ellouise Schoettler | @ 07:50 July 12, Episode 28 - From Commission News - farewell to Former Commissioner James Nutter with Dan Dayton | @ 12:55 July 19, episode 29 - 100 Years ago this week - A tale of combat between a merchant ship and a U-boat | @ 14:05 July 26 Episode 30 - From the Buzz - The Kodak Vest Pocket Camera with Katherine Akey | @ 17:20 August 30, Episode 35 - From Speaking WWI - Field Day | @ 19:35 Sept. 27, Episode 39 - from Speaking WWI - OMG.. Really! | @ 20:55 October 4, episode 40 - From the Great War Project - Ring of Spies in Palestine with Mike Shuster | @ 22:10 October 18, Episode 42 - From 100 Cities / 100 Memorials the genesis and future of the program with Ken Clarke | @ 26:00 November 1, episode 44 - From 100 Years ago this week - Living in NYC? Did a Slacker live in your apartment building 100 years Ago? | @ 31:25 October 25, Episode 43 - From Commission News - America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC - with Edwin Fountain | @ 33:50 November 8 - Episode 45 - From the Great War Project - The Eastern Front Collapses - with Mike Shuster | @ 39:05 November 15, Episode 46 - From 100 Years ago This week - The Suffragists in WWI | @ 43:00 December 6, Episode 49 - From the WWrite Blog - German songwriter/soldier found from rediscovering his music | @ 51:25----more---- Intro Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - Episode #53. This week, the podcast turns one year old. We are so pleased and thankful for the hundreds of thousands of downloads we have received from you, our listeners! For this first anniversary we are going to share PART 2 of our favorite stories and segments from 2017 with you! Like last week, they are presented them in chronological order. This week we are going from mid-summer through to year’s end. We are not going to spend time setting up each piece, but we will tell you the date, the episode and the article title each time - to keep it all in context. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US World War One centennial Commission and the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Welcome to Part 2 of our 2017 favorite stories in review! [music] June 28, Episode 26 From 100 Years ago this week : The Red Cross we know today link:www.ww1cc.org/bulletin http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2700-ww1-centennial-news-episode-26-6-28-2017.html July 5, Episode 27 From Events - “Ready to Serve” - a one woman show about WWI Nurses - with Ellouise Schoettler link:http://ellouiseschoettler.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2747-ww1-centennial-news-episode-27-7-05-2017.html July 12, Episode 28 From Commission News - farewell to Former Commissioner James Nutter with Dan Dayton link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2770-ww1-centennial-news-episode-28-7-12-2017.html July 19, episode 29 100 Years ago this week - A tale of combat between a merchant ship and a U-boat link:www.ww1cc.org/bulletin http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2903-ww1-centennial-news-episode-29-7-19-2017.html July 26 Episode 30 From the Buzz - The Kodak Vest Pocket Camera with Katherine Akey link:http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/technique/interviews/vest-pocket-kodak-book-107481 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2951-ww1-centennial-news-episode-30-7-26-2017.html August 30, Episode 35 From Speaking WWI - Field Day link:http://www.theidioms.com/field-day/ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/field_day http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3057-ww1-centennial-news-episode-35-8-30-2017.html Sept. 27, Episode 39 from Speaking WWI - OMG.. Really! link:https://www.wsj.com/article_email/omg-it-started-in-1917-with-a-letter-to-churchill-1504882081-lMyQjAxMTA3OTE4MDAxNzA3Wj/ http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/165172940448/first-use-of-omg http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3182-ww1-centennial-news-episode-39-9-27-2017.html October 4, episode #40 From the Great War Project - Ring of Spies in Palestine with Mike Shuster link:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/01/ring-of-spies-in-palestine/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3206-ww1-centennial-news-episode-40-10-04-2017.html October 18, Episode 42 From 100 Cities / 100 Memorials the genesis and future of the program with Ken Clarke Link: www.ww1cc.org/100cities http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3265-ww1-centennial-news-episode-42-10-18-2017.html October 25, Episode 43 From Commission News - America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC - with Edwin Fountain Link: www.ww1cc.org/memorial http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3363-ww1-centennial-news-episode-43-10-25-2017.html November 1 , episode 44 From 100 Years ago this week - Living in NYC? Did a Slacker live in your apartment building 100 years Ago? link:http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D0CE3DD113AE433A2575AC2A9669D946696D6CF http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3520-ww1-centennial-news-episode-44-11-01-2017.html November 8 - Episode 45 From the Great War Project - The Eastern Front Collapses - with Mike Shuster link:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/05/the-bolsheviks-seize-power-in-russia/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3616-ww1-centennial-news-episode-45-11-08-2017.html November 15, Episode 46 From 100 Years ago This week - The Suffragists in WWI Link: www.ww1cc.org/bulletin http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3699-ww1-centennial-news-episode-46-11-15-2017.html November 22, Episode 47 From the Groundbreaking of America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC - General Mark A, Milley, 39th Chief of Staff of the US Army - Link: www.ww1cc.org/memorial http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3719-ww1-centennial-news-episode-47-11-22-2017.html December 6, Episode 49 From the WWrite Blog - German songwriter/soldier found from rediscovering his music @ | 39:05 link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3783-soon-all-too-soon.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/3835-ww1-centennial-news-episode-49-12-06-2017.html Outro Thank you for having joined us for part 2 of our WW1 Centennial News favorites segments of 2017. This is the beginning of a crucial year - as we move from the decision to enter the war, and the near manic ramp up to do so, to the true sacrifice and loss of our nation’s precious sons - as we enter the fight - and as that fighting ceases in November. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US World War 1 Centennial Commission, and our founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Special thanks to the show’s line producer Katherine Akey, researcher Eric Marr, plus our many wonderful guests, contributors and a rolling team of interns. I’m you host, Theo Mayer. Thank you for listening. 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 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. Thank you to the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. This podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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. [MUSIC] So long!
Favorite Stories of 2017 - Part 1 January 4, Episode #1- our first story! | @ 01:05 February 15, Episode #7 - "Stories of Service" and "Family Ties" introduced by Chris Christopher | @ 02:15 March 8, Episode #10 War in the sky -The story of Baron von Zeppelin | @ 04:05 March 29, Episode #13- Special Feature - about horses and mules serving | @ 07:50 April 5 and April #12 - Episodes 14 and 15 - Commission News - In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace - with Ed Bilous and Chris Christopher | @ 11:20 April 26 Episode #17 - 100 years ago this week - The selective service act of 1917 | @ 19:10 April 26 - Episode #17 - War In the Sky - It turned into the world’s largest aerospace company | @ 21:05 May 3, Episode #18 - Spotlight in the media - introducing Sgt. Stubby the animated film with Jordan Beck | @ 23:30 May 3 Episode #18 From the BUZZ - Moss is mostly good with Katherine Akey | @ 28:05 May 10, Episode #19 - 100 Years ago This week - For Mother’s day - Mothers in WW1 | @ 29:20 June 6, Episode #23 - Commission News - A brief mission profile from Commission Executive Director - Dan Dayton | @ 35:25 Also June 6, Episode #23 - Special Feature - George Cohan’s “Over There” turns 100 - with Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten | @ 36:50 June 14, 2017, Episode 24 - Spotlight in the media - Three theories on why Wonder Woman is set in WW1 |@ 43:20 June 14, Episode 24 - International Report - The Violin of Private Howard | @ 45:40----more---- Overview Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - Episode #52. This New Year’s week, and next week, we have a special 2-episode series for you. Next week marks our first anniversary for the show so wanted to share some of our favorite stories and segments from 2017 with you! They are presented in chronological order. Part 1 takes us into July 2017, and Part 2 through the end of the year. We are not going to spend time setting up each piece, but we will tell you the date, the episode and the article title each time - to keep it all in context. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the US World War One centennial Commission and the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. See above for the list of stories Outro Thank you for having joined us for our WW1 Centennial News New Year’s Special - The best of 2017 - Part 1. Join us next week for Part 2. Happy New year to all of you for 2018 and for 1918 from the whole team at WW1 Centennial News 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 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. Thank you to the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. This podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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. [MUSIC] So long!
Overview This Special episode is a Holiday music compilation from the WWI era. It features a special homily from Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben - Chief of Navy Chaplains, with words of thanks and prayer from all of us here today - back to those who were serving in 1917, in recognition and appreciation for their service and their sacrifice in the War That Changed the World!----more---- Musical Selections Noël: Holy NightPerformers: Venetian TrioRelease Year: 1915 Cantique de NoëlPerformers: Enrico CarusoRelease year: 1916 The night before ChristmasPerformers: Harry E. HumphreyRelease year: 1914 Hark! The herald angels sing. [Mendelssohn (Hymn tune)]Performers: Edison Mixed Quartet.Release year: 1914 The mistletoe boughPerformers: British Male Quar[tet, i.e. Carol Singers].Release year: ca. 1913 The song of agesPerformers: Metropolitan Quartet.Release year: 1918 Jest 'fore ChristmasAuthor: Eugene FieldPerformer: Cora Mel PattenRelease year: 1913 It came upon the midnight clearPerformers: The Carol Singers.Release year: 1915 Christmas Eve. a fantasie on old German Christmas carolsPerformers: Robert Gayler.Release year: 1916 Home For Christmas - from A silent Night: A WWI Memorial in SongPerformers: John Brancy and Peter DuganRelease Year: 2017 God rest you, merry gentlemenPerformers: The Carol SingersRelease year: 1917 Ring out, wild bellsPerformers: The Carol SingersRelease year: 1916 No candle was there and no firePerformer: Elizabeth WheelerRelease Year: 1912 O come, all ye faithful. [Adeste fideles]Performers: Edison Mixed Quartet.Release year: 1914 Old Jim's Christmas hymnPerformers: Arthur Middleton (as "Edward Allen") and Chorus.Release year: 1917 Christmas, Christmas, blessed, blessed dayPerformers: Metropolitan Quartet.Release year: 1917 Joy to the world, our Lord is born todayPerformers: Metropolitan Quartet.Release year: 1917 We three kings of Orient arePerformers: Carol Singers.Release year: 1917 Flora's holiday. song cyclePerformers: Frank Croxton Quartette [i.e. Croxton Quartet].Release year: 1911 March of the toys. Babes in Toyland [Babes in Toyland. March of the toys]Performers: American Symphony Orchestra.Release year: 1917 Introduction Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - This Holiday week, we have a special episode for you. We have compiled a one-hour collection of WWI era holiday music. It includes popular christmas music of the time, including a wonderful live recording of the fabulous Caruso singing an italian version of Oh Holy Night, even a modern day rendition of I’ll be home for Christmas from the contemporary WWI musicians, Baritone John Brancy and pianist Peter Dugan. We invite you to play the podcast during this special time for a WWI holiday ambiance, in memory of those who spent Christmas 1917 apart from their loved ones! My wife Kathy and I wrapped presents with the compilation as background and it was really lovely. The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission our founding sponsor, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and we here at World War 1 Centennial News wish you and your family a wonderful holiday. And to start us off for this Holiday episode Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben - Chief of Navy Chaplains, is joining us to send a few words of holiday hope, greeting and cheer back to 1917 to all of the men and women -- serving at this consequential and decisive moment in our nation’s history. Please join her with your thoughts and good wishes, as Chaplain Kibben sends our words of thanks and prayer from all of us here today - back to them in 1917, in recognition and appreciation for their service and their sacrifice in the War That Changed the World! Chaplain Kibben: [ Recorded segment] [MUSIC - SEE PLAYLIST ABOVE] Closing Thank you for having joined us for our WW1 Centennial News holiday special. Thanks to Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben, Chief of Navy Chaplains, Musicians John Brancy and Pete Dugan, whose song “Home for Christmas” was included in this mix. You can learn more about them, their music and how to book them for the coming year by visiting their website at a silent night dot com or by visiting the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.asilentnight.com Happy Holidays to all of you in 2017 and 1917 from Katherine Akey our show’s line producer, Eric Marr - research and from me, Theo Mayer your host. [pause} 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 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. Thank you to the commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. This podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn On iTunes and google play 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. [MUSIC] Thank you.
Highlights The Role of Coal in WWI America - Dr. Sean Adams | @ 03:00 Coming Attractions - Preview of podcasts | @ 09:50 The Halifax Explosion - Mike Shuster | @ 11:10 Commissioner Zoe Dunning is sworn in | @ 16 :00 Gold Star Mothers special tour - Candy Martin | @ 16:55 Speaking WWI - Chatting - A lousy deal | @ 23:50 New issue “Understanding The Great War” education Newsletter | @ 25:00 100C/100M - Portland, Maine - Brandon Mazer | @ 25:50 Sgt. Stubby new trailer | @ 30:40 Horse Heroes - BrookeUSA - Jo Ellen Hayden | @ 32:25 WWrite Blog - What if there had been no Balfour Declaration | @ 39:30 Buzz - Signal Corp & Drip Rifles - Katherine Akey | @ 40:15 & More.... ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 December 15th, 2017. This is episode #50 and our guests this week include: Dr. Sean Adams, on the role of coal in America during WW1 Mike Shuster with the story of the disastrous Halifax explosion Candy Martin from Gold Star Mothers telling us about an upcoming European tour Brandon Mazer from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Portland, Maine Jo Ellen Hayden introducing our newest site at ww1cc.org, Horse Heroes from Brooke USA And Katherine Akey, with the Buzz - The centennial commemoration in social media WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface The Official Bulletin is the government daily War Gazette - which you can read yourself on our website like a daily paper at ww1cc.org/bulletin - with each issue being re-published on the centennial of its original publication date…. It is an awesome primary information resource for you nerds, history buffs and teachers… and of course for us at WW1 Centennial news! Well ever since it started publishing in May, we have been seeing nearly daily and certainly weekly articles about COAL… Yes.. COAL. The availability, the industry, the pricing, the mining, the transportation, the application… Coal keeps coming up in our editorial meetings. Our instinct says that this is a strategically important WWI subject - like airplanes, suffrage, the draft and food - but as we attack the subject, we keep feeling that the articles we are reading don't really get down to the strategic issues about Coal in WWI. We just keep seeing hints and snippets.. Like the related nationalization of the railroads and the effect on coal mining, or the nationalization of shipbuilding which leads to the decision to build a vast fleet of coal burning instead of oil burning merchant ships… and on and on… What we need… we reasoned… is a coal historian! Well, it turns out the world is NOT full of coal historians! But Katherine, bless her, has found Dr. Sean Adams who is joining us today - as soon as we jump into our wayback machine and roll back to the second week of December, 1917 to see how coal plays into the war that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] It's the second week of December 1917 - and it’s REALLY cold! This winter of 1917 is still considered one of the coldest on record for most of the Eastern seaboard and beyond. A giant blizzard is whipping through the North East - and as you’ll learn later - it has some pretty harsh effects on the Halifax Harbor explosion. One of the main sources for staying warm in this bitterly cold winter is…. Well - COAL! And it is being rationed. We are being joined here in 1917 by Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Welcome Dr. Adams! [exchange greetings] Dr. Adams - as we mentioned in our setup - it seems like coal, it’s mining, transportation and use in this moment in American history is seen as a pretty strategically important issue… what IS coal’s role in WW1 America? [Dr. Adams talks - 5-8 minutes] Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His most recent book is - Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in 19th Century America. [SOUND EFFECT] Coming Attractions Before we move on with the show, we want to give you a little heads up on our episodes for the next few week. Next week - for our Holiday Episode #51, we have a special treat for you. We are producing a 1917 vintage Holiday Mixtape! The entire episode is designed to provide you a wonderful “period holiday mood ambiance” - featuring the popular holiday music from 1917 and a special message from the 26th chief of Chaplains of the US Navy - Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben (delivered from today to all Americans in uniform in 1917!) The following week is our New Year’s Episode #52, can you believe it!! 52 episodes in the can! - anyway - we will be replaying our favorite segments from 2017/1917 in a content collage that should be a lot of fun! January 2018: Then we roll into January with our first episode of 2018 coming out around January 5th - We are going to kick off the year by putting 1917 into perspective and taking a high level look forward into what to expect through 1918. It is going to be a very dynamic year and we will be keeping you up to date on WW1 Centenial News Then - what was happening 100 years ago - and WW1 Centennial News NOW - what is happening today to commemorate the war the changed the world. [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project [Mike Shuster] In Nova scotia two ships collide resulting in one of the largest man-made explosions in human history - devastating the city with damage and loss of life on a terrible scale. Her to tell us the story is Mike shuster former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/10/a-tremendous-explosion-in-canadian-harbor/ [SOUND EFFECT] GO TO REMEMBERING VETERANS SECTION The Great War Channel The Great War Channel on Youtube have been producing videos about WW1 since 2014.. And from a more european perspective. Here is Indy Nidel - the host of the Great War Channel. Great War Recording of Indy: Hi WW1 Centennial News Listeners - I’m Indy Neidell, host of the Great War Channel on Youtube. Fighting continues as 1917 comes to a close, marking the end of another year of mass devastation. Follow the action as we enter 1918, the fourth and final year of the war by subscribing to The Great War on Youtube and follow us on Facebook. This week’s new episodes include: Halifax Explosion and Peace in the EastAnd Father Victory - George ClemenceauAnd finally The Road to Independence - Finland in WW1 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 to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News: In commission news, yesterday Commander Zoe Dunning, USN (Ret.) was sworn in as the newest member of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. The swearing in ceremony took place at the commission’s headquarter in Washington DC. So how are these commissioners picked anyhow? Well Commissioner Dunning for example, was nominated by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. The law that established the commission provided that the twelve members of the Centennial Commission - who serve without pay - by the way - are nominated by the President of the United States, the members of the U.S. Senate, the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and by the nation's two largest veteran service organizations, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Thank you for taking on the challenge - and welcome Commissioner Dunning! link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3721-dunning-named-to-u-s-world-war-i-centennial-commission.html Remembering Veterans This week in our Remembering Veterans segment -- Gold Star Mothers are women who have lost a child in the service to our nation. The name comes from the WWI custom of families hanging a banner called a service flag in the windows of their homes. The service flag had a star for each family member serving with each member represented by a blue star, except those who had lost their lives in service - who are represented by a gold star. More than a decade after the war ended, a unique and incredible event took place: Gold Star mothers and wives traveled across the Atlantic to visit the battlefields of Europe and the graves of their fallen family members. Next summer, that journey will be retraced by a special cruise and tour, and here to tell us more about it is Candy Martin, the Immediate Past National President of American Gold Star Mothers --- who is herself a Gold Star Mother, having lost her son 1st Lieutenant Thomas Martin, US Army, on October 14, 2007 in Iraq and herself served 38 years in the Army. Welcome, Candy [greetings] [Candy - First off, What is the mission of the American Gold Star Mothers organization?] [So in the 1930’a there was the Gold Star Pilgrimage… Who organized it and what was it?] [Alright - so now you are organizing a centennial tour to revisit europe and retrace that journey.. Tell us about it please.] [If I am interested in participating in the tour or learning more - what should I do?] Candy Martin - a Gold Star mother, serving the organization and organizing the 2018 Gold Star Pilgrimages and Poppies Tour - learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimagesAndPoppies/ African American Gold Star Mothers in WWI There is also a poignant article about African American Gold Star mothers in the archives of our WWrite blog, titled “On a Boat Alone: African American Wives Post WWI”. Head to ww1cc.org/wwrite to read about the experience of African American families as they participated -- segregated -- in the Gold Star pilgrimages. The link is in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/1699-on-a-boat-alone-african-american-wives-post-wwi.html Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Getting on instant messenger, sending a text or simply meeting up with a friend at a coffee shop-- there are many ways to have a chat with a friend, a quick and light catch up conversation. But chatting with friends has its origins in a darker, and definitely less comfortable, place than you may think-- A chat in the trenches of WWI was another name for a louse, These horrid and itchy pests filled your clothes and got all over you including into your hair --- and chatting was the act of picking lice off yourself --- and in a very socially companionable - very monkey - ape -Jane Goodall reminiscent vision - helping to groom your companions. This was a really important daily task that could fill hours of the day-- something soldier’s could do to pass the time as they helped comrades pick lice - was to engage in small talk - Hence to the term chatting! - Who knew!!! So today chatting live or online, chat rooms, and social chats continue with great vigor but -- with fewer lice. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563 7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz Education In Education news - This week a new issue of Understanding the Great War newsletter came it. This is our official Education Resource newsletter, published every two months. Each issue focuses on a particular theme, providing educators and students with a robust selection of resources from a wide range of sources. Issue # 10 addresses “Political Consequences & Revolutions“ The issue includes articles about the Russian Revolution, the Arab Revolt, the French Mutinies of 1917 and the Easter RIsing in Ireland. The publication is put together by the National WWI Museum and Memorial. Follow the link in the podcast notes to subscribe to a great WW1 educational resource and to read past editions! Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/educate-home.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Portland, ME 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. As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’ This week we are profiling the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project in Portland, Maine -- One of the first 50 grant awardees. With us tell us about the project is Brandon Mazer, the project coordinator for the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project and President of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade Welcome Brandon! [exchange greetings] [Brandon in your grant application you list the memorial as - quote - The Jacob Cousins Memorial is a key WWI artifact in the history of the Jewish community in southern Maine.. Which leads to the question - who is Jacob?] [Brandon - can you tell us about the memorial and the restoration plans for it?] [What has been your community and Veteran service organization involvement in the project?] [Brandon - Are you planning a rededication this coming year?] Thank you so much for taking on this project for your community - congratulations on being selected as a WW1 Centennial Memorial! Brandon Mazer, the project coordinator for the Jacob Cousins Memorial Renovation Project and President of the Friends of the Eastern Promenade. If YOU have a local WWI memorial project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://easternpromenade.org/jacob-cousin-renovation-project [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media Sgt Stubby For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we’re excited to announce the release of a new teaser trailer for the upcoming film SGT Stubby: An American Hero. The animated film is based on the remarkable true story of the 26th "Yankee" Division's legendary mascot, SGT Stubby, a stray dog who became a hero of World War I. The film features the voices of actors Helena Bonham Carter, Gerard Depardieu, and Logan Lerman, among others. The movie will be in theaters nationwide on April 13th 2018. I’m really looking forward to it - it’s a great opportunity to tell a wonderful WWI story to our younger generation - but like all great animated films today - it promises to be a genuine treat for the grownups too! Follow the link in the podcast notes to watch the trailer and to read an interview with the film's writer/producer, Richard Lanni on our website. Link:https://www.facebook.com/StubbyMovie/videos/1951793608403549/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3840-new-trailer-released-for-the-sgt-stubby-movie.html Articles and Posts Horse Heroes web site by BrookeUSA In articles and posts - this week we have launched a wonderful new web section all about HORSE HEROES! It is the new site from Brooke USA at ww1cc.org/horses - easy to remember - With us to tell us more about it is Jo Ellen Hayden, Special Project Volunteer for BrookeUSA Horse Heroes Welcome, Jo Ellen! [greetings] [Joe Ellen - we have had Brooke USA on the show earlier this year in episode #13, but could you quickly remind our listeners about the origins of Brooke USA? ] [The new website at ww1cc.org/horses is one of the most in-dept publishing partner sites we have -- what kinds of content can people find there?] [You have put untold hours into it - What surprised you the most as you were putting the site together?] Jo Ellen Hayden is a Special Project Volunteer for BrookeUSA Horse Heroes, check out the new site about horses and mules in WWI at ww1cc.org/horses. We also put in a link to our previous interview with Brooke USA’s Cindy Rullman in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/horses https://www.brookeusa.org/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/weekly-sync-call/2106-ww1-centennial-news-episode-13-3-29-2017.html US Army Nurse's WWI bracelet is returned More from our Articles and posts segment - in our rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - from the news section there is a story of a bracelet’s amazing journey over the last century. The bracelet belonged to an Irish woman serving with the US Army Nurse Corps in France during World War I It was recently returned to her relatives in Ireland. The bracelet was found fifteen years ago by an eight-year-old boy in a schoolyard in northeastern France. Returning the bracelet led to a long, and ultimately successful search for the descendants of its original owner. Click here to read more about the quest, whose story is so interesting that it spawned a documentary film in France. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3839-army-nurse-s-wwi-bracelet-returned-after-long-search.html Wwrite Blog This week In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s posts reads “The Balfour Declaration: An Alternative History” If you love “alternate history” contemplations - you’ll like this a lot… What if there had been no Balfour Declaration? What would the alternative history look like? These are questions that writer, Simone Zelitch, author of the novel, Judenstaat, explores in this week's WWrite blog. Don't miss this fascinating glimpse at an alternate past and different future... Read the post at ww1cc.org/WWRITE or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3844-the-balfour-declaration-an-alternative-history.html www.ww1cc.org/wwrite 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 did you pick to tell us about this week? Hi Theo! Signal Corps Photographers We had some great content come through our Twitter feed this week, which you can follow at the handle @ww1cc. I particularly enjoyed an image from the twitter account 100ans US en Haute Marne-- a photograph of some US Signal Corps photographers. Not only is their equipment very cool -- especially if youre a camera enthusiast-- but their service produced some of the most incredible images of the war. During World War I the Signal Corps was responsible for communications. However, the Signal Corps had other responsibilities during the war, such as army aviation (until May 1918) and photography. The Photographic Section of the Signal Corps was established in June 1917, and it was responsible for the U.S. Army’s official ground and aerial photography of World War I. You can view a collection of the Signal Corps’ ww1 photography, and the photo from twitter, by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://twitter.com/100ansHM/status/940523627807756288 http://cdm16635.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p16635coll16!p16635coll22/order/title/page/1 Aussie Rifles Also from Twitter, an image of an interesting invention -- and a great example of necessity breeding innovation -- the drip rifle. During the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Allied forces had to keep up the appearance of fully inhabited trenches, despite their numbers dwindling with each passing night as soldiers were evacuated under the cover of darkness. In order to keep up the ruse, ANZAC soldiers developed the drip rifle -- a rifle that would self-fire, thereby keeping the turks convinced that the abandoned trenches were still occupied. In this particular image, two kerosene tins were placed one above the other, the top one full of water and the bottom one with the trigger string attached to it, empty. At the last minute, small holes would be punched in the upper tin; water would trickle into the lower one, and the rifle would fire as soon as the lower tin had become sufficiently heavy. Visit the links in the podcast notes to learn more about variations of drip rifles--and how they saved the allied retreat at Gallipoli. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://twitter.com/AWMemorial/status/938604024647028736 https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/gallipoli/drip_rifle Outro Thank you for joining us again for-- WW1 Centennial News for the second `week of December, 1917 and 2017 We want to thank our guests... Dr. Sean Adams, Professor of History and Chair at the University of Florida in Gainesville Mike Shuster from the Great War Project Candy Martin, Gold Star Mother and Immediate Past National President of American Gold Star Mothers Brandon Mazer from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Portland, Maine Jo Ellen Hayden, Special Project Volunteer for BrookeUSA Horse Heroes And Katherine Akey, the shows line producer… Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research… 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; Your listening to 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. This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/horses - discover the legacy of our horse heroes from WWI courtesy of Brooke USA. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] Well - now we've done it! I was sitting there chatting with some of my friends who kept slapping my hand away and looking at me funny while I was trying to pick through their hair! - clearly they are not listeners. So long!
Highlights The African American saga in WW1 @ | 01:30 11th Engineers Cambrai follow up @ | 08:55 Brits capture Jerusalem from Turks - Mike Shuster @ | 09:40 Millionaire’s Unit & Lafayette Escadrille documentary film producer - Darroch Greer @ | 13:55 AmazonSmile for the holidays @ | 21:35 Speaking WW1- Foxhole, Dugout and Cubbyhole @ | 22:35 100C/100M profile - Carmel By The Sea memorial arch - Ian Martin @ | 23:25 The American in Paris documentary - Antony Easton @ | 30:05 Mexican born, illegal immigrant most decorated Texan soldier in WW1 @ | 38:15 WWrite Blog - German songwriter/soldier found from rediscovering his music @ | 39:05 The Buzz - Katherine Akey @ | 40:20----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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. Before we get going - we’d like to send our thoughts and warm wishes to all the people of southern california who are experiencing the devastation of fires raging through your communities. Our thoughts are with you. Today is December 6th, 2017. Our guests this week include: Mike Shuster, updating us on events in the middle east Darroch Greer telling us about his films, The Millionaire’s Unit and The Lafayette Escadrille Ian Martin from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Carmel-by-the-sea California Antony Easton sharing his experience making the film The American in Paris And Katherine Akey, the shows line producer and the commission's social media director... WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface The African American saga in World War 1 is both inspiring and terrible … Less than a generation after the civil war, this is a time where black american men and women are considered second class citizens at best. Chad Williams is the chair of the African & Afro-American Studies Department at Brandeis University and author of “Torchbearers of Democracy: African-American Soldiers in the World War I Era,”. quote: "In many ways, World War I marked the beginning of the modern civil rights movement for African-Americans. Their service in the military had dramatic implications for African-Americans. Black soldiers faced systemic racial discrimination in the army and endured virulent hostility on returning to their homes at the end of the war. At the same time, service in the army empowered soldiers to demand their individual rights as American citizens and laid the groundwork for the future movement for racial justice." So… let's jump into our wayback machine and learn more about the African American experience in the war that changed the world! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] It's the first week of December 1917 - Just a note to our audience - that the language of the times, which we have kept in our reports, refers to African Americans as negroes and colored. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: December 4, 197 A headline in the New York times reads ARMY IS FAIR TO NEGROES - Policy of War Department is to discourage race discrimination. The article reads - Secretary of War Baker today announced that he had ordered an investigation of the allegation that there had been discrimination against negro Draftees. Quote: "As you know, it has been my policy to discourage discrimination against any persons by reason of their race. This policy has been adopted not merely as an act of justice to safeguard the institution which we are now enagaged in defending - and which any racial disorder must endanger. The charges stem from accusations that the military is not allowing negro units into combat roles, but relegating them to Service Battalions for labor jobs. And there is a lot of truth to it. Racism is as endemic in the armed forces as it is in the rest of America at this time. Southern Democrats try to block negroes from inclusion in the draft, few colored men served in the Navy and none in the Marine Corps, and the Army’s four segregated units—the 24th and 25th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments are assigned guard duty on the Mexican border and never go abroad. African Americans comprised 13 percent of active-duty military manpower, but make up only seven-tenths of 1 percent of the officers. Around 200,000 African Americans are deployed to Europe and serve with distinction in the AEF - the American Expeditionary Forces - as well as with the French Army. While, as per the complaints, the vast majority of these troops are relegated to Services of Supplies (SOS) units and labor battalions, some 40,000 soldiers see combat in two new black units, the Ninety-second and Ninety-third Divisions. Fighting alongside the French, the Ninety-third serves heroically throughout the war and experiences greater acceptance and more equal treatment than that found in the U.S. Army. The division's 369th Infantry Regiment, "the Harlem Hellfighters," spend more than six months on the front lines — longer than any other American unit — in part because General Pershing, contrary to his policy of having American soldiers under American Command, gives the 369th to French commanders who take them to the front immediately - bypassing much of the training the other combat soldiers undergo... Regardless.. the 369th distinguishes itself as an awesome fighting force that never surrenders an inch of Allied territory nor loses a single soldier through capture. From this regiment alone, 171 officers and men receive either Croix de Guerre or Legions of Merit from the French government. The sacrifice of African American soldiers such as these certainly did not end racism at home or abroad, but it showed the world that their patriotism and heroism unquestioningly matches that of their white counterparts in the war that changed the world! Links: Sources: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02EFDD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF https://armyhistory.org/fighting-for-respect-african-american-soldiers-in-wwi/ http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-world-war-i.html http://time.com/4681227/great-war-clip-black-history-month/ https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart7.html http://www.brandeis.edu/now/2014/july/worldwar.html http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/0508/index.jsp http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/african-americans-in-combat/ [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline December 7 The headline in the NY Times reads: PRESIDENT SIGNS DECLARATION OF WAR ON AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AFTER CONGRESS ACTS WITH ONLY ONE DISSENTING VOTE The story reads: The United States went to war against Austria-Hungary at 5:03 this afternoon when President Wilson approved a joint resolution, adopted by congress, declaring a state of war exists! Wait a minute… I thought we did that on April 6!?? Well that is what makes this such an interesting event. On April 6, 2017 we declared war on Germany… but not the other axis powers. Though we declared Austria Hungary an ENEMY through the “Trading with the enemy act of 1917” which we told you about in episode 42… we did not formally declare war on them until 100 years ago this week. Links:http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9906E4DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9903E1DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A02E1DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=940DE0DC1E3AE433A2575BC0A9649D946696D6CF [SOUND EFFECT] Do you remember the story from last week about the 11th engineers who were caught in a German counter attack during the battle of Cambrai - and went at it with shovels, pick axes and wrenches because they were engineers not set up as combatants - well - this week the story has some interesting fallout as the French, the Engineers and the combat troops each are featured in an article in the NY times with a Rashomon style point of view on the issue. First the French… Dateline December 3, 1917 Headline: France gives high praise to our engineers at cambrai The story reads: “There is not a single person who saw them at work who does not render warm praise to the coolness, discipline, and courage of these improvised combatants” From the seemingly - slightly jealous Pershing troops still waiting and ready to fight…. [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: Pershing’s troops envy the Engineers And the story includes: An infantry Sergeant remarked: ‘We stay in these muddy trenches for a spell and let Fritz shoot his artillery at us and have never really had a chance to use our rifles except to snipe and pot at Fritz out in No Man’s Land on dark nights. Meanwhile - These railroaders managed to run their trains right into a good, thick scrap, and if this isn’t luck, I don’t know what it is.’” And from the somewhat still astounded engineers [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: Engineers jest over first battle In the story they describe the chaos of sudden, unexpected action, “‘I hadn’t a steel hat handy” ‘so i picked up a petrol tin and put that on my head, and thought it might be better than nothing.” The journalist writes, “They are a splendid body of men,” “Hard, keen and good humored, who made a joke of their thrilling adventure and of their present danger.” And from another soldier, “‘It was the doggonedest experience I ever had, and a mighty close call!’ And that’s how it was this week, one hundred years ago in the war that changed the world! Links http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9806E4DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9907E0DD1E3AE433A25756C0A9649D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B04E3DD1E3AE433A25757C0A9649D946696D6CF [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Jerusalem is a city with massive significance to all the major religions of the world - Christians, Jews and Muslims. So as 1917 comes to a close, the British determine that they want to - even need to - win the city from the Ottoman Turks - and they wanted to do it before Christmas! They felt that the psychological impact was desperately needed in these otherwise dark days. Here to tell us about the campaign is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. We also came across a very good 7 minute documentary clip about these event in the middle east 100 years ago this week - you’ll find it on Youtube called “Blood & Oil: Jerusalem Falls” by Janson Media. We have included the link to it in the podcast notes LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/12/03/ottomans-surrender-jerusalem/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qApUFVHREo [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky The Millionaire’s Unit FILM And speaking of documentaries - in a special War in the Sky segment this week, we are speaking with Darroch Greer, co-producer and director of multiple films on aviation in World War One, including the recently released The Millionaire’s Unit and the upcoming documentary The Lafayette Escadrille. Welcome, Darroch! [greetings] [Darroch, we recently had the author of the Millionaire’s Unit book on the show - Marc Wortman. How did you translate the book into a documentary?] [We had a lot of interest from our listeners after Marc was on - how can people see the documentary? [the dvd is being released shortly and includes special other shorts] [Your next project sounds great - the Lafayette Escadrille… Probably one of the most interesting pack of adventurers and daredevils of the 20th century - can you give out an overview?] [So this week, is the in fact, the centennial of the Lafayette Escadrille getting its orders releasing its American pilots from the French Military - in preparation for transferring them to the US forces-- how did that transition go and what role did these guys play in the new US Army Air Service?] [Darroch - When can we see a trailer and when does the film come out? ] [Will you come back and visit us here when the film publishes?] [goodbyes/thanks] Darroch Greer is the producer and director on documentary films about the WWI air war. You can find links to his documentaries -- The Millionaire’s Unit and The Lafayette Escadrille in the podcast notes. Links:http://www.millionairesunit.org/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/darroch-greer-the-millionaires-unit.html http://humanusdocumentaryfilms.org/portfolio/the-lafayette-escadrille/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOtGBfAMotE http://thelafayetteescadrille.org The Great War Channel For weekly videos about WWI - join host Indy Neidell at the Great War Channel on Youtube. The episodes this week include: Invasions, Naval Battles and German Raiders - WW1 in the Pacific All Quiet on the Eastern Front Shell Recycling And finally - Origins of the German Alpenkorps 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 to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News: The holiday shopping season is here and as you shop to bring cheer to you and yours --- you can also bring a little cheer to us with AmazonSmile.What is AmazonSmile?It’s an easy, simple and automatic way to support our many activities, including this Podcast, the national WWI memorial, our education programs and more… If you designate United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars (USFCWW) as your charity on smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate ½ a percent of everything you spend on Amazon to us. It costs you nothing and it helps us a lot! So thank you… just go to Smile.Amazon.com and remember the US Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars or even easier -- just follow the link in the podcast notes! link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/3723 http://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-3321814 Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- When people think WWI the image that comes to mind for many is barb wire and trenches. Life at ground level generally toxic and lethal. So, soldiers spent much of their time living in the ground. Besides the word Trenches, other related words also came into common use - several of which are still with us today. Fox hole, Dug Out and Cubby Hole are three of them! The history of Fox Hole and Dug Out are pretty obvious and the term Cubby was probably derived from the old english word cub - for shed, coop or hutch Today we still have dugouts in baseball and cubbyholes in the office - terms that got popular 100 years ago when the motto was “get down, dig in and stash yourself in a hole”. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563 7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Carmel-by-the-sea, CA 100 cities 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. As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’ This week we are profiling the World War I Memorial Arch in Carmel-by-the-sea California-- One of the first 50 grant awardees. with us tell us about the project is Ian Martin, a resident of Carmel and a member of the Carmel Patriots, the American Legion Post 512's non-veteran volunteer organization. Welcome Ian! [exchange greetings] [Ian, the Carmel By the Sea memorial was designed by a renown resident of the city Charles Greene - can you tell us a little about him and his decision to build this really beautiful arch?] [The arch is made out of sandstone - instead of granite - and I understand that this has posed some challenges in restoration. Why and What are those? ] [How did you Patriots and American Legion Post 512 get involved in this restoration?] [Are you planning a rededication?] Ian - Thank you and congratulation to your team for getting this incredible WWI memorial designated as a WWI Centennial Memorial! Ian Martin, a resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea and a member of the Carmel Patriots, the American Legion Post 512's non-veteran volunteer organization If you have a local WWI memorial project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.facebook.com/events/438048213017354/ [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media The American in Paris For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Antony Easton, director of the documentary film The American in Paris-- which tells the story of the L’hopital Americain during the course of the great war. Welcome Antony! [greetings] [So Antony, can you give us a brief introduction to the American Hospital in Paris - which got involved in the war in 1914, three years before America declared war?] [Antony - give us an overview of the film and how you got involved in it?] [Here is a clip from the trailer…] [Run clip] [In the trailer, it mentions that the French are recognizing the service of the hospital more and more in recent years-- Why is that? ] [You recently premiered the documentary in both the US and in France? Do you think it is seen differently in each country?] [So how can I see the film?] Thank you Antony. [thanks and goodbye] That was Antony Easton--director of the documentary film The American in Paris. Learn more at the links in the podcast notes. Link:https://vimeo.com/231687152 http://frenchculture.org/events/6473-americans-paris Articles and Posts Our website at WW1cc.org is the home and archive for lots of things WW1 - with over 3700 articles on WWI, 2,000 locations listed in our map database and nearly 1400 WWI related events in our national events register - its a great place to explore and new articles are published weekly. This week we will highly a few of them for you. Brooke Kroeger interview First from ww1cc.org/news-- A remarkable new book has appeared on the World War I scene, one that traces the origins of the Women's Suffrage movement in America to the war effort 100 years ago. It explores why, a group of prominent and influential men in New York City, and beyond, came together to help women gain the right to vote. Brooke Kroeger is the author. She is a journalist, author of five books, a professor of journalism at the NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and director of the Global and Joint Program Studies, which she founded in 2007. You can read the interview where she speaks about this book, and what she found in writing it, by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3772-four-questions-for-brooke-kroeger.html Marcelino Serna Next is a story about Mexican-born Marcelino Serna. When the U.S. entered World War One in 1917, it is estimated that roughly 500,000 people who joined the United States armed services were immigrants. According to the National Park Service, this amounted to 18 percent of U.S. troops. One of these was a Mexican-born, illegal immigrant named Marcelino Serna, who volunteered to join the US Army and was the first Mexican American to collect a Distinguished Service Cross. Read more about the heroism and the man who returned from ‘Over There” as the most highly-decorated Texan soldier to serve in World War I by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3779-marcelino-serna-most-decorated-texan-of-world-war-one.html Wwrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s posts reads “Soon, All Too Soon” When British musicians Patricia Hammond and Matt Redman found and performed German sheet music written by a soldier killed in Verdun, they had no idea the song, "Soon, Too Soon," would also lead to the discovery of the composer's body, which had been buried in an unmarked grave in France's Meuse-Argonne region. Read about the captivating hunt for a man behind a melody. Here is a clip from the song performed by Patricia Hammond and Matt Redman [run clip] The post including a video are at ww1cc.org/WWRITE or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3783-soon-all-too-soon.html www.ww1cc.org/wwrite 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 did you pick to tell us about? Hi Theo! Iron Harvest This week, we shared an article from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Iron Harvest. It is estimated that more than a billion shells were fired during the First World War, and that as many as 30 percent of those failed to explode. Specialty bomb-disposal units in France and Belgium collect and defuse the unexploded ordinances, which are often found by farmers as they do their work. These local farmers are the ones who coined the name Iron Harvest, as they come across literal tonnes of shells every year. It’s estimated that it will take another 500 years of the Iron Harvest before the area is fully safe again. Read more about this constant reminder of the war, and watch a video of the disposal units in action, by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.cwgc.org/learn/news-and-events/news/2017/11/28/16/47/the-iron-harvest-a-warning-from-history Women Photographers Finally this week, a story close to my heart. Hyperallergic put out a piece this week which we shared on facebook featuring and reviewing a new exhibition at Impressions Gallery in Bradford, England. The show is titled No Man’s Land: Women’s Photography and the First World War and features the work of some very talented and brave women photographers who served during the conflict. Some of the artists included served as official photographers, while others photographed while serving as nurses or in other auxiliary roles. One photographer was a motorcycle and ambulance driver who volunteered at 18 and whose photos range from graphic and distressing to coy and humorous. Three contemporary artists’ work is shown as well, complimenting the work done by the women a century ago. Follow the link in the podcast notes to see some of the images and to read the stories of the photographers. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://hyperallergic.com/410238/no-mans-land-women-photographers-wwi-impressions-gallery/ Thank you for having listened to WW1 Centennial News for the first week of December, 1917 and 2017 We want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Director and Producer Darroch Greer Ian Martin from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Carmel-by-the-sea California Director Antony Easton Katherine Akey the shows line producer and the commission's social media director... Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research… 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; Your listening to 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. This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/subscribe - where you can subscribe to our various communications products including our weekly newsletter - the Dispatch, the Education newsletter and of course this podcast if you happen not to be a regular subscriber. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] I am going to climb into my cubby and pull the blankets over my head! So long!
Highlights Thanksgiving reflections from 1917 @ | 01:15 Tank warfare in the battle of Cambrai - Mike Shuster @ | 11:35 Introducing WW1 Centennial Commissioner Zoe Dunning @ | 15:55 Ceremonial Coin Strike at Philly mint @ | 16:15 Trench Coat and Wristwatch - Speaking WW1 @ | 17:20 100C / 100M project in Springfield, MA @ | 19:55 WWrite Blog article by WW1CC intern Sarah Biegelsen @ | 25:15 Yurok Native Americans in WW1 - Chag Lowry & Rahsan Ekedal @ | 26:15 Memoire - An adventure in 1914 - Christopher Kelly @ | 32:00 DH4 WW1 Aircraft restoration progresses @ | 37:50 The Buzz - Katherine Akey @ | 38:30 Image Credit: A work-in-progress image of a Yurok Native Army soldier drawn by Rahsan Ekedal for the upcoming Graphic Novel "Soldiers Unknown" by Chag Lowry ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 29th, 2017. Our guests this week include: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice [bowl-reece] from the Godfrey Triangle Restoration Committee, in Springfield, Massachusetts Graphic novel team Chag (ChAIg) Lowry and Rahsan [Ruh-SAN] Ekedal [ek-uh-dhal] Author and historian Christopher Kelly And Katherine Akey the shows line producer and the commissions social media director... WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface It is sometimes difficult in our media overloaded, multi-faceted, social and general media inundated world --- not be cynical - but in 1917 many people genuinely believed that they were answering a higher calling. That makes Thanksgiving 1917, 100 years ago this past week an interesting moment of reflection for millions of Americans both within our nation and those who find themselves “over there”. We are going look at this - plus a series of other stories that occur as the American Military finds itself on the precipice of major battle action. So let’s jump into our wayback machine and see what was happening 100 years ago this week in the War that Changed the World. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Thanksgiving 1917 - at home, President Wilson uses the Official Bulletin - the government’s daily war gazette published by George Creel the head of America’s propaganda machine - to get a short statement from each member of his cabinet - [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline, November 28, 1917 The masthead of the Official Bulletin reads: Cheering Thanksgiving Messages to Americans at Home And Fighting Forces Abroad From the President’s Cabinet Are in This Issue It starts with an excerpt from President Wilson’s Thanksgiving Proclamation! On this day of the revelation of our duty not only to defend our own rights as a nation but to defend also the rights of free men throughout the world, we are filled with the resolution and spirit of united action. We should especially thank God that in such circumstances, in the midst of the greatest enterprise the spirits of men have ever entered upon, we have, if we but observe a reasonable and practicable economy, abundance with which to supply the needs of those associated with us as well as our own.— From Robert Lansing - Secretary of State If we measured our national blessings by the materialistic standard of physical comfort and prosperity, which has been in recent years so potent in our thought as a people, the observance of Thanksgiving Day this year might seem almost a mockery, for we are engaged in the most destructive and terrible war of all times. But a new conception of national blessings has come to the American people, a conception in which the spiritual is exalted above the material, in which the life of the Nation is placed above the life of the individual. No greater blessing could have come to the Republic than this awakening to the fact that patriotism is more to be prized than wealth. From William McAdoo Secretary of the Treasury For the first time in more than fifty years Thanksgiving Day finds America at war. In this chaos of civilization the power of America was needed to tip the scales in favor of freedom and democracy as against the enslavement of the world which would inevitably follow the triumph of military despotism. Terrible as war is, and fearful as are the sacrifices it entails, nothing is comparable to freedom and liberty. From Newton D. Baker - Secretary of War I am glad to take advantage of the opportunity which the OFFICIAL BULLETIN gives to send a word of appreciation and good cheer from the men of the War Department who are in this country to the men who are now in France. We are striving our hardest to send them, promptly and plentifully, the material things they need - as they take their stand by the side of the gallant men who, for so long, have been holding the battle front for a world - that shall look forward and not look backward. From Thomas Gregory - the Attorney General Nearly a century and a half ago our forefathers, hungry and poorly fed, clothed, disciplined, and armed, --- gave, when needed, their all --- for liberty to live undefiled by license that men are free and self governed. They dreamed and labored, so that real freedom and free institutions were born. To-day you battle that these principles do not die --- but may live on and reach untold millions - who now live under the blight of despots. From Albert Burleson - Postmaster General Our Thanksgiving holiday is like many other good things—of New England origin. It came into national use during the Civil War. The people of the United States in the celebration of this festival now have special cause for returning thanks to the Almighty Ruler of the universe for the many blessings He has showered upon us. While Europe, Asia, and Africa are ravaged by war, no foe has invaded our country --- our cities have not been destroyed, and our people go about their business and live in peace, in plenty, and in security. After every honorable effort had been exhausted to avoid it --- we were thrust into the world's war. In the name of allied nations we have entered into the contest. We have met the crisis unselfishly, patriotically, and nobly. Today, our sons, true to the traditions, ideals, and standards of their heroic fathers are mustering on the battlefields of Europe. From Josephus Daniels - Secretary of the Navy We are grateful to have discovered what some doubted before the war: That we have many youthful Nathan Hales in this generation --- who regret that they have only one life to give for their country. - That the spirit of “Don't give up the ship” actuating men in the Navy to-day gives us many Lawrences who meet death with little thought of self but deep concern for their country. That the people of the United States are justified in their faith in the soldiers and sailors and marines who are of the same stuff as the men whose courage made Bunker Hill and King's Mountain and Yorktown and Lake Champlain meccas of patriotism. That all America is mobilized and all true Americans have highly resolved to make every sacrifice that may be demanded for the sway of liberty and freedom in the world, where neither the autocracy of crowned heads nor entrenched privilege can deny the right of all men to govern themselves. From Franklin Lane - Secretary of the interior I cannot give thanks for war, nor for the method that men make war, nor for the turning of the minds of men from things constructive to things destructive; but I can give thanks that this is a Nation unashamed; that the spirit of Bunker Hill and Santiago is still quick and aggressive; that men are willing to die that liberty and justice may live; that we are not to see the free peoples of the earth humiliated or crushed; and that Fear is not to master the world. From William Wilson Secretary of Labor I have traveled through the most diverse parts of the country and come in contact with every variety of our citizenship —the rich and the poor, those who have sprung from old English stock, as well as naturalized citizens who have come to us from the different lands of Europe, including the central powers. In the midst of all this diversity of place and people, behind all differences, I find a common and complete devotion to this country and an unquestioning devotion to the aims of freedom and democracy which are the purposes of this country going to war. [SOUND EFFECT] Meanwhile in Europe, the US Army tries to bring a bit of home to the boys. Dateline: November 29, 1917 Headline: A story from the NY times… Cooks Prepare Feast For Pershing’s Men - Thanksgiving Dinner Expected to be the Best Ever Service to Army on Foreign Soil. The story reads: In every village in France where American troops are stationed, the company cooks started to make cranberry sauce and to lay out great piles of plump turkey, sweet potatoes and everything else that goes to make a real thanksgiving Dinner. Thanksgiving Day for the American forces will be one of resting, eating and recovering. After the dinner settles there will be real american doings such as football games, in which some american stars who are there will play. But back to the fighting front... [SOUND EFFECT] Early in this month, in Episode 45 we told you the story of a company of American Soldiers who were the first to contact the enemy - they were training in bunkers in a quiet part of the western front. Suddenly Germans attacked, over-ran the positions and took 12 prisoners of war. They also killed 5 and wounded others. This week, the incident is in the news again as the French Government endeavors to decorate 15 men of this unit. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline November 27th 1917 Headline: From the pages of the New York Times “French Decorate 15 of our troops… “French War Crosses” conferred on men who met German Trench Raid on November 2… but TOLD NOT TO WEAR MEDALS - Recipients must wait until Congress authorizes them to accept honors from a foreign nation. Now I see that the follow on of this story offers great insight into the situation on the ground… After months of waiting - American soldiers finally head to the front early in the month. It’s a quiet area but in the actual war zone… The Americans are essentially still training when suddenly themselves in an unintended engagement as the Germans attack. The story in the times includes: The French General, in referring to the actions of this american company said: “On the night of November second, this company, which was in the line for the first time, met an extremely violent bombardment, despite which it seized arms and offered such stubborn resistance that the enemy, though numerically superior, was obliged to retire” [Sound effect] Also this week -- another group of Yankee Doughboys find themselves “In the Fight” - somewhat unintentionally - during the battle of Cambrai. The 11th engineers are helping to build the rail system that has been transporting a new power weapon to the front - in preparation for the british Cambrai campaign that was, for the first time make major use of the tank! Suddenly near the town of Gouzeaucout, ( GUZ- Oh - COO) the germans counter-attack and the engineers suddenly find themselves in combat. The following is from an article printed in a UK magazine called "I was there". The author is Major General Seely of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade as he describes the German counter attack at Cambrai around November 30th. “I have to say that a good many stragglers from the battle gallantly came forward with me. Amongst others we found a curious and most interesting party, American engineers whom we had seen 12 days before, engaged in making a light railway some five miles behind the front line. They were pursuing their peaceful avocations near to Gouzeaucourt ( GUZ- Oh - COO) , which had been close to the front line before our advance on November 21. They belonged to the American 11th Engineers. Colonel Hoffman was the Regimental Commander and I think Captain Hulsant was commanding the party, when the German advance fell on upon them. Some had rifles with them, in the case of others the rifles were far away, but that made no difference to these gallant Yankees. With spades and pickaxes they fell upon the advancing Germans and although many were knocked out, I am assured that they got the best of it in a hand to hand combat. It was a brave thing to do, for surrender would have been easy and for once justifiable. When I came home on leave a month later, I gave some account of this at a luncheon, given by Lord Beaverbrook. I do not know if this account has reached America from other sources, but I am glad to put it on record now. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline December 1, 1917 Headline from the story in the New York times reads Every State now has Militia in France - Not a man lost of those who have sailed from America to the Front So by November of 1917 - the Americans are mobilized - sent the troops “over there” - have been busy training and helping to build infrastructure - and are beginning to engage the enemy - though not intentionally yet. None of this is deemed fast enough or big enough by the British who warn that the pace and power projection of the Americans is crucial but lacking 100 years ago this month - in the War that changed the world . [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Tanks were to be a major strategic shift in the planning for the Battle of Cambrai - Nearly 500 were deployed for the campaign - but with some mixed results… Here to tell us about it is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. The tank is to be the new super weapon in the war - the game changer - but apparently did not come out of the gate quite as planned - tell us about it Mike: [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/19/where-are-the-americans-2/ http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/26/are-tanks-the-answer/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For video about this week in WWI 100 years ago - from a more European perspective - we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube hosted by Indy Neidell. Their episodes this week include: The End Of Passchendaele and Jagdkommandos - Austria Hungary’s Special Forces and Tank Corps Unleashed - The battle of Cambrai And finally Dropping Bombs on Germany - Indy takes audience questions in an episode of “Out of the Trenches” 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 to WW1 Centennial News NOW - this section is not about history, but rather - it explores what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News: Coin Strike and Zoe Dunning When Commission Chair Robert Dallesandro retired from the US World War One Centennial Commission it left a seat open for a new commissioner. So last week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi filled that seat with Commander Zoe Dunning, USN (Ret.) of San Francisco. We welcome Commissioner Dunning who is our first commissioner from the west coast. Read more about Commissioner Dunning by visiting the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/3721 Philadelphia Mint Ceremonial Coin Strike In more commission news - on Tuesday, November 28th in Philadelphia-- the US Mint hosted a ceremonial coin strike event for the new 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar. A distinguished group who were involved with the coin project were on hand, including Congressional sponsors of the legislation that authorized the coin; Don Everhardt, legendary US Mint coin engraver; Terry Hamby, the Chair of our WWI Centennial Commission; and Gerald York, grandson of WWI hero Sergeant Alvin York. This commemorative coin -- which will be produced in limited quantities and will be available for purchase from the Mint beginning in January 2018 -- will support our endeavors with surcharge on the sale of each coin that will go directly to help us honor, educate and commemorate the centennial of WWI. You can learn more about it by going to ww1cc.org/coin or by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/3208 Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Fashion was not exactly top of mind when you were dodging shells, machine guns and sleeping with rats in the trenches... But those very conditions lead to some pretty iconic and common contemporary fashion items. Two of these - that are very much with us today - were created to solve very practical issues: first, of course, mud, mud, mud everywhere! So get yourself a trenchcoat! Mud clung to clothes in the trenches, caking and weighing men down. The traditional serge greatcoats of the French and British armies were impractical in such conditions, so the lighter, more water resistant trench coat was developed. Secondly, how the heck are you supposed to begin an attack on time - everyone going “over the top” simultaneously when your units are strung out over the horizontal miles of trenches? Audio doesn’t work very far because there are big guns and shells exploding all over the place - There’s no internet or chat - radio and telephone are large clunky things... The answer: create a fashion forward, trench adapted wrist watch for every officer and commander.. No fumbling with devices in pockets - it’s right there and available - hey wait a minute - that’s apples new pitch for their generation 3 apple watch… Well - in any case - 100 years ago - specially with the development of tactics like the creeping barrages, the precise synchronization between the artillery gunners and the infantry advancing just behind the barrage - coordinated timing became essential to a successful campaign. Though wristwatches existed in some fashion since the 1500s, the watches produced during the War were specially designed for the rigours of trench warfare, with luminous dials and unbreakable glass. Those luminous dials have a whole horror story attached to them as well… check out The Buzz in episode #19 for the story of the Radium Girls. With a watch on nearly every commander, whole divisions could synchronize their timepieces and be sure to “jump off” all together. By the end of the war, almost all enlisted men wore a wristwatch, and after they were demobilized, the fashion soon caught on. Wristwatch and trenchcoat -- words for items with their roots in the trenches! See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563 7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Springfield, MA 100 cities 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. As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’ This week we are profiling the Indian Orchard Godfrey Triangle Project in Springfield, Massachusetts-- with us tell us about the project are Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice [bowl-reece] from the Godfrey Triangle Restoration Committee. Welcome! [exchange greetings] Eddie - Tell us a little about your Indian Orchard Heroes of WWI memorial - it’s past, current and future role in your community. Eddie - Like so many other 100 year old memorials, your memorial is both a weather worn and unfortunately it was vandalized - tell us about the eagle! So the memorial is in the city of Springfield Massachusetts - Is Indian Orchard a neighborhood? Jacqueline-- In March you held a fund raiser with The Indian Orchard American Legion Post 277 Ladies Auxiliary - how did that go? Your project was submitted in Round 1 and has continued on to Round 2 of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. What would you say to the selection committee about why THIS project should be selected specifically? Thank you both! Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice are from the the Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council in Springfield Massachusetts. If you have a local project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.facebook.com/events/438048213017354/ Wwrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week’s post is a perfect dovetail to our weekly 100 Cities/100 Memorials segment-- The title reads “Forgetting to Remember: Making America's Great War Monumental Again” As the new national WWI Memorial materializes in D.C., we want to look at other war memorials and the narrative of their construction. Reading the "story" of the ways memorials are conceived plays an important role in the understanding of public, cultural memory. You can delve into the subject with this week’s blog post by WW1CC intern, Sarah Biegelsen. Read the fascinating tour of some of America's interesting WWI monuments and their stories by visiting ww1cc.org/wwrite Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3738-forgetting-to-remember.html www.ww1cc.org/wwrite [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media Soldiers Unknown Interview For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Chag Lowry (ChAIg) and Rahsan Ekedal (rah-SAN Ek-uh-dhal) --the author and artist for a Graphic Novel ---- Soldiers Unknown ---- which tells the story of Yurok soldiers - native americans - who were part of the 91st Infantry Division in WW1. Welcome gentlemen! [greetings] This question is to you Chag - To start, can you tell us a bit about the Yurok peoples? And what drew you to the story of the 91st Infantry division? So you have a great subject here - how did the two of you come together and decide that a graphic novel was the best way to tell the story? The native american commitment to serving is huge - probably as a community the large % veterancy. When it comes to being a graphic novel, have you found any challenges particular to this story during illustration? Chag you have experts on your side that you consult with? If you were going to do a companion book to this one, about another WW1 story -- what would you each choose to focus on? [thanks and goodbye] Chag Lowry and Rahsan Ekedal - creators of the Graphic Novel - Soldiers Unknown. Learn more at the links in the podcast notes. Link:https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/veterans/soldiers-unknown-graphic-novelist-chag-lowry-on-world-war-is-native-warriors/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/1890-four-questions-for-chag-lowry.html http://www.rahsanekedal.com/news/ Chris Kelly Interview In another Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Christopher Kelly, an American history writer based in Seattle and London, and editor of An Adventure in 1914: The True Story of an American Family’s Journey on the Brink of World War I. Welcome, Chris! [greetings] Chris, this book is in fact a memoir that you edited. Can you tell us a bit about the man whose memoir it is, Thomas Tileston [Tile-ston] Wells? You’ve written and co-written a number of other books, but came to this one as an editor; what kind of work is done by the editor of a pre-existing text like this one? So what is the story about? The story is just incredible-- made for the movies almost! Just for fun, if a film version of this story were to be made, who would you cast as as your great grandfather - Mr. Wells? There So I understand there is a romance side of the story… tell us about that… Where do i find the book, and how can i get it? [goodbyes/thanks] Christopher Kelly is an American history writer based in Seattle and London. You can find links to the website for the book, An Adventure in 1914 in the podcast notes. Links:http://anadventurein1914.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-1914-American-Familys-Journey-ebook/dp/B01LXD1KHQ https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/christopher-kelly/adventure-1914/ https://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.co.uk/ Articles and Posts Our website at WW1cc.org is the home and archive for lots of things WW1 - with over 3700 articles on WWI, 2,000 locations listed in our map database and nearly 1400 WWI related events in our national events register - its a great place to explore and new articles are published weekly. This week we will highly a few of them for you. Pow-wow honors Wisconsin Pow-wow honors Wisconsin World War I Native American vets First from the Badger State -- Wisconsin-- it’s an update from the states, an event and an article. About 200 people gathered on Veterans Day to commemorate 28 Ho-Chunk men – known as the Winnebago Indians in 1917 — from the area surrounding Volk Field National Guard training base in Wisconsin. The families of these warriors — known as Descendants of Red Arrow — have met at Volk Field since 1977 to celebrate their service, their memory, and the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division, which continues today as the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Read the story about the ceremony and its World War One origins by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3704-pow-wow-honors-wisconsin-wwi-native-american-veterans.html Historic WWI DH4 aircraft will fly again For all the aviation buffs out there, some exciting news coming out of Kentucky. There, a team of enthusiasts is hard at work restoring the first warplane built in America — the Dayton-Wright DH4. The group members hope to remind the public of the plane’s importance by restoring the DH4 in time for test flights this coming spring with plans for airshows across the country and even a trip to France. Read more about the ongoing efforts to get the so-called Liberty Plane flying again by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3709-historic-wwi-dh-4-aircraft-will-fly-again.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’s going on in the world of social media this week? Hi Theo! Canadian Tragedy This week, we shared the story of one of the worst accidents of the war, certainly the worst in North America. In the port city of Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 6th, 1917, a ship carrying aid collided with a ship carrying high-explosives, causing an explosion and tsunami wave that destroyed the north end of the city, and killed some 2,000 people and injured a further 9000. At the time, the explosion was the largest human-made blast that the world had experienced, reaching a measured height of 2.25 miles Sadly, the explosion was followed by a blizzard that severely restricted efforts to help the city for days. Commemorations of this disaster are to take place soon, and you can read more about both the explosion and the upcoming commemorations at the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/11/commemorations-mark-centenary-of-wwi-explosion-that-killed-2000-canadians.aspx Cello from the Trenches Finally, let’s end on a lighter note, with some music! [MUSIC] An article shared on Facebook this week comes from ClassicFm.Com and features a video of a very special, and special looking, cello being played. The cello is a long, narrow rectangle, rather than the large, curvaceous instrument we’re used to calling cello. This is a “holiday cello” – an instrument you can pack up and take away with you so you can still practise when you’re away from home. And, indeed, it went very far from home as its British owner, Harold Triggs, was sent to the trenches and took the cello with him. He played it in the trenches of Ypres and he wasn’t the only one – there were reportedly other instruments in the trenches, some made from ammunition boxes and pipes. In that bleak place, people needed music. Decades and decades later, it found its way into the hands of a stringed instrument expert. In the video, cellist Steven Isserlis plays it for us so we can all hear the music that once filled the war torn landscape 100 years ago. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:http://www.classicfm.com/artists/steven-isserlis/trench-cello-first-world-war/ And that’s WW1 Centennial News for the end of November, 1917 and 2017 Our guests this week.. Mike Shuster, explaining the growing role of tanks in the war Jacqueline Farrow and Eddie Boulrice [bowl-reece] from the Godfrey Triangle Project in Springfield, Massachusetts Chag Lowry and Rahsan Ekedal telling us all about their graphic novel Soldiers Unknown Christopher Kelly sharing the story behind the memoir An Adventure in 1914 Katherine Akey the shows line producer and the commissions social media director... Thanks to Eric Marr for his great help on our story research… 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; Your listening to 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. This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/coin - where you can learn about the US Mint’s 2018 commemorative WWI coin We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] So I’m putting on my Matrix trench coat - snapping on my third generation dick tracy apple watch - in costume and all set to take in a special showing of “All quiet on the western front” at my local movie house - So long! So long!
Highlights The Suffragists in WWI @ | 01:20 The Battle of Passchendaele ends - Mike Shuster @ | 11:45 Ceremonial Groundbreaking episode announced @ | 16:30 Meet the designer of the National WWI Memorial - Joseph Weishaar @ | 17:30 Speaking WWI - “Snapshot” @ | 24:45 100C/100M in Jackson, MO - Lawson Burgfeld @ | 26:50 “Travels with Darley” on the Western Front - Darley Newman @ | 33:25 Native American Story of Service - Nick Brokeshoulder @ | 39:00 The Buzz - Katherine Akey @ | 48:50 more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 15th, 2017. Our guests this week include: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Joe Weishaar, architect and designer of the National WW1 Memorial in DC Lawson Bergfeld from the 100 cities/100 memorials project in Jackson, Missouri Darley Newman, the host and producer of “Travels with Darley” on PBS Nick Brokeshoulder, veteran with a Stories of Service about his grandfather And Katherine Akey the shows line producer and the commissions social media director... WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface Let's begin today’s show with a single word. Suffrage! What is that word? Is it about the process of suffering - well yea - but only in a manner of speaking, The actual etymology or the history of the word comes the latin term for voting or to VOTE. It's a little hard to remember that 100 years ago, during the war that changed the world, a large part of the American citizenry had no democratic sway or say in the governance of the country. For some reason, in a majority of states, it was thought that you needed testicles in order to cast a vote. The Suffrage movement - the movement for women's right to vote - was in high gear during this time and in 1916 during his presidential campaign, Woodrow Wilson promises that his democratic party will endorse women's suffrage - During that same election, the progressive state of Montana - surprise - surprise - elects suffragist Jeannette Rankin to the US House of Representatives. And just 4 days after being sworn in as the first woman to serve in congress, on April 6, 1917, the house of representatives is casting its historic vote about declaring war on Germany - which eventually passed 373 to 50. Jeannette Rankin remains silent during the first reading of the roll call. So--- Former Speaker of the house - Joe Cannon of Illinois -- seeks her out on the house floor and advises: “Little woman, you cannot afford not to vote. You represent the womanhood of the country... and in the American Congress.” So on the second reading of the roll, violating house rules about commenting on your votes, Rankin rises from her seat and intones... “I want to stand by my country, but I cannot vote for war.” While the women of America are fully engaged in the war effort... from sending their sons and husbands and even daughters into an unknown future, to taking over critical infrastructure jobs and tasks on the homefront, and in dozens of other ways -- one hundred years ago this week, the pages of the New York Times are filled with stories about suffragists, pacifists, and President Wilson's change of position on the women's suffrage movement. Wow - So let's jump back in time 100 years and see what the fuss in all about! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] It is the second week of November, 1917 and just a week ago, a socio political tsunami lands -- when on November 6th 1917: Women in New York State win the right to vote!! This sends shock waves through the political arena and emboldens the suffragists to take action in Washington DC. In the November 11th Sunday edition of the New York Times there are three articles about the suffragist in DC. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 11, 1917 A headline in the New York Times reads: SUFFRAGISTS WARY OF OLD PARTY BIDS They Declare Purpose of Continued Nonpartisan Fight for Federal Amendment Denounce all Political BOSS ism Men Leaders See Danger to Their Prestige In New Political Holdings And the story goes on to read: The Suffrage Leaders have decided to keep the Woman Suffrage Party and it's organized allies alive and militant as NON PARTISAN AGENCIES to continue the fight - at least until after the congress shall have adopted - and sufficient state legislatures shall have ratified the so-called Susan B Anthony amendment to the Federal Constitution. The amendment that shall provide for the enfranchisement of women in every nook and corner of the United States! Politicians of "the other sex" who heard of this yesterday realized with a sudden start that MAN was no longer the only pebble on the political beach. They were not slow to sense the potential behind the plan and marveled that the woman suffrage leaders with a stiff franchise fight on their hands should have found time to think up novel and catchy devices that nad never occurred to the men politicians at all. So in overview, the woman suffrage movement wins in New York state… and the suffrage leadership realizes the power of their numbers and decide to hold themselves non-partisan as a voting block until their goals are met --- all to the awed surprise and shock of the old boys club - who had not imaged that the ladies would have such strategic pluck! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 11, 1917 Another headline in today's NY Times reads: SUFFRAGISTS EAGER TO LEARN POLITICS They Throng to hear from President William taft in discussion of "Partnership of Democratic Nations" And the story reads New York: That the Suffragists are determined to prepare themselves for the polls by receiving as much instruction as possible in the techniques of national and international politics was shown by the throng of women who flocked to Carnegie Hall yesterday to hear ex-president Taft deliver a lecture on a partnership of democratic nations under the auspices of the league for Political Education. Seldom has Mr. Taft had a more attentive, earnest, and interested audience, than these hundreds of women, who felt that the passage of the Suffrage Amendment in New York obliged them to absorb and understand more thoroughly than they had ever done before, the mysteries and intricacies of political science and international relations. And yet a third article is published in the NY times on this same Sunday - this one about a defiant protest in Washington. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 11, 1917 The headline reads: ARREST OF 41 PICKETS FOR SUFFRAGE AT WHITE HOUSE Police, Unable to Induce Them to Move On, Take them Off in “Black Marias.” And the story reads: Forty one woman suffragists from fifteen states were arrested this afternoon for picketing outside the White House. Their adventure was one of the quietest and at the same time most sedately spectacular of all the picketing affairs yet staged. On former raids by picketers the crowds had jeered, but today there was none of it. A murmur arose as the vanguard of suffragists marched across Pennsylvania Ave. They carried their usual display of banners, one at the head of the line reading: “Mr. President, in your message to congress, urge the amendment enfranchising women!” The police officers quietly informed them that they must “move on”. They replied that they intended on doing no such thing. The captain gave them a moment to wait, then motioning to the policemen standing by at his elbow, ordered the women escorted to the waiting “Black Maria”. They went without protest filling the wagons. Mrs. Oliver H P Belmont, member of the national executive Committee of the National Woman’s Party said: “What have we come to in America when splendid women, loving liberty are arrested for asking this simple question: ‘Mr. President, in your message to Congress urge the passage of the Federal Suffrage Amendment enfranchising Women!” Two days later…. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline November 13, 1917 A headline in the NY Times reads SUFFRAGISTS PICKETS GET ARRESTED AGAIN Thirty One, Including Many of The Former Prisoners, Taken at White House Again. Protesting Delegates of New York Fail to Obtain an Audience with the President. And the story reads Thirty-one militant suffragists, most of who were among the forty-one arrested last Saturday, repeated their picketing before the White House today and were re-arrested. This followed a hearing at which the forty-one appeared before Judge Mellowney of the Police Court, who suspended the sentences. Mrs. William Kent of california stated: “My conscience is clear. I walked on Saturday afternoon from Cameron House to the further gate of the White House. I obstructed no traffic. I was moving. At the further gate there was no crowd. I held a banner which all might read. The administration should commend instead of allowing a prison sentence to be imposed upon women who hold aloft words which show the utmost devotion to the ideals of political liberty on which our government is founded.” This explanation was offered by Mrs. Wiley: “I want to state that we took this action with the consecration of spirit. We took this action with willingness to sacrifice our personal liberty, in order to focus the attention of the nation on the injustice of our disenfranchisement, that we might thereby win political liberty for all the women of the country.” She closed with: The constitution says that Congress shall not in any way abridge the right of citizens peaceably to assemble and petition. That is exactly what we did. We peacefully assembled and then proceeded with our petition to the President for the redress of our grievance of disenfranchisement. The constitution does not specify the form of petition. Ours was in the form of a banner. To say that we broke the traffic regulations when we exercise our constitutional right of petition is in therefore itself unconstitutional! President Wilson, a previously declared supporter of suffrage now finds himself in a bind. The suffragists are in a large part anti-war, growing in power, declaring themselves apart from established parties and seemingly ever more militant. He comes to see the movement as a threat to the war effort. In the end a compromise is reached, the suffrage movement declares support for the war and the Susan B. Anthony amendment is ratified after being passed by the thirty-sixth state, Tennessee, on August 18, 1920. A woman’s right to vote becomes the nineteenth amendment to the United States Constitution - a movement that has a watershed moment 100 years ago this week in the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project At last the Battle of Passchendaele in Flanders ends. It is declared a victory for the allies - but at such costs - can anything really be considered a victory. Here to tell us about it is Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator of the Great War Project blog. The horror at Passchendaele is finally over! Mike: [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/12/a-great-battle-is-over/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For video about WWI - we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube hosted by Indy Neidell. This week’s new episodes are: The Russian October Revolution The Mad Baron - Roman von Ungern-Sternberg And The Last Hussar - August von Mackensen 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 Now we are going to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - and explore what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News Events: Recap of Groundbreaking Last week on November 9, 2017 the US World War One Centennial Commission hosted the ceremonial groundbreaking for America’s WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC. The event marked an important moment in the projects realization with great guests speaking on the occasion including Muriel Bowser the Mayor of Washington DC, Congressmen Ted Poe, Emanuel Cleaver, Doug Lamborn and Kevin Yoder in a great bipartisan show of support, the administration's US Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin, And The Chief of staff of the army, General Mark A. Milley - now this is a post that General Pershing himself held from 1921 to 1924, and that is just some of the great speakers… In fact it was such an interesting series of presentations, perspectives and information that next week we are dedicating a special thanksgiving holiday episode to bringing you the event! [SOUND EFFECT] Memorial Update Interview with Joe Weishaar Joseph Weishaar, who won the international design competition to become the Lead designer for the National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC spoke at the event and is also with us here today. Joe, it’s the first time we have had you on the show but certainly will not be the last… Welcome! [greetings] [Joe.. we want to learn a little about you - your not an old hand at this memorial design thing - can you tell us how you decided to enter the design competition and the experience of getting selected?] [So during the livestream of the ceremonial groundbreaking the chat room was full of comments from your hometown - your school, your family, your teachers - Where did you grow up and who are all those folks?] [Joe tell us a bit about your partnership with Sabin Howard - who we will have on the show when he gets back from New Zealand - how did you two hook up and what roles do each of you play?] [OK - I have to do this to you… and i will ask you this again in the future - what is the most memorable thing about this experience for you so far?] [Joe - I heard you just got married! Tell us about the happy bride. [Well congratulations to both of you! And we look forward to having you come on the show for updates on the project and the journey of Joe Weishaar! Thanks Joe!] [goodbyes/thanks] Joseph Weishaar is the architect and designer for the National World War One Memorial in Washington, DC. Go to ww1cc.org/memorial to learn all about the project - and we have the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/memorial Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1” - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Americans have been known for shooting skills since the colonial pioneer days, and in World War One they continued to display their sharpshooting skills in the trenches. But shooting from a trench in the war was very different from shooting back home; lifting your head up while you carefully aimed in on a target could get you killed. So when you went to fire, speed was key. Snapping up over the parapet, aim, fire and drop became THE standard procedure, a procedure that came to be known as a snapshot! The word snapshot had been used to describe a quick shot from a firearm during the 1800s, but came into much more frequent use during the war. Around the same time, the word was also borrowed for another activity - taking pictures! As we mentioned in episode #30, this era was the advent of roll film and small, portable cameras. This allowed people to take pictures casually and easily. These quickly composed photographs also became known as snapshots - pop up the camera - aim - fire with the same speed as their namesake riflemen. A game even emerged called “snapshooting,” a sort of photographic version of tag: where you tried to escape while someone raced around trying to catch you on film. It was a kind of photographic version of hunting… but as we were preparing this article - it suddenly struck me how strange it is that we speak of shooting a picture, shooting video, shooting a selfie… I mean if you think about it - that’s completely backwards - nothing comes out of the camera - you’re not shooting anything - the light and image go INTO the camera - so you’re not shooting, you’re capturing something. But… somehow the term SnapCap just does not have the panache of this week’s speaking WWI word - SnapSHOT See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563 7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/photography https://books.google.com/books?id=e1uOAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=snapshot+word+origin&source=bl&ots=lbRMBtv72g&sig=0z6RxsEwfHGJrS79B1ivAL5GoKI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjs3Nijnr7XAhWH0iYKHcyvC-M4ChDoAQgoMAA#v=onepage&q=snapshot%20word%20origin&f=false 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Jackson, Missouri 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. As you listen to our guest tell us about the project, remember that we are taking grant applications for the second round of awards - the deadline to submit the applications is January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’ This week we are profiling the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project in Jackson, Missouri-- one of the first 50 awardees of the 100 available grants. with us tell us about the project is Commander Lawson Burgfeld, USN RET, and the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project Lead for the American Legion Post #158 Welcome Lawson! [exchange greetings] [Lawson - looking through your grant application, your project reads like a textbook case for our program! First of all, the memorial in in front of your county courthouse where SO many WWI memorials are to be found - but there is so much more.] [Would you start by telling us a bit about the project itself, please…] [What made you decide to participate in the 100 Cities / 100 memorials project? How did you hear about it?] Commander Lawson Burgfeld is the WW1 Doughboy Memorial Project Leader for American Legion Post #158 in Jackson, Missouri a WWI Centennial Memorial project awardee! If you have a local project you want to submit for a grant - go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how to participate in this program! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media “Travels with Darley” - France’s Western Front Region For our Spotlight in the Media segment this week, we are speaking with Darley Newman, the host and producer of “Travels with Darley” on PBS, where she travels the world with locals as the guides to uncover great food, culture, history and outdoor adventures. Darley produced a 2 episode series about traveling to France’s Western Front - which is airing on PBS stations across the nation now... Welcome, Darley! [greetings] [Darley, there are so many amazing things to focus on in France: the food, the wine, the fromage, the architecture… how did you come to focus on American WW1 sites as a topic for your travel show?] [Which site sticks out in your mind as particularly affecting or interesting?] [If I wanted to take a trip through the historic areas of the Western Front in Northern France - how should I prepare?] [Last question - if I take this trip - what should I NEVER DO?] [goodbyes/thanks] Darley Newman is the host and producer of “Travels with Darley” on PBS, and you can watch the “Travels with Darley: France’s Western Front” episodes, see the online videos and get other special content by following the links in the podcast notes. Links:http://us.media.france.fr/en/node/6461 https://travelswithdarley.com/tv-show/pbs-tv-preview/#season-four-episodes Romagne Museum http://www.romagne14-18.com/index.php/en/ Remembering Veterans/Stories of Service Interview with Nick Brokeshoulder This week in our Remembering Veterans segment, we have a special guest Nick Brokeshoulder from the Hopi Tribe of Arizona & Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma- Nick is a Retired US Army-Sergeant First Class and is with us today to tell us about his Grandfather Guy Maktima (mahk-tay-ma), a son of the Hopi tribe. Welcome, Nick! [greetings] [Nick… As a child of 12, Your grandfather was taken from his Hopi village by US cavalry troops and sent for “white” education in 1907. That is a pretty brutal experience - How do you think that affected his decision to join the military?] [It turns out your grandfather also had musical talent and played the trombone! And played in the 158th Regimental band. Tell us that story!] [when Katherine was researching your story, she came across a recording of the 158th regimental band - it’s possible your grandfather is in the trombone section of this recording! Let’s take a listen!] [Play segment] What was Guy Maktima experience during the war? [What did Guy Maktima do after the war ended?] [last question Nick - how has the Centennial of WWI affected your remembrance of your grandfather?] Thank you Nick! [goodbye/thanks] Nick Brokeshoulder is the grandson of Private Guy Maktima (mahk-tay-ma), who served in the US Army during WW1. If you want to hear more stories of individuals who served in the war, head over to our Stories of Service page at ww1cc.org/stories where you’ll also find a link where you can submit your veterans story. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service.html Recording of the 158th band: http://www.forttuthill.org/band.html Articles and Posts The Expeditionary Corps of Armored Cars exhibit In Articles and Posts this week, we are profiling unique story --- of a unique military unit that had adventures unlike any other, during the World War I --The Expeditionary Corps of Armored Cars. The Corps, often called ACM, was a military division formed by Belgian volunteers during WWI. It was sent to Russia at the request of the Tsar to fight the German Army on the Eastern front. After the Bolshevik revolution, the ACM corps found itself trapped in hostile territory, unable to return to Allied territory through Europe or the Middle East - so to reach safety, the Corps headed east, eventually reaching the US through China and Siberia. Talk about a road trip! The Embassy of Belgium has a new World War I exhibit on the ACM that has been traveling across the United States. We caught up with two members of the Belgian Embassy staff, who worked on the exhibit -- and you can read the interview with them at ww1cc.org/news or by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3630-four-question-for-gaelle-powis-de-tenbossche-and-carl-vander-maelen.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’s going on in the world of social media this week? Hi Theo! Veterans Day in Gondrecourt Veterans Day and Armistice Day commemorations took place all across the world last week, and you can see many photos and videos of various events shared on our Facebook and Twitter or on our social media wall at ww1cc.org/social. One post in particular that I wanted to share come from the Facebook page “Les Americains de la Gondrecourt Area”, a very franglais page that commemorates the history of the American presence in Gondrecourt during WW1. On November 10th, the college students of Gondrecourt paid tribute to 131 American soldiers who died at the American hospital there between 1917 and 1919 by planting a tree in honor of each soldier. Each student received a card with the details of the American Soldier they were to represent in the commemoration, including his regiment and his hometown. You can see images from this commemorative event by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/lesamericainsdegondrecourt/posts/516814575343417 Eagle Scout Sign Project Here in the states, a young man has completed a very ambitious project in Huntington, West Virginia. Benjamin Woodard has just finished installing 17 signs honoring WW1 soldiers as his Eagle Scout project in Ritter Park. The park already contains trees planted in honor of ww1 veterans as well as a WW1 Memorial Arch, so Woodard’s signs fit right in but also provided more information on the individuals who served. He did research on 91 local veterans of World War One during the course of the project. Coolest of all, he has given all that research to the Clio App, an app which takes your location and guides you to landmarks, museums, and historic sites nearby. People in Huntington will be able to open Clio and hear and read the stories of the soldiers that Woodard found during his work on his Eagle Scout project. Learn more about his project, and the Clio app, by following links in our notes. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clio-your-guide-to-history/id897995724?mt=8 http://www.wsaz.com/video?vid=453068653 Thank you Katherine. And that’s WW1 Centennial News for November 15, 1917 and 2017 Our guests this week were: Mike Shuster with a look back at the Battle of Passchendaele Joe Weishaar, talking to us about his voyage with the National WW1 Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC Lawson Bergfeld from the 100 cities/100 memorials project in Jackson, Missouri Darley Newman, giving us an insider look at her PBS travel episodes trip to Northeastern France Nick Brokeshoulder, sharing the story of his grandfather’s WWI service Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] Up, point, aim, squeeze - Got it! Snapcap - I mean Snapshot! So long!
Highlights POWs in WW1 | @01:30 The war on the eastern front is over - Mike Shuster | @11:15 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - Gavin McIlvenna | @15:50 Speaking WW1 “Dingbat” | @22:40 100C/100M, Wheaton IL - Nancy Flannery & Rob Sperl | @24:15 The Millionaire’s Unit - Dr. Marc Wortman | @30:50 North Dakota WW1 Centennial Committee - Darrell Dorgan | @38:00 Warrior in Khaki - Native American Warriors - Michael and Ann Knudson | @44:15 WWrite Blog - Pierre Lemaitre’s, The Great Swindle | @51:20 The Buzz - Native American History Month | @52:25 More...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 8th, 2017. We have a big lineup of guests for you this week… 9 in all! including: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Gavin Mcilvenna, President of the Society of the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Nancy Flannery and Rob Sperl from the 100 cities/100 memorials project in Wheaton, Illinois Marc Wortman, author, historian and journalist Darrell Dorgan, Chairman of the North Dakota WW1 Centennial Committee Michael and Ann Knudson, authors of Warriors in Khaki And Katherine Akey the shows line producer and the commissions social media director... WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] This week 100 years ago in both the Official Bulletin, the US government's daily war gazette and the New York Times, there are stories about the first American Prisoners-of-war captured by the Germans. This got us thinking about the subject of POWs in WWI. What were the rules? I mean, the Geneva convention that we usually think of, when we think of prisoner of war “treatment” today generally refers to treaties from 1949 after WWII. Those were updates from 2 treaties pulled together in 1929 - And prior to the 20th century, the treatment and rights for combatants was pretty harsh - There were attempts to develop some kind of humanitarian standards through much of the second half of the 1800’s after the Crimena war. What WAS the story with POWs in WWI? How many were there? Did the Red Cross play a role? What about American POWs? So that’s the theme we are going to explore in today’s WW1 Centennial News THEN… what was happening this week 100 years ago.. in the war that changed the world. [SOUND EFFECT AND TRANSITION] It’s the first week of November, 1917. The Europeans have been at war for over three years, but early this week, as they are training in a relatively quiet area of the western front, a company of American Soldiers gets raided by a German force. 3 are killed , 5 are wounded and 12 Americans get captured by the enemy. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Sunday November 4, 1917 The headline in the New York Times reads: Attack Before Daylight Forces in Training Held Small Salient of the Front Line Trenches Pershing tells of loss And the story reads: Armed forces under the American flag have had their first clash with German soldiers--- in an attack which the Germans made on first line trenches, which the United States troops had taken for instruction --- three Americans were killed, five wounded and twelve captured. The Germans respond to the incident with a taunting article in Berlin’s Lokal Anzeiger newspaper [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Sunday November 4, 1917 Another headline in the New York Times reads: Berlin Rejoices Over American Prisoners; Lokal Anzeiger newspaper extends a “Welcome” The story goes on to read: The Berlin newspaper played up the capture of the Americans in their headlines under the captions: “Good Morning Boys” and goes on to include: Three Cheers for the Americans. Clever chaps they are! It cannot be denied. Scarcely have they touched the soil of this putrified Europe when they are already forcing their way into Germany! It is our good fortune that we are equipped to receive and entertain numerous guests and that we shall be able to provide quarters for these gentlemen. However, we cannot promise them doughnuts and jam, and to this extent they will be obliged to receed from their former standard of living. Above all they will find comfort in the thought that they are rendering their almighty president, Mr. Wilson, valuable services in as much as it is asserted that he is anxious to obtain reliable information concerning conditions and sentiments in belligerent countries. As Americans are accustomed to travel in luxury and comfort, we assume that these advance arrivals merely represent couriers for larger numbers to come. We are sure the latter will come and be gathered in by us. And the propaganda war is in full swing from all sides as exemplified in an article published in the US Government’s Official Bulletin. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Tuesday November 6, 1917 Headline: German Soldiers, Forced to murder their helpless foes and prisoners. Germans tell terrifying details in letters In the story it reads: The Committee on Public Information makes public herewith three letters taken from one of its forthcoming pamphlets “ German War Practices” Here is the protest of a German soldier, an eye-witness to the slaughter of Russian soldiers in the Masurian lakes and swamps: “ It was frightful, heart-rending, as those masses of human beings were driven to destruction. Above the terrible thunder of the cannon could be heard the heart-rending cries of the Russians… But there was no mercy. Our captain had ordered: ‘The whole lot must die; so rapid fire.’ As I have heard…. five men and one officer on our side went mad from those heart-wrenching cries. But most of my comrades and the officers joked as helpless Russians shrieked for mercy while they were being suffocated in the swamps and shot down. The order was: ‘ Close up and at it harder!’ For days afterwards those yells followed me, and I dare not think of them or I shall go mad. There is no God; there is no morality and' no ethics any more. There are no human beings any more, but only beasts. I say Down with militarism. This was from a letter by a Prussian soldier as reported by the US government. From a wikipedia entry entitled: World War I prisoners of war in Germany, it states From the beginning of the war, the German authorities find themselves confronted with an unexpected influx of prisoners. In September 1914, at the beginning of the war, 125,000 French soldiers and 94,000 Russians are made captive. Early the following year in, 1915, the number of prisoners being held captive in Germany reaches 652,000 and then rises even more quickly. From February to August 1915, it goes from 652,000 to 1,045,000. One year later, in August 1916, it reaches 1.6 million, and then reaches just over 2.4 million prisoners of war by October 1918. This experience gives Germany a strong foundation in the implementation, operation and exploitation of large POW and labor camps, know-how they will employ again in the future. Preparing to deal with American POWs, the US government makes plans with the US Red Cross to help care for our captured doughboys. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Wednesday November 7, 1917 The headline of the Official Bulletin reads: RED CROSS PLANS TO FEED U. S. PRISONERS lN GERMANY The story reads: Arrangements for supplying food and clothing to American prisoners of war in Germany have been worked out in detail by the War and Navy Departments and the American Red Cross. Since the beginning of the war, England and France have met Germany’s inadequate care of its prisoners by sending supplies of their own, and in the main the system has operated successfully. To support American soldiers and sailors who may be captured and confined in German prison camps, the disbursing agent of the Red Cross at Berne, Switzerland, will be supplied with 4,500 tons of food immediately. This will comprise 1,800,000 individual rations, or enough to feed 10,000 men adequately for six months. Now… Surprisingly, these preparations are over specified. The fact is, that the US POW count winds up being pretty low at just above 4,100 soldiers - even with over 2 million soldiers in the field. This may speak to the nature of the American Expeditionary Force’s campaign style and few battles where the forces are captured wholesale. Contrast this with the currently on-going Battle of Caporetto - where 265,000 italian soldiers are captured by the Prussians. And speaking of the Battle of Caporetto - Two names pop up connected to that battle --- that our listeners may be familiar with. Supporting the Austrians is a young German Captain - who will emerge in WWII as a major military strategist - Field Marshal Erwin Rommel - the Desert Fox. On the US side, there is a young ambulance driver who will emerge after the war as one of the giant figures of literature - Ernest Hemingway, who was wounded in this battle and used his experiences as a basis for his 1929 novel, A Farewell to Arms. These notes on the battle of Caporetto were sent in to me by my cousin Michael who is a military cryptologist and who wanted to point out that the use of SIGINT or signal intelligence - strategic decoding of battlefield radio communications - played a key part in Caporetto - used by the Austrians to wipe out and capture Italy’s artillery! Links: www.ww1cc.org/bulletin http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/history/official-bulletin/2883-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-153-november-7-1917.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/history/official-bulletin/2882-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-152-november-6-1917.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/history/official-bulletin/2881-ww1-official-bulletin-volume-1-issue-151-november-5-1917.html http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9401EEDB123FE433A25756C0A9679D946696D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D00EEDB123FE433A25756C0A9679D946696D6CF [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project But perhaps the biggest and most impactful story 100 years ago this week is the end of the war on the eastern front --- as Russia formally drops out of the fight! Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog is here to tell us about it. Welcome Mike. [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/11/05/the-bolsheviks-seize-power-in-russia/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel If you need a little WWI video action - we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube hosted by Indy Neidell. This week’s new episodes are: Battle of Beersheba and Canadian Frustration Breakthroughs and Setbacks - Fall 1917 And as we covered last week - Zionism during WW1 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 Now we are going to fast forward into the present to WW1 Centennial News NOW - and explore what is happening to commemorate the centennial of the War that changed the world! [SOUND EFFECT] Events: Veterans Day Interview with Gavin McIlvenna - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier On this veterans day weekend, we are going to start with a special guest, Retired Sergeant Major Gavin Mcilvenna, President of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. One of the most iconic images of remembrance during any Memorial or Veterans Day is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guards at attention, rain or shine, honoring our fallen with the serious, heartfelt solemnity and devotion to the duty that they are performing. Gavin has been one of those guards and it is our privilege to have him here today to give us some insight into those men and women, that life and the job they do. Welcome Gavin! [greetings] [Gavin, how did the tradition of honoring an Unknown Soldier begin - and what is the idea behind it? ] [For those who stand guard over the unknown soldier - what does it mean to them?] [Are there unknowns from multiple conflicts, or just World War One?] [So You’re the president of the Society of the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. What is the Society’s mission?] [The Society is preparing for the centennial of the very first Unknown Soldier selected in 1921 -- can you tell us a bit about what those commemoration plans look like?] Thank you so much for being here with us today! [goodbyes/thanks] Gavin McIlvenna is the President of the Society of the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We have links for you in the podcast notes to learn more... Link: http://tombguard.org/ http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- In ww1, Australian soldiers earned an outstanding reputation. They fought in many of the great theatres of war: Gallipoli, Damascus, Gaza, the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele. Right from the beginning, though, they were seen as trouble by the English Officers… They were brash, boisterous, undisciplined, they dressed improperly -- some didn't even shave everyday. But they fought like tasmanian devils and if you ever hung out with australians you’ll know that they were just being their very cool and very natural Aussie selves - considering the English officers as uptight arses. The Australians were also masters of slang, in their gruff-but-goofy style, so it’s no surprise that they came up with a wonderfully nonsensical yet descriptive term for an uptight arse: A dingbat! A bit of an insult: A bit of a description… The word itself - Dingbat - has earlier origins, being used since the early 19th century much like the word thingamajig, a placeholder for when you don’t quite know what to call something. Today, the word’s main use is as a computer type font filled not with letters but with symbols, shapes and objects - So if you always thought of Dingbat as a fancy asterisk... in world war 1 it was simply a different kind of arse... Terisk. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/144563 7839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz http://mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Wheaton IL 100 cities 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. To start - we just have to plug the fact that we are taking grant applications for the second round - we have matching grants to give away but you need to submit the application before January 15, 2018 - go to ww1cc.org/100Memorials to learn all about it.’ Now this week we are profiling the WWI Obelisk in Wheaton Illinois-- one of the first 50 awardees of the 100 available grants --- with us tell us about their project are Nancy Flannery, Chair of the City of Wheaton Historic Commission, and Rob Sperl, Director of Parks and Planning, Wheaton Park District. Welcome to both of you! [exchange greetings] [Nancy, in your grant application for 100 Cities / 100 memorials you said - Quote” The US participation in World War I not only changed the population of Wheaton, Illinois; it defined Wheaton as a community willing to fight for its beliefs.Unquote What did you mean by that?] [Nancy - how did the obelisk come about?] [Rob, I noted that your project is scaled well over $50,000 - and that the park board of commissioners committed to covering the rest - how did the city decide evolve?] [ Is the project finished? Do you have plans for a rededication?] [exchange thanks] Nancy Flannery, is the Chair of the City of Wheaton Historic Commission, and Rob Sperl, is the Director of Parks and Planning Wheaton Park District. We are going to continue to profile 100 Cities / 100 Memorials projects - not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. We are very proud of this program that is stimulating communities all over America to rediscover and re-address their heritage. A HUGE thank you to all participants! You can go to ww1cc.org/100 memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about participating in this program! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Spotlight in the Media Marc Wortman - The Millionaire’s Unit Today, we are combining our Spotlight in the Media and our War in the Sky segments by speaking with Dr. Marc Wortman, historian, journalist and author, about his book The Millionaires' Unit: The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power. The book inspired a recently released award winning documentary. Welcome, Marc! [greetings] [So Marc, The Millionaire’s Unit recounts the history of the First Yale Unit. Can you give us an introduction to who this unit was and what they did during the war?] [Katherine wanted to put in this question --- How did this group end up in the Navy Air Service rather than in the Army Air Service?] [We’ve provided a link for our listeners to learn more about your books and your audiobook on audible… but let’s talk about the documentary, tell us about it…] [here is a clip from the film’s trailer that just came out last week] [Marc - it’s a fascinating story about young men who used their privileged position in life to do - what they clearly believed - was the right thing - their duty - and they had an impact that still echoes today. Thanks so much for bringing us the story! ] [goodbyes/thanks] Dr. Marc Wortman is a historian, journalist and author. The Millionaire’s Unit and accompanying documentary are linked in the podcast notes. Links: marcwortmanbooks.com http://www.millionairesunit.org/home.php https://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_hp_tseft?advsearchKeywords=the%20millionaire%27s%20unit&filterby=field-keywords https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nceHuM0oZCM&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nceHuM0oZCM&feature=youtu.be Updates from the States North Dakota WW1 Centennial Committee This week in our Updates from the States, We want to congratulate the WWI Centennial Committee from the Roughrider State, North Dakota. They have just launched their website at ww1cc.org/northdakota all on word and lower case! We invited North Dakota WWI Centennial Committee chairman Darrell Dorgan to join us. Welcome, Darrell! [greetings] [Darrell, tell us about your state WWI Committee. How did it get established in North Dakota?] [Because as chief technologist, I helped support the process, I was interested to learn that the North Dakota website was built by a Microsoft website hackathon -- that’s unique among our state publishing partners - how did that come about? ] [What was the North Dakotan WWI experience? How did the war affect the state? ] [What are some of the Committee key projects in the coming year?] [Thank you Darrell!] [goodbye/thanks] Darrell Dorgan is the Chairman of the North Dakota World War One Centennial Committee. Follow the North Dakota Committee by heading over to ww1cc.org/northdakota or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/northdakota Warriors in Khaki For our next story, we are going to stay in the Dakotas… and look more into the service of the state, and specifically the WWI service by the Native American population. Michael J. Knudson and Ann G. Knudson are a husband and wife writing team, and authors of multiple books on local World War 1 history in North Dakota. [Welcome Knudsons!!] [Michael, how did you two end up writing books about the service of North Dakotans in World War One? ] [Ann, how does your latest book, Warriors in Khaki, differ from your earlier book, Ransom County’s Loyal Defenders?] [Did you attend the UTTC Powow? How were you welcomed by the different tribal nations?] [What kinds of challenges do you encounter when doing this kind of very detailed, very local research?] [Do you have any upcoming work? [this lets them plug their upcoming book on South Dakota] [Michael, Ann -- thank you for your time, and your books!] [goodbye/thanks] Michael J. Knudson and Ann G. Knudson write books about the Dakotas and the history of the region. You can find links to their website as well as their books in the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.rp-author.com/knudson/ https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Khaki-Michael-J-Knudson/dp/1611701015/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510063689&sr=8-1&keywords=warriors+in+khaki Articles and Posts Shout out to the Bi-Centennial of WW1 As we were prepping this week’s section on articles and posts, I decided to take a quick look to see HOW MANY articles and posts we now have on our website at ww1cc.org - and just at that very moment, one of our interns, Eric Squazzin hit enter on article number 3 thousand 6 hundred!!! Now everything that is published on our website is mandated to be preserved in perpetuity by the US Government as a document of interest to the American People - and I am proud to report - we got a LOT OF STUFF ABOUT WW1 gathered there!!! And since we travel freely in time and space on this show - a little shout out to our friend in the future who are going to be running the bi-centennial of WWI - from all of us here in 2017 and 2018 - who have been contributing to the website - You are welcome! Wwrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week the post title is “Pierre Lemaître's The Great Swindle: A Prize-Winning WWI Novel Hits the Screen During France's Great War Centennial” The book, with the english title “the great swindle”, is not only about a post-war traumatic experience; it is also about the art, and, yes, the money that could be made by making a business out of the millions of dead bodies that had a hard time finding proper graves after the combat ended. French director, Albert Dupontel, released the film adaptation of Lemaître’s pathbreaking book early in 2017. Read more about the award winning book and its accompanying film adaptation by visiting the Wwrite blog at ww1cc.org/wwrite or by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3533-the-great-swindle.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what’s going on in the world of social media this week? [Hi Theo! Native American History Month It’s Native American History Month and this week we started to see a swell in posts and articles about the service of Native Americans in the war. I wanted to highlight a few really great facebook pages to follow if you’re interested in learning more about the history and commemorations of Native American service. The Facebook page “WW1 Native American Warriors” is a fabulous resource, connecting tribes from all across the country and sharing their events, articles and the stories of individuals all in one place. Additionally, the Choctaw Code Talkers Association has a great facebook page, and you can follow the progress of the Muskogee Doughboy statue restoration at the statue’s official facebook page too. There’s also the Native American Indian Veterans Page, and of course the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is sharing a ton of amazing stories, photographs and resources over the month. Check the podcast notes for links to all of these pages, and that’s it this week for the Buzz! ] link:https://www.facebook.com/NativeAmericanWarriorsWWI/ https://www.facebook.com/choctawcodetalkers https://www.facebook.com/RevJohnRobinson https://www.facebook.com/NAIV-National-American-Indian-Veterans-311444758503 https://www.facebook.com/NationalMuseumoftheAmericanIndian And that’s WW1 Centennial News for November 8, 1917 and 2017 Our guests this week were: Mike Shuster with a look at Russia’s revolution 100 years ago this week Gavin Mcilvenna with insight into the service of the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Nancy Flannery and Rob Sperl for the 100 cities/100 memorials project in Wheaton, Illinois Marc Wortman with the story of The Millionaire’s Unit Darrell Dorgan from the North Dakota WW1 Centennial Committee Michael and Ann Knudson writers with a great tolerance for cold weather and huge expertise on Native American WW1 Warriors from North and South Dakota Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. Thanks to Eric Marr for his help on our story research. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. This week’s featured web page is ww1cc.org/memorial - check it out! Big news there. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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] Right mate - That’s a fair dinkum show this week - time to belt up and crack a tinnie - ya dingbat! (with apologies to my Aussie buds for my truly terrible accent) So long!
Highlights The US naval war of 1917 | @01:10 The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay with Steve Bunker & Carrie Villar | @07:35 Living in NYC? Did a “Slacker” live in your apartment 100 years ago? | @14:55 The Balfour Declaration - Promise of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine with Mike Shuster | @17:15 The worldwide history of Veterans Day | @22:05 Ceremonial Groundbreaking for America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC | @24:10 Veterans Day Events | @24:30 Speaking WWI… “Scrounge” | @28:00 100C/100M in Riverside IL with Joseph Baar Topinka | @29:30 International Report - Notre Dame Projection spectacular and documentary premiere | @36:20 Falling back to Daylight Standard Time - Blame the Kaiser | @37:35 The Buzz in Social Media | @39:35----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 November 1st, 2017 and our guests this week are: Steve Bunker of the Friends of Mallows Bay and Carrie Villar curator for the Ghosts of Mallows Bay exhibit at Woodrow Wilson House Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, And Joseph Baar Topinka, Post Commander at American Legion Post 0488 in Riverside, Illinois. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Today, we are looking at the war on the water. The Atlantic Ocean was a major factor in the war 100 years ago. It wasn’t just a military battleground but an important strategic pivot. Ships and mastery of the seas had been key factors in national strength for centuries. Fleets and armadas the stuff of legends... but the conflict on the seas during WW1 is unique and comes down to a life and death struggle between the need to move goods, materiel and men versus the threat of small, stealthy and deadly raiders - the U-boats of WWI. Like a small virus that can fell giants - the German U-boats are not just a threat to ships on the seas, but a deadly noose closing to choke the life out of nations. So Let’s jump into our wayback machine and head back to 1917 to see how all this lays out and plays out. [MUSIC TRANSITION] We’ve gone back in time 100 years and we are looking back across the waters of the year of 1917. In just the first four months of 1917, U-boat raids reduce the British grain supply to just six weeks by sinking 1,365 ships. The Kaiser’s Navy believes that by using unrestricted submarine warfare on all shipping, it can blockade England into surrender whether the U.S. intervenes in the war or not. They are killing transports faster that replacements can be built and they know they are hurting the brits - a lot! England imperial economy is hugely dependent on imports of food and raw materials, and at the current rate of sinking it’s supply lines, it is quite possible the England and then the allies might lose the war… not to the millions of poor souls slugging it out in the trenches - but to an effective fleet of just a few hundred submarines... each typically only 214 feet long, carrying 35 men, 12 torpedoes, mines and capable of traveling underwater for two hours at a stretch. As America enters the war in April of 1917, the US Navy strategy is not focused on this threat at all. It's strategic focus is on building a POWER navy headed by giant battle cruisers and dreadnaughts… The Naval Act of 1916 authorizes the building of ten battleships and six battle cruisers -- 32 thousand and 42 thousand ton behemoths sporting massive 16" guns, supported by scores of cruisers, destroyers and new submarines. This is a big iron --- power strategy -- based on what is known as Capital Ships - ready to fight in the atlantic, caribbean and Pacific - perhaps all at once… a prophetic vision for a quarter century later. But the real challenge and the task for the US navy just entering the war is protecting shipping lanes from the deadly stings of little raiders just under the surface. It’s an issue we need to address - not just for Brittain - but as our only way to move millions of men, equipment and supplies across the Atlantic in order to join the fight! This is made very clear to Rear Admiral William Sims. he’s the president of the Naval War College and goes to Britain on the eve of America’s entry into the war to meet with the British Admiralty about strategy. In point of fact, the ship he travels to England on, the American Line's New York, is damaged by a submarine-laid mine as it approaches Liverpool. The Admiralty, pleads its case and makes clear that is is implementing a convoy system - something the US naval command does not believe in. This strategy requires lots of smaller ships -- primarily destroyers - to work as escorts. The British campaign for the US to refocus it’s shipbuilding on ships suited to that task of convoying. Sims, who is subsequently named commander of U.S. naval forces in European waters, becomes an early convert for convoys. On 14 April, just days after America enters the war - he cables Washington with his recommendations that the maximum number of American destroyers be made available immediately. He argues that the timely arrival of even a small number of escorts at this critical moment can have an immediate and strategically important impact on the war -- right now!! --- given the fact that it’s gonna take some time for the US to mobilize enough military land resources to have any other actual impact. There is pushback on this from Admiral William Benson -- Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels who argue for putting more emphasis on armed merchant ships sailing independently, with navy patrolled sea lanes. However, Sims advocacy and additional diplomatic admiralty visits to Washington succeeds in getting twenty-eight American destroyers escorting convoys by the end of june and thirty five by end August 1917, rather than the Navy simply conducting patrols as had been the original plan. Well, it turns out that the convoy system works - and works well - The positive results bring the Americans around - especially admiral Benson who reportedly "goes to the mat," with the American naval building priorities This ties into what we told you about in Episode 28, On Friday July 18th, 1917- President Wilson announced in the Official Bulletin that: Because of their varied contracts for shipbuilding, the yards can not carry out our program without the help of the Government; it has, therefore, been decided that the shipbuilding industry of the Nation shall be federalized. The administration appointed United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation is put in charge. Three days later - on the 21st. July 1917, Secretary Daniels orders construction of new battleships to cease. Priority is to be given to destroyers and other anti-submarine craft. He authorized construction of what would eventually total 266 destroyers. Links: http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-u-boat-campaign-that-almost-broke-britain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat_Campaign_(World_War_I) http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-unleash-u-boats https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/04/world-war-i-in-photos-war-at-sea/507332/ http://www.worldwar1.com/tgws/usnwwone.htm [SOUND EFFECT] Mallows Bay A huge push for ship building in the US - with many built so fast and a maybe a little shoddy -- that over 200 of them - having served their purpose - were scuttled and sunk right after the war -- which leads us to our next story… We are going to slide into the present for just a moment to talk about The Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay - a small bay on the Maryland side of the Potomac River in Charles County, Maryland. It’s considered the "largest shipwreck graveyard in the Western Hemisphere… and now being advocated for and being considered by NOAA to become one of the most interesting national marine sanctuary in the united states. With us here in 2017 are Steve Bunker from the Friends of Mallows Bay, and Carrie Villar, who served as interim director of Woodrow Wilson House in washington DC a national trust for historic preservation historic site and carrie is also the curator for the Ghosts of Mallows Bay exhibit,. Welcome to both of you…. [exchange greetings] [Steve, can you tell us a bit about how, why and who sunk all those ships in Mallows Bay?] [I understand that the bay was salvaged for steel and other metals - tell us about that?] [Since I’ve learned about it - Mallows Bay is on my list of places I want to see.. What is the visitor experience like?] [The Woodrow Wilson house just opened an exhibit on this - and with us is Carrie Villar the curator for the exhibit - Carrie, how and why did the Woodrow Wilson House get involved? ] [Carrie - Can you tell us a bit about the opening?] Thank you both for coming on the show! That was Steve Bunker from the Friends of Mallow bay, and Carrie Villar, the curator of the Ghosts of Mallows Bay exhibit at Woodrow Wilson House. Links: http://www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org/event/exhibit-opening-ghost-fleet https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-bay/ Whipping back to 100 years ago this week --- Boy are we breaking format today - but --- we found one more quick story that we just HAVE to slip in… [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 29th, 1917 The Headline of the NY times reads: Names of New Yorkers Who Have Failed to Respond to the Draft Call 1490 of draft age ignore summons - men classed as deserters - reward of $50 for each!! WOW -- This article put out by Roger B Wood, director of the draft in New York City lists the names AND ADDRESSES of nearly 1500 young men - known at the time as SLACKERS (our Speaking WWI word from our early August episode #32) They are naming names - they are giving addresses - and they are offering rewards - and god help any one of those young men with a German sounding last name. But the reason we HAD to slip in the story - and give you the link to the article is because - when Katherine Akey - our line producer - who found the article looked through the list - well - let me have her tell you herself [Katherine tells us how she found an old apartment address in NYC that SHE lived in and challenges listeners who have done stints in NYC to check out their old addresses to see if they are SLACKER refuges!!! - fun Sam Berry, on St Mark’s Place] This very important link is in the podcast notes... link:http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D0CE3DD113AE433A2575AC2A9669D946696D6CF [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project The war that changed the world is connected to the roots of many of our modern conflicts and here to tell us one of the stories is Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project blog. Hi Mike! [Mike Shuster] Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/29/the-struggle-for-palestine-begins/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For weekly informative videos about WW1 from the European perspective, we recommend the Great War Channel on Youtube - This week - two new episodes focus on Caporetto which we introduced to you last week : FIrst == The Battle of La Malmaison [mal-may-zon] -- Breakthrough at Caporetto Next - On the Battlefield of Caporetto -- Exploring the Kovorat -- a report from the team’s trip to Italy And finally - Strategic Bombing on the Western Front 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Veterans Day History Worldwide As we continue our countdown to veterans day, let’s take a moment to look back at its origins and the variations of it around the world. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day”, first celebrated on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of fighting during World War I. It became a national holiday in 1938 and in 1954 President EIsenhower officially changed the name to Veterans day incorporate the ideas beyond WWI. Memorial Day - that you probably think of it as the start of the summer season - focuses on veterans who paid the ultimate price, while Veterans Day - with its roots as a salute to our doughboys - is a tribute to any American veterans—living or dead. It is our national salute to service. Great Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World War I and World War II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday. Each country honors its veterans, and the armistice of WW1, in a slightly different way. France expelled an invader from its territory, and the tenor of commemoration there reflects that. Even the symbol of remembrance differs from place to place. The red poppy of flanders fields is common in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and America -- The French use the blue cornflower, whic – like the poppy – continued to grow in land devastated by war. No matter how our commemorations may differ, citizens from all across the globe will take pause on or around November 11th to remember the sacrifice of men and women in who serve their nations in the military. Events As we countdown to Veterans Day 2018, here are some things for you to participate in. Ceremonial Groundbreaking for America’s WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC Start on November 9, at 11am eastern with the ceremonial groundbreaking for the National World War One memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC. We will be streaming it on Facebook live. We are on facebook @ww-the number 1- centennial… or follow the link in the podcast notes. LINK: http://Facebook.com/ww1Centennial Next be sure to tag all your related posts and photos on social media using the hashtag #countdowntoveteransday. Link: https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp http://www.military.com/veterans-day/history-of-veterans-day.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleuet_de_France#/media/File:CPA_Bleuet_de_France_1914-1918.jpg We suggest you visit the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events to look for Veterans Day events near you. Many WWI related organizations have posted events in the national register. We have picked a few of them to tell you about... NYC In the Big Apple, the famous New York City Veterans Day Parade is the largest Veterans Day event in the nation. The Parade takes place every November 11, rain or shine with activities commencing at 10am. Over 300 units and tens of thousands of marchers assemble near Madison Square Park, including veterans of all eras, military units, civic & youth groups, businesses, and high school bands from across America. Also in New York, on Thursday evening the 9th of November the annual Flanders Remembers Concert will present Distortion, a Hymn to Liberty on at the Kaufman Music Center in New York. Commissioned by the Government of Flanders, the piece commemorates the Centennial of World War I, and the concert will benefit the United War Veterans Council. Washington DC area Also on November 11th, Arlington National Cemetery will host its annual commemorations on Veterans Day. A prelude concert will begin in the Memorial Amphitheater at 10:30 a.m followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 11 a.m. Commemoration ceremonies are being held all over the country! Not just in major metros. For example... Wilberforce Ohio In Wilberforce Ohio, the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center is holding a Veterans Day Commemoration Event where award winning history teacher and Ohio World War I Committee member Paul LaRue will present a program that examine Ohio's African American World War I soldiers, their service and their sacrifice. Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center is hosting a lecture on November 11th where you can learn about the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division, a National Guard division from Minnesota, that went “over there” in WW1. Louisville, Kentucky In Louisville, Kentucky, a special WWI commemorative display will be set up with pictures and WWI military artifacts organized In conjunction with the annual Veterans Day program. Rutherford NJ And finally, The Rutherford NJ World War I Centennial Committee will hold a centennial remembrance program at the base of their WWI memorial column, which was a recent awardee in our 100 Cities/100 Memorials program. There will be remarks by the Mayor and dignitaries and a reading of the names of Rutherford's dead as well as a ceremonial 20' x 30' flag folding with taps followed by a special exhibition on many Rutherford veterans of the war including one of a kind personal artifacts. Two films will also be shown, "The Lost Battalion" and "Dear Home-Letters from WWI" So check the events register at ww1cc.org/events - and if your Veterans Day event is NOT posted in the register - click the big red button and submit it to get it into the national archival register of Veterans Day commemorations that happened during the centennial of the war that changed the world! We have LOTS of links in the podcast notes! Links: http://uwvc.org/vetsday2017/parade-details/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3371-flanders-remembers-concert-commemorates-u-s-entry-into-wwi.html http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/News/Post/2954/Visiting-Arlington-National-Cemetery-on-Veterans-Day http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/10288/64th-veterans-day-observance.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47040/veterans-day-commemoration-event.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/35980/forgotten-stories-of-ww1-34th-red-bull-infantry-division.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/42617/veterans-day-and-salute-to-wwi-observance.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47821/ww1-veterans-day-remembrance.html Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- Looking for things you needed was a near daily activity at the front; men hunted for supplies and for food, especially when units moved into new territory where the locals may have left goodies behind, or when their unit was cut off from a supply line. So a new word for hunting around and scavenging for something grew in popularity during WW1, the word is Scrounge! The war threw together a lot of cultures and classes who found themselves on common footing - equalized by the rigors of war - and as a result they traded ideas, ways and words! We’ve introduced words and phrases in this segment that made their way into English language or slang from French, Romany, Urdu and German. Srounge is a slang word that comes from a Northern British origin. It’s possibly an alteration of scrunge ("to search stealthily, rummage, pilfer") or scringe ("to pry about"); or perhaps related to scrouge, to ("push, jostle"). Whatever its initial origin, Scrounging something up -- made its way into common use in the war that changed the world. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/1445637839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz https://books.google.com/books?id=KKgHkD6O1-cC&pg=PA225&lpg=PA225&dq=scrounge+northern+england+slang&source=bl&ots=QlDYSFWI-o&sig=9iPLJUj-7rgG0rO8mSTXRfsLxF8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwji_cXX6prXAhUKOiYKHXolAN0Q6AEIQjAE#v=onepage&q=scrounge&f=false https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scrounge 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Gold Star Memorial at Guthrie Park in Riverside, IL Moving 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 Gold Star Memorial at Guthrie Park in Riverside, IL -- with us tell us about the project is Joseph Baar Topinka, Post Commander at American Legion Post 488 in Riverside, Illinois. Welcome, Joseph! [exchange greetings] [Joseph, tell us a bit about the Gold Star Memorial at Guthrie Park-- what is its history?] [You are one of the first 50 awardees for the program - how has this affected your community] [What kinds of restorative work are you planning to do on the memorial? And how did the American Legion get involved?] [do you have plans for a rededication?] [exchange thanks] That was Joseph Baar Topinka, Post Commander, American Legion Post 488 in Riverside, Illinois. We are going to continue to profile 100 Cities / 100 Memorials projects - not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. So as we talked about last week - this memorial day weekend - if you want to do something for the doughboys -it’s easy - take a walk! - Look around your town and find your local WWI memorial. I promise it’s there - or was.. Look near the your county or city court house, check your parks, if they are old - or even just have an old flagpole - look around your local school buildings, find your American Legion or the VFW post, or check markers of your local cemetery. When you DO find your WWI memorial, and if it needs some TLC, please go to WW1CC.org/100Memorials and see how you can start the ball rolling to get that memorial and the doughboys it honors some support. Have a great veterans day - and do wear sunscreen! You can follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials [SOUND EFFECT] International Report Films at French Embassy/Notre Dame Projection Installation In our International report this week, we head to Paris and the beautiful, iconic Notre Dame. From November 7th to 11th, Notre Dame will be lit up by projections all over the building. The exhibit, called Dame De Coeur, is a tribute to the thousands of allied soldiers who fought and gave their lives for freedom. The piece is being done by director Bruno Seillier, who is very experienced at monumental projection mapping installations. Each night before the light show, the new film “The American in Paris: The True Story of the American Hospital of Paris in WWI” will be screened. The film tells the story of the American Hospital in Paris, from its start as a 24-bed facility for the expatriate community of Paris in 1910, to its dramatic expansion to a more than 2000 beds during the first world war. The projection show and film are expected to be seen by over 60,000 people, but there is a chance to see the film stateside: The Cultural Service French Embassy in Washington, DC is screening the film on November 6th, and tickets are still available. Follow the link in the podcast notes for details about both of these events. link:https://www.damedecoeur.paris/en/the-show-queen-of-hearts/ http://frenchculture.org/events/6473-americans-paris Special Daylight Savings Special A special reminder this week to prepare yourself for Daylight Savings, Actually - it’s backward from what you think - we are just about to head into DAYLIGHT STANDARD time. But in any case - when you wake up Monday groggy and annoyed at the seemingly random one-hour shift we tolerate every year, we have someone for you to blame: the Kaiser! Although some say it was Benjamin Franklin who first proposed the idea --- The Germans were among the first to institute Daylight Savings, and they did so in 1916, two years into World War One. The concept was meant to be a temporary measure during the war, a way of conserving energy and providing more usable hours of daylight by getting up later into the morning and going to bed earlier in the evening. The British, French and many others quickly followed suit, and Daylight Savings remained a staple of wartime life. Most countries dropped it after World War I, and it wasn’t until the next World War that Daylight Savings Time made its return in most of Europe, and America too. Read more about the war time application of daylight savings at the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://online.wsj.com/ww1/daylight-saving-time https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/history.html Articles and Posts North Carolina Scholar As we move into our Articles and Posts -- this week at ww1cc.org/news there is an article courtesy of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the story of one North Carolinian who served in the war, but never fired a shot. Instead, Wilmington native Charles Jastrow Mendelsohn served as a cryptographer during the war period —someone who specializes in encrypting and decrypting sensitive information—. The entirety of his year-long military term was spent stateside at posts in Washington D.C. and New York City where Mendelsohn led at team tasked with decrypting intercepted German diplomatic correspondence. Read more about how a professor of ancient languages at the City College of New York helped the U.S. read the enemy's mail during WWI by following the link in the notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3374-wilmingtonian-decodes-german-world-war-i-correspondence.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what are your picks out of the great stories from social media this week? Hi Theo! Motorcycle Club We have two really great articles to share today. We’ll start with a heartwarming story from Fort Wayne Indiana, which we shared on Facebook recently. Last Sunday, 75 trees were escorted by motorcade through Fort Wayne Saturday morning before being planted at Memorial Park. Warrior Breed Motorcycle Club organized the effort and were joined by police, fire and military personnel along the route. Memorial Park had, according to the article, fallen into a bit of disrepair, and the group was worried it would be repurposed. Eventually, 125 new trees will be planted in Memorial park, each dedicated to a soldier who gave their life in WW1. Warrior Breed Motorcycle club president Gary Perkey said, “A hundred years ago there was a committee, I’m sure, discussing Memorial Park and what they were going to do to memorialize these WWI vets and here were are 100 years later doing the exact same thing, having the same discussions and planting these trees one again.” It’s a great story about local remembrance of WW1 and how moving and impactful it can be. An official dedication is planned for this November 11th, so if you’re in the Fort Wayne area check the link in the podcast notes to learn more. link:http://wane.com/2017/10/28/motorcycle-club-escorts-plants-trees-honoring-wwi-veterans/ Ships Ships Ships Finally this week, we’re going to go back to the top of the show with an amazing collection of photos from the Atlantic all about the war at sea during WW1. The Atlantic published a series of ten collections of photos back in 2014, at the very beginning of the centennial of the war and they are absolutely wonderful. The War at Sea series includes images of u-boats cresting over waves in the Atlantic, disabled ships in the Dardanelles being blown up, mines being dragged ashore in Heligoland, a delicate looking Curtiss AB-2 being catapulted off the deck of a warship, ship cats and lots of images of dazzle camouflage. There’s even a Paget Process image from Jaffa, Israel; a super early color photograph; though it’s mostly pinks and greens and looks a bit surreal, the Paget Process photos are super beautiful. Check out these incredible images at the link in the podcast notes. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/04/world-war-i-in-photos-war-at-sea/507332/ Closing And that all our stories for you this week on WW1 Centennial News - Now before you flick off your play button - remember - for those of you who listen to end - we always leave you with a special goody or two! So in closing - we want to thank our guests: Steve Bunker and Carrie Villar telling us the story of the Ghosts of Mallows Bay Mike Shuster and his report of action in the Middle East Joseph Baar Topinka from the 100 Cities/100 Memorials project in Riverside, Illinois Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. Thanks to Eric Marr for his contributions to this episode - Eric has joined our editorial team as a researcher and writer. 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 program is a part of that…. 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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 with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Don’t forget - we want you to scrounge around your town to find your local WWI memorials. And thank a vet for their service this Veterans day week! So long!
Highlight: US troops quietly begin deployment to the western front | @01:15 British troops near mutiny - Mike Shuster | @06:55 Zeppelin L-49 captured intact - War in The Sky | @10:50 Announcing Ceremonial groundbreaking for America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC -Facebook Live stream coming | @15:30 All about America’s WWI Memorial in DC - Edwin Fountain | @16:15 Junior Master Gardener Poppy Program update - Lisa Whittlesey | @24:10 Speaking WWI - the word is Nark! | @29:35 100C/100M project profile - Borough of Danville, PA - Jamie Shrawder | @31:00 International Caparetto, Kobarid and Karfreit - Commemoration | @36:10 First three American combat casualties - from 16th infantry | @37:35 The Franco-American links - US Centennial Commissioner Seifried | @39 :00 About Aline Kilmer’s poetry - Peter Molin on WWRITE blog | @39:35 Buzz on Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome and selection of the Unknown Soldier | @40:45 more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 October 25th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Edwin Fountain, Vice Chair at the US WW1 Centennial Commission Lisa Whittlesey, Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program And Jamie Shrawder, the Administrator of Governmental Affairs for the Borough of Danville, Pennsylvania WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] This was a big week 100 years ago in the War that changed the world. Looking back - --- America declares war 6 months ago and the first American troops arrive in Europe 4 months ago. This week 100 years ago, the Army’s 1st division quietly deploys to Sommervillier - in france - a village near the western front almost directly between Belgium and Switzerland. We put a link in the podcast notes to some National Archive footage showing the the soldiers of the 1st division moving their horse drawn wagons, mechanised trucks, artillery and men to the fighting front. This is in the midst of a lots of controversy, conflicting agendas… opinions, and a very dire situation in the war “over there”. So let’s jump into our wayback machine to see what going on and how things play out 100 years ago this week. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] We are nearing the end of November 1917 and in the US, speculation is high about “Our Boys” getting into the fight. The official bulletin says NOTHING about this, the Wilson administration is being obscure, but the public press is sensing that something is up. [Sound Effect] Dateline: October 22, 1917 The headline in the New York Times reads: Hints Our Army is Near Action…. Secretary Baker’s guarded review is taken to mean that soldiers soon will be in the trenches. In the story it reads: In his review to press, Secretary of War Baker emphasized the status of the Pershing expedition by giving it the most prominent position in his analysis of the military equation. He declares that “our men in France, after three months of intensive training, are in splendid physical condition and efficient fighting trim” and that they “Now feel at home in the war zone”. The Secretary had no comment to make on the statement, but the interpretation placed on his words, when carefully weighed here tonight, is that they mark the verge of the actual entrance of the American Troops into the fighting line. Now Over in Europe, the situation is both complex and dire. We are going to zoom out for an overview of the situation. The troops on all sides are deeply war weary from the intense multi-year carnage of this unprecedented conflict. The Russians are effectively falling out of the fight with internal revolution and mass mutinies within their ranks. Everyone is clear that Russia is dropping out. This will free up a massive resources for the Germans for an expected major spring offensive. Although the Americans have come to join the fight, and despite having been technically at war since April, the United States has just four infantry divisions in France. These are not seasoned troops. These are young civilians short on training, equipment, modern staff techniques and without combat experience. This raises a contentious concept called Amalgamation. Amalgamation would have the United States insert its men directly into existing British and French units at the company level. This, argue the europeans, would compensate for the American officers and NCOs lack of familiarity with modern staff arrangements and technologies like aviation, armor, machine guns and heavy artillery. American troops would thereby be commanded at the tactical level by American junior officers, but the operational and strategic direction of American forces would be handled by more experienced Europeans. Though this sounds practical, many Americans including General Pershing look at the enormous casualty levels on the western front and recoil against the thought of our young men being used as cannon fodder by European generals. Pershing believes that the Europeans have become too tied to trench warfare. He has a different concept embodied in his "open warfare" doctrine, which, he argues, will restore mobility to warfare by emphasizing American aggressiveness and marksmanship. Politically, Wilson and his advisors also recognized that amalgamation of American forces will not allow for a distinctive American presence on the western front. Wilson believes that he will need to be able to point to an American contribution to victory if he is to represent American interests in any post-war peace conference. Yet it is obvious that the Americans are not yet ready to fight on their own. Americans have virtually no experience in this new modern warfare. They need time to learn about it, trench warfare and modern tactics. They also need time to build relationships with their French and British allies and to overcome the crazy inefficiencies of their own mobilization. There is great confidence that we can do it. The question is whether we can be trained, blooded, and effective in time to stop the German spring offensive. So on October 21, the first of the doughboys pack up, and General John J. Pershing leads the 1st Division to Sommervillier - a relatively quiet part of the western front to take the men of the American Expeditionary force to the fight 100 years ago this week! We want to thank Michael s. Neiberg and Harold K. Johnson professors of Military history at the US Army War College for their great and insightful article on the subject. That link and other sources are in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfeHCj7yQa4 http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0CE5D6103AE433A25750C2A9669D946696D6CF http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/166656659468/first-americans-enter-the-front-line http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/162357733133/first-american-division-arrives-in-france http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ww1/aef-wwi.htm [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project From the Great War Project Blog - we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project. The endless carnage, devastating conditions and futile progress at Passchendaele is taking its toll on men and morale - especially with the British troops under a seemingly uncaring British commander - General Douglas Haig. Discontent is boiling up in the ranks. Mike - please tell us the story… [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/22/british-soldiers-threaten-mutiny/ War in the Sky This week in the great war in the sky we go to Bourbonne - les- bains - in France - interestingly not too far from Sommerviller where the 1st Division is heading. The Associated press has a reporter that gets to see a intact captured german Zeppelin. [Sound Effect] Dateline: Sunday October 21, 1917 The Headline in the NY times reads: “Americans Inspect Captive Zeppelin” “French also throng to see the great airship that was brought down intact! Germans Tried to wreck it… Prevented by victorious French Aviator who showed great pluck!” In this illustrative story we learn many things about these giants of the sky what were sometimes referred to as Baby Killers or Pirates because of their bombing of civilian areas. The story reads: The crews of the Super-Zeppelins L49 and L50 have been interrogated and their replies confirm the supposition that they made up part of a single expedition against England. The Pirate fleet numbered twelve and left their stations separately. The prisoners say that when they reached the English coast, they were much bothered by anti-aircraft guns and even more by searchlights. L-50 quickly dropped its bombs and then rose to a height of three miles where they were caught by strong winds. Zeppelin L-49 came down near Bourbonne-Les-Bains--- intact, as were its machinery and its instruments. When the Zeppelin’s commander saw that it was impossible to save his ship, he destroyed the wireless apparatus and tried to explode the airship by firing his pistol into it. An opportunity was given to some American Officers to inspect the craft with French flying men. The whole body of the Zeppelin is painted black except the top, which is silvered. There is a small German Cross on each side amidships. The German airmen seemed surprised to see the Americans who had an opportunity to talk with some of them, and also with the Zeppelin commander, a slight blonde Lieutenant, speaking excellent english. A young French aviator told how he flew in pursuit of the Zeppelin to such an altitude that his cheeks froze and how he succeeded finally in forcing the craft down with his machine gun. When he saw they were about to land, he dived to earth. Other french aviators landed near. At the point of his pistol, the germans were prevented from damaging the craft further and were made prisoner. This is from an Associated Press report and a newspaper article published in the New York Times - and it is a story that unfold in the great war in the sky one hundred years ago this week. The link to the original article in the New York Times is in the podcast notes. link:http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A05E4D6103AE433A25750C2A9669D946696D6CF [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel We are really happy that you listen to our podcast - but If you’d like to watch some videos about WW1, we’d like to recommend that you see our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube - New episodes for this week include: Operation Albion Concludes - Allied Failures in Belgium Their second episode is a bit unique -- it is Interview is with rocker Pär Sundström from the hard metal band Sabaton who write and perform a lot of WWI themed songs. Here is a clip of the interview. The third video is called: German defense strategy and tactics at Passchendaele 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Commission News Interview with Edwin Fountain In Commission News we want to invite you to a very special live streaming event on November 9 at 11am Eastern. You’ll be able to tune in to Facebook live to watch the ceremonial groundbreaking for the National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC. It may surprise our listeners to learn that in Washington DC there is no national WWI memorial honoring our doughboys, their sacrifice and their victory in WWI. It’s true! There is a memorial for WWII, for Korea and for Vietnam but none for WWI. With is today is a man who has passionately been addressing this issue for the better part of a decade - maybe longer. He is also the Vice Chair of the World War One Centennial Commission - Edwin Fountain. Edwin welcome to WW1 Centennial News! [Edwin - Why is it important that we build a national WW1 Memorial in our nation’s capital.] [Edwin - tell us about America’s WWI Memorial in Pershing Park what is it going to be like?] [We will post a link to that sculpture design in the podcast notes.] [How can our listeners help build this memorial for our doughboys?] Thank you Commissioner Edwin Fountain. That was Edwin Fountain - the vice-chair of the US World War One Centennial Commission. Education [Sound Effect] Junior Master Gardener Follow Up with Lisa Whittlesey In Episode #28, we introduced you to the Junior Master Gardener Program a 4H project. It’s an international youth gardening program that engages children in novel, “hands-on” learning experiences that provide a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivates not just the earth but young minds. This Fall, the Junior Master Gardener program partnered with the US World War One Centennial Commission’s Poppy Seed Program to raise money for the program and America’s World War I Memorial in Washington DC. So as a reminder to our listeners, the WWI Poppy Program lets you Raise money for your organization, While helping us build the National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. The red poppy is an internationally recognized symbol of rememmbrance for veteran sacrifice. It works like this... for a donation of around 60 dollars, we send you a box of 60 Red Poppy seed packets in a kit. Your organization sells the poppy seed packets for $2 (or anything you want) and you keep the second dollar. So you can raise money for your local veterans organization, school, church, scout troop or master junior gardener team - learn more about WWI and help us build the memorial in DC all at the same time - With us to give us an update is Lisa Whittelsey, Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program. Hi Lisa - good to have you with us again! [Say hello] [Lisa: how are our gardeners doing?] [Lisa, what are some of the reasons the kids and their schools should get involved with the poppy program?] [some of your kids really got into it -- even making their own video commercials. Let me play a clip from a group of enterprising junior master gardeners from the lone star state of Texas!] [what are some of the stories you’ve heard about the program?] [So flowers and poppy growing seems like a springtime activity - What happens now? Does the program go through the winter?] Thank you Lisa! That was Lisa Whittlesey, Director of the International Junior Master Gardener Program. Learn more about the Program and the collaboration with the Commission by following the links in the podcast notes. Update/Reminder on how the poppy program works link:http://ww1cc.org/poppy http://ww1cc.org/jmg http://jmgkids.us http://jmgkids.us/poppy/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3115-junior-master-gardener-program-works-to-honor-world-war-i-veterans.html [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- There were many things you didn’t want to be called in the trenches -- a coward, a deserter, a “client for Rouen”, aka a man with a venereal disease -- but one of the worst possible things to be called in the trenches was: a Nark! Really… So was there a drug culture in the trenches and informants to the military narcotics vice squad?? - well no - Contrary to popular belief, the word “nark” -- spelled n-a-r-k -- doesn’t come from the word “narcotics” at all. In fact, it’s origin comes from the word for nose, “Nak”, N-A-K in Romany, the language of the Romany or Gypsy people. It’s original use in pre-war England was in relation to people who stick their nose in other people’s business - informers, or perhaps because they sniffed out trouble! During the war, the word was brought into the trenches and spread into the American and ANZAC vocabularies. It came to mean a soldier who would reveal other private’s secrets, usually in order to improve his own standing. Nark -- the last kind of soldier you want to be! And this weeks word for speaking World War One! See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Doughboy-Fritz-Soldier-Slang/dp/1445637839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508848013&sr=8-1&keywords=tommy+doughboy+fritz 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT Welcome to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment about the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials. Last month, we announced the first 50 “WWI Centennial Memorials”. We’ll be awarding another 50 matching grants early next year. If you live in a town that has a WWI memorial that might want a little attention… now is the time to go to ww1cc.org/100memorials and learn what you can do about it, what others have done and how to apply for the matching grants. The 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Danville, Pennsylvania was one of the first 50 awardees - and here to tell us about the project is Jamie Shrawder, the Administrator of Governmental Affairs for the borough of Danville. Welcome, Jamie! [exchange greetings] [Jamie - Danville has a memorial park with several monuments - The four sided WWI monuments is really striking with an eagle atop a four sided granite base. When did it get erected?] [How do you and how does Danville feel about being one of the awardees and your memorial getting designated as a WWI Centennial Memorial?] [I saw in your proposal that you approached various veterans organizations to support the restoration - how did that work out?] [Cleaning up one of these historic memorials isn’t done by grabbing a can of brasso and polishing up the brass (BTW - I just felt 1000 conservators cringe at once) - how do you go about it?] [do you have plans for a rededication?] [exchange thanks] That was Jamie Shrawder, the Administrator of Governmental Affairs for the Borough of Danville. We are going to continue to profile 100 Cities / 100 Memorials projects - not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. So listeners - this weekend - if you are in the United States - take a few minutes look around your town and find your local WWI memorial. There WILL be one.. And you’ve probably seen it but did not know what it was. You’ll find it near the county court house, in a municipal park, by the old high school building, at the American Legion or the VFW post, or in an area of your local cemetery. When you DO find it, and if it needs some TLC, please go to WW1CC.org/100Memorials and see how you can start the ball rolling to get that memorial and the doughboys it honors some help. You can follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials [SOUND EFFECT] International Report Kobarid Museum: Commemorations in Slovenia In our International report this week, we head to Slovenia, to the Kobarid [ko-bah-reed] Museum located near the eastern border of Slovenia and Italy - There, from October 20th to November 11th-- historians, soldiers and citizens will gather for a series of events commemorating the Battle of Caporetto, also known as the Battle of Kobarid or the Battle of Karfreit. The Battle was so devastating for the combatant Italian forces that the word Caporetto gained a particular resonance in Italy. It is used to denote a terrible defeat – the failed General Strike of 1922 by the socialists was referred to by Mussolini as the "Caporetto of Italian Socialism". In 1917 - the Italians lost 305,000 men, 265,000 of those as prisoners of war. Though not as devastating, the German and Austro Hungarian lost 70,000 men in that battle. Commemorations at the Kobarid Museum include a new exhibition with the title "Kobarid, Caporetto, Karfreit 1917"; there will also be a ceremony along the Walk of Peace from the Alps to the Adriatic, lighting candles at the memorials and cemeteries on the way. Many more events are scheduled, including a cross country running event in the region that will join the former combatants as colleagues - You can find out more by heading to the Kobarid Museum’s website and the Walk of Peace website. Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/slovenia-official-commemoration-web-site.html https://www.kobariski-muzej.si/exhibitions/permanent/ http://www.potmiru.si/eng/ Articles and Posts 16th Division This week in our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - This week we are profiling a great article about the 16th Infantry division -- and how its service in WW1 is being commemorated. On November 3rd 1917, Corporal James Gresham, and Privates Thomas Enright and Merle Hay, were killed in action during a German trench raid near the little village of Bathelémont (baa-tel-ay-mon) in France. These soldiers -- all members of F Company, 16th Infantry -- were the first three American combat casualties in World War I. The 16th Infantry Regiment Association will honor Gresham with the dedication of a plaque at his mother’s home in Evansville, Indiana, at 10:00 am, on November 3rd this year. The article includes a conversation with the Association's President, Steven E. Clay, about about the 16th Infantry's soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. You can read that discussion by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3271-four-questions-for-steven-clay-president-of-the-16th-infantry-regiment-association.html Commissioner Seefried Another article reflects on the rededication of the statues of General Pershing and the Marquis de Lafayette in Versailles that we reported over the past weeks . US WWI Centennial commissioner Monique Seefried attended the ceremony at Versailles. This week at ww1cc.org/news -- she talked to us from France about the event, the statues, and what they mean for the future of the French-American legacy. Read this insightful and touching piece from Commissioner Seefried that illuminates the very special link between our two nations by following the link in the podcast news. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3270-four-questions-for-commissioner-monique-seefried.html WWrite Blog And now for an update on our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "Are war wives - war poets, too? " Consider those women who write about the contortions on domestic life and feminine sensibility brought about by war... Author, veteran, and teacher, Peter Molin, explores the idea this week in a post about poet Aline Murray Kilmer, wife of well-known American WWI poet, Joyce Kilmer, who was killed during the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918. Aline's poetry conveys the urgency and nuance of a war wife's uncertainty as she finds her tranquility and self-worth vexingly dependent on her husband, even in his permanent absence. Don't miss this rich, insightful post about the often-overlooked and, yes, war poet, Aline Kilmer! Read it by going to ww1c.org/w-w-r-i-t-e or following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3269-aline-kilmer-when-the-war-poet-s-wife-is-a-poet-too-by-peter-molin.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - Hi Katherine!-- Hi Theo! Old Rhinebeck Aerodome We’ll start with a Facebook post from the Old Rhinebeck Aerodome. They had a WW1 Airshow on October 15th, the last for their season this year, and someone in attendance shared a bunch of really great photos from the event on Facebook. Pilots wore WW1 era uniforms, both Doughboy and German, and there was even an old Ambulance and stretcher bearers in case anyone got hurt. The afternoon included a hero, a heroine (Cheer!), the villainous Black Baron of Rhinebeck (Boo!), and pyrotechnics, as well as some really beautiful aircraft, including a Fokker Triplane and, my personal favorite, a reproduction 1910 Hanriot. See the photos, and visit the Aerodome website, at the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldrhinebeckaerodrome/permalink/1746902505342287/ http://oldrhinebeck.org/ Unknown Soldier Finally this week, I wanted to share an article from History.com that is yet another powerful story as we lead up to Veterans Day: the selection of the Unknown Soldier. On October 24th, 96 years had passed since the first Unknown Soldier was selected by a US Officer in the French town of Chalons-sur-Marne. According to the official records of the Army Graves Registration Service, four bodies were transported to Chalons from the cemeteries of Aisne-Marne, Somme, Meuse-Argonne and Saint-Mihiel. French and American officials then underwent the ceremony of selecting one of the four caskets displayed, each draped with an American flag. Sergeant Edward Younger, the man given the task of making the selection, carried white roses to mark the chosen casket. According to the official account, Younger “entered the chamber in which the bodies of the four Unknown Soldiers lay, circled the caskets three times, then silently placed the flowers on the third casket from the left. He faced the body, stood at attention and saluted.” The “Unknown Soldier” remains in Arlington National Cemetery to this day, honored among and for the approximately 77,000 United States servicemen killed on the Western Front during World War I. And with that, we continue the countdown to veterans day. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/unknown-soldier-is-selected Thank you Katherine. And that all our stories for you this week on WW1 Centennial News - Now before you flick off your play button - remember - for those of you who listen to end - we always leave you with a special goody or two! Closing So in closing - we want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster and his report on discontent within the British Army Vice Chair Edwin Fountain, speaking with us about the National WW1 Memorial Lisa Whittlesey, updating us on the Junior Master Gardener Poppy Competition Jamie Shrawder, telling us the story of the Danville Pennsylvania 100 Cities 100 Memorials project Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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 with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Hey man… get your nose outta my business dude - you nark! So long!
Highlights Trading With The Enemy Act |@01:15 Mata Hari is executes - Mike Shuster |@06:10 Little companies big ideas - War in the Sky |@09:50 Gilder Lehrman Institute program - Tim Bailey |@14:30 Speaking WWI: “Short Hairs” |@ 21:20 100 Cities / 100 Memorials genesis and future - Ken Clarke |@22:40 100 Cities / 100 Memorials profile - Memorial to US Air Service - Michael O’neal and Robert Kasprzak |@30:35 Kiwis Commemorate Passchendaele |@37:00 Michigan sign WWI Centennial Commission into law |@39:00 Madame Curie in WWI |@39:40----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 October 18th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Tim Bailey, Director of Education at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Kenneth Clark, President and CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library And Michael O'Neal with Robert A. Kasprzak from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Dayton, Ohio sponsored by the League of WW1 Aviation Historians WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Our theme this week is about hunkering down in the midst of a threat. America has declared its martial intent on 1/2 of a world at war, and now it must take both an offensive and defensive poster. Though u-Boats are an endless threat on the seas, there is little chance that the kaiser would land an army in the Chesapeake bay. But there were plenty of threats to worry about… and the Wilson Administration did! One hundred years ago this week, on October 14th, Wilson signs the “Trading with the enemy act” into law. Today, many aspects of this law would be unthinkable including the appointment of an Alien Property Custodian empowered to seize the assets of immigrant’s businesses and not just mom & Pop outfits but national brands. So let’s jump into the wayback machine to see how this plays out starting 100 years ago this week. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Welcome to mid October 1917 - President Wilson has just signed the Trading with the Enemy Act into law giving him new broad powers relating to foreign trade. The intent is that no American trade aids can benefit Germany and its allies in any way. Those allies include Austria-hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey - even though America has not actually declared war with those allies. Under the act, German-owned property in the US can be seized, and as enemy property German owned patents can be used without royalty including, for example, the German-owned Bayer company’s patented aspirin pills. Treasury secretary McAdoo gets extensive power to control the exchange of Gold and securities between the US and foreign countries. Meanwhile, the Postmaster General has total censorship over the non-english-language press as well as total control over international communications by telegraph. Interestingly, unlike many of the other wartime acts, the trading with the enemy act will not be repealed after the war and will have lasting impact into the 21st century! As one reads the law - it starts by defining who IS an enemy in essence and simply put, an Enemy is someone we have declared war on. That is simple and makes sense. But the President can also declare any other nation and the citizens of that nation enemies by proclamation. In other words, the friends of my enemy are also my enemy -- And the act reaches deep. For example, if you are a German immigrant living in the US for 20 years. You have built a life, a business and a family, but you yourself are not an American citizen - well, you are an enemy. Which leads to another expanded definition: “Allie of the Enemy” - which includes any individual, partnership or group of individuals of any nationality inside the enemy’s territories, or someone doing business with the enemy or an allie of the enemy, or company incorporated in enemy territory, or doing business within an allie of the enemy territory - you are an enemy. Given that being declared an enemy allows the US Government to seize your property - both real property and intellectual property, the newly formed Office of Alien Property Custodian, headed by an appointee named Mitchell Palmer, gets busy. Within a year, Palmer will manage 30,000 trusts - or seized properties, businesses or assets - worth ½ a billion dollars. Whole industries are affected - for example, the United States Brewers Association - and the rest of the overwhelmingly German liquor industry is proclaimed to harbor unpatriotic and pro-german sentiments and is effectively seized. For history and law buffs interested in the details, we recommend that you read Mitchell Palmer’s report to President Wilson called: A detailed Report by the Alien Property Custodian of all Proceedings Had by Him under the Trading with the Enemy Act during the Calendar Year of 1918 And the close of business on February 15, 1919. It’s not exactly a page turner but if you skim the index for ideas of interest - like for me personally it is the patents they grabbed and the people they jailed.. Reading primary sources - instead of historian interpretations is really fun - and enlightening. The link to the report and lots of other related articles are in the Podcast notes. Links: Trading with the enemy overview: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/166411955808/trading-with-the-enemy-act Office of the Alien Property Custodian overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Alien_Property_Custodian The spoils of war at home https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-confiscated-half-billion-dollars-private-property-during-wwi-180952144/ Annual Report of the Alien Property Custodian: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044090082678;view=1up;seq=7 Trading with the Enemy Act: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc2.ark:/13960/t4cn8qf7s;view=1up;seq=45 Great War Project OK let’s move from the business of war - interesting - but really - let’s get into something a little hotter, and steamier and maybe more exciting! From the Great War Project Blog - we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project. Mike’s post this week is about espionage agent H-21, better known at Mata Hari! Tell us the story Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/14/a-spy-faces-the-firing-squad/ War in the Sky Today for our War in The sky segment, we are leafing through a current issue of the Aviation and Aeronautical engineering magazine. Now it’s not the lead articles that draws attention - of course it sets the mood of the industry with excited talk of the $640,000,0000 congressional appropriation aimed at aircraft manufacturing. Instead, we are exploring the back end of the magazine where the ads are. There is great stuff here! Like the ⅓ page ad from the Kyle Smith Aircraft company from Wheeling West Virginia. They’ll sell you a two seater biplane - with a land model for $3,000 and for an extra $100 - pontoons for water. Billy Brock and Al Boshek from the Flint Aircraft Company in Michigan will teach you to fly so you can qualify for military examinations as a pilot or as a mechanic. Or the Foxboro Company of Massachusetts who offers a fine looking air speed indicator - noting in their sales pitch: Quote: accurately indicates the relative wind pressure, the force that holds the plane in the air. Hey -- you really gonna want one of those!! Then I stumble across a genuine mystery - The innovative and visionary Buck Aircraft and Munitions Company of Denver Colorado who places a ¼ page - editorial style ad - you know one of those that today has to have a little “advertising” flag on it so you don’t think it is part of the magazine editorial. The headline reads: The Automatic Aerial Torpedo The story reads: Built on the Buck Aerial Torpedo patent - the aircraft is equipped with a 50 HP motor and designed to carry explosives in the air to any distance up to thirty miles. A time controlled release drops the torpedo at any given distance. The entire equipment is automatic and is launched from a compressed air catapult mounted on a motor truck, the engine of which furnishes the air for the catapult. The torpedo can be fired at any range and at any degree of the compass. This almost sounds like a flying torpedo drone - well that doesn’t make sense for 1917 --- So of course I chase down the patent they mention. Sure enough… US Patent # 1,388,932 for an aerial torpedo was filed by Hugo Centerwall of Brooklyn New York on July 27, 1916 and here is the kicker. The patent talks about an electric automated guidance steering mechanism with a smart site. Well, I could have spent the rest of the night chasing this down both I, and this segment have run out of time!... So we have to drop the mystery here about the Buck Aircraft and Munitions company of Denver Colorado -- with their catapult launched, maybe unmanned!? guided aerial missile torpedo from 1916--- which happens to pop up in an aerospace engineering magazine 100 years ago in the great war in the sky. There are links in the podcast notes to the ad and to the patent. If any of our intrepid listeners learn more about these guys and their aerial torpedo - please get in touch with us through the contact link at ww1cc.org. There’s a fascinating story here somewhere! Link: Ad https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924060892019;view=1up;seq=436 Patent https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US1388932.pdf [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel Well - we love that you listen to us - but If you’d like to watch some videos about WW1, go see our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube - Here is Indy Neidell the shows host: “ Hello WW1 Centennial News Listeners - This is Indy Neidell, host of the Great War Channel on Youtube. American soldiers are dying in combat and the Bolsheviks seize control in Russia as autumn sets in across Europe. Join us for a new episode of The Great War every Thursday by subscribing to our Youtube channel and following us on Facebook. “ New episodes for this week include: Operation Albion -Passchendaele drowns in mud The edge of the abyss - mountain warfare on the italian front Brazil in WW1 - The South American Ally 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Education [Sound Effect] Education Symposia This week we are leading off with our Education section -- You know--- Bringing the lessons of WWI into the classroom is one of the Commission’s prime goals - and with the help of a generous $50,000 grant from the American Legion - we are kicking off a six city teaching tour called “Teaching Literacy Through History”. The program is being produced by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading American history organization dedicated to K-12 education. This exciting project is kicking off this month --- and with us today --- to tell us more about it is Tim Bailey, Director of Education at the Gilder Lehrman Institute. Welcome Tim! [exchange greetings] Tim - let’s start with the Gilder Lehrman Institute - can you tell us a bit more about it? [Now about the WWI program - what cities are you going to?] [If I am a teacher, what will my experience be… and what will I walk away with? ] [Tim - As the folks that educate the educators - do you have a particular success story that comes to mind?] [I know this is going to be popular with the teachers - what do they need to do to qualify and how do they sign up?] Tim - thank you. Hopefully we can find additional funding to take this wonderful program to more cities and teachers around the country - We look forward to having you come back to tell us how the tour went. [exchange closing] That was Tim Bailey, Director of Education from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. We have links about the program and where to sign up in the podcast notes. link: http://ww1cc.org/events http://wwiamerica.org/index.php https://www.gilderlehrman.org/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3051-wwi-teaching-literacy-through-history-educator-development-sessions-in-six-cities-for-2017-18.html Education Newsletter And we have more news for teaching WWI - The newest education newsletter from the WW1 Centennial Commission and the National WW1 Museum and Memorial just came out! Issue #9 is “Americans All!” focuses on the diversity of those who served and participated in the war that changed the world. This issue includes resources for teaching about Puerto Rican Laborers, the Harlem Hellfighters, Native Americans in the Red Cross, America’s Foreign born doughboys -- and how World War 1 sparked the gay rights movement. Go to our new education website at ww1cc.org/edu all lower case where you can link to and sign up for the education newsletters and connect with the commission education program - or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: ww1cc.org/edu [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- “ALRIGHT MAGGOT - What are you doing sitting on sorry butt. Get on your feet before I drag you up by the Short Hairs!” Thank you Gunny - it’s good to have you back on the show. What was Gunny actually saying? Is Short hairs - a vulgar phrase referring to the “nether regions”? Well - Actually not! It refers to an area of the body quite a bit north... The short hairs in question are those little hairs on the back of the neck. A phrase that seems to have first been used in the military with examples from the Brits dating back to the 1890’s with colonial occupation in india. They were referred to in Rudyard Kilplings “Indian Tales”. The phrase, popularized and spread during the first world war, but then took a turn SOUTH during the second world war, becoming “the short and curlies” and assuming its more vulgar variation. By the short hairs-- not how you want to be caught!-- and this week’s phrase for speaking WW1. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/by-the-short-hairs.html https://books.google.com/books?id=IAjyQdFwh4UC&pg=PA677&lpg=PA677&dq=by+the+short+hairs+ww1&source=bl&ots=_3JEgKpS5H&sig=0RJ46BiAmpi6KsD9QG2cQ64iChU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-sajU__fWAhWLPCYKHbgsCiMQ6AEIZDAO#v=onepage&q=by%20the%20short%20hairs&f=false 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Welcome to our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials segment about our $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue and focus on our local WWI memorials. Last month, we announced the first 50 “WWI Centennial Memorials”. Now we are full tilt into ROUND 2 - which includes all the projects that have not received a grant from round 1 and all the new projects that are joining the program. Round 2 applications can be submitted until January 15th, 2018. Then the selection committee goes back into their VERY difficult process of selecting the second 50 awardees from the submissions. Without exception - every project submitted is amazing - Actually you already know that - You have been hearing project profiles on the podcast for months now - and not all of the projects you learned about were among the first 50 awardees! But before we jump into this week’s profile from the League of WW 1 Aviation Historians about their project at National Museum of the United States Air Force - we have a special treat. Kenneth Clarke section Kenneth Clarke, the CEO and President of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library is joining us. This program is actually Ken’s brainchild and no one can articulate the value and meaning of 100 Cities / 100 Memorials like he can. Ken and I recently had a chance to sit down in Washington DC and talk about the program. [KEN CLARK SEGMENT] [Ken - 100 Cities / 100 Memorials was a concept you initiated - Talk to us about how this concept came to mind, germinated and grew into what it is today?] [Ken - I happen to know that you personally read all the submissions - what are some of the thoughts you’ve had as a result?] [Ken, last month we announced the first 50 awardees - What are your thoughts about that ? ] That was Ken Clarke - the President and CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the spark that lit the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program into being. Joining us now to talk about THEIR 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project are Michael O'Neal, President of the League of WW 1 Aviation Historians and Robert A. Kasprzak (CASPERZAK), Major, USAF (Retired) Welcome, gentlemen! [exchange greetings] [Gentlemen: Your grant application opens with: Even though the US Air Service of WW1 was the forerunner of today's Air Force and is a major part of USAF history, no monument dedicated to the World War I Airmen who served at the Front exists today at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.] [So Michael - as an aviation historian - can you give us a quick overview about how “air power” was organized “Over There” in WWI?] [Robert - you have been the rally point and cheerleader for getting this memorial to the WWI aviators built - Why is this important?] [Well gentlemen - your project is a perfect example of amazing, important and wonderful memorial projects that did not get selected in the first 50 grant awards but you are certainly still fully in the running.] [You have a video on Youtube about the project that is pretty compelling - let me play a clip - ] [You’ve been busy gathering support for your project - how has the response been?] [Michael you have some project milestones coming up- can you tell us more about them…] As you may know I am a big WWI aviation fan - and I am rooting for and supporting your project all the way! Thank for taking on the mission - I don’t mean it as a pun - but it IS a monumental task! [exchange thanks] That was Michael O'Neal and Robert A. Kasprzak talking about their project to commemorate the 75,000 that served in the US Air Service, US Naval and US Marine aviation in WWI - The precursors to the US Air Force. If you are into war birds, aviation history, and the roots of where it call comes from, support these gentlemen and their project - let them know their work matters and contribute to their memorial by following the link in the podcast notes. We are going to continue to profile 100 Cities / 100 Memorials projects - not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2h9OxRFzFI https://overthefront.com/about/news/ww-i-monument-article [SOUND EFFECT] International Report Kiwis commemorate Passchendaele with Haka at Menin Gate In our International report this week, we head to Ypres, Belgium - There - at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing on October 11th and again on the next day at Tyne Cot Cemetery -- New Zealanders gathered to pay tribute to the Kiwi soldiers who fell at the Battle of Passchendaele. October 12th marks the centenary of an attack remembered as the 'darkest day' in New Zealand post-1840’s history. Within a matter of hours, 846 New Zealanders fell in the assault on Bellevue Spur. They were part of repeated Allied attempts to capture the Passchendaele ridge. Including those wounded and missing, New Zealand troops suffered about 2,700 casualties in this single episode. This is a devastating number of young men for a country who, in their 1916 census only counted 1,150,000 people. Speaking during the commemorative event, New Zealand government minister Dr Nick Smith said: "The losses at Passchendaele were so huge that most New Zealand families have a direct connection to a fallen soldier.” The commemorations included a passionate haka, a traditional Maori war cry and dance. [insert audio of Haka] We keep mentioning the Battle of Passchendaele, a battle remembered for its mud that swallowed guns, horses and men whole. As the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Passchendaele lasted from July 31st to November 10th 1917. Two more Battles for this small piece of territory are yet to come. Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more. link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uHuqrbx890 - NOTE: See 02:30 http://www.centenarynews.com/article/new-zealand-commemorates-its-darkest-day-at-passchendaele Updates from the States Michigan An exciting Update from the States - We are heading over to the Great Lakes State - as Michigan’s Governor Rick Snyder and Michigan state Senator Rebekah Warren sign the Senate Public Act 97 of 2017 into law. This created a new commission within the state's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The new official Michigan State WW1 Centennial Commission is charged with planning, developing and executing programs and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. Read more about the new Michigan Commission, and check out what else is going on in states across the nation, by following the link in the podcast notes or by visiting ww1cc.org/michigan - all lower case. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3241-new-state-level-world-war-i-centennial-commission-signed-into-law-in-michigan.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/participate/state-organizations/state-websites/others-pending.html www.ww1cc.org/michigan Articles and Posts This week in our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - This week we are profiling a great article about Madame Marie Curie and her X-ray vehicles - with their contribution to WWI battlefield medicine Ask people to name the most famous historical woman of science and their answer will likely be: Madame Marie Curie. Push further and ask what she did, and they might say it was something related to radioactivity. (She actually discovered the radioisotopes radium and polonium.) Some might also know that she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. (She actually won two of them.) But few will know that madame curie was also a major hero of World War I. In fact, a visitor to her Paris laboratory in October of 1917 – 100 years ago this month – would not have found her or her radium on the premises. At that time, Curie decided to redirect her scientific skills toward the war effort; not to make weapons, but to save lives by applying her science to battlefield medicine. Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more about how Curie started an emergency medical revolution that is still saving the lives of both soldiers and civilians even today. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3247-marie-curie-and-her-x-ray-vehicles-contribution-to-world-war-i-battlefield-medicine.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have a couple stories found using #countdowntoveterans day to share with us-- Hi Theo! DeValles Elementary School We’ll start with a story that dovetails all the amazing projects we hear about week to week coming out of the 100 Cities 100 Memorials program. In New Bedford, Massachusetts, an elementary school was recently rededicated to its namesake. John B DeValles elementary school installed a bronze relief of DeValles, which had been languishing in storage for decades. Massachusetts National Guardsmen, accompanied by a Black Hawk Helicopter, Humvees, the New Bedford High ROTC members and 200 elementary students took part in the ceremony. The city of New Bedford was also presented with the three medals DeValles was awarded: the Distinguished Service Cross, the WWI Victory Medal and the Croix de Guerre. DeValles was a chaplain, and was awarded these accolades for his bravery in rescuing men from no man’s land. You can read more about DeValles and the ceremony at the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20171011/devalles-elementary-rededicated-in-centenary-of-world-war-1 Native American Warriors Finally this week, I wanted to share a post from the facebook page World War 1 Native American Warriors. They shared the story of Choctaw Private Simeon Cusher, who was killed in action in 1918. The post includes a moving anecdote from Cusher’s Great Grandson as he tells the story of the loss of his teenage son and his travel to visit Private Cusher’s grave at the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery and Memorial. The two losses, almost a hundred years apart, were brought together by this man and the birds that appeared in the sky above as he mourned these separate losses. I encourage you to visit the post via the link in the podcast notes to read the story. I found these stories by following the #countdowntoveteransday tag on facebook. Tag your veteran’s story, whether historic or current, to share it with the countdowntoveteransday community as we approach November 11th. That’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.facebook.com/NativeAmericanWarriorsWWI/posts/915086041977669 Thank you Katherine. And that all our stories for you this week on WW1 Centennial News - Now before you flick off your play button - remember - for those of you who listen to end - we always leave you with a special goody or two! Closing So in closing - we want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster and his report on the demise of Mata Hari Tim Bailey telling us about the Teaching Literacy through History Program Ken Clark, President and CEO of Pritzker Military Museum and Library And Michael O'Neal and Robert A. Kasprzak from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project at the National Museum of the USAF Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play 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 with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] ALL RIGHT - Listen up - you lilly livers - Gunny knows the difference between scruff of the neck and short hairs - and no gal darn pod--cast is gonna tell me any different - Now move out! Yes sir! So long!
Highlights America’s youth goes to war |@01:20 Russia stalls - Germany attacks -Mike Shuster |@08:30 Building the DH-4 bomber |@11:55 WW1 Commemoration flags for Veterans Day |@15:15 DHS and WW1 - Allison Finkelstein and Zack Wilske |@16:05 “World War 100” and “1917: America Joins The Fight” symposia |@23:30 Speaking WW1 - Cushie! |@25:40 100C/100M in Trafford, PA - Andrew Capets |@27:00 WW1CC.org/edu goes live |@32:20 The Lost Sketchbooks - Rex Passion |@33:10 Roll of Honor Foundation - Jerry Michaud |@39:40 WWrite Blog: “God Armeth the Patriot” |@46:00----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 October 11th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Allison S. Finkelstein (STEEN) and Zack Wilske from the USCIS History Office and Library Andrew Capets from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Trafford, Pennsylvania Rex Passion, author of the WW1 book and now website - The Lost Sketchbooks And Jerry Michaud Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. Our theme this week is going to focus on the youth of America - how young people were folded into the war effort THEN - 100 years ago and we also want to tell you more about our current education initiatives about ‘The War That Changed The World” today in our WW1 Centennial News NOW section. In an article "WWI: Support from the home front” written by Richard Zuber - a North Carolinian historian, Zuber helps to frame the issue: When most people hear the word war they think of soldiers and sailors, guns and battles, death and destruction. Those are all part of war, but historians also study everything and everyone affected by conflicts. This is especially true of what military historians call a “total war”. In discussing how women and even the elderly aided in the total war effort in 1917, Zuber notes: Children worked just as hard as the adults and contributed a great deal. Boy Scouts participated in patriotic rallies and the Liberty Loan drives. The Woodcraft Girls distributed food pledge cards and enrolled as “Potatriots” entering a competition for growing the largest potato crop. The Camp Fire Girls baby-sat for women working in war plants and helped the Red Cross roll bandages and make dressings for wounds. Girl Scouts were involved in all those activities and sold war bonds, made scrapbooks for hospitals, and wrapped Christmas packages for soldiers. With that as a setup, let’s jump into the wayback machine to see what was happening for America’s youth and education 100 years ago this week. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Welcome to 1917 It’s the second week of October and the Wilson administration - offers several articles this week in it’s Official Bulletin - about education and teaching patriotism to the youth of America. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 9, 1917 Headline: Influence of the War on Teaching History! The article tries to frame America’s entry into the war in terms that teachers might impart. In the article - which is speaking to the teachers - the US Bureau of Educations states: The Nation has finally been drawn into the great War - a war that demands for its successful prosecution not only efficient and courageous service in the Army and Navy but also the loyal cooperation of millions of men and women who are not enrolled in the fighting forces nor directly responsible for the civil administration on which these forces depend. Interestingly - the article goes on the frame the fight as being between free and democratic societies and hereditary monarchies. Quote: We have as clear an interest in international law as individuals have in the laws of society. That was said long before the steam ship, the submarine. and the wireless had broken down our ‘splendid isolation.” No one can take an intelligent part in a great conflict for the safety of democracy -- unless they are really interested in -- and know something about -- nations other than their own—about the difference between a republican government like our own or that of France or the scarcely less democratic constitution of Great Britain on the one side, and, in sharp contrast to all of these, a strongly monarchical government like that of the German Empire, in which the most important measures affecting the national welfare may be practically determined by a single hereditary sovereign or a small group of such sovereigns. In the article there is no reference to the growing socialism in europe and Russia, nor of the powerful dictatorships that would be so prominent in the next generation. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Oct 13, 1917 Headline: Lesson leaflets on patriotism intended for permanent course in public schools The story reads The plan for Educational Administrators Is to Educate a Rising Generation How to Conduct the Business of Living A Wide Variety of Topics Treated in Pamphlets Prepared to Suit Pupils of the Various Grades Will Be Supplied. The article goes on to read In order to bring the lessons of patriotism and of national and international relations within the comprehension of children, the instruction in conservation which is to be given in American schools this year at the insistence of President Wilson will begin with and emphasize home and local problems. A series of lesson leaflets will be issued monthly by the Food Administration and the Bureau of Education throughout the present school year. The plan is to educate a rising generation that will know better than its predecessors how to conduct the business of living. Now - This “theme” for lessons about the “business of living” comes up a number of times, but is not elaborated on - leaving one to wonder what the Wilson Administration meant. However a panoply of headlines do reveal a theme that the government is thinking about the Nations youth and their role in the war effort. Here is a whole bunch of them: On October 2nd: “American school children to be given lessons in community and natural life” in democracy” requested by president” On October 6th: “Leaflets as guides to school teachers sent by us commissions to teach children democracy's meaning” On October 10th: Work of american boy scouts commended in promoting sale of liberty loan bonds And in earlier months: “President appeals to school children of nation to enroll in red cross service” “War topics at high school commencements recommended by commissioner claxton” may 28 “School Bells to ring out call for liberty loan subscriptions” june11 “Schools with shopwork depts urged to continue during summer to train skilled mechanics and high grade helpers” july 27 And finally “Program of school activity during the war suggested to educational institutions” july 7 So as Richard Zuber points out at the top of the section - WW1 is very much a part of daily life in America - for the men called to service, for the mothers, wives and daughters and even for the children of the nation. It is not some remote and distant foreign policy, everyone is in the fight - in some way - the entire citizenry - and non-citizens alike - as we will discuss a bit later in the show. [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project From the Great War Project Blog - we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project. Mike is going to tell us about the collapsing eastern front as Russia stalls and Germany develops a new naval and Storm Trooper prowess in their baltic sea offensive. Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/09/russia-collapsing-on-land-and-sea/ [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky This week in the Great War in the sky, America begins to mass produce a two seater bomber! Although through all of WWI, America never produced or or fielded a single American fighter plane, we did manufacture a bunch of them - and this week 100 years ago, the US Army Air Service put in an order for thousands of British designed DeHavilland DH-4 planes. The version they ordered were to be delivered with the US made American Liberty 12 cylinder engine - rather than the Rolls Royce engine of the British version. It was slow going at first, but in the end, the Dayton Wright company delivered over 3,100 of them, General Motors 1,600 of them and Standard Aircraft corporation another 160. And it all started 100 years ago this week in the war in the sky. You can follow the War in The sky by checking with our comprehensive timeline, curated by former fighter pilot, air force general and author RG head. Go to ww1cc.org/warinthesky - all lower case or follow the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/1181-timeline-of-wwi-aviation-history-demo.htm#1917 [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel To watch videos about WW1, we recommend our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They offer well over 400 episodes about WW1 and from a more European perspective. New episodes for this week include: Sabotage in the Desert Then - Indy Nydel takes viewers’ questions in a “Out of the Trenches” segment which is always popular with their regular viewers - this time: Electricity, the Wright Brothers and Hip Firing MGs -- And finally an episode called Evolution of British Battle Tanks in WW1 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Commission News In this week’s in Commission news, a follow up on the US Mint’s unveiling of the 2018 WWI Centennial Silver Dollar. The unveiling happened on October 9 and was hosted by the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army, Ryan McCarthy, during A-USA meeting in Washington DC also known as the National Meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army. This was followed up on October 10 with the unveiling of the designs for five silver medals that will be issued in conjunction with the Centennial Silver Dollar. Each medal, composed of 90 percent silver, pays homage to branches of the U.S. Armed Forces that were active in World War I. We set up a website at ww1cc.org/coin where you’ll find press releases with detail information, the presentations and bios of the speakers, lots of links and images. The coins and medals will be available in early 1918. Follow the links in the podcast notes for more information. Link:https://www.ww1cc.org/Coin https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-unveils-winning-designs-to-be-featured-on-world-war-i-centennial-silver-dollar https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/commemorative-coins/world-war-i-centennial http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3218-us-mint-unveils-design-for-new-congressionally-authorized-coin-honoring-america-s-veterans-of-world-war-i.html [SOUND EFFECT] Update for #CountDownToVeteransDay In an update for #CountDownToVeteransDay we wanted to let you know about the official WW1 Centennial commemoration flags that honor the memory of our WWI doughboys. There is a wonderful full-size 3 foot by 5 foot flag and also small 12” by 8” ground stake flag designed to make an ideal marker for veteran resting places. Both feature the centennial graphics and the doughboy icon. The flags are manufactured out of high quality nylon materials, and of course made in the USA - They are available exclusively at the WWI Centennial Commission’s Official Merchandise shop which you will find under the Commemorate menu or by following the link in the podcast notes. But hurry - don’t wait - supplies are limited and orders are shipped in 7-10 days. Rush orders carry a 20% surcharge. link:https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/merchandise-gifts-awards/memorial-flag-world-war-1-one https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/merchandise-gifts-awards/flag https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php [SOUND EFFECT] US Citizenship and Immigration Services Many individual government agencies are commemorating the first world war and today we’d like to highlight the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Joining us are Allison Finkelstein FinkelSTEEN and Zack Wilske, Historians at the USCIS History Office and Library. Welcome to both of you! [exchange greetings] [Let’s start with you Zack - in 1914 how was this area of the government organized? ] [Allison - Stories abound - about immigrants - not even citizens yet that came to America and found themselves going “back over there” to fight in the countries they immigrated from - like Italy - Are there any specific stories like that come to mind?] [So to both of you - the USCIS has a new web page about the WWI Centennial - What will we find there and how about some of your other WWI Centennial activities ] [Thank you both so much for being here!] That was Allison Finkelstein and Zack Wilske, Historians at the USCIS History Office and Library. Learn more about the USCIS and WW1 by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/agency-history/mass-immigration-and-wwi https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/world-war-i Activities and Events [Sound Effect] World War 100 Symposium Combining events and our Updates from the States - we are going to the Badger state - Wisconsin! Where they are holding The World War 100 Symposium at the University of Wisconsin on the Madison campus October 27th. The symposium was put together by the University and the Wisconsin World War One Centennial Committee - It is a great example of how the State WWI centennial Commissions are nurturing and support WW1 Commemorative events! The World War 100 Symposium will premiere the Documentary film “Dawn of the Red Arrow” which follows the Wisconsin National Guard in 1917 when the iconic 32nd "Red Arrow" Division was born and earned its place in history on the battlefields of France in World War I. The program is filled with great events, experts, subjects and speakers including including participation by Sir Hugh Strachan - considered by many as the pre-eminent historian on WWI and who joined us on here on the podcast In Episode #32. Sir Hugh Strachan in Kansas Then On Nov. 2nd, Sir Hugh will be speaking at the National World War One Museum and Memorial in Kansas City at a free evening public event in advance of the Museum’s second international symposium on WWI “1917: America Joins the Fight” featuring renowned scholars from across the world. Follow the links in the podcast notes for information and access to these symposia and other great WWI commemoration events happening around the country. As a reminder - we invite YOU to add your own event to the National U.S. WW1 Centennial Events Register. Go to ww1cc.org/events, click the big red button and post your WW1 commemoration event for all to discover. And as we mentioned last week - we just added a new category for Social Media Events - so if you are planning a Facebook Live, livestream, WW1 Hackathon or other online WW1 commemoration event - get it posted and let our community of interest know! link: http://ww1cc.org/events https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-war-100-a-centennial-symposium-tickets-35793410053 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47362/world-war-100-symposium.html https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/2017-symposium https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/2017-symposium/presentations [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- English, is constantly absorbing new words from other languages. This week’s Word for Speaking WWI comes from working in close quarters with Urdu speaking soldiers from the British Colonial forces. In Urdu kusi means pleasure or convenience and in WWI the word spread amongst soldiers in the trenches transforming as these words always do into a word that means “easy” or “comfortable” - Cushie! And you thought that word came from Cushion… Nawww - Cushion came from latin for hip or thigh... In WWI the troops also used Cushie to describe a wound which was non-fatal but could potentially get them sent home or, at the least, away from the front line. In 1915 an english physician wrote: “When you are in the trenches a cushy wound... seems the most desirable thing in the world.” Cushy, this week’s speaking WW1 word - “A most desirable way to get hit during the war”. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/oxford-english-dictionary/word-origins_b_4904467.html http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26277732 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Andrew Capets 100 cities It’s time for a 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project profile. Round #2 is open so you can apply for a matching grant to rescue, restore or build a WWI Memorial in your community - but you have to submit the application before January 15th! Last week, we profiled a project from Ridgewood, NJ. This week, we head to Trafford, PA. Joining us is Andrew Capets, Member of the Trafford Veterans Memorial Renovation Committee and Author of a new book “Good War, Great Men” a commemoration to the 313th Machine Gun Battalion of World War I Welcome, Andrew! [exchange greetings] [Andrew, in your application your moto was: Our Memorial, Our Community and Our Project Who all came together to restore this memorial?] [Your WWI Memorial was originally dedicated in 1919 - that is earlier than most - Tell us about its dedication?] [I have seen the before and after images of the memorial and it is really beautiful! Do you have Veterans day plans there?] [You produced a really nice video for the project - tell us about that?] [Andrew congratulations on being a Round #1 awardee and for your group doing such a great job on behalf of our WWI Doughboys! We surely do speak for them!] That was Andrew Capets, Member of the Trafford Veterans Memorial Renovation Committee and Author of the new book “Good War, Great Men” a commemoration to the 313th Machine Gun Battalion of World War I We will continue to profile not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3166-first-50-official-wwi-centennial-memorials-to-be-announced.html TraffordHistory.org https://www.amazon.com/Good-War-Great-Men-Battalion/dp/0692951024/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1507647838&sr=1-1&keywords=good+men+great+war [SOUND EFFECT] Education Ahoy teachers and learners! With education as our theme we are very happy to announce the launch of the commission’s new EDUCATION WEBSITE at ww1cc.org/edu all lower case. The site is filled with resources for teachers and learners, access to our semi-monthly educator newsletter and more. A brand new idea is that registered educators are eligible to submit information and images about the work they have done with students to teach and commemorate America’s involvement in the First World War. Check out the new website and if you are an educator, register to submit your programs to share with others. We invite you to follow the link in the podcast notes. [SOUND EFFECT] Stories of Service Interview with Rex Passion In our “Remember the veterans” section, today we have with us Rex Passion, author of the book The Lost Sketchbooks: A Young Artist in the Great War. Welcome, Rex! [exchange greetings] [Rex: What is the Lost Sketchbooks about? How did you wind up writing The Lost Sketchbooks] [Rex - it really sounds like a treasure trove of discovery --- the book is really beautiful and the art is amazing - so Is there one sketch that stands out for you in particular?] [From the images I have seen, they really hit me harder than many of the photos I’ve seen!] [You just completed and launched a new website on the WW1 centennial server at WW1CC.org/sketch to support the book - What are we going to find there?] [So we can follow his experience day by day - that’s really great.] Rex - thank you so much for joining us! That was Rex Passion, author of The Lost Sketchbooks and curator of the website at ww1cc.org/sketch. Follow the links in the podcast notes for the website, rex’s facebook page and to order the book. Link: http://ww1cc.org/sketch https://www.facebook.com/thelostsketchbooks/ https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Sketchbooks-Young-Artist-Great/dp/0982821956 [SOUND EFFECT] Interview with Jerry Michaud: Roll of Honor We have a second interview in our Remembering the Veterans segment as we #countdowntoveteransday - With us is Jerry Michaud, Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation. Welcome Jerry! [greetings] [Jerry- tell us a bit about the Roll of Honor foundation and what it does to help remember our veterans?] [This year you set up a WWI section - The World War 1 Centennial Commission and Roll of Honor are working on a unique collaboration; can you tell us about it?] [So if I submit a Story of service on either website, it will be added to my veteran’s profile right?] [When I get a tribute wreath for my veteran, how much money goes to Roll of Honor and how much goes to building the National WWI Memorial in Washington DC?] Thank you so much for being here today and for the Roll of Honor’s great work in profiling those who served! That was Jerry Michaud, Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation Roll of Honor. You can learn more about Roll of Honor and their collaboration with the Commission by following the links in the podcast notes and by going to www.rollofhonor.org/ww1 links:www.rollofhonor.org/ww1 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service/submit-a-story-of-service.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3187-five-questions-for-jerry-michaud.html [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts This week in our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - And the content really is pouring in! We have now published over 3,200 articles - If you read one article a day it would take you 8 years and 9 months to read the whole site as it sits now. Anna Coleman Ladd A new article this week under WW1cc.org/news, is about Anna Coleman Ladd and her unusual work with WW1 veterans. Ladd was an American sculptor who studied sculpture in Paris and Rome before WWI. After the war broke out, she devoted her time to giving soldiers, whose faces were disfigured by gas, or explosives, or other wounds - artistic prosthetic masks. Cosmetic surgery as we know it today did not exist - but there was relief from disfigurement - See the article featuring before and after photographs that show how WWI soldiers’ horrific facial injuries were surgically repaired, then covered with the sculpted prosthetics that Ladd developed. Follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3222-american-born-sculptor-built-facial-prosthetics-for-wwi-soldiers.html WWrite Blog And now for an update on our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "God Armeth the Patriot." These words come from Thomas Croft Neibaur NIGH-BOWER, the first Mormon to receive the Medal of Honor during WWI - for his heroism during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. This is know as one of the bloodiest battles in American military history. Writer Benjamin Sonnenberg returns to the WWrite blog this week with another riveting short story, inspired by Neibaur's letters home. Delve into Neibaur's legendary experience in WWI with this captivating, well-researched, fictional narrative by visiting ww1cc.org/wwrite Link: www.ww1cc.org.wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3214-a-pretty-tame-one-thomas-croft-neibaur.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have a couple of stories to share with us today! Thanks Theo! Souvernir AEF En Haute Marne Last week we mentioned the rededication of new sculptures of General Pershing and Lafayette in Versaille. The ceremony went very smoothly and now the statues are in their rightful places overlooking the Avenue Des Etats Unis. If you want to see images of the ceremony and the statues, you should check out the facebook page for the Souvenir AEF En Haute Marne, a French-based page commemorating the American Expeditionary Force’s time in the Haute Marne region of France. Find it and view many images and articles from the ceremony at Versaille by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004218645049&hc_ref=ARRl4MJwZFrnBS67Gn1YtMKpIJvb0xpP3abmRdPkTvN0hXYBWJr7El9Q2h4-XEUp0X0 Buster Keaton Finally this week, we’ll close out by celebrating Buster Keaton, whose birthday was celebrated last week and commemorated by the National WW1 museum and Memorial with a little video clip and a story. Keaton served with the 40th infantry division, and carried his sense of humor and mischievousness with him throughout his service. A little anecdote to close us out: While with his battalion in Camp Upton, Buster observed how the officers, who were allowed to come and go in and out of camp, dressed in just their uniform shirts and ties and saluted the sentries. Buster took off his tunic, hopped into the back of his girlfriend's Packard roadster, and drove past the military police, giving that lazy salute that had them convinced he was like any other officer. He returned that night after a fabulous dinner with his girl and the next day the unit left for France. Learn more at the link in the podcast notes. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.facebook.com/theworldwar/videos/10155710368571241/?hc_ref=ARRMFTxtTgXJEikfHtgnzTuzuZPt-fgfd1UKWKAkCAiEXxmmh2Ym47J2MQvoempnGkU http://www.militarymuseum.org/Keaton.html That’s a really funny story…. Thank you Katherine. [SOUND EFFECT] Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster and his update on the situation in Russia Allison S. Finkelstein and Zack Wilske talking with us about the USCIS commemoration of the war Andrew Capets from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Trafford, Pennsylvania Rex Passion speaking with us about his WW1 book and now website - The Lost Sketchbooks Jerry Michaud telling us about Roll of Honor and their collaboration with the Commission Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Ale xa enabled devices. 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 with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Hey - I’m just here on my tushie sittin’ a cushie, cushie cushion listening to the WW1 Centennial News podcast… life is good! So long!
Highlights America’s youth goes to war |@01:20 Russia stalls - Germany attacks -Mike Shuster |@08:30 Building the DH-4 bomber |@11:55 WW1 Commemoration flags for Veterans Day |@15:15 DHS and WW1 - Allison Finkelstein and Zack Wilske |@16:05 “World War 100” and “1917: America Joins The Fight” symposia |@23:30 Speaking WW1 - Cushie! |@25:40 100C/100M in Trafford, PA - Andrew Capets |@27:00 WW1CC.org/edu goes live |@32:20 The Lost Sketchbooks - Rex Passion |@33:10 Roll of Honor Foundation - Jerry Michaud |@39:40 WWrite Blog: “God Armeth the Patriot” |@46:00----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 October 11th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Allison S. Finkelstein (STEEN) and Zack Wilske from the USCIS History Office and Library Andrew Capets from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Trafford, Pennsylvania Rex Passion, author of the WW1 book and now website - The Lost Sketchbooks And Jerry Michaud Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. Our theme this week is going to focus on the youth of America - how young people were folded into the war effort THEN - 100 years ago and we also want to tell you more about our current education initiatives about ‘The War That Changed The World” today in our WW1 Centennial News NOW section. In an article "WWI: Support from the home front” written by Richard Zuber - a North Carolinian historian, Zuber helps to frame the issue: When most people hear the word war they think of soldiers and sailors, guns and battles, death and destruction. Those are all part of war, but historians also study everything and everyone affected by conflicts. This is especially true of what military historians call a “total war”. In discussing how women and even the elderly aided in the total war effort in 1917, Zuber notes: Children worked just as hard as the adults and contributed a great deal. Boy Scouts participated in patriotic rallies and the Liberty Loan drives. The Woodcraft Girls distributed food pledge cards and enrolled as “Potatriots” entering a competition for growing the largest potato crop. The Camp Fire Girls baby-sat for women working in war plants and helped the Red Cross roll bandages and make dressings for wounds. Girl Scouts were involved in all those activities and sold war bonds, made scrapbooks for hospitals, and wrapped Christmas packages for soldiers. With that as a setup, let’s jump into the wayback machine to see what was happening for America’s youth and education 100 years ago this week. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Welcome to 1917 It’s the second week of October and the Wilson administration - offers several articles this week in it’s Official Bulletin - about education and teaching patriotism to the youth of America. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 9, 1917 Headline: Influence of the War on Teaching History! The article tries to frame America’s entry into the war in terms that teachers might impart. In the article - which is speaking to the teachers - the US Bureau of Educations states: The Nation has finally been drawn into the great War - a war that demands for its successful prosecution not only efficient and courageous service in the Army and Navy but also the loyal cooperation of millions of men and women who are not enrolled in the fighting forces nor directly responsible for the civil administration on which these forces depend. Interestingly - the article goes on the frame the fight as being between free and democratic societies and hereditary monarchies. Quote: We have as clear an interest in international law as individuals have in the laws of society. That was said long before the steam ship, the submarine. and the wireless had broken down our ‘splendid isolation.” No one can take an intelligent part in a great conflict for the safety of democracy -- unless they are really interested in -- and know something about -- nations other than their own—about the difference between a republican government like our own or that of France or the scarcely less democratic constitution of Great Britain on the one side, and, in sharp contrast to all of these, a strongly monarchical government like that of the German Empire, in which the most important measures affecting the national welfare may be practically determined by a single hereditary sovereign or a small group of such sovereigns. In the article there is no reference to the growing socialism in europe and Russia, nor of the powerful dictatorships that would be so prominent in the next generation. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Oct 13, 1917 Headline: Lesson leaflets on patriotism intended for permanent course in public schools The story reads The plan for Educational Administrators Is to Educate a Rising Generation How to Conduct the Business of Living A Wide Variety of Topics Treated in Pamphlets Prepared to Suit Pupils of the Various Grades Will Be Supplied. The article goes on to read In order to bring the lessons of patriotism and of national and international relations within the comprehension of children, the instruction in conservation which is to be given in American schools this year at the insistence of President Wilson will begin with and emphasize home and local problems. A series of lesson leaflets will be issued monthly by the Food Administration and the Bureau of Education throughout the present school year. The plan is to educate a rising generation that will know better than its predecessors how to conduct the business of living. Now - This “theme” for lessons about the “business of living” comes up a number of times, but is not elaborated on - leaving one to wonder what the Wilson Administration meant. However a panoply of headlines do reveal a theme that the government is thinking about the Nations youth and their role in the war effort. Here is a whole bunch of them: On October 2nd: “American school children to be given lessons in community and natural life” in democracy” requested by president” On October 6th: “Leaflets as guides to school teachers sent by us commissions to teach children democracy's meaning” On October 10th: Work of american boy scouts commended in promoting sale of liberty loan bonds And in earlier months: “President appeals to school children of nation to enroll in red cross service” “War topics at high school commencements recommended by commissioner claxton” may 28 “School Bells to ring out call for liberty loan subscriptions” june11 “Schools with shopwork depts urged to continue during summer to train skilled mechanics and high grade helpers” july 27 And finally “Program of school activity during the war suggested to educational institutions” july 7 So as Richard Zuber points out at the top of the section - WW1 is very much a part of daily life in America - for the men called to service, for the mothers, wives and daughters and even for the children of the nation. It is not some remote and distant foreign policy, everyone is in the fight - in some way - the entire citizenry - and non-citizens alike - as we will discuss a bit later in the show. [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project From the Great War Project Blog - we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War project. Mike is going to tell us about the collapsing eastern front as Russia stalls and Germany develops a new naval and Storm Trooper prowess in their baltic sea offensive. Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/09/russia-collapsing-on-land-and-sea/ [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky This week in the Great War in the sky, America begins to mass produce a two seater bomber! Although through all of WWI, America never produced or or fielded a single American fighter plane, we did manufacture a bunch of them - and this week 100 years ago, the US Army Air Service put in an order for thousands of British designed DeHavilland DH-4 planes. The version they ordered were to be delivered with the US made American Liberty 12 cylinder engine - rather than the Rolls Royce engine of the British version. It was slow going at first, but in the end, the Dayton Wright company delivered over 3,100 of them, General Motors 1,600 of them and Standard Aircraft corporation another 160. And it all started 100 years ago this week in the war in the sky. You can follow the War in The sky by checking with our comprehensive timeline, curated by former fighter pilot, air force general and author RG head. Go to ww1cc.org/warinthesky - all lower case or follow the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/1181-timeline-of-wwi-aviation-history-demo.htm#1917 [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel To watch videos about WW1, we recommend our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They offer well over 400 episodes about WW1 and from a more European perspective. New episodes for this week include: Sabotage in the Desert Then - Indy Nydel takes viewers’ questions in a “Out of the Trenches” segment which is always popular with their regular viewers - this time: Electricity, the Wright Brothers and Hip Firing MGs -- And finally an episode called Evolution of British Battle Tanks in WW1 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Commission News In this week’s in Commission news, a follow up on the US Mint’s unveiling of the 2018 WWI Centennial Silver Dollar. The unveiling happened on October 9 and was hosted by the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army, Ryan McCarthy, during A-USA meeting in Washington DC also known as the National Meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army. This was followed up on October 10 with the unveiling of the designs for five silver medals that will be issued in conjunction with the Centennial Silver Dollar. Each medal, composed of 90 percent silver, pays homage to branches of the U.S. Armed Forces that were active in World War I. We set up a website at ww1cc.org/coin where you’ll find press releases with detail information, the presentations and bios of the speakers, lots of links and images. The coins and medals will be available in early 1918. Follow the links in the podcast notes for more information. Link:https://www.ww1cc.org/Coin https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-unveils-winning-designs-to-be-featured-on-world-war-i-centennial-silver-dollar https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/commemorative-coins/world-war-i-centennial http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3218-us-mint-unveils-design-for-new-congressionally-authorized-coin-honoring-america-s-veterans-of-world-war-i.html [SOUND EFFECT] Update for #CountDownToVeteransDay In an update for #CountDownToVeteransDay we wanted to let you know about the official WW1 Centennial commemoration flags that honor the memory of our WWI doughboys. There is a wonderful full-size 3 foot by 5 foot flag and also small 12” by 8” ground stake flag designed to make an ideal marker for veteran resting places. Both feature the centennial graphics and the doughboy icon. The flags are manufactured out of high quality nylon materials, and of course made in the USA - They are available exclusively at the WWI Centennial Commission’s Official Merchandise shop which you will find under the Commemorate menu or by following the link in the podcast notes. But hurry - don’t wait - supplies are limited and orders are shipped in 7-10 days. Rush orders carry a 20% surcharge. link:https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/merchandise-gifts-awards/memorial-flag-world-war-1-one https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/merchandise-gifts-awards/flag https://shop.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php [SOUND EFFECT] US Citizenship and Immigration Services Many individual government agencies are commemorating the first world war and today we’d like to highlight the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Joining us are Allison Finkelstein FinkelSTEEN and Zack Wilske, Historians at the USCIS History Office and Library. Welcome to both of you! [exchange greetings] [Let’s start with you Zack - in 1914 how was this area of the government organized? ] [Allison - Stories abound - about immigrants - not even citizens yet that came to America and found themselves going “back over there” to fight in the countries they immigrated from - like Italy - Are there any specific stories like that come to mind?] [So to both of you - the USCIS has a new web page about the WWI Centennial - What will we find there and how about some of your other WWI Centennial activities ] [Thank you both so much for being here!] That was Allison Finkelstein and Zack Wilske, Historians at the USCIS History Office and Library. Learn more about the USCIS and WW1 by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/agency-history/mass-immigration-and-wwi https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/world-war-i Activities and Events [Sound Effect] World War 100 Symposium Combining events and our Updates from the States - we are going to the Badger state - Wisconsin! Where they are holding The World War 100 Symposium at the University of Wisconsin on the Madison campus October 27th. The symposium was put together by the University and the Wisconsin World War One Centennial Committee - It is a great example of how the State WWI centennial Commissions are nurturing and support WW1 Commemorative events! The World War 100 Symposium will premiere the Documentary film “Dawn of the Red Arrow” which follows the Wisconsin National Guard in 1917 when the iconic 32nd "Red Arrow" Division was born and earned its place in history on the battlefields of France in World War I. The program is filled with great events, experts, subjects and speakers including including participation by Sir Hugh Strachan - considered by many as the pre-eminent historian on WWI and who joined us on here on the podcast In Episode #32. Sir Hugh Strachan in Kansas Then On Nov. 2nd, Sir Hugh will be speaking at the National World War One Museum and Memorial in Kansas City at a free evening public event in advance of the Museum’s second international symposium on WWI “1917: America Joins the Fight” featuring renowned scholars from across the world. Follow the links in the podcast notes for information and access to these symposia and other great WWI commemoration events happening around the country. As a reminder - we invite YOU to add your own event to the National U.S. WW1 Centennial Events Register. Go to ww1cc.org/events, click the big red button and post your WW1 commemoration event for all to discover. And as we mentioned last week - we just added a new category for Social Media Events - so if you are planning a Facebook Live, livestream, WW1 Hackathon or other online WW1 commemoration event - get it posted and let our community of interest know! link: http://ww1cc.org/events https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-war-100-a-centennial-symposium-tickets-35793410053 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47362/world-war-100-symposium.html https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/2017-symposium https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/2017-symposium/presentations [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- English, is constantly absorbing new words from other languages. This week’s Word for Speaking WWI comes from working in close quarters with Urdu speaking soldiers from the British Colonial forces. In Urdu kusi means pleasure or convenience and in WWI the word spread amongst soldiers in the trenches transforming as these words always do into a word that means “easy” or “comfortable” - Cushie! And you thought that word came from Cushion… Nawww - Cushion came from latin for hip or thigh... In WWI the troops also used Cushie to describe a wound which was non-fatal but could potentially get them sent home or, at the least, away from the front line. In 1915 an english physician wrote: “When you are in the trenches a cushy wound... seems the most desirable thing in the world.” Cushy, this week’s speaking WW1 word - “A most desirable way to get hit during the war”. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/oxford-english-dictionary/word-origins_b_4904467.html http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26277732 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Andrew Capets 100 cities It’s time for a 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project profile. Round #2 is open so you can apply for a matching grant to rescue, restore or build a WWI Memorial in your community - but you have to submit the application before January 15th! Last week, we profiled a project from Ridgewood, NJ. This week, we head to Trafford, PA. Joining us is Andrew Capets, Member of the Trafford Veterans Memorial Renovation Committee and Author of a new book “Good War, Great Men” a commemoration to the 313th Machine Gun Battalion of World War I Welcome, Andrew! [exchange greetings] [Andrew, in your application your moto was: Our Memorial, Our Community and Our Project Who all came together to restore this memorial?] [Your WWI Memorial was originally dedicated in 1919 - that is earlier than most - Tell us about its dedication?] [I have seen the before and after images of the memorial and it is really beautiful! Do you have Veterans day plans there?] [You produced a really nice video for the project - tell us about that?] [Andrew congratulations on being a Round #1 awardee and for your group doing such a great job on behalf of our WWI Doughboys! We surely do speak for them!] That was Andrew Capets, Member of the Trafford Veterans Memorial Renovation Committee and Author of the new book “Good War, Great Men” a commemoration to the 313th Machine Gun Battalion of World War I We will continue to profile not only awardees but also teams that are continuing on to round #2 which is now open for submissions. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3166-first-50-official-wwi-centennial-memorials-to-be-announced.html TraffordHistory.org https://www.amazon.com/Good-War-Great-Men-Battalion/dp/0692951024/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1507647838&sr=1-1&keywords=good+men+great+war [SOUND EFFECT] Education Ahoy teachers and learners! With education as our theme we are very happy to announce the launch of the commission’s new EDUCATION WEBSITE at ww1cc.org/edu all lower case. The site is filled with resources for teachers and learners, access to our semi-monthly educator newsletter and more. A brand new idea is that registered educators are eligible to submit information and images about the work they have done with students to teach and commemorate America’s involvement in the First World War. Check out the new website and if you are an educator, register to submit your programs to share with others. We invite you to follow the link in the podcast notes. [SOUND EFFECT] Stories of Service Interview with Rex Passion In our “Remember the veterans” section, today we have with us Rex Passion, author of the book The Lost Sketchbooks: A Young Artist in the Great War. Welcome, Rex! [exchange greetings] [Rex: What is the Lost Sketchbooks about? How did you wind up writing The Lost Sketchbooks] [Rex - it really sounds like a treasure trove of discovery --- the book is really beautiful and the art is amazing - so Is there one sketch that stands out for you in particular?] [From the images I have seen, they really hit me harder than many of the photos I’ve seen!] [You just completed and launched a new website on the WW1 centennial server at WW1CC.org/sketch to support the book - What are we going to find there?] [So we can follow his experience day by day - that’s really great.] Rex - thank you so much for joining us! That was Rex Passion, author of The Lost Sketchbooks and curator of the website at ww1cc.org/sketch. Follow the links in the podcast notes for the website, rex’s facebook page and to order the book. Link: http://ww1cc.org/sketch https://www.facebook.com/thelostsketchbooks/ https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Sketchbooks-Young-Artist-Great/dp/0982821956 [SOUND EFFECT] Interview with Jerry Michaud: Roll of Honor We have a second interview in our Remembering the Veterans segment as we #countdowntoveteransday - With us is Jerry Michaud, Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation. Welcome Jerry! [greetings] [Jerry- tell us a bit about the Roll of Honor foundation and what it does to help remember our veterans?] [This year you set up a WWI section - The World War 1 Centennial Commission and Roll of Honor are working on a unique collaboration; can you tell us about it?] [So if I submit a Story of service on either website, it will be added to my veteran’s profile right?] [When I get a tribute wreath for my veteran, how much money goes to Roll of Honor and how much goes to building the National WWI Memorial in Washington DC?] Thank you so much for being here today and for the Roll of Honor’s great work in profiling those who served! That was Jerry Michaud, Executive Director of the Roll of Honor Foundation Roll of Honor. You can learn more about Roll of Honor and their collaboration with the Commission by following the links in the podcast notes and by going to www.rollofhonor.org/ww1 links:www.rollofhonor.org/ww1 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service/submit-a-story-of-service.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3187-five-questions-for-jerry-michaud.html [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts This week in our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - And the content really is pouring in! We have now published over 3,200 articles - If you read one article a day it would take you 8 years and 9 months to read the whole site as it sits now. Anna Coleman Ladd A new article this week under WW1cc.org/news, is about Anna Coleman Ladd and her unusual work with WW1 veterans. Ladd was an American sculptor who studied sculpture in Paris and Rome before WWI. After the war broke out, she devoted her time to giving soldiers, whose faces were disfigured by gas, or explosives, or other wounds - artistic prosthetic masks. Cosmetic surgery as we know it today did not exist - but there was relief from disfigurement - See the article featuring before and after photographs that show how WWI soldiers’ horrific facial injuries were surgically repaired, then covered with the sculpted prosthetics that Ladd developed. Follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3222-american-born-sculptor-built-facial-prosthetics-for-wwi-soldiers.html WWrite Blog And now for an update on our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "God Armeth the Patriot." These words come from Thomas Croft Neibaur NIGH-BOWER, the first Mormon to receive the Medal of Honor during WWI - for his heroism during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. This is know as one of the bloodiest battles in American military history. Writer Benjamin Sonnenberg returns to the WWrite blog this week with another riveting short story, inspired by Neibaur's letters home. Delve into Neibaur's legendary experience in WWI with this captivating, well-researched, fictional narrative by visiting ww1cc.org/wwrite Link: www.ww1cc.org.wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3214-a-pretty-tame-one-thomas-croft-neibaur.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have a couple of stories to share with us today! Thanks Theo! Souvernir AEF En Haute Marne Last week we mentioned the rededication of new sculptures of General Pershing and Lafayette in Versaille. The ceremony went very smoothly and now the statues are in their rightful places overlooking the Avenue Des Etats Unis. If you want to see images of the ceremony and the statues, you should check out the facebook page for the Souvenir AEF En Haute Marne, a French-based page commemorating the American Expeditionary Force’s time in the Haute Marne region of France. Find it and view many images and articles from the ceremony at Versaille by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004218645049&hc_ref=ARRl4MJwZFrnBS67Gn1YtMKpIJvb0xpP3abmRdPkTvN0hXYBWJr7El9Q2h4-XEUp0X0 Buster Keaton Finally this week, we’ll close out by celebrating Buster Keaton, whose birthday was celebrated last week and commemorated by the National WW1 museum and Memorial with a little video clip and a story. Keaton served with the 40th infantry division, and carried his sense of humor and mischievousness with him throughout his service. A little anecdote to close us out: While with his battalion in Camp Upton, Buster observed how the officers, who were allowed to come and go in and out of camp, dressed in just their uniform shirts and ties and saluted the sentries. Buster took off his tunic, hopped into the back of his girlfriend's Packard roadster, and drove past the military police, giving that lazy salute that had them convinced he was like any other officer. He returned that night after a fabulous dinner with his girl and the next day the unit left for France. Learn more at the link in the podcast notes. And that’s it this week for the Buzz! link:https://www.facebook.com/theworldwar/videos/10155710368571241/?hc_ref=ARRMFTxtTgXJEikfHtgnzTuzuZPt-fgfd1UKWKAkCAiEXxmmh2Ym47J2MQvoempnGkU http://www.militarymuseum.org/Keaton.html That’s a really funny story…. Thank you Katherine. [SOUND EFFECT] Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster and his update on the situation in Russia Allison S. Finkelstein and Zack Wilske talking with us about the USCIS commemoration of the war Andrew Capets from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Trafford, Pennsylvania Rex Passion speaking with us about his WW1 book and now website - The Lost Sketchbooks Jerry Michaud telling us about Roll of Honor and their collaboration with the Commission Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Ale xa enabled devices. 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 with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Hey - I’m just here on my tushie sittin’ a cushie, cushie cushion listening to the WW1 Centennial News podcast… life is good! So long!
Highlights: Ask Alexa: “Play W W 1 Centennial News Podcast” |@ 01:00 Second Liberty Bond drive launches |@ 02:00 Spy ring in Palestine - Mike Shuster |@ 06:25 War In the Sky - RiesenFlugzeug - behemoths of the sky |@ 10:10 Great War Alliance Forum |@ 13:05 Follow up on Cardines Field rededication |@ 13:55 Holding talks about WWI in communities - Richard Rubin |@ 15:15 Speaking WWI - This week: “Booby Trap” |@ 21:30 100C/100M in Ridgewood, NJ - Chris Stout |@ 23:10 “Rendezvous With Death” - David Hanna |@ 28:30 Pershing/Lafayette statues rededicated in Versaille |@ 34:40 Trek through the Dolomites - WWrtie Blog w Shannon Huffman Polson |@ 36:00 The Buzz on #CountdownToVeteransDay -Katherine Akey |@ 36:55----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - 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 October 4th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Richard Rubin, author of The Last of the Doughboys and Back Over There Chris Stout from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Ridgewood, New Jersey And David Hanna, author of the WW1 book and now website - Rendezvous with Death WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. Preface Before we get going today I wanted to let you know, especially all of you who own Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled device, Alexa has a new skill. If you say “Alexa, play the “W” “W” one centennial news podcast” she will dutifully find the most current episode on the internet and play it for you. We are excited because that opens up WW1 Centennial News to 20 million new player and all you have to do is ask! Welcome to the future - but right now - let’s jump into our wayback machine and head 100 years into the past! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] Yes, we’ve gone back in time 100 years to explore the war that changed the world! And It’s the first week of October 1917. What’s on the US government’s mind this week? Raising money to pay for the war! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline October 1st 1917 Headline: Secretary of the treasury - McAdoo begins Second Liberty Loan Drive... Five Billion Dollars from Ten Million Subscribers fixed as goal! So In 1917, financing a war with deficit spending is not at all the plan. The Wilson administration is determined to raise the money needed for this immense effort, and in part, by issuing of government backed war bonds. This is innovative… and it is interesting to note, that the same 1917 law that authorizes the war bonds will continue to be used to sell US treasury bonds 100 years later! Back in June (during our episode 24), we reported on the Wilson administration touting the first liberty loan drive was an unprecedented and huge success. In fact, they raised $2 billion dollars from five and one half million people! A century later that $2 billion is the equivalent of 38 billion dollars. So - not too bad! This Second Liberty Bond drive is targeting twice as much revenue from two times as many subscribers. Though there is a lot of controversy about how successful the liberty bond program is, with the government claiming HUGE success and other press of the time criticizing lackluster enthusiasm and talking about the discounting of the bonds, anyone who has ever undertaken to raise substantial amounts of money KNOWS, it’s no cake walk! Focusing on participation by the general public as small investors -- Secretary Mcadoo reaches out to the administration’s secret weapon --- their powerhouse of propaganda, their empresario of promo, their master of emotion, their superman of spin - George Creel’s Committee on Public Information! This is the same outfit that publishes the daily Official Bulletin that we use here on the podcast every week to tell you the story of WW1, and whose pages we re-publish daily on the centennial anniversary of their original publication at ww1cc.org/bulletin. Anyway, Creel is probably America’s first marketing genius. He shows up as the man behind the curtain all over the place during this period... And with outrageous but brilliant ideas - like in late May -- as the first Liberty loan drive wraps up, he gets all churches, schools and city halls around the country to ring their bells every night in a countdown to the end of the first drive! Talk about taking your promotion to the grassroots. Last week we reported on the massive national billboard campaign for “Food will win the war” including using electric lights to light up the billboards at night. We have not verified that Creel was the man behind this endeavor, but it has his style written all over it. He is also a multi-media and social media genius… and In 1917 that means the flaming hot new media of the MOVIES and the Phonograph. Before the 4th liberty bond sale is over, and there will be 4 of them - Creel will have recruited the biggest stars of the day including Al jolson, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and his premiere celebrity pitch man - Charlie Chaplin Creel doesn’t just go big, he also goes wide. George puts together a citizen army of 70,000 called “the 4 minute men”. He arms them with 4 minutes speeches - And in this case - on why buying Bonds is the key to Liberty and Freedom for Americans and why it is every citizens patriotic duty to participate He sends this army into every movie theater in the nation, arranging for them to make their presentation just before the features film. And so McAdoo launches his second liberty loan campaign 100 years ago this week! [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Now we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog, to walk us through his fascinating post - A Ring of Spies in Palestine… all about a Jewish Spy ring assisting the british against the turks --- that gets busted by the turkish Secret Police... Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2017/10/01/ring-of-spies-in-palestine/ War in the Sky This week in the Great War in the sky, there are two stories worth noting. The first involves a british Battle cruiser - The HMS Repulse. At the time, she is touted to be the fastest battle ship of the fleet. On October 1st 1917, having built a strange - slightly up-angled - platform on top of the turret of one of the big 15-inch guns - her captain faces the Repulse into the wind --. Sitting atop the platform, Royal Naval Air Service Commander F.J. Rutland fires up the engine on his Sopwith Pup fighter plane. He cranks the RPM, higher, higher and higher still as the battle cruiser pushes into the wind - Finally he lets loose the brakes and his planes takes to the air making it the first fighter plane ever launched from such a ship! He, of course, does NOT attempt a landing on same! And we have a link in the podcast notes showing you a picture of the rig they used. Also this week, on October 5th, after a long period of unfavorable weather, the Germans finally send planes to the UK for a night raid on London. Nineteen Gotha bombers and two Reisenflugzeug bombers come at the brits in several waves causing quite a bit of damage but inflicting no casualties. Now… Reisenflugzeug literally means GIANT AIRPLANE in German… and they were. These multi-engine behemoths had wingspans of 100 feet or more and seemed more like an exercise in the art of the possible instead of the art of war. This was to be the last German raid against the UK until January of 1918 - the Gotha bombers and two of these behemoth flying machines let loose their payloads over the UK during the war in the sky - 100 years ago this week. We also have a link to a picture of a Reisenflugzeug in the podcast notes. Link: http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/331/146/mid_000000.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Riesenflugzeug_Siemens_Schuckert_VIII_1918.jpg/1200px-Riesenflugzeug_Siemens_Schuckert_VIII_1918.jpg [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel If you’d like to watch some videos about WW1, visit our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They have well over 400 episodes about WW1 and from a more European perspective. New episodes for this week include: The Battle of Polygon Wood Recap of Our Trip to Italy and Slovenia And Denmark in WW1 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Commission News This week in Commission news, we highlight a panel discussion about the Origins of the Trilateral Alliance - The alliance between Britain, America and France during World War One, its difficult birth, and its enduring impact after the war. The event was part of the Great War Alliance Forum at the Meridian International Center, a premier nonprofit global leadership organization headquartered in Washington DC Our own Commissioner Monique Seefried was part of the team that explored the history of the trilateral alliance; societal changes and the future of global conflict. You can read more about the event and watch the videos of this insightful discussion by following the link in the podcast notes. Link:https://www.meridian.org/project/the-great-war-alliance-forum/ [Sound Effect] Activities and Events Cardines Field Next, in our Activities and Events Section, we wanted to follow up on our report about the Rededication of Cardines Baseball Field which took place on September 29th, US Centennial Commissioner Jack Monahan attended the event in Rhode island, that included an Army-Navy baseball game played by students from the U.S. Naval War College dressed in period baseball uniforms. Thanks to Associated Press reporter Jennifer McDermott from Rhode Island, the story about this unique and fun WW1 commemoration event got picked up by newspapers, blogs and posts all around the country This includes the New York Times, the Washington Post and local papers in Washington State, North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma and more. Check out the articles from across the country in the podcast notes. We invite YOU to add your own event to the National U.S. WW1 Centennial Events Register. Go to ww1cc.org/events, click the big red button and post your WW1 commemoration event for all to discover. We just added a new category this week for Social Media Events - so if you are planning a Facebook Live, livestream, WW1 Hackathon or other online WW1 commemoration event - get it posted and let our community of interest know! links: http://ww1cc.org/events https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/29/us/ap-us-wwi-baseball-game.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/09/28/army-soldiers-and-navy-sailors-to-recreate-world-war-i-era-baseball-game/?utm_term=.aa623b76c64e http://www.thenewportbuzz.com/batter-up-naval-war-college-to-host-wwi-baseball-at-cardines-field-this-friday/12817 http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/article175660656.html http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article175660656.html http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Sailors-and-soldiers-to-recreate-World-War-I-12240885.php http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/sports/article_d3a6e966-fb51-5b87-8718-dc03ab061fae.html http://newsok.com/sailors-and-soldiers-to-recreate-world-war-i-baseball-game/article/feed/1435175 https://www.theet.com/web_exclusive/us/sailors-and-soldiers-recreate-world-war-i-baseball-game/article_3da2b656-0e29-5316-845e-0fa637e2e5d2.html http://www.phillytrib.com/news/state_and_region/sailors-and-soldiers-recreate-world-war-i-baseball-game/article_2bc1387a-441a-5107-a1b6-00254a8585a9.html [SOUND EFFECT] Richard Rubin Talks To Towns We are joined by our good friend Richard Rubin - author of the WWI books, The Last of the Doughboys and Back Over There. Richard is joining us today to talk to us about his experiences during speaking engagements across the country about World War One. Welcome, Richard! [exchange greetings] [So Richard, you have gone around the country to speak about your books, the research that went into them and World War 1 at large - tell us a bit about these events?] [Richard, you mentioned that people often come with artifacts, photos, mementos, and family histories. Why do you think people are so eager to share these with you? ] [-Is there one story or artifact that someone brought in that stands out in your mind?] [-If somebody wants to have hold one of these events, how do they get a hold of you?] Richard Rubin - Thank you very much for coming on! That was author Richard Rubin, we have links in the podcast notes to Richard’s website which is also a great way to contact him. link:https://www.richardrubinonline.com/ [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- First some background - In spanish, a bobo is a fool, a clown, or someone who is easily cheated" … in the late 1800’s the term was anglicised into “booby” for terms like Booby Prize - and Booby Trap… then, it signified a prank like a book, or water put atop a door left ajar - so when someone walked in - Sploosh! And a great big guffaw! In WWI the word ‘Booby Trap” this week’s speaking WW1 word - took on a whole new sinister meaning! The English journalist Sir Philip Gibbs wrote in his war memoir From Bapaume to Passchendaele: “the enemy left … slow-working fuses and ‘booby-traps’ to blow a man to bits or blind him for life if he touched a harmless looking stick or opened the lid of a box, or stumbled over an old boot.” So troops picked up the phrase to describe a myriad of explosive devices deliberately disguised as a harmless objects often left behind in territory that exchanged hands, hidden in doorways, set to go off when a curious soldier opened the lid to a box or rifled through abandoned equipment. In modern times with this tactic becoming a major tool in asymmetric warfare the term was updated to IED - Improvised Explosive Device. Booby-trap --- a fool’s trap - one more word that was altered forever during the War that Changed the World. See the podcast notes to learn more! link: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jun/28/first-world-war-one-soldiers-tommies-common-language-trenches http://joellambert.com/123/history-booby-traps/ [SOUND EFFECT] 100 Cities/100 Memorials Chris Stout - Ridgewood, NJ Next, we are going to profile another 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. That is our $200,000 matching grant giveaway to rescue ailing WW1 memorials. Last week, we profiled a project from Swanton Ohio. This week, we head to Ridgewood, NJ. Joining us is Chris Stout, a member of Ridgewood’s American Legion Post 53 and a self-appointed amateur local historian. Welcome, Chris! [exchange greetings] [Chris.. The saying is “a man is not dead until he is forgotten” and that frames your 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. Tell us about it.] [What was your reaction when you learned about being one of the awardees for a Matching Grant by the program?] [Can you tell us about the rededication that took place on Memorial day?] [Chris - What distinguishes your project - for me - is that it is a fairly small project that is righting a large issue… Congratulations to you and your whole post!] Thank you so much for being here with us today! That was Chris Stout, member of American Legion Post 53, local historian and resident of Ridgewood, New Jersey. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their unique and amazing projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3166-first-50-official-wwi-centennial-memorials-to-be-announced.html [SOUND EFFECT] Stories of Service Rendezvous With death - Interview with David Hanna In our “Remember the veterans” section, today we have David Hanna with us. David is a history teacher at Stuyvesant (Sty-ves-ant) High School in New York City and author of two books, Knights of the Sea about a naval battle that occurred off the coast of Maine in 1813; and Rendezvous with Death, about the original group of American volunteers in the French Army in 1914. Welcome, David! [exchange greetings] [David, how did you come to write a book about the American Volunteers of WW1?] [As you’ve noted, the dozens of Americans that volunteered in 1914 represented a cross-section of American society at the time. What common impulse made them volunteer for the war?] [There are many famous individuals who volunteered early on in the war: Ernest Hemingway, Alan Seeger, e. e. cummings, Walt Disney… but of all the many volunteers you’ve researched, does anyone stand out to you?] [David: How did you decide on the title “Rendezvous with Death”?] [David - put up a website on the Commissions server - what kinds of information can I find there?] Thank you so much for joining us! That was David Hanna, author of Rendezvous with Death and curator of the website at ww1cc.org/rendezvous The links are in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/rendezvous-with-death-home-page.html https://www.amazon.com/Rendezvous-Death-Americans-Foreign-Civilization/dp/1621573966/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 International Report For our International Report, we head to France, to the town of Versaille for an interesting story about two companion statues one of General Pershing and the other of the Marquis de Lafayette The statues were recently restored and re-dedicated on October 6th 2017. The dual monuments to the generals were originally built in 1937, two equestrian statues of the generals on nine meter tall pedestals on either side of the road leading into the town of Versaille. The two statues were erected to commemorate the friendship between France and the United States and to pay tribute to the Americans troops for their significant contribution to the Allied victory in 1918. The statues were hastily built in plaster with a bronze patina (puh-tee-nuh) so they could be in place and on view for they’re inauguration, which took place with General Pershing present on a European tour. The plaster statues were quickly damaged by exposure and had never been replaced, until now. On October 6th 2017, exactly 80 years after the initial inauguration, permanent versions of the statues were re-dedicated. Read more about the statues and the rededication at the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.pershing-lafayette-versailles.org/ http://centenaire.org/fr/en-france/versailles-ceremonie-restauration-monument-pershing-la-fayette WWrite Blog It’s time for an update for our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: “What the Mountains Hold: A Writer's Trek Through the Dolomites of Mark Helprin's WWI Italy” The post brings a fresh face to the WWI Italy described in Hemingway's “A Farewell to Arms”. Author and veteran, Shannon Huffman Polson, takes us on a spellbinding trek through the Dolomites, where 689,000 Italians perished during the war. Following the footsteps of characters from Mark Helprin's novel, “A Soldier of the Great War”, Polson leads us through the stark, striking landscape of one of Italian-history's most indelible memories. A stunning narrative not to be missed! Read it by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org.wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3190-what-the-mountains-hold.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have two stories to share with us today - Take it away! Thanks Theo! Fort Riley and the 1st Division Museum Watch a great video series about the 1st division in WW1! link:https://www.facebook.com/FtRileyMuseums/ https://www.facebook.com/FtRileyMuseums/videos/1217575371721494/ Countdown to Veterans Day Follow us as we #countdowntoveteransday . You can join in, too! link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/845531832288783/?type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/countdowntoveteransday https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/countdowntoveteransday/?hl=en Closing Well It’s time to wrap things up - and for those who listen through to the very end of the episode you know about the little treats we always put there. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster and his report on espionage in the middle east Richard Rubin, telling us about his experiences speaking across the country Chris Stout from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Ridgewood, New Jersey David Hanna giving us insight into the Americans who joined the war well before America did Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News, and on Amazon Echo or other Alexa enabled devices. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music - The man behind the hammer and the plow - Arthur Fields - Edison Record] Alexa: Play the W W 1 Centennial News Podcast [Alexa response] So long!
Highlights Food Will Win The War |@01:15 Anti-war sentiment and the IWW Union - Mike Shuster |@05:35 “Those Draftin’ Blues” Maceo Pinkard timely tune |@10:00 Terry Hamby elected Chair of the US WW1 Centennial Commission |@12:50 US Mint to introduce their memorial coin design |@14:00 Re-dedication of the Bernado Cardeens Baseball Field in RI |@14:40 Speaking WWI - OMG! Really!? |@16:15 100C/100M First 50 “WWI Centennial Memorials” announced |@17:40 100C/100M Project Profile - Swanton, OH with Mayor Ann Roth |@18:45 Researching Stories of Service with author Christy Leskovar |@24:00 Underwater Archeology - The WW1 Cruiser the USN San Diego |@29:30 WWrite Blog - Poet James Seamon Cotter Jr. by Connie Ruzich |@31:00 A BIG BUZZ this month |@32:00 ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is September 27th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Mayor Ann Roth from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Swanton, Ohio And Christy Leskovar, author of One Night in a Bad Inn and Finding the Bad Inn WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] We’ve gone back in time 100 years to explore the war that changed the world! It’s the last week of September 1917, let’s take a look at what happened this month: The pages of the Official Bulletin are overflowing with articles about food, the food administration, and their impact on the war effort, with articles about food appearing every day this month. Here are a few of note: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 12th, 1917 Headline: Government not to seize food supplies held in homes There is no truth in a widely circulated statement that the Government expects to take food supplies from any family. Both the Food Administration and the Department of Agriculture join in a statement to counteract, what seems to be deliberate propaganda to the effect that the Government intends to take from every family all canned goods put up, in excess of 100 quarts. TM - Apparently this was only one of many variations of rumors about the government seizing food [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 15th, 1917 Headline: Government licenses for manufacturers, refiners and importers of sugar, sirups, and molasses required From time to time, whenever the President shall find it essential to license the importation, manufacture, storage, mining or distribution of any necessaries… The president is authorized to issue such licenses and to prescribe regulations of the issuance of licenses. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 17th, 1917 Headline: Slogan “food will win war--don’t waste it” emblazoned on huge signs throughout country Through the cooperation of advertising companies, the Treasury Department, municipal authorities and electric-light companies, the US Food Administration is, without cost, putting on a national outdoor advertising campaign that is probably the biggest thing of the sort ever undertaken. The slogan “Food will win the war -- don't waste it” is being emblazoned in every large city in the country on immense signs on public buildings. These signs are uniform in general design, in paint for daytime display and illuminated by electric light for night. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 20th, 1917 Headline: American people can have full diet and still supply pressing needs of allies The supplies in the world’s larder for the next twelve months are now known. They are too short to support our allies unless every man, woman and child enters National service by conserving food and supporting the Food Administration [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 20th, 1917 Headline: Big european demand upon america for meat will continue after war The immediate problem is to furnish increased meat supplies to the allies to maintain them during the war… the impact of european demand upon our animal products will be maintained for a long period of years after peace. We must undertake to meet the demand not only during the war, so as to enable our allies to continue to fight, but we must be prepared to meet the demand after the war. TM: So food is a big topic of national discussion during the month of September 100 years ago this week. Also in the news, casualty reports start to trickle into the Bulletin this month. Only a few thousand American soldiers have made it to Europe, and their primary tasks is training, preparing, training and preparing. Despite their small numbers and their relative distance from the front, war is war and casualties start to become an ever more frequent occurrence. Soldiers get killed during a german air raid on a hospital, others in an air raid on an encampment; two aviators die in a mid-air collision during training while a third dies of an undisclosed accident; others die from meningitis or heart disease. Though tragic, these deaths are just a glimpse of what’s to come: life in the trenches, artillery fire, bombings, gas and the 1918 flu epidemic are challenges yet to come. - Go to our website to catch up on all the stories from 100 years ago this month. You can read the full daily issues of the Official Bulletin the government’s war gazette published at the order of President Wilson as the government’s voice of the war - you will find daily issues that we re-publish on the centennial anniversary of their original publish date at ww1cc.org/bulletin. [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Outside of the Official Bulletin, which is essentially the government’s propaganda machine - other reports appear of a continuing and steady rise of anti-war sentiment. We are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog, to tell us more about the on-going and perhaps ever more active anti-war movement in the US. Welcome, Mike! [MIKE SHUSTER] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog with a look at the anti-war sentiment of some Americans 100 years ago this month. LINK: The growing anti-war movement in the US http://greatwarproject.org/2017/09/17/in-the-u-s-a-growing-anti-war-movement/ https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03E6DA103AE433A25753C2A96F9C946696D6CF&legacy=true “Those Draftin’ Blues” Whether they are pro-war or not, America’s entry into this global conflict is now touching the lives of most every Americans. Reflecting this, On September 24th 1917, composer Maceo Pinkard publishes “Those Draftin’ Blues”, a sorrowful tune with a message that resonates with many across the country . [MUSIC] Count Basie orchestration and re-recording of the song from 1940 Link: http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/movies/music_life_02.html# [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel If you would like to see videos about WW1, we invite you to visit our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They have been covering WW1 since the centennial of when war broke in 2014 - and from a more European perspective. Highlights from the last few weeks include: We are coming to Italy and Slovenia! - Which is an announcement of their plans to produce episode on their next road trips through Europe. Inside a British WW1 Airbase - Which comes from their last road trip to the UK. A history and battle story: British Advance at Passchendaele And an interesting episode - The Serbian Uniforms of WW1 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 [SOUND TRANSITION] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history. Instead it is about how the centennial of “the War that changed the world” is being commemorated today. Commission News We will begin our September 2017 wrapup with some news from the commission… on September 13th, during the Commission's quarterly meeting, in Washington, DC, Commissioner Terry Hamby as elected as the new Chair of the Commission. Commissioner Hamby follow Chair Robert J. Dalessandro, who has led the US World War I Centennial Commission since 2014. "This is a huge honor for me," Commissioner Hamby said during his acceptance. "Both my father and my great uncle served in World War I. My great uncle was lost in the Battle of the Meuse Argonne. I will put my whole heart into this job." Commissioner Hamby is a Vietnam-era veteran, serving in the Navy during that war, and later in the Army Reserve, retiring in 1993, after 26 years of service. Learn more about this great veteran, entrepreneur and the new Chair of the US WW1 Centennial Commission by following the link in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3133-u-s-world-war-i-centennial-commission-elects-hamby-new-chair.html Coin Rollout Early next month on October 9, The United States Mint is going to unveil their design for a WW1 Commemorative Coin - The design was selected by the mint, with a juried competition, resulting in thier selection of a 2018 World War I American Veterans Centennial - silver dollar. The press announcement revealing their design will coincide with the A-USA - the Association of the United States Army - conference in Washington DC. Also coming in 2018 will be five silver medals honoring the individual branches of the U.S. military — the Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force and Coast Guard. link:https://www.usmint.gov/news/design-competitions/world-war-i Activities and Events [SOUND EFFECT] Cardines Field For our Activities and Events Segment, we’re going to profile our pick of the week, selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events where are compiling and recording the WW1 Commemoration events from around the country. Our pick of the week is from Newport, Rhode Island. Here is the story… In 1917, when America declared war on Germany, Bernardo Cardines (cardeens) was a tailor living peacefully in Newport, RI. Cardines was an immigrant from Venafro in Italy, who emigrated alone to America in 1909 at the tender age of only fourteen. Cardines, like many American immigrants, registered for the draft and went on to serve with the 78th Division in the American Expeditionary Forces. He fought at St. Mihiel and was killed in action during a raid on German positions on September of 1918. On month, on Friday, September 29, the Rhode Island World War One Centennial Commission will rededicate the Bernardo Cardines Memorial Baseball Field. The field is one of the oldest baseball fields in the U.S. and was originally dedicated in September of 1936, in memory of Private Cardines. The re-dedication is free to the public and will include a unique commemorative event: namely - an Army-Navy baseball game that will be played by students from the U.S. Naval War College, and they are going to play the game, dressed in period baseball uniforms. That sounds like great fun! Learn more about the ceremony and Private Cardines by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47181/rededication-of-bernardo-cardines-memorial-field.html http://ww1cc.org/events https://patch.com/rhode-island/newport/private-bernardo-cardines [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And now for our feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in a century ago --- This week the word is not really a word, but an abbreviation that you would not have guessed was birthed during WW1… and that phrase is… “OMG” One hundred years ago this month, on September 9th, 1917, a retired admiral of the British navy, Lord Fisher, fired off a letter to Winston Churchill. The two men often wrote to one another about various naval aspects of the ongoing war, and in this letter --- on this day --- he wrote: My dear sir --- I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis–O.M.G. (Oh! My God!)–Shower it on the Admiralty!!” We are not really sure what he was prattling about - but on that day he did coin the term. And while you may gave always believed that OMG was a texting term from a california 18 year old mall rat - The first ever documented use of term is between two english gentlemen during world war I - OMG-- That is sooo cray cray - and it’s also this week’s word for Speaking World War One! We have a link for you to the article where we found this story in the podcast notes. link: https://www.wsj.com/article_email/omg-it-started-in-1917-with-a-letter-to-churchill-1504882081-lMyQjAxMTA3OTE4MDAxNzA3Wj/ http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/165172940448/first-use-of-omg 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] This was a big week for the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program. On Wednesday September 27th, the US World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library announced the First 50 official “WWI Centennial Memorials” That is only half of them - because every since the April 6th centennial of the the US declaration of war, the awareness, interest and focus on local WWI memorials around the country has really blossomed. So instead of just extending the submission period to give some of these new projects a chance to participate -, the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program decided name the first 50 awardees now, and then open the grant award competition for a second round staring NOW. Everyone who was part of the first round but didn’t get an award -- automatically goes into round 2 - which is already underway and runs till January 15th, next year in 2018. Meanwhile the first 50 “WWI Centennial Memorials” are officially designated and the grants are awarded.. 100C/100M Profile: Village of Swanton OH We have one of those project with us here today with the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project from from Swanton, OH. Joining us to talk about the project is Ann Roth, the Mayor of the Village of Swanton. Welcome, Mayor Roth! [exchange greetings] [Mayor Roth - how did you react to the announcement?] [So as the Mayor of a community that has undertaken one of these projects, what has been the most memorable effect on your community? ] [What plans you have for a rededication?] [what coalition came together to make this happen?] [were any veterans service organizations involved?] Mayor Roth - Thank you so much for taking on this challenge - and for being here with us here today! [Mayor ROth reply] That was Ann Roth, Mayor of the Village of Swanton, Ohio. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their unique and amazing projects on the show over the coming months. See the list of awardees, learn more about the program - at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Maybe YOUR community should go for it! Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3166-first-50-official-wwi-centennial-memorials-to-be-announced.html [SOUND EFFECT] Stories of Service Interview with Christy Leskovar In our “Remember the veterans” section, today we wanted to feature an incredible story that follows our next guest from a career as a mechanical engineer as she turns into a historical sleuth and author. With us today is Christy Leskovar to tell us more about her books, One Night in a Bad Inn and Finding the Bad Inn: Discovering My Family’s Hidden Past. Welcome, Christy! [exchange greetings] [Christy, your interest in your family history and specifically its involvement during the first world war started when you found out about a murder on your family’s ranch in Montana. Tell us about that!?] [So many people have family ties to the war and find it daunting to conduct detailed research on their own. What advice would you give those who are interested in following in your footsteps?] [That is some great advice Christy Thanks so much for joining us today! ] That was Christy Leskovar, author of the books One Night in a Bad Inn and Finding the Bad Inn: Discovering My Family's Hidden Past, which you can learn more about and purchase at the links in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2993-finding-the-great-war-on-the-way-to-the-bad-inn.html https://www.amazon.com/One-Night-Bad-Inn-Story/dp/1575101424 https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Bad-Inn-Discovering-Abridged/dp/0939872161/ref=pd_sim_14_1/144-1362782-5336769?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WJ4WW11HHTGW8R8TWZ5R Articles and Posts This week in our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org Navy to survey wreck of sunken WWI cruiser From our News section comes an article about an upcoming plan to study a sunken WW1 Cruiser. The Navy has announced plans to survey the wreck of the WWI U.S. Navy cruiser San Diego, on which six American Sailors lost their lives, when she sank as a result of enemy action off the coast of New York on July 19, 1918. The survey's objective is to assess the condition of the wreck site and determine if the ship --- the only major warship lost by the United States, was sunk as a result of a German submarine-launched torpedo or a mine. Ultimately, that data gathered will help inform the management of the sunken craft, which lies only a few miles south of Long Island. The announcement comes just weeks after the 99th anniversary of the sinking, and the survey, which was planned for Sept. 11-15, is timed to allow researchers to conduct a thorough examination of the site and prepare, then release, their findings around the date of the 100th anniversary. Underwater archaeology is always so cool!! Follow the expedition by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.centenarynews.com/article/us-navy-surveys-wreck-of-wwi-cruiser-sunk-in-1918 www.ww1cc.org/news WWrite Blog It’s time for an update about our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: “Their Only Crime: African American WWI Poet James Seamon Cotter, Jr.” "A monster... of war and not of war..." that is how James Seamon Cotter Jr. describes the genocide and racism that make up an important part of WWI's history and memory. You’ll find all this in his poem "O, Little David, Play on Your Harp": the Armenian Genocide, Russian pogroms, the Belgian atrocities, the deadly prejudice against African Americans. This week, WWI poetry-specialist, Connie Ruzich, returns to the WWrite blog to discuss Cotter, a forerunner of the African American cultural renaissance of the 1920s. Don't miss this tribute to a powerful poetic voice at ww1cc.org/wwrite - or go to the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org.wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3170-their-only-crime.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have a bunch of articles to tell us about today - Take it away! Thanks Theo! Here are some of the most interesting stories and photos we’ve shared on Facebook and Instagram in the last month! A review we shared highlights a new temporary exhibit at the Met focusing on the impact of World War 1 on visual artist. A photograph we posted on Instagram shows soldiers learning to handle and fire pistols at Camp Upton on Long Island, NY An article from War History Online outlines technologies first developed during WW1 that are still in use by the Armed Forces today We shared the story of Arlington Cemetery holding its first ever service honoring military members who have died by suicide. Another link talks about an exhibit at Bangkok’s National Library explores the Kingdom of Siam’s role in WW1 A piece from the Washington Post sheds light on the often overlooked contributions of African American Army Doctors in WW1 We also shared some really great photos from the Camp Doughboy festivities on Governors Island as well as a remarkable image of the WW1 Memorial in Memorial Park in Jacksonville Florida during the height of Irma's impact And last but not least, we posted recently the story of a Belgian marine archaeologist begins the long work of excavating a newly discovered WW1 uboat off the shores of Belgium-- a submarine that contains an estimated 23 German bodies. Check out these stories by following the links in the podcast notes, or go to ww1cc.org/social to view all the great content we’ve been sharing in the last few weeks. And that’s it for the Buzz! link:http://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2017/wwi-and-the-visual-arts https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/839216799586953/?type=3&theater https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-i/five-military-technologies-invented-wwi-still-use-today-m.html http://www.wusa9.com/news/nation/military/in-a-first-arlington-national-cemetery-honors-service-members-lost-by-suicide/470157278 http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/art/30326790 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-overlooked-story-of-104-african-american-doctors-who-fought-in-world-war-i/2017/09/22/ff2fda1e-9e0a-11e7-9c8d-cf053ff30921_story.html?utm_term=.84fd6d33b106 https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/posts/839831606192139 https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/844768992365067/?type=3&theater https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/world/europe/german-submarine-belgium.html Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog with a look at anti-war sentiment in the US Mayor Ann Roth telling us about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Swanton, Ohio Christy Leskovar, giving us insight into her journey to learn more about her family’s service Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thank you for joining us again this week. And don’t forget to share- the stories you are hearing here- with someone- about the war that changed the world! [music] OMG My dear fellow - I think it’s time to tip a pint or two! - Don’t you? So long!
WWI Centennial News SPECIAL This is another special feature presentation of the WW1 Centennial News Podcast. Welcome to PART II of “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace”. This two part special is an adaptation from a live staged event the Commission produced on the April 6, 2017 centennial of America’s entry into: “ war that changed the world”. Edward Bilous as the artistic director, and Chris Christopher as the US WW1 Centennial Commission’s executive producer pulled together an amazing group of artists, historians musician, actors, and others for a live performance staged at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City to an audience of over 3,000 attendees. For this 2-part special we have excerpted key moments from the story that unfolds, the music that was performed and the readings from a cast of amazing actors, orators, musicians and other luminaries. In Part 1 we examined the great debate in America about getting into the war, and today, in Part 2, we present how events overtook the debate and as America declared its entry into WW1.----more---- Talent Credits This podcast was adapted from the live event In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace: Centennial Commemoration of the US entry into WWI Credits for the live event include: Edward Bilous Artistic Director John Rensenhouse Narrator Michelle DiBucci Music Director Sarah Outhwaite Video Designer Carlos Murillo Script and Adaptation Greg Kalember Music Producer, Mix Engineer, Sound Design Portia Kamons Executive Artistic Producer For Virtua Creative Shelby Rose Producer, Media and Special Events For Virtua Creative Dale Morehouse Speaker Carla Noack Speaker David Paul Pre-Recorded Speaker Janith English Principal Chief of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas Sergeant Debra Kay Mooney Choctaw Nation Col. Gerald York Grandson of Sergeant Alvin C. York Deborah York Great-Granddaughter of Sergeant Alvin C. York Noble Sissle Jr. Son of Noble Sissle Featuring Musical Performances by 1st Infantry Division Band Michael Baden John Brancy Francesco Centano Billy Cliff Peter Dugan Ramona Dunlap Lisa Fisher Samantha Gossard Adam Holthus Christopher T. McLaurin Chrisi Poland Aaron Redburn Reuben Allen Matt Rombaum Alan Schwartz Yang Thou Charles Yang Alla Wijnands Bram Wijnands Cast (In Alphabetical Order) Freddy Acevedo Yetunde Felix-Ukwu Jason Francescon Khalif Gillett Emilie Karas Chelsea Kisner Christopher Lyman Marianne McKenzie Victor Raider-Wexler Artillery Master Charles B. Wood MEDIA CREDITS National World War I Museum and Memorial: TheWorldWar.org Library of Congress: LOC.gov New York Public Library: DigitalCollections.nypl.org National Archives: Archives.gov National Historic Geographic Information System: NHGIS.org State Library of New South Wales: SL.nsw.gov.au Imperial War Museums: IWM.org.uk National Museum of African American History and Culture: NMAAHC.si.edu The Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation and the York Family: SgtYork.org Australian War Memorial: AWM.gov.au National Media Museum: NationalMediaMuseum.org.uk Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Archive: WoodrowWilson.org Mathers Museum of World Culture: Mathers.indiana.edu Front Page Courtesy of The New York Times Company PODCAST THEO MAYERWW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Before we get into the main part of the show - - Let me try to set it up: [SOUND EFFECT - WAYBACK MACHINE] We have gone back in time to January 1917. Late last year, in 1916, Woodrow Wilson ran for president under the slogan “He Kept us Out Of War” and “America First” and he won - by a slim margin. In Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the middle east and other areas around the world - All tied together by colonial imperialism - the war rages on! NARRATOR Not long after the election of 1916, events would unfold at a rapid pace, until the United States reached a tipping point where isolationism could no longer be an option. January 19, 1917 – Arthur Zimmerman, Foreign Secretary of the German Empire, sent a telegram to German Ambassador to Mexico, proposing an alliance between Germany and Mexico in the event of US entry into the War. ZIMMERMAN "We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance... make war together, make peace together... and an understanding... that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.... You will inform the President of the above... as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain...." NARRATOR The British Admiralty, which had cracked German diplomatic cipher systems, decoded the message within hours. Seeking to influence the American government, the British provided the Americans a copy of the telegram. On the 28t h of February, President Wilson released the telegram to the press. The appearance of the news nationwide on March 1s t galvanized American support for entry into the war. January 31, 1917, Robert Lansing, Secretary of State, received a note from the German Ambassador to the United States. GERMAN AMBASSADOR A new situation has... been created which forces Germany to new decisions.... England is using her naval power for a criminal attempt to force Germany into submission by starvation. In brutal contempt of international law, the... powers led by England..., by ruthless pressure, compel neutral countries either to altogether forego every trade not agreeable to the Entente Powers, or to limit it according to their arbitrary decrees. From February 1, 1917, sea traffic will be stopped with every available weapon and without further notice.... NARRATOR This message from the German Ambassador directly contravened the German guarantee to Wilson that ended unrestricted submarine warfare following the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. Coupled with the Zimmerman telegram, Germany’s renewed aggression decisively changed American attitudes about the war. On February 3, 1917, the United States formally ended diplomatic relations with Imperial Germany. On February 25, 1917, the Cunard Line ship Laconia was struck by German Torpedoes. Floyd Gibbons, an American correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, was on board and lived to describe the scene: FLOYD GIBBONS At 10:30 p.m., there was a muffled noise. Five sharp blasts – the signal to abandon. We walked hurriedly down the corridor ... to the lounge which was amidships. We moved fast but there was no crowding and no panic. ...we looked down the slanting side of the ship and noticed ... her water line ... was a number of feet above the waves. ... the lifeboats... rested against the side of the ship.... I could see that we were going to have difficulty in the descent to the water. ‘Lower away!’ someone gave the order and we started downward ... toward the seemingly hungry... swells. The stern of the boat was down; the bow up, leaving us at an angle of about 45 degrees.... The tiers of lights dimmed slowly from white to yellow, then to red, and nothing was left but the murky mourning of the night..... The ship sank rapidly at the stern until at last its nose stood straight in the air. Then it slid silently down and out of sight.... NARRATOR Austin Y. Hoy, a Chicago machinery company executive working in London, cabled President Woodrow Wilson after the sinking of the LACONIA: AUSTIN HOY My beloved mother and sister, passengers on the LACONIA, have been foully murdered.... I call upon my government to preserve its citizens’ self-respect and save others of my countrymen from such deep grief as I now feel. I am of military age, able to fight. If my country can use me against these brutal assassins, I am at its call. If it stultifies my manhood and my nation’s by remaining passive under outrage, I shall seek a man’s chance under another flag. NARRATOR Events abroad also served to tip American opinion. The fall of the Russian Tsar's regime on March 15, 1917 resulted in a greater moral clarity for the Allied cause: the war was now a struggle of democratic nations against autocratic empires. Despite the passions aroused by the Zimmerman telegram and the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, Wilson himself had no personal desire to bring the US into conflict in Europe. Wilson told a journalist off the record: WILSON If there is any alternative, for God’s sake, let’s take it! NARRATOR March 20. Wilson confers with his cabinet. They unanimously vote for War. March 21. Wilson calls Congress into special session for April the 2n d . On the evening of April the second, 1917, President Wilson addresses a joint session of Congress asking for a Declaration of War. WILSON “While we do these momentous things, let us make very clear to all the world what our motives are. Our object, now as then, is to vindicate the principles of peace and justice as against selfish and autocratic power. Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its peoples, and the menace to that peace and freedom lies in the existence of autocratic governments. We have seen the last of neutrality. We are at the beginning of an age in which it will be insisted that the same standards of conduct and of responsibility for wrong done shall be observed among nations and their governments that are observed among the individual citizens of civilized states.” NARRATOR The Congress rose to its feet and applauded enthusiastically. Cheering crowds lined the streets as Wilson departed from the Capitol. As author Byron Farwell wrote: FARWELL QUOTE It was the greatest speech of Wilson’s life. At about 10:00, when the president had returned to the White House, he and his wife had dinner with friends, after which Wilson wandered into the empty cabinet room. His secretary, Joseph Tumulty, found him there: ‘Think what they were applauding,’ he said to Tumulty. ‘My message today was a message of death for our young men. How strange it seems to applaud that.’ He put his head down on the table in the Cabinet Room, and sobbed.’ NARRATOR Still, in the face of aggression, there were voices of opposition. Arkansas Senator George Norris: SENATOR NORRIS Belligerency would benefit only the class of people who will be made prosperous should we become entangled in the present war, who have already made millions..., and who will make hundreds of millions more if we get into the war. To whom does the war bring prosperity? Not to the soldier. Not to the broken hearted widow. Not to the mother who weeps at the death of her brave boy.... I feel that we are about to put the dollar sign on the American Flag.” NARRATOR The Senate passed the War Resolution with only three Republicans and three Democrats opposed. The House voted 373 for, with 50 opposed. Jeanette Rankin, the first woman to serve in Congress, and the lone female Representative, voted against the resolution. The approved Declaration of War was sent to President Wilson on April 6, 1917. At 1pm that day he signed: “Approved 6 April, 1917, Woodrow Wilson.” Tolling of the bells 19 gun canon salute DEBORAH YORK As the country mobilized, we leave you with the voices of two soldiers: PERSHING Major General John J. Pershing to President Woodrow Wilson, April 10, 1917: “Dear Mr. President: As an officer of the army, may I not extend to you, as Commander-in-Chief of the armies, my sincere congratulations upon your soul-stirring patriotic address to Congress on April 2d. Your strong stand for the right will be an inspiration to humanity everywhere, but especially to the citizens of the Republic. It arouses in the breast of every soldier feelings of the deepest admiration for their leader. I am exultant that my life has been spent as a soldier, in camp and field, that I may now the more worthily and more intelligently serve my country and you. With great respect, Your obedient servant, JOHN J. PERSHING Major General, U.S. Army DEBORAH YORK And from the diary of Sergeant York serialized in Liberty magazine in 1927: SERGEANT YORK I had no time to bother much about a lot of foreigners quarrelling and killing each other over in Europe. I just wanted to be left alone to live in peace and love. I wasn’t planning my life any other way. ... I figured that if some people in the Wolf River Valley were quarrelling... it wasn’t any of my business to go and interfere, and Europe was much further away.... I never dreamed we’d go over there to fight. So I didn’t pay much attention to it. I didn’t let it bother me until I received from the post office a little red card telling me to register for the draft. That’s how the war came to me, in the midst of all my peace and happiness and dreams, which I felt all along were too good to be true, and just couldn’t last.” THEO MAYER In the meantime, the popular music of the time begins to address the American soldier, his image and his place in the world. IF HE CAN FIGHT LIKE HE CAN LOVE, GOOD NIGHT, GERMANY! If he can fight like he can love, Oh what a soldier boy he’ll be! If he’s just have as good in the trench As he was in the park or on a bench, Then ev’ry Hun had better run And find a great big linden tree I know he’ll be a hero ‘over there’ ‘Cause he’s a bear in any Morris chair And if he fights like he can love Why, then it’s goodnight, Germany! Verse 2 Ev’ry single day all the papers say, Mary’s beau is, oh, so brave With his little gun, chasing ev’ry Hun He has taught them to behave Little Mary proudly shakes her head, And says, “Do you remember what I said?” Chorus If he can fight like he can love, Oh what a soldier boy he’ll be! If he’s just have as good in the trench As he was in the park or on a bench, Then ev’ry Hun had better run And find a great big linden tree I know he’ll be a hero ‘over there’ ‘Cause he’s a bear in any Morris chair And if he fights like he can love Why, then it’s goodnight, Germany! ANNOUNCER I Have A Rendezvous With Death (POEM: No Music or Sound) I have a rendezvous with Death At some disputed barricade, When Spring comes back with rustling shade And apple-blossoms fill the air— I have a rendezvous with Death When Spring brings back blue days and fair. It may be he shall take my hand And lead me into his dark land And close my eyes and quench my breath— It may be I shall pass him still. I have a rendezvous with Death On some scarred slope of battered hill, When Spring comes round again this year And the first meadow-flowers appear. God knows ‘twere better to be deep Pillowed in silk and scented down, Where love throbs out in blissful sleep, Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath, Where hushed awakenings are dear... But I’ve a rendezvous with Death At midnight in some flaming town, When Spring trips north again this year, And I to my pledged word am true, I shall not fail that rendezvous. THEO MAYER And so America goes to war and takes her place on the world stage. Nothing would be same again as the country heads into the most rapid and profound transformation of her young existence. World War 1 Centennial news is here to tell you the story - We will explore WW1 Centennial News THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week. And we will explore WW1 Centennial News NOW - what is happening today with the centennial commemoration of the war that changed the world. And so it begins [MUSIC] That was Part 2 of our special feature presentation of “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace” our 2-part special of America’s reluctant entry into World War 1. 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; Our podcast and these specials are a part of that endeavor 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smartphone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for listening to this special presentation of WW1 Centennial News… A full list of the many talented people who contributed to this production is in the podcast notes. [OVER THERE] So long.
WWI Centennial News SPECIAL This week and next week, we are going to break format as we present a 2-part special podcast version of “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace”. This two part special is an adaptation from a live staged event the Commission produced on the April 6, 2017 centennial of America’s entry into: The war that changed the world. Edward Bilous as the artistic director, and Chris Christopher as the US WW1 Centennial Commission’s executive producer pulled together an amazing group of artists, historians musician, actors, and others for a live performance staged outdoors at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City to an audience of over 3,000 attendees. For this 2-part special we have excerpted key moments from the story that unfolds, the music that was performed and the readings from a cast of amazing actors, orators, musicians and other luminaries. Part 1 examines the great debate in America about getting into the war----more---- Talent Credits This podcast was adapted from the live event In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace: Centennial Commemoration of the US entry into WWI Credits for the live event include: Edward Bilous Artistic Director John Rensenhouse Narrator Michelle DiBucci Music Director Sarah Outhwaite Video Designer Carlos Murillo Script and Adaptation Greg Kalember Music Producer, Mix Engineer, Sound Design Portia Kamons Executive Artistic Producer For Virtua Creative Shelby Rose Producer, Media and Special Events For Virtua Creative Dale Morehouse Speaker Carla Noack Speaker David Paul Pre-Recorded Speaker Janith English Principal Chief of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas Sergeant Debra Kay Mooney Choctaw Nation Col. Gerald York Grandson of Sergeant Alvin C. York Deborah York Great-Granddaughter of Sergeant Alvin C. York Noble Sissle Jr. Son of Noble Sissle Featuring Musical Performances by 1st Infantry Division Band Michael Baden John Brancy Francesco Centano Billy Cliff Peter Dugan Ramona Dunlap Lisa Fisher Samantha Gossard Adam Holthus Christopher T. McLaurin Chrisi Poland Aaron Redburn Reuben Allen Matt Rombaum Alan Schwartz Yang Thou Charles Yang Alla Wijnands Bram Wijnands Cast (In Alphabetical Order) Freddy Acevedo Yetunde Felix-Ukwu Jason Francescon Khalif Gillett Emilie Karas Chelsea Kisner Christopher Lyman Marianne McKenzie Victor Raider-Wexler Artillery Master Charles B. Wood MEDIA CREDITS National World War I Museum and Memorial: TheWorldWar.org Library of Congress: LOC.gov New York Public Library: DigitalCollections.nypl.org National Archives: Archives.gov National Historic Geographic Information System: NHGIS.org State Library of New South Wales: SL.nsw.gov.au Imperial War Museums: IWM.org.uk National Museum of African American History and Culture: NMAAHC.si.edu The Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation and the York Family: SgtYork.org Australian War Memorial: AWM.gov.au National Media Museum: NationalMediaMuseum.org.uk Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Archive: WoodrowWilson.org Mathers Museum of World Culture: Mathers.indiana.edu Front Page Courtesy of The New York Times Company PODCAST THEO MAYER WW1 Centennial News is brought to YOU by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Before we get into the main part of the show - - Let me try to set this up: [SOUND EFFECT - WAYBACK MACHINE] We’ve gone back in time to June 28, 1914. Today, a 19 year-old radicalized teenage Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip guns down Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie - ON their wedding anniversary no less. So this was all kicked off by a misguided kid - after all - what does anybody know about consequences at 19, and gunning down celebrities - is - pretty dumb and definitely misguided. And the archduke was a celebrity - he was in line for the throne of the Austro-hungarian empire. Things are already pretty tense in Europe! Austria-Hungary, blames the Serbian government for the attack and sees this as great justification for settling the question of Slavic nationalism once and for all - with a little war action. BUT…. Russia supports Serbia, SO… Austria-Hungary asked Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm to back them in the event of a Russian intervention… An intervention that would probably suck in Russia’s ally, France, and maybe Britain too. So - Just a month later on July 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and a big burning match gets tossed on the very dry tinder of european tension… the tenuous peace between Europe’s big powers goes up in flames. Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia line up against the Austria-Hungary and Germany, and World War I begin. But remember - no one knows at the time that this is a global war. It’s just a little imperial action which Germany sees as a great opportunity - Remember - in German the word Kaiser means EMPEROR - so emperor Wilhelm thinks that this is a good time to expand German imperial holding with a rush west - across Belgium - to deliver a quick and decisive blow to France for an imperially profitable end to a simple, messy little conflict. BUT….at the First Battle of The Marne, 90 miles from Paris, the German plan falls apart and the Germans suffer a defeat at the hands of the Allies – over a million soldiers face off and fight over 6 days, and sadly more than 100,000 die. This is where we join up with the live production beginning with a quote from Barbara Tuchman from her book - The GUNS OF AUGUST: “After the Marne, the war grew and spread until it drew in the nations of both hemispheres and entangled them in a... world conflict no peace treaty could dissolve. The Battle of Marne was one of the decisive battles… not because it determined that Germany would ultimately lose or the Allies ultimately win the war, but because it determined that the war would go on…. The nations were caught in a trap… from which there was… no exit.” NARRATOR Even with the United States remaining resolutely neutral, many young Americans needed no persuasion to join the War effort. Mary Gladwin, a nurse from Akron, Ohio, was among the first American Red Cross nurses to go to Europe during the War, serving as the supervisor of nurses at the American Hospital in Belgrade. She wrote: MARY GLADWIN The cannonading lasted all the time. There was no time during twenty-four hours in the first six months that some of the guns were not fired. My room was a little whitewashed one. Every time one of the big French guns would fire.... It would illuminate all the wall and then... I would hear the boom of the guns. That kept up night after night, until the time came that we did not hear them any more… NARRATOR Eugene Bullard, the only African American pilot to fly in World War I, did so not for the United States, but for France. The son of a freed slave, Bullard stowed away to Europe in 1912, determined to escape racism in the US. After working as a boxer and vaudeville performer in England, Bullard settled in France. When hostilities broke out, he joined the infantry of the French Foreign Legion, earning the Croix de Guerre for bravery at the Battle of Verdun. After sustaining injuries and declared unfit for infantry service, Bullard earned his wings with the Aeronautique Militaire of France, and joined the Lafayette Flying Corps in 1916. His plane was decorated with the slogan” “All Blood Runs Red.” When the US entered the war, Bullard tried to enlist as a flyer for the Americans: BULLARD “I was more and more puzzled until it suddenly came to me that all my fellow countrymen who had transferred were white. Later, I learned that in World War I Negroes were not accepted as flyers in the United States Army. This hurt me, deeply.” THEO MAYER When hostilities broke out in Europe, thousands of Americans touring the continent descended on London hoping to find safe passage home, only to find themselves unable to obtain accommodations or tickets for the few ships sailing. A forty year old mining engineer and financier from Iowa by the name of Herbert Hoover was living in London in 1914. Hoover organized an American relief committee that provided food, shelter and financial assistance to over 100,000 Americans. Hoover’s leadership earned him the respect of the US Ambassador to Great Britain, Walter Hines Page. Ambassador Page tapped Hoover to lead a relief mission to Belgium. After the Battle of Marne, Belgium faced starvation. Germany had invaded, but refused to take responsibility for feeding the populace. On the other side, Britain’s Naval blockade prevented ships from entering Belgian ports. So in October of 1914, Herbert Hoover established an organization to procure and deliver food to the starving Belgian population, rescuing a nation from certain ruin. Herbert Hoover wrote: HERBERT HOOVER "...there was no former human experience to turn for guidance. It would require that we find the major food supply for a whole nation; raise the money to pay for it; get it past navies at sea and occupying armies on land; set up an agency for distribution of supplies for everybody justly; and see that the enemy took none of it. It was not ‘relief’ in any known sense. It was the feeding of a nation. THEO MAYER This will later earn Herbert Hoover the job of heading the united states food administration… and of course he also becomes the 31st President of the United State [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline May 8, 1915 Headline of the NY times reads: LUSITANIA SUNK BY SUBMARINE, PROBABLY 1,260 DEAD; TWICE TORPEDOED OFF IRISH COAST; SINKS IN 15 MINUTES; FROHMAN AND VANDERBILT MISSING; WASHINGTON BELIEVES THAT A GRAVE CRISIS IS AT HAND SONG: WHEN THE LUSITANIA WENT DOWN A thousand more, who sailed from our shore, Have gone to eternity. The Statue of Liberty high Must now have a tear in her eye. I think it's a shame-- Some one is to blame, But all we can do is just sigh! Chorus Some of us lost a true sweetheart; Some of us lost a dear dad; Some lost their mothers, sisters, and brothers; Some lost the best friends they had. It's time they were stopping this warfare If women and children must drown. Many brave hearts went to sleep in the deep When the Lusitania went down. Refrain Many brave hearts went to sleep in the deep When the Lusitania went down. THEO MAYER US neutrality faced numerous tests. Vying for control over shipping lanes across the Atlantic and through the North Sea, Germany and Britain both found themselves on a collision course with the United States. Britain, in their effort to blockade commerce from the US reaching Germany, seized American ships. Germany, in retaliation to US shipments, introduced a new weapon of war – the U-Boat – which could strike without warning. In 1915, German U-Boats sank over 90 ships. NARRATOR Leading up to the Election of 1916, many Americans favored the Allies in the War, yet embraced President Wilson’s urging to remain “impartial in thought as well as in action.” At the time, one third of US citizens were either born in Europe or were descendants of European immigrants. Sympathy for both countries on both sides of the conflict ran high. The descendants of German immigrants found themselves torn, on the one hand identifying firstly as Americans, yet on the other, sympathizing with their relatives abroad. When the US entered the War, German-Americans were labeled “alien enemies” and faced severe restrictions on their civil liberties. Irish Americans preferred neutrality as well, as the prospect of the U.S. entering the War on the side of the British was an anathema to Irish nationalist sentiment. The sinking of the Lusitania led many Americans to call for an immediate reprisal against Germany. Wilson proceeded with caution, demanding an apology, compensation for the victims and assurances that Germany would cease unrestricted submarine warfare. In a speech delivered at a Citizen Naturalization Ceremony on May 10, 1915, Wilson affirmed the anti-War US stance: WILSON “America must have this consciousness, that on all sides it touches elbows and touches hearts with all the nations of mankind. The example of America must be the example not merely of peace because it will not fight, but of peace because peace is the healing… influence of the world.... There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.” NARRATOR Wilson’s measured response faced opposition from figures like former President Theodore Roosevelt, who believed Germany’s aggression warranted a strong military response: THEODORE ROOSEVELT “I am pretty well disgusted with our government and with the way our people acquiesce in and support it. I suppose, however, in a democracy like ours the people will always do well or ill largely in proportion to their leadership. If Lincoln had acted after the firing on Sumter in the way that Wilson did about the sinking of the Lusitania, in one month the North would have been saying they were so glad he kept them out of the war and… that at all hazards fratricidal war must be averted.” NARRATOR Theodore Roosevelt’s words were not mere bluster. He would eventually see three of his sons off to war. Two would return alive. His youngest son, Quentin, died when he was shot down over France in 1918. THEO MAYER The conflict about US neutrality didn't just rage in Washington, but was reflected throughout american society and culture - Here is the great debate playing out as musical counterpoint in two popular songs of the times sung from the hearts of two mothers. SONG MEDLEY: “I Didn’t Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier” - “America, Here’s My Boy” Verse 1 There’s a million mothers knocking at the nation’s door A million mothers, yes and they’ll be millions more, And while within each mother’s heart they pray Just hark what one brave mother has to say: Chorus America, I raised a boy for you America, you’ll find him staunch and true Place a gun upon his shoulder He is ready to die or do America, he is my only one; My hope, my pride and joy, But if I had another, He would march beside his brother; America here’s my boy Verse 2 There’s a million mothers waiting by the fireside bright A million mothers waiting for the call tonight And while within each heart there’ll be a tear She’ll watch her boy go marching with a cheer Chorus America, I raised a boy for you America, you’ll find him staunch and true Place a gun upon his shoulder He is ready to die o My hope, my pride and joy, But if I had another, He would march beside his brother; America here’s my boy. Verse 1 Ten million soldiers to the war have gone Who may never return again Ten million mothers’ hearts must break For the ones who died in vain Head bowed down in sorrow in her lonely years I heard a mother murmur thro’ her tears: Chorus: “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier, I brought him up to be my pride and joy.” Who dares place a musket on his shoulder To shoot some other mother’s darling boy? Let nations arbitrate their future troubles, It’s time to lay the sword and gun away. There’d be no war today If mothers all would say: “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier.” Verse 2 What victory can cheer a mother’s heart When she looks at her blighted home? What victory can bring her back All she cared to call her own? Let each mother answer in the years to be, Remember that my boy belongs to me! Chorus: “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier, I brought him up to be my pride and joy.” Who dares place a musket on his shoulder To shoot some other mother’s darling boy? Let nations arbitrate their future troubles, It’s time to lay the sword and gun away. NARRATOR At the other end of the political spectrum, the editors of the conservative North American Review argued for U.S. participation: THE EDITORS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW We know now… what this war is. It is the last of the great battles for Freedom and Democracy. America fought the first a century and forty years ago. France followed through seas of blood and tears. But lately the Great Charter has passed… from the barons to the people of England. Japan has ceased to be a monarchy except in name. China as a Republic defies the power of might…. Can anyone doubt that the beginning of the end of absolutism is at hand….? NARRATOR Legendary newspaper reporter Walter Lippman offered this third-way assessment of the role America could play in the War: WALTER LIPPMANN In May 1916, the President made a speech which will be counted among the... decisive utterances of American foreign policy…. The speech was an announcement that American isolation was ended, and that we were prepared to join a League of Peace….. …it was intended to make clear to the world… that if America has to fight, it would fight for peace and the order of the world. It was a great portent in human history, but it was overshadowed at the time by the opening of the Presidential campaign.” THEO MAYER The United States, like Canada and the British Empire, absorbed a massive influx of immigrants from the end of the 19th Century through the war. Capitalizing on the idea that immigrants traveled to distant shores seeking freedom from tyranny, recruitment efforts in all three countries appealed to immigrants’ indebtedness – in exchange for their freedom, and their children’s freedom, they were urged to show their patriotism by enlisting in the fight. “THERE’S NO HYPHEN IN MY HEART” SONG Verse 1 To these broad shores my fathers came From lands beyond the sea They left their homes they left their friends To breathe an air more free To them an alien land it seemed With customs strange and new But my heart knows just one dear flag The Red, the White, the Blue Chorus: There is no hyphen in my heart It can’t be cut in two Oh flag of bars and silver stars I’ve given it all to you Verse 2 Columbia to me you’ve been A mother fond and true My heart’s best love and loyal trust I gladly offer you Let others sing of native lands Far o’er the ocean’s foam The spot where floats the stars and stripes Shall ever be my home Chorus: There is no hyphen in my heart It can’t be cut in two Oh flag of bars and silver stars I’ve given it all to you NARRATOR The 1916 election hinged on the question of America’s neutrality in the War. Wilson, running for a second term, built his candidacy around the idea that America ought to prepare for the possibility of war, yet the campaign slogans “He Kept Us Out of War” and “America First” persuaded the American public that a vote for the Republican candidate, Charles Evans Hughes, would be a vote for war. While many embraced the slogans, others criticized them. Teddy Roosevelt: TEDDY ROOSEVELT President Wilson’s ignoble shirking of responsibility has been mis-clothed in… the phrase of a coward, “He Kept Us Out of War.” In actual reality, war has been creeping nearer. . . and we face it without policy, plan, purpose, or preparation. NARRATOR In September 1916, Wilson accepted the Democratic nomination for President: WILSON “We have been neutral not only because it was the fixed and traditional policy of the United States to stand aloof from the politics of Europe… but also because it was manifestly our duty to prevent … the indefinite extension of the fires of hate and desolation kindled by that terrible conflict and seek to serve mankind by reserving our strength and our resources for the… difficult days of restoration and healing …, when peace will have to build its house anew.” NARRATOR The Debate reached every corner of American society. Voices for and against the US joining the war included not only politicians, but men who would likely be called to serve, women, African Americans and Native Americans fighting for an equal role in American Civic life. NARRATOR American Arthur Bullard, who had lived in war-time France and England, wrote in early 1917: ARTHUR BULLARD Whatever the diplomats may like to call it, this is War. And we do not know how to fight…. We have no American general who ever commanded an Army corps, not one of our naval officers ever fought against a Dreadnought, none of our artillery men ever fired a real shot at an enemy aircraft. We must learn…. The war is upon us and we... must decide what we are going to do about it… We who love peace ought to keep out of war as long as possible and when we are forced to go in – go in hard! NARRATOR For women, the prospect of war also provoked debate. Many nurses of the American Red Cross nurses had experienced the tribulations of War first hand. Jane Delano, founder of the American Red Cross Nursing Service, wrote in the winter of 1915: JANE DELANO We have learned that women can be mobilized without confusion; that their chances of illness when ... seem to be no greater than men’s; that they face danger with equanimity…. Out of this experience we should be…. able to guarantee a satisfactory nursing personnel not only for national relief in time of calamity, but for efficient service should our country be confronted with that greatest of all disasters – War. NARRATOR A year later, Bessie R. James of the National League for Women’s Service wrote: BESSIE R. JAMES On November 8, 1916, the foresight of the women… is something which cannot but arouse admiration. That anyone should organize to prepare half the populace of the country for war while a president was being put back into office because of a supposed peace policy would seem ridiculous. This however, was exactly what happened. NARRATOR The first years of the War coincided with the beginning of The Great Migration, a transformative period for African Americans who fled the entrenched racism of the south for better wages and living conditions in northern cities like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit and New York. At the outbreak of war, many African Americans viewed service in the military as an opportunity to show their willingness to serve and improve on their standing as second-class citizens. Others were more skeptical. In a 1917 issue of The Messenger, Chandler Owen and A. Phillip Randolph challenged the hypocrisy of American democratic ideals in relation to African American struggle: OWEN & RANDOLPH; Patriotism has no appeal to us; justice has. Party has no weight with us; principle has. NARRATOR In his 1914 editorial, “World War and the Color Line,” W.E.B. Dubois drew connections between the crisis in Europe and the conditions experienced by African Americans at home: W.E.B. DUBOIS Many colored persons… may easily make the mistake of supposing that the present war is far removed from the color problem in America…. This attitude is a mistake. The present war in Europe is one of the great disasters due to race and color prejudice and it but foreshadows greater disasters in the future…. NARRATOR As the likelihood of war increased in early 1917, DuBois again unleashed his pen to reflect on the institution of segregated training camps: W.E.B. DUBOIS We must choose then between the insult of a separate camp and the irreparable injury of strengthening the present custom of putting no black men in positions of authority here is only one thing to do now, and that is to organize the colored people for leadership and service, if war should come. A thousand commissioned officers of colored blood is something to work for. NARRATOR Diplomat, lawyer, and official of the NAACP James Weldon Johnson called for an end to what he termed the “Excess Patriotism” which had led the world’s nations to war: JOHNSON It is this hot, high-tempered, foolish, bad-mannered patriotism that keeps farther away the day for which all lovers of humanity pray; the day when men shall not hate each other because of the boundaries of domain or the differences of race, but when universal brotherhood shall be established and a lasting peace shall reign. ARE THEY EQUAL IN THE EYES OF THE LAW SONG Verse 1 As they sit in consultation Seeking peace for the wide, wide world I wonder if their thought e’er turn to me. I was at the concentration of the troops that stopt the whirl Of the Kaiser in his dash to the sea. As I sit in meditation Seeking solace from on high I wonder if they see I stand in awe, As they plan the federation for the races far and nigh Are they equal in the eyes of the law? Chorus: Are they equal in the eyes of the law? The black man faced his death and cried, “Hurrah?” His soul was pure and white, He fought a manly fight, No more patriotic sons you ever saw Are they equal in the eyes of the law? The black man faced his death and cried, “Hurrah?” They were the same in no man’s land, Tell me how so they stand? Are they equal in the eyes of the law? Verse 3 God, the Father of creation, Hear, oh, hear my humble plea, As with contrite heart I call thy holy name. In this land of desolation, Where they lynch and torture me, Keep them, Father, from this life of sin and shame. Oh thou God of restitution, Though with vengeance in Thy hand, We pray Thee, Keep us from grim hatred’s mighty claw Show them, Lord, that retribution, Runs its course throughout the land, To make men equal in the eyes of the law. Chorus: Are they equal in the eyes of the law? The black man faced his death and cried, “Hurrah?” His soul was pure and white, He fought a manly fight, No more patriotic sons you ever saw Are they equal in the eyes of the law? The black man faced his death and cried, “Hurrah?” They were the same to the God of the hosts, Tell me in your Freedom’s boasts, Are they equal in the eyes of the law? NARRATOR America’s native peoples overwhelmingly supported the United States during the Great War, although a few leaders such as Dr. Carlos Montezuma, a Yavapai-Apache, objected. He wrote: CARLOS MONTEZUMA They are not citizens. They have fewer privileges than have foreigners. They are wards of the United States of America without their consent or the chance of protest on their part. NARRATOR But most Indian leaders saw the conflict as an opportunity to gain recognition and to affirm tribal sovereignty, as did the Onondaga and Oneida Nations that declared war on Germany. In 1917, Oglala Chief Red Fox, a nephew of Crazy Horse, went to Washington and urged Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, to offer the services of the Indians in the Great War: CHIEF RED FOX From all over the West, we now stand ready--fifty thousand Indians between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five. We beg of you, to give us the right to fight. We guarantee to you, sir, our hearts could be for no better cause than to fight for the land we love, and for the freedom we share. NARRATOR Chief Red Fox’s sentiments were echoed by the Seneca Arthur Parker, President of the Society of American Indians in 1917, who wrote: ARTHUR PARKER The American Indian has common cause with the Allies. The Indian fights because he loves freedom and because humanity needs the defense of the freedom loving man. The Indian fights because his country, his liberties, his ideals and his manhood are assailed by the brutal hypocrisy of Prussianism. Challenged, the Indian has... shown himself a citizen of the world, [and] an exponent of an ethical civilization wherein human liberty is assured. NARRATOR The outcome of the 1916 election reflected divisions in the country. Winning by a slim Electoral College margin, Wilson’s second term would soon face a series of crises that would determine the fate of his neutral position in the war. NARRATOR - ALL READERS While debate raged in America, the slaughter continued in Europe. Rapid advances in the technology of weapons of war led to vast devastation. For the first time in history the battlefield saw the use of tanks, chemical weapons, machine guns, long-range artillery and aircraft. Sixty five million men fought in the War from 40 countries. Twenty one million were wounded. Eight million died – roughly 3,000 every day. Six and a half million civilians were killed including two million in Russia alone. One hundred and ten thousand tons of poison gas was used, killing nearly half a million men. In Europe alone, approximately 10 million people were displaced by the war, including 1.8 million Armenians forcibly deported to the Syrian desert. 1.5 million Belgians were refugees from the Germans. In the Battle of Somme, fought between July and November of 1916, 1.2 million men perished for a meager Allied gain of 7.8 miles of territory. During the Battle of Somme, it is estimated that in the first week of fighting over one and one half million artillery shells were fired… almost three shells per second for 168 continuous hours. (NEED THIS STATISTIC!!) Never before had humankind unleashed terror on this scale and it’s effects permanently scarred the landscape and the souls of those who were there. THEO MAYER And that is the end of part 1 of “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace” Join us again next week for part II 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; Our podcast is a part of that endeavor 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for listening to this special presentation of WW1 Centennial News… A full list of the many talented people who contributed to this production is in the podcast notes. [MUSIC] So long.
Highlights Life inside German Occupied Belgium |@ 03:15 Some memorable stories from the front - Mike Shuster |@ 13:3 0 Preview of Camp Doughboy - Governors Island, NY 9/16-9/17 |@ 19:00 Preview of Pershing Days - Laclede, MO, 9/15-9/17 with Alicyn Ehrich and Denzil Heaney |@ 20:15 $10,000 WWI academic competition |@ 24:55 Speaking WWI - Cooties! Yuk! |@ 26:00 100C/100M with Jim Yocum on Santa Monica CA project |@ 27:15 CBS Radio ConnectingVets.com |@ 33:15 Phil Eaton - Coast Guard Winged Warrior of WW1 |@ 34:40 WWrite Blog on Champagne |@ 35:35 And more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is September 6th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Jim Yocum from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Santa Monica, California Alicyn Ehrich, Secretary of the Pershing Park Memorial Association, and Denzil Heaney, the administrator of the General Pershing Boyhood Home Site. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. Before we get started today, we wanted to let you know that next week and the week following, we will be presenting a WW1 Centennial News 2-part Special - “In Sacrifice for Liberty and Peace”. Part 1 examines the great debate in America about getting into the war, and Part 2, which will publish the following week is about how events overtook the debate and brought us to a declaration of war. But for today, we are in our regular format and ready to jump into episode #36. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] We’ve gone back in time 100 years to explore the war that changed the world! It’s the first week of September 1917. On the last day of August New York Deputy Attorney General Roscoe Conkling certifies that New York City has fulfilled its quota of 38,572 soldiers for the draft. This is notable because the last time there was a draft in New York - for the civil war - it ended in the deadly Draft Riots of 1863. The 1917 draft, however, goes smoothly - mostly! Turns out that one of the local boards is selling exemptions- which was permitted in the Civil War draft AND coincidentally - one the flash points for Draft Riots. In any case, in 1917 - it is seriously NOT OK. The first draftees are scheduled to leave for training at Camp Upton (now the site of Brookhaven National Laboratory) on September 10th - the camp is so new that the first men to arrive are going to get to help finish building it. The men trained at Camp Upton starting September 1917, will become the 77th Division, which will be the first division of draftees to arrive in France. Link: http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/164847897103/new-york-city-fulfills-draft-quota [SOUND EFFECT - WHOOSH] Moving to the headlines and stories from the Official Bulletin - America’s War Gazette published daily by the Committee on Public Information, the US government propaganda ministry headed by George Creel - this week we have pulled a variety of stories that mark what was happening this week 100 years ago. [SOUND EFFECT - TRANSITION - ] The Official Bulletin Dateline: September 9th, 1917 Headline: LIFE UNBEARABLE lN BELGIUM, SAYS WORKMAN WHO ESCAPED The following story provides some insight into life inside German occupied Belgium: The story reads: I had to leave the seaside place where I had lived since my childhood, because life became unbearable. It was slavery. “The Germans announced, at the beginning of January last, that every man or woman from 15 to 60 would be compelled to work for them. They did not take everybody at once, but once you had begun to work for them, you were never left free again. In order to avoid people escaping to an other parts of the country, they obliged us all to go to the command center, where our identity cards and passports were confiscated. As you can not walk a mile in the army zone without showing your papers we were practically prisoners. “Every week an officer with two soldiers went from house to house requisitioning more laborers. They had taken 300 already from my village when I left; I have no doubt that the whole village is forced to work by now. The work was done either on the spot, where you had to repair and clean buildings, cut wood, and so on., or along the Dutch frontier, where we had to build trenches and concrete works, or behind the German llnes in the region of Westende, where we were mainly employed in building roads and railway lines. This was by far the worst place since we were frequently exposed to shell fire and to gas attacks. Having no masks we were obliged- to take shelter when a bell rang to warn us. We were paid 1 mark per day, but as the food was very scarce we had practically to spend our wages to appease our hunger, so that, when we came back home for one day every three weeks, we had practically nothing left to bring back to our families. “ It was no use trying to protest. It only meant more trouble and misery, prison and blows. One of my friends who struggled to escape was nearly killed by a bayonet thrust. “Besides, the Germans are only too glad if you resist. They have made a rule to send any man or woman who gets more than three months’ imprisonment back to Germany . And none of those who have been deported have ever come back. Six months ago one of my neighbors, a widow, who had to protect her daughter against a German officer, received four months for having shouted that all Germans were pigs. She was sent to Germany and we have heard since that she is obliged to work in a labor camp and has no hope of returning. This is only one case among hundreds. The German tribunals have provided many Belgian workers for the Fatherland This next story is a lot lighter - and truly a story of the times. With the airplane providing the enemy with a level of unprecedented intel, a new military assignment surfaced as a key man role - that of “magician” - Sort of…. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Sept 5th 1917 Headline: Ingenious men who can cast magic veil of invisibility over military works wanted for service with army in france The story reads: The first American Camouflage company is now being organized for service. In official English, the camoufleure“ practices the art of military concealment," but a more literal translation of the French music-hall phrase, for that is what it is, proves him to be a “ fakir.” Now this has developed to a point where specialists in all manner of devices for concealing the whereabouts and designs of our troops from the eyes of the enemy are grouped together in military units. Therefore, the Chief of Engineers in the War Department is looking for handy and ingenious men who are ready to fight one minute and practice their trade the next. Wherever a machine is set up, or a trench is taken and reversed, or a battery of artillery goes into action, or a new road is opened. or a new bridge is built, or a sniper climbs an old building, or an officer creeps out into an advanced post to hear and to observe, there... must go the camouflage man to spread his best imitation of the magic veil of invisibility. There is in store for our camoufleurs, plenty of excitement and no end of opportunity to use their wits. The article goes on to tell about some examples including pappier-Mache steel line counterfeits of dead horses serving as observing posts - or of a river-painted canvas pulled over a bridge by day - and used as a crossing by dead of night. The article closes with: Though this work has long been organized abroad, in this land it is only beginning, so wherever ingenious young men are longing for special entertainment in the way of fooling Germans, they should waste no time in getting in touch with the Chief of Engineers, War Department, Washington, D.C. Our next story will be particularly interesting to our regular listeners - If you heard last week’s episode # 35, we profiled the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Muscle Shoals Alabama, where you heard all about the giant Ammonium Nitrate plants they built there. This week - 100 years ago, there is a story in the Official Bulletin that precedes what you learned last week. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 6, 1917 Headline: PREPARATIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF NITRATES BY GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED BY WAR DEPARTMENT; LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED PLANT IS WITHHELD The story goes on to explain how the creation of the plants is a priority project for the government war effort, but the location is still secret. But YOU know where they are going to put it!! You even know about the giant Hydro-electric plant they are going to build as a part of it! Isn’t history fun... [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 8, 1917 Headline: Red Cross to Communicate Messages About Persons in Central Powers’ Territory The Red Cross plays an ever more important and diverse role in the complexity of this global crisis. In this case, it is not nursing the wounded but helping acquaintances, families and loved ones torn apart and separated by the ravages of war. The article goes on to read: Individuals wishing to make inquiries concerning the welfare and whereabouts of friends or relatives in territory ‘belonging to or occupied by the central powers, may communicate with the Bureau of Communication, American Red Cross, Washington, D. C. Proper inquiries and messages will be transmitted on a special form to the International Red Cross in Geneva. From Geneva, they will be forwarded to the individuals for whom they are intended. Answers will be returned to the International Red Cross and by them will be sent to Washington. The American Red Cross will then communicate the information received to writers of the original letters. Two 2-cent stamps must be enclosed for postage. A similar method is being devised for the transmission of inquiries from the central powers to America. This will also be handled by the Red Cross. The articles concludes with a number of details and safeguards to assure that the communication network will not be used to send covert messages. And our last story this week from the Official Bulletin harkens back to a story we told you in episode #26 about Chautauqua - The word "chautauqua" is Iroquois and means "two moccasins tied together" - At the turn of the previous century the term was aptly used to signify a unique American “gathering” that brought entertainment and culture into far flung regional communities of the time, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is "the most American thing in America." [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: September 8, 1917 Headline: Chautauqua entertainers to be sent to cantonments TM Voice: The war Department can't complete the theaters they had planned for the tens of thousands of men being sent to the training camps - RIGHT NOW! So instead - they are going to create an entertainment system using the traditional American Chautauqua! The article goes on to explain: Entertainment for the soldiers will Begin September 10. In four days 10 tents, each with a seating capacity of over 3,000, will be moved to cantonments and programs will be given beginning Monday, The week following, the entire 32 cantonments will be equipped with similar tent auditoriums - in which programs will be given. The new project involves the mobilization of a force of over 2,000 lyceum [LYCEEUM] and chautauqua~entertainers and the creation of tents with an aggregate seating capacity of more than 100,000 people in the short space of less than two weeks. The economics affected by pursuing the chautauqua method of circuiting attractions makes it possible to give the best entertainment to soldier: at motion picture prices. And those are some of the stories we selected from the nearly 100 stories published in this week’s issues of the Official Bulletin. You’ll find the official bulletin on the Commission’s website at ww1cc.org/bulletin where we are re-publishing this amazing resource on the centennial anniversary of each issue’s publication date. So If this podcast just isn’t enough weekly WW1 history for you - dig in daily - Go to our website and read the full daily issues of the Official Bulletin at ww1cc.org/bulletin. I sometimes do… and it makes me feel a whole lot better about the chaos in our modern world by tapping into the even more chaotic world 100 years ago this week! [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Next we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Today Mike’s post highlights the beginning of American actions “over there” with a series of memorable incidents and stories including the sinking of submarine U-88 whose captain sank the Lusitania in 1915. Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog with an interesting collection of anecdotes from the front 100 years ago this week.. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/09/03/first-americans-killed-in-france/ The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, visit our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They have well over 400 episodes about WW1 - covering the conflict since 2014 - and from a more European perspective. This week’s new episodes include: The Moscow State Conference Another video is Battlefield 1 Historical Analysis - where Indy Nydel the shows host - takes the new game-additions and puts them into historical context. And finally a new episode on Georges Guynemer (gee-nuh-may), the flying icon of France 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 [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Activities and Events [Sound Effect] For our Activities and Events Section, we are going profile 2 events - selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events where are compiling and recording the WW1 Commemoration events from around the country- not just from major metros but also local events from the heart of the country- showing how the WW1 Centennial Commemoration is playing out everywhere. Camp Doughboy Our Major Metro pick of the week is Camp Doughboy, the Second Annual WWI History Weekend - this is an immersive, weekend-long, Living History experience on Governors Island in New York City happening on September 16th and 17th. According to Kevin Fitzpatrick - Author and citizen historian who helped put the event together - it promises to be the largest WW1 themed event on the East Coast this year. It all starts with a ferry ride to historic Fort Jay at Governors Island National Monument in New York Harbor. Entry to the event is free and open to the public. There will be more than fifty reenactors, vintage WWI-era vehicles, free talks by leading authorities of the Great War and much more. It is a family oriented event that is sure to create a memorable experience all about the war that changed the world — and gave birth to modern America. A link to register to participate is included in the podcast notes along with all the information you need to have a great time at Camp Doughboy. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3005-governors-island-to-host-camp-doughboy-wwi-weekend-sept-16-17.html https://www.facebook.com/events/102616516879089/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47016/camp-doughboy-world-war-one-history-weekend.html https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwi-history-weekend-tickets-35527041337 http://ww1cc.org/events [SOUND EFFECT] Pershing Days Interview with Alicyn and Denzil Pershing Days and Black Jack Our Second event pick of the week is from Laclede Missouri. We have with us today two guests to tell us about an upcoming annual event celebrating the life and service of General Pershing. Alicyn Ehrich secretary of the Pershing Park Memorial Association, and Denzil Heaney, the administrator of the Gen. Pershing Boyhood Home site - which is part of the missouri state parks system. They are here to tell us more about Pershing Days, an annual event in Laclede, Missouri, hometown of the General of the Armies, John J. Pershing. The event will be celebrated this year on Sept. 13th, the weekend closest to the general’s birthday. Additionally, this year, a new documentary, Black Jack, will be making its debut on Sunday, Sept. 17th following activities on the 15th & 16th. Welcome, Alicyn, Denzil! [exchange greetings] [Alicyn, can you give our listeners an overview of what happens during Pershing Days? And how long has it been an annual tradition?] [Denzil, can you tell us a bit about the film Black Jack? A lot of it was filmed in Laclede, right?] Thank you Alicyn, Denzil! That was Alicyn Ehrich and Denzil Heaney talking about Pershing Days in Laclede Missouri and the new Pershing Documentary - Black Jack. Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.facebook.com/events/1028019170662151 https://theprgroup.org/events/event-calendar/#!event/2017/9/15/pershing-days-2017 https://vimeo.com/213096489 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gen-John-J-Pershing-Boyhood-Home-State-Historic-Site/112342615444100 https://mostateparks.com/park/gen-john-j-pershing-boyhood-home-state-historic-site https://www.facebook.com/ThePershingProject/ Education $10,000 Research Grant on WWI science and technology [SOUND EFFECT] This week in our Education section we’ve got something very special for the budding researchers in our audience - a shot at $10,000. There is a new academic competition that was announced for scholars under the age of 30. In this competition you can apply to research and write a paper on a major aspect of how scientists and engineers in the United States were engaged in the World War I effort. You know, this was one of the most vervent times for technology, science, engineering and medicine - ever! And so the Richard Lounsbery Foundation has funded this academic competition. Five scholars will be chosen and awarded $5,000 each to conduct their research. Additionally, the winner of the competition will be awarded a $10,000.00 prize. Proposals are due by November 30th, so spread the word! And check out the link in the podcast notes for how to participate in this program run by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Research Council. link:https://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/ww1/index.htm Speaking WW1 And now for our feature --- “Speaking World War 1 --- Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- This week the word is “Cooties” You might remember the taunting chants of your classmates as a child, accusing you of having cooties. Or maybe cooties were the reason you gave for why you didn’t like girls - or boys - or whatever. Personally, as a kid my english was pretty bad and had no idea why everyone laughed at me when I asked for chocolate chip cooties. Just kidding. The term cooties goes back to World War 1, when soldiers lived in horrific conditions that included being covered with lice. Indeed, using a lighter to burn lice and their eggs out of the seams of clothing was a daily pastime for many. As a nickname for body lice, cooties first appeared in trench slang in 1915. It’s apparently derived from the coot, a species of waterfowl known for being infested with lice and other parasites. I bet you did NOT know that! Cooties-- you don’t want em… and this week’s word for Speaking WW1! See the podcast notes if you really need to know more than that! link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooties http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2015/11/06/where_did_the_word_cooties_come_from.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Jim Yocum - Santa Monica High School Auditorium Next, we are going to profile another 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. That is our $200,000 matching grant giveaway to rescue ailing WW1 memorials. Last week we profiled a project from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This week, we head to Santa Monica, California. Joining us is Jim Yocum, Past Commander of Squadron 283 of the Sons of the American Legion Welcome, Jim! [exchange greetings] [Jim - a lot of our listeners know about the American Legion - but may not know about the Sons of the American Legion - would you please give us a quick heads up on that…] [OK on to your project - you’re team is refurbishing a memorial plaque in Santa Monica, CA - tell us about the project?] Thank you for the great work you and your Squadron are doing Jim! [responds] That was Jim Yocum, Past Commander of Squadron 283 of the Sons of the American Legion. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their unique and amazing projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials Spotlight in the Media Radio Interview This week for our Spotlight in the Media section, we’d like to direct you to CBS Radio's ConnectingVets.com On their September 5th “The Morning Briefing” they featured a segment on the WW1 Centennial Chris Isleib, the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, and I joined host Eric Dehm for a great conversation about the WW1 Centennial, including upcoming events and this very podcast. Take a listen with the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www1.play.it/audio/connecting-vets/ [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts For our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - now over 3,000 pages of articles, information and stories - our first highlight is a new article about an often overlooked part of our military-- the coast guard. Phil Eaton - US Coast Guard The Coast Guard and its aviators played a vital role in World War I. In 1916, Congress authorized the Coast Guard to develop an aviation branch, including aircraft, air stations and pilots. Historically, the Coast guard was originally with the Treasury Department - you know - to catch pirates and smugglers - For WW1, they get put under the U.S. Navy and today after 9/11 - they are part of Homeland security. We invite you to read the story about a Commanding Officer of a Coast Guard Naval Air Station, Phil Eaton --- who led the first fight between the U.S. coast guard naval aviation and a German U-Boat menace in U.S. waters. Learn more about Phil and his other contributions as one of the Coast Guard first aviators --- by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3068-phil-eaton-the-coast-guard-s-winged-warrior-of-wwi.html www.ww1cc.org/news WWrite Blog OK it’s time for an update for our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: “Champagne, "champagne," and World War I” This article is for literature, history, and, yes, champagne lovers. Motivation for weary WWI soldiers? Champagne. In 1915, the French government voted to send "champagne," the bubbly, celebratory drink, as a morale booster to the troops. Meanwhile, Champagne, the French region and source of the world's most elegant wine symbolizing celebration and peace, amassed severe wounds as a strategic point on Western Front. Don't miss this well-researched, insightful post written by journalist, Marsha Dubrow --- about the region, its signature drink --- and what happened to it during WWI . À votre santé! Link: www.ww1cc.org.wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/3069-champagne-champagne-and-world-war-i.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have two articles to tell us about today - Take it away! Camo Man A great example of camouflage from The Great War Channel link:https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatWarYT/photos/a.653030651457682.1073741828.636345056459575/1430994273661312/?type=3&theater The Lost Sketchbook A new book about a young artist who served during WW1 Link:http://www.thelostsketchbooks.com/ Thank you Katherine. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog with an interesting series of anecdotes from 100 years ago this week. Jim Yocum from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Santa Monica, California Alicyn Ehrich, and Denzil Heaney, giving us a taste of the annual Pershing Days and the upcoming Black Jack documentary Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Did you know that Cooties were also known as "arithmetic bugs" It true - because "they added to your troubles, subtracted from your pleasures, divided your attention, and multiplied like hell." So long!
Highlights: Please donate to the Hurricane Harvey victims |@ 01:00 WW1 in China and Japan |@ 02:30 Mike Shuster - The fire at Salonika |@ 11:35 Dr. “Russ” McDonald on 49th UTTC International Powwow |@ 18:15 Speaking WWI - This week: “Field Day” |@ 24:50 Joel Mize on 100C/100M project in Mussel Shoals, AL |@ 26:00 Chris Connelly - Story of Service about USMC grandfather |@ 34:20 Tanveer Kalo - former intern becoming subject matter expert |@ 40:30 The Buzz - This week in social Media |@ 41:50 And more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is August 30th, 2017 and our guests this week are: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, President of the United Tribes Technical College Joel Mize from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Sheffield, Alabama And Chris Connelly from Dayton Ohio who submitted a “stories of service” post and we want to talk about THAT. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. Harvey Before we start the show today, we wanted to take a moment for the people of Texas struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Here is Dan Dayton the Executive Director of the WW1 Centennial Commission [DAN DAYTON] There are several links for donating to the relief effort in the podcast notes. link:https://www.uwtexas.org/hurricane-harvey https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app362b?df_id=27651&mfc_pref=T&27651.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=7D83ADF3DC5B202D97E48EC4DA2D792D http://www.redcross.org/hp/harvey3 World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND EFFECT - WHOOSH] It really was a world war. In part, what made WWI so immediately global was the “imperial” mindset of the times. Everyone thought in terms of empires - global and regional conquest, possessions, colonies, holdings, opportunities and international allies and bringing all that baggage into the fray. [MUSIC TRANSITION] We’ve gone back in time 100 years to explore the war that changed the world! It is August 1917 and on the 14th of august, China declares war on Germany. So that got us thinking, here at WW1 Centennial News - about an Asia focused segment - and this is it. Quick quiz! OK, China declares war on Germany - But is Japan in the war? An what side are they on? [ticking - buzzer] That’s right - in WW1 Japan is ALSO on the side of the allies. This week 100 years ago, a Japanese Delegation comes to America headed by Viscount Ishii, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Japan. This prompts a number of articles in the Official Bulletin - America’s War Gazette created by the order of the President and published daily by George Creel, America’s propaganda chief. [SOUND EFFECT Radio and telegraph] Dateline: Monday August 27, 1917 Headline: Japanese Mission Pays Homage to George Washington, “He Belongs to All Mankind” Declares Viscount Ishii As the diplomat placed a wreath on the tomb of America’s first president, he declares: In the name of my gracious sovereign, the Emperor of Japan, and representing all the liberty-loving people who own his sway, I stand to-day in this sacred presence, not to eulogize the name of Washington, for that were presumption, but to offer the simple tribute of a people’s reverence and lové. The Day’s events began with a speech by Secretary of the Navy Daniels who recalled the visit to Japan by Admiral Perry a half a century earlier and couches it - NOT as gunboat diplomacy - but as the beginnings of a friendship between the nations. Later, Secretary and' Mrs. Daniels host the Japanese mission, at Mount Vernon. The story goes on to list the guests who attend, including the 20 Japanese dignitaries and 60 odd American navy, diplomatic and political invited guests. Near the end of the week, Viscount Ishii is invited to address a special session of the US Senate: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Friday August 31, 1917 Headline: Viscount Ishii tells senate: “japan Took Up Arms Against Germany Because Our Solemn Treaty With Britain Was Not to Us, just a Scrap of Paper” Viscount Ishii speech included: To us, the fact that you, [the United State], are now on the side of the allies in this titanic struggle, constitutes already a great moral victory for our common cause, which we believe to be the cause of right and justice, for the strong, as for the weak… for the great, as for the small. We of Japan believe We understand something of the American ideal of life. and we pay our most profound respects to it. Jefferson, your great democratic President, conceived the ideal of an American Commonwealth to be not a rule imposed on the people by force of arms, but as a free expression of the individual sentiments of that people. Jefferson saw Americans as a myriad of independent and free men, as individuals... only relying on a combined military force for protection against aggression from abroad or treachery from within. In fact, the treaty he refers to means Japanese and the Brits have been besties since signing in 1902 - So - So on August 23, 1914 - 103 years ago (aside) - and - this is less than a month after war breaks out in Europe, Japan formally declares war on Germany and Austria/Hungary - Here’s the deal they made - Even in 1914, the Japanese Imperial Navy is no slouch - so they agree to protect England and France’s interests in the Asia-Pacific-region, and in return, Japan gets to snag all the German territories in Asia as well as German pacific Islands. So the first thing the Japan does … even before they declare war… is to target a big German colony port in China… Tsingtao. Yes.. There is a connection… German beer… German breweries… German Chinese territories… and today’s great chinese beer brand. Prost… Gānbēi. Next, as per the agreement, Japan goes after the German colonies in the Pacific, making short work out of capturing the Mariana, Caroline and Marshall Islands. This kind of freaks out the Allies including the United States… although we weren’t at war yet. This Imperial Japanese Navy is performing just a little too well for our comfort. It just isn’t natural in the western cultural thinking of the time - with its deep seated bigotry and ignorance - to believe that an asian navy might be world class. But it is! Their support extends to europe…. By 1917, the on-going slaughter on the Western Front means that a constant stream of reinforcements is needed. If the Mediterranean route is squeezed shut, - by Uboats - the French and British Empire-troops would need to go all the way around the southern tip of Africa. So the Japanese Imperial Navy sends a fleet to the mediterranean to help with escort duties. Based in Malta they protect Allied shipping between Marseilles, France, taranto, Italy and Egyptian ports. By the end of the war, Japan’s Second Special Squadron has escorted 788 ships across the Mediterranean, safely transporting more than 700,000 troops to the Western Front. Reportedly, several Japanese commanders commit Hari-Kari after ships under their protection are lost. They do have a powerful sense of duty! So by 100 years ago this month, on August 14, 1917, - three years after Japan - China declares war on Germany - How come!? Well, China declares itself neutral at the outset of the war, but also wants to show solidarity with the allies. Unable to send men to fight, they sent men to help. By the end of the war, Chinese workers rank as the largest and longest-serving non-European contingent in World War I. There are complex politics surrounding their role and the Chinese Labor force - But perhaps most important -as China sees America entering the fray, it wants to earn itself a place at the post-war bargaining table. Top of the list for china is to regain control over the vital Shantung Peninsula.. That poky little part in the yellow sea across from Korea that Japan grabbed at the start of the war… You know, where Tsingtao is located - China wants to reassert its strength over Japan, which is it’s big , aggressive adversary and rival in the region. At the Versailles Peace Conference following the armistice, the Allied Supreme Council—dominated by the United States, France and Britain - are divvying up the world… Japan and China are both there lobbying hard —about their respective claims to the Shantung Peninsula. Meanwhile - Japan introduces another idea into the mix. They propose racial equality language to be included in the league of nations charter: Their proposed language read: “The equality of nations being a basic principle of the League of Nations, the High Contracting Parties, agree to accord, as soon as possible, to all alien nationals of states and members of the League, equal and just treatment in every respect making no distinction, either in law or in fact, on account of their race or nationality.” A bargain is eventually struck with Japan, but not really to their liking! They go home pretty angry and humiliated. The racial equality clause is shut down - but --- in compensation - they get to keep some German submarines and the Shantung peninsula. Some historians noted that both sides see one another as unacceptably arrogant and bigoted… It’s worth noting that the next time we see Japan at war it will not be as an allie. And that is a quick overview of some of what happened in Asia 100 years ago in the war that changed the world. We have a bunch of references and links in the podcast notes. links: japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_during_World_War_I https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-gives-ultimatum-to-germany https://owlcation.com/humanities/World-War-1-History-Japanese-Navy-in-the-Mediterranean Vietnam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Vietnam_during_World_War_I http://online.wsj.com/ww1/ho-chi-minh China https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/china-declares-war-on-germany https://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2010/04/china_and_first_world_war https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TofCRaOBWZ0 http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/surprisingly-important-role-china-played-world-war-i-180964532/#sI6lZYkfTdSGsmBA.99 More generally http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/east-asias-lessons-from-world-war-i/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_and_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_I [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Next we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Today Mike’s post takes us to the Aegean sea and the port town of Salonika, an allied stronghold in Greece - across the sea from Turkey. On August 27th, 100 years ago this week a major event strikes the city. Welcome Mike! [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/08/27/idyllic-greek-city-consumed-by-fire/ The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, visit our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube - They have well over 400 episodes about WW1 - covering the conflict since 2014 - and from a more European perspective. This week’s new episodes include: The second battle of Verdun Inside A British Mark IV WW1 Tank and Inside A British Bristol Scout WW1 Airplane, both from the Great War Channel’s recent trip to England Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar [SOUND EFFECT] World War One NOW [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Activities and Events [Sound Effect] I’d like to start by spending a little time on U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register itself. One of the tasks of the commission is to record and archive what America is going to commemorate the centennial of the War that Changed the World. So we built a US National Events register for that purpose at ww1cc.org/events - all lower case. Then we created two programs to feed it. One is a big red button that anyone can click and submit their event to the national register. That does two things. FIRST - It gets your event listed in the National Register and THEN - It puts your event into the permanent national archive for what transpired during the US WWI centennial - This is a permanent archive that will live on long after the centennial itself passes. In theory, when the US prepare the bi-centennial another century from now, your commemoration idea and event will be part of that record for the 2117 team to reference. The second program we created is for state centennial organizations, museums, libraries, universities and others who are holding a number of WW1 themed centennial events over the period. If you are one of those organizations, we have a special publishing partner program where we will train you, and give you direct access to the register - so you can post your WW1 events directly into it. If you would like to avail yourself of that program go to “contact” in the menu on any page of our website at ww1cc.org and send us a request . And perhaps most important of all - for those of you just wondering what WW1 themed events are happening in your area --- currently I counted around 70 on-going and 45 single day events. That is around 115 different events going on around the country on most any day. And we think that is only a fraction of what is actually going on. So pass the word, if you are doing WW1 related events - Big or small - get them into the register and let our community of interest, and history know what you are doing to commemorate the centennial of World War I. The link to the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register is in the podcast notes. link: http://ww1cc.org/events Updates from the States North Dakota [SOUND EFFECT] This week in our Updates from the States section - we want to highlight a very special gathering in North Dakota On September 10th during the final day of the 48th Annual United Tribes Technical College International Powwow, an annual gathering of some five to ten thousand individuals - they are going to focus on native americans and WW1. Susan Mennenga from the Pritzker Military Museum and library - and World War One Centennial Commissioner Terry Hamby will be on hand for the ceremony. We have with us today Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, United Tribes Technical College president. Welcome, Russ! [Exchange Greetings] [Russ, the Native American Role in WW1 was profound - both in terms of indian nations independently declaring war on Germany - as sovereign nations - and Native Americans volunteering as soldiers. Can you give our audience an overview?] [What do you think was the most profound effect of WW1 on the Native American Community?] [On September 10th, during the 48th annual UTTC International Powwow there is a remembrance and honoring of native american WW1 warriors. Can you tell us about that please…] [Russ, thank you for coming on the show] That was “Russ” McDonald, United Tribes Technical College president and host for the 48th annual UTTC International Powwow. There are links to the event in the podcast notes. link:http://www.uttc.edu/news/uttc-powwow-feature-honoring-wwi-native-servicemen Speaking WW1 And now our “Speaking World War 1 feature - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- This week’s phrase is “Field Day” Today, one might say that the “Hollywood Press” had a field day when rumours broke out that Angelina and Brad broke up. The way it is used now, the phrase “to have a field day” means an opportunity for action, success, or excitement. But the phrase originates from the military. It was used in the literal sense, for a day spent in the field, doing maneuvers, exercises and drills. This was particularly true during WW1 when A LOT of men got A LOT of training exercises... A marine corp barracks might have sounded like this: Alright gentlemen, grab your packs, your rifles and your sorry butts - today we are having a field day - starting with a 4 mile run. Move out! You maggots. Field Day… A big event - now and then! The earliest references go back all the way to 1747. see the the podcast notes for more link: http://www.theidioms.com/field-day/ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/field_day 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Joel Mize 100 cities Next, we are going to profile another 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project. That is our $200,000 matching grant giveaway to rescue ailing WW1 memorials. Last week we profiled a brand new memorial going up in Fort Towson, Oklahoma complete with a newly commission doughboy statue. This week, we head to Sheffield, Alabama for a project that honors those who died in the Northwest Alabama region known as muscle shoals. Joining us is Joel Mize, Steering Committee Chairman for the 101 Memorial project. Welcome, Joel! [exchange greetings] [Joel - your projects honors 101 individuals who died as a result of WW1, but not on the battlefields of Europe - but in serving the nation as Civilian defense workers in a manufacturing plant, Would you share their story with us please?] [Joel - in putting this project together - what do you think is the most memorable thing that has happened to you and your team?] Thank you joel! That was Joel Mize, Steering Committee Chairman for the 101 Memorial project in Sheffield, Alabama. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their unique and amazing projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.alabamapioneers.com/sheffield-alabama-has-a-historic-village-laid-out-in-the-form-of-the-liberty-bell/ [SOUND EFFECT] Stories of Service In our “Remember the veterans” section, today we wanted to feature one of the many Stories of Service collected on our website at ww1cc.org/stories where you are invited to tell us about the WW1 stories of service from your family or a just a story you have uncovered. With us today is Chris Connelly from Dayton, Ohio who submitted the story of his grandfather Peter Alphonse Connelly who served with the United States Marine Corps 5th Regiment. Peter was drafted into the Marine Corps, becoming a Rifle Expert during training before deploying for france in February 1918. He returned home with a Croix de Guerre for his bravery in battle; interestingly, Peter was an avid photographer and returned home with not only medals but many wonderful photos. Welcome, to the show Chris! [Exchange greetings] [Chris, we have a link in the podcast notes about Peter Connelly and the story you submitted about him - - but I wanted to learn a little more about how you went about putting the story together - Where did you find the materials? ] [What made you decide to submit Peter’s story to our Stories of Service archive?] What is the Marine Corps muster roll? Where can people find it? [What is the most memorable thing for you in putting this together?] [Have you shared your findings about Peter with the rest of your family? What was their response?] [What advice would you give to others wanting to investigate their own family connection to WW1?] Thank you, that was Chris Connolly - who submitted a Story of Service about his grandfather US Marine Corps WW1 veteran Peter Alphonse Connelly. For those of you interested in your ancestors who served, we have very exciting news - We are linking up with The Roll of Honor Foundation, a nonprofit charity with the mission of honoring the military service of the men and women of America’s Armed Forces, educating the public about their legacy and encouraging public service among the next generation. We are in the middle of integrating our Stories of Service and their database of WW1 veterans which will add your story of service to the Roll of Honor. You’ll also be able to purchase a tribute wreath for you veteran on their profile, which will go directly to funding the national WW1 Memorial in Washington DC honoring all our WW1 veterans. We will have more details on this for you over the coming weeks. The links Peter Connolly’s story, the stories of Service and the Roll of Honor are all in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/family-ties/stories-of-service/2471-peter-alphonse-connelly.html ww1cc.org/stories http://rollofhonor.org/ww1/ [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts This week in our Articles and Posts segment - we are going to highlight 2 stories from our website at ww1cc.org/news "The Americans seldom miss a shot.” The first is about a famed skill of the doughboys. They were crack shots! As America entered World War I in 1917, a who’s who of National Rifle Association rifle champions gathered at Camp Perry, OH for an important mission. Training Snipers! These NRA Sharpshooters organized a national-level advanced shooting program —the Small Arms Firing School—where specially selected soldiers would learn advanced marksmanship, culminating in long-range shooting and sniper training. Afterwards, the graduates rejoined their units bringing their new skills with them and training others. Read the whole story about about how this public-private partnership for military marksmanship contributed to the American war effort by following the link in the podcast notes. link:https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2017/8/24/how-nra-trained-america-s-snipers-to-fight-over-there East Indian Americans in WW1 Finally in Articles a posts, we have a story about one of the Commission’s former interns, Tanveer Kalo, who is STILL doing great work on WW1. Tanveer was also profiled in the May 16, 2017 issue of the WWI DISPATCH newsletter - our sister publication at ww1cc.org/dispatch for his intern work and support in creating our Vande Mataram website about a forgotten group of WW1 veterans from America’s asian Indians community (see the link in the podcast notes)... Having become somewhat of an expert on the subject, Tanveer was recently invited to write an article on the same subject for American Bazaar Magazine, which was just published. Tanveer talks about the process and discoveries of his work, and how he is continuing his research even after returning to college. In the article he highlights his personal favorite story of Manganlall K. Pandit, who served the US military in both World Wars. Check out Tanveer's great article at the link in the notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3039-in-defense-of-their-new-home-indian-americans-who-fought-for-the-united-states-in-world-war-i.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/vande-mataram-home.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have two photos to tell us about today - Take it away! Mobile Museum Music A woman shares a WW1 song her mother sang to her growing up Get audio from this link https://www.facebook.com/WWImobilemuseum/videos/446466625543576/?hc_ref=ARQ-pHnYpr5W4lZnIYxGzT1sR9juupbVRphPPu2FkrLdBcUylXFFzt8QE-bnBY38NxQ Link:https://www.facebook.com/WWImobilemuseum/videos/446466625543576/?hc_ref=ARQ-pHnYpr5W4lZnIYxGzT1sR9juupbVRphPPu2FkrLdBcUylXFFzt8QE-bnBY38NxQ http://www.ww1mobilemuseum.com/ Thank you Katherine. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the great war project blog filling us in on the Fire in Greece at Salonika, Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, President of the United Tribes Technical College speaking with us about their upcoming commemorative event Joel Mize from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Sheffield, Alabama Chris Connelly from Dayton Ohio sharing Peter Connelly’s story of service Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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 for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to--- share the stories you are hearing here with someone ---- about the war that changed the world! [music] Alright gentlemen… grab mops, sponges, toothbrushes and meet me in the latrine - It’s time for a bathroom field day! White glove inspection at 1700 sharp!
Highlights Moving the goods - The railroads and the war effort |@ 01 :00 Lynn Heidelbaugh - The postal service in WW1 |@ 08:20 The “Hat in the ring Gang” - Centennial of the 94th Aero Squadron |@ 13:40 Mike Shuster - Dissent in the German forces |@ 15:15 Richard Rubin & Jonathan Bratten - Being German ain't easy in 1917 |@ 19:50 Speaking WW1 - This week’s word “Strafe” |@ 29:30 John Motley - 100C/100M project in Fort Towsen, OK |@ 30:20 Andrew Carroll - Center for American War Letters |@ 36:45 And more…----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is August 23rd, 2017 and our guests this week are: Lynn Heidelbaugh, Curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten John Motley from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Fort Towson, Oklahoma And Andrew Carroll, Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [MUSIC TRANSITION] We’ve gone back in time 100 years to explore the war that changed the world! It is 1917 and America is preparing a war effort that is transforming her more quickly than any previous event in her short history. For example, 100 years later people will simply take for granted, the country’s ability to move huge volumes of goods, resources and people across the vast land. But there is no highway system in 1917… There are few canals… but there is a large and even transcontinental infrastructure - The railroads! So it is not surprising, that trains quickly becomes a key strategic element in the war effort, 100 years ago. Following are some the headlines and notes from the Official Bulletin - America’s War Gazette published daily by the Committee on Public Information, the US government propaganda ministry headed by George Creel. We’ll track the story about the railroads through its headlines and pages starting just a month after war is declared. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: May 15, 1917 Headline: BILL TO GIVE PRESIDENT POWER OVER FREIGHT SHIPMENTS INTRODUCED The story reads: "As war conditions develop It is certain there will be times when the shipment of arms and ammunition may be of prime importance ; at another time the movement of provisions may be more important; yet at another, the movement of coal and Iron ore may become the most Important of all. Under these conditions It is thought essential that the President should have the power to determine what particular freight shall have priority and for how long this priority should continue. Less than a month later -- the scope of the challenge is outlined in the Bulletin: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: June 5th, 1917 Headline: THE MOBILIZATION OF RAILROADS FOR THE NATION'S WAR NEEDS ARE DEFINED The story reads: Freight cars are lacking… There are 2,500,000 freight cars in the United States and their capacity is barely sufficient for current commercial needs. The railroads in the near future will use 120,000 cars to transport material for the construction of the ' new army ' training camps, and a continuous flow of cars to keep those camps in supplies. They estimate that It will take 200,000 cars to carry the material used for the construction of the Government merchant ships, whether of steel or of wood. They will require an enormous number of cars to move the steel for the ships under construction for the Navy, and no estimate whatever can be made of the number of cars which will be needed to carry the material used in the manufacture of munitions and supplies for the Army, and in moving them a second time from the point of manufacture to the shipping point. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: June 21th, 1917 Headline: MORE EXTENDED USE OF INTERIOR WATERWAYS OF COUNTRY URGED BY SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TM: The “maxing out” of capacity is clearly being recognized by all concerned --- and everyone is looking for answers as this story illustrates: “The president of one of our leading railways has recently said : " The railroads of the United States are carrying more freight than ever before in the history of the country, but when they have carried traffic up to 100 per cent of their capacity there still remains 15, 25, perhaps 30 per cent in traffic which it is impossible for them to carry at all." No one --- who knows the facts, will question that the railways of the country are overwhelmed by the present traffic. There is said to be a shortage of 150,000 cars. Radical measures are being taken In an effort to meet the situation. The railroads are Insufficient for the task laid upon them and the problem is likely to become more serious. It will not be long before large bodies of troops must be moved with their equipment in this country. TM: Although Americans were used to traveling through the country by rail - A visit to aunt Tilly in not in the cards anytime soon, [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: July 17, 1917 Headline: HUGE REDUCTION IN PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE The story reads: The railroads of the United States, as part of their effort, under the direction of the Railroads' War Board, report the elimination of passenger trains aggregating over 16,200,000 miles of train service per year. This is done by the railroads to save man power, fuel, and motive power, that they may be applied to the transportation of necessities. Every ton of coal, every locomotive, every mile of track space, every man whose duties are absorbed by an unnecessary passenger train --- can be put to effective use in freight service, and nothing is more necessary at the moment to insure the safety and prosperity of the country than that the railroads be able to handle the utmost possible amount of freight. The elimination of passenger service already reported will make available over 1,120.000 tons of coal for other purposes. TM: 10 days later a positive public relations story is published in the bulletin about the railroad companies [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: July 27, 1917 Headline: RAILROADS INCREASE NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY BY LEASING SURPLUS LANDS WHICH THEY OWN The story reads: To help increase the Nation's food supply by utilizing as much idle acreage as possible the railroads of the West and Middle West are leasing millions of acres of lands - which they own - at nominal rental for grazing and agricultural purposes. In addition to leasing their land to farmers and cattlemen at a nominal rental, a number of the railroads are offering garden plots, rent free, to families along their right of way. This leads to the big story this week one hundred years ago… [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: August 20th, 1917 Headline: PLANS FOR GREATEST TROOP MOVEMENT IN U. S. HISTORY ARE NOW BEING PERFECTED The American Railway Association Is Preparing Schedules To Insure Safe and Prompt Carrying of the Armies. The story reads: Altogether, 687,000 men will have in be transported to the various cantonments that the Government is building to house the new National Army. The movement will start September 5. Between that date and September 9 the railroads will complete the entrainment of 200,000 men, or approximately 30 per cent of the total number scheduled to be moved to the various training camps. The facts are that to move merely one field army of 80,000 men requires 6.229 cars made up into 366 trains, with as many locomotives and train crews. Meanwhile, in addition to moving the 687,000 recruits for the National Army, the railroads have been asked to supply transportation for the 350,000 members of the National Guard to their training camps. Closing TM: It is easy to see how challenging and strategic this key piece of infrastructure is to the war effort - So….Finally, in December of this year , 1917, the Interstate Commerce Commission recommends the total federal control of the railroad industry to ensure efficient operation. The takeover measures are to go beyond simply easing the congestion and expediting the flow of goods; they will have total control of all parties—management, labor, investors, and shipping— on behalf of this national interest. President Wilson issues an order for nationalization of the US railroad industry on December 26, 1917 [BANG SOUND EFFECT] The US Postal Service in WW1 Interview with Lynn [SOUND EFFECT WOOSH] Now that the troops are shipping out - first to training camp and soon thereafter overseas, another key logistics elements has to be nailed into place - one that is essential the the mental and spiritual well being of our fighting forces - Mail service! With us today is Lynn Heidelbaugh (HEIDEL-BAW), Curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum who is going to talk to us about the mail service and how it adapted to the changing needs of a population at war. Welcome, Lynn! [exchange greetings] [Lynn, can you fill us in on how the postal service in america had to transform and adapt when war was declared? ] [You lost postal workers to the draft didn’t you?] [Lynn - later in the show we’ll hear from Andrew Carroll from the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University - he contributed to your Pershing “My fellow Soldiers - Letters from WWI” exhibit at the museum. When did that open?] [Lynn - Museum exhibits are not really about artifacts and objects - they are about stories - as the curator for a postal museum exhibit about WW1 - is there anything that sticks out as a particularly memorable story.] [Did the postal service get Involved with mail censorship or was that strictly the war department?] [Thank you Lynn] That was Lynn Heidelbaugh (HEIDEL-BAW), Curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. link:https://postalmuseum.si.edu/ War in the Sky [SOUND EFFECT] This week in our War in The Sky segment we are going to talk about the famous US 94th Aero Squadron- which is established at Kelly Field, Texas on August 20, 1917. The “Hat in the ring Gang” named for their squadron logo - is one of the first American pursuit squadrons to reach the Western Front and see combat. Three notable airmen serve with the squadron, perhaps the most well known is Eddie Rickenbacker, who will be awarded almost every decoration attainable, including the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross. On a personal note, I have a silver cigarette case from my grandfather that is signed by a bunch of his flying buddies including Eddie Rickenbacker. I’ve always treasured that... So, another interesting member of the Hat in the Ring Gang is Raoul Lufbery.. Who transferred over from the famous Lafayette Escadrille. Lufbery, a really colorful character, famously adopted a lion cub while with the Lafayette and named him Whiskey, later got Whiskey a lioness playmate called Soda. Now - besides being a little eccentric, he is, of course, also a great aviator… Finally there is Douglas Campbell who will become the first AMERICAN TRAINED pilot to be an air ace. We will follow more of the 94th Aero Squadron’s exploits over the coming months, a famous squadron that was born 100 years ago this week. There are several links in the podcast notes to learn more. Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/94th_Aero_Squadron https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/94th_Fighter_Squadron#World_War_I https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/94th-aero-squadron-photographs-sieurin-1917-1919 https://downunderaviationnews.wordpress.com/the-hat-in-the-ring-gang-the-combat-history-of-the-94th-aero-squadron-in-world-war-1/ www.ww1cc.org/warinthesky [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Next we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. By now, we’ve heard about the French Mutinies of 1917, the mass desertion in the Russian army, and bewildered and beleaguered troops across the war fronts. But it wasn’t just the allies. Today Mike’s post looks at the war weariness in the German Military. Welcome Mike! Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/08/20/insurrection-in-the-german-military/ The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube have been producing great videos about great war since 2014.. Here is Indy Nidel - the host of the Great War Channel. 3rd Great War Recording of Indy This week’s new episodes include: The Battle of Hill 70 - Mackensen Advances in Romania Trench Mortars, German double standards and Hughes Shovel And Romanian Guns of WW1 Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar Storyteller and the Historian Next, it is time for the Storyteller and the Historian - Today the intrepid duo are going to explore the challenges of being a German American during WW1. [RUN OPENING] [RUN SEGMENT] Thank you gentlemen! That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour long monthly podcast. Look for them on iTunes and libsyn or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com World War One NOW [SOUND TRANSITION] We have moved forward in time to the present… Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the program is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Commission News This week in Commission News, We are announcing a new program from the National WW1 Museum and Memorial - called - Send A Deserving Teacher on an Adventure - You can nominate a teacher of your choice (which can include yourself) for a drawing to win a free trip to the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The drawing is random, but the platform being used to collect the entries allows users to enter more ballots by doing actions such as: sharing the contest on social media, visiting the education resource archive, and so on. And of course, you and your nominee will be signed up for semi-monthly Education Newsletter. The contest runs through Sept. 8 at theworldwar.org/contest There is a link in the podcast notes. Link: theworldwar.org/contest Activities and Events [Sound Effect] At the Commission we created U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register where we are compiling and archiving WW1 Commemoration events from around the country- not just from major metros and museums but also local events from the heart of the country- showing how the WW1 Centennial Commemoration is playing out all over America.. You can access and contribute to the register at ww1cc.org/events. Click the big red button to put your ww1 commemoration event into the register or use the search box in the left column to see what is happening in your neck of the woods. link: http://ww1cc.org/events Oil Paintings Our local event pick for this week comes from the Public Libraries of Maryland. A special WW1 Oil Paintings exhibit is currently on display at the Thurmont Regional Library and will be moving to the C. Burr Artz Public Library in Frederick, Maryland until end of September. The exhibit includes a set of five paintings of WW1 planes by Robert Horvath, a former Talbot County Free Library director. The paintings are on loan from the U.S. Air Force Museum in Washington, D.C. Margaret Carty, executive director of the Maryland Library Association, who helped put the exhibit together, noted: “When you look at the aviation then and the aviation now...for young people it must be almost mind-boggling to think that anyone dared to get into those,” In Oct the exhibit will go to Montgomery county at the Olney branch, followed by Talbot County in November. Follow links in the podcast notes to find out more. Link:http://www.cecildaily.com/spotlight/article_32d0cfa7-44d7-56c6-8d66-46e1b3827c41.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/component/jevents/eventdetail/47120/ww1-oil-paintings-exhibition.html?Itemid=1090&filter_reset=1 http://www.fcpl.org/branches-hours/thurmont-regional-library http://www.fcpl.org/branches-hours/c-burr-artz-public-library http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library http://www.tcfl.org Boston General For our major metro event pick of the week, we go to Boston Massachusetts where the Russell Museum of Medical History and Innovation features: The Spirit of Devotion: Massachusetts General Hospital and the First World War There is a short film about the hospital’s involvement in WWI and they will host several lectures. The hospital lobby exhibit will be changed every few months with new material. The organization operated a Base Hospital in Talence, France between 1917 and 1918, with many doctors, nurses and other personnel joining medical efforts in support of the Allied forces. Read more about the upcoming exhibits and lectures by following the links in the notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/component/jevents/eventdetail/10429/the-spirit-of-devotion-massachusetts-general-hospital-and-the-first-world-war.html http://www.massgeneral.org/museum/exhibits/front-lines/ http://www.massgeneral.org/museum/news/?display=Events [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 And for our newest feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in world war I --- This week’s word is Strafe or Strafing… In German.. The word for “punishment” is “Strafe” - And that is exactly what german fighter planes did - as they swept down from the skies, flying low to the ground as they unloaded their machine guns into the soldier in the trenches. It was a punishment from the sky. This air to ground support maneuver soon become known as to “strafe” or strafing the troops - an anglicized version of the german word for punishment - Strafe - this week’s word for - Speaking WW1 - see the translation from Google Translate in the podcast notes. Naya - da geb ich dir eine strafe! link: https://translate.google.com/#de/en/Strafe 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] John Motley - Fort Towson, OK Every week we are profiling one of the many amazing projects submitted to our $200,000 matching grant giveaway to rescue ailing WW1 memorials. The program is called 100 Cities / 100 Memorials. Last week we profiled the Albert Harry Bode Gravesite in Jackson California. This week, we head to Fort Towson, Oklahoma to learn more about a very unique project there. Joining us is John Motley, Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and nephew of Mrs. Margie Motley who, at 95 years young, has commissioned a new WW1 Memorial for the town of Fort Towson, Oklahoma in memory of her father, Cecil Evan Hopson, and all the doughboy veterans of Fort Towson, XXX county and Oklahoma featuring a life-size World War I Doughboy statue. Welcome, John! [exchange greetings] John, this started as a small and simple search for a figureen for a headstone, but has become much much more. Would you share the story with us? John, when will the memorial be dedicated? John - On behalf of the World War One Centennial Commission, from all of us here at WW1 Centennial news - and I am sure on behalf of our listeners - Would you please extend our warmest thanks and congratulations to your aunt - Mrs. Margie Motley for her dedication in remembering our WW1 veterans’ service - in the war that changed the world. Mrs. Motley. You are an amazing patriot and an amazing human being. We are all incredibly proud to have met you through your nephew and your work. Thank you! Thank you John! [exchange] That was John Motley for the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Fort Towson, Oklahoma. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their unique and amazing projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Education Today in our Education section, we are going to continue with our theme on letters from the past - On this show, we’ve heard time and time again - about the powerful emotional impact and personal connection - experienced from reading the letters of the era. This makes the archiving and sharing, of letters and journals from WW1 one of the most powerful commemorations there is. And it is also the focus of our next guest... Andrew Carroll is the Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University. [Welcome Andy!] [Exchange greetings] Andy - your focus is on letters from all wars - but from your WW1 collection - is there one letter or series that particularly stands out for you? [You’ve worked with Lynn Heidelbaugh from the smithsonian who was “on” earlier in the show - We have a lot of people and organizations from the centennial community that listen to this show - How can individuals and organizations access your archive?] [Andy - a related question - how can that community of interest contribute to your work?] [Finally Andy - You have another commemoration project you mentioned to Katherine - a commemorative WW1 plaque in memory of Edward Stone -- can you tell us a little about that?] [Thank you for joining us] That was Andrew Carroll, the Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University. Follow the link in the podcast notes to connect to the Center. https://www.chapman.edu/research/institutes-and-centers/cawl/million-letters-campaign.aspx [SOUND EFFECT] Updates from the States Illinois Welcome to our Updates from the States - starting with some exciting news from our friends in the Prairie State! Illinois - The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL will reopen to the public after a 1-year restoration. The reopening and ribbon cutting is on Saturday, August 26, at 11 am. The museum features new and updated exhibits and some new, cutting-edge storytelling techniques. The museum’s reopening coincides with the centennial inauguration of the famed military unit known as the “Big Red One.” It became the first division of the U.S. Army in June 1917, assembling to fight in France. Read more about the First Division and the museum's new features by following the link in the podcast notes link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3023-first-division-museum-grand-reopening-set-for-august-26.html [SOUND EFFECT] North Dakota Next, from the Roughrider State -- North Dakota, important plans are underway to honor Native American World War One veterans. Even before most Native Americans had citizenship rights, thousands of men from tribes across the country showed their patriotism by volunteering for the military and fighting in World War I. Now, as the nation solemnly marks the Centennial, United Tribes Technical College - UTTC - at Bismarck is planning to honor Native American servicemen. The honoring will be held on Sept. 10 during the 2017 UTTC International Powwow. We hope to have a guest on from the event in the next few weeks to tell us more - but for now - you can follow the link in the podcast notes. links:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3026-plans-to-honor-wwi-native-veterans-in-north-dakota.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts That brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine - You have two photos to tell us about today - Take it away! The 94th Aero The Hat in the Ring Squadron strikes a pose link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/826621890846444/?type=3&theater The Eclipses Not one but two eclipses swept over the earth during WW1 Link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/827080740800559/?type=3&theater Thank you Katherine. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank you for joining us and our guests: Lynn Heidelbaugh, Curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Mike Shuster updating us on conflict in the German Army The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten giving us a glimpse of life as a German American in World War One John Motley from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Fort Towson, Oklahoma And Andrew Carroll, Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Is that plane going to strafe us!?
Highlights Getting ready for training camp - War Department issues 30 lesson manifesto |@02 :00 RG Head on the War In The Sky - 1917 overview |@06:00 Richard Rubin & Jonathan Bratton on the Storyteller & The Historian on the Naval Reserve Act |@12:40 Mike Shuster on the war in the middle east |@18:45 Speaking WWI: “Thingumyjig” |@25:20 Anne Taylor & Ruth Edmonson Johnson on 100 Cities / 100 Memorials |@26:20 Professor Jeff Jakeman on Penrose Vass Stout: Aviator, architect and artist |@32:15 The eclipse of 1918: What comes around, comes around |@37:00 Susan Werbe on telling the WWI story with the voice of people |@37:50 And more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 News NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is August 16th, 2017. We have a big lineup today with six guest joining us. You’ll hear from… RG Head, former Air Force General, fighter pilot, author and historian The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Ann Taylor and Ruth Edmonson Johnson from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Jackson, California Jeff Jakeman, Professor Emeritus from Auburn University And Susan Werbe (WERBY), independent scholar and artist WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Preface The following section comes from the headlines and pages of the Official Bulletin - the government’s daily war gazette published by George Creel, President Wilson’s Propaganda Chief - We are republishing the daily issues on the centennial anniversary of their original publish dates at ww1cc.org/bulletin. So for those who would like to follow the events of 100 years ago in the words and headlines of the times, as presented by the US government, we offer a unique and powerful way to follow the War That Changed the World. We have the link in the podcast notes. So now let’s jump into our wayback machine and take a look at one of the themes that pervaded the official bulletin 100 years ago this week. link:http://ww1cc.org/bulletin [MUSIC TRANSITION] It’s the week of August 12, 1917. Starting on the Monday of this week the Official Bulletin launches a new series of articles - 30 lessons issued by the War Department over five weeks - written for the benefit of men selected for service. The lessons are informal in tone - and designed to “define” the image and more importantly - the “Self Image” of the American Soldier. It is philosophy, attitude, behavior, morality, personal hygiene and more… It is a manifesto for what it means to be an American Soldier… Listen to a few random excerpts taken from the first 6 lessons… From Lesson 1: Your post of Honor Quote: Other things being equal, an army made up of self-reliant, thinking men has a great advantage over a merely machine like army, and this is especially true in present-day warfare. Quote: The American soldier fights fairly and treats even the enemy with as much humanity as his own conduct will permit. As for slaughtering or enslaving the civilian population of captured territory, attacking prisoners, or assaulting women, American soldiers would as little commit such crimes in time of war as in time of peace. Quote: America has fought always and everywhere in defense of principles and rights—never merely for territory and for power. [DING] From Lesson 2: Making good as a soldier: Quote: Loyalty, obedience, and physical fitness are the three basic qualities essential to the making of a real soldier. [DING] Lesson 3: Soldierly qualities Quote: Intelligence, cleanliness, cheerfulness,confidence, spirit, tenacity, strength and self-reliance are the qualities of an American Soldier [DING] Lesson 4: Getting ready for camp Quote: Don’t take a last fling. It may land you in the hospital. At the best, it will probably bring you into camp in an unfit condition to take up your duties! [DING] From Lesson 5: First day at camp Quote: As the men in the National Army, which must get ready in record-breaking time your training will be more strenuous than that of soldiers in peace. You will find there is plenty of hard work ahead of you. The average energetic young American will be glad of it. [DING] Lesson 6: Cleanliness in camp Quote: The good soldier is almost “fussy” in the care of his person, his clothing, his bedding, and his other belongings. Personal cleanliness includes using only your own linen, toilet articles, cup, and mess kit. And so go the first 6 of 30 1-page lessons defining what it means to be an American Soldier for 10’s of thousands of young men, many of whom have never been away from home One of our listeners who joined us during the live recording of this epsisode commented that these lessons were not only “new” for the recent draftees, but new for the army at large. Bill Betten from California mentioned that, until now, The US Military consisted of a professional career soldiers whose reputation was considered, shall we say - “a bit rough” and so this “rebranding” of what it means to be an American soldier is a seed change in the world view and self image for our military and another key example of the war that changed the world. To learn how to join the live recording of the podcast, go to WW1CC.org/cn - charlie / nancy all lower case. [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky Interview with RG Head Moving to our War In The Sky segment, we are joined today by RG Head, retired Air Force Brigadier General, fighter pilot, military historian and author. RG offers us a retrospective of the past 6 months in the Great War in the Sky and a preview of what will happen over the coming months. Welcome RG [greet one another] Q: RG - a lot has happened over the past months in the skies over Europe, how would you characterize it in overview? Q: RG - we have reported a lot about the US and allied belief that overwhelming US air power could be a linchpin in hastening the end of this terrible war. How does that play out over the coming months? Q: So your are saying that the strategy did not work out because we couldn't pull the manufacturing together - Is that right? Q: So just before we wrap up, your book on Oswald Boelcke just came out in German… How did that happen? Thank you RG That was 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. 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 Storyteller and the Historian From the war in the sky to the war on the water - we are joined by the Storyteller and the Historian - Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten. Today they’re going to explore the Naval Reserve Cct - which creates an unprecedented window of opportunity for women to enlist into the military. [RUN OPENING] [RUN SEGMENT] Thank you gentlemen! That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour long monthly podcast. Look for them on iTunes and libsyn or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Next we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. When thinking about WW1 - People often focus on the Western Front of France and Belgium, but this world war was truly Global. Today Mike’s post is an update on the Middle East, where the Turks found themselves in a difficult situation. Welcome Mike! [Mike Section] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/08/13/crisis-for-the-turks-in-the-middle-east/ The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, our friend at the Great War Channel on Youtube have been producing great videos about great war since 2014.. This week’s new episodes include: Despair Everywhere - The Great War Week 159 War weariness - the Great War Summary part 10 And a hardware piece - Italian Pistols of WW1 Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar And now we are going to move forward in time to the present! World War One NOW [SOUND EFFECT] Welcome to WW1 Centennial News NOW - This part of the show is not about history but how the centennial of the War that changed the world is being commemorated today. Activities and Events [Sound Effect] We are going to start with Activities and Events selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events where we are compiling and recording WW1 Commemoration events from around the country. Uniformed Women in WW1 Smithsonian Our pick of the week is from the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. The exhibit is called: “Uniformed women in World War One”and explores the active and sometimes overlooked role played by women throughout the war. Their roles were seminal both as a part of the preparedness effort before 1917 as well as uniformed members military and civilian organizations. Even If you can’t make it to Washington DC, the Smithsonian offer a wonderfully detailed website featuring American women, their service and their uniforms. Take a virtual visit with the links in the podcast notes. If you are involved with any WW1 centennial events, you are invited to submit them to the National WW1 Centennial Events Register. This not only promotes them to the WW1 community of interest, but also puts them into the permanent national US archival record of the centennial. Go to ww1cc.org/events. Click the big red button and fill out the form. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/37666/smithsonian-s-national-museum-of-american-history-presents-uniformed-women-in-the-great-war.html http://americanhistory.si.edu/uniformed-women-great-war http://ww1cc.org/events [SOUND EFFECT] Education Newsletter Issue #8 is out In our Education Segment, we wanted to let you know that the latest issue of the education newsletter is out - “Understanding the Great War - Issue 8 is all about “Propaganda” with lesson plans, source materials, links to youtube videos and other resources all designed to let educators create memorable learning experiences for their students. Follow the link in the podcast notes to the newsletter archives or to register to receive the semi-monthly publication. Link to view online: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1112454519225&ca=c9cccca5-72a6-4420-bad8-038155085c7a http://ww1cc.org/subscribe [SOUND EFFECT] Speaking WW1 In our newest feature “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in world war I --- This week’s selected word is “thingumyjig”. Can you spell it!? T-H-I-N-G (thing) U (uh) M-Y (ma) J-I-G (jig) Thingumygig…. Although it appears to have existed prior to the war, it became cemented in common use during the conflict. Soldiers were confronted with many new objects, parts and things -- and so the word thingumyjig became a quick easy way for soldiers to refer to those new bits and pieces around them. Other words for “that thing I don’t know what to call” include the Canadian’s favored “hoozamakloo”! Read more about the many ways soldiers referred to those things they couldn’t quite remember the names of, by following the link in the podcast notes. link: https://books.google.com/books?id=Vz4uDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT142&dq=thingumyjig&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2uancqNnVAhVF4SYKHRHGDPEQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=thingumyjig&f=false 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Ann Taylor and Ruth Edmonson Johnson 100 cities Every week we are profiling one of the many amazing projects submitted to our $200,000 matching grant giveaway to rescue ailing WW1 memorials. The program is called 100 Cities / 100 Memorials. Last week we profiled the Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Monument in Phoenix, Arizona. This week we are heading to Jackson California to profile the Albert Harry Bode Gravesite project. To tell us about it, we’re joined by Ann Taylor, Regent of the Sierra Amador Chapter of the NSDAR, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and Ruth Edmonson Johnson, Honorary Regent and National lineage Research Chair - Southwest. Ann and Ruth - Welcome! [exchange greetings] You know - what I love about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials initiative is the range of projects it has drawn. Last week Neil Urban was with us, and he works for the state of Arizona. Today you are here from Jackson, California - a beautiful little hamlet located between Yosemite and Sacramento! And there are only 3500 of you! I have read your grant application and you have a great story, why don’t you share it with us! [interview] Well, you know that was one of the core objectives when we created the program - to act as a catalyst for communities to rediscover their heritage - and it sounds like project is doing exactly that in Jackson California! That was Ann Taylor and Ruth Edmonson Johnson from the Sierra Amador Chapter of the NSDAR telling us about Albert Bode’s military plaque and headstone restoration in Jackson, California We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials Updates from the States Hawaii [SOUND EFFECT] Welcome to our Updates from the States - starting with some exciting news from our friends in the Aloha State! Hawaii Governor David Ige (EEGAY) has signed a letter, pledging state support to Hawaii's World War I Centennial Task Force. This is a great group of people that have been working diligently over the past several years to present and expose Hawaii’s role in the war that changed the world. Visit their website at ww1cc.org/hawaii all lower case - or follow the link in the podcast notes to read the story about this good news.. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/hawaii-wwi-centennial-articles/2971-hawaii-s-world-war-i-centennial-task-force-gains-state-support.html Interview with Jeff Jakeman next, from Heart of Dixie -- Alabama, we are going to be joined by Jeff Jakeman, Professor of History, Emeritus at Auburn University, to talk about a unique WWI aviator who was also quite an accomplished architect and artist - Penrose Vass Stout! Welcome Jeff! [exchange] Q: Jeff what can you tell us about Penrose… Q: Jeff tell us about the exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art about Vass stout? Jeff - Thank you so much for joining us That was Professor Jeff Jakeman telling us about aviator, architect, artist and alumni of Auburn University - Penrose vass Stout and the exhibit - “Sketching the Skies: Penrose Vass Stout which runs through September 10th. Montgomery Museum of Fine Art Learn more by following the link in the podcast notes. links:http://mmfa.org/events/from-alabama-to-the-skies-of-france-1917-1918-penrose-vass-stouts-improbable-journey/ http://mmfa.org/exhibitions/sketching-the-skies-penrose-vass-stout-alabamas-wwi-artist-aviator/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47084/sketching-the-skies-penrose-vass-stout-alabama-s-wwi-artist-aviator.html http://digital.archives.alabama.gov Articles and Posts It is time for our Articles and Posts segment - with new posts from our website at ww1cc.org - Eclipse 99 years ago In the news section, you’ll find an article that parallels current events with news from 99 years ago. And the subject is ------ Eclipses! In 1918 newspapers -- across America -- tucked in among reports about U.S. regiments fighting overseas and war bond propaganda,--- were reports about the Total Eclipse casting the moon’s shadow over the country. Just as in 2017, in 1918 the path of the eclipse started south of Japan, went across the Pacific Ocean, and then across the United States. AND, just as in 2017, Americans were avidly interested in the amazing cosmic phenomena. Read more about it by visiting ww1cc.org/news or following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/3001-2017-eclipse-across-u-s-recalls-wwi-eclipse-99-years-ago.html Spotlight on the media Interview with Susan Werbe For our spotlight on the media section, we are being joined by Susan Werbe (Werby), an independent scholar and artist with a focus on -- the social and cultural history of World War One. She is the creator and executive producer of The Great War Theatre Project: Messengers of a Bitter Truth, recently performed in Boston, New York, and Letchworth in the UK. Susan wrote about this project in a recent article on our WWrite blog, and is here with us today to tell us more about it and about another project she has been working on. Welcome, Susan! [exchange greetings] [Susan, Could you give our listeners an idea of what your theater project “Messengers of a Bitter Truth” is about?] [Now Susan, your newest project isn’t theater, it is music project called Letters You Will Not Get. What inspired this one?] [Susan I know you haven’t recorded the music for “Letters you will not get” at this time, but you do have the libretto - can you give us a sample..?] Thank you so much Susan! That was Susan Werbe (Werby), an independent scholar and creative artist with a focus on the social and cultural history of World War One -- Learn more about Susan’s work and research by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/2504-a-journey-of-commemoration-the-great-war-through-the-lens-of-art.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services commemorates the WWI Centennial with new webpages highlighting the history of immigration and naturalization. link:https://www.facebook.com/uscis/photos/a.408896322454927.106414.228759177135310/1632639103413970/?type=3&theater https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/world-war-i Thank you Katherine. Closing And that is also IT for WW1 Centennial News for this week. In closing, we want to thank our guests: RG Head, author and historian giving us a retrospective on the War in the Sky The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten talking to us about the Naval Reserve Act Mike Shuster from the great war project blog highlighting the situation in the Middle East 100 years ago Ann Taylor and Ruth Edmonson Johnson from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Jackson, California Jeff Jakeman, Professor Emeritus from Auburn University talking to us about an Alabaman aviator-architect and artist Penrose Vass Stout Susan Werbe (WERBY), independent scholar and artist telling us about her projects highlighting the voice of people - both men and women - during the war Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] Hey Halsey - pass me that thingumyjig! Thanks.
Highlights Then: The American Red Cross - Part 2 |@ 01:00 Storyteller & Historian: The Herbert Hoover Food Administration |@ 07:00 Mike Shuster: Where did “Doughboy” come from? |@ 13:30 Feature: The US Mint WWI Commemorative Coin |@ 17:45 NEW: Speaking WWI this week “Slaker” |@ 19:30 Event Picks: Portland Maine, Los Angeles |@ 20:25 100C/100M: Neil Urban on Veterans of WWI of the USA Monument in Arizona |@ 22:40 Media: Professor Sir Hew Stachan & Catriona Oliphant on Podcast Docudrama - “Enter The Peace Broker” |@ 28:55 Articles: National Guard, Rainbow Division and The Wool Brigade |@ 39:50 The Buzz: Katherine Akey on Social Media |@ 43:15 And more… ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 News NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is August 9th, 2017 and this week we’re joined by The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten - Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, Neil Urban from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Phoenix, Arizona As well as Catriona Oliphant and Sir Hew Strachan talking to us about a new British podcast docudrama called Enter The Peace Brokers. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Prelude In Episode #26 we told you the story of how the American Red Cross was nearly instantly transformed by the US entry into the war. In that one week in late July, 100 years ago - the US government, uses its propaganda machine and raises well over $100 million dollars on behalf of the Red Cross. Then they technically install their man, Henry P. Davidson as the organization’s overseer through a War Council, and finally they announce that Red Cross personnel will wear uniforms when in the war theater. It’s a bit over a month later and time for an update on this iconic humanitarian organization that was not born, but forged by the war that changed the world. [SOUND TRANSITION] We have gone back in time 100 year and It’s the week of August 5th, 1917. From the headlines and pages of the Official Bulletin - the government’s war gazette published by order of President Wilson by George Creel, America’s Propaganda Chief - we now explore the next chapter in the story of the Red Cross. This week the story is not about transformation - but preparation as the Red Cross prepares to take on new challenges! [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Tuesday August 7, 1917 Headline: RED CROSS TO SHIP 50,000 POUNDS ETHER T0 FRANCE The story reads: ‘In response to an urgent cablegram - the Red Cross is planning to ship 100,000 one-half pound tins of ether to France. Also, because of the shortage of anesthetics in France, the Red Cross War Council, has also authorized the establishment, as soon as practicable, a central plant to manufacture nitrous oxygen, or “laughing gas,” one of the most effective and harmless of anesthetics for short operations. American machinery will be shipped to France for this purpose, and American operatives will be sent over to conduct the plant. [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: RED CROSS CREATES SANITARY SERVICE BUREAU TO HELP MAKE ARMY CANTONMENTS HEALTHFUL. In this story, the Red Cross prepares for what is probably the biggest instant human migration in the country’s history as tens of thousands of young men from across the land are gathered in rapidly built military training camps. The story reads: Following its policy of caring for the health of not only of the soldiers and sailors of the United States, but that of the civil population, the American Red Cross has established a bureau of sanitary service, which will supplement and assist Federal, State, and local health authorities in meeting sanitary emergencies created by the war effort. The work of the bureau will center in the civilian areas surrounding Army cantonments. While sanitary control of National Army cantonments, National Guard camps, and naval bases will be exercised by the military authorities, the districts immediately adjoining these camps will be under no such jurisdiction. Yet the assembling of large bodies of troops from around the nation will create new sanitary condition challenges which must be met to safeguard the health of civilians and soldiers alike. And in a detail follow up to the announcement of uniforms and ranks for American Red Cross personnel - the government now provides details [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: Army Rank Assigned to the American Red Cross Workers, The Insignia to Be Worn and Restrictions to Be Placed Upon Them In this article we learn about the ranks and insignias that will be assigned to Red Cross personnel. Examples include a Red Cross Director who is the equivalent of a military Major and who will wear the Greek Cross in red enamel on cap, hat or helmet. Or a Red Cross Secretary - the equivalent of a Sergeant Major will wear the Greek Cross in red enamel on both sides of the collar of coat or shirt. The article also specifies: To avoid the presence in European theaters of war of persons who may not be acceptable to the authorities of any foreign Government or in whose loyalty there may not be placed undoubted confidence by the Government of the United States as well as of such Governments, the name, residence, and former employment of each member of the American National Red Cross below grade 7 - will be furnished to The Adjutant General of the Army for transmission to the Chief, War College Division of the General Staff Corps with, similar information furnished to the commanding general, United States forces in France. And in a final story this week to - to clarify that members of the Red Cross are NOT US military personnel… [SOUND EFFECT] Headline: RED CROSS T0 TREAT ENEMY WOUNDED AS KINDLY AS FRIENDS The story reads: Many questions have arisen as to the attitude of the American Red Cross toward Germans wounded on the battle field and also toward Americans of German origin affiliating themselves with Red Cross hospital units going abroad. To make clear the attitude of the Red Cross, Henry P. Davison, chairman of the war council, authorizes the following statement: “When war was declared between the United States and Germany the neutrality of the American Red Cross, of course, ended automatically. The American Red Cross can cooperate only behind the lines of the armies of the United States and its allies. But the Red Cross knows no such thing as the nationality of a wounded man. Any wounded enemy turned over to the care of the American Red Cross will receive as kindly treatment as any friend. The Red Cross will not only extend every aid and comfort to the armies of America and its allies, but it will assist in every possible way the sick, wounded, and afflicted among the civilian populations among our allied countries. This is in conformity with the practice of the Red Cross Society in every country. And that is the update on the American Red Cross 100 years ago this week. [SOUND EFFECT] still from the pages of the Official Bulletin comes a lead in to the next section of our program. Dateline: Saturday August 11, 1917 This simple one paragraph notice reads: The President yesterday afternoon formally announced the appointment of Herbert C. Hoover as Food Administrator for the United States. Herbert Hoover and US Food Admin http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/163628796233/herbert-hoover-to-head-us-food-administration Storyteller and the Historian Which is the perfect lead in to our intrepid duo - the storyteller and the historian - Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten. Today they’re going to explore the Administration and Herbert Hoover’s take over of food US production. [RUN SEGMENT] Thank you gentlemen! That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour long monthly podcast. Look for them on iTunes and libsyn or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Blog Next we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Today Mike’s post looks at the murky origins of an iconic World War One symbol - the doughboy! Welcome Mike LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/08/06/whence-the-name-doughboy/ Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, we invite you to check out the Great War Channel on Youtube - they offer great videos about great war from a more European perspective.. This week’s new episodes include: The Battle of Passchendaele and Mutiny in the German Navy Recap of our Trip to England The Baltic states in WW1 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 [SOUND TRANSITION] We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Commission News For this week’s "Commission News" segment we decided to... flip a coin [coin roll sound effect] There is a US mint - World War I commemorative coin project that we want to tell you about. In 2014, the United States Congress authorized the US Mint to develop and produce a World War One commemorative coin as a part of the Centennial Commemoration. It’s been fascinating to watch the process, because it takes a really long time! The project was authorized by congress in 2014. Then in 2016, the US mint held a design competition and collected ideas. This year in 2017, we will be able to announce the final design and the availability of the coin which will be early in 2018. This US mint issued coin is an ideal collectible keepsake of the centennial for anyone who served, anyone who had a family member in WWI, certainly a “must have” for anyone who has been involved in this centennial commemoration - and of course anyone who listens to this podcast!!!! - or anyone, who wants to honor and remember those men and women who gave so much for our freedom 100 years ago. There are other WWI commemorative coins out there, like the beautiful Pritzker Military Museum and Library commemorative coin, our own remembrance coin in our official merchandise shop and others.. But the official US Mint commemorative coin is a genuine numismatic collectible and most important - the proceeds go directly toward the building America’s WWI Memorial in Washington DC…. Think of it as the OFFICIAL “official” US keepsakes for the centennial of the war that changed the world! Speaking WW1 Today - we’d like to introduce a new segment called “Speaking World War 1 - Where we explore today’s words & phrases that are rooted in Then. Today’s word is “slacker”, common today to describe a lazy, unmotivated, flakey individual. It first started being used in during the World War 1 era to describe someone who was not participating in the war effort, especially someone who avoided military service. Essentially - a slacker was a draft dodger. Citizens would even organize coordinated attempts to track down these evaders, an event called a “slacker raid”. A San Francisco Chronicle headline on September 7, 1918, read: "Slacker is Doused in Barrel of Paint" Learn more about the term by following the links in the podcast notes link:http://www.trademarkandcopyrightlawblog.com/2014/06/when-slacker-was-a-dirty-word-defamation-and-draft-dodging-during-world-war-i/ https://www.nypl.org/blog/2014/10/07/spies-among-us-wwi-apl Activities and Events [SOUND EFFECT] Portland Maine In Activities and Events we are going to profile 2 events - selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events where we are compiling and recording WW1 Commemoration events from around the country- not just from major metros and museums but also local events from the heart of the country- showing how the WW1 Centennial Commemoration is playing out all over.. Our local event from Portland Maine is at the Osher Map Library. They have an exhibit on view through October 2017 called “To Conquer or Submit? America Views the Great War”. The exhibit explores the world of propagandistic maps and printed images that Americans relied on to understand World War I. The display goes beyond the propaganda posters to include a range of informative propaganda, maps, and atlases. The show was curated from the collections of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education. The link in the podcast notes leads to more information about this great local event. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/component/jevents/eventdetail/32936/to-conquer-or-submit-america-views-the-great-war.html?Itemid=1090&filter_reset=1 http://www.oshermaps.org/exhibitions/great-war Los Angeles For our major metro event, we want to profile a recent lecture at the Hollywood American Legion, Post 43 in Los Angeles, California. R.G. Head, a decorated War hero, aviator, scholar, author and public speaker, shared the story of one of World War I’s most Important Aviators: German aviator Oswald Boelcke. read more about event and RG Head by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/47009/the-great-war-in-the-sky-oswald-boelcke-air-combat.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/1181-timeline-of-wwi-aviation-history-demo.htm#about-rg-head-curator https://www.facebook.com/rg.head/ RG is also the curator of our own Great War In The Sky timeline and will be joining us here on WW1 Centennial News next week for an update retrospection of the War in The Sky over the past 6 months. If you are involved with any WW1 centennial events, you are invited to submit them to the National WW1 Centennial Events Register. This not only promotes them to the WW1 community of interest, but also puts them into the permanent national US archival record of the centennial. Go to ww1cc.org/events. Click the big red button and fill out the form. link:http://ww1cc.org/events 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Neil Urban - Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Monument in Arizona’s Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza Every week we are going to profile one of the many amazing projects that are participating in our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials national matching grant challenge. Last week we profiled Mobile, Alabama.. This week we are heading to Phoenix, Arizona to the Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Monument in Arizona’s Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. This specific project is unique in program in that the memorial is in the states capital plaza where they have their Capital Museum, their State Library, a whole veteran’s plaza - and the project is being supported by a state department. To tell us about it, we’re joined by Neil Urban, Capital Planner for the Arizona Department of Administration. Welcome Neil! [exchange greetings] [Neil - So Niel - you work for the State of Arizona - tell us a little bit about what you do and how you became involved with this memorial restoration?] [Neil - in reading a lot of the grant applications - one thing has popped out for me and that is that for each one of these memorial restoration projects - someone’s personal passion is a key driving force. Is this more than just another job assignment for you?] [in reading through your grant application, it almost seems like the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials initiative combined AND your passion seem to have triggered a state-wide review of your WW1 memorials. Is that true?] That was Neil Urban on the Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Monument in Phoenix Arizona. We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their projects on the show over the coming months. Learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials Spotlight in the Media Interview with Catriona Oliphant and Professor Sir Hew Strachan on “Enter The Peace Broker” by Martyn Wade This week we are combining our Spotlight in the Media and International report segments by introducing you to a new WWI radio docudrama from the UK. The headline in the UK Daily Mail article reads: America's forgotten heroes: 100 years ago, the U.S. finally agreed to send soldiers to join the Allies in the trenches and help turn the course of WWI. So why, asks a top historian, is their awesome bravery barely remembered today? [CLIP] “Enter The Peace Broker” by Martyn Wade, was produced by ChromeRadio as a new five part podcast docudrama that uses first-hand accounts — diaries, correspondence and contemporary coverage — to highlight the events leading up to America’s entry into World War I. With us today are Noted WWI historian Sir Hew Strachan (STRAWN) Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews and a member of the UK’s National Committee for the Centenary of the First World War, And Catriona Oliphant (KATRINA) founding director of ChromeRadio, an independent audio production company. Welcome to the both of you. [exchange greetings] [Catriona - Let me start with you… how did this project come about? Sir Hew - you are considered by many as the leading WWI historian - how did you get involved in the project?] [To both of you - as a listener to the series - what should I expect my experience to be?] That was Catriona Oliphant and Sir Hew Strachan about the new podcast Docudrama: Enter The Peace Broker. To listen to all the episodes of the Enter the Peace Broker, visit audioboom.com and search for ‘Enter The Peace Broker’. It’s also available on iTunes and other major podcast platforms. Sir Hew’s recent Radio 3 Essay series, The Long Road To Peace, can be heard at bbc.co.uk/radio (search for ‘The Long Road To Peace’). We have links for you in the podcast notes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4471352/America-s-forgotten-heroes-World-War.html#ixzz4pGldLi4J link:http://www.chromemedia.co.uk/when-the-peace-broker-went-to-war/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4471352/America-s-forgotten-heroes-World-War.html https://audioboom.com/playlists/4606055-enter-the-peace-broker-by-martyn-wade-episodes-1-5 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08kyp1r Articles and Posts It is time for our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - In the Official Bulletin this week 100 years ago, an article on August 9th reads “Mobilization of men for new national army to begin September 1st”. The great trans-continental shuffling of soldiers to training camps has begun. The centennial of this massive mobilization is being commemorated now. Three articles on the Commission website came out this week all profiling different aspects of this milestone moment. “The National Guard's defining role in WWI” We will start with the overview article: “The National Guard's defining role in WWI” This is a great crash course about the National Guard mobilization and their transformation from traditionally local militias into a cohesive national military force as it gets drafted into the US Army on August 5th, 1917. “Honoring World War I's finest: The Rainbow Division” “Honoring World War I's finest: The Rainbow Division” outlines a commemoration and rededication to take place on August 12, 2017 marking the 100th anniversary of the activation of the 42nd New York division. It is called the rainbow division because the 42nd was created from National Guard units from 26 different states and the District of Columbia. A young Douglas MacArthur, who continued to play a major military role through the second world war - was the 42nd Division’s Chief of Staff and said that this diverse unit would "Stretch over the whole country like a rainbow." “Remembering the Rainbow Division” Another article “Remembering the Rainbow Division” is even more local. It is a personal tribute. On August 28 in Montgomery, Alabama, a Korean War veteran and Silver Star recipient will honor his father and the many others who served in the 4th Alabama National Guard, which became part of the the 42nd Rainbow Division after they were federalized. Rod Frazer, author and historian, will officially unveil and dedicate a bronze monument marking exactly 100 years since 3,677 Alabama Guardsmen, including his father, William Frazer, hopped onto one of eight trains from Union Station to fight in the war that changed the world. Read any of these articles by following the links in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/news http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2975-remembering-the-rainbow-division.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2976-honoring-world-war-i-s-finest-the-rainbow-division.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2985-the-defining-role-of-the-national-guard-in-wwi.html When knitting was a patriotic duty In episode #26 we mentioned knitting used for covert communications in WW1 and WW2. This week’s article “The wool brigades of World War 1: When knitting was a patriotic duty” discusses knitting’s more traditional use during the conflict. Even before America even joined the war, organizations such as the American Red Cross and the American Fund for the French Wounded issued pleas for warm clothing for soldiers—or, as a Navy League poster put it, to “Knit a Bit.” After April 1917, the Red Cross, and the Comforts Committee worked together to mobilize the general public to the war effort, with a goal for 1.5 million knitted garments for our boys! Read more about it at ww1cc.org/news or follow the links in the notes: link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2978-the-wool-brigades-of-world-war-i-when-knitting-was-a-patriotic-duty.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? Bomb Disposal Belgian bomb disposal teams are still cleaning up after the fighting in WW1 link:https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/videos/10154961507282217/?hc_ref=ARTOO5iXc9qA-sqTyhiNSDcNjzNtdeMfg5l-9wKoRMTBO7P4tYomXT2kiCR6k9BJcPU Purple Heart Day August 7th is #purpleheartday link:http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/08/07/national-purple-heart-day/amp/ https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews/videos/10156152540513812/?hc_ref=ARTTvduTYm9O7ZaDCEyqAn7mjs4kJcQvihSyqEpj62_E8wT9uKTPqg8YlqpWIr3QvRg https://www.facebook.com/armyhistory/videos/10155143227978558/?hc_ref=ARTR4Gc5rGg0AQr4FMC9ibkJWZ1rCSJqag3Ravm9FlHI16ucwIJms83eB7xXihP1SmI https://www.facebook.com/Purple-Hearts-Reunited-INC-252965351489307/?hc_ref=ARQk_HPO5w99JMVueinciWyqTGtmRwCzOt7IyvM4OcemjqBsGt_4zd26-k51l5mIFy4 https://www.facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/10155662036515719/?hc_ref=ARQdr2QbknqD2afiqTOVBLmDxc3Ml2plVG5MHzoCMqRQ9m4ktc8hHNjIrnxM11CN-rg Thank you Katherine. Closing [SOUND EFFECT] And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten and their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on the Food Administration Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about the origins of the Doughboy, Neil Urban for our profile on the Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A. Monument in Phoenix, Arizona Catriona Oliphant and Professor Sir Hew Strachan sharing their docudrama Enter the Peace Broker Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] So long!
Highlights Civil rights march in NYC 100 years ago |@ 01:15 Draft dodging, bobbing and weaving |@ 03:15 Passchendaele the battle of the MUD |@ 08:45 “The Song of Mud” by Mary Borden |@ 12:40 The Storyteller and the Historian |@ 17:00 On being an intern at the US WW1 Centennial Commission |@ 23:00 Event Picks of the week |@ 27:00 100C/100M Profile - Memorial Park in Mobile Alabama |@ 29:00 Motorcycles and Memorials |@ 34:15 Working on America’s WW1 Memorial |@ 41:30 Dazzle Camouflage and Peach Pits |@ 42:40 And more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 News NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is August 2nd, 2017 and this week we joined by Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten - Paul Bergholzer a sociology student from Catholic university Cammie Israel, from the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Mobile, Alabama - and Lamar Veatch, Retired State Librarian at the Georgia Public Library Service. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND TRANSITION] Our wayback machine has transported us back 100 year and It’s the week of July 29rd, 1917 The Silent Protest Parade Earlier this month July 2, 1917 simmering labor tensions between white and black workers explodes in St Louis. For 24 hours, white mobs indiscriminately stab, shoot and lynch anyone with black skin. Men, women, the elderly, the disabled even children – horrifyingly --- no one is spared. Homes are torched and occupants shot down as they attempt to flee. Police and White militiamen stand idly by as the carnage unfolds. The death toll is as high as 200 and the city’s surviving 6,000 black residents become refugees. In protest, the NAACP the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organizes a large demonstration in New York City. This week, 26 days later, during the saturday afternoon of July 28, nearly 10,000 African-Americans march down Fifth Avenue, in silence, protesting racial violence and white supremacy in the United States. [SOUND EFFECT] The only sounds are those of muffled drums, the shuffling of feet and the gentle sobs of some of the estimated 20,000 onlookers. The women and children are all wearing white. The men are dressed in black. New York City, and the nation, has never before witnessed such a remarkable scene. The “Silent Protest Parade,” as it come to be known, is the first mass African-American demonstration of its kind and marks a watershed moment in the history of the upcoming civil rights movement. Just one generation after the end of slavery, this somber and powerful event conveys both a mournful dignity and stern determination for the black community to stand up for the rights of its citizens. For those who always believed that the birth of the civil rights movement was in 60’s - it’s foundation was actually forged 100 years ago this week during the war that changed the world! Links: https://theconversation.com/100-years-ago-african-americans-marched-down-5th-avenue-to-declare-that-black-lives-matter-81427 http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/heres-weve-learned-mass-protests-100-years-silent-parade/ http://time.com/4828991/east-saint-louis-riots-1917/ Official Bulletin - Draft dodging [sound effect transition to the morse code] This week from the Official Bulletin…. the government war gazette published by George Creel, President Wilson’s Propaganda Chief > The pages seem to be buzzing with articles about who is, who did, who must, and who didn’t respond to the call to arms known as the American Selective Service Act. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Monday July 30, 1917 Headline: NATION-WIDE SEARCH IS ORDERED FOR MEN WHO FAILED TO REGISTER; VIGOROUS CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF THOSE DETECTED TO BE MADE! The Attorney General Gives Directions for Sweeping Investigation He declares that “Those Apprehended Will Not Escape the Draft.” [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Also Monday July 30, 1917 Headline: PRESIDENT DIRECTS DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO EXERCISE THE GREATEST CARE IN PROVIDING AFFIDAVITS TO EXEMPT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES The story goes on to explain that although certain Federal Employees may be exempt from the draft, such as postal workers, workmen in armories, arsenals and navy yards their supervisor’s affidavits will be under close scrutiny and review. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Wednesday August 1, 1917 Headline: Exemption Claims of Men Married Since July 20 Will Be Scrutinized Closely “Mary… Let’s get hitched so I don’t have to go to France!” Well - maybe not…. Apparently there is a rapidly spreading belief that if are married your family is dependent on you, and therefore you can claim an exemption to be discharged from the draft. Although there is language in the law that creates an exemption for men whose families are depending on them, the government effectively argues that this NOT VALID in many cases! Provost Marshal General Crowder - the head of the draft - sends the following telegram to governors of all States explaining his ruling concerning dependency on the grounds of marriage…. “ I direct you to please call the attention of local boards to the fact that a soldier's pay is not less than $30 a month and that all clothing, subsistence, medical treatment, and housing are furnished him. Under the law he may allot any portion of his pay to a dependent. Many soldiers receiving $30 a month are easily able to allot $25 monthly to the support of their dependents. “ In case of death-in-the-line-of-duty the Government will pay to the beneficiary designated by the soldier -- presumably his dependents - six months’ pay. The discretion of local boards may well take - the facts recited above - into consideration in deciding claims for discharge due to dependency with a view to determining whether, as a matter of fact, the person claiming such exemption will not be in as good or better position to support his dependents after selection for military service than he was before. If such is the case, of course, the discharge should not be granted. [SOUND EFFECT] In other related headlines this week: RESIGNATIONS FROM THE SELECTIVE SERVICE PERMITTED ONLY FOR MOST URGENT REASONS.. Passports Issued by State Department to Persons Subject to Draft Only When Application is Accompanied by Permit From Provost Marshal General to Leave the Country Service In Red Cross Is Not Valid Claim for Exemption DRAFTED MEN FAILING T0 APPEAR FOR' PHYSICAL EXAMINATION WILL BE REPORTED TO U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Balance Must Be Struck and Kept Between Military and Industrial Needs of the Nation, Asserts General Crowder—Necessary Sacrifice Must Be Distributed With Scientific Accuracy. And in a final an article that shows the other side of the massive “sign em up and get ‘em in” mentality is a slight concern that perhaps not everyone getting swept up in the big net may be desirable… [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: Friday August 3, 1917 Headline: SPECIALISTS WILL WEED OUT MEN NERVOUSLY OR MENTALLY UNFIT FOR SERVICE IN ARMY --- SEVERE EXAMINATIONS ARE PLANNED... A Group of I50 Neurologists and Psychiatrists Have Been Organized for the Work. They Will Be Sent to The Cantonments and Later to France to examine cases. Now… Having now followed the Official bulletin since it’s launch in mid May, the editorial team here at WW1 Centennial News has been struck by how we can feel the issues of the week as thematic drumbeats in the bulletin. This week - with nearly 10 articles on the subject of managing the implementation of the draft, the evasion and exemption issues are on the government’s mind 100 years ago this week. You too can read every issue of the Official Bulletin on the centennial anniversary of its original publish date by going to ww1cc.org/bulletin. More and more historians, students, teachers and folks just plain interested are discover this amazing resource, which is an exclusive feature on the commission’s web site. Check it out - but be careful - it’s addictive. ww1cc.org/bulletin [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Now we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Today Mike’s post takes a look at another three letter horror of the trench war - last week GAS this week - MUDIf you were a trench warrior 100 years ago - MUD was no joke… Welcome Mike [Mike Shuster] LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/07/30/drowning-in-mud/ Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The Song of Mud We are going to punctuate Mike’s post with a poem written in 1917 by Mary Borden and read by Blake Edwards, Joe Kopyt, and Ambre Shoneff, MFA acting students at The Ohio State University - This is “The Song of Mud”: [RUN THE SONG OF MUD AUDIO] https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57329/at-the-somme-the-song-of-the-mud [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, we invite you to check out the Great War Channel on Youtube - they offer great videos about the great war from a more European perspective.. This week’s new episodes include: Burial and Identification Of The Dead in WW1 Three years of WW1 - an overview retrospective US Preparation - Alien Enemies Act - Franco-Prussian War Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar The Storyteller and the Historian To wrap up our history segment of WW1 Centennial News, our intrepid duo - the storyteller and the historian Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten are going to explore the federalization of shipping industry in 1917 [RUN SEGMENT] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour long monthly podcast. The july issue is now out on iTunes and libsyn look for it there or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com World War One NOW [SOUND EFFECT] We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Commission News Interview with Paul Burgholzer, Intern In Commission news - As I mentioned last week we were blessed with an amazing intern team this summer here at the commission. There were 16 of them in total and we thought you might enjoy meeting one of them and learning a little more about what our interns do and experience. With us is Paul Bergholzer a sociology student from Catholic university - and a member of our summer of 2017 intern team - Welcome Paul. [Exchange Greetings] [Paul - what year are you in your studies and do you have any specific plans after graduating?] [Paul] [What made you decide to apply to the WW1 Centennial Commission for an internship?] [Paul] [This is a very important question - what was the funniest thing that happened to you during the internship?] [Paul] [What kind of advice would you give to someone considering applying for an internship with us?] [Paul] [My last question for you Paul - If you imagine yourself 10 years from now - what do you think you will remember most about your intern experience this summer.] [Paul] Thanks Paul - and thank to the whole team for the great job y’all did for the centennial commission this past summer. If there are any listeners who would like to apply for an internship at the commission - follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/participate/individuals/internships.html Activities and Events [SOUND EFFECT] Paducah Next for our Activities and Events Section, we are going profile 2 events - selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events where are compiling and recording the WW1 Commemoration events from around the country- not just from major metros but also local events from the heart of the country- showing how the WW1 Centennial Commemoration is playing out everywhere. Our local event is from Paducah, in the Blue Grass state of Kentucky The The McCracken County Public Library Local and Family History Department has an exhibit on view through 2017 called “Paducah During World War 1”. The exhibit highlights the Paducahn WW1 experience, using photographs and excerpts pulled from their The Paducah Evening Sun which was published from 1906 to 1929. As a small local paper, it’s archives are ideal to highlight the enlisted men from McCracken County and to tell the story of local residents and their life in wartime. The link in the podcast notes will lead you to more information about this great local event. Smithsonian postal museum For our major metro event, we want to profile the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington DC - which currently has the exhibit “My Fellow Soldiers: Letters from World War I”. The exhibit is on view through November 2018 and highlights the personal correspondence written on the frontlines and home front, illuminating the human emotions and thoughts of soldiers, mothers, generals and everyone in between. Included are previously unpublished letters by General John Pershing. The museum is located right next to Union Station, in the nation’s capital. The event link is in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/30397/my-fellow-soldiers-letters-from-world-war-i.html https://postalmuseum.si.edu/MyFellowSoldiers/index.html link:http://ww1cc.org/events http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/11919/paducah-during-world-war-1.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] Memorial Park - Mobile Alabama Every week we are going to profile one of the many amazing projects that are participating in our 100 Cities / 100 Memorials national matching grant challenge. This week we introduce you to a group called the Stewards of Memorial Park from Mobile Alabama. They are renovating a local landmark known as Memorial Park. We’re joined by Cammie Israel, the Patriotic Service Chairman for the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America(NSCDA). Welcome Cammie! [exchange greetings] [Cammie - For starters, could you tell us a little bit about the Memorial Park and its history?] [Cammie - your team formed an organization to do that park restoration - when did you do that and do you think it helped in advocating for the project?] [How did you learn about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program?] [Cammie - for others who are considering a restoration project like this - what has been the biggest challenge?] Thank you for coming on and sharing your project with us! Congratulations on putting all this together - you are doing a great thing here! [say goodbye] That was Cammie Israel on the Memorial Park restoration project in Mobile Alabama - We will continue to profile the submitting teams and their projects weekly on the show over the coming months and you can learn more about the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: www.ww1cc.org/100memorials https://www.facebook.com/pages/Memorial-Park/478491675506380 http://local15tv.com/news/local/mobile-to-restore-wwi-monument-at-memorial-park Updates From The States Interview with Lamar Veatch [SOUND EFFECT] Lamar Veatch, is the Retired State Librarian for the Georgia Public Library Service - Among other things… Lamar is with us today to talk to us about two of his great passions: WW1 and motorcycles! [Hi Lamar!] Lamar - how did you get involved with the WW1 centennial? [Lamar replies] OK I want to switch the topic to memorials and motorcycles - Lamar - I am going to take a minute to explain to the audience - as a part of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program, we realized that no-one knows where all the WW1 Memorials in America are. There are thousands of them and we have less than 2000 of them catalogued. So we created the memorials hunters club - there is this national register map you can look at if you go to ww1cc.org/hunter and if the memorial you found isn’t on it - you get to register it AND include a selfie - So when we launched the Memorial Hunters Club I started getting these great entries of these memorials with selfies of this very cool, beautiful, white, three wheeled motorcycle - from you Lamar --- Tell us about that! [Lamar replies] As a motorcycle-enthusiast and a historical librarian, what do you think is the most interesting thing about motorcycles and WW1? Thanks for coming on Lamar Good hunting my friend - That was Lamar Veatch -Retired State Librarian for the Georgia Public Library Service - motorcyclist - and intrepid Memorial Hunter! Link: www.ww1cc.org/georgia www.worldwar1centennial.com/hunter [SOUND EFFECT] Wisconsin This week for our updates from the states - We go to the Badger state - Wisconsin! And incidentally - the home of Harley Davidson!! The Wisconsin Veterans Museum opened an online exhibit called “The Roses of No Man’s Land”, honoring and commemorating nurses from Wisconsin that served during the Great War. They are using photos, letters, and personal writing logs, to tell the story. The exhibit focuses specifically on the experiences of two volunteers who dedicated their lives to help the war effort. Read more about this exhibit honoring Wisconsin nurses who served during the Great War by following the links in the podcast notes or by visiting the Wisconsin WW1 Centennial Site at ww1cc.org/wisconsin link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/wisconsin http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/exhibitions/online/no_mans_land/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2958-roses-of-no-man-s-land-online-exhibit-honors-wisconsin-nurses-who-served-in-great-war.html America’s WW1 Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC It is time for an update on America’s WW1 Memorial at Pershing Park in our nation’s capital... Sabin Howard advances WWI memorial sculpture in Weta Workshop sessions This week in our articles and posts section we want to feature a great article called “Sabin Howard advances WWI memorial sculpture in Weta Workshop sessions” With the unanimous design-concept approval by the U.S. Commission of Fine Art and by the National Capital Planning Commission, in recent weeks, our development of the new National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC is in high-gear. Our sculptor for the memorials Bas-relief sculpture that tell the story of WWI , Sabin Howard has taken the design artwork to New Zealand, to work with the incredibly talented artists at the high-tech sculpting studio, Weta Workshop - the incredible craft center created by Director Peter Jackson for the Lord of The Ring film series. Sabin took some time to talk to us, and to show us what they are creating, and how the sculptural development process works. Read about the high tech take on an ancient artistic process and see some amazing images of that process by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2931-sabin-howard-update-on-national-wwi-memorial-sculpture.html www.ww1cc.org/news The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? Dazzle Camouflage Some battleships in WW1 got very special paint jobs. link:http://didyouknowfacts.com/battleships-like-tripped-zebras/ Peach Pit Party The Red Cross lead a nationwide drive for a life-saving necessity… peach pits! link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/814497215392245/?type=3&theater https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/02/what-america-looked-like-collecting-peach-pits-for-wwi-gas-masks/252294/ Thank you Katherine. Closing And that’s it for WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! When we post each episode we also post a notice on our facebook page at facebook.com/ww1centennial. We invite you come by and comment on the current week’s episode. Let us know what you think about what we presented and what you’d like us to also talk about. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about MUD, and the Passchendaele battle Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten and their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on the nationalization of the shipping industry in 1917 Paul Burgholzer speaking with us about his experience as an intern with the WW1 Centennial Commission Cammie Israel for her profile on the Memorial Park restoration project in Mobile, Alabama Lamar Veatch talking to us about hunting memorials on his motorcycle Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] So long!
Highlights Feature: Orville Wright on winning the war with air power |@ 01:15 Feature: James Higgs Balloon Observer |@ 03:30 Guest: Mike Shuster on GAS |@ 07:30 Guests: Richard Rubin & Jonathan Bratten on building a national army |@ 12:00 Event: William C. Gorgas and the Great War in Tuscaloosa, AL |@ 19:00 Guest: Dr. Libby O’Connell about the history of food |@ 20:30 Feature: introducing the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Review Committee |@ 27:00 Guest: David Craig on the Maryland WW1 Centennial Commemoration |@ 30:15 Guest: Laura Vogt on the National WWI Museum and Memorial in KC |@ 36:00 Buzz: Facebook post on the Kodak VPK - vest pocket camera |@ 42:00 Shout out: to the commission’s summer of 2017 interns |@ 44:00 and more... ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 News NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is July 26th, 2017 and this week we joined by Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten - Dr. Libby O’Connell - US WW1 Centennial Commissioner and historian and author - David Craig, Executive Director of the Maryland World War I Centennial Commission- and Lora Vogt, Curator of Education at the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND TRANSITION] Welcome! We have moved back in time 100 years. It’s the week of July 23rd, 1917 This week 100 years ago - On Tuesday July 24, 1917 A massive $640,000,000 aviation bill passes in both the House and the Senate is sent to the President for signature. This is one of the largest appropriation for a single idea that the US has ever made - and it passes congress with little to no objection - This is in no small part - because there are so many advocates that believe this incredible new technology of flying machines can be pivotal in the war. As written in the “Official Bulletin”, the government war gazette published by George Creel, President Wilson’s propaganda chief… Mr. Orville Wright declares that: When my brother and I built and flew the first man-carrying machine [14 years ago], we thought that we were introducing into the world an invention which would make further wars… practically impossible. Nevertheless, the world [now] finds itself in the- greatest war in history. I say that neither side has been able to win on account of the part - the airplane has played. Both sides know exactly what the other is doing. The two sides are apparently nearly equal in aerial equipment, and unless present conditions can be changed the war will continue for years. "However; if the allies' armies are equipped with such a number of airplanes as to keep the enemy planes entirely back of the line, so that they are unable to direct gunfire or to observe the movement of the allied troops—in other words, if the enemy's eyes can be put out —it will be possible to end the war. And this is not taking into account what might be done by bombing German sources of munition and supplies. But to end the war quickly and cheaply, the supremacy In the air must be so complete as to entirely blind the enemy. I believe that by no other method can the war be ended with so little loss of life and property." And 100 years ago this week, the United States makes a $640,000,000 bet that this is so. [SOUND EFFECT] War in the Sky This leads us directly into our War In The Sky segments where we want to introduce you to James Allen Higgs Jr., a native of Raleigh and a two-time graduate of the North Carolina College for Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, today the North Carolina University’s College of Engineering. James Higgs signed up for duty at the mature age of 29, intent on going to war. He was a slight fellow of 5 feet, 5 1/2 inches, weighing only 120 pounds. His greatest ambition, he said just before his graduation, was “to grow.” Higgs felt that if he signed up as an infantryman, he likely would not survive more than a few days in the trenches. In an interview in 1968 he said: “I was a little guy, and I couldn’t fancy myself swapping bayonet thrusts with those big Germans, so when the call went out to be balloon observers, I volunteered. “They took us to Washington and put us in a machine and spun us around until we were thoroughly dizzy, then measured the time it took to regain our equilibrium. I was one of the winners.” Being a “balloon spy,” as he was often called, was a position unique to the Civil War and World War I. Every day, from sunrise to sunset, it was Higgs’ assignment to crawl into a two-man basket tethered by cable to the front of a truck. Armed with binoculars, topographical maps and a telephone, he would fly high (up to 5,000 feet) over the battlefield and report troop activity to his commanders on the ground. Usually, he was with a French observer who was relaying similar information to his superiors. As if flying unprotected over the battlefield wasn’t dangerous enough, the sausage-shaped gasbags were filled with highly flammable hydrogen, making them susceptible to fires started by the hot rounds coming from guns below. They were sitting-ducks and favorite targets for the biplanes that attacked from behind the clouds overhead. Four times over the course of four months, Higgs was shot down, jumping out of the basket and praying that the parachute stuffed on the outside of the balloon basket and harnessed to his back would deploy. It was anything but a peaceful trip to the ground. Higgs noted: “We were wearing parachute harnesses with a rope attached to the ‘chute that was stuffed into a bag hanging outside the basket. Our weight would pull the ‘chutes out of the bags. They were supposed to open when we dropped 300 feet. It takes nearly five seconds to fall 300 feet from a standing start, and that is an awefully long time to wonder whether you are going to live or die. “The parachute opened with a considerable jolt, but it was a very pleasant feeling.” Higgs’ got rewarded for jumping out of a burning and falling balloon. Each time, he was awarded 48 hours of leave in Paris to “settle his nerves and get ready to go back up again.” Which he did all the way up to Nov. 11, 1918, when the bells of Paris signaled armistice between the warring nations. “The end was an amazing thing,” Higgs said. “I had been hearing guns roaring around and under me, and sometimes, enemy shells and bombs bursting in our camp, for almost a year,”. “THEN --- Sharp at the stroke of 11am , on November 11, they all just stopped. There were no birds or animals in the war zones to make the usual noises, and no machines moved. “I found myself listening for just any sound, but there was none.” This story comes from the Alumni News section of North Carolina State’s College of Engineering newspaper. The link to the full article is in the podcast notes below link:https://www.engr.ncsu.edu/news/2017/05/26/above-the-battlefields-of-world-war-i/ [SOUND EFFECT] Great War Project Now we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. We ran a quick featurette in our Social media BUZZ section with Katherine Akey about this subject - Today Mike is here with a more in-depth look at one of the great horrors of this war - GAS Welcome Mike [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/07/23/gas-gas-quick-boys/ [SOUND EFFECT] The Great War Channel For videos about WW1, we invite you to check out the Great War Channel on Youtube - They are into their 4th season making great informative videos about the war. This week’s new episodes include: A feature story - Tunnel warfare during WW1 100 years ago this week - July days in Petrograd - Blood on the Nevsky Prospect And a hardware piece - British Rifles in WW1 Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar [SOUND EFFECT] Storyteller and the Historian To wrap up our history section on WW1 Centennial News, we welcome our intrepid duo - the storyteller and the historian Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten who are going to explore some of the challenges with building a really big army - really, really fast! [RUN SEGMENT] Thank you gentlemen! That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking about building the national army in 1917. The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour long monthly podcast. Look for it on iTunes and libsyn or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com World War One NOW [SOUND TRANSITION] We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. [SOUND EFFECT] Commission News In Commission news - this past week we participated in the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ 118th National Convention in New Orleans which ran from July 22 to the 26th. Our own David Hamon went down to the Big Easy to man a commission booth and meet with members of this great veterans’ organization. When we spoke with David, he told us that it has been a “QUOTE” Extremely positive and oft times emotional experience to connect with these vets and their families from around the country.” US WW1 Centennial Commissioner Edwin Fountain was asked to speak at the event and addressed the membership of this veterans organization which has been such a great friend to the commission. The VFW also maintains a specific WW1 Centennial website at ww1cc.org/vfw and you can learn more about the VFW’s national event by following the link in the podcast notes. Link: https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/News-and-Publications/Events/118th-Convention/2017-NOLA-SOE.pdf?la=en_ Activities and Events [SOUND EFFECT] Next we are going to give you our upcoming “event pick” of the week selected from the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events ---- where we are compiling and recording the WW1 Commemoration events from around the country. Not just those from major venues and museums but also local events - showing how the Centennial Commemoration of the war that changed the world is playing out all over the country. For example, this week we picked an event in Tuscaloosa Alabama! The University of Alabama has an exhibit on view through September 29th called “William C. Gorgas and the Great War”. The exhibit features the story and impact of William Gorgas, a physician and the 22nd Surgeon General of the US Army, serving in that role from 1914-1918 - throughout the war years. The exhibit is at the restored family home of William Gorgas on the University of Alabama campus. The Gorgas House Museum serves as an active community resource, committed to “learning” through exhibition, education, and social engagement. See the link in the podcast notes to learn more. We invite YOU and your organizations to submit your own WW1 events to the National Events Register at ww1cc.org/events. Click the big red button and get your commemorative event recorded for posterity. link:http://ww1cc.org/events http://gorgashouse.ua.edu/exhibitions/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/23695/william-c-gorgas-and-the-great-war.html [SOUND EFFECT] Interview with Dr. Libby O’Connell Joining us now is Dr. Libby O’connell - a most interesting person! Dr. O’connell was the chief historian at the History Channel, she is a US WW1 Centennial Commissioner, and recently released a history book about… American Food! The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites - has been lauded by the New York Post as Required Reading and it’s an Entertainment Weekly Top 3 Must-Reads! Libby - welcome - Nice to have you here! [so Libby - I had no idea… Food? ] [ OK - so let’s get topical - When I think of WW1 and food - I think of rationing and propaganda - what was happening to the american plate in those years?] [Libby, your book is filled with fun facts - like that the first graham crackers were designed to reduce sexual desire… why we use the term “buck” mean a dollar and so on… what are some of the fun - turn of the century - American food facts?] [Commissioner O’Connell - I have just had the pleasure of meeting a whole other side of you! - thank you!] That was US WW1 Centennial Commissioner Dr. Libby O’Connell, author of the new book - The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 bites. Learn more about Dr. Libby O’connell and about her new book by following the links in the podcast notes. Links:https://www.amazon.com/American-Plate-Culinary-History-Bites/dp/1492609862/ref=la_B00MS8WQ5Y_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500920650&sr=1-1 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/competition-officials/governance-group-dr-libby-o-connell.html http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/about/the-commission.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials [SOUND EFFECT] 100 Cities - 100 Memorials - that is the name of a program we have here at the WW1 Centennial Commission. You see, at the end of World War I, thousands of war memorials of every size were built in local communities across the country to honor and commemorate the service and sacrifice of their local sons and daughters. Over the century, exposure to the elements, neglect and even vandalism have taken their toll on these national treasures. So on July 15, 2016 - a year ago - the World War One Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum & Library teamed up and launched this national matching grant challenge to inspire community action and to seed the rescue of these memorials. A year later - this month on July 15, 2017 - the grant application period ended and all submission were received. Now - to evaluate the submissions - a Review Committee has been assembled. They read, review and rate the submissions based on common evaluation rubric. The Committee will then make recommendations to the program leadership on awarding projects matching grants. Their recommendations will go to the program leadership in late August. We are proud to announce the members of the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials Review Committee. They include: US WWI Centennial Commissioner John Monahan from the American Legion US WWI Centennial Commissioner Dr. Matthew Naylor from the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City CPT Lynn Rolf who is with the VFW - The Veterans of Foreign Wars Donna Crisp who is with the DAR - The Daughter of the American Revolution Michael Knapp who is with the ABMC - The American Battle Monuments Commission Dr. Mark Levitch - with National Gallery of Art, and founder of the World War I Memorial Inventory Project Eugene P. Hough - Executive Director of Saving Hallowed Ground And our own Joe Weishaar the winning designer for the National WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC The members of this amazing group have volunteered their precious time to help us review and evaluate the submissions and we thank them. But most of all we need to give a huge shout out to the teams that have taken on these restoration and conservation projects. These projects are a really big deal that require research, community interaction, permissions from cities and counties, plans, schedules, budgets, fund raising, partnerships - it’s a huge dedication from each submitting team. The scope, the quality, variety, and most of all the deeply held commitment that these submitting teams have demonstrated is wonderful and honestly when you read them often quite humbling. We want to thank and congratulate every submitting team on the fantastic projects that they have presented us with. We will be profiling the submitting teams and their projects on the show over the coming months - BUT you can learn more about the program right now - at ww1cc.org/100memorials or follow the link in the podcast notes. Updates From The States [SOUND EFFECT] Maryland: Interview with David Craig This week for our updates from the states - we are profiling Maryland. With us today is David Craig the Executive Director of the Maryland World War I Centennial Commission to talk to us about the Centennial commemoration in The Old Line State. home of Annapolis and the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay… Welcome David! [exchange greetings] [David - you guys have been busy in Maryland with commemoration activities - Tell us about the commission and what you're up to!] Thank you. That was David Craig the Executive Director of the Maryland World War I Centennial Commission Learn more at ww1cc.org/maryland all lower case or by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/maryland Education [SOUND EFFECT] Interview with Lora Vogt There is a wonderful WW1 Arrival destination in Kansa City - It is the National World War 1 Museum and Memorial. Joining us now is Laura Vogt - their Curator of Educations Welcome Laura! [Laura I have had the pleasure of being at the WW1 Museum and Memorial several times now and it is truly a special place - can you tell us a bit about it…] [So Laura - as a national nexus for WW1 you have a lot of program including educational programs - tell us about that?] Thank you Laura - That was Laura Vogt - the Curator of Education for the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. Their web site is full of great information and resources. Follow the link in the podcasts notes - and if you DO get to Kansas City - wipe that BBQ off your fingers - and face - and get over to the National World War 1 Museum and Memorial for an afternoon you won’t forget! Link:https://www.theworldwar.org/ https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/educators-students https://www.theworldwar.org/education The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts [SOUND EFFECT] 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? Kodak and the Democratization of Photography in WW1 A new camera makes its way onto the battlefields in ww1 link:http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/technique/interviews/vest-pocket-kodak-book-107481 Thank you Katherine. Shout Out Just before we close we want to thank and congratulate the commission’s Summer of 2017 interns! This year - 15 brilliant, dedicated college students joined us over the past weeks. Their work, commitment, quality, focus and dedication has made a real impact on us here at the US WW1 Centennial Commission and on the centennial commemoration in general. We want to give a BIG shout out to: Alyssa Carter from Lubbock Christian University Matt Costas from Georgetown University Samantha Marie Ensenat from Florida International University Aaron Gladstone from University of Maryland, College Park Shelbey Lisko from University of Central Arkansas Drew Lorelli from Old Dominion University Daniel MacManus from George Washington University Nathalie Nguyen (Nat-a-lie New-When) from George Mason University Josh Norton from Ulster University, Northern Ireland Lorenzo Rodriguez from Florida International University Ben Sonnenberg from University of Minnesota Duluth Michael Stahler from Temple University Julia Suchanek from Lycoming College Alice Valley from Quinnipiac University AND Elliot Warren from George Washington University We thank you - and you need to know that you made a real difference in commemorating the war that changed the world - We hope your time with us has enriched your lives and your careers - From everyone at the commission a simple, heartfelt - THANK YOU. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about Gas Warfare, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten and their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on building up and training the US Forces Dr. Libby O’Connell, WW1 Centennial Commissioner and Historian speaking to us about food history David Craig, Executive Director of the Maryland World War I Centennial Commission speaking with us about centennial commemorations in Maryland Lora Vogt, Curator of education at the National WW1 Museum and Memorial and her insights into the museums programs and commemorative initiatives Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 program is a part of that…. 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. If you like the work we are doing, please support it with a tax deductible donation at ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! [music] So long!
Highlights Launching the Lottery: Feature |@ 01:15 A tale of combat between a merchantman and a U-boat: Feature |@ 03:15 The Russians and the Balkans: Guest Mike Shuster |@ 06:30 The Storyteller & The Historian with Dissent in 1917: Guests Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten |@ 10:35 Wrapup on Bastille Day: Feature |@ 16:30 “The Extraordinary Adventures of Colonel Hughes”: Event |@ 18:30 Governors Island WWI History Weekend: Guest Kevin Fitzpatrick |@ 20:00 “Luck of the Draw”, NZ art projects commemorating WW1: International |@ 24:45 Nieuport 11’s on Vimy Ridge Commemorative flight arrive in London: International |@ 28:15 Youtube history hit channel “Extra Credits”: Guest James Portnow|@ 29:00 Stephanie Trouillard young french journalist on the WWrite Blog |@ 35:15 And more… ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 News NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. Today is July 19th, 2017 and this week we joined by Mike Shuster from the great war project blog, The Storyteller and the Historian, Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten - Kevin Fitzpatrick - WW1 historian and expert on New York’s Governors Island - and James Portnow whose Extra Credits Youtube channel just crossed a million subscribers - showing that History is not a snooze. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. Welcome! World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week Our Wayback machine has moved back in time 100 years. It’s the week of July 16, 1917 and there’s big happenings in Washington DC… [sound effect] Dateline July 20, 1917 Headline: DRAFT OF MEN FOR NEW NATIONAL ARMY IS BEGUN; IT WILL CONTINUE 22 HOURS The scene is a large room in the Senate Office Building - Chalk Board covers the back wall. A double wide table is set in front and on the table - a large glass bowl filled with 10,500 capsules that contain numbers. The room is filled with press. At 9:30 am Newton D. Baker, the US Secretary of war calls the room to order and states: " We are met here to conduct a lottery or draft by which the National Army and such additions as may be necessary to bring the Regular Army and National Guard to war strength are to be selected. " This is an occasion of very great dignity and some solemnity. It represents the first application of the principles believed by many of us to be democratic, equal, and fair in selecting soldiers to defend the national honor abroad and at home." Blindfolded, Baker announces: “let us begin” . He reaches into the large bowl and pulls out a capsule. "I have drawn the first number," says Mr. Baker in a tone of a man who has done an epochal thing. He holds the tiny capsule aloft. An announcer takes it from him and breaks it open, taking out the tiny slip of paper that will change lives forever. "The number is 2-5-8," he cries "Two hundred and fifty-eight," echoes the voice of the tally chief. Another attendant posts the numerals "258" on the blackboard in the rear. This begins a process that lasts for 22 hours with 600 numbers being draw every hour. And so the first men are chosen through the new American selective service system. [sound effect] Dateline July 20, 1917 Headline: Naval Gunners, On Armed American Merchant Ship Battle With German Submarine. After Merchant Crew Takes to the Lifeboats Men Cheered and Congratulated by the U-Boat Sailors for Their Gallant Fight This is a first person account by the chief petty officer in charge of the armed guard aboard the US steamship Moreni: " We were attacked by a submarine at 4.05 a. m. on June 12, She was off the port quarter, about 9,000 yards away. She fired four or five shots before we located her. We swung around until our stern faced the submarine, and returned the fire at range of about 7,000 yards. "After a half-hour fight we were hit in the gasoline tank aft, and a fire started. It was reported to me that the ammunition aft was running low. Immediately I lined up the forward gun's crew - with the merchant crew to pass ammunition from forward to aft. About an hour later fire broke out all over the ship and It became impossible for the men to pass any more ammunition. I reached the bridge, being burned on the way there. About this time our steering gear was shot away and we started to go around in circles. "Coming down off the bridge, I saw the captain and the boat Swain ready to lower the lifeboat. The captain said to come and get In the lifeboat, as it was starting to burn. I asked him to wait. He said he would hold the boat as long as possible for me. I then noticed two of the gun's crew in the lifeboat. I ordered them to get out and come with me. We went forward and manned the forward gun, with which we fired four shots -- but then, the firing pin went out of commission. As we could fire no more and as the captain called that the life boat was burning, we got into the boat. Seeing us in the water the submarine called the boats alongside. They congratulated us, shook hands with the captain, and told us that it was the best fight they had ever seen any merchantman put up. The Germans treated two men who had been wounded and returned us to our boats. The commander of the submarine said he would have towed us toward the beach but for the fact that we had called for assistance. [Sound effect] Both these stories were in the Friday July 20th issue of the Official Bulletin - Volume 1 - Issue 60. The Official Bulletin is the US government war gazette published at the President’s order by George Creel, his propaganda chief. You can read each issue of the Official Bulletin yourself on our web site -- We re-publish each issue of the bulletin on the centennial anniversary of its original publication. This is an amazing resource for historians and history buffs, educators and students, social and media anthropologists, and folks like me who just happen to be deeply interested in the actual words published by the US government 100 years ago this week - in the war that changed the world. The URL is easy to remember - just go to ww1cc.org/bulletin or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/educate/history/official-bulletin.html [sound effect] Great War Project Now we are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Eastern Europe is still a major aspect of this conflict with Russia disintegrating as an allied power - and with Balkans who started all this - Mike - we look forward to your post. [Mike Shuster] LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/07/16/allied-war-effort-foundering Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The Great War Channel As we do every week, we want to tell you what is happening on the Great War Channel on Youtube - WW1 100 years ago this week, from a more european perspective. This week’s new episodes include: A new “OUT OF THE TRENCHES” where Indy Niedel the host addresses your feedback and comments. Operation Beach Party - Mustard Gas Unleashed Maria Bochkareva and the First Russian Women's Battalion of Death Follow the link in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar [Sound Effect] Storyteller and the Historian We have talked about the espionage act and the government crackdown on dissent - a few times this month. We are going to give the last word on this to our intrepid duo - the storyteller and the historian! With us are author and storyteller Richard Rubin and historian Jonathan Bratten: [Audio S&H] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking talking about the crack-down on dissent and the espionage act of 1917. The Storyteller and the Historian is now a full hour-long monthly podcast. Look for it on iTunes or follow the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://storytellerandhistorian.libsyn.com WW1 Centennial News NOW [Sound Transition] We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Commission News Over the past three weeks we been talking about President Trump’s visit to paris, as the guest of French President Macron --- to participate in their July 14th Bastille day ceremonies. This year included the traditional parade of French military might down the Champs Elysee, but with a slight twist: the inclusion of American troops and vehicles. Joining the thousands of French soldiers, 241 horses, 63 airplanes and 29 helicopters were 150 US soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines, including a doughboy clad color guard and American jet fly overs. The inclusion of American Armed Forces was to commemorate the arrival of US troops to France 100 years ago. As President Trump and President Macron stood in review, Macron remarked, "On this day of national celebration, we must not ever forget the price that we paid for winning our freedom and our rights. The price which we are prepared to pay to defend them... because it is “they” [our rights and freedom] which unite us and make France, France and make France what it is today. The United States is one of our friends. Nothing will separate us ever. The presence at my side of Donald Trump and his wife is a sign of our friendship that travels time. I want to thank them here, and thank the United States for the choices made over 100 years." You can access videos, photos and articles about the event by browsing our Social Media Wall at ww1cc.org/social Link: http://ww1cc.org/social Activities and Events [Sound Effect] From the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events - here is our upcoming “event pick” of the week: Topeka: The Extraordinary Adventures of Colonel Hughes This week we focus on Topeka Kansas! The Kansas Historical Society has an exhibit on view at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka which is open through May 2018. It is titled “The Extraordinary Adventures of Colonel Hughes” and features the story of one extraordinary Kansan soldier, James Clark Hughes. Hughes began his service as a member of the Kansas National Guard and was sent to the Texas border with the American Expeditionary Forces in 1916. He joined the U.S. Army where he served from 1917 to 1948 and fought in both world wars, spending a cumulative 41 months as a POW - a Prisoner of War. As a member of the U.S. Army he photographed battlefields and towns in Europe during World War I. These photographs are made public for the first time at the exhibit. During the second world war, Colonel Hughes was captured at Bataan and recorded his daily survival as a Japanese Prisoner of War. The exhibit displays his photographs, his diary excerpts, and many of his belongings from the wars which he donated to the Museum of History. Learn more about Colonel Hughes and preview this unique and special exhibit by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://ww1cc.org/events http://kshs.org/p/kansas-museum-of-history-world-war-i-exhibit/19093 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/21815/the-extraordinary-adventures-of-colonel-hughes-an-exhibit-at-the-kansas-museum-of-history.html Kevin Fitzpatrick - Governors Island WWI History Weekend For our next featured event and for a profile of a 100 Cities /100 Memorials project and just because he is such an interesting guy - we want to welcome our next guest - Kevin Fitzpatrick, author of “World War One New York: A Guide to the City’s Enduring Ties to the great war” and is the program director for the WWI Centennial Committee for New York City. Welcome Kevin! [Kevin - let’s start with Governors Island itself - give us the quick synopsis of what it is and what it was.] [Kevin - You have been an organizing force for a re-enactor event on the island - It’s sounding like quite an event for 2017 - what can you tell us about it?] [Kevin - I first met you in my capacity as the program manager for the 100 Cities / 100 memorials project - you submitted some memorials to program - how do they tie in?] Kevin - it is always a pleasure speaking with you… That was Kevin Fitzpatrick - citizen historian, ww1 centennial advocate, author, event organizer and man about manhattan. Mark you calendars for an extraordinary event taking place on Governors island - a short ferry hop off the tip of Manhattan - coming up this September 16 and 17. Follow the links in the podcast notes. link:https://govisland.com/events/wwi-history-weekend http://www.fitzpatrickauthor.com/about/ International Report New Zealand In our International Report this week, we’ll start by visiting an art project in New Zealand. This ties in directly with our story on the draft picks in Washington DC this week 100 years ago. The project is called “Luck of the Draw” and was commissioned by the New Zealand First World War Centenary programme office. The project reflects on the issue of conscription 100 years ago. The programme office asked several of New Zealand’s young emerging artists aged between 18 and 25 to respond to film footage of the first conscription ballot being drawn from a small, unassuming wooden box, which the Kiwis nicknamed the death box! The artifact is now housed at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum. Turning to the arts and the young arts community --- for a take on WW1 commemoration strikes us as a really innovative commemoration concept - And it produced some amazing results including a dance, and audio piece, a video and animation, glitch art and more. Learn more and view some of these works by following links in the podcast notes. Links:https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/94714480/ww1-centenary-project-reveals-artists-feelings-about-the-box-that-gambled-with-kiwi-lives http://www.lotd.nz/artists http://ww100.govt.nz/ http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Object/66765 London Turning our attention to London, this week two replica WW1 planes landed in England to participate in a national tour called “Vimy Flight, a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and Canada's 150th birthday”. The planes will be displayed at the Jet Aircraft Museum at London International Airport through Sunday. The planes, both Nieuport 11’s, are replicas of the fighter planes that helped Canada win the battle at Vimy Ridge 100 years ago. Only two of the thousands of original Nieuport 11’s still exist, and both reside in museums in France. The replicas, though made of metal and non-flammable materials and not wood, are perfect copies of the originals. Learn more about Vimy Flight and the planes’ tour-schedule by following the links in the podcast notes. Canada planes: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/first-world-war-fighter-planes-land-at-london-international-airport-1.4205337 http://www.vimyflight.ca/ Spotlight on the Media Interview with James Portnow from Extra Credits Today in our spotlight on the media section we are going to feature a Youtube channel called Extra Credits. With an interesting mix of content that is based on gaming and somehow folds in history, they recently crossed the 1 million subscriber mark! Joining us is James Portnow - lead writer and co-creator of extra credits, to talk about how they have managed to make history relevant and interesting to the Youtube generation. [James - first of all - congratulations on your million subscriber mark!] [Your youtube channel started… being about games and gaming - and it makes sense that your topical / and to me non-technical approach about gaming would build a following… but how did history sneak into the mix?] [So…. why do you think your viewers are responding to subjects that normally have a pretty bad rep?] [James - You’ve immersed yourself in the subject… Why do YOU think WW1 is relevant today?] Well.. as you publish new episodes on WW1 - be sure to let us know so we can mention them to this audience! Thank you for joining us today! That was James Portnow - co-creator and lead writer for the hit youtube channel Extra Credits. Learn more about James and Extra Credits by following the links in the podcast notes. link:https://www.patreon.com/ExtraCredits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-wSL4WqUws&list=PLhyKYa0YJ_5DfJnFBZwz8xd37MA6I16oJ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2783-uploading-history-extra-credit-s-james-portnow.html [Sound Effect] Articles and Posts It is time for our Articles and Posts segment - where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - New York National Guard reported for World War I duty 100 years ago This week in the news section is the article “New York National Guard reported for World War I duty 100 years ago” The article talks about how on July 12 1917, President Woodrow Wilson had ordered all 112,000 National Guard Soldiers across the country to report for duty as part of the build up of the National Army. New York's guardsmen, along with those in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska were all instructed to report on July 15 to their local armories and begin preparing to ship out. Read the story about the New York National Guard's great mobilization by visiting the link in the podcast notes. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2787-ny-world-war-i-history-new-york-national-guard-reported-for-world-war-i-duty-100-years-ago.html WWrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post ties into making history relevant to a digital native generation. The post title is “Journalist Tweets WWI to French Youth. Plus! Her Exclusive Twitter Feed from Bastille Day in Paris“ Stéphanie Trouillard is a young french journalist with a rapidly expanding following on her blog and Twitter feed - as she tries to give a fresh face to WWI using social media. This week on WWrite, France24's Stéphanie Trouillard tells us about her personal and professional passions driving her innovative historical writing project. And a special bonus! She's shared part of her Twitter feed from Bastille Day in Paris, where she covered President Trump meeting French President Emmanuel Macron. Don't miss this alternate up-close look at this historic day on our WWRITE blog at ww1cc.org/w-w-r-i-t-e or follow the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/2798-journalist-tweets-wwi-to-french-youth-plus-exclusive-twitter-feed-from-bastille-day-in-paris.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media 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? A Canadian and an American A photo from 100 years ago inspires comparisons. link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/809444809230819/?type=3&theater The Marines Arrive An informative FB post outlines the first few days in France for the 5th Marines link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/809507142557919/?type=3&theater Thank you Katherine. And we welcome your comments and discussion of this week’s episode on Facebook - the new podcast announcement will be at www.facebook.com/ww1centennial. Drop in and tell us what you think of this episode. Closing And that is WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog and his post about Russia and the Balkans... Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten with their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on the US government crackdown on dissent in 1917 Kevin Fitzpatrick, author and tour guide speaking to us about Governors Island WW1 History Weekend James Portnow, lead writer and co-creator for youtube’s Extra Credits channel Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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; 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 rely entirely on your donations. No government appropriations or taxes are being used. You can support these programs with a tax deductible donation ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are on your smart phone text the word: WW1 to 41444. that's the letters ww the number 1 texted to 41444. Any amount is appreciated. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here with someone about the war that changed the world! So long. [music]
Highlights: Introduction: Espionage and Sedition Acts | @00:45 Guest: Mike Shuster “Where Are The Americans?” | @02:15 Feature: Going big on the air war | @06:45 War In the Sky: the “Flying Circus” | @10:15 Feature: The StoryTeller & The Historian - Americans arrive | @12:45 Commission: Memorial restoration matching grant deadline extension | @18:45 Guest: Courtland Jindra - Victory Memorial Grove project profile | @19:50 Q? Who said: “Lafayette We Are Here!” | @27:00 Feature: National History Day prize winners | @28:40 Media: Cylinder recording archive | @32:30 Media: Wonder Woman - Again? | @34:30 Honors: Capt. James Miller - Distinguished flying cross 99 years after | @35:45 Q? What is the Ghost Fleet? | @36:30 Social Media: The 11 soldier sons of Ike Sims3 | @39:30 And much more…----more---- Opening Welcome to World War One Centennial News. It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Today is June 21st, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [sound transition] We have gone back in time 100 years and in mid June 1917 one of the key events here in the United States is the passing of the “Espionage Act”. The law makes it a crime for any person to convey information intended to interfere with the U.S. armed forces’ prosecution of the war effort. The convicted spy is subject to a fine of $10,000 - that is the equivalent of 200,000 in 2017 dollars, plus a prison sentence of up to 20 years. And within a year, the pendulum swings ever further into autocracy as the espionage act is reinforced by the Sedition act of 1918. It imposed similarly harsh penalties on anyone found guilty of insulting or abusing the U.S. government, the flag, the Constitution or the military; agitating against the production of necessary war materials; or advocating, teaching or just defending any of these acts. Both pieces of legislation are aimed at socialists, pacifists and other anti-war activists and are used to punishing effect in the early years and those immediately following the war - It is a chilling attack on the first amendment - that seems incredibly strong and even excessive in today’s terms. We will be following this story and it’s consequences over the coming months. links about the Espionage act are in the podcast notes: link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espionage_Act_of_1917 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-espionage-act http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/espionageact.htm http://today-in-wwi.tumblr.com/post/161878079908/espionage-act-passed-emma-goldman-arrested Great War Project Looking over at Europe - we have a running theme for this week, 100 years ago… A theme that is very well set up by our first guest this week We are joined by Mike shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog. Mike - “Where ARE the Americans?” LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/06/18/where-are-the-americans/ [Mike Shuster] Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. Let’s continue to explore the question of America’s preparations to enter the fray with some articles selected from the “Official Bulletin”, the government war gazette published by George Creel, America’s propaganda chief, under the orders of President Wilson. We are pulling from Volume 1 - Issues 33-38 We’ll begin with follow up on last week’s Liberty Loan bond stories. By Saturday of this week, the tally is in. [sound effect] Dateline Saturday June 23 Headline: “$3,035,226,850 IS SUBSCRIBED TO LIBERTY LOAN BY MORE THAN 4,000,000 MEN AND WOMEN OF U. S.; Success of this Undertaking, Says Secretary McAdoo, Constitutes An Eloquent Reply to Enemies Who Claimed Heart of America Was Not in the War!” That’s probably quite true - In the propaganda war - the fact that the liberty bond program raises 50% more than was offered is sure to be un-nerving to the Germans whose intelligence tells them that America is not enthusiastic or prepared to enter the war. With the ramp up funding for America’s war effort off and running, the government is stimulated into bold thinking. [sound effect] Dateline Monday June 18, 1917 Headline: GREAT U. S. AIR FLEET URGED BY SECRETARY BAKER; MAY TURN TIDE OF WAR FOR HER ALLIES Secretary of War Baker states: "We can train thousands of aviators and build thousands of machines without interfering in the slightest with the plans for building up our armies and for supplying the allies with food and munitions. To train and equip our armies and send them abroad will take time, however, and in the meanwhile we can be devoted to this most important service with vast quantities of productive machinery and skilled labor. [sound effect] Dateline: Friday June 22, 1917 Headline: U.S. AIRCRAFT BOARD PLANS TO CLEAR AIR OF GERMAN FLYERS In this story - Howard Coffin, the chairman of the aircraft production board comments on a report that Germany plans to bring 3,500 airplanes into the fighting line in the spring of 1918 Coffin believes that the report is probably accurate - going on to state that 3,500 planes next spring might well prove discouraging to the allies. The French and British alone MIGHT (maybe) hold their own against Germany's output. Coffins goes on to state: “Pitted against America's added resources, properly organized, the situation immediately changes. No matter what desperate efforts she makes, it will be a physical Impossibility for Germany to increase her present rate of output to any dangerous extent. If we can carry through our program to produce the thousands of machines planned, the permanent supremacy of the allies in the air is assured. [sound effect] Dateline: Friday June 22, 1917 Headline: CONTRACT FOR NEW FLYING FIELD IN ILLINOIS AWARDED The story reads: The Signal Corps to-day announced the letting of the contract for the fourth new Government flying fields, to be built at Belleville, IL., 23 miles from East St. Louis. It will be a standard, two-squadron field, accommodating 300 student fliers, with the requisite number of officers, instructors, mechanics, and enlisted men, and providing hangers for 72 training planes. Construction of the buildings and the preparation of the field will begin immediately. That’s just focusing on a small slice of the effort - airplanes We did not even touch on the 16 major army training camps or “cantonements” also being built - as one article explains: “It is like building a city with a population of 40,000 from the ground up in weeks.” Meanwhile there is the production of trucks, food, munitions, draft animals, lumber, clothing, shipping and internal infrastructure - this is creating a challenge and an economic boom unlike anything the country has experienced. If you are interested in logistics - defined as the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies… you can follow one of history’s greatest logistics efforts by browsing the daily issues of the Official Bulletin at ww1cc.org/bulletin - explore, exploit, and be amazed as you see how the US geared up to enter the war that changed the world. Link: ww1cc.org/bulletin War in the Sky: For our Great War In the Sky segment… We are going back to the fighting front. This week 100 years ago, introduces - [aside] actually “formalizes” - a new German air strategy. Earlier in 1917, it becomes apparent to the German High Command that they will always be outnumbered in air operations over the Western Front. The average Jagdstaffeln or German fighter squadron - could only muster some six or eight aircraft in total for a patrol, and would often face one Allied formation - after another. In order to maintain some impact and “local” command of the air the german fighter wings began - unofficially at first - to fly in larger, composite groups. a new concept in German air strategy. This week, 100 years ago the Germany’s Army Air Force brings together four fighter squadrons – Jastas 4, 6, 10, and 11 – to form Germany's Jagd-geschwader eins or better known as JD1 - their first fighter wing. Manfred von Richthofen - the Red Baron - is promoted from commanding officer of Jasta 11 to the commander of JD1. This unit becomes known as the "Flying Circus," thanks to the colorful paint schemes on its aircraft - It’s also often called “Richhoven’s Circus” and some claim it is so named because the entire wing moves from place to place for its operations like a traveling circus. We put a link in the podcast notes that leads to pictures of this colorful german flying force that came together 100 years ago this week in the great war in the sky. If you are into the air war - we invite you to explore former fighter pilor and author RG head’s detailed timeline of “the war in the sky” by visiting ww1cc.org/warinthesky all lower case. link:http://www.theaerodrome.com/services/germany/jg/jg1.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_1_(World_War_I) Flying Circus Images: https://www.google.com/search?q=richthofen%27s+flying+circus&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfp-zy6M3UAhUN9WMKHURhC2UQ_AUICigB&biw=1680&bih=926 The Great War Channel And if you are into learning more about WW1 by watching videos, go visit our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube. This week’s new episodes cover a variety of subjects including: -Italian Mountain Warfare - The US espionage Act -Ottoman Soldiers in Europe - Naval Tactics - Officer POWs The link is in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar The Storyteller and the Historian We are going to close out “WW1 - 100 years ago this week” with the Storyteller and the Historian - Richard Rubin and Jonathan Braten are going to wrap up that question for us. So where are the Americans?? [run opening] [run segment] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking about the arrival of the first US troops in Europe. Link: richardrubinonline.com ww1cc.org/maine World War One NOW WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Commission News We’ll start with some news from the WW1 Centennial Commission and the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials program. This initiative is a $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue ailing WW1 memorials and the deadline for grant applications was last week. We received a number of requests from potential participants for a short extension because some projects just needed a few more days to pull all the pieces together - The projects can involve many parties including city and county bureaus, American Legion posts, VFW posts, DAR chapters, local historical societies and boards and more. So in a meeting of the program’s executive committee, we decided to extends the submission deadline until midnight - July 10. Also - that means that anyone who already submitted their application can update any of the files submitted - by simply contacting the program management and requesting that their submission be made editable. All that is available at ww1cc.org/100memorials. 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project profile We have a guest with us today who knows all about how these projects come together. Courtland Jindra has been working on a 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project in Los Angeles - the Victory Memorial Grove project, near Dodger Stadium. Welcome Courtland! Courtland - really briefly - can you give us an overview of the project? [courtland reply] A few weeks ago, you had a cleanup event where you brought a bunch of the stakeholders together for some hands-on time - tell us about that. [courtland reply] You held a re-dedication ceremony on Flag day didn’t you? [courtland reply] That was Courtland Jindra - a citizen historian, a long time WW1 commemoration advocate and importantly - the co-director of the managing board for the California WW1 Centennial Commission. Learn all about the program and sign up for the project blog to stay updated on news and events for the 100 cities . 100 memorials project at ww1cc.org/100memorials or by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.ww1cc.org/california http://www.ww1cc.org/100cities Activities and Events From the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events - here is our upcoming “event pick” of the week: “Families on the WW1 Homefront” is a tour offered at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site in Little Falls, Minnesota - every other Saturday beginning July 1st and ending Sept 2nd. Historical reenactors portraying the Lindbergh family and neighbors create the tour, providing insights into the daily lives of Minnesotans at home during WW1. Visitors will hear inside stories about farming for the war effort, assist a Red Cross volunteer and learn about the ways Minnesotan life changed during this period. Check out U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register for things happening in your area, and while you are there, you’ll find a big red button there so you can submit your own upcoming events - making them part of the national archival record of the WW1 centennial - go to ww1cc.org/events or follow the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.mnhs.org/event/2399 ww1cc.org/events Lafayette, we are here: And if you happen to be in Paris this coming week - we invite you to join The American Battle Monuments Commission at the Cimetière de Picpus for a ceremony in memory of General John J. Pershing's visit to the grave site of the Marquis de Lafayette. The visit was profound 100 years ago - as it honored the deep ties between the two nations. Lafayette, you may remember, was a key connection with France during the revolutionary war against the British. As Pershing came to the resting place of the french general - It is said that he announced. “Lafayette - We are here!”. Turns out that that’s not actually true. - On the occasion Pershing only made some brief remarks - It was the general’s “designated orator,” Colonel C. E. Stanton. Quote: “What we have of blood and treasure are yours,” Stanton intoned. “In the presence of the illustrious dead, we pledge our hearts and our honor in carrying the war to a successful conclusion.” And then the final line of his speech: “Lafayette, we are here!” This from the pages of “Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing by Frank E. Vandiver. Back to the event - Representatives of the ABMC, the French government and American government will lay a wreath at Lafayette's grave, in recognition of both Pershing's visit in 1917 and the Marquis's own work in cementing the relationship between the two nations from the -seventeen seventies - to his death in 1834. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/commemorate/event-map-system/eventdetail/5033/100th-anniversary-of-pershing-s-visit-to-lafayette-s-grave.html Education National History Day WW1 Award Winners A few week ago we were joined by Dr. Cathy Gorn, executive director of National History Day introducing us to their amazing organization and upcoming national event. For our education section - we are pleased to report that Caleb O’Mara, Janelyn Geronimo, Julianne Viernes, and Melissa Takahashi won The World War I History Prizes at the national finals of National History Day. WW1 Centennial Commissioner Dr. Libby O’Connell was on hand in to congratulate these wonderful kids and give them the special award we sponsored. Caleb, a senior student at Keene High School in Keene New Hampshire, was awarded this prize for his paper titled "Eugene Debs and the Fight for Free Speech" - This ties directly into our story today about the first amendment oppression that came with the espionage and Sedition acts. Debs spent 10 years in prison for his opposition to the war - and Caleb’s paper explores the issue. Janelyn Geronimo, Julianne Viernes, and Melissa Takahashi are Middle-Schoolers at Waipahu Intermediate School, on Oahu, in Hawaii. They created a Junior Group Exhibit called "Dada: A Major Modern Art Movement" which won them this award. The beginnings of Dada correspond to the outbreak of World War I. Art is often political and for the Dadaists the birth of the movement was a protest against imperialist, nationalist and colonialist interests, which many Dadaists believed was the root cause of the war. These special World War I History awards are sponsored by The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, and were given in recognition of excellence in the study of World War I and its impact, nationally, internationally and of course as these kids pointed out - socially. We’d like to congratulate these students for their outstanding work, and we thank National History Day for all they do - to bring the study of history to life for our kids! Your are awesome. link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/posts/791000247741942:0 http://nhd.org/winners Updates From The States Battleship Texas Leaks Now for our updates from the states. From Texas - we have an update on last week’s story about flooding aboard the USS Texas. The battleship USS Texas, ONE - of only two - US Navy combat ships remaining intact from World War I, had a scare last week. Leaks forced closure of the museum ship - as she began to sink and list - Emergency repairs and fast action stopped the flooding. She is watertight once more, and the 103 year-old ship is again welcoming visitors aboard. Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link: http://www.khou.com/news/local/battleship-texas-to-reopen-saturday-following-more-leak-repairs/449619659 https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-06-16/battleship-texas-leaks-fixed-retired-ship-reopens-saturday International Report Guildhall exhibition This week in our International Report, we want to tell you about an exhibit that approaches WW1 in a wholly unique way. On view at the Guildhall Art Gallery in London is, “Echoes Across the Century”. The show was created by artist and set designer Jane Churchill. Her influence can be seen in the huge wooden structure that weaves its way between the rooms, creating a trench system which houses the artwork made by local artists and over 240 students. The show focuses on the human impact of the First World War by combining personal stories from the war with the interpretations of modern day children. It’s totally immersive, totally unique and very powerful. The “sky” of the installation is full of planes, and cases of paper moths line the walls, acting as a memorial to those who died at the Front. Apothecaries’ cabinets, tobacco tins and cooks’ matchboxes contain war torn landscapes in miniature, and collaborative collages depict scenes from the trenches. See the wonderful images from the exhibit and learn more about it by following the links in the podcast notes. Link:http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/trench-forms-centrepiece-of-behind-the-scenes-ww1-exhibition/ https://www.warhistoryonline.com/press-releases/new-ww1-exhibition-guildhall-art-gallery-celebrates-human-stories-behind-war-effort.html https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2017/06/01/extraordinary-ww1-exhibition-at-the-guildhall-art-gallery/ Spotlight in the Media An Archive of 10,000 Cylinder Recordings Readied for the Spotify Era! The University of California, Santa Barbara recently launched a new website for its Cylinder Audio Archive that features over 10,000 cylinder recordings — all available to download or to stream online for free. Before MP3s, before CDs, before cassettes and even before vinyl records …When Thomas Edison first invented the ability to record and play back sound, it was on cylinders. First made of tinfoil, then wax and plastic, cylinder recordings, commonly the size and shape of a soda can, were the first commercially produced sound recordings in the decades around the turn of the 20th century.” UCSB has digitized a wonderful collection of these - giving us a real insight into what people heard as they listened to the very influential songs and popular music during WW1. We’ve included a link in the podcast notes that leads you directly to that collection so you can take a listen for yourself. More than 2,000 cylinders still await digitization. UCSB has launched the “Adopt a Cylinder” program, which allows you to make donations toward cylinders - that will then be prioritized for digitization. Learn more by following the link in the podcast notes. I personally own a Edison Cylinder player and have a couple of boxes of cylinders - Now I know what to do with them. Hoorray for the University of California Santa Barbara! Thank you! Link: UCSB - http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/wwi.php https://hyperallergic.com/249190/an-archive-of-10000-cylinder-recordings-readied-for-the-spotify-era/ http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/adopt.php Wonder Woman and Chemical Warfare Also This week in Popular Mechanics - we saw a great discussion of the history of gas and its use in WW1 - The headline reads - The Real Story of the World War I Poison Gas in 'Wonder Woman' The article looks at the use of gas in the new Wonder Woman movie and then compares the film depiction to the actual historical use of the weapon. It’s a great discussion of “truth in filmmaking”, of the role of entertainment in education and of Wonder Woman in general. That aside - What caught our attention was that WW1 is being discussed in Popular Mechanics, that Wonder Woman, much like the video game Battlefield 1, is inspiring conversation about WW1 among and between people who previously had forgotten the war - because after all - it IS the war the changed the world!!. Read the article by visiting Popular Mechanics at the link provided in the podcast notes, but beware of spoilers if you have not seen the movie! link:http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/movies/a26769/world-war-i-poison-gas-wonder-woman/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2606-the-real-story-of-wwi-poison-gas-in-wonder-woman.html Articles and Posts Capt. Miller In our Articles and Posts where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - This week in the ww1cc.org/news section is the story of Capt James E Miller, one of the first aviators in the U.S. military and the first U.S. aviation casualty in World War I. Captain Miller was named recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross recently, more than 99 years after his heroic actions over France in 1918. On the 242nd birthday of the U.S. Army, which was June 14th, Miller's great-grandson, Byron Derringer was presented with the Captain’s Distinguished Flying Cross. You can read more about his service during the war by following the link in the podcast notes or by visiting ww1cc.org/news Link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2619-first-fallen-aviator-of-world-war-i-honored-with-distinguished-flying-cross.html ww1cc.org/news Ghost fleet Forty miles south of Washington, DC, off of Maryland’s Charles County shoreline - near a little town named Nanjemoy, the water-beaten remains of more than two hundred ships lie in their final resting places in the shallow waters of the Potomac River’s Mallows Bay. According to Samuel Orlando, Chesapeake Bay Regional Coordinator at NOA “Mallows Bay is the richest marine heritage site in the United States,”. “In addition to being reflective of America’s emergence as a naval superpower during World War I, the Ghost Fleet provides the structure for a unique marine ecosystem.” Read about how the industrial complex and economy that grew out of World War I led to the fleet’s demise by visiting ww1cc.org/news. I never knew about this site - but having seen the picture - it’s on my list of places to go see on the east coast. It looks amazing. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2610-the-history-of-the-ghost-fleet-of-mallows-bay.html WWrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "Echoes of Sassoon: A Conversation with Matti Friedman". The post is written by Brian Castner, co-editor of The Road Ahead - author of - All the Ways We Kill and Die - and the book - The Long Walk. Castner also wrote the foreword for David Chrisinger's book, See Me for Who I Am… Which we featured last week…. In this post, Castner interviews award-winning author and journalist, Matti Friedman, who is both Israeli and Canadian. He wrote and they discuss his memoir, Pumpkinflowers. As Friedman and Castner point out, more Canadian soldiers died in the Great War than in any other conflict, and its influence can be felt throughout Pumpkinflowers. This puts Friedman at odds with many contemporary American veteran-authors, who often reach to other conflicts for comparison when writing about their wars. —Vietnam for Iraq, and Korea for Afghanistan, Don't miss this fascinating post about how and why WWI would color a Canadian’s view of a very different war in Middle East at ww1cc.org/w-w-r-i-t-e and if WW1’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship is of particular interest to you - sign up for the blog at the same link. Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/2615-echoes-of-sassoon-a-conversation-with-matti-friedman.html ww1cc.org/wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/articles-posts.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? First to Fight: The 5th Marine Regiment sets sail An image shows the Marines as they set sail for France link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/790571404451493/?type=3&theater Ike Sims A photo from our Instagram feed proves popular Link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.290566277785344.1073741829.185589304949709/792836804224953/?type=3&theater Closing And That’s WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog on his post “where are the Americans!?” Richard Rubin, Author, Storyteller and self-proclaimed bon-vivan and Jonathan Bratten, Historian and their StoryTeller and the Historian segment on the US troops arriving in France Courtland Jindra, co-director of the managing board of the California WW1 Centennial Commission and project lead on the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials restoration at Victory Memorial Grove in LA. Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 show is a part of that effort! 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 rely entirely on your donations. No government appropriations or taxes are being used, so please give what you can by going to ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are listening to the show on your smart phone you can text us a donation - just text the letters: WW1 to the number 41444. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes, google play, and tuneIn - search for ww1 Centennial News. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share what you are learning here about “The War that Changed the World”. So long. [music]
Highlights 100 Year Ago: Flag Day 1917 like no other |@ 00:45 100 Year Ago: First Liberty Bond drive big success |@ 02:30 Guest: Mike Shuster - Pershing Arrives in Europe |@ 09:15 Guests: Eileen Dumont & Paul Callens on Ralph Talbot |@ 13:00 Feature: The Storyteller and The Historian: on the selective service |@ 19:00 PTSD Month: Charles Whittlesey’s Suicide |@ 26:45 Education: Edu-Newsletter “Animals at War” comes out |@ 28:30 Feature: The Violin of Private Howard |@ 32:15 Media: Wonder Woman - Three theories on why it’s set in WW1 |@ 34:00 Instagram: Pershing Pic hit on social media |@ 39:00 And much more…. ----more---- Opening Welcome to World War One Centennial News. It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Today is June 14th, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week We have gone back in time 100 years and on June 14, 1917 - it’s FLAG Day. And it is a flag day, like no other in history. The Washington Herald writes: “Never has there been such a Flag Day fete before, and it may be centuries before it occurs again, but the deed was accomplished, despite the setting. The President has spoken.” Though America had declared war on Germany, the real enemy on this Flag Day seems to be the weather. Storm gale winds and heavy rain threatens what is supposed to be a major event in the nation’s capital planned with a 600 voice choir, a huge audience including government employees, who have a ½ day off so they can join the festivities - All to frame a rousing speech by President Woodrow Wilson about the war. The herald article captures the moment with: “Nature Allied with the German Autocracy yesterday in a futile effort to block the delivery of the most sensational war statement to the American People ever heard from the lips of a President!” Streets flooded, flags were ripped out of their holders and one man died in the gale while President Wilson braved the storm, shuning an umbrella and delivering a rousing speech against the gale. It all seemed somehow prophetic and appropriate. Then at the end of the day, it was announced that Liberty Loan drive had not only met it’s goal, but had exceeded it! On this Flag day in 1917 it feels like nothing can or will dare stop the Yanks. Link: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/13/flag-day-in-1917-was-like-no-other/ Official Bulletin We are going to pick up on the Liberty Loan drive by exploring this week’s pages of the “Official Bulletin”, the government war gazette published by George Creel, America’s propaganda chief, under the orders of President Wilson. We are pulling from Volume 1 - Issues 27-32 The pages of the Bulletin are filled with an all-out - last minute effort - in promoting the Liberty Loan bonds as this first national fund-raising program comes to a close this week: [sound effect] Dateline Monday June 11, 1917 Headline: BELLS TO RING OUT CALL FOR LIBERTY LOAN SUBSCRIPTIONS The story reads: “The US Treasury Department issues the following: The pendulum of time is to swing back to 1776 and once again to the inscription on the old liberty bell : ‘Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto the inhabitants thereof,’ It is - to call Americans to service in the cause of freedom. In every city, town, village, and hamlet "from every mountain side," the summons to every American shall ring. Beginning to-day (Monday) the bells in churches, schools, courthouses, and town halls throughout the Nation will toll every night at 9 o'clock, reminding Americans that the time for patriotic support of the Government through subscription to the liberty loan bonds is drawing to a close. The bells will ring four times to-night, indicating that four days remain in which to buy bonds ; Tuesday they will toll three times; twice on Wednesday; and once Thursday.” That quite a sales campaign! But that’s just a part of it. Listen to some of the other fundraising headlines - just from this week’s issues of the Official Bulletin - We will spare you the stories! [sound effect] Headline: LIBERTY LOAN APPEAL SENT TO EVERY NAVY SHIP AND STATION JUNE BRIDES SHOULD ASK THAT THEIR GIFT BE LIBERTY LOANS LIBERTY LOAN IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY ARTISTIC LIBERTY LOAN BONDS BEING TURNED OUT BY ENGRAVERS WORKING NIGHT AND DAY SENATE LEADERS URGE PUBLIC TO BUY LIBERTY LOAN BONDS And on Friday - the day after the first subscription period closes - the Official Bulletin pronounced: LIBERTY LOAN OVERSUBSCRIBED ; IT IS A GENUINE TRIUMPH FOR DEMOCRACY" SAYS SECRETARY Mc'ADOO The government bond subscription target is set to raise $1.9 billion - and is said to have raised $2.5 billion- which is over 52 billion in 2017 dollars. It is huge win for the Wilson administration - We’ll continue with a couple of stories about some of the “No holds no barred” methods they used to do it. Dateline: Monday June 11, 1917 Headline: WEALTHY CREEK INDIAN SEEKING TO INVEST HIS GREAT RICHES IN LIBERTY LOAN BONDS Jackson Bamett, a Creek Indian, Has Nearly $800,000 on Deposit In Banks and Treasury, from Rich Oil Lands Once Thought of Little Value, Allotted Him - In Oklahoma. Wow.. Native Americans stepping up to help the nation. Well, maybe not exactly. Now the Native American community DID step up - and step up big - during WW1 - but stepping up financially? - Before indian casinos? - well, that was surprising and we thought there might be an interesting story here - so we sent out of our Commission summer interns - Lorenzo Rodriguez - to dig into the story a little. Here is what we learned. Jackson Barnett, a full blood Creek indian, is given 160 acre of land in 1903 in Oklahoma thanks to the Curtis act of 1898. Well - in 1912 they find oil on the property that earns him between 3 and 4 million dollars over his lifetime! Of course he is an Indian, in his 60’s and illiterate so the Creek County Court and the US Dept. of the interior declares him as “incompetent” and arranges to become the stewards of his estate. It turns out, that it is not actually Mr. Barnett’s idea to buy nearly $700,000 in liberty bonds - OR to donate $50,000 to the Red Cross? The good news is that Barnett is no fool - and later proves himself mentally capable of understanding his own actions and takes back control of his estate. There’s a book about him called: The World's Richest Indian: The Scandal over Jackson Barnett's Oil Fortune. We put a link to it in the podcast notes. https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Richest-Indian-Scandal-Barnetts/dp/0195182987 Apparently, Secretary of the interior, Lane has control over quite a bit more than Mr. Barnett’s estate. This same week… [sound effect] Dateline Wed. June 13, 1917 Headline: SECRETARY LANE SUBSCRIBES TO $10,000,000 LIBERTY LOAN BONDS FOR THE ACCOUNT OF AMERICAN INDIANS Secretary of the Interior Lane has subscribed to $10,000,000 in Liberty Loan Bonds on behalf of the accounts of Indians whose money is in his custody. Secretary lane states: ‘Most of these Indians reside in Oklahoma. They are " incompetents " similar to Jackson Barnett for whose account $640,000 in Liberty Bonds was subscribed yesterday. Most of the funds of these Indians is on deposit either at low rates of interest or in the Treasury Department drawing no interest.’ The implication is that this is a favor because now the funds are in Liberty Bonds drawing 3.5% interest. And maybe it was. So - in summary - about the government getting into the bond business - subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States running up to WW1 - AND it introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time. The Act of Congress which authorized the Liberty Bonds is still the same law used TODAY as the authority under which all U.S. Treasury bonds are issued. And speaking of issued... The amazing “Official Bulletin” the government war gazette, is now being re-issued every day - Except Sunday - on our website - on the centennial of its original publish date. If you are an educator, researcher, historian, student of propaganda or just interested in exploring the nuances of America’s transformation in 1917, and the echoes - that still ring in your life today - Like US Treasury Bonds - We offer you this wonderful daily resource at ww1cc.org/bulletin - explore, exploit, Enjoy! It’s kind of an amazing daily read about the war that changed the world. Link: ww1cc.org/bulletin Great War Project Moving on to our first guest - we are joined by former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. Mike - Human beings have a tendency to believe what they want to believe - and from my readings, both the French and the Brit’s see America as this powerful juggernaut ready to sweep in and solve the wretched, miserable, wearying war. And now Pershing arrives in Europe - and the news he brings is not exactly what anyone wants to hear - right? “A desperate moment for the allies Pershing in london tells king no aircraft on the way” LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/06/11/a-desperate-moment-for-the-allies/ Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. War in the Sky: Interview with Paul Callens and Eileen Dumont War In the Sky Last week we ran a story about US Marine Corp - medal of Honor recipient aviator Ralph Talbot and about the collaborative research project being done across the atlantic - about him - by two citizen historians. So as a follow up, we have invited Eileen Dumont from Massachusetts and Paul Callens from Pittem, Belgium, also a member of Flemish Genealogical Society in the Tielt region. Welcome to both of you! [interview] That was Eileen Dumont from Massachusetts and Paul Callens from Pittem, Belgium about their trans-continental collaboration in honoring US Marine aviator Ralph Talbot. link:http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20170428/fascinating-new-insight-gained-into-ralph-talbot The Great War Channel Our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube produce videos about WW1 - 100 years ago this week - The show is produced in Europe - so it comes from a more European perspective. This is Indy Niedel - the host of the show. [Indy clip] One of their new clips this week is called the Top 10 Stupid Moves of WW1 from Mid 1915 through 1916. Indy offers a really interesting perspective on some of the strategic blunders of the time - seen through that sharp sharp lens of hindsight. The link is in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar The Storyteller and the Historian We are going to close out “WW1 - 100 years ago this week” with a follow up to last week’s report about June 5th - registration day for the selective service. That is the subject for our new segment - The StoryTeller and the Historian with Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten. [run segment] That was - the StoryTeller - Richard Rubin and The Historian - Jonathan Bratten talking about the 1917 Selective Service act. World War One NOW We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Activities and Events From the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register at WW1CC.org/events - here is our upcoming “event pick” of the week: “Decoding the Great War” is a panel discussion that will take place June 20th at the National Cryptologic Museum in Maryland. If our stories from last week about the Choctaw Code Talkers or the use of knitting as covert communications interested you, this panel is a great opportunity to learn even more about the role of codes and ciphers in WW1. This panel discussion includes experts in the evolution of Intelligence Collection, Radio Intelligence, Code Making and the first Code Talkers. Check out U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register for things happening in your area, and there is a big red button there so you can submit your own upcoming events to it, at ww1cc.org/events link:https://www.facebook.com/events/397486580636106/ http://ww1cc.org/events PTSD Month - The Lost Battalion and suicide As we have mentioned - June is PTSD Awareness month - and as we did last week, we bring you another story on the disorder and WW1. 100 years ago, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Whittlesey was known around the world -- as was, the battalion he lead during World War 1. The so called Lost Battalion was surrounded by enemies and cut off in the Argonne for days -- before being saved when their famous messenger pigeon “Chere Ami” - aptly named as “dear friend” was able to relay their position for help. Commission friend and author - Rob Laplander - wrote a book called “Finding the Lost Battalion”. Links to his book and additional information from his research on the Lost Battalion is available at ww1cc.org/lostbattalion - all lower case - all one word. So… the war ended a month after the incident and Whittlesey and his comrades were hailed as fabled heroes for the exploit. But the war lingered on in the Lieutenant Colonel’s mind and in 1921, just a few years after the war, Whittlesey committed suicide. Whittlesey is, by no means, alone in this fate. In a 2014 study the Veteran’s administration reported that 20 US veterans commit suicide every day. There is a detailed article about Whittlesey’s suicide in the Berkshire Eagle and we have put a number of link in the podcast notes for you. Please keep our veterans in your mind and in our heart as PTSD Awareness month continues this June. link:http://ww1cc.org/lostbattalion http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/lost-again-echoes-of-a-wwi-heros-suicide,508711 http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/finding-the-lost-battalion-home.html http://save22.vet/?gclid=CI2bhJicu9QCFcOCswod49oO_g https://activeheroes.org/22kill/?gclid=CITnppicu9QCFZCPswod5xAFGg http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2016/07/07/va-suicide-20-daily-research/86788332/ Education This week in Education we want to let you know about the WW1 Centennial Commission Education Newsletter, released every other month. Each issue includes an extensive selection of articles, lessons, teaching guidelines and primary sources that you can freely use, all vetted by professional historians and educators. The newsletter is produced with assistance from National History Day, American Battle Monuments Commission, the American Field Service, the Library of Congress, the National Archives and more. The upcoming week’s newsletter is themed “Animals at War” and includes articles and links for differing grade levels about the role of animals in the war. Some famous individuals are featured like Winnie the Pooh and Sgt Stubby as well as lesser known characters like Jackie the Baboon. Perhaps the most surprising critter featured is the glow worm, who played a useful if unexpected role in the war. Register for the newsletter or read past issues by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/educate/education-resources.html Updates From The States Battleship Texas Leaks Now for our updates from the states. From Texas - there is a news story from Houston about flooding aboard the USS Texas. The Battleship Texas survived World War 1 - and then went on to survive world war II. Now we hope she will survive the month! Periodic leaks have plagued the aging ship since 2010 and a large new one sprung up over this past weekend. By Monday June 11th, the ship was listing 8 degrees. By Tuesday 12 degrees. She needs help. Previously, needed repairs were postponed because of the high expense. There’s no news yet as to how extensive the damage will be to the battleship, but you can be certain it will come at a similarly high price tag. We hope a solution can be found so that this 103 year old historic vessel can resume its role as a site for educating the public and school children about the World Wars. Learn more by following the links in the podcast notes. link:http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2017/06/12/battleship-texas-closed-tilting-as-crews-work-to-plug-leaks/ DC: Archivists work to save American Legion post in DC From the District of Columbia is a story about an American Legion Post. Last summer, as the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History prepared to open, some local archivists and educators began working to save the history of an African-American American Legion post in northeast D.C. The James Reese Europe Post 5 was first established 100 years ago during World War 1, named for the noted band leader of the 369th Infantry - the Harlem Hellfighters. What’s left of the Post House is mostly just boxes of documents and photographs; so the post has teamed up with American University educators and Prologue DC to research, archive and preserve what it left of the post. Read more about the project at the links in the podcast notes. link: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/08/archivists-work-to-save-american-legion-post-in-dc/ http://dcpost5.americanobserver.net/ Maine: Unlikely War Poet From the Maine WW1 web site --- a story about an unlikely war poet, Ralph Moan, a civil engineer from the town of Waterville, Maine. World War I is noted for the incredibly evocative war poetry it produced, notably from such soldier-poets as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. However, very few of those well-known poets were American. Ralph Moan served with the 103d Infantry Regiment, part of the 26th “Yankee” Division made up entirely of New England units. He returned home to Maine in 1919 as a corporal to find that he had been awarded both the French Croix de Guerre and the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery. Now that he was home, he gathered his memories of the war and its devastation -- into himself, channeling it into poetry. Though he never spoke of his experiences aloud, even to his family, his experience of the war lived on in his writings. Read his story on the Maine’s WW1 website at ww1cc.org/maine Link: ww1cc.org/maine http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/2515 https://armyhistory.org/an-unlikely-war-poet-a-doughboy-from-maine/ International Report Violin left unfinished played at his grave This week in our International Report comes a wonderful story about two young British men and the violin that brought them together across a century. Private Richard Howard began making his violin before the outbreak of world war 1, planning to finish it upon his return. Sadly, he died in the fighting on the first day of the battle of Messines ridge in June 1917, 100 years ago this month. The violin passed from person to person, being put together and finished over the course of decades. It wound up in Sam Sweeney hands - a british folk musician who somehow knew it was something special. Inside the violin was the date “1915” and Private Howard’s name, so - Sweeney tracked down the young soldier and his descendents. In a recent ceremony, Sweeney played the soldier’s violin at his grave as Howard’s family looked on. The family hadn’t known much of anything about Howard, his own granddaughter saying “I knew nothing at all about my grandfather... I was very interested to learn about him because I had heard nothing except 'your grandfather died in the war'. People in those days didn't talk about it for fear of upsetting someone. My mother [Rose] was 11 when he died. I have to say the news when it got to me just blew me away.” Sweeney continues to tell the instrument's unique story in his show, Made in the Great War, which he is touring across the UK. song “rose howard” named for Pvt Howard’s daughter. Link to Sam Sweeney’s album: https://www.madeinthegreatwar.com/music link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/07/violin-left-unfinished-ww1-soldier-played-grave-100-years-chance/ https://www.madeinthegreatwar.com/music Spotlight in the Media In our Spotlight on the Media - The headline reads - 'Wonder Woman' Smashes Domestic Box Office Record For Female Directors” So on one hand we have a hit movie - and on the other we have a little mystery! The Wonder Woman in DC comic book Issue 1 that came out on July 22, 1942 - was originally set during WWII… but this summer’s early blockbuster is set in WW1. We HAD to ask why? So we put another of our Commission’s intrepid summer interns - Paul Burgholzer to chasing down the mystery. Here is the story: Though the filmmakers have declined to de-mystify this - He found three theories - Theory ONE - From an IGN interview with producer Charles Roven. Roven says that the film was set in in World War I because it adds a culture shock aspect to Diana. Diana romanticizes war and trains in hand to hand combat. She believes that combat is an honorable competition between warriors. World War I, Roven explains, was the first major conflict where the combatants did not even see the people they were killing. In the film the WWI introduces the extreme suffering of modern warfare to Wonder Woman driving her to seek a solution. Theory TWO - The filmmakers wanted to set themselves apart from their rivals at Marvel Comic with characters like Captain America whose story is set in WWII Theory THREE - comes from Breitbart putting forth the theory that WW1 sets a more politically correct agenda - The writer - who wrote the article in January - predicted that the film would be strongly anti-war and that WW1 would be a better foil for that because WWII has such clear villain like Hitler. I don’t know about that that… When I saw the movie last weekend it did not feel like much of a political statement to me at all. It just seemed like a really well made summer blockbuster, a really fun entertainment, and a really strong female lead. What do you think? link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2543-why-wonder-woman-had-to-be-set-in-world-war-i.html Articles and Posts WWrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which we host on the commission web site and which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "More Gentile Than Grim: Letters Home from WWI," comes from author, editor, and award-winning teacher, David Chrisinger. Chrisinger is the editor of See Me For Who I Am, a collection of essays by veteran students that seeks to undermine three main media-create stereotypes that divide them from the American people they have fought to protect: as superhuman; as broken, disabled, and traumatized; or as dangerous, ticking time bombs. In this post, he discusses a WWI project he completed with new student veterans at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point using hundreds of letters written by WWI soldiers from the town where the university is located. Don't miss this post describing their surprising, insightful reactions! Read more about the project by visiting the Wwrite blog at ww1cc.org/w-w-r-i-t-e and if this WW1’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship is of particular interest - sign up for the blog at the same link. ww1cc.org/wwrite http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/articles-posts.html The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? The Army’s Treasure Room That warehouse from the end of Indiana Jones and the Ark of the Covenant? Turns out that pretty much exists. link:https://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/inside-the-armys-spectacular-hidden-treasure-room?utm_term=.qjxyBkM3QK#.lpmGL1oXO5 https://armyhistory.org/donation-opportunities-programs/ Gen. Pershing Arrives A photo from our Instagram feed proves popular Link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.774612519380715.1073741840.185589304949709/789769801198320/?type=3&theater Thank you Katherine. All of Katherine’s stories have links in the podcast notes. Closing And That’s WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog Eileen Dumont and Paul Callens Richard Rubin, Author and Storyteller and Jonathan Bratten, Historian with their new segment the StoryTeller and the Historian Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 show is a part of that effort! 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 rely entirely on your donations. No government appropriations or taxes are being used, so please give what you can by going to ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are listening to the show on your smart phone you can text us a donation - just text the letters: WW1 to the number 41444. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. As of last week you can also find us on TuneIn. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share what you are learning here about “The War that Changed the World”. So long. [music]
Highlights Official Bulletin: Ships, planes, wood, film, and phones |@ 03:00 Guest: Mike Shuster on the big explosion on the Messine Ridge. |@ 10:00 The Storyteller & The Historian: George Cohan’s “Over There” turn 100 |@ 14 :00 Events: Virginia WW1 Reenactment Day |@ 20:30 Special: PTSD awareness month |@ 21:30 Guest - 100C/100M: Dr. Steve Kelly on Brownwood texas Post 196 project |@ 28:00 Guest: Roy Steinberg on the play “Billy Bishop Goes To War”|@ 33:30 And much more...----more---- Opening Welcome to World War One Centennial News. It’s about WW1 news 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. WW1 Centennial News is brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. Today is June 7th, 2017 and I’m Theo Mayer - Chief Technologist for the World War One Centennial Commission and your host. World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week This week 100 years ago is marked by June 5th, 1917. It’s registration day! It’s all a part of the The Selective Service Act that went into law last month, on May 18. June 5th is the day when all young men between the ages of 21 and 30 are to register themselves with the government for possible conscription into the US military. Last week you heard about the many differences the American populace has about this issue and how protesting against registration, handing out anti-draft literature, or evading registration is considered criminal and potentially treasonous. All things considered, registration day goes much as expected. Link:http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170603/manhood-day-june-5-1917-produced-rush-to-register-for-draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_Service_Act_of_1917 https://www.geni.com/blog/world-war-i-the-u-s-declares-war-397143.html https://www.army.mil/article/3099 Official Bulletin We are going to continue to look at this week, from the US government perspective, So let’s go to the “Official Bulletin” the government war gazette published by George Creel, America’s propaganda chief, under the orders of President Wilson. Here are some of the stories pulled from the archive of the Official Bulletin Dateline June 4th, 1917 Headline: THERE ARE NEW NAMES FOR 14 - SEIZED GERMAN SHIPS ASSIGNED TO NAVY DEPARTMENT SERVICE As war is declared the US seizes a number of German ships in harbors from New York to Honolulu. This week they are officially assigned to the navy and re-christened, mostly with the names of American cities. Here are some of the name changes. The Breslau is changed to the USN Bridgeport. The Kiel to the USN Camden. The Leihenfels to Houston. The Saxonia to Savannah. The Nicaria to Pensacola. The Oden Wald to Newport News. Hohenfelde to Long Beach. Both the last two ships are named after US cities with major shipyards. We can only image sitting at the table where a team of naval officers worked all this out! Dateline June 4th Headline: U. S. ACQUIRES AVIATION FIELD IN FRANCE TO TRAIN FLYERS GRADUATED IN AMERICA Preparing to enter the war in the sky, the US plans an aviation training program like no other - ever. Part of the story reads: "America is responsible for the invention of both the submarine and the airplane. In the development of both, she has allowed Europe to outstrip her. It is for us to show that we can yet surpass both our enemies and our allies in the development of the two great mechanical inventions for which we ourselves are responsible. We believe that we are making progress in our air program, and we intend to increase rather than diminish speed as we go forward." Announces Howard E. Coffin, the chairman of the aircraft production board. He continues with: " France and Great Britain have made it plain again and again that they expect aircraft and aviators to be one of America's greatest contributions to success in the war." Dateline June 5th, 1917 Headline: US MAY NEED 2 billion FEET OF LUMBER FOR WAR PURPOSES An on-going theme in the Official Bulletin, and therefore clearly on the minds of the government is resource management. America is rich in natural resources, but still under-developed in the infrastructure to exploit them. This includes industries like timber - which you may remember is how George Boeing made his initial fortune in the Pacific Northwest. If you think about America, our woodsmen are a special breed and in the same June 5th issue of the Official Bulletin … Another headline reads: US FORMING FORESTRY REGIMENT FOR WAR SERVICE IN FRANCE The article goes on with: “A regiment of woodsmen and mill workers is being recruited for early service in France and is being organized at the request of the allies to: Quote: “Get Out Timber for the Armies”. This includes railroad ties, trench timbers, mine props, bridge timbers, lumber, and cordwood. The work will be performed behind the battle lines in France but may fall within the danger zone. The article goes on to state “This regiment will be made up of picked woodsmen. Service in it will give such men a chance to take a part In the war for which their life and training have peculiarly fitted them.” Dateline June 6, 1917 Headline: LIBERTY LOAN "TRAILER" TO BE SHOWN IN ALL MOVIES So now George Creel - gets into film making producing a movie trailer about people buying Liberty Bond. Here is the story: “A liberty loan " trailer " has been sent to practically every motion-picture theater In the country and will be shown at every performance until June 15th.” The article describes the film - which includes an inspiring American Flag, an on-camera message from President Wilson and an “ASK” to buy Liberty bonds. The article closes giving Kudos to the Eastman Company (later Eastman / Kodak” ) of Rochester NY for donating the ½ million feet of film stock the trailers are printed on. Dateline June 8th, 1917 Headline: 100 U. S. NAVAL AVIATORS ARRIVE SAFELY IN FRANCE “Secretary of the Navy Daniels to-day announced the safe arrival in France of a corps of 100 naval aviators sent there for duty in the antisubmarine operations, and for any other active duty that may be given them in France.” They are the first officers and men of the regular fighting forces of the United States that have landed in France. Lieut. Kenneth Whiting is in command. It is reported that “the entire force is intact and that there was no sickness or casualties on the trip across”. Headline: GEN. PERSHING IN ENGLAND The story reads: “Gen. John J. Pershing and 53 officers and members of his party are reported to have reached England in safety. And finally… Dateline, June 9th, 1917 Headline: US CAN NOW PHONE MILITARY ORDERS TO ANY PART OF COUNTRY Here is a technology story in the Saturday issue… It may not be the internet - but the US Government was pretty excited by the long distance telephone! The story reads: “At the inception of the war In Europe, [They mean in 1914] ,” there were some outlying places in the US not connected by long lines capable of commercial transmission of telephone messages. Since then The American Telephone & Telegraph Co. has extended its lines across the continent and so improved transmission that it is now possible to communicate by long-distance telephone with any section of the United States. Thus the Government officials have almost instantaneous access to every center of activity. These toll and long distance wires reach every town, hamlet, and crossroads of any importance. So if you think of it from a national security standpoint - this is a pretty big deal - and here is another interesting fact… The American Telephone and Telegraph company - AT&T - just happens to be my current Internet Service Provider and it is AT&T that allowed me to upload this very podcast to reach you. You know... Each issue of this amazing “Official Bulletin” is now being re-published every day on our website on the centennial of its original publish date. If you are a teacher - a historian - whether student or scholar, a sociologist, or just someone interested in exploring the nuances of America’s transformation in 1917, and the echoes that still ring in your life to this very day - like AT&T - We offer you this wonderful daily resource at ww1cc.org/bulletin - explore, exploit, Enjoy! Link: ww1cc.org/bulletin Great War Project Moving on to our first guest - we are joined by former NPR correspondent Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. Mike - In one of my favorite Historical science fiction series “The Safehold Saga” by author David Weber, there is a battle scene where miners tunnel under the enemy’s fortifications and plant a large cache of explosives under the enemy positions with devastating results. I Wonder if the story from post this week was the inspiration for Weber! Tell us the story Mike! “A terrible scene of slaughter” LINK:http://greatwarproject.org/2017/06/04/a-terrible-scene-of-slaughter/ Thank you Mike. That was Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog. The Great War Channel We are always telling you about our friends at the Great War Channel on Youtube that present WW1 - 100 years ago this week as video - and from a more European perspective. Well in Europe - this is week 149 of the war - for the US it is only week 8 - and we haven’t really not started to fight. In the week 149 episode, Indie Nidel the host give you a great overview of some of the stories we have been looking at as well - like Herbert Plumbers tunnels under the Messine Ridge - and the french mutinies that Mike has been blogging about. The link is in the podcast notes or search for “the great war” on youtube. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar Before we leave 1917, we have one more centennial anniversary story for you. The George M. Cohan song "Over There" turns 100. [run audio of song] Over there became America's favorite anthem of World World I and one of the country's great patriotic anthems. The version we were just hearing was from our April 6th event in Kansas City - and as you may discover from today’s podcast, the hook really sticks in your head. As a special treat, we are launching our new segment - The Storyteller and the Historian with Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten talking about Cohan’s song “Over There” [section] That was our new segment - the StoryTeller and the Historian - with Richard Rubin and Jonathan Bratten. link:http://www.npr.org/2017/06/01/531004379/over-there-at-100 World War One NOW We have moved forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - News about the centennial and the commemoration. Activities and Events Virginia War Museum: WW1 Reenactment Day From the National WW1 Centennial Commemoration Events Register at WW1CC.org/events - here is our upcoming event pick of the week: The Virginia War Museum: WW1 Reenactment Day coming up on June 17-18. As the event post reads: The Virginia War Museum, in conjunction with The Great War Association, will be hosting “America Mobilizes 1917” on Saturday and Sunday June 17-18, 2017 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American Mobilization for World War One. The event will simulate an American Mobilization Camp preparing our soldiers to go “Over There.” During the course of the day there will be demonstration drills, weapons and tactics displays, It’s living history on display with a great edutainment experience for the whole family - that is sure to be memorable! Check out National WW1 Commemoration events register for things happening in your area, and to add your own upcoming events to it, at ww1cc.org/events link:http://www.warmuseum.org/calendar-of-events/2017/6/17/america-mobilizes-1917 June is PTSD Awareness Month June is PTSD awareness month - and in honor of that we want to bring you the following report. You may not know this but in WW1 Hundreds of soldiers suffering from what was called shell shock were put on trial and even executed for cowardice. We know and are learning so much more today about shell shock - now referred to as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We know that It’s a physiological brain trauma not a psychological failing of human spirit. In 2006, Britain formally pardoned the 306 British WW1 soldiers suffering from Shell Shock and shot for cowardice. PTSD affects 31% of Vietnam veterans, and about 11% of american veterans that have served in the ongoing conflicts in the middle east. A recent article from the National Geographic points to some new research that may be lifting the veil on this type of trauma suffered during battle. Shell Shock is actually an apt name for the condition described as occurring after a shell blast has hit the soldier in question. They are sometimes referred to as being “concussed”. Trauma after exposure to blast forces on the battlefield, specifically caused by exploding artillery shells in WW1 were are a signature injury. In one study, the pattern of damage caused by exposure to blast force observed in the eight military personnel, is distinctly different from what is seen in the brains of football players or boxers. The implications of this finding are profound, pointing to the possibility that symptoms long thought to be psychological—ascribed to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—may instead be direct results of physical damage to the brain. The blast shock finding also opens up potentially fertile new ground for research: Can the injury be healed or even mitigated? What equipment can be designed to protect service members against blast damage to their brains? Can tests be devised to identify damage in combatants on the battlefield in real time? Read more about the study by following the link in the podcast notes to the National Geographic article “'Shell Shock'—The 100-Year Mystery May Now Be Solved”. link:https://www.ptsd.va.gov/about/ptsd-awareness/promo_materials_awareness.asp http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1526437/Pardoned-the-306-soldiers-shot-at-dawn-for-cowardice.html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/blast-shock-tbi-ptsd-ied-shell-shock-world-war-one/ http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(16)30057-6/abstract Education UCF and Merchantville Students This week in Education we wanted to highlight the efforts of two groups of students to learn more about this great conflict in Europe by studying their own backyards. A group of students from the University of Central Florida and another from a middle school in Merchantville, New Jersey are making the conflict more relatable by focusing on the human element. In Florida, students are writing biographies for 120 veterans in the Sumter County cemetery. The project includes developing an app for cemetery-goers and teaching local middle schoolers who visit the cemetery on field trips. When the project is finished this fall, the UCF students’ work will be displayed on the school’s website. In Merchantville, seventh- and eighth-grade volunteers decided to research local veterans as part of an elective course that their history teacher created. The students studied the 135 veterans memorialized on a plaque in town put up by the local American Legion Post 68. The students presented their findings at a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the American Legion which included a map that will be on display along with posters students made for each of the four local servicemen who died during the war. These projects will serve as resources for future students, but most importantly we hope other schools will follow in their footsteps. As one eighth-grader from Merchantville put it "[the experience has] really been intriguing and enlightening and I want to know more about my community," Learn more about these projects by visiting the links in the podcast notes. link:http://www.orlandosentinel.com/g00/features/education/school-zone/os-ucf-history-veterans-cemetery-20170509-story.html link:http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2017/05/26/merchantville-students-research-135-local-world-war-vets/324187001/ Updates From The State Wisconsin: Oral History Project This week on the Wisconsin State Centennial Commission website at ww1cc.org/wisconsin there is an article about the Wisconsin Veterans Museum's Oral History Program. The program honors those who served by recording and preserving their stories and experiences. Since 1994, staff members and volunteers have conducted and collected over 2,100 interviews with veterans from around the state. The collection represents all branches and all conflicts and eras since World War I to the present day. The Museum recently opened a new exhibit, WWI Beyond the Trenches: Stories from the Front. Throughout the next two years the museum will be offering programming and events that feature Wisconsin’s contribution to the Great War – in which 122,000 people from Wisconsin served. As part of these efforts, the Oral History Program will showcase the small but exciting collection of World War I oral history interviews. Read more about this remarkable Wisconsin program on the Wisconsin state website at ww1cc.org/wisonsin link: ww1cc.org/wisconsin http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/wisconsin-in-wwi-articles/2462-remembering-veterans-the-wisconsin-veterans-museum-oral-history-program.html http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/exhibitions/temporary/ http://www.wisvetsmuseum.com/veterans/oral_history/ Michigan: Pvt Joseph W. Guyton From the Michigan WW1 web site a story about Joseph Guyton - who was born on June 10, 1889 in Evart, Michigan, a small town known for its lumber mills back in its day. Pioneers were just settling the area back in 1866 through homesteading after the Civil War. At age 20 he married his sweetheart Agnes Winona Baker from Lake City, Mi. Two years later in 1911 they had a daughter named Olive Clara Guyton. Life at this point was going very well. Then In 1914 war broke out over in Europe. Guyton was drafted into the US Military. Under military law Guyton could have appealed for an exemption - since he only had a daughter and no name sake - in case he should die but he was, like many Americans at the time, too proud not to go. He went on to become to first American casualty of the war on German soil. Read his whole story on the Michigan State website at ww1cc.org/michigan Link:ww1cc.org/michigan http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/michigan-in-ww1-articles/1650-pvt-joseph-w-guyton.html 100 Cities/100 Memorials This coming Thursday, June 15th marks the end of the grant application period for the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials - the $200,000 matching grant challenge to rescue ailing WW1 memorials - and in most ways - it actually marks the beginning of the project not the end. What happens from here is that the submissions will be reviewed to make sure they are compliant with the program rules - you know - all the part and pieces of the application for the matching grant were submitted - Any applicants that missed something will be notified and they will have the opportunity to fix any issues. Then the applications will be assigned to a delegate jury - a selection committee that we will be announcing next week. We have some wonderful people who have agreed to review the project submissions. We will be announcing the results this fall. In the meantime, we will be promoting and profiling all the wonderful projects that were submitted - both on the website and here on the show - starting this week with a 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project from Brownwood Texas - Joining us now is Dr. Steve Kelly - The president of the Central Texas Veterans Memorial - Hi Steve Welcome Steve - please tell us about your project, your memorial and your coalition for restoration… [Interview with Dr. Steve Kelly] That was Dr Steve Kelly, president of the central texas veterans memorial telling us about the Brownwood texas Post 196 WW1 Memorial. Stay up to date with everything happening in the 100 Cities / 100 Memorials project by signing up for the program’s blog at ww1cc.org/100memorials link:http://www.ww1cc.org/100cities http://www.brownwoodtx.com/article/20160416/NEWS/160419591 International Report The Choctaw Code Talkers This week in our International Report we have a story from England -- about Americans! The Daily Mail recently published an article about the Choctaw Code Talkers, a group of Native American soldiers, mostly from Oklahoma, whose native language was used to baffle the enemy. The story goes that two soldiers on the Western Front were overheard by a captain speaking in their native Choctaw language. The Germans had been able to decipher many of the Allies' codes over the years, and it struck the captain that using the Native American language as a code, given the Germans had no knowledge of it or familiarity with similar languages, could be just the ticket. It’s important to note that at this very same time, the US government in an attempt to “Americanize” the natives was trying to eradicate the language. The Choctaw success paved the way for the Navajo Code Talkers in World War II. It’s another amazing example of America coming to grips with its own culture. read more about it by following the link in the podcast notes. link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4552304/Native-American-soldiers-helped-Allies-win-WWI.html#ixzz4iUU22Cbp Articles and Posts In our Articles and Posts where we explore the World War One Centennial Commission’s rapidly growing website at ww1cc.org - “Billy Bishop Goes To War” This week in the ww1cc.org/news section there is an article about stage production called “Billy Bishop Goes To War” We have with us Roy Steinberg, the producing artistic director for the Cape May Stage in New Jersey. Welcome! [Exchange Hello} Roy - before we dive into the production, can you briefly tell us about the Cape May Stage? [ROY] That was Roy Steinberg producing artistic director for the Cape May Stage in New Jersey, about their production “Billy Bishop Goes to War” which runs until June 23rd Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and a Sunday matinee at 3 - Follow the link in the podcast notes to learn more link:http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/2390-cape-may-theater-production-looks-back-at-nj-in-wwi.html http://www.capemaystage.org/main_production/billy-bishop-goes-war/ ww1cc.org/news WWrite Blog In our WWRITE blog, which we host on the commission web site and which explores WWI’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship, this week's post is: "A Journey of Commemoration: The Great War through the Lens of Art", by Susan Werbe. Appropriate to our previous guest, Susan is the executive producer of the "The Great War Theatre Project: Messengers of a Bitter Truth", performed in Boston, New York, and Letchworth (UK). In the post she also discusses the process of weaving voice, dance, theatre, writings, and song cycles to examine the collective memory of war on the individual. Werbe also talks about her latest project, "Letters You Will Not Get", a libretto, using various genres of women's WWI writing, set to commissioned contemporary music. Read the blog post to learn more about this wonderful showcase of an extraordinary, multidisciplinary project—not to be missed! Read more about the project by visiting the Wwrite blog at ww1cc.org/w-w-r-i-t-e and if this WW1’s Influence on contemporary writing and scholarship is of particular interest - sign up for the blog at the same link. ww1cc.org/wwrite The Buzz - WW1 in Social Media Posts 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? Knitting as Espionage A specialized kind of covert communication was devised during the war in the domestic spaces under German occupation: knitting! link:http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/knitting-spies-wwi-wwii Donut Day You may have noticed on social media over the weekend an awful lot of images of fried rounds of sugar covered goodness...This past Friday was National Donut day, a day honoring the Salvation Army “Doughnut Girls” who served donuts to troops during WW1. link:https://www.facebook.com/ww1centennial/photos/a.774612519380715.1073741840.185589304949709/784425948399372/?type=3 http://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/metro/donutdayhistory/ Thank you Katherine. I think I’m off to get myself a sugar buzz from a nice glazed donut! All of Katherine’s stories have links in the podcast notes. Closing And That’s WW1 Centennial News for this week. Thank you for listening! We want to thank our guests: Mike Shuster from the Great War Project blog Richard Rubin, Author and Storyteller and Jonathan Bratten, Historian with their new segment the StoryTeller and the Historian Dr Steve Kelly, president of the central texas veterans memorial about their 100 Cities / 100 memorials project Roy Steinberg producing artistic director for Cape May Stage about their production - Billy Bishop Goes to War Katherine Akey the Commission’s social media director and also the line producer for the show. 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 show is a part of that effort! 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 rely entirely on your donations. No government appropriations or taxes are being used, so please give what you can by going to ww1cc.org/donate - all lower case Or if you are listening to the show on your smart phone you can text us a donation - just text the letters: WW1 to the number 41444. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn on iTunes and google play ww1 Centennial News. As of last week you can also find us on TuneIn. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thanks for joining us. And don’t forget to share what you are learning here about “The War that Changed the World”. So long. [music]